SLGA name teams for Stroke-Play tournaments

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH LADIES GOLFING ASSOCIATION
The SLGA is pleased to announce the following teams to represent Scotland:

SLGA Under 16 Open Stroke Play Championship, Strathmore Golf Centre, April 8-9:
Team 1: Lesley Atkins (Minto), Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies), Clara Young (North Berwick).
Team 2: Connie Jaffray (West Kilbride), Tara Mactaggart (Minto), Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies).
Reserves: 1 Linsey Stevenson (Elie & Earlsferry Ladies and Whitecraigs), 2 Lauren Whyte (St Regulus)

Helen Holm Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship, Troon, April 23-25:
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle).
Reserves: 1 Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), 2 Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm)

Welsh Ladies' Open Amateur 54 Hole Stroke Play Championship, Southerndown Golf Club, May 1-2:
Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Laura Murray (Alford), Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
Travelling reserve: Rachael Watton (Mortonhall)

Irish Ladies' Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship, Newlands Golf Club, June 5-6:
Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Jane Turner (Craigielaw).
Travelling reserve: Laura Murray (Alford).
Reserve: Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar)

West Vets -- Helen Faulds and Alex Glennie are selected for Scotltish Vets to play the Irish Vets

West Vets Captain Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) and Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie) have both been selected to play for the Scottish Vets Team against an Irish select next month over Portmarnock Links.
To read the full team selection go to the West Vets Website

Renfrewshire County Centenary Book is launched

Carol Fell with the RLCGA Centenary Book - click to enlarge

A coffee morning was held at Haggs Castle Golf Club to launch the Renfrewshire Ladies County Golf Association Centenary Book.
The first 100 pages of the book covers the 1st 100 years of County Golf in Renfrewshire and the second 100 pages covers all the events in last year's County Centenary Year both in Renfrewshire and around Scotland. There are over 400 photographs in the book which was Self Published by your webmaster Carol Fell
To read all about the morning's event go to the RLCGA Website

Make Golf History at Machrihanish Dunes.

Under 16 and Matchplay Foursomes Closing Dates

There is only one week left to get your entries in for the first major event on the Scottish Ladies’ 2010 calendar. The closing date for the Scottish Open Under 16’s is 12 noon on Monday 8th March.

Monday 8th March is also the closing date for the Scottish Matchplay Foursomes. Entry forms for this were sent out to the Handicap secretaries in the February Handicap mailing.

You can now find more information about the Under 16's Championship, including; venue details, entries received, and the card of the course on 'Championships' menu by on the SLCGA Website by CLICKING HERE
Draws and results will also appear here when available and information on the other Championships will be added in the coming weeks.

Ladies Dinner and Social Evening at Douglas Park

The new Douglas Park Ladies Captain Ann O'Connell had a very successful dinner and Social Evening on Friday 19th February. Nevin McGhee was the speaker and singer. Eileen Hunter was the wonderful accompanist. The evening was geared around the title "This Genteel Abode"

Click on the pictures above to see an enlarged slideshow

New OnLine Issue of Scottish Club Golfer is available

Please visit this link to see the latest issue of Scottish Club Golfer online. Remember you can also read the latest golf news at http://www.scottishclubgolfer.com/

2010 LGU YEARBOOK

The start of season LGU mailing will be leaving St Andrews next week and will include your club's complimentary copy of the 2010 LGU Yearbook.

The yearbook contains results, future championship information and regulations. New for 2010, the book will contain a list of all clubs, and their names and addresses. Should you require your own personal copy, you may order one using the LGU SHOP.

You may wish to view an electronic preview online using the link below but note the list of golf clubs is not visible online.
2010 LGU ELECTRONIC ONLINE BOOK

Training Sessions at Mearns Castle Golf Academy

If you haven't already heard . . . . . . FREE golf lessons and training are available for anyone of any age, with a serious health problem or disability, at the Mearns Castle Golf Academy on Saturday 10th April from 10:00am.

