Stableford - Cathcart Castle Golf Club

Stableford (SSS 69, CSS 72)Played 1st April 2009

Silver:
S. Mitchell (12)34
A. Ritchie (17) [acb] 33
M. Mitchell (10)33
Bronze:
M. McMurtrie (26)38
D. Sim (22)31
M. Madill (36)30

Denim Day at Hilton Park launches Scottish Golf Week

Scottish Golf’s Awareness Week gained momentum with the launch of the ‘Love Golf? Join the Club’ campaign on April Fools Day at Hilton Park Golf Club.

The joint SGU and SLGA campaign which was recently boosted by a £10,000 grant from the R&A, is the first of its kind and aims to promote the benefits of golf club membership, while helping clubs recruit and retain members.

In a break from tradition, SGU and SLGA executives sported jeans and T-shirts to demonstrate the sort of thinking which is helping clubs widen their appeal to a new target audience.

At a press conference officials of Hilton Park and Swanston New, another of the clubs that have embraced Golf Awareness Week, outlined some of the methods they have used in recent years to build their memberships at a time when the trend has been toward declining membership across Scotland.

Scottish Golf Development Manager Andy Salmon who is spear-heading this campaign, said: “The majority of clubs are already using our free of charge service within the Scottish Golf web-site, to market themselves and there are currently 300 clubs advertising membership vacancies. This is helping to break down the myth that clubs are difficult to get into because of closed memberships or lengthy waiting lists when many are actually actively looking to recruit new members.

“Swanston New and Hilton Park are great examples of clubs that are reaping the benefits of innovative thinking by adopting a more customer focussed approach to their membership. What we are keen to do is provide as many examples as possible of best practise so that other clubs can choose what best suits their particular needs.

“We are not suggesting that many clubs are likely to start allowing members or guests to turn up in T-shirt and jeans, but the purpose of today’s event was to invite them to think differently about how they promote themselves to a wider market, specifically targeting the nomadic golfer A more relaxed dress code is just one example of a successful change in golf clubs.”

Lynn Kenny, one of Scotland’s leading female professionals on the Ladies European Tour who was supporting today’s launch, added, “The Love Golf? Join the Club campaign is a great idea for Scotland’s clubs. Being a member of a golf club is a fantastic way to make life-long friendships and is often great value for money compared to other leisure pursuits.

“Attitudes within golf clubs have changed significantly for the better towards women and families and I’m sure this campaign will help attract many new members whilst also convincing existing members that they should remain at their club.”

April Medal - Ranfurly Castle

Played Sun 29 Mar 2009 [CSS 76 RO] and Wed 1 Apr 2009 [CSS 75], 34 Entries

Silver Winner: Mary Craig (11) 65
Runner Up: Anne Judge (7) 77
Bronze Winner: Agnes Williamson (21) 70
Runner Up: Karin MacKenzie (28) 77
Best Scratch: Mary Craig 76

New Scottish Golf Card

The SGU & SLGA have teamed up with clubs across Scotland to launch the new Scottish Golf Card, exclusively for members of SGU & SLGA affiliated golf club members. At just £10 per annum, it’s a fantastic way to play more golf, with ‘Less Wedge Required!’

The Scottish Golf Card gives you 50% off standard greens fees at many golf courses in Scotland, including Blairgowrie, Crail, Dalmahoy, Glenbervie, Lanark, Newmachar, Whitekirk as well as Slaley Hall in the north east of England. A total of 74 courses have now signed up with many more to follow over the coming months.

For a list of participating clubs please go to SGU Golf Central scroll down to the Scottish Golf Card icon, tick the box and click on Advanced Search.

All you have to do to apply for the card is fill out an application form with your payment details or call the SGU on 01334 466 477 with your credit card details. We will contact your club secretary to verify that you are a member of your home club and your card will be posted out to you within 7 days.

The Scottish Golf Card is a great way of playing some of the courses in Scotland you’ve always wanted to visit, or organising an outing with your friends.

