North District SGU fixtures and venues for 2009

APRIL
Sunday 26 - North of Scotland boys' championship for H R Spence Trophy (Inverness).
MAY
Sunday 3 - North District club team championship (Nairn Dunbar).
Sunday 17 - Scottish area team championship first round: North v Dunbartonshire (at Lossiemouth).
Saturday 23 - North District championship (Fortrose & Rosemarkie).
JUNE
Saturday 6 - Inverness county championship (Boat of Garten).
Saturday 6 - Moray county championship (Hopeman).
Saturday 13 - Caithness county championship (Thurso).
Saturday 13 - Nairn county championship (Nairn Dunbar).
Saturday 13 - Orkney county championship (Stromness).
Saturday 13 - Ross-shire couonty championship (Strathpeffer).
Saturday 13 - Shetland county championship (Whalsay).
Saturday 13 - Sutherland county championship (Brora).
JULY
Sunday 5 - North District boys' championship for R P B Bain Trophy (Thurso).
Sunday 12 - Youths Invitational: North-Angus-North-east (Hopeman).
Monday 13 - North U-16 boys v North-east U-16 boys (Garmouth & Kingston).
Monday 13 - North U-18 boys v North-east U-18 boys (Garmouth & Kingston).
Wednesday 15 - North U-14 boys v North-east U-14 boys (Garmouth & Kingston).
Monday 27 - Angus U-16 boys v North U-16 boys (Edzell).
Monday 27 - Angus U-14 boys v North U-14 boys (Edzell).
AUGUST
Sunday 2 - Scottish area team championship second round: Glasgow v North (Sandyhills).
Saturday-Sunday 22-23 - North of Scotland open amateur stroke-play championship (72 holes) for David Blair Trophy (Lossiemouth).
SEPTEMBER
Friday 4 - North District Senior championship for Macallan Trophy (Newtonmore).
Sunday 13 - UBC Trophy boys and girls' tournament (McDonald Ellon).
Sunday 20 - Scottish area team championship third round: North v South (Nairn).
OCTOBER
Saturday-Sunday 4-5 - Scottish area team championship semi-finals and final (Crail GS).
Monday-Thursday 19-22 - North of Scotland boys' match-play championship (Forres).

US PGA Tour tackle a probem

that's got whiskers on it!

