Scottish club crowdfunds £8,000 for irrigation system

A junior-friendly Aberdeenshire golf club has raised nearly £8,000 for a new irrigation system after it crowdfunded the money.

Murcar Links launched the ‘Friends of Murcar’ crowdfunding campaign in August as it is looking to raise £250,000 to fund the first phase of a new irrigation system.

The theme of the campaign was about developing the club for youth development, so ten per cent of the final amount raised has been donated to the Paul Lawrie Foundation, which provides opportunities for juniors of any age and background to take part in golf.

The club has been providing free golf to juniors this year.

Although common within the business world, crowdfunding campaigns are a relatively alien concept for golf clubs. Barra Golf Club also in Scotland used the approach, which involves funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people via the internet, and everybody who invests money usually receive some form of ownership in the new project, to raise money for a new clubhouse earlier this year. However there are few other examples in golf in the UK of similar approaches.

Launched by former Aberdeen FC footballers, John Hewitt and Russell Anderson, the Friends of Murcar campaign offered numerous fundraising entry points and rewards and, anyone who donated £20 or more was entered into a prize draw to win a fourball with a friend to play alongside the Pittodrie heroes.

Explaining why the club took such an innovative approach,  Murcar Links club captain, Malcolm Gunnyeon, said: “As a club, we are constantly looking at ways to innovate and improve on and off the course and, following years of supporting local, national and European golf as a venue and partner, we felt this was an ideal time to try something a little bit different to support the next stage of the development of Murcar Links.

“The grassroots of the game are so important to a club like ours so it was an easy decision to donate 10 per cent of the money raised to the Paul Lawrie Foundation. It does a fantastic job introducing youngsters to the game who, ultimately, will be the lifeblood of golf in the future. Support of the foundation sits very well with our decision to make junior golf free at Murcar in 2016.”

1983 European Cup Winners’ Cup hero, and Murcar member, John Hewitt, added: “I’ve been a member at Murcar for nearly 20 years and have seen the course develop over that time. At its best, it’s right up there with the top Scottish courses.”

Former League Cup-winning captain, Russell Anderson, said: “Murcar Links is a fantastic golf club and the proposed works will help it continue supporting golf development in the region for many years to come.”

The club raised £7,905 from 63 donors between August and September.