Scottish Golf add a 9 Hole Championship

Scottish Golf Adds 9-Hole Final to National Portfolio

A new National 9-Hole Final will feature in Scottish Golf’s calendar of events for the first time in 2018, with the governing body encouraging more clubs to adopt shorter formats of the game.

The event will form part of the qualifying process to find Scotland’s finalists for The R&A’s 9-Hole Championship, where winning pairs from the Home Nations will savour the chance of a lifetime to tee up at Carnoustie just days before The Open commences.

Part of the national member benefits package, the free-to-enter 9-hole Championship is open to golfers of all ages and abilities who are members of clubs possessing a designated 9-hole Standard Scratch Score (SSS). Each affiliated club meeting this criteria – of which there are almost 300 – will be invited to host a 9-hole stableford qualifying event before the end of May.

The leading pairs from each club will tee up at the National Final in June, before Scotland’s top four pairings join qualifiers from England, Ireland and Wales in front of the iconic stands at Carnoustie on Saturday 14 July.

Fraser Munro, Head of Events at Scottish Golf, said: “Nine-hole golf has long been part of the game’s fabric in Scotland but we need to do more to promote it to a wider audience and this fantastic event gives us a higher profile platform to achieve this.

“The incentive of playing at Carnoustie in the build-up to The Open is a dream come true and we would encourage as many clubs as possible to sign up and give their members a chance of taking part.”

In a further move by Scottish Golf to address pace of play concerns, ‘Ready Golf’ will be adopted at all championships from 2018. The initiative encourages players to play when they are ready to do so, rather than adhering to the traditional ‘farthest from the hole plays first’ stipulation in the Rules of Golf.

Munro added: “We are committed to speeding up the game and making competitive golf more enjoyable for everyone. We acknowledge slow play continues to be a problem but believe adopting ‘Ready Golf’ is a proactive step towards addressing this issue.”

The domestic season will open with the Scottish Boys’ and Girls’ Open Stroke Play Championships taking place at Montrose and Monifieth respectively (4 – 6 April), while Royal Troon’s Portland and Old Courses will once again welcome the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Stroke Play.

Scottish Golf’s flagship Women’s and Men’s Amateur Championships will be staged over Elie (5 – 9 June) and Blairgowrie (31 July – 5 August), before The King’s Course at Gleneagles hosts the Carrick Neill Scottish Men’s Open Stroke Play for the first time in late August, a week before the World Amateur Team Championship in Ireland.

Elsewhere, the Scottish Boys’ and Girls’ Amateur Championships will be held at Moray’s Old and New Courses in early July, while the new look Loretto Golf Academy-sponsored Scottish Boys and Girls Under-14s events are being split into two separate championships for the first time in 2018. These will run simultaneously in Edinburgh at Murrayfield and Turnhouse, with the girls’ event also including an Under-16 category.

“Our National Championships provide a platform for players to benchmark themselves against not only the best players in this country but the many golfers travelling internationally to compete,” added Munro. “They also provide a great showcase for clubs to market them themselves to the many thousands of golfers at home and abroad who take an interest in our events.”

Scottish Golf’s full programme of club handicap events will be announced early in 2018, with the PING Scottish Mixed Championship, Revive Active Scottish Women’s Regional Medal Finals and Belhaven Captains & Secretaries Championship joining The R&A 9-hole Championship on the calendar for the year ahead.

The venue for the National 9-Hole Final in June will be confirmed early in 2018.

Further information on all of Scottish Golf’s events can be viewed on the Championships page at www.scottishgolf.org. Entries open at the end of January.

2018 Scottish Golf National Championships

Scottish Boys’ Open Stroke Play – Montrose (4 – 6 April)
Scottish Girls’ Open Stroke Play – Monifieth (4 – 6 April)
Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Stroke Play – Troon (20 – 22 April)
Scottish Women’s Amateur – Golf House Club, Elie (5 – 9 June)
Scottish Boys’ Area Team – Bothwell Castle (10 June)
Scottish Golf R&A 9-Hole Championship National Final – TBC (June)
Scottish Senior Men’s Open – Irvine (20 -22 June)
Scottish Senior Women’s Open – Prestwick St Nicholas (26 – 29 June)
Scottish Boys & Girls Amateur – Moray (1 – 6 July)
Scottish Boys’ Under-16 Open – Fortrose & Rosemarkie (10 – 12 July)
Scottish Men’s Amateur – Blairgowrie (31 July – 5 August)
Loretto Golf Academy Scottish Girls’ Under 14/16 – Murrayfield (13 – 14 August)
Loretto Golf Academy Scottish Boys’ Under-14 – Turnhouse (13 – 14 August)
Carrick Neill Scottish Men’s Open Stroke Play – Gleneagles King’s (27 – 29 August)
GolfKings Scottish Men’s Area Team Championship – Cawder (7 – 9 September)
Scottish Women’s County Finals – Kilmacolm (14 – 16 September)
Senior Men’s Home Internationals – Southerness (18 – 20 September)
Scottish Men’s Club Championship – Kinross (23 September)

Clubs wishing to register for the National 9-Hole Championship should visit: https://www.scottishgolf.org/players/club-members/handicap-championships/9-hole-championship/

SCOTTISH GOLF CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS, VIDEO & FEEDBACK

From the Scottish Golf Website

Dear Golfer  
Thank you for attending The Future of Golf Conference in Edinburgh earlier this month. 
We hope you enjoyed the presentations, discussions and the opportunity to take part in the debate around finding solutions to the challenges we face in our game. It was great to meet so many people with a passion for the game across the golfing spectrum and gain opinion, insights and feedback which will shape our future direction. 
Our Board and staff team have been working hard to collate the content from the Conference and this e-newsletter pack provides a recap for you, which we hope you will share with your fellow golfers. 
Over the coming weeks, the Board of Scottish Golf will be meeting to discuss how we use these insights to deliver our strategy of growing participation in golf and building stronger clubs. The feedback we have had has been hugely positive and we look forward to harnessing the collective power of clubs and golfers to create a brighter future for our game. 
Thank you for your continued support. 

