Rathbane embraces scheme with vigour

One initiative that could prove to be a model for other local authorities, or indeed private clubs, is run from the municipal course at Rathbane in Limerick City.

The course, which is owned by the city council and leased to a management company, is within the city boundary and is surrounded by disadvantaged areas. Last year, they ran their first Junior Golf Programme, which saw over 30 local children, girls and boys aged 12-16, complete an eight-week course which is based on the First Tee programme that operates in the US.

The First Tee is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, and its focus "is to give young people of all backgrounds an opportunity to develop, through golf and character education, life-enhancing values such as honesty, integrity and sportsmanship."

Working from the premise that "life skills" can be learned through golf, First Tee has established nine "core values" which are inherent in the game and which can be applied to all aspects of the child's development. For example, on week three of the programme the participants tackle the issue of respect: "In golf it is important to show respect for yourself, your partners, your opponents and the golf course, as well as the honour and traditions of the game."

"Rathbane is an oasis of a golf course," says Liam McCabe of Mack Trading, the management company which has leased Rathbane Golf Club, "but it's in the middle of Southill in Limerick, which does have some serious social problems. So part of our winning the tender to run the course was that we would introduce this First Step programme.

"So last year we had between 20 and 40 children, some who had played and some who had never played golf before.

"We funded it fully ourselves, and it was a resounding success, it was unbelievable to be honest. We were very nervous taking it on. We have a lot of agendas for taking it on. One is obviously about introducing children to golf, but also, at the course we're in, security is a huge issue. We have a fence running around the course, and we were hoping to bring down the fence and put an end to a sort of Them and Us attitude that existed in the area. And so introduce them to the course instead of trying to keep them out of the course.

"And it's been a huge success in every aspect. We finished last year with over 30 children finishing the course - not all the same kids. Not everyone who started finished it. But we had a good core group of kids who ran through the whole programme."

The club also relies on volunteers, from club members to local pros, to help run the scheme. And the support for the children doesn't end with the scheme.

"No children who run through this programme will be barred from the game of golf through lack of money. And that includes a set of clubs. Every one of the children who went through the programme last year knows the course manager by name, and I can assure you that none of those children do not play golf for the lack of money.

"We encourage them all to become members. We don't do the programme for nothing. The children pay 2 a class, and they get a bar of chocolate and a mineral out of it, but we don't do nothing for nothing. The problem with that is you get people coming who aren't genuinely interested.

"But we don't want to give free golf, we want to introduce kids to affordable golf. Golf is not free and it will never be free. But certainly none of the children who participate in our course don't play golf because of money. . . . I know John, the manager of the course, has an arrangement with the children whereby they'll pay a sort of green fee every time they come to the course, and then after five or six weeks, they get membership. It's kind of a deposit on membership."

And even after one year the benefits of the project can be seen. "It's great to see youngsters on the course showing respect, you know, not holding up play or talking loudly. They're taught that throughout the programme and that in itself reaps rewards, because there's no hassle then between youngsters on the course and adults."

Contacts: Rathbane GC 061 313655 First Tee: www.thefirsttee.org