Local hero Ferries wins North Alliance at Tain

By ROBIN WILSON
Out of the frame when the previous North Golf Alliance competition was played at Royal Dornoch in mid-November, Tain's Munro Ferries and Thurso's Bryan Ronald took the first two places at Tain on Sunday, the home player nicking first place from Ronald with a 73 to a 74.
Fifty-one members braved a very cold but dry 18 holes and over the first nine of these Ferries had a count of 36 (one over the winter par) which left the visitor with a lot of catching up to do.
The Thurso member had begun brightly with a birdie 3 and made par 3 from the winter second hole tee, but from a bogey at the third hole Ronald went into a downward spiral. He left the par-5 fourth green with a 7 on his card and three holes later ran up another double bogey to add up to an outward 40 - four more than Ferries.
Ferries, the local champion, who has already won twice on the North circuit, dropped two shots at the “Alps” but got one back with a birdie at the downwind 13th hole but Ronald left his recovery too late. He matched the local's birdie at the 14th and then got himself into the mix with successive birdie 2s on the 16th and 17th greens.
Despite Ferries taking three from the edge of the final green for a bogey 5, Ronald's recovering inward count of 34 still left him a stroke behind in second place. Ronald has already won once on this year's circuit and this was his second runner up place behind Ferries.
The Caithness travelling members to Tain had only one other score below 80, Wick's Ronald Taylor who fell back from his 71 at Royal Dornoch to a 78 (39-39) over Tain.
Andrew Watt's 75 (39-36) over his home course, also with a birdie 2 on the 16th, was in third scratch place and then first handicap (off 7) with net 68. Clubmate Alan MacKenzie included a triple bogey 7 on his card at the ninth hole but still made a gross 78 (38-40), net 72, for second handicap place .
Outgoing Brora captain Ken Lorimer improved four shots on his outward 43 for an inward 39 to make the difference in his card play-off with local Steve Holmes for 3rd/4th place and Charlie Burness (Thurso) managed a fifth place with net 74, off 6.
But what a turn up in the Class 2 Section when Thurso's senior Alliance member, Alf Williamson, led the way in Class 2 with the best low net of the day. His 66 from a handicap 16 left the remainder of his section in his slipstream by seven shots after he carded two halves of 41. Williamson matched his clubmate Ronald's birdie at the first hole then also followed Ronald to a couple of double bogies before the tenth was reached but a steadier inward half followed and he finished strongly with three par figures to hold 41 again.
Steve Mackay and John Avison kept the Durness club prominent once again, second and fourth places in Class 2, and Angus MacDonald (Ullapool) a repeat of his Royal Dornoch third position.
Before the mid season break the popular three-ball-better-ball competition will be played at Brora on December 13 with lots of Christmas and Hogmanay fare as the prizes.
Results:
SCRATCH
73 M Ferries (Tain).
74 B Ronald (Thurso).
75 A Watt (Tain).
77 M Sangster (Tain), S Holmes (Tain).
78 A Mackenzie (Tain), R W Taylor (Wick), C Stewart (Brora).
HANDICAP
Class 1 – A Watt (Tain) (7) 68; A Mackenzie (Tain) (6) 72; K Lorimer (Brora) (9), S Holmes (Tain) (4) 73; C Burness (Thurso) (6) 74.
Class 2 – A Williamson (Thurso) (16) 66; S Mackay (Durness) (15) 73; A MacDonald (Ullapool (16) 77; J Avison (Durness) (16) 78.

South African Sunshine Tour
NEDBANK AFFINITY CUP
Lost City Golf Course
FIRST ROUND
Par 72
All players from South Africa unless stated
65 Des Terblanche.
66 Keenan Davidse, Mark Murless, Toto Thimba.
67 Warren Abery, Trevor Fisher junior, Doug McGuigan, Tjaart Van der Walt, Omar Sandys.
Selected scores:
70 Neil Cheetham (England), Stuart Clark (Wales) (jt 19th).

