A £40k funding award has ensured that Falkirk Golf Club is more accessible and safer for everyone.
Falkirk Council’s Community Choices award was made earlier this year and work has now been completed outside the clubhouse and on the course.
On 28th July 2022, Falkirk Golf Club, together with members of Scottish Disability Golfers, hosted its first event for golfers who have additional support needs, marking the completion of the work.
The Club, celebrating its centenary this year, applied to the fund to improve accessibility for those with mobility issues as previously anyone using the venue had to climb steep deteriorating steps, then move along uneven surfaces and access through a locker room fire exit.
A new ramp in front of the Clubhouse has been installed allowing direct access with improvements to paths on the course allowing buggy users safer playing.
Club Captain, Nicky Barr explained: “The funding means that those with mobility issues and wheelchair users can now access the club more easily and navigate around the course using the new paths work. This has been so important for the future of the Club and has enabled us to host this event recently.
“The old arrangement meant that some people who were attending family events such as funerals or wedding receptions have great difficulty in accessing the club – it really meant that some felt excluded and, on some occasions, business went elsewhere hitting us hard financially.
“Golf can be a very social activity and during the pandemic, we saw an increase in the number of older players who were experiencing social isolation. We provide golf buggies for some of these players to allow them to enjoy the game and get around easily so the improvements to the paths etc will allow us to ensure they can participate fully.
“The Community Choices award has allowed to make our club far more accessible; ensured that more individuals can take part in the sport and ultimately make us a far more inclusive club that can offer much to our local community for another 100 years.”
Leader of Falkirk Council, Cllr Cecil Meiklejohn said: “To date, Community Choices has paid out around £2m to over 100 local organisations since it launched in 2021. The funding awarded to Falkirk Golf Club has ensured that more people can access its facilities and it can continue to support the local community.
“The event has been an example where Falkirk Council has supported the Club which has made an enormous difference to Golfers with disabilities, and we must congratulate the Club on their positive action to ensure access for all.
“The next phase of Community Choices is scheduled to open for applications on 17 October this year, and I’d encourage community groups and organisations to register their interest as soon as possible.”
