Note from Editor Colin Farquharson: Intrigued by the entry to this year's Scottish girls' championship of a "Rachael Taylor from Bad Griesbach," I asked her to let me - and Kirkwood golf readers - know more about her and life/golf as she grows up in Germany.
With the help of her mother, Rachael (pictured left playing for Scotland in the recent Girls Home Internationals) has sent the following very readable "Letter from Germany":

Growing up in Germany as a head

pro's daughter - by Rachael Taylor

Hello Colin,
Here is some information about the "Hartl Golf Resort, Bad Griesbach"
Bad Griesbach is a small town situated in south-east Germany, about 90min from Munich Airport.
It is part of a triangle (trio) of Spa towns, Bad Griesbach, Bad Birnbach and Bad Füssing. These areas have built up their own tourist industry around the 60 degree thermal waters which are available as thousands of Germans come here rest and recuperate.
The Golf Resort began in 1989 with one golf course and the Golfodrom (now the largest Golf Academy and training facility in Europe with 36 Professionals)
The Resort boasts five championship golf courses (all with their own individual styles- three hillly, two flat) with three nine-hole courses and a further two six-hole courses. The Golfodrom driving-range has 200 grass and 89 covered practice spaces with 21 heated boxes. It also has a club fitting centre, a swing analysis centre with all the latest technology and,of course, a putlab. There are over 4000 members in the Golf Resort Bad Griesbach.
My parents came here in 1992 when the Golf Resort was just developing and was the No 1 destination for would-be golfers. At that time there were American, English, Irish and many Scots pros working here.
Throughout the years many of the original pros have moved on and many German assistants who trained here have stayed.
My dad became head professional in 2006. He trains the Junior Section and both adult and senior teams.
I started playing golf at around eight years and did my "Platzreife" (playing license) at the age of nine. There weren't many young people playing then and I only started playing golf tournaments at 11. From that time on I only played golf tournaments with adults. There are approximately 160 tournaments per year and the standard of golf has continued to improve through the years.
My dad started the Junior Section in 2004 and from the year 2006 kids with handicap 36 or better were allowed to join.
There are other facilities for beginners. We developed a team and took part in a series of golf events which culminated in us winning the "Niederbayerische Meisterschaft" (Lower Bavarian Championship).
I have held the title of "Niederbayerische Meisterin" for three of the last four years, having retained my title only 3 weeks ago.
Three years ago I started to take part in tournaments run by the Bavarian Golf Association where I played with young people my age and around the same standard.
Last year I was fourth in the Bavarian Championship Finals and qualified for the German National Championships. Around this time it was obvious that I would have to make a choice about my nationality as I have dual citizenship. The only reason I had German citizenship was to have access to particular tournaments, simply because I live here.
This year I was third in the Bavarian women's championship which was a great thrill. I had always wanted to come over to Scotland and play, but I always seemed too busy with other tournaments here.
I decided to have a go at a Scots tournament and entered the Scottish girls championship at Lanark. Schools don't break up here in Germany until the end of July, so I had to steal a week from school, otherwise I would have stayed on and played in Nairn (at the Scottish Under-21 girls' stroke-play championship).
My first experience playing in Scotland was fantastic. The ladies from the SLGA were so friendly and welcoming and I felt very much at home playing with my fellow Scots. I reached the quarter finals and was beat on the 18th hole by Ailsa Bain who, of course, went on to win the title.
I was surprised, delighted and very very proud to be chosen to play for Scotland in the Girls' Home Internationals at Fairhaven GC in Lancashire. It was a dream come true.
I have just returned home from Lancashire after my first foray into British golf and had a terrific time with the team. Margaret McNaughtanand Karen Marshall and all the travelling officials were just great.
Kevin Craggs is a terrific trainer and motivator and I really look forward to working with him in the future.
I am travelling back over to Scotland to play in St Andrews with the girls and officials at the end of August. I only regret not having entered the British girls championship at West Lancashire GC.
I have still one year of school to do, the German system being completely different from Britain, and I am weighing up my further-education options at the moment. I do though, fully intend entering as many Scottish tournaments in 2010 as is possible.
I hope I have given you a little "Überblick" (overview) of Germany and where I am at the moment.
Thanks,
Rachael Taylor

Window of opportunity .. driving from Balgownie's first tee with the clubhouse lounges only a few feet behind.