 Eleanor Cannon, Executive Chair - Scottish Golf 

Scottish Golf have themed all the general comments, suggestions and feedback from delegates attending the Conference to give you a full overview of the opinions coming in on the day, which they will take on board in their discussions.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE

CARDROSS GOLF CLUB CHRISTMAS CHEER.

Cardross Ladies held their Christmas Stableford on Sunday 3 December when nine ladies braved the elements and enjoyed a fun Christmas competition! The winner with a magnificent 26pts was Elizabeth Fleming.

On Tuesday 5 December, in challenging conditions yet more ladies went out in Christmas attire. The winner was Anne Barrie with 22 pts.

Mulled wine and mince pies were enjoyed by all and secret Santa left presents. Pictured are just a few of the Christmas attired ladies.

Thanks go to Lorraine Campbell for the report.

PROVISIONAL GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND SQUAD FOR 2018 CURTIS CUP ANNOUNCED - CONNIE JAFFREY IS IN THE SQUAD

14 December 2017, St Andrews, Scotland:

An initial Great Britain and Ireland squad of 14 players has been announced by The R&A ahead of next year’s Curtis Cup match being played at Quaker Ridge, New York.
The 40th Curtis Cup match will be played from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 June 2018 with GB&I attempting to retain the historic trophy after an 11½-8½ win over the United States at Dun Laoghaire in Ireland last year.
Elaine Farquharson-Black, who will captain GB&I in the Curtis Cup for the second time, said, “We have identified a talented group of golfers, including three members of the winning 2016 Curtis Cup team. Each player in the squad is in contention for selection to the team and we will be monitoring their performances and results closely over the coming months.
“We will also be closely following the performances of other players not named in this squad who still have the opportunity to play their way into our thinking before the final team selection is made in April.”
Leona Maguire, who is currently the number one woman golfer in the WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING™, leads a group from Ireland which also includes Paula Grant, a former R&A Foundation scholar, Olivia Mehaffey, a 2016 team member, and Annabel Wilson. Maguire won the 2017 Ladies British Amateur Championship at Pyle & Kenfig, while Mehaffey had wins at the Irish Women’s Open Stroke Play Championship and Welsh Ladies Open Stroke Play Championship in 2016.
Lily May Humphreys, who won the Girls British Open Amateur Championship at Enville earlier this year, features in a strong English contingent of eight players. Alice Hewson is in contention to make her second Curtis Cup appearance after playing in the winning GB&I side in 2016 and Sophie Lamb, who finished as leading amateur at the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Kingsbarns to win the Smyth Salver, is also included.
Scotland’s Shannon McWilliam and Connie Jaffrey make up the squad. A former Scottish Ladies Order of Merit winner in 2015, McWilliam finished runner-up in both the Helen Holm Championship and the Scottish Girls Open Championship this year. Jaffrey attends Kansas State University and has won three times in US collegiate golf, while also triumphing in the 2017 Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship.
The GB&I squad:
Emma Allen (20, Meon Valley, England)
Connie Jaffrey (21, Troon Ladies, Scotland)
Lianna Bailey (21, Kirby Muxloe, England)
Sophie Lamb (20, Clitheroe, England)
India Clyburn (21, Woodhall Spa, England)
Leona Maguire (23, Slieve Russell, Ireland)
Annabell Fuller (15, Roehampton, England)
Shannon McWilliam (18, Aboyne, Scotland)
Paula Grant (24, Lisburn, Ireland)
Olivia Mehaffey (20, Royal County Down Ladies, Ireland)
Alice Hewson (20, Berkhamsted, England)
Isobel Wardle (17, Prestbury, England)
Lily May Humphreys (15, Stoke by Nayland, England)
Annabel Wilson (16, Lurgan, Ireland)

The final eight player GB&I team will be announced on 26 April 2018 and will include the two golfers who are placed highest in the WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKING™ on 25 April 2018. In addition, a further six players will be selected by The R&A Women’s Selection Committee. Up to four non-travelling reserves will also be announced.

SCOTTISH GOLF AGM -- SAVE THE DATE

The Board of Scottish Golf is pleased to announce the date of the 2018 Scottish Golf Annual General Meeting.
The meeting will be held on Sunday 4 March 2018.
We would encourage you to save the date with confirmed venue and timings to follow early in 2018.

CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Pamela Pretswell Asher would like to see more events on the Ladies European Tour

By Martin Dempster -

West of Scotland's Pamela Pretswell Asher believes the Ladies European Tour has hit its lowest ebb at a time when the circuit boasts its strongest pool of talent in the last five years.

The 2017 campaign concludes on a high note this week with the Omega Dubai Ladies Classic involving a star-studded field at the Emirates Golf Club. But the fact it is just the 14th event on the schedule shows what a tough year it has been for players like Pretswell Asher who are trying to make a living on the LET.

Five tournaments went by the wayside this year, leading to the departure of the circuit’s CEO, Ivan Khodabakhsh, in August.

During the Solheim Cup in Des Moines, LPGA commissioner Mike Whan revealed that he had instigated talks with Keith Pelley, chief executive of the men’s European Tour, to see what could be done to help the LET. However, it emerged recently that the LET has declined the offer of assistance for the time being after being encouraged by the potential for a healthier 2018 schedule. “No chance,” replied Pretswell Asher, who was on the LET committee before resigning earlier this year, to being asked if there was a possibility of as many as 24 events being on that list, which is expected to be unveiled at this week’s event in the UAE.
“I think you’d be looking at 18 events next year and, for me, that would probably be a good schedule. “I think there is genuine interest, but whether that can be put in place for 2018, who knows. Even getting a couple back would be a start. But I think it will be 2019 before we really see a difference, so patience is the key.”

