Juniors in Scotland 2025
Each July, New Links hosts a group of young people for a week in St Andrews—the renowned ‘Home of Golf’.
In 2025, FordesGolf is partnered with New Links to provide a space and opportunity for four young golfers from Barbados to participate in this extraordinary program.
The Experience
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Final Day
Before arriving in Scotland, the young golfers took full advantage of their layover in London, exploring many of England’s historic landmarks such as Big Ben and the Tower of London, using the city’s iconic double-decker buses. After leaving London, the real excitement began as they landed in Edinburgh and headed to St Andrews, the birthplace of golf.
After a good night’s rest, the young athletes had the honour of playing the iconic Old Course, walking in the footsteps of legends like Tiger Woods, former President Barrack Obama, and Lionel Messi. They also took photos at the famous Swilcan Bridge, a landmark steeped in over 600 years of golf tradition.
Before playing the Eden Course at the St Andrews Links complex, the students were fortunate to receive a golf lesson from a club profession, helping them sharpen their skills.
Day four was a step back in time as the group played hickory golf at Kingarrock Hickory Golf Course. Using vintage hickory clubs originally from the 1940’s, they experienced the game as it was played generations ago. Impressively N’Kyah demonstrated her adaptability and skill by making par with this antique equipment. Afterward, they visited the Royal and Ancient World Golf Museum, learning about the rich history and evolution of golf.
As it is never too early to plan for the future, the group toured the University of St Andrews, giving the students insight into international academic opportunities beyond their CAPE examinations. Later, they played their fourth round of golf at the Jubilee Course, part of the St Andrews
Links complex.
The students embraced Scotland’s natural beauty with a visit to Kingsbarns Golf Links, one of the most prestigious modern courses in the country. Located on the site is the Allan Robertson House, a state-of-the-art R&A-operated; research and testing centre for golf equipment. All golf gear across Europe is evaluated here for official conformity. After engaging their hosts with plenty of questions, the students had the rare opportunity to play nine holes on the KingsBarn Course.
The penultimate day began with a fun 9-hole competition on the “Wee-Nine” course. The club professional added a twist by turning it into an obstacle challenge. Players had to complete holes using only one club, navigate around obstacles on the green, and play one par-3 hole using only a putter. A standout moment was taking tee shots while sitting down on hole 3 – a hilarious and memorable challenge! After a hearty lunch, they played 18 more holes at Elie Golf Course, bringing the total to 27 holes for the day. This energetic and joyful day concluded their golf week on a high note.
On the final day, the focus shifted from golf to water- based fun. The group spent the morning on the beach, participating in water sports such as kayaking and paddleboarding at the famed West Sands Beach – just steps from the Old Course – hosted by ‘Blown Away’. They then took part in a fun putting challenge at the Himalayas, an 18-hole putting course originally created because women were not allowed to play golf. This quirky and beloved course is managed by the St Andrews Ladies Putting Club, the oldest women’s golf club in the world. Their last evening concluded with a celebratory meal at Nando’s, full of laughter and heartfelt reflections on a remarkable journey that blended golf, learning, history and personal growth.
