Monday, April 20, 2009

Golf Data Lab to sponsor Scottish youths

championship for next two years

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
One of the country’s highest profile amateur golf events will have a new sponsor this season with the Aberdeen-based company Golf Data Lab committing their support to the Scottish youths championship for the next two years.
The championship, which boasts US PGA Tour star Martin Laird (2003), World Cup winner Wallace Booth (2004) and European Tour ace Steven Gallacher (1994) as former champions, takes place this year at Renfrew Golf Club from June 19 to 21 and welcomes Golf Data Lab as official title sponsors.
Golf Data Lab has been working with the Scottish Golf Union’s Elite Men’s Squad over recent months, providing statistical data analysis on player-performance during their winter programme.
It is now starting to be used by the nationals ladies’ squads and Academy squads throughout Scotland. The company’s new website, www.golfdatalab.com was launched last month and can be used by players of all abilities. A number of professional golfers are now using the programme, including one of Scotland’s newest recruits on the European Tour, Callum Macaulay, and Marc Warren, twice winner on Tour.
Managing Director Graeme Leslie is delighted to be coming on board to sponsor the event.
“The list of former winners of the Scottish Youths Championship illustrates the prestige of the event we are sponsoring and everyone at Golf Data Lab is looking forward to expanding our working relationship with the Scottish Golf Union," he said, adding:
“The services we provide to the squads and players at elite level can also be used by club golfers. We are passionate about helping to improve performances by analysing exactly what happens on the course, and have developed the programme with ultimate user-friendliness and with maximum click economy. The data reports, graphs and tables show precisely where strengths and weaknesses are.”
Peterhead’s Philip McLean, a Scotland youth international and a member of the Men’s squad this year, has been working with Golf Data Lab for almost two years and has recorded his last 147 rounds of competitive golf.
“I have been one of the pilot players in the development of Golf Data Lab’s services and the support they can offer golfers is fantastic. For any golfer with ambition to improve, it’s important to understand your performance data so you can work harder on the areas that need improving," said Philip.
"Having played in the Scottish Youths Championship myself, I know what a great event it is with a strong pedigree and by having a new sponsor on board, I’m sure it will continue to attract one of the best young fields in the UK.”
Performance measurements used by Golf Data Lab include innovations never seen before in world golf and are already proving to be highly effective. Programmes can be tailored to suit golfers of all abilities and golfers can register on the Golf Data Lab website with an annual subscription from £36, with a share of profits from Scottish golfers being reinvested in the Scottish Golf Academy.

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Mark Barnard wins card countback over

Gareth Wright at Linksland at Dunbar

Inchmarlo Golf Centre, Banchory assistant professional Mark Barnard won the £520 first prize in the Linksland at Dunbar event for young pros at the Dunbar links today.
Mark shot a five-under-par 66, a score which was matched by former Welsh amateur international Gareth Wright (West Linton). A card countback was the tie-breaker in Barnard's favour. Gareth's consolation award was £400.
Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links) finished third on 68 to earn the £300 third prize with James McGhee (Turnhouse) fourth on 69 and picking up £230.
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 71
66 Mark Barnard (Inchmarlo) £520, Gareth Wright (West Linton) £400 (Barnard won card countback).
68 Iain Colquhoun (Dundonald Links) £300.
69 James McGhee (Turnhouse) £230.
70 Graham Fox (East Kilbride), Mark Kerr (Bathgate) £172.50 each.
71 Neil Fenwick (Dunbar), Terry Mathieson (Kings Acre), Paul McKechnie (Braid Hills), Malcolm Isaacs (Nairn Dunbar) £109.50 each.
72 David Parick (Elie), Scott Herald (Mearns Castle), Alastair Love (Charleton), Nathan Keast (Duff House Royal) £70.25 each.
73 Alan Martin (Dunbar), Ewan Hogarth (Peebles), Heather MacRae (Gullane), Paul Gallacher (Dalmuir), Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle), Christopher Currie (Caldwell), Adam Aitken (Dumfries & Co), Andrew Carlton (Cawder) £35.75 each.
74 Christopher Boyle (Lanark), Steven Duncan (Balbirnie Park), Malcolm Murray (Buchanan Castle), Scott Spence (unatt), Craig Dempster (Inchmarlo).
75 Stephen Lamb (Broomieknowe), Andrew McIntyre (Ranfurly Castle), Kevin Campbell (Balmore), Petr McLachlan (West Kilbride), David Broadfoot (Dumfries & Co).
76 Ian Rowlands (West Linton), Mark Finlayson (Edzell), Bobby Wallace (Buchanan Castle).
77 Stuart Hutchison (Nevada Bobs), David Blackadder (Kingsbarns), Ross Ewen (West Lothian), Craig Knowles (unatt), Brian Gibson (Carrick at Cameron House), Luke Barbour (Cruden Bay).
78 David Laing (Craigielaw), Steven Mann (Newmachar), Daniel Wood (Eyemouth), Ross Neill (Drumpellier), Katie Thomson (Kings Links), Craig Matheson (Falkirk Tryst).