You’ll find all the information you need on the SGU’s fantastic website, http://www.scottishgolf.org/, whether you are looking for details on courses you plan to visit, competitions you want to enter or news, views and results from championship golf in Scotland.

The Wee Art Show

Lois Brown (Kilmacolm and Ranfurly Castle Golf Club) has informed me that the “The Wee Art Show” which is an innovative art sale will take place on 24-26th April 2009 at Wilson Davis Fine Art, Quarriers Village, Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire.
The show will be an exciting mix of anonymous postcard art from many talented professional and amateur artists and celebrities and contemporary art.
To read all about it go to The Wee Art Show Website

Also here is a Flyer that you can print out.

You will know & love many of the artists who have contributed.!! Gladys Speedie (Captain of Douglas Park) is one of them. The website has all details & a lot of sample paintings that enlarge if you click on them.
They are selling tickets for the opening night for £10 each [with amazing prize for lucky ticket!]. They are going like hot cakes so let Lois know very soon if you want one.
Otherwise please come along during the weekend for a leisurely ‘browse & buy’!!

There is a New restaurant just opened 100 yards from gallery, serving coffees, brunches, pm tea, & Bistro dinners . Cail Briuch 01505 610956
Also, just beyond the restaurant, a lovely place for dog walking over Gryffe river, with history of Quarriers along the pathway! That’s the plug for Quarriers over!!

Thanks go to Lois Brown for all the details of the event --- Sounds like a good day out

Ranfurly Castle Golf Club win Junior Club of the year award

Ranfurly Castle Golf Club won the Junior Club of the Year Award at the Scottish Golf Dinner in Glasgow on Friday, 27th March
Please see the Gillian Kirkwood Website for further information.

NFL Fantasy Files: The Best Players

I think John Beattie has a little more practice to do!!!
Unbelievable!



Thanks go to Anna Telfer for that one !
? Do you think it will help with my pitching ?!!!

Kylie receives her award at the Scottish Golf Dinner

The Scottish Golf Dinner in Glasgow was held on Friday 27th March.
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle) and Kelsey MacDonald, won the ladies and girls Order of Merit titles respectively by impressive margins.
To read all about the dinner go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Photograph above, courtesy of www.idealimages.co.uk/

Golf Festival at Ballachmyle Golf Club

Ballochmyle Golf Club with support from East Ayrshire Council, clubgolf, and East Ayrshire’s Active Schools Department, will host and welcome all young people in the region to use this fantastic opportunity to discover if they have the drive to play golf during a special festival at Ballochmyle Golf Club, Mauchline, East Ayrshire on Monday 25th May 2009.
To read all about it go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Commonwealth Games 2014

John Beattie who was the guest speaker at the D&A Centenary Dinner talks to John Scott, Chief Executive of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.



Commonwealth Games Website

Some added rugby videos !!

Some more short videos have been added to John Beattie's coaching of the D&A County Players -- Thanks go to Douglas Park's Olive Mackay for these ones (These are the 3 at the end of the post)

D&A Centenary Dinner --- Rugby is the name of the game !!!

Dunbartonshire and Argyll Ladies County Golf Association held their Centenary Dinner on Monday 23rd March 2009 in the Milngavie Town Hall. Captain Kay McColl welcomed the 170 ladies to the evening with a champagne reception. Hon President Lesley Mackiggan gave the toast to the County. After an excellent meal the guest speaker John Beattie gave the audience some wonderful rugby coaching which included Belle Robertson, Kay McColl and President of the SLGA Ethel Jack involved in scrum practice !!
Laughter was the name of the game for that evening --- What a night!
To see some photos from the evening click on the small photo of John and Kay below.

D&A Centenary Dinner

Here is a short video of Past D&A Captain Helen Faulds trying out some long passes !!



