ProdreamUSA made it

happen Stateside for 

talented Grant Forrest

E-mail from Lorne Kelly
Founder prodreamUSA
pictured right
Walker Cup and Eisenhower Trophy Winner
GB and I team
Former NCAA Div I All American,
European Tour
PGA Professional

Colin,

I wanted to give you an update of how prodreamUSA have been developing in recent months.
Grant Forrest and Liam Johnstone’s US College Golf Placement
You will be aware that recently, prodreamUSA successfully placed the Scottish boys champion Grant Forrest into the University of San Diego . I noticed it was in the national press last week but unfortunately, there was no mention of our involvement.
ProdreamUSA were instrumental in making it all happen for Grant. Basically, I arranged for five official visits at leading universities for Grant (each one fully paid for) - Arizona State University, East Tennessee State University , Georgia Tech, Duke University and University of San Diego.
After careful consideration and dissection, we opted for San Diego as you know. Grant’s recruitment campaign has probably been the highest profile placement ever in the UK, simply because universities of this stature have never been after a player so badly.
Grant is not just gifted golf-wise but academically he is very strong, hence the reason institutions like Duke, Georgia Tech and San Diego were involved.
The fact I have a good relationship with all coaches obviously helped. I also secured a very good scholarship for Liam Johnstone at the University of Tennessee-Chatanooga. Liam, as you know, is in the Scotland boys' team with Grant Forrest. Liam will be joining another prodreamUSA player, Chris Bell, whom I placed into UT-Chatanooga last year.
Successful college placements continue to happen through prodreamUSA, mainly due to the relationship we have with recruiting coaches and the respect we have with them.
All the coaches know that we put all prospects through a rigorous interview and evaluation process prior to me recommending them to specific types of academic/golf Universities.
The skill is securing the correct placement for the individual and recognising their level both in the classroom and what they can offer golf wise.
Universities in the US vary significantly in terms of academics and golf. Therefore it is crucial the right ones are targeted. Having contacts within this industry is key and from a golf perspective, prodreamUSA continue to dominate in the UK.
Please find below some recent statistics of prodreamUSA that you may not be aware of:
ProdreamUSA which was established in 2004, recently placed our 500th student athlete into the US collegiate golf system.
In recognition of our services, prodreamUSA is the ONLY agency in Europe to be officially recognised and supported by the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA)
ProdreamUSA have been invited to the GCAA coaches convention in Las Vegas next week. There will be hundreds of coaches present and I have been asked to do a presentation on ‘international recruiting.’
ProdreamUSA continues to be run by myself, Ricky Gray (PGA professional at Renfrew GC) and Karl Salmoni (PGA Professional at Haggs Castle GC). We will all be present in Las Vegas next week.
Hopefully, the above might be something that you are interested in, Colin. I do appreciate your constant efforts in publicising US college golf placements, especially from UK boys and girls.
You give such a good insight into collegiate golf and I know for a fact your pages are read by so many throughout the golf industry so thank you for that.
Without being too forward, I did want to make it clear that these placements are happening due to the service that prodreamUSA continues to offer.
Golf scholarships to NCAA institutions don’t just happen. Unless a player is scouted and tracked personally by a recruiting US coach (which is not very often), it will be virtually impossible for a prospect to penetrate the system. This is obviously where we come in.
It is a role that I continue to be very passionate about and due to my past experiences as a player and the level I achieved, it puts me in a good position to ensure prodreamUSA remains the most successful ‘golf specific’ agency in the world.
Kind Regards,
Lorne Kelly
http://www.prodreamusa.com/
Office: +44(0)1475 729681

