Saturday, 3 October 2009

Book Now for SGU & SLGA Club Seminars -- Check with your Home Club

The SGU and SLGA are inviting club secretaries and committee members to attend their series of forthcoming seminars which will take place at nine venues across the country in November and early December.

The West of Scotland Seminar Schedule is listed below:

* Haggs Castle, Tuesday 1 December
* Kilmarnock (Barassie), Thursday 3 December
* Dullatur, Tuesday 8 December

To read more CLICK HERE

2010 Happy Golf Competition Booklets

Dear Fellow Golfer
The happygolf.co.uk web site had 13,942 open golf competitions and 316 golf weeks in 2009, making it the main web site in the UK and Ireland for Open Golf Competitions and Golf Weeks.

2010 Competition Booklets
Orders are being taken for our 4 regional booklets, Scotland, North of England, Midlands and Wales, South East/West of England. These include Gents, Ladies, Seniors, Mixed and Junior open golf competitions for 2010. To purchase booklets (click here).

2010 Golf Club Entries
Open golf competitions for 2010 are being added to the web site as they become available.

If your golf club's 2010 open golf competitions and/or golf week do not appear on our web site please complete our on line questionnaire (click here).

Inclusion on our web site and in our regional booklets is FREE.

Regards
Elizabeth S Miller
Managing Director
01383 620200

Friday, 2 October 2009

2009 Greenlees Trophy Update

To see all the the final totals for each division click on the following link
2009 GREENLEES TOTALS

Click on the following link for some past results and pictures since 2003 ------ PAST GREENLEES TROPHY WINNERS

Thursday, 1 October 2009

Scotland Seniors Win the Home Internationals for the First Time

The 2009 Scottish Seniors Team -- Click to enlargeScotland captain Pamela Williamson holds the Sue Johnson Trophy, won by Scotland for the first time. - Click to enlarge (Image Courtesy of the LGU)
Back row (left to right): Noreen Fenton (Dunbar), Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose), Fiona Hunter (Baberton), Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies), Fiona De Vries (St Rule), team manager Janet Wake.
Front row (l to r): Mary Smith (Tain), Pamela Williamson (Baberton), Heather Anderson (Alyth)
.
READ THE SCOTTISH REPORT (COLIN FARQUHARSON) FROM THE GILLIAN KIRKWOOD WEBSITE
This is the LGU ReportScotland made no mistake on the final day of the Senior Ladies' Home International Matches at Newport Golf Club, Wales.

Having first beaten Ireland and then England, the Scots won the title and the Sue Johnson Trophy for the first time, completing a 100 per cent winning record through the three days by beating last year’s winners, Wales, 5 ½-2 ½ today.

England, trailing 2-1 after the foursomes, rallied to draw 4-4 with Ireland and finished with 1 1/2pt, to be runners-up ahead of Wales (1pt) and Ireland (1/2pt).

Skipper Pam Williamson’s Scotland team showed no last-day nerves as they captured the morning foursomes by 2 ½ to ½ against Wales to make their task in the five afternoon singles that much easier.

They began the afternoon play needing only 1 ½ pt for a draw which would have been enough to clinch the over-50s team championship but instead the Scots had three singles winners in Heather Anderson, who beat the Senior British champion Vicki Thomas by one hole, Fiona De Vries, who beat Pamela Valentine by 5 and 3, ending the series with a perfect 6points from six matches, and Mary Smith who beat Jane Rees by 4 and 3 for her fifth point in six outings.

Anderson v Thomas was a game of two halves – the Scot had the better of the first nine, the Welsh player not losing a hole after the turn. Anderson birdied the second and the fifth on her way to a three-hole lead after eight holes.

That was as good as it got for the Scot. Thomas won the 11th and 15th to be only one down on the 16th tee. But Smith managed to halve the last three holes for a win she will remember.

Kathleen Sutherland, who came into the Scotland team only last week when star player Lorna Bennett had to withdraw for domestic reasons, lost her 100 per cent winning record when she lost by 4 and 2 to Ann Lewis.

Lewis birdied the seventh to go one up and also won the eighth before Sutherland birdied the ninth to get back to one down. The Welsh player promptly birdied the 10th to regain a two-hole lead which Sutherland cut back to one hole by winning the 11th.

The exchange of holes continued at the 12th which Lewis won to regain a two-hole lead. Lewis wrapped up a 4 and 2 victory by winning the 15th and 16th.

Fiona De Vries won the second, third and fourth against Valentine and stretched her lead to six holes after 11, having birdied the 10th. Valentine did birdie the 14th but that only cut her deficit to four holes and Fiona clinched her sixth victory in three days by winning the 15th for a 5 and 3 success.

That raised Scotland ’s points on the day to 4 ½, which meant they had won the match, whatever the outcome of the ties still to finish.

Mary Smith made it 5 1/2pt in the bag when she beat Jane Rees by 4 and 3. After the third and fourth holes were exchanged, Smith won the sixth to take a lead she did not relinquish.

The Scot won the eighth to go two up, lost the ninth but then won the 11th, 13th and 14th to surge four holes to the good. A half at the next ended the contest.

Wales got their second singles win, thanks to Jean O’Connor, who beat Moira Thomson by 5 and 4. O’Connor took a stranglehold on the outcome by winning the first, third, seventh, eighth and 10th for a five-hole lead. She even birdied the 12th to regain that advantage after the Scot had scored her only success at the 11th. Halves at the 13th and 14th ended the match.