Speaking at an Aberdeen Standard Investments golf clinic in Edinburgh, the Scot added: “For me, the sad thing is that talent on the LET at the moment is the strongest it has been in the last five years. That’s the thing that frustrates me the most. “We have so many good players but they don’t have anywhere to play and don’t have to go to America if you don’t want to. But, at the moment, the only option is to go to the States. Georgia Hall, for instance, has to be there to progress her game after doing remarkably well to get into the Solheim Cup team this year from so few starts on the LET.”

Pretswell Asher has been the leading Scot on the circuit for the past two years but heads into this week’s event behind Michele Thomson on this I season’s money-list after the Aberdonian finished second in last month’s Indian Open. Due to bad smog, 
Pretswell Asher withdrew from that event but, after recording a top-15 finish in the following week’s Sanya Ladies Open in China, she is looking to end her season on a high in a field that is headed by Ricoh Women’s British Open champion In-Kyung Kim. “Michele had a great week in India but, if I can have a good week in Dubai, we’ll see where it leaves me at the end of the year,” said the former Curtis Cup player, who also has US Solheim Cup duo Angel Yin and Brittany Lincicome as her rivals this week. “This is a tournament I really enjoy, it’s the best one after the Scottish Open and it is one of the biggest on the schedule.
I’ve been pretty happy with my game. I just haven’t seen the results I would have wanted, though I had a good week in China. In fact, that was the best golf I’ve played for a long time. “My aim this week is to get 
a good finish to what has 
been a frustrating season. I think next year the schedule is looking better, though I don’t think it could be much worse, to be fair. “There were various reasons I came off the committee. It [a threadbare schedule] is not ideal because, at the end of the day, it is everyone’s job. It is the same for everyone, but I’m someone who likes to get a bit of momentum. “I like to get a few tournaments to get into the season and then get a run to get some rhythm going. This year, I had a couple of good results in April yet my next tournament was July – our biggest month – and by that time I’d lost any momentum I had. “It was disappointing not being able to take advantage of having both the Scottish Open and British Open on home soil.”

Fresh from her card success at the LPGA Qualifying School, Gemma Dryburgh also lines up in the Dubai event, as do Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew, Kelsey MacDonald, Vikki Laing, Kylie Henry and Carly Booth.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE SCOTSMAN NEWSPAPER ARTICLE

By Martin Dempster (The Scotsman)

It was easily the soundbite that made the biggest impact during a four-and-a-half hour discussion about the future of golf in Scotland. “We are all on the Titanic if we choose not to do anything,” around 500 delegates were told at the first Scottish Golf national conference at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

When he was subsequently accused by one delegate of being responsible for “a lot of negativity” about the state of the game in its birthplace by delivering that message, Stewart Darling, a Scottish Golf board member, stuck firmly to his guns. “It’s not negativity – it’s reality,” he said in response.

Eleanor Cannon, the Scottish Golf chair, kicked off the day’s proceedings in the capital by asking a wide cross section of the game to “suspend disbelief” following recent negativity towards the governing body on the back of a controversial proposed new strategy being put on hold as some keynote speakers addressed the audience and, with all due respect to the others, it was Darling who definitely made the strongest impression in the hall.

He highlighted that Scottish clubs had been losing roughly 5,000 full members every year in the last 10 years. He warned that the consequence of not doing anything to try and address that situation was an average annual subscription of £478 rising by 34 per cent in five years’ time and to be 84 per cent higher in 10 years’ time. “That is a fairly challenging prognosis in any walk of life,” he said.

One of many illuminating graphics Darling, the CEO of Vianet Group, a strategic insight and cloud based technology business, used to get his message across highlighted golf’s demographic being its biggest problem.

Over 55s make up more than 100,000 of golf club members whereas 24 and unders provide just more than 10,000. He also pointed out that it used to take 20 rounds per year in 2007 for someone to justify their subscription fee and now it is 40.

He revealed, too, that only 47 per cent of members submit enough cards (three) to retain a handicap while just 53 per cent play in a formal competition.

Having too many courses is one of the game’s problems. “We can’t sustain 600 clubs in 10 years’ time,” he warned. Struggling to walk the line between smart and casual?

 Darling’s strongest message, though, about what needs to change more than anything was about getting more women into the game. That is based on the fact that women currently make up less than 14 per cent of membership in Scotland. “There is going to have to be a fundamental re-think,” he said. “We need to think very clearly about the future and how we get women in. It is a big opportunity if we accept this to be the case.
Some clubs are not welcoming to women and children - that is a fundamental issue. “Also, we are not connected as a golfing community and need to harness the power of that. Data is the new oil and new water. The power of it is massive for golf. At the moment, we have so little data on our game. We can have power if that changes and that is really important.”

At the moment, only 6 per cent of Scottish Golf’s income is from a commercial source. Roz Cushieri, another board member, agreed when that situation was described as “absolutely disgraceful” by a delegate. “But we need to make sure what we are offering the long list of companies we are engaging with is attractive in terms of inclusivity and other things,” she said before another delegate revealed that one company looking to invest a seven-figure sum in golf had said “no” to Scotland because it felt the game in this country wasn’t “family friendly”.

One of the proposals in that new strategy was to raise the affiliation fee paid by every club member from £11.25 of to £24. Asked if that could still be on the table at the agm in March, board member Malcolm Kpedekpo hinted it might. “This is the start of a process and, if we think £24 is the right price when we look at the strategy, then it would be wrong not to put it forward.”

