They’ve teed-up 200 years of golfing experience and now a Perth and Kinross quartet are determined to give something back to the game they love.
Dougie Cleeton, Steve MacDiarmid, Pete Craigon and Iain Simpson have a wide-ranging experience of business, including management roles within golf clubs.
Now their firm Golf Insights gives clubs large and small across Scotland an opportunity to tap into their wide-ranging skills base – for the price of a four-ball.
They’ve already given feedback and reports to management at high profile clubs like Royal Dornoch, Panmure and North Berwick.
Lifelong passion for golf
The friends, who are all members at Milnathort Golf Club, want to offer something back to the sport.
Dougie, who held key club management roles with Turnhouse, Blairgowrie and Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society, said they want to offer clubs a “fresh perspective”.
He said: “The idea of Golf Insights was sparked by my 90-year-old dad when he suggested it was a shame that four pals with so much experience amassed in golf and business was being lost now that we had retired.
“Between us we have played most of the courses in Scotland but the common denominator is a lifelong passion for golf and we didn’t want all that experience to go to waste.
“We recognise that golf clubs need support and may benefit from a fresh perspective on the way they operate, whether they are one of the big boys welcoming visitors from around the world or being run by volunteers for the benefit of their local communities.”
Wide range of experience
Assisting in this mission is Kinross-based Pete who tapped into an international market with Morton Golf Holidays for 16 years.
One-time teacher Iain, from Bridge of Earn, was club managing secretary at Crieff Golf Club and Perth & Kinross County Golf Union secretary.
Meanwhile Steve, who lives in Glenfarg, has an extensive business background includes a global management role with Sky, based in the Middle East.
Abernethy-based Dougie said profit wasn’t their primary focus.
He added: “We want to give golfers information in truly what to expect, and give golf clubs a barometer check on what they can realistically achieve.
“If our services are sought, we arrive early, play golf and eat in the clubhouse afterwards if there is catering.
“The bigger clubs have appreciated our detailed reports, which range from car parking to check-in and aspects of clubhouse service as well as the golf course.
“We all come at it from a different background in golf and that influences what we look for in our visits.”
Struggling golf clubs in need
The business owner said the feedback from clubs so far has been very positive.
And Golf Insights has a number of visits to different types of clubs lined up for this year.
Dougie feels the timing is important as household budgets start to bite and clubs feel more pressure.
He adds: “I’d like to think our experience provides all manner of clubs with independent and helpful observations on their product, whatever level they are operating at.
“Some clubs which might be struggling despite the potentially short-lived post Covid boom.
“We may be able to offer them a few pointers which could prove beneficial – and we are also running informal reviews on our Golf Insights website.”
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