How Stephen Gallacher is helping grow golf in Scotland with 34% participation jump

“That was me at his age,” declared Dean Robertson, who fell in love with the game as a junior at Cochrane Castle and still retains the same level of passion to this day in his role as the University of Stirling’s head of golf in particular and also as the current Great Britain & Ireland men’s captain.

Though it wasn’t highlighted in the excellent video produced by Craig Martin’s We Film Golf team and narrated by Carys Irvine and didn’t need to be, Macaulay has golf in his blood. Dad Callum joined forces with Wallace Booth and Gavin Dear to land Scotland’s historic Eisenhower Trophy triumph in Australia in 2008 while mum Clare-Marie is a qualified PGA professional but now working outside the game.

Nonetheless, it was fantastic to not only hear genuine enthusiasm in his voice but also see joy on his face about those opportunities to play in “Stevie Gallacher events”, with the four-time DP World Tour winner’s foundation having enjoyed another productive year.

Participation levels in 2025 grew from 1,800 last year to 2,400 this year, an increase of 34 per cent. The number of events run by a team led by Scott Knowles and Stuart Johnston also increased as the foundation spread its wings in the west of Scotland.

In 2026, one of the Official World Golf Ranking events run by the Stephen Gallacher Foundation will be in Monmouthshire in Wales, but the No 1 goal remains exactly the same as it was when it was launched in 2012. “Our most important aim is getting young people golfing,” stated Irvine, a polished broadcaster, in her voiceover, having been a foundation member herself and now being the senior ambassador.

Cameron Adam took pride of place in 2025 review

At a lunch hosted by former Scotland rugby international Andy Nicol in the Balmoral Hotel, it was no surprise that pride of place in the 2025 review went to Cameron Adam, who, in the words of Gallacher, was a “ten-year-old nipper” when he started playing in some of the tournaments.

“Well played, pal,” said Gallacher to Adam in a video clip as he presented him with his prize for finishing second in a tournament in 2013, the left-hander from Royal Burgess having not only grown in size but also in stature since then.

Helped by winning the Links Trophy at St Andrews, Adam played in The Open at Royal Portrush this year through triumphing in The R&A’s Amateur Series. He also teed up in the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo, making the cut at The Belfry, before joining Connor Graham and Niall Shiels Donegan in flying the Saltire in the Walker Cup at Cypress Point in California.

Making it a year to remember, he then won the DP World Tour’s Global Amateur Pathway and, having already made the cut in the Crown Australian Open as a new card holder, is now preparing for a final outing of the calendar campaign in this week’s AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open at La Réserve Golf Links.

“The foundation was fundamental to my golf progressing and growing up,” admitted Adam in a pre-recorded interview with Gallacher at the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Centre of Excellence at Kingsfield. “I am still so close to so many of the guys I played with in the foundation, whether they are still playing golf or not. I think what the foundation has given me is a lot more than a place to develop my golf.”

Responding to that, Gallacher told him: “We just want to see people play golf and enjoy it and it is great that you are now on the world stage and still enjoying it. For us, it’s a massive sense of pride and you are a humble guy who gives back, having started the kids off at the Under-10s and Under-12s’ events this year. We appreciate everything you do. Never lose that because it will make you go places.”

Having first come across Gallacher when he was a shy, albeit very talented, youngster at Bathgate, it’s been an absolute joy to not only watch him carve out a fine career as a professional but also see how much he has blossomed when it comes to dealing with people off the course.

Just over £100,000 raised at Edinburgh event

Thanks to a combination of generous donations and generous bidders on the day, just over £100,000 was raised at last week’s lunch, when it would have been music to Gallacher in particular but also everyone involved in his foundation to hear how much pleasure it is providing for youngsters.

“I think it’s really good to get experience and go to bigger comps and you can play at lots of different courses,” replied one girl to being asked what she enjoyed most about it while another girl said it was “probably making new friends to play with”. Unashamedly, a little boy admitted it was because he liked “the goodie bags” and there is nothing wrong with that.

Paul Lawrie, of course, runs an equally-successful foundation in the North-East while the Race to Machrie, an-end-of-season event at the Islay venue, involves the Stephen Gallacher and Paul Lawrie Foundations and also the Barrie Douglas Foundation.

“I am really delighted with everything,” admitted Gallacher to being asked by Adam in their video chat about how he feels his foundation is doing. “It is such a team effort. Now I’m a Legends Tour player, I’ve got a little bit more time on my hands and it’s great for me to go and watch the events.”

Seeing the likes of Evan Macaulay turning up on a Sunday and knowing how excited he is must be a brilliant feeling.