Waiting to tee off for their practice rounds at Balgownie.

Who could putt with boaties sailing about in the bay? As Andra Kirkcaldy was once supposed to have excused some poor putting by himself over the Old Course. In fact, there are not many links courses like Royal Aberdeen that have some magnificent views of the sea and Aberdeen bay from the first tee. Practice putting in progress for the British women's stroke-play championship.

Royal Aberdeen's first hole with bunkers left and right to catch the not-so-straight drives. The tiny figure in the centre of the picture is approaching the first green. In the background, oil rig supply ships at anchor in the bay. Images by Cal Carson Golf Agence. Click on them to enlarge.

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE! ROYAL ABERDEEN GIVE

LADY COMPETITORS FREEDOM OF CLUBHOUSE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
It would have been unthinkable a generation or two ago, but men-only Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, founded in 1780 and the sixth oldest in the world, has thrown open its clubhouse doors and facilities – even the men’s toilets - to WOMEN this week!
The occasion is the British women’s open amateur stroke-play golf championship, over four rounds between Wednesday and Friday.
It’s not the first female golf tournament to be played over the Balgownie links. The Scottish women’s amateur championship was played there in 1992 but Aberdeen Ladies Golf Club, which has its own clubhouse and membership, were the hosts then in its Centenary Year.
But this is the first women’s tournament with a “British” tag to be hosted by Royal Aberdeen Golf Club which, for many years, allowed females in the clubhouse only on very special occasions.
But the times are a-changing as Royal Aberdeen’s Director of Golf for the past 34 years, Ronnie MacAskill says:
“We are delighted to welcome the Ladies Golf Union and the Ladies’ British open amateur stroke-play championship to Royal Aberdeen Golf Club. It’s the first time we’ve staged this event, the first time we’ve hosted a major ladies’ golf championship and, obviously, Aberdeen Ladies are helping out.
“We are very much looking forward to a week of exciting golf and good weather.
“The lady competitors have the run of the Royal Aberdeen clubhouse. Our members can only go into one little room – that’s the first time that’s ever happened. But I have to say that the members are delighted about it.”
Carnoustie-born Susan Simpson, who, as the LGU Head of Golf Operations, is running the championship, said:
“We’ve been made very welcome at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club and the competitors have free run of the men’s clubhouse. We have been given use of the spacious men’s locker room and also the men’s toilets. The men are having to use the ladies’ toilet in the clubhouse this week.
“I can say, quite honestly, that we’ve been welcomed with open arms and the competitors are set to enjoy a spectacular links golf course.”
In 2010 Royal Aberdeen Golf Club will host the men’s Walker Cup match between Great Britain & Ireland the United States.
If the Ladies Golf Union hierarchy are favourably impressed with all aspects of what Royal Aberdeen Golf Club has to offer, and first impressions are very favourable, it is not beyond the bounds of possibility that Balgownie will be pencilled in as a future venue for a prestige occasion such as the Curtis Cup or Vagliano Trophy international representative women’s amateur team match.

+Spectators will be made very welcome by the Ladies Golf Union at the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship. The draw for the first round cannot be made until the last of the competitors have arrived and registered. They have until 2pm Tuesday to do that. Once we get the tee times for Wednesday, we will post them on this website.

+There is no admission charge and car parking is free! Come along and enjoy the best female golf ever played over Balgownie's historic links.

Middlesex pair win South Region foursomes
Middlesex golfers Nicola Foster and Nicola Grover won the EWGA South Region foursomes championship at Copthorne in Sussex.
Nicola Foster, who plays off eight at Pinner Hill and Nicola Grover, a six-handicapper from Wyke Green had a gross 75.
The runners up were Jane Shergold and Christine Edwards from Blackmoor with 81.
The handicap prize was won by Solveig Burton and Tessa Stockwell from Cowdray Park with a net 71, and the runners up were Anne Howard and Rose Gould from Copthorne with 74.
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

