Deer Park to host junior masters event on eve of senior Masters

Jul 29 2010 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

DEER PARK Golf and Country Club will warm up for next week’s Masters tournament with a special junior coaching session for youngsters on the books of the club and other aspiring golfers from around the county.

The event, on Monday, August 2, the day before the prestigious Deer Park Masters tees off, will bring youngsters aged nine and 10 years old from all over West Lothian to enjoy three holes of coaching on the Championship Course.

Deer Park professional Sandy Strachan and assistant John Murray, who have completed extra training to attain clubgolf Stage 3 coaching status, will host the sessions.

They are also well placed to advise young people who come up through the ranks and show real promise about the realities of a career in golf.

After the special training session there will be a prizegiving by Muir Group Chairman John Muir, an enthusiastic supporter of golf who has seen the Deer Park Masters go from strength to strength over the last six years.

He said: “Golf professionals add so much to the enjoyment of the game. On their day they can be as good as any of the big names we hear about playing in the European and US Tours.

“We want to ensure that young people in Scotland are enjoying golf and being able to access it – whatever their social background.

“We also want to expand their horizons to encourage them to join a golf club.”

On Tuesday, the spotlight switches to the prestigious Deer Park Masters.

Golf professionals from all over Scotland will be in action against one another, crossing drivers and putters in a bid to win cash prizes and play in a pro-am team format.

Competition for places at the two-day event is fierce with 50 pros from clubs all over Scotland taking part, having come through the qualifying round.

The event also enables amateur golfers to gain valuable insight into the game they love by playing with the pros.

A record 100 teams from the world of business will take part this year — sponsored by IndBuild and supported by Rippin Steel Fabricators — a huge achievement by the Deer Park Sales and Marketing team and Muir Leisure.

Sandy Strachan added: “The Deer Park Masters is a Tartan Tour ranking event and a real highlight in the golfing calendar for all the professionals who take part.

“The recession has had a detrimental effect on many golf clubs in Scotland and all over the country, and so events like this, where professionals can compete to win substantial cash prizes, are very welcome indeed.”