HEATHER MACRAE WINS THE PGA WPGA CHAMPIONSHIP

 Heather MacRae (pictured above) won the PGA WPGA Championship for the 2nd year in a row today and 3rd time in all. 

The Scot posted a 36-hole score of 3-under at Kedleston Park to finish a shot clear of Keely  Chiericato & 2 ahead of Alison Nicholas 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY ON THE PGA WEBSITE

Full scores --- CLICK HERE

JOIN THE PROS AT IRVINE BOGSIDE WHERE THE HOME INTERNATIONALS WERE HELD IN 2009

Scottish Team 2009 at Irvine Bogside for the Home Internationals
Back row - Claire Hargan,(Team Manager) Kylie Walker, Pamela Pretswell,
Louise Kenney, Laura McLardy, Kevin Craggs (Coach)
Front Row - Kelsey MacDonald, Carly Booth, Lesley Nicholson (Team Captain)
Megan Briggs, and Jane Turner - All maiden surnames 

You webmaster has been contacted today by Julie Walker whose friend , Debbie Richards, is playing in the Spanish open this week and mentioned to Gillian Kyle(East Renfrewshire)  that she is running a ladies Pro-Am https://ladiesproam.com/ at Irvine (Bogside) golf club on Tuesday the 6th October this year.

This was the venue for the 2009 Home Internationals and 6 out of the 8 team members have turned pro since then   -- See the course spectators and players by clicking on the following links
DAY 1 PHOTOS 
DAY 2 PHOTOS 
DAY 3 PHOTOS 

JULIE WALKER MESSAGE 
In 2018, the idea of setting up a female only Pro-Am came about after chatting to a few golfing friends, who liked the idea but found most pro-ams expensive and hard to get in to, so I approached my golf club, Burhill, to find out if they would support this idea and they introduced me to the PGA, both were very supportive as there was no other female only pro-am at the time and there is very few opportunities for the female PGA’s pros to play against each other. 

With limited sponsorship, the ladies entry fee of £255.00 per team of 3, pays for the teams food, the pro’s prize fund, PGA levy and PGA admin fee for running the day.  I look to get prizes from partners as we get closer to the event, currently www.arran.com have agreed to provide some prizes and am currently working on other ideas.

The format is a stableford, for both Pro’s and amateurs, everyone play off the red tees, both of which the pros find fun and a change from their normal stroke play events, best 2 scores on each hole apart from par 3’s were all 4 scores count.  The pro’s play their own stableford and the top 10 players, get prize money from £550 to £100  https://ladiesproam.com/meet-the-pros/ 

Following the success of the 2018, Pro-Am at Burhill, in 2019, we played at Cuddington, both in Surrey, I decided to bring the event to Irvine in 2020, to give the surrey ladies a new experience and to support my fathers golf club, I  also played there for a couple of years as a teenager, before a golf gap of 25 years.

We have 22 team slots and I currently have 11 teams from Surrey signed up, they will also play, Glasgow Gailes on Monday the 5^th and Kilmarnock Barassie on Wednesday the 7^th, which are also options for any team or individual playing in the event.  At the moment, I have 2 scottish teams interested, one is led by Pauline Patrick of Irvine and Susan Wood (Drumpellier) from the Scottish women’s amateur team.  I have written to 70 women via their golf clubs over the last couple of weeks, dropped off posters at Troon Ladies, Irvine, Kilmarnock Barassie, Prestwick St Nicholas, St Cuthbert’s and Irvine.

It would be great if you could add this event to your website and help me encourage some Scottish teams to join in, it is a fun event.

The event website is https://ladiesproam.com/

The PGA website is   https://pgagbi.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgagbi20/event/pgagbi20822/index.htm   the logos and more info will go on here in the next couple of weeks,

Julie Walker

Tel: 07887 644 799

Nikki Ferguson comments on a ban on Junior Girls playing in ladies Competitions

Nikki Ferguson -- Assistant Pro at Cathcart Castle

Ping have stepped in to overturn a widely criticised ban at Thonock Park Golf Club in Gainsborough. 

The golf club, which is owned by Ping, voted last week to prohibit junior girls playing in ladies competitions.

Ping seemed less than happy with the decision from the club and immediately stepped in to rectify the situation.

“Upon hearing news on the result of this vote, Ping (the proprietors of Thonock Park) immediately revoked the proposal and have it very clear that it goes completely against the values, principles and philosophies of Ping and would never permit this to go ahead,” read a statement from Ping Europe’s managing director, John Clark

“Ping will continue working very closely with the committees of Thonock Park to ensure the club provides every member with the highest quality experience.

The ban received heavy backlash, with many taking to social media to criticise the decision.

Nikki -- D&A county Champion, Milngavie and Clober Champion 2014

As Past D&A County Champion Nikki Ferguson said on social media 

"If I didn’t have the help from Clober and Milngavie GC growing up, I wouldn’t be where I am today! I won the Club Championship when I was a Junior. "

"Dunbartonshire & Argyll Ladies County helped me massively as well. I made so many friends growing up, many I’m still friends with today! "

"This should not be getting asked in this modern world!"

Past PGA Pro John McTear from Cowglen has died

From The Glasgow Herald 

McTEAR JOHN of South Beach, Troon, on 14th September 2019, aged 70, at the Ayr Hospice. Heartfelt thanks to caring staff. John, a former golf professional, was the dearly loved husband of Alison and a cherished friend to so many. Private funeral, at John's request.

