A unique photograph - courtesy of Lynne Cameron (Press Association) - of the majority of Scotland's lady professionals in one group. The occasion was the all-women pro-am at Archerfield Links. Left to right: Lynn Kenny, Vikki Laing, Krystle Caithness, Heather MacRae, Karyn Burns (standing at back), Michele Thomson, Jenna Wilson, Pamela Feggans and Clare Queen. Click on the image to enlarge it.

Jenna + Clydebank & District trio win all-women pro-am at Archerfield

Team Winners at the all-women pro-am at Archerfield Links were Morag Wright, Gael Davidson and Janice Aikman, all representing Clydebank & District Golf Club, accompanied by professional Jenna Wilson.
They one by one shot with a net 61.
Three teams tied on 62. Placed second were Fiona Leslie, Alison McKellar and Liz Blincow from East Renfrewshire Golf Club, accompanied by professional Michele Thomson.
Third were Gillian Kyle, Linda Ellery and Anne McGeoch, also from East Renfrewshire Golf Club and accompanied by professional Vikki Laing.
The Longest Drive competition was decided on an accumulative yardage basis and the prize was won by Belle Robertson, Anne Wilson and June Lockhart who were accompanied by professional Pamela Feggans who contributed a massive 312yds with her drive!
Nearest the pin prizes were won by Alyson McKechin (amateur) and Vikki Laing (professional). An external putting competition,where the pros were blindfolded and directed by their team was won by Heather MacRae, assisted by Clare-Marie Carlton, Alyson McKechin and Gillian McGinlay representing Playsport Golf.
Over £300 was raised for 'The Teddy Bear Foundation.'
Groups taking part in the pro-am were:
Jane Herd, Clare Queen, Cynthia Guthrie, Fiona Playfair.
Belle Robertson, Pamela Feggans, June Lockhart, Anne Wilson.
Morag Wright, Jenna Wilson, Gael Davidson, Janice Aikman.
Anne McGeoch, Vikki Laing, Gillian Kyle, Linda Ellery.
Margaret Quin, Lynn Kenny, Elma Perry, Audrey Barclay.
Alyson McKechin, Heather MacRae, Clare-Marie Carlton, Gillian McGinlay.
Denise Parr, Krystle Caithness, Pat Lunney, Alison Chisholm.
Fiona Leslie, Michele Thomson, Liz Blincow, Alison McKellar.

Low scores win South-east Medal Finals
NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY ENGLISH WOMEN'S GOLF ASSOCIATION
Essex golfer Shirley Clayton and Norfolk’s Brenda Mace took the honours with low scores in the LGU Medal Finals for the South-east of England.
Shirley, from Basildon, won the Gold Medal Final at Frinton-on-Sea with a net score of 69. Gold Medal Finals are contested by the Silver Division players who returned the four best net medal scores at their club last season.
Brenda, a 21-handicapper from Bawburgh, won the Silver Medal Final at Colchester, where she also returned a net 69. The Silver Medal Finals are contested by Bronze Division players.
Results
Gold Medal Final
Frinton-on-Sea
Par 73, SSS 73, CSS 75
1st - Shirley Clayton (Basildon) 83 less 14 = 69.
2nd - Georgina Blackman (Chelmsford) 80 - 10 = 70.
3rd - Jane Sheppard (Norfolk Golf & CC) 85 - 11 = 74.
4th - Wendy Lodder (Elton Furze) 80 - 6 = 74.
5th - Rosalie Tucker (Winter Hill) 85 -11 = 74.
6th - Sophie Myles (Ilkley) 79 - 5 = 74.
Silver Medal Final
Colchester Golf Club
Par 72, SSS 73, CSS 73
1st - Brenda Mace (Bawburgh) 90 less 21 = 69.
2nd - Ann Barke (Gosfield Lake) 95 - 25 = 70.
3rd - Cathy Rollinson (Bletchingley) 95 - 25 = 70.
4th - Eunice Gray (Woodbridge) 94 - 23 = 71.
5th - Maureen Fox (Chart Hills) 94 - 22 = 72.
6th - Juliet Smith (Weston Park) 100 - 27 = 73
Lyndsey Hewison
Press & PR Officer

Professional Michael Hackett, assistant Daniel Wood, Level 1 coach Bob Holmes and helper Jim Martin with children from Eyemouth Golf Club's junior coaching programme (image by Rob Eyton-Jones). Click to enlarge.