FROM THE GOLFWORLD WEBSITE
By JOHN HAWKINS
As if to prove the truth also can be funnier than fiction, the US PGA Tour started working on a set of guidelines regarding the appearance and decorum of its players last summer, right around the same time it began airing a commercial in which Mike Weir grows a hearty beard for the FedEx Cup playoffs.
After seeking advice on how to achieve post-season success from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky, Weir shows up on the first tee looking like a member of ZZ Top.
It didn't take long for a player on the tour's policy board to question the wisdom of this mixed message, otherwise known as a contradiction.
Facial hair and untucked shirts have become matters of concern in Camp Ponte Vedra, perhaps not the lead topic of discussion at weekly meetings but certainly important enough for Rick George, the tour's chief of operations, to get something down in writing.
On paper, this should delight all those old-schoolers who judge a man by his relationship with a razor. In reality, it probably won't deter Sergio Garcia from showing up with a four-day growth, which can't be nearly as offensive as those canary-yellow pants he wore at the British Open a few years back.
"More of a guide than a policy," is how George characterises the company position. "There are no parameters, per se. We just want the players to be neatly groomed, and there are a lot of ways to interpret that. We want them to be mindful of their overall appearance."
Although I personally don't understand anyone's preoccupation with a tour pro and his whiskers, I'm not going to hide behind the default argument and suggest the tour devote its energy to more pressing affairs. There is more to George's project than shaving or not shaving. Some of it might seem silly—Ryan Moore caused quite a stir by wearing a headband last fall, for instance. Other issues probably should have been addressed years ago.
At the top of that urgency list is the deportment of players during the Wednesday pro-ams. If the vast majority of tour members are congenial, helpful and cognisant of the large sums of money somebody is paying for the experience, there still are too many dissatisfied customers, too many complaints about tour pros who don't bother to read putts or even converse with their amateur partners.
"We just want the players to be neatly groomed, and there are a lot of ways to interpret that" —Rick George
Look at it this way: Would you rather spend five hours with a dude who has a shaggy goatee and shows a genuine interest in your measly little life, or some freshly scrubbed Lord of Entitlement who is standing on the next tee before you've putted out on the previous green? If there are 20 such examples of arrogance every year, that's about 20 too many. Especially in this 22-handicap economy.
George's observation that grooming is a subjective matter should not go unnoticed. The tour isn't about to start telling players they can't grow facial hair. With that in mind, how does one determine what is sloppy and what isn't? Rocco Mediate has a 5 o'clock shadow by 10 a.m., yet he's a popular player and, by most accounts, a dutiful soldier in an army of well-paid gripers.
Besides, the half-beard is part of Rocco's look. He would probably shoot 81 without the whiskers. "We're not looking to take away the players' individualism," George affirms. "It [began] as one of those things where we … started discussing concerns about our image and professional demeanor, inside and outside the ropes."
Hmmm. Sounds like another unenforced mandate with an option to crack the whip when Wilbur in Iowa decides Camilo Villegas needs a haircut. If the tour looks the other way when it comes to slow play, one can't envision a guy getting fined $1,000 for hiding a pimple on his chin. You can appeal to the world's best golfers with a voice of gentle reason, and as long as the courtesy cars keep showing up, they will do what is in the best interests of the game, but laying down some murky law? Good luck.
Arnold Palmer never grew a beard. Neither did Jack Nicklaus. Ben Hogan? You've got to be kidding. Not counting Tiger Woods, whose attempts to produce facial hair have proven very unsuccessful, it's a struggle to identify even a single player who won a bunch of tournaments without the aid of shaving cream.
Craig Stadler probably qualifies, although the Walrus preserved his immense popularity with much more than that overgrown Fu Manchu.
The carelessly unbuttoned shirt. The wrinkled pants. The life-long scowl. The angry flip of the club after every mediocre shot. When you own a physique like Stadler's, you don't want people to think you're trying too hard to look good. Sometimes, we find problems where there really is no problem at all.

Montrose Links open today, so it's

looking good for NE Alliance

Good news for North-east Golfers' Alliance members.
Wednesday's competition over the Montrose Links looks like beating the weather.
A bit like Aberdeen, there has been no snow at Montrose, just a lot of rain but, being a links course, good drainage will help to keep it playable.
The Montrose Mercantile clubhouse is, as usual, the headquarters for the day and secretary Ron Menzies will, as usual, be there from around about 7.30am.
If you want reassurance that the competition is ON, before you set out from home, you can phone Ron tomorrow morrow after 7.30am on his mobile: 07801 819 746.

Findlay in top 20 and Stewart

bounces back with a 69

Fraserburgh's Jordan Findlay, a final year student at East Tennessee State University, was lying in joint 20th place in a quality field with one round to go in the Arizona Collegiate championship, one of the first events of the second half of the 2008-2009 US college golf season, over the Arizona National course at Tucson.
Findlay, 21 in April, pictured right, had rounds of 73 and 71 for a two-over-par tally of 144 over the 6793yd, par-71 course. Over his first 36 holes, the Buchan player had three double bogeys, nullifying an eagle and a clutch of birdies.
Team-mate Scottish boys' match-play champion Michael Stewart from Troon, a first-year student, bounced back from an opening round of 80, nine over par, to improve by 11 shots with a fine round of two-under-par 69.
Stewart, who will be 19 on March 6, had an eagle at the 513yd par-5 18th and three birdies plus three bogeys.
His round enabled him to climb up from joint 79th to joint 53rd with one round to go.
Newcastle-born student Chris Paisley (Tennessee University) opened up a two-stroke lead with a 66 for eight-under-par 134.
Tennessee team-mate Darren Renwick from Worthing, winner of the Scottish Under-14 boys' open title in 2004, is in joint sixth place on 141 after a 70 and 71 alongside Irishman Seamus Power, a team-mate of Findlay and Stewart. Power had a second-round 66.
SECOND-ROUND TOTALS

Par 142 (2 x 71) 6793yd

134 Chris Paisley (Tennessee) 68 66.

136 Andrew Putnam (Pepperdine) 67 69.

137 Zach Byrd (Coastal Carolina) 72 65, Matt Hoffenberg (San Diego State) 69 68.

Selected totals:

141 Darren Renwick (Tennessee) 70 71, Seamus Power (Eas Tennesee State) 75 66, Andrew Cooley (San Diego State) 72 69 (jt 6th).