Cannon, who was delighted with the success of an event that brought the most club administrators, club committee members and professionals under the same roof in Scotland, said she hoped a new chief executive to replace Blane Dodds will be in place early in the New Year. “We had a tremendous response to the advert and will be holding interviews in December but, as part of the consultation process, we thought it was maybe wise to slow things down a bit to get feedback from today,” she said. 
Read the full article in the SCOTSMAN: CLICK HERE

POLLOK GOLF CLUB WINTER FAYRE

SOPHIE MURPHY FROM CLYDEBANK AND DISTRICT IS THE MOST IMPROVED FEMALE GOLFER IN 2017

From the Scottish Golf Website

We’ve reached the end of the 2017 season and we hope you’ve enjoyed your golf wherever you’ve played. Competitive golf in Scotland remains buoyant with more than 1.3m rounds played across the country between April and October.

Using the numbers gathered from our Centralised Database of Handicaps*, we wanted to share some of the most interesting stats from the year, to acknowledge the achievements of club golfers and help you gauge your game compared to the rest of the golfing population!

Most Improved Female Golfer in 2017 | Top 10

Congratulations to Clydebank & District Golf Club's Sophie Murphy, the most improved female golfer in 2017, based on total handicap reduction.
Sophie started the season at 36 and worked her way down to 18.2, playing in 25 qualifying competitions along the way.

Superb work Sophie...you win an exclusive customised PING Scottish Golf bag!

Handicap Reduction

Sophie Murphy (Clydebank & District) 17.8
Anna Scott (Deeside) 14.3
Hannah Robb (St Regulus) 14.3
Summer Elliott (Nairn) 13.9
Freya Russell (Ladies Golf Club Troon) 12.1
Rachel Adam (Cullen Links) 11.8
Abigail May (St Regulus) 11.6
Lorraine Chalmers (Ayr Belleisle Ladies) 11.3
Amy McKie (Dumfries & County) 11.2
Leah Bryce (Sandyhills) 11.0

WHERE DOES YOUR HANDICAP RANK ?

SCOTTISH GOLF MEETING ON SATURDAY 2ND DECEMBER

Scottish Golf’s first national conference will be staged at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre (EICC) on Saturday 2 December, with the governing body inviting anyone with a passion for the game to contribute to the debate on the sport’s future direction in this country.

Registration is now open to those who wish to attend, with the invitation extended to golf club members and non-members, those involved in club, Area and County administration, media, coaches and other interested parties, with the event being held from 10.00am through to 2.30pm.

Following the recent cancellation of the governing body’s planned Special General Meeting in Stirling on the same day, the move to the capital venue is to accommodate extra demand for attendance and stimulate as much discussion as possible across key aspects of the game.

The national conference is part of Scottish Golf’s move to extend the consultation period on its new strategy. The Annual General Meeting will be held in March 2018, while the recruitment for a new Chief Executive to lead the organisation is currently well underway.

Eleanor Cannon, Executive Chair for Scottish Golf, said: “This is a hugely important time for golf in Scotland, as we work to attract much-needed investment into the game and provide increased support to clubs at grass roots level. It is vital that we discuss innovative ideas on what is required to make golf more sustainable, improve member retention and recruit new people into our great game.

“Our consultation process has generated significant engagement over the last few months and given the level of interest, we felt we needed as big a venue as possible to allow as many people to make a contribution to the debate. We want to encourage a two-way discussion on the future of golf and the conference will be a platform to stimulate positive debate.

“We want to hear from anyone with a passion for the game, whether it be a PGA Pro, ClubGolf coaching volunteer, long-time member, nomadic golfer or beginner. It is essential we hear a wide spectrum of views as we look to address the significant challenges impacting the game in Scotland.”

The EICC event will feature presentations from keynote speakers looking at current trends, industry research, insights from clubs and digital innovation, with interactive workshops giving delegates the opportunity to provide their own input.

Places can be booked via the Scottish Golf website homepage at www.scottishgolf.org. Entry is free of charge and complimentary tea, coffee and a sandwich lunch will be provided to all delegates.

The EICC is located on Morrison Street in the west end of the city, just a short walk from Haymarket train and tram station, while attendees will receive a 30% discount at the nearby NCP Castle Street car park.

READ MORE

WILLIAMWOOD GOLF CLUB CHRISTMAS FAYRE

Renfrewshire County AGM

RLCGA SCOTTISH COUNTY TEAM CHAMPIONS
L to R Jennifer Rankine, Denise Cowan, 
Liz Stewart, Gillian Kyle,
Megan Briggs, Eilidh Briggs, Carol Whyte and Donna Jackson

53 Ladies attended the Renfrewshire Ladies County 108th AGM last night at Haggs Castle Golf Club last night. Captain Gillian Kyle gave an excellent account of all the 2017 events with the highlight of the year being the County team winning the 2017 Scottish County Team Championships at Glenbervie.

PAST PRESENT AND FUTURE !

June Lockhart (Gleddoch)) becomes the new County Captain and Sandra Littlejohn (Erskine) her Vice Captain

RLCGA COUNTY CHAMPION - EILIDH BRIGGS

County Champion Eilidh Briggs gave the vote of thanks at the end.

 To read the full report go to the RLCGA Website  -- More photos to follow -- Courtesy of Fiona Armour

OLD BLOG RLCGA POSTS

CLICK HERE TO read older RLCGA Blog posts  prior to April 29th 2018 

JILLIAN FARRELL - CARDROSS TAKES GIRLS TOP AWARD

Scottish Golf’s Orders of Merit have been finalised with Hannah McCook, Jillian Farrell and Sheena Wood winning their respective domestic titles for 2017.
Grantown-on-Spey’s McCook has secured back-to-back triumphs in the women’s standings, with Wood from Aberdeen Ladies Golf Club doing likewise in the senior women’s rankings.

