Free golf lesson from PGA professionals

at Open Championship

Youngsters attending the Open Championship at Turnberry will not only have the chance to see stars like Tiger Woods but also grab a free lesson from a PGA professional.
Among the dedicated band of 20 pros dishing out a total of more than 1,000 15min lessons will be newly appointed PGA captain Jim Farmer.
The Scot, who in one of his first duties as captain attended the US Masters at Augusta, is relishing the opportunity to pass on his expertise at grassroots level and help the next generation of golfers improve their games.
“I used to do work with a 100 kids on a Saturday morning at St Andrews,” said Farmer who is also honorary professional for the Royal and Ancient Golf Club.
“I’m really looking forward to it, the children are really enthusiastic and we might only have 15 minutes but they can pick up a lot. Having taught so many kids one of the secrets is that you need to work on all the basics of grip, posture and stance but also get them up and running quickly so they can hit the ball and enjoy it. Also even if they don’t have the best grips or stance you actually find that kids are great at adapting.”
Other Scottish pros passing on their skills at the R&A Junior Golf Centre, where the Golf Foundation will also be running various activities, will be Bill Lockie, runner up in the 2009 Senior PGA Professional Championship (North Gailes Golf Centre), Andrew Wiley (Ardeer), Andrew Marshall (Houston Golf Range), Alex Knox (King James VI) and Anthony Mackrell (East Kilbride).
One pro deserving special mention is Kirkhill club pro Duncan Williamson who recently took advantage of the longest day in the year on June 21 to play his course as many times as possible throughout the day and evening in aid of charity.
Beginning at 3.05am and carrying his own bag, and accompanied by an assortment of celebrities and club members, he eventually came off the 18th green – for the eighth time – at 10.24pm.
Golf Foundation chief executive Mike Round said: “The Golf Foundation relies on a strong sense of partnership with PGA professionals for the whole year round. “In tandem with our regional development officers, PGA pros work wonders in taking golf into schools and then in turn welcoming youngsters to their golf facilities. This activity is crucial for the growth of the game. “Hopefully Turnberry will help to bring in a new generation of young golfers to all our golf clubs and help the sport to make further strong progress in the years ahead.”
The R&A Junior Golf Centre will be open from Sunday, July 12 to 19. Lessons can be booked on the day only.
The full team of PGA pros at the R&A Junior Centre next week are as follows:
Jim Farmer, Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
Allan Knox, King James VI G.C
Bill Lockie, North Gailes G.C
Anthony Mackrell, East Kilbride G.C
Andrew Marshall, Houston G.R
Simon Payne, Cowglen G.C
Duncan Williamson, Kirkhill G.C
Andrew Wylie, Ardeer G.C
Peter Ball, Birley Wood G.C, South Yorkshire
Joanne Bates, Lancashire
Alan Bradshaw, Bootle G.C, Merseyside
Shay Brennan, John Cook School of Golf, Oxfordshire
Sharon Brookes, Community Golf Coach, Blackpool
Gordon Cattrell, Middlesbrough G.C
Jon Darby, John Cook School of Golf, Oxfordshire
Geraint Dixon, Bedfordshire G.C
Jamie Donaldson, Cambridge G&CC
Kevin Flynn, Tournebury G.C, Hampshire
Ashley Howard, Hovenden Park G.C, Lincs
Stuart Hurstfield, Alyn Waters G.C, Cheshire
Jason Laszkowicz, Owston Hall Hotel & G.C, South Yorkshire
Duncan Moore, Keighley G.C, West Yorkshire
Paul Warner, Portsmouth G.C, Hampshire

Scott Knowles, a quiet man who lets

his achievements do the talking ...

