It was a dramatic day with a first thunderstorm alarm ringing out in the early morning over the two courses and then for a second occasion the alarm sounded in the later part of the afternoon at Crail Golfing Society at Fifeness in Scotland,
Though it was also a day at golf’s seventh oldest club filled with excitement and pride on the occasion of the official opening of the club’s Practice and Performance Hub.
Plans were unveiled early last year to enhance the club’s practice facilities with a new covered building that would feature seven covered bays, including a Trackman-powered swing studio.
The project had been driven by the requests from members for an improvement, particularly among the club’s junior golfers and. of the course, the future of the club at Crail.
Club Captain Derek Park welcomed members and guests to the (Friday, June 26th) official opening and spoke of the club’s enormous delight the practice facility was being officially opened.
Crail Club captain Derek Park (in jacket) along with Head Professional David Snodgrass (left), Head Greenkeeper Bob Meikle (middle) and Club Secretary David Roy (right). Image – GolfByTourMiss.
Club captain Derek Park along with Head Greenkeeper Bob Meikle and Head Professional together for the official opening tee shot. (Image – GolfByTourMiss)
Derek singled out those directly involved with the planning and construction, including key Crail Golfing Society personnel in Alan Green, Head Professional David Snodgrass and Head Greenkeeper Bob Meikle.
“Alan Green was the club’s Project Manager and the club is indebted to him for his work along with Bob Meikle who has been down here at the worksite on a daily basis, checking every nail that’s gone into the building and every screw, and if the wood didn’t match then Bob was your man that sorted that out”, said Park.
“So a big thanks on behalf of everyone at the club to Alan and Bob
“There was also John Matthews who looked after all the renewables. We must also thank club member Ryan Dougherty who undertook the quantity surveying.
Crail Golfing Society – New Practice Performance hub opened on June 26th at golf’s seventh oldest club. (Image – GolfByTourMiss)
Crail Golfing Society – New Practice Performance hub opened on June 26th at golf’s seventh oldest club. (Image – GolfByTourMiss)
View from one of the practice bays. Noting that landscaping work is still to be competed. (Image – GolfByTourMiss)
“David Snodgrass, our Head Professional, along with Bob visited countless driving ranges before all this came to fruition and here in front of you is the excellent finished product. Well done also to ‘Snod’ for all his hard work.
“So, the management here at the club like it and I sincerely hope that the all the members will agree. (applause).
“When the present board is long gone and I also will no longer be here, the members in 20 or 30 years will say: ‘What a forward-thinking board they had back then at Crail’.
Wekcome … A ew Practice Performance hub opened on June 26th at golf’s seventh oldest club. (Image – GolfByTourMiss)
Facilities now on offer to Crail Golfing Society members and visitors. (Image – GolfByTourMiss)
“And when you’re driving in and you notice the facility for a first time, and along with all our visitors, you will be asking ‘what is that?’ The response will be ‘that is the club’s new performance hub’
“So, well done to everybody. I hope you all enjoy it and I am about to hit a golf ball, and hopefully up in the air (smiling)”.
On that note, Park took off his Crail Captain’s jacket and stepped forward to hit the official first practice facility tee shot.
GolfByTourMiss spoke with Bob Meilke to seek his thoughts on the opening of the practice performance hub.
Crail Head Professional Bob Meikle ready to tee-up at the new practice facility. (Image – GolfByTourMiss)
“I am very proud to be here at the opening having been involved directly in the project management,” he said.
“Everything proceeded just so well while the build quality is superb, so I am very happy and just hoping now the members and our visitors will also be just as pleased.
“It’s just a great new asset for the club, as well,
“The landscaping still is to be completed but from being present when the ground was first broken and seeing the foundations put in place, till now and witnessing the first practice ball being hit is just unbelievable.
“It’s such a great new edition to further improve everything here at golf’s seventh oldest club”.
And last by no means least, David Snodgrass also spoke proudly of also being heavily involved in the project, and this just moments before personally sounding the second ‘storm warning’ of the day at Crail Golfing Society.
Crail Golfing Society Head Professional David Snodgrass tries out the new club practice facility. (Image – GolfByTourMiss)
“I am very proud and also excited for the future of Crail Golfing Society and what this practice facility will do for all the members, along with the local community, as well as our many visitors heading into the future,” he said,
“It’s all positive and with the facility there for use each and every month of the year, including those months when the weather is poor.
“After all the challenges we faced a couple of years ago, such as obtaining planning permission and then all the hard work, it’s just fantastic that it’s now open”.
The new Crail Golfing Society practice facility alongside of the outside practice range. And landscaping work still to be completed. (Image – GolfByTourMiss)
Image – GolfByTourMiss.
And the storm brewing in the distance over the famed Balcomie Course at Crail Golfing Society. Image – GolfByTourMiss
And on a final note, my own congratulations to all those involved with the new practice hub at Crail Golfing Society.
My much-loved club for nearly 30-years just got better.
Bernie McGuire, B. Bus.,
Long-time international men’s professional golf journalist, present at some 90 major championships.
First Person to hit a golf shot on a golf course in 2000 (Tonga),
Fortunate to play golf in 47 different countries,
Secretary 2014 to 2014 Assocation of Golf Writers.
