Perseverance has always been a valuable asset in this game. This correspondent, for instance, believes that no matter how badly you’re playing, you should just keep ploughing on as it’s always possible to play even worse.
As for Dumfries & County head professional James Erskine? “I’m quite a stubborn b****r and if someone says it can’t be done, I’ll go out of my way to make sure it can be done,” he said with the kind of mulish defiance that got Ranulph Fiennes through some of his more daunting expeditions.
A vision he had almost 10 years ago, has finally become a reality with the launch of a spanking new facility which stands as something of a monument to Erskine’s efforts to bolster the game in his local parish.
With funding from the Stanley Morrison Charitable Trust, as well as £90,000 raised by Erskine himself through local businesses, this will be a hugely beneficial resource for members of all ages and abilities.
“I had my job interview here 10 years ago and I told them then that my goal was to make the club the No 1 centre for golf development in this area,” said Erskine of his grand plan.
That plan would face one or two obstacles, though. “When I first came up with this idea, the area of land we had was so poor and the first quote I got just to sort out the ground was about £300,000,” said Erskine with a gasp.
“It was a bit of a shock to the system. I was determined to make it work, though.”
You could say it was a case of floods, toil, tears and sweat. “It floods quite easily here and in 2020 we had a pretty serious one,” he reflected of the those fearsome downpours that just about led to Noah and his biblical beasts bobbing down the Nith.
“I’m not a course designer but I went down with a measuring stick to see how high we’d have to build certain areas of the facility to avoid being flooded.
“The flood water was some three-and-a-half metres, so the practice greens and the range are built above that level.
“We finally started construction in early April last year and we lost about 70 days between then and August due to the weather. It’s been a crazy, stressful 12 months but the short-term pain will be worth the long-term gain for the club.”
What the club has already gained is there for all to see. The new facility features four covered bays with a quartet of artificial greens that will act as targets from the both the driving range and a junior wedge course.
All this is complimented by artificial chipping and putting areas as well as two indoor Trackman bays.
“We managed to bring the whole project in at £135,000,” added the 41-year-old.
Erskine and his team, who have been highly active in delivering golf into local schools, have nurtured a flourishing junior scene at Dumfries & County. “We now have 120 junior members,” he said of this growing youth movement.
“Every day after school the facility is only available for juniors to use. All the ball money revenue from the range, meanwhile, goes back into junior development as well as women’s programmes and various Get into Golf initiatives.”
Maintaining this interest among the young ‘uns is a challenge encountered by many clubs throughout the country, but Erskine is hoping his facility can sustain this early enthusiasm while aiding the transition to full-scale golf.
“You can get primary school kids into golf quite easily,” said Erskine, who provides 30 hours of free coaching to each junior member as part of these concerted efforts to bolster the grassroots.
“But it’s the progression that can be the problem. They have to go onto a 5–6000-yard course. They’re maybe shooting eights, nines and 10s on these holes and they can give up pretty quickly.
“It’s important to keep them engaged. We get loads of kids involved but there’s nowhere for them to develop their skills before they progress onto a big course. These facilities create an environment for them, and it gives us a good chance of building a better future for the game in this region.”
Stephen Gallacher, the former Ryder Cup player who does a tremendous amount of grassroots work through his own Foundation, was on hand recently to help cut the ribbon on Erskine’s new creation.
“Stevie has given back so much to the game here,” said Erskine. “I don’t have his playing skills, but I like to think I’ve given a bit back myself too.”
