New Linked Together PILOT programme at the Home of Golf harnesses the power of the sport to support those living with dementia
St Andrews Links Trust will host Linked Together, a landmark dementia-friendly pilot programme, in collaboration with local golf clubs and supported by “Fore” Get Me Not Golf.
With around 90,000 people in Scotland currently living with dementia – and estimates suggesting one in three people born today will go on to develop the disease – the need for meaningful, accessible support has never been greater.
Initiated by The St Rule Club and supported by St Regulus Golf Club, New Golf Club, The R&A and Thistle Golf Club, Linked Together offers individuals affected by dementia the opportunity to continue playing the sport they love in a supportive and welcoming setting at the Home of Golf.
St Andrews Links Trust and the town’s clubs recognise the profound positive impact golf can deliver for both physical and mental wellbeing and created the programme to harness the sport’s therapeutic power for golfers living with dementia.
The six-week pilot is scheduled to take place from 8 April 2026, with an initial group of nine participants. Each week, sessions will consist of one hour of golf activities at The Craigtoun Course practice facilities, with one week on the Himalayas, followed by refreshments and socialising at the Links Clubhouse.
Golf is increasingly recognised as one of the most effective activities available to people living with dementia, combining physical exercise, mental stimulation, and social connection.
Research by Glasgow Caledonian University, drawing on Scottish participants, concluded that the sport builds social connectedness, enhances wellbeing, and helps individuals rediscover a sense of identity beyond their diagnosis. It is precisely this quality that makes free, supported access so important.
Dementia-friendly golf prioritises wellbeing over performance, with participants paired with a trained ‘buddy’ to assist with shots and guide play. Sessions maintain a consistent weekly routine while remaining flexible in format – for example split between the driving range area and practice putting green, with course play incorporated where suitable.
The pilot programme also offers carers the opportunity for respite and the chance to form support networks with others caring for loved ones affected by dementia.
Facilitating this pilot feeds into the Trust’s wider objective of broadening participation in golf and supporting players no matter their ability or experience.
Christine Randall-Klee, Community Engagement Lead at St Andrews Links Trust, said: “One of our core missions at St Andrews Links Trust is to ensure anyone who wants to play golf can do so, no matter their circumstances.
“With support from our local clubs and specialist guidance from “Fore” Get Me Not Golf, Linked Together does exactly that, bringing together participants, carers, volunteers and the clubs at the Home of Golf to break down barriers to participation and build a more dementia-friendly society.”
Demonstrating the deep-rooted community spirit of St Andrews, approximately 40 volunteers from the local clubs have been recruited to provide dedicated, one-to-one support for every participant.
Marion Todd, former Captain of The St Rule Club, said: “Thousands of people across Scotland are currently living with dementia, and each one of them will have had hobbies and interests before their diagnosis. We want Linked Together to support people to continue with those things that bring them joy and use golf as a way to help those in our community.
“We are proud St Andrews Links Trust and the other golf clubs have joined us to make this pilot programme a reality and hope it gives participants and their carers a real sense of support and connection.”
In preparation, founders of the charity “Fore” Get Me Not Golf delivered specialist training and support to the instructors, golf clubs and volunteers to ensure the sessions are safe, enjoyable and tailored to the needs of participants.
Tony Pennock, Founder of “Fore” Get Me Not Golf, said: “We know that dementia can make people feel isolated from the things they once enjoyed. Golf, in particular, is well positioned to help those living with dementia; it can offer a familiar environment, physical movement, and, most importantly, a sense of belonging.
“We were delighted to share our expertise with St Andrews Links Trust and the town’s golf clubs to develop Linked Together and expand the provision of dementia-friendly golf in Scotland.”
To ensure Linked Together is inclusive and accessible to all, St Andrews Links Trust is providing the space, equipment, and refreshments entirely free for participants.
The programme builds on the Trust’s existing efforts to widen participation in golf, including expanding the field for the ladies’ St Rule Trophy and providing junior golfers with more opportunities at a grassroots level through the national Road to the Home of Golf competition. St Andrews Links Trust will also host the 2026 PING Scottish Open for Golfers with a Disability on the Eden Course between 30 April and 1 May.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
About Linked Together
- The initial six-week pilot programme runs from 8 April 2026
- Sessions will be led by St Andrews Links Trust instructor Ethan Hurst and supported by Marion Todd, Fiona Steel and Simon Stevenson from St Rule Golf Club
- Free for participants
About St Andrews Links Trust
St Andrews Links Trust is responsible for the management and maintenance of the eight Links courses at St Andrews, including the world-famous Old Course.
St Andrews Links Trust manages a number of additional facilities including four clubhouses, a golf academy and six retail stores. More than 280,000 rounds are played over the eight courses attracting visitors from around the world to follow in the footsteps of the world’s greatest golfers and become a part of golf’s rich history. As a charitable trust, all surplus derived from the Trust’s commercial activities is reinvested into the preservation of the Home of Golf for current and future generations and to deliver the Trust’s charitable objectives.