US FUTURES TOUR REPORT

Lisa Meldrum becomes third Canadian to

win on US Futures Tour this season

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE US DURAMED FUTURES TOUR
Lisa Meldrum became the third Canadian to win on the 2009 Duramed Futures Tour (on Sunday) when she captured her first Tour title at the $100,000 iMPACT Classic.
The quiet champion not only grabbed her first professional title Stateside, but she broke free from a crowded leaderboard and posted a final-round score of 5-under 67 to finish at 208 (-8) at Richmond Country Club.
Tied for second at 209 (-7) was the trio of Gerina Mendoza (68) of Roswell, N.M., Song Yi Choi (69) of Seoul, South Korea, and Pernilla Lindberg (73) of Bollnas, Sweden.
"It feels unbelievable," said Meldrum, 27, a fourth-year professional from Montreal, Quebec, who jumped from 45th to 15th on the Tour's season money list. "I expected to be in a play-off and I was preparing for that. My heart was pounding a little fast on the last hole, so when I finished, I just went up to the practice green and waited."
But from the practice green, located behind the 18th hole, the Canadian tried to calm her nerves as the final three groups finished their rounds. She knew that Choi needed to make a birdie to force the play-off and she knew that Lindberg's approach to the final hole had landed short of the green. Lindberg would have to chip in to force an extra hole.
"I heard the crowd go 'Awwwwwww' after each and I knew they had missed, and then the next thing I knew, [the Tour staff] came to get me for the trophy presentation," said Meldrum, who won her first professional title at the 2006 CN Canadian Women's Tour Championship. All week long, Richmond Country Club's smooth-rolling and speedy greens had drawn high praise from the pros.
An old-fashioned what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of course with subtleties both in the fairways and on the greens required careful course management. The final three finishing holes, all par-4s, demanded well-placed tee shots to avoid being blocked out by mature trees lining the fairways.
Playing at 6,278 yards, the par-72 course was not the Tour's longest, but it proved to be challenging, particularly on the greens. In the final round alone, there were eight lead changes by early afternoon with as many as five players crowded at the top of the leaderboard and that many more right behind, one shot back.
Lindberg, the former Oklahoma State University All-American who had led after the first and second rounds, held the lead through six holes today, but she stumbled with a double-bogey on No. 7 to fall into a four-way tie at seven under. A long-hitter who used mostly 3-woods off the tee all week, Lindberg birdied two of the last three par-5 holes, but bogeys on the 13th (a lip-out putt for par) and on the 16th (where she was "on the wrong side of the hole" from 12 feet) were costly down the stretch.
The rookie saved par from eight feet on the 17th, but when she pushed her approach shot on No. 18 and clipped a tree to fall short of the green, it left her with a tall task to catch the Canadian.
"It was tight all day," said Lindberg, who moved to No. 10 on the Tour's 2009 money list with two tournaments to play. "It's a little bit disappointing, but I'm pleased with the whole tournament. You always want to win, but this was another great experience."
Mendoza picked up steam on the back nine to move onto the leaderboard with four birdies on her last seven holes. The popular player from the Golf Channel's recent "Big Break Prince Edward Island" series and one who already has finished second twice on the Duramed Futures Tour, stayed steady on the back nine today and finished the round hitting 16 greens in regulation.