Anyone interested, whether they have played before or not, should return the attached form as soon as possible. Click on the following --- Scottish Disability Golf

February Medal -- Troon Portland

February Medal (SSS 73, CSS 74)Played 5th February
Silver:
Julie Will (19)75
Morven English (15) [acb] 76
Fiona Roger (14) 76
Bronze:
Julia Tulloch (24)74
Fiona Abbott (21)78

2010 Team Captains --- News Release Issued from the SLGA

Lesley Nicholson is hoping to make it third time lucky when she captains Scotland at the Women’s Home Internationals at Whitchurch, Cardiff in September.
Scotland finished third when Nicholson was a rookie captain at the Home Internationals in 2008 and, last year, the side narrowly lost out to Wales in a final day showdown for the title at Irvine Golf Club.
This year, Nicholson, a former Ladies’ European Tour professional, has also been appointed captain for the European Women's Team Championship at La Manga, in Spain in July.
The Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association has named the full list of Captains for the 2010 season and the Baberton pair of Karen Marshall and Pamela Williamson have also been handed double roles.
Marshall has been named captain of the Scottish team for both the girls’ home internationals (Bangor, Northern Ireland in August) and the Girls’ European Championship (Aalborg, Denmark, in July), while Pamela is in charge for September’s European Senior Team Championship (Berlin) and the senior home internationals (Sheringham).
Elaine Cuthill (Lanark) has been appointed captain of the Scottish side for the SLGA Under-16 championship, a tournament that marks the start of the domestic season at Strathmore in April.
Nicholson is looking forward to the challenges ahead. “We came very, very close to lifting the trophy at the Home Internationals last year and I think we have a great chance to do well in all competitions this year,” she said.
“We have lost Kylie Walker and Carly Booth to the professional ranks, but there are so many new players coming through. There is a lot of golf to be played before the teams are picked and the SLGA coach, Kevin Craggs, makes sure everyone is extremely focused.
The amateur side of the game has come on by leaps and bounds in Scotland in recent years and this is going to be a very exciting year.”

Scottish Golf Show receives backing boost

With just under six weeks until this year's Scottish Golf Show gets underway, the three-day golf bonanza has received a major boost after securing the backing of both of Scottish golf's main governing bodies.

The Scottish Golf Union (SGU) and the Scottish Region of the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) have both confirmed their support of the annual golf season curtain-raiser.

The backing of both organisations is a major boost for the 2010 Scottish Golf Show as it prepares to take place from March 26-28 at the SECC in Glasgow.

Show organiser Tom Lovering welcomed the support and said: "The Scottish Golf Union and the Scottish Region of the Professional Golfers' Association do a fantastic job representing the amateur and professional realms of the game in Scotland. Therefore, we are hugely grateful to be offered their support, which I believe further underlines the high regard in which the Scottish Golf Show, now in its fifth year, is held.

"Their backing reinforces the strong belief held by all of us involved with the Scottish Golf Show that this year's event is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet and I would reiterate my call to all of those interested in attending to book their tickets now via our website, www.scottishgolfshow.com, in order to book their place at the show and take advantage of a superb ticket offer."


More Golf Show Latest News

Your chance to become a trick-shot king!

Fancy learning how to pull off some amazing trick shots? Then be sure to come along to this year's Scottish Golf Show, where trick-shot maestro Dave Edwards will be demonstrating the secrets behind some of the most popular shots in his repertoire.

Dave, whose incredible shows have left audiences dazzled at each of the previous four Scottish Golf Shows, will again be performing his incredible routine on all three days this year. However, as well as doing that, he'll be teaching some his tricks to show customers. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn some jaw-dropping new golf skills!