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Black Isle Foursomes' 2008
winners repeat their success
By ROBIN WILSON
(Images by courtesy of Robin)
It was a case of “As you were” at Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club where both pairings in the Black Isle Foursomes retained the ICR Solutions trophies, the first time it can be recalled this has happened in the 29-year history of the competition.
Inverness and the home club provided the eight golfers in the two finals. In the scratch final the holders, Ewan Forbes and Allan Cameron, defended against clubmates John Forbes and David Sanderson and in the handicap final, the holders, Kevin Fowler and Michael Manson, played clubmates Steven Bassingdale and Ewen Skinner
Despite fine sunny weather, the scratch scoring to get a place in Sunday's match-play draw was a bit higher than expected. Forbes and Sanderson were the leading qualifiers with 74 and 72 for 146, followed by Forres pair Bryan Fotheringham and Robert McKerron on 149 (72 and 77).
The holders got through with 76 & 74 for 150 as did the only home pairing, Morty Ross and Lewis Reid.
For teenagers Ross & Reid it was their first venture into the scratch section after becoming handicap trophy winners in 2006 and in the step up against two North District players, Forbes and Sanderson they put up a plucky show going under 3 and 1.
The second semi final was a show piece. Fotheringham and McKerron had three birdies over the first five holes but were then hit by five over the next six holes from the champions that put them ahead and their place in the final with a 2 and 1 result.
The lack of any spring rain is beginning to dry up the Fortrose fairways but Kevin Fowler's greens have stood the test although losing finalists might not share that view for they did not get their share of putts. They lost two outward holes to three-putt greens and the Cameron and Forbes birdie putt on the third green put the holders in charge and three ahead at the turn for home.
Forbes and Sanderson did hole out for a birdie 3 on the 10th green to pull one back but immediately had a three-putt on the next and when they repeated the error on the 14th they fell four behind. The trophy was retained by the holders on the next green. After a delicate approach over the bunker from Sanderson his partner failed to convert from three feet to keep the game alive.
The home club provided all four handicap qualifiers. David Lackie and Ian Morrison led the qualifying scores with nett 138, followed by Bassingdale and Skinner on 144. Sharing the next two places on 145 were Graham Stewart and Colin Harrison and the holders, Manson and Fowler.
Bassingdale and Skinner booked their place in the final with a 3 and 2 win over Stewart and Colin while Manson and Fowler found a higher gear to record a 6 and 4 win over No 1 seeds Lackie and Morrison.
After nine holes in the handicap final Fowler and Manson held a one- hole advantage but made a significant move over the next five. They took the 10th and 11th holes to move three ahead then when Skinner raced his first putt past the pin on the 14th and his partner missed the return the holders were four in front with just five to play.
The head greenkeeper and his young partner, still in good form after reaching the fourth round of the Scottish boys at Royal Aberdeen, took the short walk back to the clubhouse from the 16th tee after to pick up the trophy for a second time after securing the necessary half on the 15th green.