144 Jordan Findlay (East Tennessee State) 73 71 (jt 20th).

149 Michael Stewart (East Tennesee State) 80 69 (jt 53rd).

152 Paul O'Kane (East Tennessee Sate) 79 73 (jt 67th).

TEAM LEADERS

565 Pepperdine.

568 San Diego State.

570 Tennessee

Selected team total:

578 East Tennessee State (8th of 17).

Kavanagh and Da Silva take first

round honours in Open Qualifier

The first round of the International Final Qualifier – Africa was dominated by England’s Jeremy Kavanagh and Brazil’s Adilson Da Silva who each scored three-under par 67 at the Royal Durban Golf Course today.
Kavanagh delivered four birdies on a card spoiled with only one bogey. The Englishman took a conservative approach which saw 13 pars, 10 consecutively from holes nine to 17.
“The course and the wind factor both proved difficult, and – especially with this being a qualifier – they’ve set a tough one out there today,” said Kavanagh who would count it an honour to play in The Open.
“To play in The Open will be really special,” he added. “I’m not looking at getting ahead of myself, but rather to approach this tournament like any other, so if it happens I get through the qualification, it will be fantastic.”
Da Silva had a perfect start with birdies on the first two holes and continued to control his game with an additional three birdies. His back nine delivered six consecutive pars from the 12th hole.
Darren Fichardt was clearly fond of the Durban course after his round of 68, whilst Tyrone Ferreira, Henk Alberts, Tyrone van Aswegen and Marc Cayeux all finished with one-under par 69.
Ferreira’s round was a liberal mix of birdies, pars and bogeys, while Alberts managed to rake in four birdies. Desvonde Botes, Christiaan Basson, Bradford Vaughn and Doug McGuigan all stayed in contention going into the final round after completing their rounds with even par 70s.
Only one retirement saw Brandon Pieters from Benoni withdraw as a precautionary measure for a recurring injury, after he felt a little pain in his left shoulder following an accident last year.
FIRST ROUND SCORES
(Players from South Africa unless stated otherwise)
67 Jeremy Kavanagh (Eng), Adilson Da Silva (Brazil).
68 Darren Fichardt
69 Tyrone Ferreira; Henk Alberts; Tyrone van Aswegen; Marc Cayeux
70 Desvonde Botes; Christiaan Basson; Bradford Vaughn; Doug McGuigan
71 TC Charamba (Zim); Divan van den Heever; Albert Pistorius; Dion Fourie; Alan Michell
72 Tyrone Mordt; Oliver Bekker; Neil Schietekat
73 Jaco Ahlers; Jeff Inglis (Eng); Warren Abery; Vaughn Groenewald; Martin Maritz
74 Justin Walters (Eng), Ryan Tipping; Shaun Norris; Louis Moolman; Brett Liddle
75 Josh Cunliffe; Jaco van Zyl
77 Trevor Fisher Jnr; Alex Haindl
78 David Hewan; Mark Murless; Merrick Bremner; Ross Wellington
79 Omar Sandys
81 - Jake Roos
RTD - Brandon Pieters.

Ross Kellett finished joint sixth

in New South Wales amateur

Colville Park's Ross Kellett finished a creditable joint sixth in a huge field for the New South Wales amateur championship.
He had rounds of 72, 72, 70 and 70 for a total of 284 - only four shots behind the leading trio of Australians, Kyle Grant, Jason Scrivener and Lincoln Tighe.
Gordon Yates (Hilton Park) failed to make the leading 32 who go on to the NSW match-play championship at the Australian Golf Club later this week.
Gordon scored 75, 74, 77 and 78 for 304 and 63rd position.
Kellett, the sixth seed, will play the 27th qualifier, Peter Spearman-Burn, in the first round of the match-play.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Players from Australia unless stated
Par 285
280 Kyle Grant 68 68 68 76, Jason Scrivener 70 73 68 69, Lincoln Tighe 68 68 71 73.
281 Patrick Wilson 65 75 73 69.
283 Scott Arnold 679 69 75 70.
284 Ross Kellett (Sco) 72 72 70 70, Michell Davies 69 74 68 73.
Selected totals
288 Charles Ford (Eng) 70 68 72 78 (jt 14th).
290 Adam Wainwright (Eng) 70 68 75 77 (jt 18th).
304 Gordon Yates (Sco) 75 74 77 78 (63rd).