Children welcome at Scottish Golf Show

Don't forget, children are welcome at the Scottish Golf Show, too. All under-5s go free and there are reduced tickets available both for five to 15-year-olds and families when you book in advance. But that's not all: there will also be opportunities for kids to try out golf equipment, too! Jaxx Golf will have four bays reserved solely for the use of young golfers, who can test the company's latest clubs. On top of that, there will be 'junior only' areas at both the Explanar stand and the PGA teaching nets, too!
More details available at http://www.scottishgolfshow.com/
Golf Show Key Dates SECC Glasgow Friday, March 26th
9.30 am - 6.00pm Saturday, March 27th
9.30am - 5.30 pm Sunday, March 28th
9.30 am - 5.00 pm Special Advanced
Golf Show Ticket Offer Receive these FREE gifts for EVERY golf show ticket purchased in advanced. One FREE weekly passes to the Johnnie Walker Championship and Scottish Seniors Open.
Also a FREE bunkered Saltire driver headcover Click to find out more

Full List of Advanced
Ticket Prices Under 5's free Juniors (5-15 yrs) £8 Concession £8 Adult £10 Family Tickets £25 Family tickets: 2 adults, 2 children; Concession: students, OAPs & disabled Order Tickets Now Show sponsors and media

Fixtures 2010

The 2010 Calendar Of Events is now available at the SLGA Website

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR lIST

SLGA SQUAD TRAINING IN SPAIN

From the SLGA Website

National Squad players West of Scotland players Megan Briggs, Eilidh Briggs and Alyson McKechin plus Gillian Monteith, Laura Murray, Gabrielle Macdonald, Kelsey Macdonald, Jane Turner, Rachael Watton and Rebecca Wilson have just returned from Desert Springs, Spain after attending a Warm weather training camp. The squad were fortunate to be accompanied by the Ricoh Women’s British Open winner, Catriona Matthew, who played and trained as part of the squad. This provided an excellent opportunity for our young players to gain from her experience. Catriona gave the girls great encouragement. The girls were extremely excited about Catriona travelling with them, something they will never forget.

Also, travelling with the squad were SLGA National Coach, Kevin Craggs, sportscotland Institute of Sport physiotherapist, Karen Young and SLGA Performance Director,Beth Paterson.
Desert Springs gave the players a chance to train in good conditions in preparation for the forthcoming season. The Golf Union of Wales was in Desert Springs at the same time and this gave the squad a chance to play a competitive match, which the Welsh won. The Welsh team had Walker Cup Captain and four times Walker Cup player, Nigel Edwards playing for them.

We are very grateful to our funding partners; the R & A and sportscotland who helped to fund this trip.

Clubgolf Vacancy in the West of Scotland

A vacancy has arisen for a clubgolf Regional Manager in the West of Scotland. To see the advertisement click here.

Brand New Scottish Golf Show Website 2010

Brand New 2010 Scottish Golf Show website is now live Find out more about this year's show and take up our amazing ticket offer when you book your tickets in advance. http://newsletter.bunkered.co.uk/

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY LGU

Ladies Golf Union launch new logo
Following the Annual General Meeting in Cardiff at the end of last month which resulted in the modernisation of the LGU’s operations and structure, a new corporate branding has been launched, with a simple logo aimed at projecting a fresh, modern identity while celebrating the organisation’s 117 years of tradition and history.
The new logo, reminiscent of the famous railway posters so familiar to golf fans, will be introduced at the LGU’s championships and matches throughout the season.
Shona Malcolm, CEO of the Ladies Golf Union, explained:
"The old logo has served the LGU well for the last ten years, but modern marketing and promotional activities demand a clean, visual logo with impact, which must be easy to read and readily identifiable. The new logo was developed with these objectives in mind.
"Early feedback on the change has been good, and in the promotional material which is being drafted, it is clear that the new LGU logo will stand out both on and off the golf course."

SLGA Handicap Mailing to all Clubs

The 2010 Handicap Mailing addressed to Ladies Handicap Secretaries at clubs was posted on Thursday 4 February. It contains: - The 2010 Handicap Pack which includes the list of qualifying competitions for 2010 - A CONGU Manual - An order form for additional CONGU Manuals - An application form for a 9 hole course SSS - The entry form for the Scottish Match Play Foursomes

HOT OFF THE PRESS -- LOOK WHO HAS JUST GOT ENGAGED

HOT OFF THE PRESS ---- CLICK HERE TO REVEAL ALL

SLGA Tournament Entry Forms

Entry forms for the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association's tournaments in 2010 are now available on the SLGA website.