Here are some 3 more wee snippets of video taken by D&A's Olive Mackay.The sound quality is a little poor but just adds to the flavour of the evening

Lanarkshire County Centenary Dinner Success

Captain May Hughes , Hon President Margo Bauer and Past Captains Mary McKay, Anne Prentice, Jean Cameron, Anne Burden, Isobel Kempsell, Jean Reid, Pat Hutton, Margaret Allan, Janice Paterson, Joyce Scott, Sheena Boyd and Elizabeth Nelson--- Click to enlarge (courtesy of Jean McIntyre)

The LLCGA Centenary Dinner , held in Kirkhill Golf Club last night proved to be most enjoyable for the 104 members who attended. The Centenary cake was cut by Honorary President, Margo Bauer. After Vice Captain Lesley Lloyd said grace a very tasty meal was enjoyed.
Captain May Hughes gave a most informative and amusing account of the History of LLCGA outlining the many successes of past and present members and teams.
To read all about it and see some photographs of the event go to the
Lanarkshire County Website

Greensomes Result - Douglas Park

Played 15th and 20th March 2009
WINNERS: Lindsay McLean & Mary Bell 86 (18) 68
RUNNERS UP: Helen Robertson & Hazel Hamilton 89(16.2) 72.8

Mail On Sunday- 2nd Round Results

The 2009 Mail on Sunday is now underway. The only results I have at the moment are the 2nd round results Ranfurly Castle drew against Elderslie at Home by 2.5 - 2.5 Then (Up the extra holes) and the home team led by Anne Judge won at the 3rd extra hole.

Bearsden lost at home to Douglas Park 2 - 3

When more results are available hopefully they will be published on this website
Looking for more information go to the Mail on Sunday Website

March Medal -- Troon - Belle is still a Star

Played 6th March 2009,(SSS 73, CSS 74)
Silver : Belle Roberstson 72 (1) 71, Margaret Sharp 88 (12)76, Alison McTear 88 (10)78
Bronze : Julie Will 96 (22) 74,Elizabeth Hume 97 (23) 75,Marion Reid 105 (22) 83.
Best Scratch: Belle Robertson Score: 72

Scotland Teams

Teams to represent Scotland at forthcoming events are:

SLGA Under 16 Open Stroke Play Championship, Craigielaw Golf Club, 9-10 April
Team 1 - Lesley Atkins (Minto), Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Hannah McCook (Abernethy)
Team 2 - Louise McGillivray (Banchory), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies)
Captain - Claire Hargan (Mortonhall)

Helen Holm Scottish Ladies Open Stroke Play Championship, Troon, 24-26 April
Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle)

Welsh Ladies' Open Stroke Play Championship, Royal Porthcawl Golf Club, 2-3 May
Carly Booth (Comrie), Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle)
Travelling Reserve: Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm)

Scottish Golf Awareness Week --- 13 - 20 April 2009

The SGU is encouraging as many clubs as possible to get involved in Scottish Golf Awareness Week to attract more golfers into club membership.
For more info on how your club can take part, Click Here.

The national campaign, the first initiative of its kind launched by the Scottish Golf Union and Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, will commence the week following the US Masters and clubs across the country are being encouraged to get involved, although activity does not need to be restricted to that week alone.

To read more also go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Ranfurly Castle Stableford

Played 18/3/09 31 Entries, SSS 73, CSS 75
Silver Winner: Jan Macnab 37 pts (15)
Runner Up: Evy MacGregor 35 pts (13)
Bronze Winner: Morag Ferguson 37 pts (31)
Runner Up: Karin MacKenzie 31 pts (28) bih

The County Captains get into training on St Patricks Day !

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Apologies to all the County Captains --- Kay, May,Nora and Christeen from your webmaster Carol--- she's the one in the middle !!

Best Ever Scottish Golf Show Set for SECC

The 2009 Scottish Golf Show, one of the most anticipated Scottish consumer shows of the year, is now less than two weeks away and organisers are already expecting to break attendance records.

The event is being held at the SECC in Glasgow from March 20-22 and tourism chiefs VisitScotland expect the golfing extravaganza to be worth more than £1.25 million to the local economy.

