 |
| Joan at the SLGA Centenary Lunch in 2009 |
It is with great sadness that I have to announce the death of Joan Lawrence.
Joan was going to be 90 on the 20th April and had been in good health until she had a stroke last week and died last night -- With the current coronavirus situation the funeral will be private.
Is now in the Scotsman Newspaper by Martin Dempster - Click Here
 |
| Saturday 28th Scotsman Report Click to enlarge |
(TRIBUTES AT END OF POST) -- email CarolFellGolf if you would like to say something
 |
| Home Internationals 1960 . From L to R - Janette Wright, Ansley Lurie, Belle Robertson, Jean Burnett Jean McCulloch (Captain) Betty Singleton, Dorothea Sommerville, Joan Lawrence and Margaret Myles |
 |
| Some Fife County Champions including Joan Lawrence (Centre front) Marigold Speir, Lorna Bennett, Elaine Moffat & Dale Reid from KirkwoodGolf |
Scottish Ladies Champion 1962 to 1964
Member of the 1964 Curtis Cup Team
Represented Scotland in 1964 in the World Team Championship and where Scotland finished runners up
Member of the winning Vagliano Cup team in 1963 and 1965 Represented Scotland in the European Team Championships 1965, 1967 and 1969
East of Scotland Champion 1971 and 1972
International Selector 1973 to 1976
Scottish Veteran Ladies Champion 1982 to 1984
Regular member of the Scottish team for some 12 years and a regular in the Fife County team for over 30 years
Won the Fife Ladies Championship 18 times, the first being in 1953
In her non-competitive roles, she was Chairperson of the Ladies Golf Union in 1989 and in 1995 appointed as President of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association. She was also President of the Scottish Veteran Ladies Golfing Society from 1994 to 1995. Captain of the winning Great Britain and Commonwealth Team in 1971 and Vice-Captain of the 1970 Curtis Cup team.
In the 1999 Queen’s Birthday Honours Joan was awarded an MBE for services to golf.
TRIBUTES
SCOTTISH GOLF WEBSITE
Andrew McKinlay, CEO of Scottish Golf said, “On behalf of Scottish Golf, we would like to express our deepest condolences to Joan’s family and friends at this difficult time. Joan was a two-time winner of the Scottish Ladies Championship and represented Scotland with distinction at so many high profile events within the amateur game.”
GILLIAN KIRKWOOD - PAST PRESIDENT OF THE LGU
"Joan was SLGA President when I first went onto the SLGA Executive in 1995.
Her extensive experience and golfing knowledge were extremely useful to the Committee, especially when we hosted a European Team Championship at Nairn and discussed (fruitlessly) amalgamation with the SGU."
"I’ve emailed some of the LGU Past and Vice-Presidents and they have replied to say how much they admired Joan, as a player, selector and administrator, although many of them found her strong Fife accent difficult to understand ! "
"She had a sharp wit and a great sense of humour, but what comes through in their emails was the great respect and fondness they held for her."
"Latterly her golf took a back seat to bowls, but she attended both SLGA and LGU events and was always supportive and interested in what the LGU was doing."
"Golf is a sadder place today with the news of her death."
SHONA MALCOM - PGA SCOTLAND
"Sorry to hear about Joan's death yesterday. She was President when I went on to the SLGA as Treasurer in 1996, and we worked very closely together in what was quite a challenging time with the move to Drumoig and the need to manage the relationship with the then SGU. We kept in touch after she went off the SLGA and indeed she last popped in to see me at Gleneagles last year in the lead up to the Solheim Cup."
"Joan never minced her words - but I liked that because you always knew where you stood! Her contribution to golf in Scotland should never be underestimated, and she was very generous with her time and, almost as importantly, her advice - whether sought or just offered "
"She and Babs were stalwart supporters of ladies golf in Scotland, and the game will be poorer without her inimitable presence."
Play through, Joan, RIP
ELINOR GRANT (Chairman SLGA 1997)
"Joan was a member of Aberdour Golf Club and in 1997 was elected to be the first Lady to be the Captain of the Club and, it is believed, the first Lady to be elected Captain of any Scottish Golf Club."