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By MARTIN DEMPSTER
Scott Knowles, who led Scotland to the European title in his first match in charge, isn't someone who blows his own trumpet, according to the man who knows him best.
Indeed, dad Louis, who introduced Knowles to golf in Edinburgh when he was a young lad, reckons he might not have heard about Scotland's superb win in North Wales if he hadn't been contacted by the Evening News."Unless you actually ask Scott about something, he never really mentions what he's been doing on the golf front," said Knowles senior.
"Indeed, I didn't know that Scotland had made it to the final until I read it in the News on Saturday.
"He's never been someone to shout that he's done this or that. There are no airs or graces with Scott and, importantly from a team captain's point of view, he hasn't got an ego either."
Knowles, a former Scottish Golfer of the Year, was on a hiding to nothing when he took over from George Crawford, his predecessor having led the Scots to the World Championship as they lifted the Eisenhower Trophy for the first time last year.
For the first time in a number of years, Scotland didn't play any friendly internationals in the spring, meaning that Knowles found himself thrown in at the deep end as he led the side into battle at Conwy.
But, after scraping into the top flight by the skin of their teeth, a side comprising of Wallace Booth, Glenn Campbell, Gavin Dear, Paul O'Hara, Ross Kellett and Michael Stewart went from strength in the match-play phase, beating Sweden, Italy and then, in the final, England.
"This is right up there with my top achievements as a player," said Knowles, who, by sheer coincidence, had made his playing debut for Scotland over the same course 19 years ago."My players were fantastic throughout the week, displaying a never-say-die attitude from start to finish, and, what's more, they were easy to look after."
Knowles, a 47-year-old independent financial advisor in Edinburgh, cut his captain's teeth with the Lothians, leading them to three Scottish Area Team Championship triumphs.
Taking notice of those successes, the Scottish Golf Union got him involved with their junior teams and, having benefited from that involvement, he was the natural successor when Crawford's reign ended on such a high note.
"I certainly had a hard act to follow but I'm delighted with my start and now I'm looking forward to our defence of the Eisenhower Trophy next year," he added. "Before then, of course, we've got the Home Internationals at the end of August and I'm delighted that all six members of the team in Wales will be available for that."
It would also be nice to see a Lothians player, someone like Mark Hillson probably, pushing hard for a place in that team."
While he first started to play golf at Carrick Knowe, Knowles has been a member at Kingsknowe for 36 years, winning the club championship five times.
"Scott has been a great stalwart for Kingsknowe and for him to have led Scotland to the European title in his first match in charge is fantastic," said club captain Ian McDonald. "He's been good for the club, good for the Lothians and, now, good for Scotland."
Like Knowles, Graham Ewart, a former Scottish Golf Union president, is an honorary member of Kingsknowe. He said: "Scott has been a great servant, both as a player and, now, as a captain.He won the junior championship at the club and worked his way up from there, really making his mark, I suppose, when he won the Scottish Order of Merit in 1990."
Knowles' CV certainly makes for impressive reading, having won prestigious events such as the Craigmillar Park Open, East of Scotland Open, West of Scotland Open and South East District Open. He's also tasted Dispatch Trophy success with Carrick Knowe.
"My wife and I are very proud of his achievements," said Knowles senior. "He was a bit apprehensive about being Scotland captain for the first time but I told him that he'd done the job well for the Lothians in the past and that he should do things exactly the same way."
According to the man who succeeded him as Lothians captain, one of Knowles' main strengths is being able to create a good team spirit.
"From what I'd heard, that seemed to be something missing in the Scottish set up," said Keith Nicholson. "Along with many others from the Lothians no doubt, I sent Scott a text when I heard Scotland had won the final, asking if he'd be the last man standing at the celebrations on Saturday night and his reply was: 'Of course!'."
+The full article contains 803 words and appears in the Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.

St Michaels Golf Club member mystery solved

Thanks to reader Neil Stewart:

"I think you will find that Michael Williams is an Australian - not from St Michaels near Leuchars. He has been over with his pal (Brett?) playing in various events such as the Tennant Cup and the East of Scotland Open championship."

So, there we have it - Michael Williams of St Michaels Golf Club, Australia not St Michaels Golf Club, Leuchars.

LATER: Michael Williams himself has been in touch to confirm that Australia has a St Michaels Golf Club too. We've asked Michael to tell us a little bit about himself. Look out for that.

Fife youths match-play championship Scoreboard
AT PITREAVIE GOLF CLUB

S CRICHTON (Aberdour) bt A PILLANS (Kirkcaldy) 5 and 4.

E CRAWFORD (Aberdour) bt C SWORD (Canmore) 2 holes.

J ANDERSON (Glenrothes) bt J THORBURN (Forrester Park) 2 holes.

