Huxley Golf was commissioned by Merchiston Castle School near Edinburgh to strengthen its on-campus golf facilities with a comprehensive all-weather practice zone.
The leading independent boys’ school is known for its high level sporting programme and has its own Golf Academy at the nearby Kings Acre Golf Course.
Led by PGA Professional Alan Murdoch, Merchiston Golf Academy nurtures students through a progressive system that allows them to work on personalised golf performance programmes. Its success is such that the International Schools Golf Association (IGSA) has ranked Merchiston the number one golf school in the UK. In 2015 and 2016 the Golf Academy Junior Team won the title of joint National ISGA Junior League Champions.
To facilitate coaching and enable daily practice, Huxley Golf helped Merchiston to convert a disused basketball area into an all-weather golf practice area for its students. It comprises three practice nets which provide a safe and effective zone to practise drives and long shots, as well as a 15ft (4.5m) x 18ft (5.5m) putting green, finished with Huxley Golf Premier Leisure Turf surround.
The high quality surfaces used do not require any specialist greenkeeper knowledge as they are virtually maintenance free, making them ideal for use in schools and universities.
Director of Merchiston Golf Academy, Alan Murdoch, commented: “Our golf programme offers a completely customised approach to cater for the specific needs of each individual player. Our new Huxley Golf practice area will support the boys’ formal coaching programme and complement the facilities at Kings Acre by enabling them to work on their golf skills every day, come rain or shine. I am confident that it will help us to achieve competitive advantage in future junior golf competitions.”
Paul Chester, General Manager at Huxley Golf, added: “We have an excellent track record of working with some of the UK’s premier educational establishments to provide the best possible environment in which to nurture the next generation of golf stars. The materials that we use are the same PGA-accredited, tournament quality golf surfaces that are specified by the world’s top golf clubs and championship courses, thus providing a realistic experience for juniors at the outset.”
He continued: “It was an honour to work with Merchiston Castle School which is clearly setting new standards when it comes to junior golf and we wish the boys continued success.”