Results:

SCOTLAND 5 1/2, WALES 2 1/2
Foursomes: H Anderson & F Hunter halved with V Thomas & J O'Connor; M Smith & M Thomson bt J Doleman & J Rees 3 and 2; F De Vries & N Fenton bt A Lewis & D Richards 4 and 2 (2 ½- ½).
Singles: Anderson bt Thomas 1 hole, K Sutherland lost to Lewis 4 and 2, De Vries bt P Valentine 4 and 3, Smith bt Rees 4 and 3, Thomson lost to O'Connor 5 and 4 (3-2)

IRELAND 4, ENGLAND 4
Foursomes; R Brennan & V McBride lost to C Quinn & S Dye 2 and 1; H Jones & P Doran bt J Ashmore & J Melville 3 and 1; S McElroy & P O'Gorman bt R Adams & P Parker 1 hole (2-1).
Singles: M Henderson lost to Melville 5 and 4, Doran lost to Dye 3 and 1, McElroy bt Ashmore 5 and 4, Jones bt Parker 6 and 5, McBride lost to Newton 5 and 4 (2-3).

HOW THEY FINISHED
Scotland
3 wins (3pt).
England 1 win, 1 draw (1 1/2pt).
Wales 1 win (1pt).
Ireland 1 draw (1/2pt).

INDIVIDUAL SCOTS' RECORDS AT NEWPORT

Fiona De Vries (St Rule) 6pt out of 6 (six wins).
Mary Smith (Tain) 5pt out of 6 (five wins).
Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies) 3 1/2pt out of 6 (three wins and a halved match).
Noreen Fenton (Dunbar) 3pt out of 3 (three foursomes wins).
Heather Anderson (Alyth) 2pt out of 6 (one win, two halves).
Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose) 2pt out of 3 (played singles only: two wins).
Fiona Hunter (Baberton) 1/2pt out of 3 (one halved match
LIVE SCORING FROM THE SENIOR HOME INTERNATIONALS

Ayrshire Girl Leads the way In Canyon Texas

Linzi Allan (Kilbirnie) a Freshman at Newman University Wichita opened her Collage Golf career with a tie for first place as the Newman women's golf team finished fourth at the Lady Buff Stampede, which concluded on Tuesday at La Paloma Golf Club Amarillo, Canyon, Texas

Linzi posted the best score of the entire tournament, a 72 (+1) in Monday's opening round, and followed that with an 84 (+13) in the second round, but still managed to force a tie for first with Tarleton State's Jacqueline Lau. Linzi was awarded second place after bogeying the hole, while Lau posted a birdie on the tiebreaking hole.

Well done Linzi and all the best in the future

Wednesday, 30 September 2009

Scotland beat England in the Senior Home Internationals

Day 2 details: For the full report go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

SCOTLAND 4 1/2, ENGLAND 3 1/2
Foursomes: Heather Anderson and Fiona Hunter lost to Christine Quinn and Lucy Newton 1 hole; Mary Smith and Moira Thomson beat Janet Melville and Jo Ashmore 1 hole; Fiona De Vries and Noreen Fenton beat Paula Parker and Rozalyn Adams 3 and 2 (2-1).
Singles: Anderson lost to Quinn 4 and 3, Kathleen Sutherland beat Susan Dye 1 hole, De Vries beat Melville 3 and 2, Smith lost to Newton 3 and 1, Thomson halved with Ashmore (2 ½-2 ½).

WALES 5, IRELAND 3
Foursomes: Vicki Thomas and Jean O’Connor bt Sheena McElroy and Phil O’Gorman 2 holes; Janet Doleman and Jane Rees lost to Helen Jones and Pat Doran 5 and 4; Ann Lewis and Denise Richards lost to Rhona Brennan and Violet McBride 3 and 1 (1-2).
Singles: Thomas halved with Violet McBride, Lewis halved with McElroy, Pamela Valentine bt Jones 2 and 1, O'Connor bt O’Gorman 6 and 5, Richards bt Brennan 7 and 6 (4-1).

HOW THEY STAND
Scotland 2 wins, England 1 win, Wales 1 win, Ireland 0 wins.

Emma Wins Ayrshire Girls’ Centenary Trophy

Emma Hale Emma Hale

Emma Hale (Bentinck Ladies) --- pictured above is the first winner of the Centenary Trophy which was presented by North and South Ayrshire Councils to Ayrshire Ladies County Golf Association to commemorate 100 years of the Association.

We are delighted that the local authorities recognised the importance of the younger members of the County when they presented the trophy specifically for junior competition.


Congu Girls

Congu Handicap Girls

This inaugural event was played over the Kintyre Course at Turnberry, a venue which we were privileged to be invited to and which the girls enjoyed enormously. 15 girls with Congu handicaps played a Stableford competition while 20 pre-handicap girls played the delightful 9 hole Arran Course. Results are as follows:-


Silver

1st: Emma Hale (Bentinck Ladies) 36 points
2nd: Katie McGarva (Troon Ladies) 34 points
3rd: Mhairi McKay (West Kilbride) 29 points (bih)
4th: Connie Jaffrey (West Kilbride) 29 points

Bronze

1st Alexandra Brown (Turnberry) 34 points (better last 3 holes)
2nd Sophie Love (Skelmorlie) 34 points (better last 6 holes)
3rd Gillian Love (Skelmorlie) 34 points
4th Lindsay Montgomery (West Kilbride) 31 points

Nearest the Pin at the 2nd: Emily McGarva (Troon Ladies)
Putting: Connie Jaffrey
Longest Drive: Connie Jaffrey

Pre Handicap Winners

Pre Handicap Girls

Pre-handicaps 9-11 year olds
1st Olivia Hill (Bentinck Ladies) 52
2nd Harley Murray (Bentinck Ladies) 54
3rd Lindsay Scott (Bentinck Ladies) 58
4th Yvonne Anderson (Maybole) 61
Putting: Lauren White (Loudoun)
Target chipping: Lindsay Scott

Pre-handicaps 12-13 year olds
1st Emma Paterson (Loudoun) 48
2nd Jemma Wylie (Barassie) 50
3rd Rachel Evans (Kilbirnie) 51
4th Megan McCaig (Barassie) 53
Putting: Marian Boyd (Brunston Castle)
Target: Emma Paterson

