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FOOTBALLERS SCORE FROM GOLFERS' COMMUNITY SPIRIT

Footballers Score From Golfers’ Community Spirit

Golfers at an internationally renowned course have set the ball rolling in a community initiative by chipping in to help neighbouring footballers.

Earlier this year the Royal Dornoch Golf Club set up a community fund to support local groups, using a percentage of the net green fee income from visitors who come from all parts of the world to play the famous links course.

The first to benefit are Dornoch City FC who play in the Ross-Shire Welfare League and have received £500 from the fund to buy equipment and new warm up tops for players.

Neil Hampton, Royal Dornoch Golf Club’s general manager, who handed over the new kit said: “The football club were the first applicant to the social fund and they immediately ticked all the boxes we were trying to cover.

“We were keen to help them and are delighted the fund’s first donation has now been put to good use.”

Mark McAuley, coach of Dornoch City FC, added: “We had been in touch with a number of local businesses in search of sponsors and then Neil kindly got in touch and made us aware of this fund being created by the golf club.

“We have been able to purchase new warm up tops and equipment to assist in training, as well as some new match day footballs.

“The community fund is a great gesture by the golf club and will help a number of organisations locally.”

Each year the golf club – part of the Highland Golf Links partnership which promotes destination breaks in the Highlands – will contribute up to one per cent of its green fees income to the social fund, which will be controlled by RDGC’s Council of Management.

Organisations based within the IV25 postcode can apply for donations of up to £500 with payments determined by a four-strong committee, including the club Captain and the two immediate predecessors, as well as a nominee from Dornoch Area Community Council.

The overriding criterion is that awards must be used for the purpose of contributing to the common good of the local community.

The committee will meet again soon to consider other applications and further donations will be made before Christmas.

Highland Golf Links also includes Castle Stuart Golf Links and The Nairn Golf Club, as well as the Kingsmills Hotel and Culloden House, Inverness; the Royal Golf Hotel at Royal Dornoch; and the Golf View Hotel in Nairn.

The group promotes Play and Stay golf packages in the Highlands.

See www.highlandgolflinks.com