O'Hara, Drummond, Gallacher look safe

to beat fourth-round cut in Spain

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
By Nick Rodger
Scott Drummond produced a late rally at PGA Catalunya near Girona in North-east Spain to keep his bid for an instant return to the European Tour on track in the third round of the Final Qualifying School.
The former PGA champion birdied his closing two holes in a battling one-under 69 on the Tour course to sit just outside the card-winning top 30 with a five-under 207, nine behind halfway leaders, Simon Khan and Charlie Ford, who are locked on 198.
Since he triumphed in the European circuit's flagship event at Wentworth in 2004, Drummond's career has nose-dived, but the 35-year-old is showing signs that he is ready to emerge from the golfing wilderness. His earnings of more than £205,500 in 2009 were almost double the amount he had gathered in the three previous seasons put together and, despite losing his tour card last month having finished 128th on the rankings, the Devon-based Scot is confident of a return to the top table.
"I felt I was playing well enough to avoid coming to the tour school but I just didn't do enough in my final events," said Drummond, whose late brace of birdies repaired the damage caused by four dropped shots at the start of his back nine.
"It has been a tough spell but the hard work I've done over the past 12 months is starting to come together and I'm happy with the way my game is going. I lost my rhythm for a couple of holes today with those dropped shots but the birdies were a nice way to finish it off."
Motherwell's Steven O'Hara leads the Scottish challenge after a two-under 68 left him tied 22nd on a six-under 206 while former Dunhill Links champion Stephen Gallacher holed his second shot from 40 yards at the sixth in a 68 for a four-under 208.
Andrew Oldcorn, the 2001 PGA champion, racked up 35 putts in a damaging one-over 71 as he dropped back with a one-under 211. "It was one of the worst putting displays I've had and it was a disgrace," seethed Oldcorn. "It was a snapshot of my career over the last four years and if you can't putt, you can't expect to compete."
Andrew Coltart, the former Ryder Cup player, joined Oldcorn on the 211 mark with Fife's George Murray a shot back on 212 after a spirited three-under 69 on the longer Stadium course.
The field will be cut to the leading 70 and ties after Tuesday's fourth round.
Callum Macaulay, joint 90th on 214, Greig Hutcheon and Jamie McLeary, joint 97th on 215, have that proverbial mountain to climb and really need an outstanding fourth-round score to keep them in the hunt.
For Eric Ramsay, joint 125th on 219, and Alan McLean, joint 133rd on 220, it looks a lost cause.

Still an England 1-2-3 at the top of the leaderboard in Spain

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
English pair Charlie Ford and Simon Khan are locked at the top of the leaderboard at the halfway mark of The European Tour Qualifying School after matching third rounds of 67 in Spain. The joint overnight leaders are one stroke clear of compatriot Jamie Elson on 14 under par after taking advantage of a day perfectly suited to low scoring at PGA Catalunya Resort in Girona.
Both players reached the turn one under par for their round after two birdies each and one bogey, Ford’s coming on the 14th hole and Khan’s on the 15th. Ford edged clear when he picked up a shot on the third hole – his 12th on the Tour Course – before both he and Khan birdied the seventh hole.
Leicester's Ford then bogeyed the eighth hole but both players ended their rounds on a high with birdies on the ninth hole to share the lead ahead of Elson, who closed the gap to one shot with a round of 66.
Ford is trying to win a European Tour card for the first time having recently returned from the United States, where he studied at the University of Tennessee. The 24 year old only joined the professional ranks with a handicap of plus four just before the First Stage but, after another solid round, he appears well positioned to graduate at the first attempt.
“I didn’t play quite as well as I did yesterday, it was just one of those days where I didn’t hit a lot of great numbers and I had to be more conservative.” he said. “I was pretty steady though and happy with the round.
“It helped playing with Simon and Jamie because you’re kind of feeding off each other a bit. Everyone’s pretty happy with their game so you see a lot of good shots and birdies and the putts were going in, so it definitely helps. I enjoyed playing with them today, it was good.
“I just had a real solid day and didn’t really hit any poor shots, just kept everything in play and hardly missed a green all day – I just missed one or two so it was pretty stress-free really. At the start of the day I’d have definitely taken it.
“It’s definitely a new experience playing six stroke-play rounds but it’s just another tournament and, although it feels like I’ve been here a long time, we’re still only halfway.”
The more experienced Khan, who won the Celtic Manor Wales Open in 2004, is visiting the Qualifying School for the ninth time and is looking for his third graduation, following successful visits in 2001 and 2002. He said not forcing his game was the key to his round and, ultimately, success at the Qualifying School.
“Overall I’m very happy, because I managed to stay patient,” said the 37 year old. “I only made one bogey on the back nine, which was my front nine. I hit it in the water on the 15th hole, which was probably my only bad shot of the day, and I got heavily punished for it. I wouldn’t say I really ripped it today, but I’ve hit a lot of fairways and greens.
“All three of us were probably a little bit tentative with our putting – maybe the overnight rain might’ve slowed the greens up a touch. For whatever reason, we didn’t really get the ball running at the hole at the start of the round so I probably didn’t pick up as many shots as I would’ve liked, but I kept going after the turn, and in the end I got my rewards with a couple of birdies. So I was pleased with how I managed to stay patient.
“There’s still a long way to go – I said to myself this morning that there are still four rounds left, so forget about the fact that you’re tied for the lead. You’ve just got to go out there and play to the best of your ability – that’s what I’m going to try to do.”
Spain’s Alejandro Cañizares boosted his chances of gaining a European Tour card for 2010 with a superb nine under par, bogey-free round of 61 on the par 70 Tour Course which included seven birdies and an eagle on the 10th hole as he came back in just 29 shots.
That round, which was just one stroke outside the lowest of the week so far set by Julien Guerrier on the first day, moved the Spaniard up to a share of fourth place on ten under par, four shots off the pace, along with Marco Ruiz of Paraguay who carded a 63.
Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera, the 2007 European Challenge Tour winner, is a shot further back after a 64, as Michiel Bothma of South Africa, Wales’ Stuart Manley, Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden and Sam Walker of England.
There will be a cut after the fourth round when the leading 70 players and ties will go on to play over PGA Catalunya Resort's Stadium Course for the final two rounds. The leading 30 players and ties at the end of the sixth round will secure cards for the 2010 European Tour International Schedule.
LEADING THREE-ROUND SCORES
198 Charlie Ford (Eng) 67 64 67, Simon Khan (Eng) 68 63 67.
199 Jamie Elson (Eng) 68 65 66
202 Alejandro Canizares (Spa) 74 67 61, Marco Ruiz (Par) 71 68 63, Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 66 69 67.
203 Michiel Bothma (SAf) 74 64 65, Michael Lorenzo-Vera (Fra) 69 70 64, Stuart Manley (Wal) 66 72 65, Sam Walker (Eng) 70 64 69.
Selected scores:
205 Philip Archer (Eng) 68 70 67, James Ruth (Eng) 64 75 66.
206 Sam Hutsby (Eng) 69 72 65, Gary Murphy (Ire) 69 67 70, Steven O'Hara (Sco) 68 70 68, Lee Slattery (Eng) 65 74 67 (jt 22nd).
207 Scott Drummond (Sco) 69 69 69 (jt 33rd).
208 Stephen Gallacher (Sco) 68 72 68, Niall Kearney (Ire) 72 68 68, Miles Tunnicliff (Eng) 65 73 70 (jt 39th).
211 Andrew Coltart (Sco) 71 71 69, Andrew Oldcorn (Sco) 72 68 71 (jt 67th).
212 George Murray (Sco) 73 70 69 (jt 77th).
214 Callum Macaulay (Sco) 70 73 71 (jt 90th).
215 Greig Hutcheon (Sco) 73 72 70, Jamie McLeary (Sco) 72 74 69 (jt 97th).
219 Eric Ramsay 72 73 74 (jt 125th).
220 Andrew McLean (Sco) 76 71 73 (jt 133rd).