Thanks go to June Kerr for all the results and photographs

AYRSHIRE GIRL ANNOUNCED AS NEWMAN UNIVERSITY NEWCOMER

Linzi Allan from Ayrshire is one of Newman University's three newcomers to Wichita from United Kingdom
Newman University in Wichita, Kansas,USA is pleased to announce the arrival of its three newest players. Linzi Allan, Megan Birdsey and Alyssa Balding all arrived on campus last week. All three girls hail from the UK.
CLICK HERE FOR SOME NEW AYRSHIRE GOLF NEWS

Tuesday, 29 September 2009

D&A CORONATION MEDALS AND MEDAL FINALS

Played Bearsden Golf Club on Tuesday 29th September, SSS 71, CSS 74,Reduction Only

Scratch : Lynn McColl (Bearsden) 75
1st Silver & Coronation Medal Winner : Lynn McColl (Bearsden) 75-8-67
2nd Silver : Joan Shankland (Hilton Park) 90-17-73
3rd Silver : Carol Sim (Balmore) 92-18-74
1st Bronze & Coronation Medal Winner : Sheila Welsh (Hilton Park) 97-23-74 (BIH)
2nd Bronze: Lindsay McCubbin (Hilton Park) 96-22-74

MEDAL FINALS
Silver : Lynn McColl
Bronze : Lindsay McCubbin

Scotland beat Ireland on Day 1 of the Senior Home Internationals

SENIOR WOMEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS
Newport Golf Club, Wales
Day 1 To Read the Full Report go to the Gillian Kirwood Website

IRELAND 2 ½, SCOTLAND 5 ½
Foursomes: S McElroy & P O'Gorman bt H Anderson & F Hunter 8 and 6; H Jones & P Doran lost to M Smith & M Thomson 1 hole; R Brennan & V McBride lost to F De Vries & N Fenton 3 and 2 (1-2).
Singles: Jones halved with Anderson, M Henderson lost to K Sutherland 7 and 5, O'Gorman lost to De Vries 3 and 2, Doran lost to Smith 2 and 1, McElroy bt Thomson 1 hole (1 ½-3 ½)

WALES 2, ENGLAND 6
Foursomes; V Thomas & J O'Connor lost to C Quinn & S Dye 1 hole; J Doleman & J Rees lost to J Melville & J Ashmore 2 and 1; A Lewis & D Richards bt R Adams & L Newton 6 and 4 (1-2)
Singles: Thomas lost to Quinn 7 and 6, Rees lost to Melville 5 and 3, Lewis bt Adams 2 and 1, P Valentine lost to Newton 1 hole, Doleman lost to Dye 6 and 4 (1-4).

Sunday, 27 September 2009

Fife Ladies County Centenary Open Day

From L to R: Elaine Moffat , Megan Brown, President Margaret Steele , Winner Joan Peden - Runner Up - Marion Stewart (RLCGA and Kilmacolm)
Joan Peden, playing off 7, from the host club Dunfermline, won the Fife County Ladies' Golf Association Centenary Open today. Her net 71 was two shots better than her nearest challenger, Marion Stewart of Kilmacolm.
Elaine Moffat of St Regulus had the best scratch score of 74.

Leading scores: Dunfermline Golf Club CSS 75
Winner Joan Peden (7) Dunfermline 71
Marion Stewart (11) Kilmacolm 73
Linda Dyball (5) Pitreavie 74
Best Bronze: Elspeth Gibb (30) (Ladybank) 78
Best Scratch: Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) 74
Karin Sharp (Kirkcaldy) 79
Nearest the pin (9th) Megan Brown (Dunfermline)
(16th) Irene Collins (Elie & Earlsferry)

SLGA ADULT-GIRL FOURSOMES AT ARBROATH

The Lothians’ father-and-daughter pairing of Michael Connor (Mortonhall) and Louise Connor (Kilspindie), playing off a handicap of 20, had the best overall Stableford points total of 36pt in today’s (Sunday) Scottish Ladies Golfing Assocaition adult-girl foursomes golf tournament Arbroath Golf Club.
Ian Smith (Grange) and Louise Smith (Monifieth), playing off eight, won Category 1 (handicaps 0 to 12) with 34pt.
Category 2 (handicaps 13 to 20) was won by the Kennedys from Paisley, Iain and Emma with 35pt off 17.
Margaret Alexander (Baberton) and Jillian Farrell (Cardross), playing off 24, won Category 3 (handicaps 21 to 36) with 31pt.
Category 4 for girls with no handicaps was won by the Kilspindie pairing of Phil Notley and Ellis Notley with 23pt with a better inward half.
A total of 44 pairs took part.

COLLATE PRIZEWINNERS’ LIST

SLGA ADULT-GIRL FOURSOMES – Arbroath Golf Club.
Leading Stableford points totals
Overall winners – Michael Connor (Mortonhall) & Louise Connor (Kilspindie) (29) 36pt.
Category 1 (0 to 12 handicaps) – Ian Smith (Grange) & Louise Smith (Monifieth) (8) 34pt;
Alistair Serrals & Ashley Ann Alston (Royal Montrose) (4) 33pt.
Category 2 (13 to 20 handicaps) – Iain Kennedy & Emma Kennedy (Paisley) (17) 35; Alison Scott & Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe) (19) 31pt.
Category 3 (21 to 36 handicaps) – Margaret Alexander (Baberton) & Jillian Farrell (Cardross) (24) 31pt; Charles McCleary & Jessica McCleary (Monifieth) (24) 30pt.
Category 4 (girls with no handicaps) – Phil Notley & Ellis Notley (Kilspindie) 23pt (better inward half).
Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

Friday, 25 September 2009

West Vets Autumn Meeting

The West Vets Autumn Meeting was held at Erskine Golf Club yesterday in blustery, showery conditions .
Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) had the best Scratch Score of the day by virtue of the bih from Jennifer Mack (Haggs Castle)
Carol Fell (Ranfurly Castle) was the overall net winner
To read all the results go to the West Vets Website