Eyemouth junior section transformed

in just two years

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY CLUBGOLF
In just two years Eyemouth Golf Club has expanded its junior section from 12 to 75, after a new starting a new initiative which verges on being revolutionary.
“Juniors are the future of the game and the future of any golf club,” said Michael Hackett, who was shocked by the lack of junior members when he became Eyemouth’s first Club Professional in 2007.
“If you don’t have a thriving junior section you don’t have future members coming through as adults.”
Tackling the challenge Michael recommended to the Club’s committee (and it was accepted) to make membership for under 12 year olds free. Then, together with his Assistant Professional, Daniel Wood, and volunteer helper, Jim Martin, he began offering junior coaching.
This year the national junior golf programme, clubgolf, awarded the Club a £350 grant to put one of its members, Bob Holmes, through the Level 1 coach training course.
clubgolf is the partnership between the Scottish Golf Union (SGU), the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association (SLGA), the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA), the Golf Foundation and sportscotland, launched after Scotland’s successful bid to host the 2014 Ryder Cup.
A share of this grant went towards improving the Club’s practice facilities to benefit the juniors. Last year the Club had been awarded a £10,000 Awards for All grant which has since been used for an indoor area, complete with video analysis equipment.
Having an extra coach and upgraded facilities meant that this year, for the first time, the Club could offer coaching in three stages. Bob, who is the Club’s junior convenor, teaches the youngest children the fundamentals, including the basics of the swing and etiquette. Michael develops their skills and prepares them for playing on the course. Daniel and Jim then take them onto the golf course and play a few holes.
Through the four coaches’ efforts the Club’s junior membership now stands at 75.
“Hopefully we will have another group of kids coming through after this one, which will put the Club in a very strong position,” said Michael. “If we can then get half of the children becoming adult club members it will have been very worthwhile.”
The presence of a junior-friendly club so near to the local primary schools allows children a clear route to progress their golfing skills. Through the Active Schools network these schools already introduce their P5 children to the game through clubgolf’s introductory game, firstclubgolf, which uses modified equipment.
Eyemouth GC’s Bob Holmes, a retired school teacher, is now making moves to involve the local High School.
“We’re hoping we can link golf to the secondary school PE curriculum to encourage older pupils to have golf coaching,” said Bob, who recognises the need for more volunteers to follow his lead and become volunteer coaches.
“If we can recruit three of four more coaches or helpers then we would really take off,” he said.
“We have more children coming in, more parents saying good things about the coaching and club members responding positively about seeing juniors out on the practice ground.
“We are pushing golf and getting as many kids involved as we can. We need to go out to talk to them and their parents about the benefits of playing golf and joining Eyemouth Golf Club.
“We will help raise the bar in relation to playing standards and instil in our young players the value of the etiquette of golf - not just in relation to the game - but to life in general.”
Rob Eyton-Jones
clubgolf Media Manager
rob@eyton-jones.co.uk

Kelsey confident of Total

success in Belgium ...

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION

Nairn Dunbar’s Kelsey MacDonald is bidding to retain the Tournament of Nations title at the TOTAL Belgian International Juniors which gets underway at the Royal Golf Club of Belgium tomorrow.
The University of Stirling student won the girls' team event with Comrie’s Carly Booth last season and is this time partnered by Mortonhall’s Rachel Watton, whilst Jack McDonald and Scott Gibson represent Scotland in the boys' event.
MacDonald heads to Belgium in excellent form having just managed a successful defence at the Scottish Ladies Junior Open Stroke Play Championship as well as coming close to another title at the Helen Holm earlier in the year.
Paired with Watton - who is currently in second place in the SLGA Girls Order of Merit having reached the semi-final of the Scottish Girls Match Play Championship – it is a partnership which promises to make a strong challenge for the team title with both players also bidding for the individual girls title.
MacDonald, pictured above, said ahead of the tournament, “I am feeling confident about the individual and team event. It is already very hot out here so the conditions will be tough this week but I have done well on this course before and I think Rachel and I will make a good team.”
Jack McDonald (Kilmarnock Barassie) who has bagged two wins on the SGU Junior Tour this season and more recently has gone on to claim the Scottish Boys Stroke Play Championship is joined by Scott Gibson from Southerness. Gibson, a fellow Scotland Boys cap has also enjoyed a good season including a great run at men’s level in the Scottish Amateur recently, where he made the fifth round.
They hope to improve on the results of last year’s entrants Scottish Boys Champion and finalist, David Law and Paul Shields who finished fourth in the boys international team event.
The 72 hole event gets underway on Wednesday 26 August, competitors play18 holes each day and the top 32 boys and 32 girls plus ties that survive the cut after 54 holes proceed to play the final round.
+Results and news will be available from the official website - http://www.sij.be/home.php as well as Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk

THREE SCOTS COMPETE IN EUROPEAN

INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Scots competing in the European women's individual amateur golf championship at Falsterbo Golf Club, Sweden, starting on Wednesday are Pamela Pretswell (Bothwell Castle) and Kylie Walker (Buchanan Castle), both GB&I Vagliano Trophy players, and Majorca-based Laura Mackin.
England has four entries - Rachel Jennings, Hannah Barwood, Holly Clyburn and Rachel Conner; Wales four - Amy Boulden, Rhian Wyn Thomas, Samantha Birks and Tara Davies, and Ireland four also - Aedin Murphy, Charlene Reid, Danielle McVeigh and Sarah Cunningham.