LIVE STREAM FROM THE SCOTTISH GOLF CONFERENCE TODAY

The meeting today was attended around 450 people of various golfing walks of life, was a largely upbeat and wide-ranging forum which promoted innovation and fresh thinking while attempting to address long-standing issues which continue to make for grim reading. 

The well-documented statistic, for instance, that only 13 per cent of Scotland’s membership is female remains a real problem  “It’s not good enough,” said McKinlay bluntly. In addition, around 83 per cent of clubs still have their main men’s competition reserved for a Saturday which alienates the working woman. “Women don’t have equal opportunities,” added Ross Duncan, Scottish Golf’s development director. “Change requires a significant shift in attitude.”

The whole LIVE STREAMING is on YOU TUBE  and conference begins at 12 minutes  - Just move the slider along to catch the different presentations;

Scottish Women players were highlighted during the conference and also the many volunteers including Mary Richardson, Yvonne Dickson  and Carol Fell - 1 hour 28.30 minutes approx

Eleanor Cannon -- 20 minutes in
Andrew McKinlay - 27. 40 minutes in
Ross Duncan 49 minutes in and introduces --
David Connor - Visit Scotland - The Solheim Cup 1 hour 33 minutes 
Club Panel introduction --  1 hour 41 minutes and interviews
Ian Forsyth - 2 hours 26 minutes
Our Offering Ian Forsyth and Paul Lawrie 2 hours 46 minutes 
OCS App presentation - 2 hours 59 minutes


Prestwick St Nicholas's Junior Member Rachael Foster was also on the club panel -- See below 

SCOTLAND LADIES GOLFER RANKINGS IN NOVEMBER 2018

mygolfranking.net SCOTLAND LADIES GOLFERof NOVEMBER 2018 is ANNA TURNER (CarlukeLadies) who remains top of SCOTLAND LADIES MGRANKING.

 

mygolfranking.net SCOTLAND LADIES CLUB of the WEEK is ANSTRUTHER LADIES entering the Top 10 of SCOTLAND LADIES CLUB MGRANKING at No 3.

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SCOTLAND LADIES – WEEK 18/47​​*New entry this week

 

1​ANNA TURNER (Carluke) 1339 points 

2​Elizabeth Donaldson (Kirkintilloch) 1281 

3​Eilidh Henderson (Kirkcaldy) 1249 

4​Jayne McDougall (Callander) 1224

5​Linda Jack (Dumfries & Galloway) 1198 

6​Fiona Norris (Hamilton) 1180    

7​Jane Tough (Brechin) 1167​

8​Carol Fell (Douglas Park) 1149 

9​Sarah Murray (Nairn Dunbar) 1144​

10​Orla O’Leary (Torwoodlee) 1143 

11​Margaret Cairns (Dunning) 1136​

12 ​Jane Clark (Airdrie) 1125 

13  ​Vicki Paterson (Inverurie) 1118 

14​Corisande Lee (Dumfries & Galloway) 1117 

15​Jane Grubb (Montrose Mercantile) 1113

16​Carina Bunyan (Roxburghe) 1105 

17​Janet Wilson (Anstruther) 1102 

T18​Kerry Lockerbie (Crichton), Gillian Wallace (Milnathort) 1096

20​Joan Pratt (Moray) 1089​

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SCOTLAND LADIES – CLUBS

 

1​CARLUKE 968 points

2​Torwoodlee 940

3  ​*Anstruther 938 

4​Carrickvale 936

5​Balbirnie Park 930 

6 ​Palacerigg 929

7​Bridge of Allan 921 

8​Kirkcaldy 917 ​

T9​Clober, Minto 913​

 

If you and any of your golfing friends would like to regularly check out your Club MGRanking, the full Regional, National and International MGRankings, Movers & Shakers, How It Works and free Registration for golfers and clubs,visit mygolfranking

Chief executive Andrew McKinlay is looking forward to steering Scottish Golf to an App-ier future in tandem with Eleanor Cannon.

Eleanor Cannon and Andrew McKinlay

By Martin Dempster - The Scotsman

It was recently announced that Eleanor Cannon, the inaugural chair of the unified governing body, is to stand for a new three-year term at the annual general meeting next March.

Speaking as he prepared to lead the second Scottish Golf national conference in Edinburgh tomorrow, McKinlay said that he had warmly welcomed that development.

“We’ve been through such a turbulent time, it’s important we have a bit of continuity and stability,” he commented. “From that perspective, it’s good she will stay on to see us through this period. She has been a great support to me and I’m looking forward to working with her.”

Still working for the Scottish Football Association, McKinlay attended the inaugural conference 12 months ago as a club member and, along with the other delegates, was painted a picture of doom and gloom as golf clubs battle a decline in membership.

The Carrick Knowe club shutting its doors earlier this month shows that is ongoing but McKinlay says this weekend’s conference will hopefully galvanise clubs around the country.

“I’m going in with genuine positivity,” he said. “Last year was, I wouldn’t say a reality check, as we probably all knew the situation, but it was good to have it all set out, this is where we are, we have a problem here, we need to do some radical stuff to fix some of this. 