"When, in 1997, the S.L.G.A. moved the Association HQ to Drumoig Joan was President and was the mainstay of the Executive Committee that year. We had new offices, a new Secretary, a new Treasurer and a new Chairman.
Joan’s extensive knowledge of British golf infrastructure was invaluable that year and subsequently. Apart from being a very accomplished player over many years she was hard working, efficient, a good organiser and funny with it."
"She was Chairman of the L.G.U. in 1989/90 also --
In 1997 the Scottish Ladies team went to the European Team Championship in Finland where we came 2nd to Sweden. She was known to many of the Countries representatives there and highly respected"
"We kept in touch in spite of the demise of S.LG.A and her last comments to me were that she now knew nothing about anything."
- I did not believe that!"
" An outstanding and proud Scotswoman who brought honour to her Club, county and COUNTRY."
MAUREEN GIVEN (CHAIRMAN SLGA 1984)
"Joan and I were friends since 1949 having played together in the Girls Internationals of that year. Our paths crossed many times over the years golfing together then when I was SLGA Chairman she was Treasurer then on my appointment to the LGU Executive she was my Chairman."
"We saw each other frequently and her dedication to the game whether as a golfer or Administrator I did so admire."
"Ladies golf in Scotland is the poorer for her loss. Sleep well friend."
WILMA LEBURN (AITKEN) - CURTIS CUP " An outstanding and proud Scotswoman who brought honour to her Club, county and COUNTRY."
MAUREEN GIVEN (CHAIRMAN SLGA 1984)
"Joan and I were friends since 1949 having played together in the Girls Internationals of that year. Our paths crossed many times over the years golfing together then when I was SLGA Chairman she was Treasurer then on my appointment to the LGU Executive she was my Chairman."
"We saw each other frequently and her dedication to the game whether as a golfer or Administrator I did so admire."
"Ladies golf in Scotland is the poorer for her loss. Sleep well friend."
"I was very sad to hear of the passing of Joan Lawrence I knew Joan well during my competitive years as both a fierce competitor and proud Scot . Sad news indeed for Scottish Golf.
AILEEN WILSON - (SCOTTISH LADIES AMATEUR CHAMPION - 1974 - Nairn)
"I was sad to hear of the recent death of Joan Lawrence. She was a talented golfer, and much respected in so many different official positions.
"I first met Joan in 1963 at the Scottish Championship at The Old Course Troon as it was known then. A friend and I were fortunate to be asked to be her ball-spotters in the Final."
" I was impressed by her controlled play and long running fairway shots, which resulted in a win. I realised how much she loved her golf, as well as being very competitive, and having a pawky sense of humour. "
"When the golf museum at St Andrews opened she donated one of her Scottish Championship Cup replicas to the museum.
"The Scottish golfing scene has lost one of the their true characters."
Aileen Wilson, Renfrewshire .
ISABEL CRAWFORD (WYLIE)- SCOTTISH INTERNATIONIST , SLGA BOARD MEMBER AND LGU SELECTOR
Joan was a one off ...honest, direct, kind, and in all situations called a spade a spade....great golfer for the national cause...and a very astute administrator.....but a driver??? -------
Coming back from Killarney after the home internationals, the Captain and Vice captain had stayed on for a holiday thus Joan was given the job of driving our mini bus to Shannon airport. -- 6am on a very stormy wet morning...visibility very poor ... pitch black and flooded roads.
The golf bags and suitcases were piled in the back, the team sitting in the middle, all suffering from excellent Irish hospitality the previous evening!” -- Right Wylie (Joan always used surnames) up here beside me to help to read the road signs” - Marjory Ferguson (nee Fowler) was sitting immediately behind Joan with dark glasses on and very much hung over! - Ten minutes into our trip from a high bank above the road came four or five donkeys. Joan braked violently and skidded into the side... the donkeys brayed and neighed and dispersed....clubs, cases, bags and bodies were hurtled all over the bus ....and Marjory let out a scream.”” --
"What was that?" -
"Donkeys!" - replies Joan...
"Donkeys ?“shouts Marjory -- “Not donkeys it’s your rotten driving”
Joan and I were the only ones to know the truth!!
Isabel Crawford Ayrshire