D MITCHELL (Leven Th) bt A MOIR (Thornton) 2 and 1.

SEMI FINALS. 09/07/09

S CRICHTON (Aberdour) v E CRAWFORD (Aberdour)

J ANDERSON (Glenrothes) v D MITCHELL (Leven Th)

Families triumph in Ross-

shire club championships

By ROBIN WILSON
The run of North golf club championship fixtures has continued with memorable and history- making results at Fortrose & Rosemarkie and Tain Golf Clubs.
Fortrose and Rosemarkie were first to turn up the eye-catching men's final between former champion Alan Cameron and one of the rising stars from the recent crop of teenage members who are now challenging the adults, in this instance Cameron's 18 year old nephew, Lewis Reid.
Reid immediately made an impression by leading the eight qualifiers into the match-play rounds with scores of 74 and 70.
Then he beat greenkeeper Kevin Fowler in the semi-finals to meet up with his uncle in the final. Cameron beat the holder Michael MacDonald on the last green in his semi-final to take his place in the final.
Cameron held a one-hole lead after nine holes and when his lead increased to two with a birdie from a bunker at the 10th hole it was expected he would dominate the remaining inward holes. But a lost ball and a three-putt over the next two holes gave his young an opening and with a birdie at the 12th Reid seized the lead for the first time.
A par figure win at the 16th hole gave him a dormy two position for the drama to unfold on the penultimate hole. Both drove into the bushes from the 17th tee and took penalty drops.
Cameron holed out first for a bogey 5, leaving Reid a 15ft putt for the title which he safely made to become Fortrose & Rosemarkie's youngest club champion.
The men's handicap championship final was won by Philip Schneir-Macrae who beat Malcolm McArthur by 2 and 1. First time winner of the Fortrose & Rosemarkie women's club championship was Kay Bissett who beat Dorothy Lloyd in the final.
Meanwhile club secretary Mike MacDonald, after losing his club championship, played in the Forres 36 hole open last Saturday and won the Brodie Trophy for the first time with two sub par rounds of 67 and 65 against the par of 70.

Father and daughter win Tain club titles
Tain's club championship week of match-play ties ended with David and Sammy Vass Becoming the club's first father and daughter champions in the same year (pictured above).
David Vass ended a 30-year wait-over since his only men's championship win in 1979. Over the years he married Magi (Russell that was), helped her raise two daughters, and carved a career in the oil industry, which curtailed his own golf.
David could only watch while his wife and sisters-in-law Anne Ryan and Mary Smith gathered the championship titles until his eldest daughter, Sammy (17), won the women's championship for the first time last year.
He had appeared in one other final some years ago but lost to former Tain greenkeeper Jocky Urquhart but on reaching last Saturday's final with a comfortable 15th hole win over Steve Holmes, he then met Billy Ferries who won his way through to the final with a narrow win over his younger brother and defending champion Munro.
From the finalists' first tee shots the final went Vass's way, Billy's drive hitting the face of the fairway bunker and falling back into the sand while the Vass ball landed short of the bunker and skirted past it by a few feet.
The Vass lead increased to two after three holes but was brought brought back to level by a Ferries birdie at the 10th. With sub par golf on the 11th and 15th holes, Vass re-established his two-hole lead but a Ferries birdie 2 on the 16th kept the game alive to the final hole where Vass secured the winning half and title.
David's elder daughter Sammy (17), still in form from the previous weekend at Royal Dornoch and with the winning score in the Northern Counties girls event for the McDiarmid Trophy at Nairn Dunbar earlier in the week, she was certainly up for her defence of the women's championship in a repeat final from last year against her aunt Anne Ryan.
With little to separate them over the first eight holes, Ryan cheaply gave away two holes round the turn and found herself three behind. From this point, unlike last year's final which stretched to the final green, the teenager swept to victory with birdies on the 11th, 12th and 14th holes.
The handicap finals resulted with a wins for Russell Marshall and Lorraine Mackay and earlier in the week James Cunningham won the men's senior championship.
Sammy Vass is also the club junior champion for 2009 and Alisdair MacKintosh the junior handicap champion.