Pamela Pretswell feels a "Little Rusty" due to poor weather and examinations

The 80th Portuguese women's open amateur championship, ended at Amendoeira Golf Resort on the Algarve today and Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) , who was playing in her first competition since last September's Home Internationals, was bang in contention with a sub-par opening round of 71 and then gradually slipped down the field. She had been unable to produce consistent good golf because she was simply too rusty. Subsequent rounds of 74, 77 and 74 gave her a total of eight-over-par 296.
She admitted before she left for Portugal that a combination of studies for exams at Glasgow University and the severity of the Scottish winter which closed most courses for a long spell, had raised her enthusiasm for a game of golf but left her desperately short of match-practice.
Anna Arrese from Spain was the winner on a total of 283

SLGA Championships - Changes in 2010

FROM THE SLGA WEBSITE
The SLGA has announced the following changes to its 2010 Championships:

Girls’ (Close) Championship
The 36-hole qualifying stroke play for the Scottish Girls’ (Close) Championship at Eyemouth Golf Club will now be held over two days (July 13 & 14) with the final of the match play stages on the morning of Saturday, July 17.

Junior Open Stroke Play Championship
This 54-hole championship at Dunfermline Golf Club will now be played over three days from July 21-23.

Scottish Match Play Foursomes
The conditions for this competition have been revised with the handicap limit for the team dropped. Each club may enter a team of 2 or 3 players with individual handicaps of 35 or less.

SLGA Medal Regional Finals
The winners of the SLGA Silver and Bronze Medals at each club will be eligible to play in a Regional Final of their choice. Entries will be limited to 60 silver and 60 bronze players at each venue and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
Entry forms will be sent to clubs with the annual mailing and the closing date for all the Regional Finals is Monday, April 26. In the event of a venue being oversubscribed players will be allocated their second choice.
Two silver and two bronze players from each of the six venues will qualify for the Grand Final at Crieff on Sunday, September 5.

Commenting on these changes, Fiona Cowan, Championship Director of the SLGA, said:
“These changes have been made in response to feedback from players. We believe that they will enhance the quality of our events and result in increased participation”

Full conditions for all SLGA Championships and other competitions are contained in the SLGA handbook. Entry forms will be available on the SLGA website from the beginning of February.

Pamela does well in the 1st Round of the Portuguese Open Amateur Championship

West of Scotland's Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) almost made it to the top of the class in today's first round of the Portuguese Womens' Open Amateur Golf Championship over the Oceanico O'Connor Jun course at the Amendoeira course on the Algarve.
Pamela had birdies at the par-4 second and two short holes on the home stretch, the 13th and 17th in halves of 36 and 35. Her round of 71 was in 2nd place behind Holly Clyburn (England)

SLGA and SGU aim to amalgamate by end of 2011

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Following Sunday’s (January 24) Scottish Golf Union annual general meeting, the Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association and the Scottish Golf Union confirmed that they were formally considering an amalgamation, having been working increasingly closely together over recent years.
The men’s and ladies’ amateur golf governing bodies in Scotland already have a shared strategy, joint committees and shared staff in the form of Performance and Development Managers, as well as being partners on the national junior programme, clubgolf.
There is also a reciprocal arrangement whereby the respective Chairmen of the SLGA and SGU attend the Board meetings of each organisation. Given the increased level of co-operation, both Boards have agreed that amalgamation is the next logical step and jointly they have appointed Donald Turner as independent chair to lead a new working group.
Turner will oversee the consideration of all measures necessary to achieve amalgamation and will make recommendations to the respective organisations.Turner has a strong business and golf background, having been on the UK National Executive with accountants Ernst & Young and is the current captain of Shiskine Golf and Tennis Club on the Isle of Arran.
SGU Chairman, Douglas Connon, speaking at the AGM, said:“We are delighted that someone of Donald Turner’s skills and experience will assist us in this important process and are committed to ensuring we manage what is a significant proposed change as smoothly as possible.”
Connon’s counterpart at the SLGA, Shona Malcolm added:
“There has been invaluable progress in Scottish golf as a result of the two governing bodies working more closely together and it is now sensible to formalise this by amalgamating. This will undoubtedly bring even more benefits to Scottish golf and our member clubs.”
The new working group will be established over the next few weeks and consultation meetings will take place throughout the year with the aim of agreeing the necessary changes to achieve amalgamation by the end of 2011.