Scotland crowned ‘Golf Destination of

the Year’ in annual industry awards

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY VISITSCOTLAND
Scotland confirmed its No. 1 status by taking the top prize of ‘Destination of the Year’ in the annual industry awards held by Britain’s best-selling magazine Today’s Golfer beating the Algarve (Portugal) into second place and Ireland into third.
The significant accolade was announced as Scotland launched Homecoming Scotland 2009 – a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns, Scotland's National Poet which is being marked with a programme of over 300 events on the themes of Burns, golf, whisky, ancestry and great Scottish minds.
‘’I am delighted to learn that Scotland has been awarded Best Golf Destination of the Year award in such a prestigious magazine as Today’s Golfer,’’ said Malcolm Roughead, OBE, Director of Visitor Engagement at VisitScotland.
‘’Scotland is the Home of Golf and it provides golfers with the ultimate golfing experience that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. With the return of The Open Championship to Turnberry this year in July it is extremely important for us to capitalise on the opportunity this presents to promote Scotland as the No. 1 golfing destination.’’
With over 550 golf courses across the country, Scotland has courses to suit all types of player from championship layouts to links courses, beautiful parklands and memorable hidden gems. Accommodation ranges from cosy family-run B&Bs to luxury five-star hotel resorts and VisitScotland offers a number of accommodation deals and golf packages to ensure all budgets are catered for.
To learn more about Scotland and its special place in history as the Home of Golf, VisitScotland’s golf ambassador Sam Torrance has created a special website www.visitscotland.com/samsscotland detailing his top tips for creating the best golfing break including his favourite holes, great value deals and who he thinks will pick up silverware in 2009. For more information on the Homecoming Scotland 2009 events programme go to: www.homecomingscotland2009.com.

Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk for US college golf news

Our coverage of the United States college golf circuit has begun on www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk
That's where you'll find news and features over the second half of the 2008-2009 college season.

Challenge for SGU new man


Douglas Connon as


membership numbers drop

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By MIKE AITKEN
Douglas Connon, newly appointed chairman of the Scottish Golf Union, has identified falling memberships and the possibility of some golf clubs going out of business in Scotland as the biggest challenge currently facing the organisation.
A member of various clubs throughout Scotland himself, Connon is well aware of the anecdotal evidence which suggests the economic downturn is forcing golfers to trim their expenditure and indicated the SGU will have to cut their cloth accordingly.
It is thought around 6,000 golfers gave up memberships of Scottish clubs last year and even more may relinquish their playing rights in 2009.
With income certain to fall from the £2.1 million brought in last year, when club members paid nearly £1.3m in subscriptions, Connon expects the SGU will have to reduce costs as well as do more to support troubled clubs.
"We'll have a better idea in March of where we are with this when members have paid their subscriptions," said Connon."But we know already that there is going to be a drop in membership and that's going to have an effect. Like every other business in the downturn, budgets have to be revised almost every other week.
"There are a handful of clubs we know are in difficulty, not just membership, but the whole nine yards. Our challenge (at the SGU) is to retain or increase our sponsors and try and increase the money we get from public bodies.
"With golfers who have been members of two or three clubs in past years also reducing their involvement to a single subscription, it's possible the Scottish club scene, which previously numbered around 194,000 members, will be even more badly affected in the downturn than the rest of the UK.
"Against a background where we're not really sure of all the facts, we know we're going to have to be more innovative with the money we've got," added Connon. "At elite level, we're going to have to be cleverer with resources, because money is scarce. I'll be on the case of costs because that's what we're all having to do in our businesses.
"Every club in Scotland now needs to pay attention to the young because it's the juniors who will be their future members."
The managing director of corporate affairs for Alliance Trust, who previously filled a similar role with Aberdeen Asset, Connon was an army officer for nearly 30 years and was awarded the MBE in 1992.
He doesn't rule out a merger with the Scottish Ladies Golf Association, which would make sound administrative sense, but would be surprised if anything happened on that front other than in the longer run.