Strathpeffer's Bethune wins Dornoch Seniors.
Strathpeffer's senior member Duncan Bethune said at the presentation that as a boy growing up in Dornoch he had received his first golfing lesson from the Royal Dornoch professional Robbie Grant. Bethune won the medal in memory of Grant, who served the club as professional from 1949 to 1958, in the Royal Dornoch senior open last Saturday.
During his early membership years at Royal Dornoch, Bethune became a scratch golfer, played for the North District and was a member of the Dornoch team who won the Northern Counties Cup in 1967. He also won two club championship titles, 1970 and 1982 before then leaving for a spell in Australia and then a return to settle in Strathpeffer.
Bethune headed the Royal Dornoch seniors field of over 100 with a 74 to win by one from all-day leader local Adrain Bagott whose 75 was one better than past North District champion Bryce Milne (Elgin).
In conjunction with the scratch medal there is also a medal present to the handicap winner in memory of Duncan (Barrel) Murray, greenkeeper on the course for over 50 years . This was won by the relative new settler to Dornoch, Tony Bartlett ex Sunningdale.

Fife Golf Association Stroke-play Scoreboard
CANMORE GOLF CLUB.
1st Colin Martin (Balbirnie Park GC) 68-61=129
1st Gary Sharp (St Andrews GC) 66-63=129
(18-hole play-off on Wednesday (5.45pm) at Canmore).
3rd Scott Crichton (Aberdour GC) 66-64 = 130 BLR
4th Brian Erskine (Ladybank GC) 64-66 = 130
5th Darren Gould (Ladybank GC) 64-68 = 132
6th Lee Stewart (Canmore GC) 66-67 = 133
7th Scott Michie (Thornton GC) 65-69 = 134
8th Gary Page (Balbirnie Park GC) 68-67 = 135 BLR
9th Gavin Wilson (Ladybank GC) 66-69 = 135 BLR
10th Robert Wallace (Canmore GC) 62-73 = 135

Winning Inverness Golf Club team group image from Thurso (left to right): Andrew Kenyon, Jamie Treasurer, Craig Black and Scott Murray (image courtesy of Robin Wilson).

Treasurer wins North District

boys' championship by five

By ROBIN WILSON
Inverness's Jamie Treasurer progressed from being the leading Under-16 years scorer in the 2007 North of Scotland boys' championship to becoming the North District boys' champion at sunny and hot Thurso Golf Club on Sunday.
It was the first time the championship had been staged played so far North and thankfully it attracted an entry of 40+forty. Thurso's parkland course is the most northerly golf course on the Scottish mainland and overlooks the Pentland Firth that seperates the mainland from the Orkney Isles.
It was redesigned to 18 holes several years ago with a par of 69 for its 5,853yd track.
Three handicapper Jamie Treasurer (Inverness) was one of two players to break par in the first round with a 68 that matched the first round CSS. The other was North youth champion Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon).
Chopping three stokes from his first-round card, Treasurer returned a 65 for 138, which gave him a three-stroke victory over Jeff Wright (Forres) who moved ahead of Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon) into second place after a better second round 66 to McAlpine's 71 left them in a tie on 138.
The leading Under-16 scorer was Jordan Shaw who travelled farthest north on the A9 from Kingussie to score 142 (72 + 70).
Treasurer teamed up with Inverness clubmates Andrew Kenyon, Craig Black and Scott Murray to win the Emslie Shield team prize with a total of 449.
LEADING TOTALS
Par 138 (2x69)
133 Jamie Treasurer (Inverness) 68 65.
138 Jeff Wright (Forres) 72 66, Lyle McAlpine (Invergordon) 67 71.
142 Ali Begg (Muir of Ord) 75 67, Jordan Shaw (Kingussie) 72 70.
143 Sean Burgess (Nairn) 71 72.
144 Danny Edwards (Elgin) 74 70.
145 Freddie Brown (Nairn Dunbar) 75 70.
146 Lewis Reid (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 71 75.
147 Philip Green (Forres) 73 74.
148 James Fraser (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 75 73.
150 Dale Wright (Alness) 78 72.
151 Peter Sangster (Thurso) 78 73, Craig Oram (Nairn Dunbar) 77 74, Rodger Clarke (Moray) 75 76.
153 Craig Black (Inverness) 81 72.
154 Andrew Burgess (Nairn) 76 78.
156 Craig McLean (Invergordon) 81 75.
158 Kieran MacKay (Inverness) 79 79, David Rumbles (Nairn Dunbar) 78 80.
163 Alistair Ross (Fort William) 83 78.
163 Craig Brown (Fort William) 87 76, Greg McEwan (Thurso) 84 79, Andrew Kenyon (Inverness) 83 80, Calum Graham (Nairn) 83 80.
164 Scott Murray (Inverness) 83 81, James Asher (Nairn) 83 81, Andrew Young (Garmouth & Kingston) 80 84.
165 Luke Manson (Strathpeffer Spa) 88 77.
169 Alleyn Sutherland (Thurso) 88 81, Rory Asher (Nairn) 87 82, Ian Stewart (Brora) 86 83.
170 David Wickenden (Nairn) 82 88.
173 Philip Schnier-Macrae (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 83 809.
178 Corey McAlpine (Invergordon) 94 84.
182 Ross Munro (Reay) 95 87.
185 Jordan Youngson (Thurso) 98 87.
190 Jake MacPherson (Kingussie) 97 93, Michael Devine (Nairn) 96 94.
202 Samuel Parkinson (Stromness) 105 97.
208 Shaun Innes (Nairn Dunbar) 107 101.