Lanarkshire County Civic Reception

Lanarkshire County Civic Reception - Click to Enlarge


By LANARKSHIRE'S JEAN MACINTYRE
The Civic Reception given by South Lanarkshire Council to mark the Centenary of Lanarkshire Ladies County Golf Association yesterday was much enjoyed by those members who attended.
We were made most welcome by Provost Russell Clearie and the councilors and council staff. Following an excellent meal with good wine Provost Clearie gave a short speech then presented LLCGA Officials with small gifts and our Association with a very nice suitably engraved crystal rose bowl.
Captain May Hughes gave an outline of the events of our Centenary year and thanked South Lanarkshire Council for their hospitality and generosity. Honorary President Margo Bauer then presented Provost McClearie with a small gift from LLCGA.
Thanks must go to Margaret Armstrong, Administration Officer of SLC for organising the evening.


To read the full report and see some great photos from the evening celebrations go to the Lanarkshire Website

TAIN SISTERS WIN SLGA COMMONWEALTH SPOONS AT LONGNIDDRY

Tain sisters Mary Smith and Anne Ryan, representing Northern Counties, won the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association's Commonwealth Spoons foursomes final at Longniddry Golf Club yesterday
They had a good gross round of 76 in windy conditions and, less 2 1/2 (half their combined handicap), they won the day with a net score of 73 1/2. Mary is a senior Scotland international and county player while Anne was a county team player until a season or two ago.
Laura McLardy (Murcar Links) and Cruden Bay's Ros Dunsmuir, representing Aberdeenshire) finished runners-up with a net 74 1/2 off 5 1/2.
The first two pairs finished well clear at the top of the leaderboard.
Third best were Fiona Reid and Lynda Birse (Angus), playing off 17, with a net 77 (better inward half).
West of Scotland's Joan Gemmell and Anne Ferguson (Dunbartonshire & Argyll), playing off 9, also had a net 77 but lost out on the inward nine countback although they held on to fourth place in the face of a third pair who had a net 77, Carol Fulton and Frances Sorlie (Midlothian), playing off 15. Joan and Anne had a better last six holes than Carol and Frances.
The Final of the Commonwealth Spoons was played at Longniddry Golf Club on Thursday 24 September.

Results were as follows:

1st Mary Smith & Anne Ryan Northern Counties 76 (2.5) 73.5
2nd Laura McLardy & Ros Dunsmuir Aberdeenshire 80 (5.5) 74.5
3rd Fiona Reid & Lynda Birse Angus 94 (17) 77 BIH
4th Joan Gemmell & Anne Ferguson Dunbarton & Argyll 86 (9) 77 BL6
5th Carol Fulton & Frances Sorlie Midlothian 92 (15) 77


Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report

Wednesday, 23 September 2009

ALLOW EXTRA TIME IF YOU ARE GOING OVER THE ERSKINE BRIDGE TO THE WEST VETS AUTUMN MEETING AT ERSKINE GOLF CLUB TOMORROW

--- SEE WEST VETS WEBSITE

Kylie Walker in SLGA Team to represent Scotland at Whispering Pines, Texas

The combined Scottish Golf Union-Scottish Ladies Golf Association team to represent Scotland in The Spirit amateur international golf championship at Whispering Pines Golf Club, Texas, from November 4 to 7 is:

Mark Bookless (Sandyhills)
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie)
Paul Shields (Kirkhill)
Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle)

Buchanan Castle's Kylie Walker and Louise Kenney were both named last week in the Ladies Golf Union's GB&I squad for the 2010 Curtis Cup match against the United States at Essex County Club in Massachusetts in June.
Kylie, winner of the St Rule Trophy for the past two years, finished second in this year's European women's amateur championship.
Louise Kenney, was the winner of the Angela Uzielli Trophy (best over-23) for a fourth place finish in the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Balgownie in August.
Having her best season since she won the Scottish Under-18 girls' match-play title and then went off to Iowa State University for four years, Louise was beaten finalist by Megan Briggs in this year's Scottish women's amateur championship at Southerness.She is the current leader of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association Order of Merit.
Kylie, 23, is a full-time amateur golfer. Louise, 26, is a supply teacher and is coached by Spencer Henderson, the SGU national junior coach.
The Spirit tournament, held every two years, will have a field of 20 countries.
Thanks go to Colin Farquharson for the report


FIFE COUNTY CENTENARY OPEN

For any West of Scotland players playing in the Fife County Centenary Open at DUNFERMLINE (PITFIRRANE) G.C. on SUNDAY 27TH SEPTEMBER 2009 the draw is available on the FIFE COUNTY WEBSITE

Tuesday, 22 September 2009

Some Scottish Vets News -- Lorna Bennett is the 2009 Champion

Lorna Bennett is the 2009 Scottish Vets Champion; Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie) wins the best scratch and net score over Rosemount at the Scottish Vets Strokeplay, Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) and Carol Fell (Ranfurly Castle) are Runners Up in the Greensomes - both Scratch and Net and Susan Young (Cowal) and Jess Blackwood (Kilmarnock Barassie) are Greensome net score prizewinners

Finally Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) is the new Scottish Vets Vice Captain.