Qualifying Rounds
Scratch
146 J Forbes and D Sanderson (Inverness) 74 72.
149 B Fotheringham and R McKerron (Forres) 72 77.
150 A Cameron and J Forbes (Inverness) 76 74, M Ross and L Reid (F&R) 75 75.
Handicap
138 D Lackie and I Morrison (13).
144 S Bassingdale and E. Skinner (5).
145 G Stewart and C Harrison (13), K Fowler and M Manson (5).

Match-play results:
SCRATCH
Semi-finals - Cameron and E Forbes bt Fotheringham and McKerron 2 and 1, J Forbes and Sanderson bt Ross and Reid 3 and 1 .
Final – Cameron and E Forbes bt J Forbes and Sanderson 4 and 3.
HANDICAP
Semi-finals - Fowler and Manson bt Lackie and Morrison 6 and 4, Bassingdale and Skinner beat Harrison amd Stewart 3 and 2.
Final – Fowler and Manson bt Bassingdale and Skinner 4 and 3.

Pictured above: Fortrose line up – left to right – Kevin Fowler, Colin Harrison (Sponsor ICR) Michael Manson Allan Murray (Captain Fortrose & Rosemarkie), Allan Cameron and Ewan Forbes.,


Dornoch Junior Open

With a three-birdie inward half of 32 (three under par) Strathlene junior Ryan Bain (pictured above with trophy) won the Royal Dornoch junior open with a final card of two under par 68.
Scratch handicapper holder Bain birdied the 12th, 15th and 16th holes to finish four ahead of Freddie Brown (Nairn Dunbar).
The outstanding score of the day came from Ross Black (Inverness) whose gross 73 converted to a nett 62 to win the over 15 age section.
Results:
CSS 70.
Scratch
68 R Bain (Strathlene).
72 F Brown ( Nairn Dunbar) 72.
73 R Black (Inverness), S Burgess (Nairn), L McAlpine (Invergordon & Dornoch).
75 P Sangster (Thurso) .
Handicap
Over 15 years - R. Black (Inverness) (11) 62; N Macleod (Royal Dornoch) (18) 64; C Burnett (Royal Dornoch) (21) 65; S Burgess (Nairn) (6), S Ednie (Inverness) (21) 67.
Under 14 years - N. Sutherland (Muir of Ord) (17), Eleanor Tunn (Reay) (19) 63; C Oram (Nairn) (26) 67; L Hogg (Alness) (11) 68; N Brennan (Muir of Ord) (19) 70.
Matheson & Phimster Trophies – S. Clark (Royal Dornoch) (24) 62.




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Hugh Hunter's Clackmannan County news round-up

COUNTY GOLF SEASON 2009

The Clackmannan County golf season will be up and running as from this coming weekend, with the Spring Meetings at Tulliallan (Division 1) and Dollar (Division 2). Draws have been published, and at Tulliallan, the Spring qualifiers for the county match-play championships will be determined.
Immediately following the Spring Meetings, the Clackmannan county boys will be in action in their championships.
County president Sam Kinnaird (Tillicoultry) commented on the lower than usual entry: “ We have had over 50 entries in previous years, but this year its down to about 30 - however the quality is good with a number of young low handicap golfers keen to make their mark.”
Dollar players must be favourites on their home ground on April 26, and it will be interesting to see if last year's champions, Gary Chalmers (Dollar) and Lawrence Allan (Alva), can retain their titles.
Again, qualifiers will be obtained for the match-play events, both scratch and handicap. Boys selectors will also be looking for talent to represent Clackmannanshire in the SGA area boys team event at the beginning of June over the Ballumbie Castle course on the northern outskirts of Dundee.
Next week sees the first of the county fours ties over Alva course.

COUNTY MATCH AT BURNTISLAND


The Clackmannan county team will be hoping for third time lucky in the last of the Provan Salver events.
It will be a tall order since the match against Fife is on their home (hilly) ground at Burntisland on Sunday. Among those representing Clackmannan are Steven Horne, John Maxwell, Iain Munro (Tulliallan), Ross Benvie (Braehead), Jamie Aitken, David Milloy (Alloa) and Darren Hulston (Dollar).
After this match, the next will be another match against Fife in the Scottish Golf Union area team championship, this time at home over Braehead towards the end of May.

Hugh Hunter

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