Lauren Mackin is beaten by fellow Scot Jane Turner

Aberdeen's Robert Gordon University student Jane Turner (Craigielaw) beat fellow Scot Lauren Mackin (Ranfurly Castle) in Doherty-Jones Challenge Cup women's amateur match-play tournament, the third event on the Orange Blossom Tour, at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale.
Lauren who now lives in Majorca was beaten by 5 and 4. To read the full report go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Lauren Mackin meets Jane Turner in Florida in the last 16

Jane Turner (Craigielaw) now plays Majorca-based Scot Lauren Mackin (Ranfurly Castle) who was the leading European and fifth qualifier at Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
This is the third event on Florida's Orange Blossom women's amateur tour.
To read the full results and report go to the
Gillian Kirkwood Website

Not enough clubs taking positive action to retain young players ... and attract new ones

FROM THE HERALD WEBSITE
By Douglas Lowe
The worm is turning, and what encourages Andy Salmon, development manager for both the Scottish Golf Union and Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association, is the way a steady trickle of clubs are taking positive action to retain young players and attract new ones.
But he warns it is not happening quickly enough.
It is a familiar lament that clubs lose most of their juniors as soon as they turn 18. Much of that is to do with leaving the area for education or employment reasons, but there is also a significant cost factor that is behind what is believed to be a widespread dearth of club members in the 18-to-30 age-group.
It is not that these players do not exist. They are known to be out there, but, in what has become known as the nomadic way, they prefer to pay green fees to the huge outlay of joining fees and annual subscriptions.
“A lot of clubs see young players leave because of the jump in fees from a very low cost to full membership which can be five or six times what the junior membership was,” noted Salmon, “and as a result many clubs have introduced a stepped pricing structure up to age 30 such as at Old Ranfurly and West Kilbride.”
Effectively, this is a way of subsidising young players and that is turning the old culture on its head. It used to be that younger players were expected to keep annual subscriptions down for senior members but current demography and demand has shown such practices to be flawed.
“We have never said older golfers are bad or the enemy even though a lot of people perceived it that way last year,” assured Salmon. “We want to hang on to the older golfers but supplement them with this younger generation.”
The Single Equality Bill, currently going through parliament and due to come into force this year, moreover, might push clubs’ membership policies further down the line by insisting on equal rights and making it possible to offer discounts only to minorities such as the 18-to-30 group.
“We will be publishing detailed advice around that in the next few weeks and it will absolutely have implications for clubs in terms of how they treat men and women in a mixed club. There are also requirements around age discrimination and we will be advising clubs on whether it will still be permissible to offer discounted memberships for, say, over-65s,” he said.
In the meantime, the drive for members continues and reciprocal arrangements with other clubs are becoming a common way of adding value to memberships. In addition, the SGU’s golf card scheme, offering half-price green fees to golf club members, is now operating at 120 clubs.
Yet there are still strong signs of apathy and a sense of anxiety that the sleeping giant needs to be woken up before it is too late.
Of 580 Scottish clubs, only 127 responded to a survey relating to last year’s Golf Awareness Week – a project that will be repeated this year just after the Masters – and just 173 were represented at a series of roadshows in November and December.
Over the last five years, memberships are down by more than 10,000, and that is costing dearly the governing bodies who are in the process of raising annual per-capita levies, the SGU from £7.20 to £10 over a period of three years, and the SLGA from £13 to £14.
“There are some great examples of clubs generating between 40 and 120 new members on the back of a specific action like radio advertising, a joining fee offer, an open day and these kind of things,” said Salmon.
“We are greatly encouraged by that and we don’t want to paint a negative picture. I think things are heading in the right direction but more clubs could sit up and take a look.
“I believe clubs need three things. First, they need a strong leadership, and by that I mean a good secretary/manager to prioritise expenditure. Second, the golf course has to be right, and third, there has to be a marketing policy.
“All too often marketing – and the golf course as well to a lesser extent – are the first areas clubs look at in making savings. I don’t think that necessarily is the right thing. One or two clubs are even wondering whether the secretary/manager is someone they can do without. I would suggest that is not the way to go.”
A survey of 50 golfers who joined a club last year showed that the quality of the course was the top priority followed by a welcoming environment and then the cost, particularly joining fees which put off many people. A key argument for keeping them is to prevent golfers changing clubs every year at a whim, but it is a controversial device.
“I don’t buy the notion that you charge a joining fee to trap members to a golf club,” said Salmon.
“Marketing people will tell you that you trap people in a golf club by giving them value for money and one of the recent changes we have seen is the emergence of a customer service ethic.
“If you are in Glasgow, where all the clubs are full and charging a £1000 joining fee, then you would be daft not to charge one at your club. It is about doing what is right in your local marketplace and what is right for your business objectives, but I do think there is a trend away from joining fees.
“On the whole, I don’t think clubs are changing quickly enough, but it is not our position to be telling clubs what they should be doing and when they should be doing it. There is definitely a culture of positive change going on, but is it happening at all 580 clubs in Scotland? No, it is definitely not.
“I would like to think that in five years’ time we will be in a great place. There will be much more marketing, clubs will be more business-like and also by then we hope the economy will be in great shape. I am very optimistic.”