She ended with a 27-foot side-hill breaking putt for birdie on the last hole for a share of second place once again. Choi, who also has a runner-up finish this season, grabbed the lead today after 12 holes only to be chased down by Lindberg, Meldrum and three-time season winner Mina Harigae (72) of Monterey, Calif., who ultimately tied for fifth at 6-under 210.
Eventually, it was only Choi and Meldrum and then, it was only Meldrum as players ran out of holes and late mistakes left them short of a playoff invitation. Choi three-putted for bogey on the 16th, and attempted to roll in a 15-foot birdie putt on the last hole. Instead, she tapped in for par.
"My irons were good, but I had two 3-putts," said Choi, who hit 17 greens in regulation, but needed 34 putts today. "I didn't play bad, but it was not easy." Rookie Jennie Lee (68) of Henderson, Nev., also held the lead briefly today. She hit all nine greens on the front and rolled in three birdie putts from 10 to 12 feet, making the nine-hole turn at three under.
"When I had an opportunity for birdie, I made the putts," said Lee, a recent Duke University graduate. "It was a solid stretch on the front nine."
Lee birdied two of the first three holes on the back, but on her last four, she missed two 10-foot birdie chances and had to scramble to get up and down for par from a bunker on the 17th. The kicker was missing a four-foot downhill par putt on the 18th. "I just didn't feel as comfortable with my putter as I did earlier in the round," she said. "I made some late errors."
All this time, Meldrum was quietly producing a bogey-free, five-birdie round. She glanced at the leaderboard from the 12th hole during today's final round. She didn't look at the names, but she could see a bunch of players at -8, -7 and -6. "I was at six under and I knew it was in reach," she said. "I knew 16, 17 and 18 were good finishing holes, so when I got to the 16th, I told myself, 'Let's do this. Let's make some birdies. Let's finish it off.'"
Meldrum did make birdie on holes 12, 14 and 15, lacing her approach to one foot on the 14th and to five feet on the 15th. She had a 12-foot birdie chance on No. 17, but it didn't find the cup, and on the 18th hole, the best she could do was make her 15-foot birdie chance a two-putt par. Only then, on the 18th, did she glance at the leaderboard. She saw that she was alone at the top. And she knew there were three groups with nine players behind her.
A lot of things went through Meldrum's head on the practice green as she putted and waited and wondered if, at last, this would be her week. "Out here, you work hard and you see the low numbers every week," she said. "You play with the winners all the time and you think you should be there."
When fellow Canadian Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, British Columbia won in Louisiana back in April, Meldrum was happy. And when Angela Buzminksi of Oshawa, Ontario won the Duramed Futures Tour tournament a week later, she was happy again.
Even last year, when Ontario native Jessica Shepley played well all season and contended often, Meldrum was happy for her friend. But watching them all lit a little fire under her. If the Canadians were going to start stepping up Stateside, she might as well be among them. "I knew that I had it in me and I kept telling myself that I just had to be patient and stay determined," said Meldrum, a three-time Canadian National Amateur champion who became a three-time collegiate winner at the University of Oklahoma.
"I knew it was going to be my turn at some point." And today, when it was finally her turn, Lisa Meldrum was more than ready.
For scores and more information, visit duramedfuturestour.com.
Weather: Sunny with temperatures reaching the low 90s with only a slight breeze.
SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FINAL TOTALS OF THE LATEST TOURNAMENT