To read the reports a and see some photographs go to the West Vets Website

Monday, 21 September 2009

The 2009 Scottish Seniors Team for the Home Internationals

Scotland team for senior women's home internationals
Scotland team for next week's Senior Women's Home Internationals at Newport Golf Club, Wales(September 29 to October 1):

Captain - Pamela Williamson
Manager - Janet Wake

Heather Anderson (Alyth)
Lorna Bennett (Ladybank)
Fiona de Vries (St Rule)
Noreen Fenton (Dunbar)
Fiona Hunter (Baberton)
Mary Smith (Tain)
Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies)
Reserves
1. Kathleen Sutherland (Royal Montrose)
2. Helen Faulds (Douglas Park)
3. Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie)

Kylie's fails to qualify for LPGA Final Tour School

Kylie Walker's long haul to California to play in the LPGA Tour Qualifying School sectional tournament at Mission Hills Country Club ended in disappointment and failure to figure among the 30 players and ties who advanced to the Final Q School at Daytona Beach, Florida in December.
Perhaps the California heatwave eventually got to Kylie. Temperatures were up in the hundreds all week and Kylie's scores may reflect that - 70, 71, 75 and 78 for six-over-par 294.
She finished tied 39th. The limit qualifying score was 290

Sunday, 20 September 2009

Rachel wins St. Nicholas Trophy

Report by June Kerr (PHOTOS TO FOLLOW WHEN I GET BACK FROM BLAIRGOWRIE)

14 year old Rachel Irvine (Largs) won the Ayrshire Girls' St. Nicholas Trophy over Troon Portland yesterday beating 12 year old Emma Hale (Bentinck Ladies) on the better inward half. Both girls matched the SSS with nett 75's on a day which started wet but improved later in the afternoon. Results are as follows:-

Rachel Irvine (Largs) 93 (18) 75 bih
Emma Hale (Bentinck Ladies) 88 (13) 75
Katie McGarva (Troon Ladies) 89 (13) 76

The Pre-handicap girls played the 9 hole Craigend Course. Results are as follows:-

9-11 year olds 12-14 year olds

Lindsay Scott (Bentinck Ladies) 49 Ali Roy (Maybole) 46
Hayleigh Campbell (Loudoun) 55 Emma Paterson (Loudoun) 51 better last 4
Harley Murray (Bentinck Ladies) 56 Jemma Wylie (Barassie) 51

Northern Counties are the Scottish Champions

Report by Colin Farquharson

Northern Counties won the Scottish women's county team golf championship in a nail-biting finish to the three-day programme at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh today.

Northern Counties and Midlothian, the only two teams with 100 per cent records after two days, met in the title decider – and it ended in a 4 ½-4 ½ draw.
The countback of games won previously gave Northern Counties the title (14 ½-14).

It was Northern Counties' first title win in five years but their fourth win of the decade, having previously been national champions in 2000, 2003 and 2004.

And yet, Northern Counties looked to have suffered a body blow to their title prospects when Kelsey MacDonald (Stirling University and Nairn Dunbar), Scottish Under-21 champion for the past two years, hurt her wrist hacking out of the rough during the morning foursomes and had to be taken to hospital where ligament damage was diagnosed.

With Midlothian taking a 2-1 foursomes lead into the six afternoon singles – and Kelsey hors de combat, it looked odds on that the East Division champions would regain the title they won in 2005 and again in 2007.
Midlothian increased their lunchtime advantage to 4-1 when Jane Turner beat Pam Mackay 4 and 3, and Claire Hargan won by 3 and 2 against Alison Bartlett.
But then Northern Counties tail wagged with a vengeance.
Elgin's Jenny Milne stopped the slide by halving her match with Scotland girl international Rachael Watton.
Then Counties won the last three singles to salvage a halved match and win the title on a countback.

Youngsters Julie Vass (15) and Hannah McCook (16) played like veterans to knock 2pt off the deficit. Tain's Julie beat Karen Marshall 5 and 4 while Hannah, the North of Scotland girls champion from Nethy Bridge, beat the experienced Louise Fraser by one hole.

Then the Northern Counties' ploy of saving their champion, Cara Gruber (Royal Dornoch) for the anchor role in the singles paid a huge dividend. In a tight match that went all the way to the 18th green, Cara beat Claire MacDonald by two holes.

Gruber was Counties' outstanding player of the tournament with 4 1/2pt out of six, just ahead of Hannah McCook and Mary Smith (Tain), each with 4pt. Mary, a senior Scotland international, did not play against Midlothian, either in the foursomes or the singles, after winning 4pt out of four through Friday and Saturday. It transpires she was playing in a veterans' tournament at Blairgowrie on Sunday!

Midlothian had the two most successful players over the three days – Jane Turner and Claire Hargan, both with 5pt. Jane won five games out of six, Hargan won all five ties in which she played.
Renfrewshire beat Galloway 7 1/2-1 1/2 to finish third in the table with 1pt. Megan Briggs won 4 1/2pt out of six for Renfrewshire wile sister Eilidh won 4pt.



Today's results:

RENFREWSHIRE 7 ½, GALLOWAY 1 ½

Foursomes: Eilidh Briggs and Megan Briggs bt Gillian Monteith and Tracy Milligan 4 and 3; Donna Jackson and Liz Stewart bt Christina Meldrum and Addi Shamash 2 and 1; lare-Marie Carlton and Gillian Kyle bt Sheila McMurtrie and Gwen Robson 1 hole (3-0).

Singles: Megan Briggs bt Monteith 1 hole, Carlton bt Shamash 5 and 4, Eilidh Briggs lost to McMurtrie 1 hole, Alyson McKechin bt Meldrum 5 and 3, Carol Whyte halved with Robson, Kyle bt Milligan 1 hole (4 ½-1 ½).
NORTHERN COUNTIES 4 ½, MIDLOTHIAN 4 ½

Foursomes: Kelsey MacDonald and Hannah McCook lost to Jane Turner and Rachael Watton 6 and 5; Cara Gruber and Pam Mackay lost to Claire Hargan and Wendy Nicholson 1 hole; Alison Bartlett and Jenny Milne bt Kirsten Blackwood and Claire MacDonald 1 hole (1-2).
Singles: Mackay lost to Turner 4 and 3, Bartlett lost to Hargan 3 and 2, Milne halved with Watton, Julie Vass bt Karen Marshall 5 and 4, McCook bt Louise Fraser 1 hole, Gruber bt Claire MacDonald 2 holes (3 ½-2 ½).

