FROST IN FLORIDA MIGHT DELAY START OF ORANGE BLOSSOM TOUR

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
The Orange Blossom Tour tees off at Sebring, Florida tomorrow with the Harder Hall Invitational - and the news from the Tournament Chairman Carol Semple Thompson is that although the weather over there might be better than we are experiencing on this side of the Atlantic, it's by no means sunshine and short sleeves.
In an E-mail to Kirkwoodgolf, Carol says:
"Weather is questionable today for the practice round – wind and cold. Tonight we expect a hard freeze so I expect a frost delay Wednesday morning.  "There's always something! Best, Carol."

We'll have the first-round tee times on Kirkwoodgolf later this evening and, of course, reports and scores each night.


SCROLL DOWN FOR THE FIRST-ROUND DRAW






 
 
 
 
  
Carol Semple Thompson, pictured
at the Old Course, St Andrews in
2008 when she was captain of the
winning United States team.
Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency.
 
No surprise if she finds her way over
to Nairn for the June 8-10 match.
Carol's Curtis Cup playing career
stretched from 1974 to 2002, then
she was US team captain in 2006
and 2008.
She was a winner of 33 singles/
foursomes matches in the series.

HARDER HALL INVITATIONAL TWO-TEE START FOR FIRST ROUND

STARTING AT FIRST TEE7:40 Jutanugarn, Ariya - Thailand
Lee, Suzie - Commack NY
Boutier, Celine – France
Hull, Charley - England
7:50 Steinhagen, Amanda - Oak Hill, VA
Clyburn, Holly - England
Audette, Melanie – Lakeland, FL
Lendl, Daniela – Vero Beach, FL
8:00 St. Louis, Tovie – West Palm Beach, FL
Delacour, Perrine - France
Roig, Kyle – Pembroke Pines, FL
Macdonald, Kelsey - Scotland
8:10 Stolarik, DeAnne – Zion, IL
Gimpel, Emily J. – Lafayette Hill, PA
Rosen, Portland – Sugar Land, TX
Bonetti, Alexandra - France
8:20 Stasi, Meghan – Oakland Park, FL
Jutanugarn, Moriya - Thailand
Boineau, Isabelle – Tucson, AZ
Albrecht, Ashleigh – Murrieta, CA
8:30 Hiestand, Mary Jane – Naples, FL
Postillion, Samantha – Scottsdale, AZ
Hancock, Anna – Lakeland, FL
Baker, Brooke – Raleigh, NC
8:40 Leach, Martha – Hebron, KY
Dimarco, Gabriella – West Chester, PA
Herrera, Velentina – Plantation, FL
8:50 Scarpetta, Kate – Moosic, PA
Smith, Rachel – Mansfield, TX
Briggs, Eilidh - Scotland
9:00 Savich, Milena – Carmel, IN
Merkle, Kristina – Honolulu, HI
Agnello, Nicole – Longwood, FL
Nunez, Paloma – Granbury, TX
11:20 Gotcher, Samantha – Clarksville, TN
Griffin, Kendall – Sebring, FL
Beasley, Harriet - Scotland
Leadbetter, Hally – Bradenton, FL
11:30 Feng, Simin – Orlando, FL
Bowers, Jan – Lincoln, IL
Thompson, Amy – Wakarusa, IN
West, Amy – Valrico, FL
11:40 Stewart, Jude – Sebring, FL
Clyburn, India - England
Jackson, Sandra – New York, NY
Gallagher, Kate – Savannah, MO
11:50 Yelovich, Dianne – Pinehurst, NC
Pagana, Barbara – Port St. Lucie, FL
Johnson, Betsie – Nicholasville, KY
Mowry, Jean – Hot Springs Village, AR
12:00 Schwab, Diana – Beavercreek, OH
Wilson, Janice Rober – Ormond Beach, FL
McKay, Mhairi - Scotland
Moffat, Paige – Avon Park, FL
12:10 Mitchell, Becky – Conroe, TX
Fisher, Savana – Sebring, FL
Blackmon, Evelyn – Nashville, TN
Aydlett, Clate – Elizabeth City, NC
12:20 Haizlip, Danielle – Statesville, NC
McPherson, Lindsey – Flushing, MI
DeVore, Dr. Katherine – High Point, NC
Smith, Crystal – Venice, FL
12:30 Jackson, Nancy – Boynton Beach, FL
Hughes-Gelardi, Pat – Ambler, PA
Krakowski, Becky – Beavercreek, OH
Sanger, Tinker – North Palm Beach, FL
12:40 Stuchfield, Sonja – Ormond Beach, FL
Callahan, Denise – Canton, OH
Smith, Karen – Chestertown, MD
Blackwood, Jill – Burlington, IA