United States Duramed Futures Tour Scoreboard
$100,000 IMPACT CLASSIC
Richmond Country Club, Richmond, Virginia
FINAL TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72) 6278yd.
Lisa Meldrum (Montreal, Quebec) 71-70-67 - 208 $14,000
Gerina Mendoza (Roswell, N.M.) 73-68-68 - 209 $7,416
Song Yi Choi (Seoul, South Korea) 71-69-69 - 209 $7,416
Pernilla Lindberg (Bollnas, Sweden) 65-71-73 - 209 $7,416
Jennie Lee (Henderson, Nev.) 70-72-68 - 210 $2,865
Cindy LaCrosse (Tampa, Fla.) 70-71-69 - 210 $2,865
Christine Song (Fullerton, Calif.) 69-71-70 - 210 $2,865
Kim Welch (Sacramento, Calif.) 70-68-72 - 210 $2,865
Mina Harigae (Monterey, Calif.) 71-67-72 - 210 $2,865
Nicole Jeray (Berwyn, Ill.) 71-70-70 - 211 $1,700
Min Seo Kwak (Seoul, South Korea) 69-71-71 - 211 $1,700
Danah Ford (Indianapolis, Ind.) 74-69-69 - 212 $1,400
Stephanie Otteson (Wilson, N.C.) 69-73-70 - 212 $1,400
Stella Lee (Seoul, South Korea) 73-67-72 - 212 $1,400
Carling Coffing (Middletown, Ohio) 71-70-72 - 213 $1,200
Pornanong Phatlum (Chaiyaphum, Thailand) 72-73-69 - 214 $949
Dewi Claire Schreefel (Diepenveen,Netherlands) 75-70-69 - 214 $949
Paola Moreno (Cali, Colombia) 74-70-70 - 214 $949
Lee Ann Walker-Cooper (Southport, N.C.) 73-70-71 - 214 $949
Hannah Yun (Bradenton, Fla.) 72-71-71 - 214 $949
Amanda Costner (Claremore, Okla.) 73-70-71 - 214 $949
Katie Miller (Jeannette, Pa.) 68-74-72 - 214 $949
Seo-Jae Lee (Seoul, South Korea) 70-72-72 - 214 $949
Briana Vega (Andover, Mass.) 66-71-77 - 214 $949
Whitney Wade (Glasgow, Ky.) 75-71-69 - 215 $810
Juli Erekson (Chicopee, Mass.) 71-74-70 - 215 $810
Garrett Phillips (St. Simons Island, Ga.) 78-65-72 - 215 $810
Ryann O'Toole (San Clemente, Calif.) 70-72-73 - 215 $810
Perry Swenson (Charlotte, N.C.) 70-72-73 - 215 $810
Misun Cho (Cheongju, South Korea) 71-71-73 - 215 $810
Amanda Blumenherst (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 69-72-74 - 215 $810
Janice Olivencia (Caguas, Puerto Rico) 72-69-74 - 215 $810
Gina Umeck (Redlands, Calif.) 74-72-70 - 216 $753
Michaela Cavener (Ponca City, Okla.) 74-72-70 - 216 $753
Virada Nirapathpongporn (Bangkok, Thailand) 70-75-71 - 216 $753
Moon Su (Incheon, South Korea) 69-75-72 - 216 $753
Christi Cano (San Antonio, Texas) 72-72-72 - 216 $753
Rachel Bailey (Faulconbridge, Australia) 72-71-73 - 216 $753
Jessica Yadloczky (a) (Casselberry, Fla.) 69-77-71 - 217
Amanda Mathis (Opelousas, La.) 70-75-72 - 217 $710
Michelle Jarman (Wilmington, N.C.) 72-72-73 - 217 $710
Janell Howland (Boise, Idaho) 71-73-73 - 217 $710
Liz Janangelo (West Hartford, Conn.) 73-71-73 - 217 $710
Noon Huachai (Bangkok, Thailand) 69-73-75 - 217 $710
Jessica Shepley (Oakville, Ontario) 69-73-75 - 217 $710
Caroline Larsson (Stockholm, Sweden) 69-73-75 - 217 $710
Moah Chang (Los Angeles, Calif.) 73-69-75 - 217 $710
Lili Alvarez (Durango, Mexico) 69-72-76 - 217 $710
Jennifer Ackerson (Dallas, Texas) 70-76-72 - 218 $666
Alejandra Shaw (Vina Del Mar, Chile) 73-73-72 - 218 $666
Samantha Richdale (Kelowna, British Columbia) 76-70-72 - 218 $666
Sofie Andersson (Angelholm, Sweden) 69-76-73 - 218 $666
Ashley Prange (Noblesville, Ind.) 71-74-73 - 218 $666
Sara Brown (Tucson, Ariz.) 74-71-73 - 218 $666
Sophia Sheridan (Guadalajara, Mexico) 73-71-74 - 218 $666
Lehua Wise (Kauai, Hawaii) 72-72-74 - 218 $666
Angela Buzminski (Oshawa, Ontario) 72-71-75 - 218 $666
Madeleine Holmblad (Stockholm, Sweden) 73-73-73 - 219 $637
Devan Andersen (Guadalajara, Mexico) 72-72-75 - 219 $637
Jenny Gleason (Clearwater, Fla.) 72-72-75 - 219 $637
Mo Martin (Altadena, Calif.) 74-70-75 - 219 $637
Lucy Nunn (Lawton, Okla.) 72-71-76 - 219 $637
Ashley Knoll (The Woodlands, Texas) 71-75-74 - 220 $623
Lori Atsedes (Ithaca, N.Y.) 73-72-75 - 220 $623
Elisa Serramia (Barcelona, Spain) 73-72-76 - 221 $615
Hwanhee Lee (Las Vegas, Nev.) 74-71-76 - 221 $615
Jasi Acharya (Columbus, Mont.) 70-74-77 - 221 $615
Sarah Olsen (Grosse Ile, Mich.) 72-72-78 - 222 $607
Kelly Lagedrost (Brooksville, Fla.) 72-72-78 - 222 $607
Laura Crawford (Lancaster, S.C.) 74-72-78 - 224 $603
Selanee Henderson (Apple Valley, Calif.) 74-71-80 - 225 $600