Mike McDonald wins Brodie Trophy

FORRES OPEN REPORT FROM DAVID MACKINTOSH
Forres Golf Club Manager

Competitors in the Brodie Trophy 36 hole Open at Forres on Saturday had to endure heatwave and monsoon conditions but the heavy downpour in the afternon helped cool the players.
Conditions obviously suited Mike MacDonald from Fortrose & Rosemarkie who had two magnificent rounds of 67 and 65 to take the trophy with a total of 132.
Local Junior Jeff Wright finished second, one stroke behind, on 133 while visitors Kevin Thomson (Moray) and Neil McWilliam (Garmouth) finished third and fourth respectively on 138.
The best net prize went to Alan Bonnyman (Keith) on 132 from Mark Jones on 133. Jordan Milne (Elgin) was third on 134.

Results (Players are from the host Club unless stated - Abbreviations - E, Elgin; F&R, Fortrose & Rosemarkie; G&K, Garmouth & Kingston; K, Keith; M, Moray):

Scratch
132 M MacDonald (F&R) 67, 65.
133 J Wright 66 67.
138 K Thomson (M) 69 69, N McWilliam (G&K) 68 70.
139 R McKerron 66 73.
140 J Milne (E) 72 68.
141 B R Fotheringham 71 70, M Jones 71 70, G Thomson (M) 70 71.
Handicap
132 A Bonnyman (K) (5) 67 65.
133 M Jones (4) 67 66, J Wright (scr) 66 67.
134 J Milne (E) (3) 69 65, M MacDonald (F&R) (+1) 68 66, S Capper (8) 65 69.
135 J Boon (5) 69 66, B Moir (K) (6) 68 67.
137 J Grigor (8) 70 67, R McKerron (1) 65 72.