“This time it will be much more about looking forward. It’s vital we move forward. The big takeaway for me from last year was the criticism that only six per cent of our income was commercial income. 

“One of the targets we have set is to effectively double our turnover in the next four-year cycle. We don’t do that by picking up the odd commercial deal here and there. You have to do something quite radical.”

How to tackle the so-called golfing nomads has been one of McKinlay’s main objectives since he took up the post seven months ago and he’s aiming to do that through a new Scottish Golf App.

It will be part of a new computer system that is being offered free to member clubs, with the aim for clubs to get 100 per cent of the green fee from pay-to-play golfers. - READ MORE

“This new system will connect all those who play the game in Scotland,” added McKinlay. “We have a situation at the moment where circa 21 per cent of golfers are members and they are paying most of the upkeep of courses in Scotland. 

“You have another 80 per cent, who are paying some by paying green fees, but this system will look at ways of bringing them into the fold, so I think Saturday should be a much more positive experience than last year.

“That was a moment in time. We brought it together to say ‘this is it, we need to stop talking and turn the corner’. Membership is still declining, we know that. Traditional membership will continue to decline. 

“We need to redefine what that looks like because participation is not declining. We have to get that pay-per-play golfer part right.

“We have 600 clubs. Maybe 100 are doing okay, have good visitor numbers, maybe a waiting list. I might be overegging that number. There are probably 100 at the bottom who are in a really difficult position and that leaves a massive amount in the middle who may be bobbing along but need encouragement to be more open, more welcoming, change their culture and encourage more women and juniors to play golf. We don’t have a stick to beat them with.”

SO WHATS NEW FOR 2019 BECOME A RULES GURU — PART 2 -- PENALTY DROPS

In 2019, ‘water hazards” will be replaced by the expanded concept of ‘penalty areas.’ As now, players will get relief with a one stroke penalty if their ball comes to rest in this area. But, there will no longer be any special restrictions when a ball is in a penalty area. 

Here’s the detail:

• There will be two types of penalty area. The first will include all areas currently defined in the Rules as a water hazard or lateral water hazard. The second will include any other areas the Committee chooses to define as penalty areas. Recommended guidelines on this will be provided in the guidebook.
• Penalty areas may therefore include desert, jungle, lava rock fields and so on. 
• The two types of penalty areas will be known by the colour of their marking: yellow, which gives two relief options; and red which gives the additional option of lateral relief. Committees will be given the discretion to mark all penalty areas as red so that lateral relief will always be allowed. 
• The term “hazard” will no longer be used in the Rules.
• A player will be allowed to touch or move loose impediments and touch the ground with hand or club for any reason. For example, a player can ground the club right behind the ball. However, they must not improve conditions for the stroke.

AYRSHIRE, D&A,LANARKSHIRE AND RENFREWSHIRE - MYGOLF RANKING WEEK 47 - 2018

mygolfranking.net AYRSHIRE LADIES GOLFER of Week 18/47 is KELLY MCNEE (Loudoun Gowf) who retains her position at top of Ayrshire Ladies MGRanking.

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AYRSHIRE LADIES TOP 20

1 KELLY MCNEE (Loudoun Gowf) 1056 points 

2 Emma Thomson (Loudoun Gowf) 1032

3 Sheena Murchie (Lamlash) 1021 

4 Christine Whitelaw (Largs) 1016 

5 Audrey Thompson (Loudoun Gowf) 1014

6 Catherine Garrett (West Kilbride) 1001​

7 Jean Capes (Largs) 972

8 Aileen Anderson (Loudoun Gowf) 970 

T9 Maureen Paterson (Prestwick St Cuthbert), Pauline Patrick (Irvine) 953

11 Joanne Sharp (Kilmarnock (Barassie)) 927

12 Linda McDonald (Kilmarnock (Barassie)) 915

13 Lindsay Smith (Troon Welbeck) 909

14 Christine Fyfe (Kilmarnock (Barassie)) 908

15 Gillian Gowers (Loudoun Gowf) 905

16 Lesley Lloyd (Troon GC Ladies) 898

17 Helen Craig (West Kilbride) 897

18 Gillian Kyle (Troon GC Ladies) 896

19 Helen Love (Kilmarnock (Barassie)) 891

20 Elaine Sirel (Largs) 890​

mygolfranking.net DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL GOLFER of Week 18/47 is ELIZABETH DONALDSON (Kirkintilloch Ladies) who remains top of Dunbartonshire & Argyll MGRanking.