HOW THEY FINISHED

Northern Counties, Midlothian 2 1/2pt each (Northern Counties won 14 ½-14 on countback),
Renfrewshire 1pt, Galloway 0pt.


For todays printout at Baberton in the County Finals Click on the following link
RENFREWSHIRE v DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY -----County Finals -- Day 3 Results

County Finals -- The Final Day

Northern Counties NORTHERN COUNTIES. Back row (left to right): Pam Mackay, Cara Gruber, F Allan (vice-capt), Jan Corbett (capt), Jenny Milne, Mary Smith, Alison Bartlett. Front: Julie Vass, Kelsey MacDonald, Hannah McCook.

Dumfries and GallowayDUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY. Back row (left to right): Helen Nesbitt (president), Sheila McMurtrie, S Huntly (capt), Christina Meldrum, Pat Magill, Caroline Merrick, Addi Shamash. Front row: Gillian Monteith, Gwen Robson, Tracy Milligan.

RenfrewshireRENFREWSHIRE. Left to right: Megan Briggs, Clare-Marie Carlton, Donna Jackson, Eilidh Briggs, Gillian Kyle, Liz Stewart, Carol Whyte, Alyson McKechin, Christine Finlayson (capt).

Your Webmaster has now gone to Blairgowrie to the Scottish Vets Jamboree this morning (Sunday) and will therefore not have a photo of Midlothian has still to be taken -- hopefully one will be sent to her to add to the list (Click on photos to enlarge)

Therefore there will be no news posted on the website for a couple of days.

For todays results at Baberton in the County Finals Click on the following link
RENFREWSHIRE v DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY -----County Finals -- Day 3 Results

For all the news from the last day's play go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Saturday, 19 September 2009

Midlothan and Northern Counties are both winners today at Baberton

Midlothian and Northern Counties, the East and North champions respectively, will meet in the title decider tomorrow (Sunday) on the third and last day of the Scottish women's county golf team championship at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh.

Both teams have played twice and won twice.

Today (Saturday), Midlothian followed up their 8 ½- ½ win over South title-holders Galloway by beating West champions Renfrewshire 5 ½ -3 ½ while Northern Counties, who had beaten Renfrewshire 7 ½- 1 ½ on Friday whipped Galloway 7-2.

After taking a 2-1 lead over Renfrewshire in the morning foursomes, the key singles match featured Scotland team-mates Jane Turner (Midlothian) and Renfrewshire and Scottish champion Megan Briggs (Renfrewshire).

Jane won by 2 and 1 after single putting on about 9 occasions and further Midlothian wins by Claire Hargan and Claire MacDonald gave them a 2 point win overall.Clare-Marie Carlton and Elidh Briggs were Renfrewshire's winners with Carol Whyte getting a very goof half

Northern Counties made a 3-0 clean sweep of the foursomes against Galloway but it was not quite so easy for them in the singles. Galloway's Gillian Monteith did well to halve the top match against Cara Gruber but wins by teenagers Kelsey MacDonald and Hannah McCook as well as senior international Mary Smith consolidated Northern's victory.

Saturday results

MIDLOTHIAN 5 ½, RENFREWSHIRE 3 ½

Foursomes: Jane Turner, Rachael Watton lost to Megan Briggs, Eilidh Briggs 2 and 1; Claire Hargan, Wendy Nicholson bt Alyson McKechin, Liz Stewart 5 and 4; Kirsten Blackwood, Claire MacDonald bt Claire-Marie Carlton, Donna Jackson 2 and 1 (2-1).

Singles: Turner bt Megan Briggs 2 and 1, Nicholson lost to Carlton 3 and 2, Hargan bt McKechin 3 and 2, Louise Fraser halved with Carol Whyte; Karen Marshall lost to Eilidh Briggs 7 and 6, MacDonald bt Jackson 2 holes (3 ½-2 ½).

GALLOWAY 2, NORTHERN COUNTIES 7

Foursomes: Gillian Monteith, Tracy Milligan lost to Kelsey MacDonald, Hannah McCook 1 hole; Christina Meldrum, Sheila McMurtrie lost to Cara Gruber, Pam Mackay 4 and 2; Addi Shamash, Gwen Robson lost to Mary Smith, Alison Bartlett 7 and 5 (0-3).

Singles: Monteith halved with Gruber, Milligan lost to MacDonald 4 and 2, Shamash bt Julie Vass 2 holes, Rob son lost to Smith 4 and 3, Meldrum lost to McCook 4 and 3, McMurtrie halved with Jenny Milne (2-4).

HOW THEY STAND

Midlothian 2 wins, Northern Counties 2 wins, Renfrewshire 2 losses, Galloway 2 losses.

FINAL MATCHES
Galloway v Renfrewshire, Northern Counties v Midlothian.

TO SEE SOME PHOTOS FROM TODAYS PLAY CLICK ON THE SMALL THUMBNAIL BELOW
County Finals Day2 - RLCGA v Midlothian


To print out today's results click on the following link RENFREWSHIRE v MIDLOTHIAN -----County Finals -- Day 2 Results
RENFREWSHIRE v MIDLOTHIAN -----County Finals -- Day 2 Results

Friday, 18 September 2009

Renfrewshire are well beaten by Northern Counties

Northern Counties and Midlothian look to be on course with the title at stake after the opening day of the Scottish women's county golf championship finals at Baberton Golf Club, Edinburgh.
Midlothian, East Division champions and the favourites with "home field advantage," whipped South title-holders Galloway 8 ½-½ while Northern Counties, the North Division champions, beat Renfrewshire, the West title-holders, by the surprisingly convincing margin of 7 ½-1 1/2 .
Northern Counties took the foursomes 2-1 against Renfrewshire before a cracking top singles tie between international team-mates, Scottish Champion Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), and national under-21 Champion for the past two years, Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar) ended in a square match.
Between them they had five birdies over the last six holes. Megan was one up one the 18th tee before Kelsey won the last hole to share the honours.
Northern Counties then won the remaining five singles with wins by Cara Gruber, senior cap Mary Smith, Jenny Milne, and Northern Counties girls champion Hannah McCook, who birdied the 15th and 16th , and another youngster, Julie Vass.