Daily Telegraph boys and girls' Grand Final at Abu Dhabi

Ben Taylor, Hayley Davis go clear

FROM THE DAILY TELEGRAPH WEBSITE
By Charles Randall in Abu Dhabi
Florida student Ben Taylor, 18-year-old member at Walton Heath Golf Club, Surrey,, flew in and brought a championship course to its knees today to lead the Abu Dhabi Junior Championship, reducing the boys' tournament to a two-horse race with one round remaining.
Taylor interrupted his first term at Nova Southeastern University to blitz this magnificent Abu Dhabi Golf Club lay-out with seven birdies and an eagle to threaten the record before finishing one short on 65, seven under par, for an advantage of only two strokes over Rhys Pugh from Wales.
Pontypridd schoolboy Pugh showed the composure to be expected of a Wales international, refusing to be intimidated by his rival's form which was as hot as the desert sun.
Taylor, son of the Pachesham Park Golf Centre, Leatherhead teaching professional, Phil Taylor, started with three birdies in the opening five holes, followed by birdie, birdie, eagle, birdie from the eighth onwards. His eagle was set up by an imperiously struck five-iron from 225 yards that reached the heart of the par five 10th green.
The Glaswegian five-handicappper Chris Thursby had to withdraw with a chest infection. Having qualified with an incredible 62 at Vale of Leven, the Dumbarton course, this was a cruel blow before his maiden round of golf outside ScotlandThe girls' section was dominated by the England women's amateur champion Hayley Davis, from Dorset. No one could stay with her as she returned a 68 to go six under par 138 for two rounds, a lead of four strokes over the promising Stockport schoolgirl Bronte Law, 15.
The competition, supported by The Daily Telegraph, had never attracted such a strong field of young golfers in its long history. Eight boys and seven girls arrived with handicaps of plus-two or better, but even players of this calibre found the Abu Dhabi Golf Club course a tough prospect.
Apart from Taylor and Pugh no one matched par over the first two days, though Jordan Ainley and Toby Tree produced one sub-par round. Among the girls Davis, Law, British women's champion Kelly Tidy, Heidi Baek and the reigning Daily Telegraph champion Alex Peters achieved at least one level par round or better.
Ben Taylor, clearly benefiting from his intense golf environment at Fort Lauderdale, looked like a player of the highest class. The two most costly errors for him proved to be a pushed drive into the water at the ninth and a missed four-foot putt on the subtle borrows of the 17th.
All the youthful competitors deserved praise for tackling the course in such alien conditions. The heat, the nap on the greens, and the lakes and creeks snaking around the fairways conspired to upset several promising scores.
Welsh international Amy Boulden, daughter of a golf professional at Maesdu in North Wales, forced her way into third place halfway through the second round until a wayward drive at the 10th nestled her ball too close to a purple flowering shrub.
Taking a drop in the desert wasteland, she needed two chip shots to regain sight of the fairway before scoring a card-wrecking 9. On another day she might have had time to admire the flowers.
Boulden's sister Kim took up a golf teaching post at this club a few months previously, though Kim was too busy to watch her +3 handicap sibling play, let alone offer advice.
Not that tips were on the agenda. "I wouldn't listen anyway," said Amy, who is guided by her father Simon at Maesdu and by Wales' international coach Jeremy Bennett.
The group of Davis, Law and Alex Peters had to pause for publicity pictures on the tee at the par three seventh with Italian ace Matteo Manassero, 17, the youngest winner of a European Tour tournament last month with his victory in Spain. Davis proceeded to birdie the hole with a long uphill 20-footer.
SECOND ROUND SCOREBOARD
BOYS
Par 144 (2x72)
134 Ben Taylor 69 65.
136 Rhys Pugh 69 67.
145 Toby Tree 74 71.
145 Jordan Ainley 71 74.
148 Nick Ward 74 74.
149 Jerome Titlow 73 76.
150 Daniel Hendry 73 77.
152 Luke Johnson 77 75.
152 Oliver Carr 76 76.(+4)
161 Jack English 85 76.
162 Fraser Macleod 78 84.
Withdrew: Chris Thursby (ill).

GIRLS

138 Hayley Davis (pictured right) 70 68.
142 Bronte Law 70 72.
143 Kelly Tidy 73 70.
144 Alex Peters 72 72.
147 Heidi Baek 78 69.
149 Amy Boulden 73 76.
151 Lauren Taylor 75 76.
159 Elizabeth Stebbings 81 78.
160 Bronwyn Davies 81 79.

