Every hole counts at Castle Stuart
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EVERY hole counts – quite literally – at today’s traditional Pro-Am curtain-raiser to the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Castle Stuart.
The sponsors of this week’s big European Tour event at Inverness joined forces with the Scottish Government and VisitScotland to help encourage greater enthusiasm for maths amongst the country’s children.
The idea came about to print mathematical expressions or sums on each of Castle Stuart’s 18 pin flags to get people calculating.
Each expression was provided by pupils from the local Ardersier and Balloch Primary schools and caught the attention of one of the competition’s stars, Inverness-born golfer and world no. 27 Russell Knox.
Knox, who is playing his country’s open on home soil in the Highlands for the first time, said it was a fantastic initiative.
"I was delighted to meet with the local school children who did a great job in preparing the expressions and almost catching us golfers out," he said.
Aberdeen Asset Management Chief Executive, Martin Gilbert, is represented on the Scottish Government’s Making Maths Count expert group. He said:
"I am delighted Aberdeen, through our sponsorship of the Scottish Open, could do our bit to make maths more engaging for pupils which is absolutely crucial."
Making Maths Count is a Scottish Government initiative to encourage greater enthusiasm for maths amongst children and young people, their parents and carers and the wider public.
Minister for Childcare and Early Years Mark McDonald said: "It’s fantastic that organisations like Aberdeen Asset Management are so supportive of our Making Maths Count initiative and have brought maths to life on the golf course with the help of pupils from local schools.
"Partnerships like this are a great example of how businesses and schools can work together to develop maths skills in new and enjoyable ways."
Castle Stuart hosts the Scottish Open this week with play beginning on Thursday, July 7 and concluding on the Sunday.
Tickets to watch some of the world’s greatest golfers are available on the gate.
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