Unfortunately Renfrewshire were without Clare- Marie Carlton today as she was unable to get time off work from her new job at Playsport Development in East Kilbride.
However, to be fair Northern Counties played well and were deserving winners on the day.

Day 1 results at Baberton:
GALLOWAY ½, MIDLOTHIAN 8 ½
Foursomes: Gillian Monteith & Tracy Milligan lost to Jane Turner & Rachael Watton 4 and 3; Christina Meldrum & Sheila McMurtrie halved with Louise Fraser & Karen Marshall; Addi Shamash & Gwen Robson lost to Claire MacDonald & Kirsten Blackwood 7 and 5 (1/2-2 ½).
Singles: Monteith lost to Turner 4 and 3, Milligan lost to Claire Hargan 4 and 3, Meldrum lost to Wendy Nicholson 6 and 4, McMurtrie lost to Fraser 1 hole, Shamash lost to Kirsten Blackwood 3 and 2, Robson lost to Watton 3 and 2 (0-6).

RENFREWSHIRE 1 ½, NORTHERN COUNTIES 7 ½
Foursomes: Eilidh Briggs & Megan Briggs bt Kelsey MacDonald & Hannah McCook 2 and 1; Liz Stewart & Donna Jackson lost to Cara Gruber & Pam Mackay 4 and 2; Alyson McKechin & Gillian Kyle lost to Mary Smith & Alison Bartlett 4 and 2 (1-2).
Singles: Megan Briggs halved with MacDonald, Eilidh Briggs lost to Gruber 2 and 1, Jackson lost to Smith 2 and 1, McKechin lost to Jenny Milne 3 and 2, Kyle lost to McCook 3 and 2, Carol Whyte lost to Julie Vass 3 and 2 (1/2-5 1/2).

TO PLAY:
Saturday - Galloway v Northern Counties, Midlothian v Renfrewshire.
Sunday - Midlothian v Northern Counties, Galloway v Renfrewshire

To print out all the results -- Click on he following Link
County Final Results Day 1

Click on the small picture of the 2 County Captains below to see some photos from today's match between Renfrewshire and Northern Counties

County Finals Day 1 - RLCGA v Northern Counties

Medal 11 - Douglas Park Golf Club

Played 18/09/2009 SSS: 72, CSS:72
SILVER:
1st 86-15=71 Patricia Ross
2nd 88-16=72 Alison Miller
3rd 88-16=72 Anne Paton
BRONZE:
1st 95-25=70 Mary Agnew
2nd 103-28=75 Evelyn Crombie
3rd 112-36=76 Norma Vallance
SCRATCH: Joan Gemmell 79

Kylie and Pamela in the 2010 Curtis Squad


LADIES GOLF UNON News Release

2010 GB & I CURTIS CUP SQUAD

The following players have been named in the GB & I squad as part of the preparation for the 36th Curtis Cup match which will be played at Essex County Club, Massachusetts from June 11 to 13, 2010.

Hannah BARWOOD (Knowle ) ENGLAND Age 19

Carly BOOTH (Comrie ) SCOTLAND Age 17

Amy BOULDEN (Maesdu) WALES Age 16

Gemma BRADBURY (Cottrell Park) WALES Age 18

Holly CLYBURN (Woodhall Spa) ENGLAND Age 18

Charlie DOUGLASS (Brocket Hall) ENGLAND Age 20

Jodi EWART (Catterick) ENGLAND Age 21

Lucy GOULD (Bargoed) WALES Age 22

Rachel JENNINGS (Izaak Walton) ENGLAND Age 21

Louise KENNEY (Pitreavie) SCOTLAND Age 26

Leona MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell) IRELAND Age 14

Lisa MAGUIRE (Slieve Russell) IRELAND Age 14

Danielle McVEIGH (Royal Co Down Ladies') IRELAND Age 22

Stephanie MEADOW (Royal Portrush ) IRELAND Age 17

Kelsey MacDONALD (Nairn Dunbar) SCOTLAND Age 18

Pamela PRETSWELL (Bothwell Castle) SCOTLAND Age 20

Kelly TIDY (Royal Birkdale) ENGLAND Age 17

Rhian Wyn THOMAS (Vale of Glamorgan) WALES Age 22

Kylie WALKER (Buchanan Castle) SCOTLAND Age 23

Sally WATSON (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies') SCOTLAND Age 18

Captain: Mary McKENNA (IRELAND). Team manager: Tegwen MATTHEWS (Wales).

One of the youngest Great Britain & Ireland squads for the biennial Curtis Cup match against the United States has been named by the Ladies' Golf Union.

Eleven of the 20 players listed are teenagers, the youngest being the Maguire twins, Leona and Lisa, from Ballyconnel in Ireland's County Cavan. At the age of 14, the two Slieve Russell club members have already set an age record by appearing for GB&I in the Vagliano Trophy match at Hamburg on July 24 and 25 this year.

They will celebrate their 15th birthdays in November which means, if selected for the May 2010 match, they will go into the record books alongside Carly Booth who was 15 when she became the youngest ever GB&I Curtis Cup team player at the 2008 match.

(Michelle Wie, born October 10, 1989, was 14 when she played for the United States in the 2004 match on June 12-13 at Formby).

Lisa Maguire is the 2009 Irish Ladies' Close Champion and also Irish Ladies' Open Stroke Play Champion. Both played in the European Junior Solheim Cup team in America and they were members of Ireland's winning team of four in the European Girls' Team Championship in Finland in early July.

Leona beat Lisa in a memorable final of the 2008 Irish Ladies' Close Championship. This year Leona has won the Helen Holm Scottish Ladies' Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Troon (Lisa finished third) and the French Under-21 Open Championship.