DUNBARTONSHIRE & ARGYLL LADIES

1 ELIZABETH DONALDSON (Kirkintilloch) 1281 points 

2 Carol Fell (Douglas Park) 1149 

3 Shaeen Ahmad (Balmore) 1048 

4 Belinda Goldsmith (Hilton Park) 1027 

5 Ashley Duffy (Clober) 1015 

6 Susan McGrenaghan (Hayston) 1014

7 Elaine McEwan (Douglas Park) 1008

T8 Karen Haggarty (Dumbarton), Elaine Provan(Palacerigg) 1003

T10 Sandra Donnelly (Bearsden), Susan Rattray(Douglas Park) 991

12 Elizabeth Marrison (Dunaverty) 984

13 Lindsay McCubbin (Hilton Park) 975

14 Miranda McAinsh (Bearsden) 968

15 Janice Cullens (Douglas Park) 962

16 Elizabeth McMillan (Rothesay) 955

17 Olive Spicer (Bearsden) 950

18 Lorraine Campbell (Cardross) 929

19 Gillian Morrison (Clober) 927

20 Morag McFarlane (Balmore) 925

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mygolfranking.net LANARKSHIRE LADIES GOLFER of Week 18/47 is ANNA TURNER (CarlukeLadies) who remains at the top of Lanarkshire Ladies MGRanking.

LANARKSHIRE LADIES 

1 ANNA TURNER (Carluke) 1339 points

2 Fiona Norris (Hamilton) 1180

3 Jane Clark (Airdrie) 1125 

4 Jacqueline Moon (Bothwell Castle) 1004 

5 Amanda Bryce (Carnwath) 994

6 Dee Docherty (Playsport) 993 

7 Nichola Craig (Lanark) 989 

8 Ruth Hunter (Lanark) 984

9 Dorrien Malcolm (Hollandbush) 977 

10 Helen Todd (Biggar) 969

11 Fiona Argo (Playsport GC) 962

12 Susan Woodhouse (East Kilbride) 958

13 Amy McDonald (Bothwell Castle) 954

14 Christine Anne Sinclair (Carluke) 953

15 Carol Collins (Lanark) 952

16 Joyce Chalmers (East Kilbride) 938

17 Pam Connacher (Colville Park) 935

18 Kym Diamond (Colville Park) 932

19 Julie Cummings (Hamilton) 928

20 Colette Maule (East Kilbride) 923

mygolfranking.net RENFREWSHIRE LADIES GOLFER of Week 18/47 is ALLISON MURRAY (Ranfurly Castle Ladies) who remains at the top of Renfrewshire Ladies MGRanking.

RENFREWSHIRE LADIES

1 ALLISON MURRAY (Ranfurly Castle) 1074 points

2 Margo Maxwell (Old Course Ranfurly) 1015 

3 Jan Macnab (Ranfurly Castle) 1009

4 Brenda Conway (Renfrew) 983 

5 Catherine Goldinger (Bonnyton) 981 

6 Shirley Bell (Old Course Ranfurly) 976 

7 Vivien Howe (Ranfurly Castle) 961

8 Sheila Biggart (Ranfurly Castle) 959

9 Beth Paterson (Eastwood) 941​

10 Jane Ross (Elderslie) 940

11 Linda Ellery (East Renfrewshire) 914

12 Linda McDougall (Greenock) 907

T13 Patricia Davidson (Erskine), Marie Doherty (Erskine) 887

15 Anne Judge (Ranfurly Castle) 885

16 Cherry Briggs (Kilmacolm) 875

17 Sandra Chudleigh (Renfrew) 872

18 Ann McKenzie (Old Course Ranfurly) 864

T19 Birgit Clark (Old Course Ranfurly), Susan Morrow (Caldwell) 860

If you and your golfing friends would like to regularly check out your Club MGRanking, the full Regional, National and International MGRankings, Movers and Shakers, How It Works and free Registration for golfers and clubs, visit mygolfranking.net

WELL DONE GLENBERVIE LADIES - 2018 ANNODATA MATCHPLAY RUNNERS UP

The Glenbervie Ladies Team

From the Glenbervie Golf Club Website 

El equipo de damas de Glenbervie puso en una gran actuación en el Annodata Golf Club Classic Finals en España, ganando su semifinal, pero lamentablemente perdiendo en la final. 

For the non-Spanish speakers out there, the title and first paragraph above reads:

 "Very Well Done Glenbervie Ladies. The Glenbervie ladies team put in a great performance at the Annodata Golf Club Classic finals in Spain, winning their semi-final, but unfortunately losing out in the final."

 Having won through 6 earlier rounds against teams from across the UK, the Glenbervie Ladies team travelled to the Montecastillo Golf Resort in Cadiz, Spain, to play in the finals of the Annodata Golf Club Classic. 
 After two days of practice, the Glenbervie ladies took on and beat the Lambourne GC team in their semi-final. In the final, Glenbervie faced the ladies from the Links GC in Newmarket. The first two matches resulted in 1 win each, before Links GC went on to win the remaining three matches. These were close affairs, however, with one match finishing at the 17th and the other two going the full distance. 

 What a superb performance to get all the way to the final of a UK-wide competition. Everyone at Glenbervie should be very proud of what these ladies have acheived. 

 Congratulations to the team members that played in Spain - Fiona Ross, Margaret Tough, Helen Goodwin, Alison Goodwin, Elizabeth Goodwin - and to those other ladies who played in the earlier rounds.