Regards

David MacKintoshClub ManagerForres Golf ClubMuiryshadeFORRESIV36 2RD

Scotland crowned Champions of Europe

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
Scotland were crowned European Amateur Team Champions after claiming an emphatic 5-2 win over auld enemy England at Conwy Golf Club in North Wales on Saturday.
Adding to their World Championship success when Scotland triumphed in Australia at the end of last year to bring home the Eisenhower Trophy, Scotland’s six man team brought home their first European Amateur Team title in eight years to confirm their place as world leaders in the amateur game.
It was a final the Scots dominated throughout, claiming a 2-0 lead in the morning foursomes before going on to win the singles outright.
Gavin Dear and Glenn Campbell gave the team the ideal start by beating Dale Whitnell and Charlie Ford on the final hole of the opening foursomes tie, while Wallace Booth and Michael Stewart were registering a 2&1 victory over Bidwells Scottish Stroke Play Champion Tommy Fleetwood and partner Matt Haines.
SGU National Coach Ian Rae said, “Undoubtedly the double victory in the morning foursomes set us up perfectly for the afternoon singles and afforded us some breathing space. They played exceptionally well which really gave us the upper hand from the outset and we continued to build upon that momentum.”
Throughout the afternoon there was rarely cause for concern because of the dominance
Stewart and Ross Kellett were exerting in their matches against Whitnell and Fleetwood respectively, as they moved into four hole leads early in their matches.
Rae said, “There was no doubt that despite the calibre of their opponents these were matches that we looked set to win and were crucial in securing us points for our victory.”
World Cup winners Dear and Booth were the only players to suffer defeat in the singles campaigns, despite Dear taking his bout to the 19th hole, leaving it to last year’s Scottish Boys Champion Michael Stewart to claim the biggest win of the afternoon by adding a commanding 5&4 victory over Whitnell to the team effort. With Kellett surviving an impressive fightback from Fleetwood the opportunity fell to Edward Trophy winner Paul O’Hara to secure the victory when he sank the winning putt at the 17th.
“Paul sealed the deal but everyone today played their part in secu ring this great win for us, the whole event has been a great experience and a tremendous achievement to hold both world and European titles simultaneously,” said Rae.
“We selected a team which we felt could deliver at the highest level of the game and this victory today has cemented Scotland’s position at the top of the amateur game.”
With England having to settle for the runner up place, whilst Italy beat Norway to claim the bronze medal, the Scots showed that they reign supreme in the team game.

Scotland Team:
Wallace Booth (Comrie)
Glenn Campbell (Blairgowrie)
Gavin Dear (Murrayshall)
Ross Kellett (Colville Park)
Paul O’Hara (Colville Park)
Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck)

Sir Bob Charles and retired Moray Golf Club professional Alistair Thomson on the 18th green of the Old Course at Lossiemouth with 18-year-old Kyle Godsman on the extreme left of the line-up, and John Murray, Alistair's successor, on the extreme right. Image courtesy of Moray Golf Club secretary Steve Crane. Sir Bob, incidentally, said he simply "loved Lossiemouth" and thought the course was in excellent condition.

Jim "Mr Fixit" Hardie reports on the Sir Bob Charles' Tour

As promised, here is my final update with regard to Sir Bob Charle's visit to the North-east, as sadly my participation in his "wish list" tour has come to an end. He and Lady Verity are now en route to Castle Stuart, Brora and Tain, while sadly I'm back at work!
It was scorching hot at Lossiemouth on Saturday. Despite that, Sir Bob starts birdie-eagle. The eagle was courtesy of a five-iron second to 4 feet. Despite a triple bogey at the eighth, in jungle country difficulty, he was still out in 36, and to quote Sir Bob, "hit it very well for an inward nine of 33."

So once again he broke his age on this tour, having had a par-matching 71 at Montrose earlier. He tells me he first broke his age at 65, and has done it so many times he has no idea how often!
On Sunday at Nairn, again scorching hot, Sir Bob simply strolled round, even off the Tiger Tees.

He was two under par after 17, then unfortunately took an 8 at the last, courtesy of a lost ball, after his one errant tee shot all day, but still managed to shoot 73!

The pairings were Sir Bob and George Asher, the Nairn club captain, versus myself and Alex Webster, the vice-captain, and while it was a close encounter Alex and I went down 2 and 1.
Sir Bob had ex Ballater member Dave Cargill as a caddy and Sir Bob thought he did a great job, while George Asher had his young son Findlay pulling his cart
My "memories" from an all too brief, yet mega enjoyable week: I will reiterate how Gordon Brand Jnr was quoted after the recent Wales Senior Open as describing Sir Bob: "He is pure class."

As for myself, without a shadow of doubt it has been an absolute pleasure to have been a small part of Sir Bob's mini-tour of the North and North-east.

I shall be on my usual winter sabbatical to New Zealand come December and hopfully will cross swords with Sir Bob again in Christchurch. My one remaining wish would be to claim just ONE victory for my memoirs, as the total so far is ONE square game while accompanied by John Crammond against Sir Bob and Robbie Stewart at Cruden Bay, with the rest defeats, all very close, but defeats nevertheless!
I am off to visit an old recipe, which is called "back to practising," as if you can perform half as well as Sir Bob at 73, it will be well worth the effort.
I think I speak for all the people who have witnessed his talent: Thank you, Sir Bob, and "haste ye back."
Regards
Jim Hardie