PGA Appoint Strategic Head of Golf Development

According to a press release the PGA in Scotland have appointed a new administrator to play a key role in the the development of One Plan For Golf in Scotland. GTS have been playing a role to date in this but as of yet have no indication how this appointment will interface with the development of Golf Tourism within the framework but we will keep the members up to date when we find out more. The full copy is outlined below for information:-

The PGA has appointed one of Scotland’s leading sporting administrators to spearhead the Association’s role in the ‘One Plan for Golf in Scotland’. The former director of sportscotland, Colin Pearson has brought his 18-year career with the organisation to an end to take on the role of Strategic Head of Golf Development (Scotland) with the PGA.

The 52-year-old, who takes up his post on 3rd November, will bring a wealth of experience to the PGA and will work with a number of key stakeholders including other golfing bodies, local authorities, the Scottish Assembly and national government to ensure the PGA is at the forefront of golf development in Scotland.

Pearson, who will be primarily based in Edinburgh, has previously worked on a number of golf development projects including the Scottish Junior Golf Programme and Scotland’s 2009 Ryder Cup bid, which ultimately saw the nation given the 2014 event at Gleneagles.

It is that experience the PGA will be looking to utilise, particularly with golf’s profile due to rise in the build-up to the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in 2014.

“The One Plan for Scotland means I’ll be working with other organisations like the Scottish Golf Union, Scottish Ladies Golf Association and the Golf Foundation to produce a plan for developing golf and obtaining the funding,” said Colin.

“It will bring the partners closer together and I aim to bring my experience of working with local authorities, the Scottish Assembly and the private sector to the table. I want to look at the bigger picture and see what we’re trying to achieve and how it’s best to do that.

“I don’t come from a golfing background and I can look at how the sport can develop from a different perspective.”

The PGA’s director of education and training Dr Kyle Phillpots explained the reasoning behind the appointment and the need for a hands-on approach.

“The PGA wants to play a full role in developing golf in Scotland and to work with other organisations in producing one plan,” he said. “We recognised that we needed to create this role to enable us to do that and have someone with the skills and background to play a full part in carrying out that aim.”