 Jillian Farrell

At girls’ level, Jillian Farrell (pictured above) from Cardross, emerged victorious to cap her fine season.
Go to Kirkwood Golf for More

LOOKING FOR MORE GOLF NEWS

LOOKING FOR MORE GOLF NEWS GO TO THE KIRKWOOD GOLF WEBSITE 

D&A County AGM and Prizegiving

Ayrshire Girls Centenary Trophy at West Kilbride

 West of Scotland's Pamela Pretswell Asher - Wedding Video

West of Scotland's Connie Jaffrey wins in the USA 

MEMORIES FROM 30 YEARS AGO -- The Scottish Championship 1987

Scottish Golf to Extend Consultation Period to March AGM

The Board of Scottish Golf planned to hold a Special General Meeting (SGM) on Saturday 2 December, as previously outlined.

The SGM was scheduled to allow members to vote on key recommendations that would enable the governing body to implement a four-year strategy, by delivering much-needed investment into the game and making our golf clubs – and the game as a whole – more sustainable.

Those remain our core strategic objectives as a Board. However, in light of the departure of our Chief Executive, Blane Dodds, and having consulted with a wide range of stakeholders in recent weeks, we believe the immediate priority should be in securing a new leader for the organisation.

To that end, we intend to cancel the scheduled SGM in December, but use the date to provide a platform for all members – and others with an interest in golf – to debate the future direction for golf in Scotland, with a view to creating a collaborative set of proposals for our Annual General Meeting in March 2018.

Executive Chair Eleanor Cannon met with the Board of sportscotland earlier this week and they are supportive of the modernisation of the game in Scotland. They are pleased with the objective of the organisation to be self-sustaining, removing the over-reliance on external funding.

Stewart Harris, sportscotland’s Chief Executive, said: “Scottish Golf made a well-constructed presentation to sportscotland’s board on Wednesday 25 October, and we are supportive of the governing body’s direction of travel, which is inherently consistent with our governance framework.

“We remain committed to working closely with Scottish Golf and supporting them in reaching their objectives of increasing self-sustainability and modernising the sport. This autumn, we received an ambitious strategic plan from the governing body and we look forward to discussing it with Scottish Golf and their stakeholders at the public event on 2 December.”

In the interests of transparency, the December meeting will be a public event to bring some of the many private conversations that take place about the future of the game to a wider audience. It will be a conference-style event, with the opportunity for all stakeholders to attend.

The process of appointing our new Chief Executive is already under way and the Board has been pleased by the calibre of potential candidates who have already expressed an interest. We will formally advertise the role shortly and seek to identify and appoint the best candidate as quickly as is practicably possible.

The Board is pleased that the proposed strategic plan has created wide-ranging discussion among all those who care passionately about our sport. Critical to this consultation period is listening to our members, which is why we believe the date already scheduled in the diary for the SGM should be utilised to provide a platform for debate.

It is imperative that we utilise this two-way conversation to discuss and address the very real challenges facing golf now and in the future. On that note, it should be said that the Board has decided to use the organisation’s reserves to bridge the immediate funding gap. However, this is not a long-term approach and we will seek to rebuild those reserves in the coming years.

On 2 December, we want to engage golfers in debate and discussion on a number of subjects. These include the key trends and challenges facing golf in Scotland and the potential impact of these on club revenue and membership fees; what feedback and surveys suggest members increasingly value and demand for their membership fee; addressing our ageing demographic profile and low uptake of membership amongst young people and women; embracing digital and technology capability to enhance the experience for all golfers; reviewing governance and structure; and engaging our communities to grow club revenue.

In light of the well-documented cut in public funding and continued decline in club membership, it is essential that we hear as many perspectives as possible as we look to address significant challenges now impacting the game in Scotland.

This is the backdrop against which changes will be proposed to the game’s shareholders in 2018. We will do so with one objective: to secure the future for our game in the Home of Golf.

Kind regards
The Board of Scottish Golf

GREENLEES LUNCH AND TROPHY PRESENTATION

Greenlees Trophy Winners
L to R: Sheila Adams (Loudoun Gowf), Barbara Aird (Cathkin Braes), 
Pat Syme (Hilton Park) and Ann Wallace (Prestwick St. Nicholas)

The Trophies

The Annual Greenlees Lunch took place yesterday, 18 October, in the Old Course Ranfurly clubhouse.
This was attended by 65 ladies representing 26 clubs.

Mrs. Maureen Mitchell opened the proceedings by saying how pleased she was to see so many ladies attending.
She took the opportunity to remind the club secretaries that their lists of 12 players and the Greenlees fee of £15 were now due if they had not already sent them in.
Next she introduced the top table guests - Mrs Ann Dunn who was the previous Convenor who had worked hard for the League and had done all the work at the beginning of the season before Maureen took over.
Her other guest was Mrs Hazel Kirkland, the Lady Captain of Old Ranfurly, who welcomed everyone on behalf of the Club.
Maureen next said Grace and the ladies were then served an excellent lunch. Lots of pleasant chatter could be heard and it was obvious that everyone was enjoying catching up with old friends.

After coffee was served, Maureen invited the Captain to present the trophies to the winning teams.
Division 3 was won by Hilton Park with Prestwick Saint Nicholas winners of Division 2.
The runners up in Division 1 were Loudoun Gowf who were narrowly beaten by the overall winners - Cathkin Braes. Their secretary, Barbara Aird, then made a short speech saying how enjoyable it was competing in the matches in a friendly spirit.
She then gave a vote of thanks for all the hospitality received from Old Ranfurly and thanked Maureen and her helpers for organising a very successful lunch.