STIRLING GIRL STUDENTS BOUND
FOR FLORIDA TOUR IN JANUARY


By COLIN FARQUHARSON women’s golf squad, headed by Scottish champion Kelsey MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), to cross over to Florida in January to take part in three events on the women's amateur Orange Blossom Tour.
For the sixth or seventh year in a row - maybe more - University of Stirling's sports performance manager Raleigh Gowie is organising the

The students who will be making the trip alongwith Kelsey are: Rebecca Wilson, Jordana Graham, Eilidh Mackay, Harriet Beasley, Flore Lafaille

Two guest golfers will be part of the Stirling squad - Scottish junior international Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), who intends to apply for a September 2011 entry place at Stirling, and English Curtis Cup player Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa).
The squad will compete in the following events: the Harder Hall Invitational, Sebring; the South Atlantic Championship, Ormond Beach; and the Doherty Championship match-play event at Fort Lauderdale.
The Stirling women's squad will be accompanied by head coach, Stirling graduate and former British amateur internationalist, Lesley Mackay, pictured when she won the PGA Assistant of the Year trophy. 
Raleigh Gowrie said: "Our men's squad will participate in nine days of winter training in Cairo in late January, under the watchful eyes of new head coach and former European Tour winner, Dean Robertson."

Buchanan Castle head pro Keith Baxter coaches children from Buchanan Primary School at the opening of the new practice facility (image by Rob Eyton-Jones)

Buchanan Castle opens new floodlit

facility


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY CLUBGOLF
At a special celebration Buchanan Castle Golf Club opened its new all-weather floodlit driving range, adding yet another top-class amenity to sit beside the truly outstanding Duke’s Course; the recently-refurbished and historic clubhouse; and the club’s special nine-hole Academy course.
The driving range features eight regular bays as well as a double teaching bay, complete with video system to provide an excellent coaching facility. The range also has its own washroom and internal seating area.
This is a significant move that will open both the club and the sport to more people - youngsters and adults alike.
The project came about as the result of a £93,500 grant from sportscotland’s Sports Facilities Fund - one of the first of its kind - which was matched pound for pound by Buchanan Castle. The range will now play a key role in Buchanan Castle’s active partnership with clubgolf, Scotland’s national junior golf development programme, and, to mark this development, pupils from the local Buchanan Primary School, were the first to try out the new facility.
Through its clubgolf scheme, annual “Academy” memberships are available for young people from just £55 per year. There are now plans to have up to 500 youngsters use the range every year.
Adult Academy Membership is available for an annual cost of £225 to include a series of lessons in the first year.
As well as becoming the second golf club to earn Active Stirling’s “Chartered Club” status, Buchanan Castle was a 2010 finalist in the organisation’s “Club of the Year” Awards.
The Buchanan Castle Club sits close to the banks of Loch Lomond, less than a mile from Drymen and half an hour from Glasgow. The new range means that the Buchanan Castle Club is unique among local golf clubs in the range of facilities it now has on offer.
General Manager Janet Dawson says,
“Over the past three years Buchanan Castle has been developed to an exceptionally high standard both in the clubhouse and in particular on the course. Working in partnership with sportscotland has allowed the Club to develop a facility that is second to none with the provision of the Driving Range, Academy Course and excellent practice facilities. We seek to encourage participation at all levels and to work closely with the community in liaison with Clubgolf.
"We offer membership for adults and juniors at all levels and actively seek to promote golf as a family sport. With Academy Membership we offer a pathway from complete beginner to established player within a relaxed and friendly environment.”
Speaking about what he sees as a ground-breaking project model, sportscotland’s Chief Executive Stewart Harris says, “We regularly work in partnership with local authorities but this project is a fantastic example of how we can work together with clubs to develop sport in Scotland.
"Buchanan Castle Golf Club’s new academy shows how a golf club can become a real asset to the community and we are delighted to invest £93,500 sportscotland Lottery funding in the project.
“The addition of a driving range and Academy course will give golfers of all abilities the year round facilities they need to progress in the sport. The new facilities, along with the full clubgolf programme will play a key role in developing golf in the local area and we look forward to seeing more young people taking up the sport.”
This type of development is a welcome addition for clubgolf as it strives to introduce newcomers to the game.
Said clubgolf’s Central Regional Manager, Mandy Martin: “Buchanan Castle Golf Club is a great example of how partnership working can provide a facility solution to meet the needs of a growing junior section. Head Pro Keith Baxter and his team of assistants and volunteer coaches have built a sustainable junior programme, and at the same time established strong links with the local primary and secondary schools through Active Stirling and the Active Schools.
“Sportscotland’s funding of this new practice facility will ensure this programme reaches even more local children and keep their coaching going year round.”
Rob Eyton-Jones
t: 07775 746981
e: rob@eyton-jones.co.uk