STARTING AT TENTH TEE
7:40 Thompson, Morgan – Tualatin, OR
Price, Kaitlyn – Jacksonville Beach, FL
Stewart, Alex – Carson City, NV
7:50 Lendl, Isabelle – Vero Beach, FL
Maymon, Maria - Mexico
Mitchell, Katie – Fernandina Beach, FL
Leef, Maggie – Elm Grove, WI
8:00 Wilson, Rebecca - Scotland
Savich, Ariana – Carmel, IN
Plasencia, Regina - Mexico
Stone, Latanna – Valrico, FL
8:10 Graham, Jordana - Scotland
Maymon, Giovana - Mexico
Lott, Heather – Baton Rouge, LA
Swanson, Meredith – Roanoke, VA
8:20 Carson, Laura – Lake Bluff, IL
Dulman, Annie – Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Stewart, Sami – Norman, OK
Feng, Cindy – Orlando, FL
8:30 Brower, Taffy – Boynton Beach, FL
Lucas, Nora – Chicago, IL
Thompson, Carol Semple – Sewickley, PA
Fitzpatrick, Erin – Wauchula, FL
8:40 Kurey, Emily – Alpharetta, GA
Herrera, Juliana – Plantation, FL
Haines, Elizabeth – Gladwyne, PA
Marino, Maria – Coral Springs, FL
8:50 Yadloczky, Carlie – Casselberry, FL
Rajek, Jackie – Suwanee, GA
McMillan, Lin – Palm Coast, FL
Rengifo, Ana Maria – Columbia
11:20 Hale, Karen – Boynton Beach, FL
St John, Amy – Peoria, IL
Miller, Sandra – Clearwater, FL
Cassels, Beverly – Charlotte, NC
11:30 Demarco, Jan – Ormond Beach, FL
Watson, Dollie – Lexington, NC
Brown, Gail – Sebring, FL
Dethrow, Carroll – Nevada, IA
11:40 McCarty, Judy – Fort Myers, FL
Hall, Peggy S. – Belmont, NC
McIntosh, Babs – Murrells Inlet, SC
Shigemura, Susan – New Berlin, IL
11:50 Sinclair, Marlene – Kingsville, ONT
Rhodes, Mary – Greensboro, NC
McCutcheon, Sallie – Phoenix, AZ
Karins, Dannae – Ormond Beach, FL
12:00 Ferneyhough, Helen – Monroe, VA
Pratt, Cynthia – Beavercreek, OH
Newberry, Nancy – Burnsville, NC
Coker, Judy – East Peoria, IL
12:10 Jankovic, Nancy – Kingsville, ON
Mason, Linda – Amherst, VA
Menard, Vickie L. – Spartanburg, SC
Verell, Ruth Ann – Naples, FL
12:20 Andrews, Meredith – Lexington, NC
Leigh, Margaret – Oldsmar, FL
Greebe, Cathi – Maumee, OH
Allardice, Judy – Aiken, SC
12:30 Holland, Dee – Sebring, FL
Barkei, Shelly – Steward, IL
Warnock, Sherie – Maumee, OH
Shymanski, Marian – Greer, SC
12:40 Hartzell, Jackie – Lake Placid, FL
Byrne, Sue – Toledo, OH
Robinson, Myrna – Supply, NC
Nolan, Midge – Oldsmar, FL

ENGLISH WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP TO BE 72 holes STROKE-PLAY

FROM THE ENGLISH WOMEN'S AMATEUR GOLF ASSOCIATION NEWSLETTER
The English women’s close amateur championship has a new stroke-play format this year and will be played from May 15-17 at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Lancashire – one of the country’s top courses.
The championship - handicap limit of six - will be played over 72 holes with a cut after two rounds. The top 36 players and ties will go forward to play the final 36 holes on the last day.
Previously competitors played two stroke-play qualifying rounds with the top 32 players going forward to match-play knock-out. However, entries have dropped over recent years and it is felt the stroke-play format, played over three days instead of five, will be more appealing.
Championship manager Emma Lowe remarked: “The entry fee is just £45 and, including practice, players are guaranteed at least three rounds on a wonderful golf course which has hosted The Open Championship and the Women’s British Open.
“This is a fantastic opportunity and we’re hoping for a really big entry.”
Online entry to all EWGA championships opens on February 1, 2012.

FALKIRK FREE GOLF INITIATIVE FOR JUNIORS ON WEE COURSE

NEWS RELEASE
Falkirk Golf Club have recently undertaken an initiative to encourage more children to play golf by offering free membership.
Falkirk Golf Club is one of the few courses in Scotland that offer a parkland 18- hole course along with a nine-hole par-3 course (the Wee Course) developed for the encouragement of juniors.
All juniors will enjoy free golf on the Wee Course if their parent or guardian (male or female) is a full member.
The club is recognised as having one of the leading Junior sections in the Central belt and has developed several junior international players to date, both boys and girls, and recently was the holder of all Stirlingshire's golf championships, team and individual, a remarkable feat.
Allan Bryson, Junior Convener, said: “A great deal of time and effort goes into the running of the coaching and development of the juniors but to see their enjoyment is well worth it.”
Free clubgolf coaching is also available, utilising the extensive practice facilities at the club run by Stewart Craig, a European Tour coach.
Billy Crozier, Falkirk Golf Club captain, commented: “We are hoping that this initiative will help boost the club membership as well as benefit local golf talent. This is a very friendly club who take pride in their junior section.”
The club has also vowed to help juniors make the transition from junior to full membership by introducing a new category with discounted fees between the age of 23 and 30.
Falkirk Golf Club are one of the first clubs to introduce this new category. The club captain said: “We recognise that this is a difficult time for young adults. Therefore, we have introduced this to try and allow young golfers to be part of the club.”
This new category is open to new and existing members.