The three-day showcase will feature some of the biggest names in the golf industry showcasing their latest equipment to Scottish golfers for the first time. Major brands in attendance will be Callaway Golf, TaylorMade, Nike Golf, Mizuno, Yonex, Wilson Staff and more.

Inside Glasgow’s SECC will be a 30 bay indoor driving range, 1000sq/m of practice areas including putting, short game and a special ‘kids only’ junior area. There will also be over 1000 free golf lessons by 14 of the country’s leading PGA professionals plus world famous trick shot artist Dave Edwards will perform his routine over the course of the three days.

Various competitions will be in place for long drive and nearest the pin and visitors will be able to interact with more than 100 exhibitors from the golf industry as the show sold out weeks in advance. Special equipment discounts will also be available from retail giants american golf, the Official Retail Partner of the Scottish Golf Show.

Visitors to the three-day show will have the chance to get up close and personal with one of the most famous trophies in world golf, the Eisenhower Trophy, which will be on location at the SECC following Scotland’s dramatic victory late last year in the World Amateur Team Championship.

Event Organiser Tom Lovering said: “We are very much looking forward to what looks set to be the biggest Scottish Golf Show to date – and it is fitting that we host it at the SECC, Scotland’s largest exhibition facility. This year’s show has grown in size with more retail space, more exhibitors, more driving bays and much more interaction for all levels of golfer.

“The Scottish Golf Show has firmly established itself as the perfect tee-off to the golf season and this year we fully expect to smash attendance records.”

Click here for more information on the 2009 Show or call 0141 353 2222

Junior golf flying high in Scotland

Scottish golf is flying high through clubgolf. In the past year clubgolf has introduced more than two thirds of Scotland’s Primary 5 children to golf. Meanwhile, junior activity in Scotland’s golf clubs is booming with over 8,500 children developing their skills through clubgolf coaching.

Clubgolf is the partnership between the Scottish Golf Union (SGU), the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association (SLGA), the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA), the Golf Foundation and Sportscotland.

Launched in 2003 following Scotland’s successful bid to host the 2014 Ryder Cup, clubgolf represents the Scottish Government’s commitment to create the opportunity for every nine year old in Scotland to play golf and enjoy the game for life.

In 2008, a year of remarkable growth, clubgolf achieved the following:

33,600 Primary 5 children in 1320 of Scotland’s primary schools played golf through clubgolf’s introductory game, ‘firstclubgolf’
8,563 children took part in clubgolf coaching programmes at 233 golf clubs and facilities
1137 qualified volunteer coaches delivered clubgolf coaching in these clubs and facilities

In 2009 the number of children taking part in clubgolf programmes at clubs and facilities is expected to rise to 10,000.

Hamish Grey, SGU Chief Executive Officer said, “clubgolf is an integral part of the SGU and SLGA’s structured coaching programmes and we are delighted to see it making such significant progress, enabling more youngsters than ever before to play the game.

“These latest figures show that Scottish Golf is achieving one of our key goals, that of ‘growing the game’. With the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles drawing ever closer now is the perfect time to increase participation and help our youngsters develop their talent. With the success of the programme and the wealth of opportunities now available for young golfers, clubgolf is already helping to create a legacy beyond 2014.”

Meanwhile this year the bar will rise higher for clubgolf’s introductory game in schools. With firstclubgolf set to be included in curriculum at more than three quarters of Scotland’s primary schools this year, clubgolf is targeting a further 38,000 new recruits to golf.

To read more go to the clubgolf website

Fiona Cowan and Enid Young are the D&A Winter Foursomes Winners

Fiona Cowan(Windyhill) and Enid Young (Balmore)beat Louise Ballantyne (Cardross) and Sara Tryon (Gleddoch)yesterday in the final of the D&A Winter Foursomes played over Hilton Park yesterday

Beatrice Orr and Morag Turner - Kilmacolm are the Renfrewshire County Winter Foursomes Winners

The RLCGA Winter Foursomes Final was played over Cathcart Castle today. Beatrice Orr and Morag Turner (Kilmacolm) won at the 19th against Mary Hardie and Sheila Gray (Ranfurly Castle)



To read the full report go to the Renfrewshire Website and to see larger pictures click on the small picture below

The 2009 RLCGA Winter Foursomes Final

MULTI-YEAR CLUB CHAMPIONS

On the Gillian Kirkwood Website there was an article on Multi - Year Champions
West of Scotland player -- Maureen Woodhead (Skinner) was reading their article about multi-year champions.

