New Links, a St Andrews-based nonprofit that connects with deserving young people through international travel, education and the game of golf has just hosted two groups of British and American visitors, integrating them with local counterparts in a highly successful week that fostered friendships, opened up the town, and promoted the fun aspects of the game.
Together with long term partners Youth on Course, based in Monterey, California, and the newly formed Inspiring Golf Inclusion initiative led by Julia Regis, the group played a trio of St Andrews Links courses – The Old Course, the Jubilee and the Eden – explored the roots of the modern game at Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course at Hill of Tarvit, took in contemporary classic Kingsbarns Golf Links, and made a special visit to GolfIt!, the brand new facility in Glasgow that aims to open up golf to everyone, in keeping with the traditional Scottish approach to the sport. There was an in-depth coaching session at the St Andrews Links Golf Academy and a visit to the World Golf Museum. Participants also had a special tour of the University and were encouraged to consider the possibility of one day returning to St Andrews to study.
Magical, inspiring
“I’ve always wanted to travel for golf and to have golf friends,” said Danielle Jones, from Birmingham, who accompanied Myka Adoh from Reading and Neveah Jones from London “I have definitely been inspired to travel way more but also to play golf ten times more! This trip was magical, inspiring, magnificent, loving, helpful, and good for new experiences. It showed me what I can achieve in life. It’s an important memory to hold in my heart”.
Myka relished the variety of experiences on offer: “I really enjoyed visiting each new course and meeting new people and getting out of my comfort zone”.
Neveah, when asked what she had most enjoyed said: “Everything! I loved going around in different groups – it’s a good way of making friends”.
The girls all looked back with fondness on the cheering and applause that greeted them on the final green of The Old Course, which was ringed by an appreciative crowd.
Meant the world to my family
For Jonah Siu, the voyage from Rosemead, California, was a first overseas expedition.
“This trip was very special to me and meant the world to my family. I’ve always wanted to travel outside of the United States, and because of you all I can now call myself a world traveler!
“I was able to meet new people and spend quality time with them while doing something we all love”.
“Every course put a big smile on my face,” said Jonah, who is about to start a sports psychology course at Pepperdine.
“Links golf: I was putting from ridiculous yardages – in the US from 50 yards I’d use a wedge. Here it is about keeping things as low to the ground as possible…and it worked every time”.
Be adventurous
Mia Lee is about to start an international relations course at Stanford and is spending the summer in China, so she had an extra long journey to reach Scotland.
“It was very tiring but so worth it…The Old Course led to lots of renewed energy: it’s the best eradicator of jet lag.
“With links golf, you have to be adventurous”.
Looking back on her time in Scotland, Mia, who recently founded LingoX, an organization dedicated to making language education accessible to all, said: “This has been the best week of my life. It’s not just golf; it’s the allure of St Andrews. Golf is more than a physical sport. It fosters connections. The unique thing was the interactions – it was the most unexpected highlight.
“This trip has further fostered my love for golf, reignited my zest for living and imbued my heart with renewed hope, ambition, and joy that I didn’t think was possible.
“It has been transformative, inspiring and enjoyable for me…it has been nothing short of magical.
“I didn’t know life could be this good…life can be so wonderful!”
Multiple perspectives
Salma Ibrahim, who is preparing to go to Southern University to study Political Science, and play college golf, also set the event in a bigger context.
“This trip has given me a new perspective on life. Previously golf was a competitive medium, to help to get to college, a tool. Golf was strictly business to me. This was my first time actually traveling for fun. It is really freeing. It has restored my faith in a lot of things.
“Being open and honest has given me this experience.
“I haven’t felt this close to people this quickly. Elina and I saw the sun rising over the 18th – we talked all night. I am so grateful to make that bond.
“I had multiple perspectives on what golf can be. I had a lot of fun with the game.
“I left this week full of memories.
“Neveah became like a little sister to me, really loyal and honest – whatever is on her mind she says it – and Dani and Myka were so delightful to be around. Mrs Julia was so steady and inspiring to talk to as a source of wisdom.
“I enjoyed every karaoke song, every dinner we shared, every shot planned, every memory made.
“Thank you for showing me what life can be”.
Beautiful mixture
Elina Kuang is soon to start a course in Human Biology at UC Davis, where the Murietta native will also be playing college golf.
The St Andrews trip offered her a rare chance to see another side to a game that is often highly competitive and pressure-filled for excellent young players.
“I didn’t know my score. It’s the first time I’ve played for fun. The first time in years I’ve played a new course and it’s not for a tournament. That freedom has given me a new perspective, not just on golf, but on life. Ninety per cent of golf is mental; being happy on the course changes everything”.
One off-course highlight was the Scottish-American-Chinese-Japanese-Somalian-Caribbean “fusion dinners” when participants got the chance to prepare food for one another.
“We all cooked a dish from our own cultures…it was a beautiful mixture…different people from different cultures all got together. You see yourself in them.
“I talked so much with everyone; we all got along so well. It went really, really smoothly.
“This inspires all of us to go out there and do good”.
Transformative
Youth on Course chaperone Michael Lowe has been a fundamental part of six New Links-Youth on Course trips now, and his measured and wise approach has had a fundamental impact on the quality and nature of these events. None of the Youth on Course group had previously met but they left as firm friends.
“I’m just blown away by the bonds that were formed by four of our scholarship recipients representing Youth on Course as an organization and what we aim to do – help young people to develop through sports; how much learning and growth I got to witness and they experienced in such a short time.
“This is a very transformative time in their lives and I know they’ll continue to grow.”
Local help
New Links co-founder Kenny Wood thanked local people who helped to make this a success.
“We had the great good fortune to meet Adam Duncan back in 2019 and he has continued to support us ever since – we have seen him double in height and he even drives a car now.
“We are also very grateful to Joelle Millar and Sophie Coombes for returning again this year. They are so enthusiastic and friendly and are real assets to St Andrews and to golf.
“It was also fantastic to welcome Sarah Fenwick to New Links; she played brilliantly and added a huge amount to the week.
“The young participants had their own en suite rooms at David Russell Apartments, a safe and secure facility managed by the University of St Andrews, and they had a special introduction to the academic side of the University thanks to Thomas Marr.
“I want to thank St Andrews Links Trust, especially Sandra Docherty, Alan and Audrey Hogg at Kingsbarns Golf Links, David Allan and Claudia Noble-Pyott at Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course, Hill of Tarvit, and Alyson McKechin for spending so much time with the group at GolfIt! in Glasgow. Bobby Millar supplied the finest Auchterlonies clubs for Mia.
“The Royal and Ancient Golf Club welcomed the young people into the clubhouse and encouraged us in so many ways, including through The Town Fund. The R&A Foundation made an important contribution to the event, offering support and advice from the planning stage onwards and helping us to expand the number of participants.
“Rachel Knight and Mike Lander shared so much expertise at the Golf Practice Centre and Hannah Fleming guided the group through the always-evolving Golf Museum. Thanks also to Trudy Anderson and Lynne Page at Club Cars and to Colin Hunter and Neil Ogston at Elite Golf. Seamus Coen at Rusacks and Mark Rigg of Links Golf St Andrews were tremendously warm and hospitable to the group”.
Photograph: Participants in the New Links St Andrews youth event of 2024 walk The Old Course. L-R: Michael Lowe (chaperone), Jonah Siu, Elina Kuang, Mia Lee, Danielle Jones, Salma Ibrahim, Myka Adoh, Neveah Jones. © John Stewart 2024