The area has been transformed during the past three years to meet the vision of the R&A, which was to bring golf back to the heart of community life in a fun, inclusive and affordable way. Head of golf Alyson McKechin explains how that is being achieved.
What’s different about Golf It?
We’ve launched a revolutionary golf and family entertainment destination welcoming players of all levels and all backgrounds. The venue offers a variety of options to try or play golf, from our redesigned 9-hole course to three inspirational adventure golf courses – all designed by young people – plus park golf, custom club fittings, and loads more.
All of this is centred around a modern 52-bay, family-friendly driving range powered by Toptracer. Golf It offers unlimited balls and free club hire all day, every day, to promote ease of access.
Beyond golf, the venue is home to Seven Lochs visitor centre, nature trails, rental bikes, street food from The Big Feed and Glasgow’s first Padel courts.
What’s the need for Golf It? Aren’t there plenty of other venues out there already?
We wanted to create a blueprint for how we see golf facilities developing around the world to get more people connected with the sport.
We’ve essentially created a physical manifestation of the R&A’s vision for golf to make it more accessible, appealing and inclusive. We are looking at how best to take the concept and core elements of Golf It, especially our programmes, to help influence further investment into the sport across the globe.
Alyson McKechin was previously a PGA professional at Stirling Golf Club (Image: Golf It) So are you staying busy?
Golf It has welcomed more than 200,000 people to the site since opening in August 2023.
Since January 2024 we have successfully rolled out group coaching and individual lesson programmes engaging with with more than 1,000 people. This incudes our junior pathway programme launched in May, which has four stages of development structure and includes various events and competitions for each level.
We have also developed our women-only programme, where creating a fun and relaxed learning environment has been the number one priority. This is now moving on to the next level where we are developing a series of on-course lessons for women only.
In 2024 we successfully completed the D3 training provided by the European Disabled Golf Association which allows us to provide a structured programme for players with various disabilities. Launched in June, we have already started to build on this within the local community by introducing more than 50 new players to the game.
What job opportunities do you offer?
Since opening, Golf It has given four young people from the local area the chance to become fully qualified through the Toro greenkeeping apprenticeship. We have further identified a number of other apprenticeship opportunities in areas such as sports development and golf operations to ensure that our employees have access to recognised accreditation.
We have also been working with Ashton Secondary School to create work experience opportunities and golf experiences for young people with additional support needs.
In addition there is Fairways to Learning, a 10-week programme of personal development, accredited learning, and volunteering experiences. A key benefit is that young people who are still discovering their likes or dislikes, and are still finding their strengths and capabilities, get a chance to try out a range of roles and experiences in one safe community setting.
Why did you decide to join Golf It?
Before taking over at Golf It, I worked at Stirling Golf Club as a PGA professional, where I focused on teaching players of all abilities. A key part of my work was dedicated to encouraging more women and juniors to take up the game.
The Golf It concept immediately appealed to me because it aligns perfectly with my passion for making golf more accessible, appealing and inclusive. I’m incredibly proud of how we’ve been able to bring this vision to life and make a meaningful impact in such a short amount of time.
What do you love most about golf?
I love everything the game has to offer. Golf has been a lifelong passion of mine, and my handicap was +2 before I became a PGA professional.
One of the things I enjoy most is sharing my knowledge and helping others discover how simple and enjoyable the game can be for players of all skill levels.
Access the entire series of Around the Greens here.