E-learning will be used to sharpen up the skills of golf caddies in the
Fife-based centre of excellence for golf, Elmwood College. KnowledgePool has
been commissioned to design and develop the programme, which is being funded by
Scottish Enterprise.
It will be based on the Caddie Connect training scheme launched in 2001,
which for the first time provides potential caddies with the opportunity to
acquire a professional caddying qualification.
The ‘traditional’ course is available as a one-week residential training
scheme at Elmwood covering golf history, rules of the game, customer service
and practical experience of caddying and it leads to the St Andrews Standard
and a certificate of competence recognised by the Scottish Qualification
Authority. (SQA).
The e-learning version of Caddie Connect will comprise four parts, which
will cover topics such as rules, the responsibility of the caddie, selecting
the appropriate club, and communication and time management skills.
More than 60 caddies have completed the residential Caddie Connect and
Elmwood is keen to promote such best practice throughout the golfing resort
industry.
"By using this innovative e-learning programme, the course will be made
readily accessible from anywhere in the world," says Carol Borthwick,
director of golf and leisure studies at Elmwood College. "I would like to
see a lot more of the clubs in Scotland offer a caddie service, which will also
have a beneficial effect on the tourist industry here."
