From Twitter
Tweets by @ScotAGCATestimonials
“The golf course is our most important asset and therefore it is crucial to maintaining the high standard of our course that we get advice from a professional golf course architect" Club Manager, Lanark GC
"Our 10 year development plan will help guide the Club’s future." Captain of Aberdour GC
"As amateurs we all have an idea what we are looking for but the GCA is the man that pulls these ideas together into an achievable project." Director of Pitlochry Golf Ltd
"There are major benefits in using a professional GCA" Baberton Club Manager
"....we should always seek the guidance of professional expertise before finalising our strategic plans for development and improvement to our facilities. This has proven to be particularly beneficial to the development of our golf course....." Secretary, Kirkintilloch GC
ScotAGCA and SGU
The decision to link two prominent Scottish Golf bodies, The Scottish Golf Union (SGU) and The Scottish Association of Golf Course Architects (ScotAGCA) has resulted in a positive relationship. The two organisations joined forces in 2010, linking websites and sharing information in an effort to assist golf clubs in the home of golf. The joint effort has seen multiple Scottish clubs benefit and it is clear that more and more of the grass roots clubs in Scotland understand that professional support is crucial in helping to improve the golf experience they currently offer, contributing to the long-term success of the club.
The ScotAGCA aim is to offer affordable support and guidance to Scottish clubs, helping them with course improvements including safety issues, course appraisals, bunker renovation, maintenance regimes, course restoration and new holes.
Meeting recently for their AGM and celebrating their sixth anniversary the ScotAGCA finds 2014/2015 a major turning point; “the Association has noticed signs of strong growth in our industry between the end of 2013 and the start of 2015” says Ronnie Lumsden, founder of the Association.
The newest member of the Association, Stuart Rennie has noticed a growth in Clients wishing to use the services of a professional golf architect, particularly in the North East while one of the original members, Richard Le Sueur from Edinburgh states “we have recently seen a four-fold increase in our web based leads from Scottish clubs looking for advice concerning course improvements.” The Association as a whole is actively working with more clubs than any other time in its history. A true indication the general climate for golf is improving and the Association as a group is becoming more involved with clubs in the Scottish region.
The word is spreading about the Association outside Scotland as well. Members Niall Glen and Paul Kimber have recently revamped the Association website. Niall says “the end of 2014 showed a large increase in website visitors not only from the UK but from all parts of the globe.” Currently ScotAGCA members are active on 15 projects in different countries with more leads coming in all the time. Scottish architects are beginning to follow in the footsteps of some of their famous predecessors by exporting their unique influence around the world.
With a growing number of exciting projects underway in Scotland, ranging from new-build work in partnership with branded designers, to re-design work by professional architects, it is a clear and positive sign that activity is picking up. With the support of the Scottish Golf Union, Scotland’s professional Golf Course Architects are playing a part in ensuring that our golf courses provide the golfing experience that is crucial to the long-term sustainability of our clubs.
It is certainly an Association objective to raise awareness of professional architects based and active in Scotland and ensure their involvement with as many of these projects as possible.
For contact details of all Association members and additional information on The ScotAGCA members please visit www.scotagca.co.uk.