18/04/2024
The hidden nooks and crannies of a PGA Professional’s shop can often be jam-packed with the kind of bounty that would make Aladdin gasp.
“I’ll not be the only pro in the country who has a great pile of clubs in the back of the shop,” said the Clydebank & District professional Gary McFarlane of this veritable treasure trove.
Instead of allowing these tools of the golfing trade to gather dust, however, McFarlane has put all this paraphernalia to good use for a very worthwhile cause.
“I was doing my usual April junior coaching over the last couple of weeks, and I reckoned that of the 30 to 40 kids who were there, probably 80 to 90 percent had the wrong clubs,” explained McFarlane, who returned to the Clydebank club of his childhood after a long stint as the PGA Pro and club secretary at Clober.
“They were either too short or too long. Some had junior clubs that they got three years ago but now had grown out of them.
“I thought to myself,’ maybe we can do something here?’. When I moved from Clober, I had accumulated a whole raft of clubs so I decided to help the kids out at the coaching and give them the right clubs. With the rest, I decided to donate them and see who wanted to pick them up.”
Roll up, roll up? Gary’s Giveaway went down to a storm as various clubs disappeared quicker than the discounted goods at the Boxing Day sales.
“They were gone in 24 hours,” added McFarlane. “There was clearly a need for them. The aim was just to give some junior a club so that they can at least go to the range with it or just a hit a ball. If it gives them a start in the game, then they can go from there.
“One of the nice things was that people were coming along with a set their kid had, taking another set and leaving the ones they came in with. There was a bit of recycling going on.
“Developing junior golf has always been one of my passions. We have about 80 juniors here and we are looking to redevelop our practice fairway with an eye on really young kids. It will hopefully double up as a mini course.
“We have a lot of four, five and six-year-olds so if they can go down to this little facility and play a few short holes that will really help them before they make the step up to the main golf course.
“My approach to junior development is very simple. Don’t make it overly complicated. It’s just about enjoyment at a young age. If they have a smile on their face, there’s a better chance they’ll stick with it. It’s not about standing with a 5-iron beating balls all day. You need to learn some skills and have fun.”
As well as aiding the drive to bolster his junior programme, MacFarlane is hoping to take his philanthropy further to encourage more women into the game.
“The next step is the ladies,” said the 48-year-old. “I’ve got a lot of ladies’ clubs in the back. Our club doesn’t have a huge number of female members and I’m very keen to bolster that side.”
McFarlane started his PGA training at Clydebank & District as a teenager back in 1992 before moving onto the well-known Normandy Golf Range where he worked under the shrewd eye of PGA grandee, John Mulgrew.
In a diverse career, McFarlane also enjoyed spells at Loch Lomond and Clober before coming full circle and returning to his Clydebank roots last year.
“Coming back here was an opportunity I just couldn’t refuse,” he said of his decision to come back to the place where it all started.
“In my career, I’ve experienced just about every aspect of being a PGA Pro, from working in a shop, on a range, at a resort and on the secretarial side too. I always enjoyed being more of a traditional club pro, though, and doing the day-to-day running of the shop, teaching and meeting people. That’s what I’ve returned to doing.”
While helping others get into the game with his club donation scheme, McFarlane has not forgotten about himself. “I got my own new set recently and I’m keen to get going,” he said with a smile. “I’m still as passionate about the game as ever.”