The two guests were presented with the flowers from the top table.

Mrs Mitchell then reminded the secretaries present that the AGM was being held on Tuesday, 21 November at Old Ranfurly.
She concluded by wishing everyone a safe journey home.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS COURTESY OF MARILYN MUIR

 Greenlees Final Results 2017 

 Division 1
Cathkin Braes 46 - Greenlees Trophy Winners 2017
Loudoun Gowf 44.5 - Greenlees Trophy Runners Up
Milngavie 38
Kilmarnock Barassie 38
Ranfurly Castle 37.5
Troon Ladies 32.5
West Kilbride 32
Old Ranfurly 28.5  - Relegated to Division 2
Largs 27 - Relegated to Division 2

Division 2
Pretswick St Nicholas 49 - Division 2 Winners
Haggs Castle 42 - Division 2 Runners Up
Cathcart Castle 39.5
Douglas Park 39.5
Williamwood 38
Kilmacolm 37
Whitecraigs 33
Ayr Bellisle 24 - Relegated to Division 3
Cardross 22 - Relegated to Division 3

 Division 3
Hilton Park 42 - Division 3 Winners
Lenzie 36 - Division 3 Runners Up
Erskine 33.5
Lanark 33
East Renfrewshire 32
Bothwell Castle 30
Eastwood 28.5
Greenock 26.5
Cowglen 26.5
Cawder 26

To read some of the history of the GREENLEES TROPHY -- CLICK HERE

FIONA McPHEE WILL REPRESENT SCOTLAND AT TURNBERRY

This Wednesday and Thursday sees Old Ranfurly Ladies Club Champion Fiona McPhee representing Scotland at Turnberry in the Howdidido Titleist Order of Merit final !

Fiona managed to top the standings in Scotland this year earning her the right to go through to the final with 3 other ladies from each home nation to fight it out for a custom fit full set of clubs.

She will play a round on each course and get an overnight stay in the hotel for reaching the final, a magnificent achievement showing consistency all year !

Fiona won’t just be playing for herself this week, along with one lady from each country, the top 3 gents qualify so they will compete in a team event as well over the links on the South Ayrshire coast.

2,000 ladies from across the UK have now came down to 4... from everyone at the Old Course Ranfurly we wish you the best of luck Fiona

Thanks go to May Hunter for this report.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE TITLEIST ORDER OF MERIT

SCOTTISH GOLF PING MIXED SUCCESS

Relive the highlights from the first-ever PING Scottish Mixed Championship and congratulations to East Kilbride's May & Martin Britovsek on a memorable win.

MAKE SURE YOU TAKE PART IN YOUR CLUBS QUALIFIER NEXT SEASON FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A PLACE IN THE FINAL AT GLENEAGLES HOTEL !!

LORNA MCCLYMONT WINS THE 2017 WEST GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP

Lorna McClymont (Milngavie) won the 2017 West Girls Championship against Susan Woodhouse (East Kilbride) in todays final played over Troon Portland.

Lorna McClymont is presented with the West Girls Championship Trophy
by Troon Lady Captain Julie Mackie 

Championship Semi Final Results:
Susan Woodhouse (East Kilbride) bt Megan Docherty (Bishopbriggs) 4/3
Lorna McClymont (Milngavie) bt Fiona Rattray (Douglas Park) 3/1

Championship Final -
Lorna McClymont (Milngavie) bt Susan Woodhouse (East Kilbride)

Bronze Final:
Kittie Maslanka (Kirkhill))  bt Freya Russell (Troon Ladies) 2/1

The presentation of prizes was by Julie Mackie - Lady Captain of Troon Ladies.

To read the full report go to the KIRKWOOD GOLF WEBSITE

WEST OF SCOTLAND GIRLS' CHAMPIONSHIP

Sunday 1st October,2017
Troon Ladies Portland GC

Tomorrow's draw and tee times :
Championship Semi Finals:
9.45am Susan Woodhouse (East Kilbride) v Megan Docherty (Bishopbriggs)
9.53am Fiona Rattray (Douglas Park) v Lorna McClymont  (Milngavie)

Bronze Championship Final:
10.00am Freya Russell (Troon Ladies) v Kittie Maslanka (Kirkhill)

1.50pm Championship Final

Lesley Lloyd and May Hughes win Lanarkshire's County Autumn Meeting

May Hughes, Lesley Lloyd, Marie Scott and Agnes McCall
Photo courtesy of Jean Macintyre

Despite more overnight rain the rescheduled Lanarkshire County Autumn Meeting was played yesterday in sunshine and the course at Strathaven GC was in good condition considering the very wet summer and autumn weather.
The winners with an excellent score of 76 (net 71.2) were Lesley Lloyd (Hayston) and May Hughes, (Lanark).
Runners Up were local members, sisters  Marie Scott and Agnes McCall with a net 74.4.

AYRSHIRE WOMEN REJECT AMALGAMATION WITH MEN

The membership of the Ayrshire Ladies' County Golf Association has overwhelmingly rejected proposals to amalgamate with the men's Ayrshire Golf Association.

Shortly after the amalgamation of the Scottish Golf Union and Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association in 2015, initial discussions took place between officials of the men's Area Association and the Ladies' County Association to investigate whether amalgamation of the two Ayrshire bodies would be a positive step, to form a middle tier administrative body in the county, representing all club golfers of both genders.

Discussions progressed over the intervening two years, which included liaison with clubs in the county with exclusively female members, by officials of both the men's and ladies' county administrations, to highlight the perceived benefits of the proposed amalgamation for all golfers in the county.

The Ayrshire Golf Association also arranged an information evening for the member clubs to seek the feeling of their membership regarding the proposed merger, which would have seen Ayrshire leading the way as the first all encompassing local golf administration for both genders in Scotland.