John took up golf after being inspired by watching Arnold Palmer as he marched to victory at the 1962 Open Championship at Troon. He hen Scottish boys' championship trophy  at North Berwick in 1966

He competed for Scotland at amateur level and then competed on The European Tour for five years before spending 21 years as the club professional at Cowglen Golf Club. 

John was deeply interested in golf memorabilia and has a fine collection at his home. 

He had a total of five top ten finishes on the Seniors Tour, with his best performances coming at the Lawrence Batley tournament where he finished tied for fifth and the STC Bovis Lend Lease European Invitational where he was tied for sixth. 
During 2001, John also won the prestigious PGA Senior Club Professional title for the first time, succeeding Jim Rhodes as the champion. 

He was married to Alison who is a past member of Haggs Castle and currently a member of the Ladies Golf Club Troon and we send her our deepest sympathy.

Heather MacRae wins PGA title as she fights cancer

Heather MacRae

By Martin Dempster (The Scotsman)

Heather MacRae vindicated her brave decision to continue playing competitive golf as she fights cancer by winning the Women’s PGA Professional Championship for the second time in four years.

The 35-year-old, who is going in for an operation on 14 June after being diagnosed with cervical cancer following a routine screening, overcame feeling tired in the final few holes of the 36-hole event to claim her victory at Trentham Golf Club in Stoke-on-Trent.

MacRae, who comes from Dunblane and is attached to Stirling, carded two 72s for a two-under total, winning by two shots from English duo Suzanne Dickens and Ali Gray in a field that also included former Solheim Cup player and captain Alison Nicholas.

“I am absolutely delighted and amazed, I can’t quite believe it,” admitted MacRae of her success, which, in addition to a top prize worth £1,000, secured a spot in the first women’s PGA Cup in Texas in October.

MacRae, a former British Women’s Stroke-Play champion who regularly plays against her male PGA professionals on the Tartan Tour, was two shots off the lead after an opening effort that included five birdies

She then made three birdies in the opening six holes in the afternoon to storm into the lead before running up a double-bogey 6 at the ninth but came home in one-under, a birdie at the 14th coming in the middle of eight pars.

The success came a day after MacRae had teamed up with Lee, a former European Tour player, to qualify for the PGA Fourball Championship..

WEST KILBRIDE'S LINZI ALLEN IS NOW A QUALIFIED PGA PROFESSIONAL

Linzi Allen at Birmingham University Graduation

News from West Kilbride Golf Club. — Linzi Allen has Graduated ✅ 🥂

Linzi says --  " A massive thank you to the boss West Kilbride Pro Shop for all his help, support and guidance throughout my training and now beyond.  Throughout all the self doubt, meltdowns and late night studying, I’ve had the best support from the best people around me which I’m so grateful for" 💜

 "Excited for the next part of the journey as a fully qualified PGA Professional" 😁🏌🏼‍♀️ ⛳️ 

Many Congrats Linzi from all in the West of Scotland

WEST KILBRIDE GOLF CLUB LOOKING FOR A PGA 1st YEAR TRAINEE

Click to Enlarge

Julie Otto sings praises of St Regulus Ladies Golf Club in St Andrews

FROM THE PGA WEBSITE

When Julie Otto says something has impressed her in golf, ears should be pricking up.

We are talking, after all, about a former English and British international who was secretary/CEO of the LGU then had a spell with the R&A before carving out a career for herself as an award-winning PGA Professional.

In short, she knows the game inside out, so to hear her singing the praises of the work being done by the St Regulus Ladies' Golf Club in St Andrews in trying to grow the game really does merit some attention.

"In my years of being involved in the game, from player to administrator to professional, I have never come across a golf club so engaging with new members of all ages and abilities," said Otto.

"St Regulus is really very innovative in the ways in which it supports the traditions of its club and providing an engaging and friendly approach to new golfers. Always a delicate balance which it manages very well."

Founded in 1913, St Regulus Ladies Golf Club now has more than 300 lady members and 35 junior girls from St Andrews and beyond.

"The ladies' section has a busy schedule with medals and competitions running throughout the year. We also run many fun events – texas scrambles, fun tri-ams and Pinehurst," said

vice captain Rhoda Wilson. 

"The junior section has grown in recent years and they, too, have a wide and varied programme, including a range of fun golfing events. 

"In addition, we also try and encourage family golf. In recent years our mother and daughter golf competitions and our family golf evening have proved very popular. Playing in these fun events allows families to spend quality time together in the fresh air.  

"In order to make golf fun, we regularly organise an away day for the juniors to the nine-hole course at Gleneagles. 

"The ongoing success of our junior section is very important to the club and, as a result, this year we have had a successful taster golf event and in the coming weeks will be holding a 'bring a friend to golf' event."

Like all the clubs in St Andrews, St Regulus is a golf club without a course. Members play over the St Andrews Links and they have a clubhouse just around the corner from the 18th hole on the Old Course.  

Coaching is provided by Otto at Elie Sports Club, where the 2015 Titleist PGA Assistant of the Year is based. The nine-hole Braid Course there also hosts those fun events.

"I have been involved in offering golf coaching to the ladies and providing sessions for the juniors for a few years now," she said.  

"There has been a significant increase in the number of girls engaging with the game in St Andrews but this has been in no small part the result of Rhoda Wilson's extensive work in promoting the game and the club to new young players."

According to Wilson, Otto plays an equal part in the club's success. "As a successful lady golfer, having played in five Curtis Cups, there is no doubt that Julie is a great role model for the girls," she said. 

"Over the years the club has produced several Scottish champions and our current junior section has many worthy winners amongst them."