Until 2008, when she was defeated in the semi-final, she was Lady Champion at Gourock Golf Club for 15 years consecutively.
"This could be a starting figure for our investigations!!" --- Any advance on 15 years, then?

MAUREEN WOODHEAD (formerly Skinner) -- pictured left ----
Further to this post here is an update ------
Pat Shepherd from Turriff

SLGA Counties Centenary Lunch

The SLGA held the centenary lunch today in the Salutation Hotel, Perth. Nine Counties are celebrating their centenaries this year... Angus, Ayrshire, Dumbartonshire and Argyll, Fife, Lanarkshire, Midlothian, Perth and Kinross, Renfrewshire and Stirlingshire & Clackmannan. Aberdeenshire (founded 1911), East Lothian (1924), Northern Counties (1967), Borders (1973), Dumfrieshire (1973) and Galloway (1973) have celebrations still to come. 

Mrs Margaret Duncanson, who retired in 1997 as the last Secretary of the Scottish Ladies County Golf Association, cut the cake, and Mrs Ethel Jack, President of SLGA Ltd gave a very appropriate golfing grace. After an enjoyable meal Gillian Kirkwood (pictured above) proposed a toast to County Golf and gave an informative account of its origins. D&A's Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) proposed the Vote of thanks (See short video at the end of this post) 

CLICK HERE  see some photos from the day

 

 Helen Faulds -- IN THE VIDEO ABOVE (Dunbartonshire & Argyll) responded with a vote of thanks which included this ode: 

C is for your county, of which you're rightly proud, 

E is for an event like this with a very friendly crowd. 

N is for the nattering --- we're really good at that, 

T is for the time flying by and the laughter and the chat. 

E is for the efforts of the ladies of the past, 

N is for their need to nail their colours to the mast. 

A is for the appreciation of every single person here, 

R is for the role you played in counties far and near 

Y is for years - a hundred of them gone but it's also for the future years - a new county golfing dawn.

SLGA extend inter-club foursomes deadline

The SLGA has extended the closing date for entries to the new Scottish Ladies inter-club match-play foursomes to Monday, March 23rd at 12 noon.

SLGA Matchplay Survey

In 2008 clubs were asked to send the results of their match play knockout competitions to the SLGA to ascertain the effect of the full difference in handicap. The analysis is now complete and the main finding is that with full difference in handicap the lower handicapped player still retains an advantage and can expect to win 60% of the time. The full analysis may be downloaded HERE

SLGA Subscription Reminder

The annual mailing to clubs containing the SLGA Handbook, poster and entry forms (including the one for the LGU Medal Finals) will be sent out next week to those clubs which have paid the annual subscription. A quarter of affiliated clubs have still to pay the subscription which was due for payment by 31 January.

Improve your Putting --- Mearns Castle Golf Academy

Take Strokes off your game this season - come along to our putting seminar at the MEARNS CASTLE GOLF ACADEMY at 7.30 pm on Thursday March 12th 2009 and learn how to Putt with Confidence -- Develop a better focus on the green --- Become more consistent
Visiting from the United States Frank Thomas, inventor of the graphite shaft and
Valerie Melvin, Sports Psychologist will deliver this seminar along with PGA Professional Karyn Burns.
Admission is £5 (50% donated to West of Scotland Girls) - SIGN UP by calling 07720442492.
or e -mailing karynburns@yahoo.com
Learn more about us by visiting http://www.franklygolf.com/
Why not come along to Mearns Castle Golf Academy on Thursday 12th March. To read all about it Click Here