The Ayrshire Ladies' County Golf Association Captain, Liz Keohone (pictured left)and Vice captain Catherine Malcolm presented the concept of the proposed amalgamation to the individual female members of the ladies' county association at an extraordinary general meeting at Caprington Golf Club on Tuesday of this week, seeking their approval to progress the proposed amalgamation to a conclusion, but the overwhelming majority of the individual members present, estimated at around 50 ladies, voted against the proposal.

Ayrshire Golf Association Secretary Alasdair Malcolm commented:-

"It is disappointing that the members of the Ayrshire Ladies' County Golf Association felt unable to support the proposed amalgamation of the two bodies, which the Ayrshire Golf Association executive considered to be a positive progression to safeguard the golfers and golf clubs in the county and allow consolidation and positive development of the activities of both current bodies whilst also providing resilience to golf and amateur golf events in the county going forward".

MILNGAVIE'S LORNA MCLYMONT IS 3RD IN THE SCOTTISH JUNIOR CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS

Hannah Darling (Broomieknowe), the 13-year-old Scottish girls champion,  won the  Scottish Junior Champion of Champions' one-round tournament over The Duke's Course, St Andrews.

Hannah Darling's two-under-par 69 gave her a two-stroke victory from Jasmine Mackintosh (Hazlehead) with the joint third placed Lorna McClymont (Milngavie) and Evanna Hynd (Elmwood) finished four shots behind Jasmine on the 75 mark.
West Kilbride's Louise Duncan was one shot behind on 76

LEADING SCORES
GIRLS
Par 71. SSS 71 CSS 72
69 H Darling (Broomieknowe).
71 J Mackintosh (Hazlehead).
75 L McClymont (Milngavie), E Hynd (Elmwood).
76 L Duncan (West Kilbride).
77 R Foster (Turnberry), A McKay (Crail GS).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES CLICK HERE

To read the full report go to the  KIRKWOOD GOLF WEBSITE

CATHKIN BRAES ARE THE 2017 GREENLEES CHAMPIONS

Click to enlarge

The final match of the 2017 Greenlees Trophy took place on Monday 18th September with Cathkin Braes requiring 6.5 points to over take Loudoun Gowf to win the title. They were playing  the 2016 champions Milngavie in the deciding match. 
Cathkin won 7.5- 1.5 at home to clinch the title from Loudoun.

Prestwick St Nicholas (Division 3 winners in 2016) were convincing winners of Division 2 and are promoted to Division 1 next year alongside Haggs Castle. 

In Division 3 Hilton Park have won despite the fact they still have a postponed match to be played on the 28th September.

Greenlees Match Results
2017 Greenlees Totals

The lunch and presentation of trophies will take place at Old Ranfurly Golf Club on Wednesday 18th October

HAYSTON PAIR ARE RUNNERS UP IN THE CORONATION SPOONS FINAL

An Irish partnership, Siobhan Behan and Lorraine Walsh, members of Killeen Golf Club, Co Kildare, were narrow winners of the Coronation Foursomes Grand Final over the Eden Course, St Andrews today.

Siobhan (handicap 8) and Lorraine (handicap 23) scored 41 Stableford net points. They gained 19pt before the turn and 22pt in a sparkling inward half. They had a gross score of 84 strokes.
That second nine holes won it for Behan and Walsh as they were trailing Hayston's Susan Thom (handicap 18) and Joyce Woollon) (19), and Moor Hall's Julie Burton (6) and Claire Howells (6) after nine holes, both pairs having 20pts to their credit at the turn.
Scots Thom and Woollon finished second with 40pt (20-20) and Burton and Howells third with 39pt (20-19).

The winners receive a place in next year's Ricoh Women's British Open pro-am at Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club.
The 16 pairs who contested the grand final had come through local and regional finals to play over a par-73 Eden Course of 5,450yd.
FINAL STABLEFORD TOTALS
41 Siobhan Behan (8) and Lorraine Walsh (23) (Killeen GC)
40 Susan Thom (18) and Joyce Woollon (19) (Hayston GC).
39 Julia Burton (6) and Claire Howells (6) (Moor Hall GC).

To see all the results go to the KIRKWOOD GOLF WEBSITE

Renfrewshire Celebrate Women’s County Title Glory

Renfrewshire Team

Back Row - L - R Jennifer Mack Hon President, Carol Whyte, Liz Stewart, Gillian Kyle (Captain), June Lockhart (Vice Captain), Denise Cowan

Front Row - Eilidh Briggs, Jennifer Rankine, Megan Briggs, Donna Jackson (Photo courtesy of Kenny Smith from Scottish Golf) 

Playing captain Gillian Kyle helped guide Renfrewshire to a first success in the Scottish Women’s County Finals since 2010 over glorious Glenbervie.

Kyle’s charges edged out Midlothian for the title after an exciting closing day’s play at the Stirlingshire venue, with Perth & Kinross and Dumfriesshire also contesting the three-day Finals competition.

Played in a round-robin format including foursomes and singles ties, both matches finished level on Friday, but Renfrewshire’s 5.5 – 3.5 win over Perth & Kinross on Saturday and their 6 -3 victory over Dumfriesshire today ensured they accumulated more overall points than Midlothian (16 – 11 compared to 14.5 -12.5).

In a well-contested event, first played in 1909, Renfrewshire achieved only their 10th win overall and their first since 2010 at Bothwell Castle.

With Scotland internationalist Eilidh Briggs producing four wins from four over the weekend, and backed up by her sister and fellow Kilmacolm member, Megan, Renfrewshire were in fine form.

Cochrane Castle’s Donna Jackson, a member of the winning team in 1987 and 2010, also played her part for her own personal hat-trick of triumphs, with Denise Cowan (Ranfurly Castle), Jennifer Rankine (Haggs Castle), Carol Whyte from Milngavie and Greenburn’s Liz Stewart also in the line-up.