Another Irish youngster, Stephanie Meadow (Royal Portrush) is one of the selected players who are based in the United States for most of the college year.

Stephanie, who will be 18 next January, was the Irish Girls' Champion in 2006 and was a member of the Irish Girls' team of four who won the European title earlier this year.

Stephanie, a resident student at the Hank Haney International Golf Academy at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, is among the front rank of girls who compete on the American Junior Golf Association circuit.

The other 2010 Curtis Cup squad members with strong USA connections are Jodi Ewart from Catterick, Yorkshire, and Sally Watson, who hails from South Queensferry, Edinburgh but who now plays out of the Fife club, Elie & Earlsferry Ladies'.

Teenager Sally, after several years at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida, enrolled on a golf scholarship in August at Stanford University, California, the alma mater of Tiger Woods and a former Curtis Cup Scot, Mhairi McKay.

Twenty one year-old Jodi Ewart is now in her fourth and final year at the University of New Mexico where she is considered to be the best player ever to grace its female golf roster. A winner more than once on the American golf circuit, she has made an excellent start to the 2009-2010 college season, finishing runner-up in an event with the lowest 54-hole total she has ever had. Jodi Ewart, Sally Watson and 17-year-old Carly Booth all played for GB & I in the 2008 Curtis Cup match over the Old Course, St Andrews. The five other members of the home team have since turned professional. All nine members of the team who played the Continent of Europe in this summer's Vagliano Trophy have been named.

The four Welsh players in the squad, Amy Boulden, Gemma Bradbury, Lucy Gould and Rhian Wyn Thomas will still be on a high from helping Wales win the Ladies' Home International Matches last week for the second year in a row.

Gemma had an outstanding performance, winning five out of six matches in the three day tournament at Irvine Golf Club, Ayrshire. She was closely followed by Rhian who had four wins and a halved match and Amy with four points from four wins. Lucy Gould, Welsh Girls' Champion in 2002 and 2003, had three wins to her credit. Lucy has just completed four years playing on the US college circuit as a student at East Tennessee State University.

Ireland's Danielle McVeigh, winner of the British Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Royal Aberdeen GC in August, played in America for two years as a student at Texas A&M University and is familiar with the different playing conditions in the USA. Danielle continues to study at the University of Ireland, Maynooth.

England's six selections, with the exception of Kelly Tidy, formed the silver medal winning squad at this year's European Ladies' Team Championship at Bled, Slovenia. Kelly reached the final of the British Girls' Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 but was unable to play in this year's event as she was selected to play in the European Junior Solheim Cup team in America.

Hannah Barwood was last year's English Ladies' Champion. Holly Clyburn is the current English Girls' and French Under-18 Open Champion. Left-hander Charlie Douglass is the English Ladies' Champion and has led the EWGA Order of Merit for most of the season. She was England's most successful player in the Ladies' Home Internationals with four wins.

Rachel Jennings, who had three wins at the Home Internationals was runner-up to Danielle McVeigh in the Welsh Open Stroke Play Championship.

Scotland's six includes Louise Kenney, Kylie Walker, Pamela Pretswell and Carly Booth who all finished in the top 10 of this year's British Open Stroke Play Championship. Kylie, the St Rule Trophy winner in 2008 and 2009, travelled to the European Ladies' Championship in Sweden with Pamela this summer where Kylie finished runner-up and Pamela joint fourth. Glasgow University student Pamela won the 2008 Swiss Ladies' Open Amateur Championship.

The sixth Scot is Stirling University student Kelsey MacDonald who successfully defended the Scottish Junior Open Stroke Play title this year.

England and Scotland both have six representatives in the squad while Ireland and Wales each have four players chosen.

Ireland's Mary McKenna will be captaining the GB&I side for the fourth time in a row. She was Captain at the 2007 and 2009 Vagliano Trophy matches and also the 2008 Curtis Cup match. "I am really delighted with this very talented and young squad," said Mary. "It is a great incentive for the girls to work really hard over the winter to be ready for the early season selection. Playing the Curtis Cup in the US is a wonderful experience but needs extra preparation and commitment to challenge the Americans on their home ground."

Mary remains the most successful Curtis Cup player for GB&I. She played in 17 biennial matches from 1970 to 1986, winning 10 and halving four of her 30 ties.

Wales' Tegwen Matthews, who played in the 1974-76-78-80 Curtis Cup matches as Tegwen Perkins Thomas, continues in the important role of team manager.

TEAM SELECTION

The GB&I team of eight for the 2010 Curtis Cup match will be selected on Sunday, April 25 following the Helen Holm Scottish Ladies' Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Troon.

A player who have not been named in this preliminary squad, may still be selected for the 2010 team, and opportunities to show early season form are available at the following events;

The Orange Blossom Tour – Florida - January

Portuguese Women's Open Amateur Championship, 28 -31 January.

Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival, Spain, 15 – 20 February.

Spanish Women's Open Amateur Championship 3 – 7 March.

THE 2010 VENUE

Essex County Golf Club will be staging the Curtis Cup match for the second time. It hosted the 1938 match in the days when only three foursomes and six singles – all over 36 holes were played. The Essex County Golf Club opened in 1893 but the course was redesigned by Donald Ross who emigrated to the States from Dornoch in 1899 and became one of America's leading golf course architects, responsible for Pinehurst 2, Seminole, Oak Hill and Oakland Hills. Ross was the Essex County Golf Club professional from 1910 to 1917 and it was during these years that he redesigned the course. The third green is claimed to be the oldest in America.

THE CURTIS CUP SISTERS

The Curtis sisters, Harriot and Margaret, who donated the trophy, were the youngest of a affluent New England family. Their father had fought in the US Civil War and had built a summer house in Manchester, Massachusetts, close to the Essex County Club of which the Curtis family later became charter members. Thus a Curtis Cup match at this venue is of particular significance.