Official figures for Scottish golf club members over last five years
Men 187,769 (down 4.23%)
Women 35,388 (down 9.89%)
Boys 25,047 (down 5.98%)
Girls 2,964 (up 3.63%)
Notes: Early returns for current figures show a further 0.89% fall and are feared to drop further. Adult figures are inflated by an unknown number who are members of more than one club and junior numbers are estimated from figures provided voluntarily by around half of clubs

Top five reasons for new members joining clubs last year
70% - I like the course
36% - I was made to feel welcome
30% - No joining fee deal
26% - Annual fees more affordable than others
22% - Monthly payment plan available

GIVE US YOUR VIEWS
Are the Scottish Golf Union and Scottish Ladies’ Golfing Association doing enough to rescue our clubs?
Is the per-capita levy too high or too low?
Is your club committee the best in Scotland or does it have its collective head in the sand?
What is your solution to falling memberships?

Send your views to sportletters@theherald.co.uk

January Madness at Mearns Castle Golf Academy

Membership Includes. Unlimited access to the challenging 9 hole golf course Unlimited access to the short game practice facility Play in club competitions and medals Gain an official CONGU handicap 1/2 price ball for the driving range Sign a friend and family on to the course for only £5! Direct debit payment option available Other Sale Offers. 20% EXTRA discount on Range Cards when topped up! Receive up to 50% off the price of balls! 20% off all individual Golf Lessons at Adam Hunter Golf!

GOLF TIMEBOMB -- What do you think ??

* Do you think seniors pay enough for their golf?
* Is your club doing enough to attract young people?
* Are equal rights a good thing?
* What is your solution to falling memberships?

To read more go to the Scottish Golf View Website

Send your views to sportletters@theherald.co.uk

SLGA Board members for 2010 -- Know Who they Are

Back Row L to R: Winifred McCallum, Fiona Cowan, Sandy Bushby, Helen Cuthbertson, Janet Wake, Dawn Butchart, Lorna Bennett

Front Row: Lynne Terry, Douglas Connon (SGU Chairman in attendance), Shona Malcolm (SLGA Chairman), Emma Wilson (President), Beth Paterson

CLICK TO ENLARGE