East Renfrewshire’s Kyle said: “It was very exciting. Every match was very close and we just managed to pip Midlothian. We’ve been quite good at foursomes this week and that was important for us.
“The Briggs girls did a great job for us, as did Jennifer Rankine. We had a great mix of young and old.”

Eilidh added: “I couldn’t get a day off work on Friday, I’ve just started a new job as a PE teacher, but the team did well without me! I was 100 per cent over the weekend which was great, as I’ve not played for the County since 2014, so it was really good to come back and contribute. I was in the winning 2010 team as well, which was a duel with Midlothian too.”

Runners-up Midlothian featured Broomieknowe’s Hannah Darling, the youngest ever winner of the Scottish Girls earlier this season aged 13, and Scotland internationalist Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw).

 View final scores Women’s County Finals   by Clicking Here

RENFREWSHIRE ARE COUNTY TEAM CHAMPIONS AFTER COUNT BACK AGAINST MIDLOTHIAN

Renfrewshire are the 2017 Scottish women's county champions. They finished level on the 5pt mark (2 wins, 1 draw) with Midlothian after the three-day finals programme at Glenbervie Golf Club today (Sunday).
Earlier in the week the teams drew 4.5 in the match against each other.
It boiled down to individual games won over the three days and Renfrewshire (16-11) had the edge over Midlothian (14-5) in that respect.
Renfrewshire won their last match 6-3 against the defending champions Dumfries-shire, taking the foursomes 2-1 and the singles 4-2.
Midlothian beat Perth and Kinross 5-4 today.
Midlothian won the foursomes 2-1 and the singles were shared 3-3.

SUNDAY RESULTS

RENFREWSHIRE 6, DUMFRIESSHIRE 3
FOURSOMES (2-1)
C Whyte and M Briggs lost to E Greenlees and G Batty 5 and 4.
G Kyle and E Briggs bt D MacDonald and M Fraser 1 hole.
J Rankine and D Jackson bt C Lee and J Graham 1 hole.
SINGLES (4-2)
M Briggs bt MacDonald 2 and 1.
E Briggs bt Greenlees 4 and 3.
Rankine lost to Lee 3 and2.
Kyle bt Fraser 2 holes.
Jackson bt Graham 2 holes.
Whyte lost to Batty 2 holes.

MIDLOTHIAN 5, PERTH and KINROSS 4
FOURSOMES (2-1)
K Marshall and H Darling bt J Saxton and E Ogilvy 4 and 3.
L Fraser and R Livingstone bt L Walker and K Alexander 6 and 4.
K Ferguson-Snedden lost to I Moncrieff and K Brodie 4 and 3.
SINGLES (3-3)
Fraser bt L Campbell 3 and 2.
G MacDonald bt M Ashley 3 and 2.
Marshall lost to Brodie 2 and 1.
Ferguson-Snedden bt Moncrieff 4 and 3.
A McBride lost to Ogilvy 4 and 3.
Darling lost to Saxton 3 and 2

FINAL TABLE
P W D L F A Pts
1 Renfrewshire 3 2 1 0 16 11 5
2 Midlothian 3 2 1 0 14.5 12.5 5
3 Perth and Kinross 3 0 1 2 12 15 1
4 Dumfriesshire 3 0 1 2 11.5 15.5 l

LIVE SCORING FROM GLENBERVIE

CLICK HERE FOR LIVE SCORING

Scottish women's county title lies between Midlothian and Renfrewshire with a day to go at Glenbervie

Dumfriesshire lost their grip on the Scottish women's county championship trophy when they were beaten 5-4 by Midlothian on the second day of the three-day tournament at Glenbervie Golf Club today (Saturday).
It now looks a straight fight between Midlothian and Renfrewshire for the title. The drew 4.5-4.5 when they met on the first day and both won their second matches, Renfrewshire beating Perth and Kinross 5.5-3.5.
If both sides win their last matches, Midlothian against Perth and Kinross, and Renfrewshire against Dumfriesshire, it will come down to a countback of individual games won.

DAY 2 RESULTS
Midlothian 5, Dumfriesshire 4
Midlothian names first
FOURSOMES (3-0)
G MacDonald and A McBride bt D MacDonald and M Fraser 3 and 1.
L Fraser and H Darling bt C Lee and J Graham 2 and 1.
K Ferguson-Snedden and R Livingstone bt E Greenlees and K McCracken 2 holes
SINGLES (2-4)
G MacDonald bt McCracken 5 and 3.
McBride lost to D MacDonald 2 and 1.
Marshall lost to Greenlees 2 holes.
Darling bt Graham 3 and 2.
J Bryans lost to M Fraser 2 holes.
Livingstone lost to Lee 2 and 1.

Renfrewshire 5.5, Perth and Kinross 3.5
Renfrewshire names first
FOURSOMES (2-1)
C Whyte and M Briggs bt L Walker and L Campbell 3 and 1
G Kyle and E Briggs bt I Moncrieff and K Brodie 4 and 3.
D Jackson and J Rankine lost to J Saxton and K Alexander 4 and 3.
SINGLES (3.5-2.5)
M Briggs bt Saxton 3 and 2.
D Cowan lost to Moncrieff 1 hole.
E Briggs bt M Ashley 4 and 3.
Rankine halved with Brodie.
Kyle lost to E Ogilvy 2 and 1.
Whyte bt Walker 2 and 1.

HOW THEY STAND
1.5pt Midlothian, Renfrewshire.
0.5pt Dumfriesshire, Perth and Kinross.

FINAL MATCHES
Midlothian v Perth and Kinross
Renfrewshire v Dumfriesshire;