IT IS a depressing fact that the only Scots active inside the ropes during last week's Ryder Cup at Valhalla were either caddies or rules officials. Otherwise, the public face of the biennial contest between Europe and the United States was tartan-free for the first time since 1937. It was but the latest high-profile example of how the nation that gave golf to the world has become something of a backwater, at least as far as producing top-class players is concerned.
Hang on though. Even a brief glance at the lower reaches of the professional game reveals a large number of Caledonian lads and lassies battling away in an effort to gain promotion to the big leagues. So there is no shortage of basic ability out ther
e. Not many of them are making it though. Young Scots leaving amateur golf – often with impressive track records – are simply not thriving in the paid ranks with enough regularity. The majority struggle on for two or three years, then disappear.
Something obviously needs to be done. It is just too much of a coincidence that so many talented Scots are floundering in the early stages of what could be, with a little help, long and lucrative careers as professionals. So what is actually happening in that fragile couple of years between reaching the top of amateur golf and attaining tour status?
"What goes on at the moment is akin to us dragging kids up the mountain, recognising them, making them better and turning them into elite amateurs, then the minute they turn professional we shove them off the edge of the cliff," says Iain Stoddart, managing director of Bounce Sports Management, which handles, among others, European Tour player Peter Whiteford and former Curtis Cup player Vicki Laing. "The door gets slammed behind them. There is no guidance even on how to enter a competition, how to travel. They are suddenly out there on their own."
In an effort to plug this glaring gap, Stoddart, along with leading entrepreneur Ken Lewandowski and broadcaster Dougie Donnelly, have formed Fusion Scotland, a vehicle they hope will capture the currently grey area between playing for fun and competing for cash.
"A lot of our leading amateurs turn pro then fall away; we lose all that ability and talent simply because they can't afford to keep going," says Lewandowski. "They're not allowed to concentrate on their golf – they often have to take part-time jobs – so they struggle and find it hard to engage sponsors.
"What we want to do is put something together that generates a sustainable fund from all the bodies we can muster, so that we can take that money and actually let these talented youngsters play. Then they can focus solely on their golf and not worry about the cost of flights, accommodation and caddies."
At this point it is important to note that Stoddart and Bounce will not be gaining financially from Fusion and that more than 90% of all funds raised will go to the players.
"We don't want to create a bureaucracy, one that is burdened with overheads," continues Lewandowski. "And we don't want one that is tied down by committees. There will be a board and we will make the decisions. That's how it will work. It'll be up to us to identify candidates, decide if they qualify or not and if they do to support them. Our motivation is simple: we want to help."
Such a noble cause has already garnered high-profile support from the Scottish Government, the European Tour, the Scottish Golf Union – who will have an obviously important role to play in identifying promising young amateurs to the Fusion board - and leading players such as Paul Lawrie.
"We are delighted to support this initiative to develop new champions," enthuses George O'Grady, chief executive of the European Tour. "We will endorse it and encourage our commercial partners to get behind it. It can be a tough transition for young players, even those with a lot of talent. So this is an area that needs to be looked at closely. Any worthwhile golf administrator would support this initiative in whatever way."
Once Fusion is up and running, it is also the hope of Stoddart and Lewandowski that the players given a leg up will, in turn, lend support to the cause, whether financially or through the contribution of time and advice to the next generation of youngsters. The key going in, however, is flexibility.
"Each player will get at least two years' support," says Stoddart. "We've worked it out to be about £30,000 per annum per player. And we'd like to support as many as 10 players per year. The £30,000 breaks down as travel, accommodation, psychology, fitness, entry fees, visas; any legitimate cost of doing business really. Each player will get to keep all of his or her prize money, but he or she will never be handed even £1 in cash by us. We will handle everything for them – that's what we do – which is why a management company is best placed to administer Fusion.
"At the end of the two years, there will be no pressure put on any player to stay with us. But I'll be honest. If we have done a good job for someone, I'd like to think they would be tempted to stay with Bounce after leaving Fusion. But there will be no contractual obligation."
So far, Lewandowski and Stoddart have talked with a variety of Scottish companies and prominent citizens. Support from institutions and wealthy individuals is clearly a prerequisite if Fusion is to thrive. And early indications are that this obviously good idea has the backing of most.
"It is heartbreaking to think that talented young Scots are being lost to the game," says former Open champion Lawrie, who began his professional career as a humble assistant. "Anything that can help make a difficult transition easier is to be welcomed. Good luck to Fusion."
Hear, hear.
The full article contains 1016 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