ROBBIE STEWART TO BECOME CRUDEN

BAY DIRECTOR OF GOLF IN JANUARY

Cruden Bay Golf Club has promoted head professional Robbie Stewart to the post of director of golf, with effect from January.
The 48-year-old, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, will assume responsibility for all aspects of the day-to-day running of the club from the green staff through to memberships, visitor bookings and marketing.
His assistant, Neil Murray, will become the club's professional.
Stewart, who has been with the club for 18 years, held off some stiff competition for the role and believes a personal decision to boost his qualifications by taking the PGA Director of Golf course played a crucial part in helping him land the role.
"There's no doubt in my mind that the skills and knowledge gained while working towards the PGA Director of Golf qualification gave me the edge with my application," said Stewart.
"It's something in black and white to show the members that tells you I can do the job.
"I would have no hesitation in recommending the course to other pros. My own situation was that a management role was something I had fancied doing for a while.
"I knew the secretary, Rosemary Pittendrigh, was going to be retiring and also knew that if I wanted a managerial role that this
qualification would help.
"A lot of the course was by correspondence and showing evidence of the skills that I already had. It probably took me about six months of fairly steady study and being able to confirm some of the skills I had but it was very rewarding."
Now Robbie Stewart, who hails from the North, is looking forward to a new chapter in his career.

Exhibition match participants (left to right): Donald Jamieson, Bryan Innes, David Law and Sandy Pirie.

The day David Law was

honoured by Hazlehead

The 'Presentation day for David Law' at Hazlehead Golf Club, Aberdeen teed off at 2pm with a golf match between David Law and fellow Hazlehead member, former Walker Cup player Sandy Pirie against Donald Jamieson and Brian Innes over 11 holes at Hazlehead No. 1 course (1-6 and 14-18).
The match was won 2 and 1 by James and Innes. A crowd of some 70 people of all ages watched and enjoyed the vintage golf by present and past Scottish champions and international players.
Former Scottish champion Donald Jamieson (Nigg Bay) had a 2 at the third hole where he holed his five-iron approach shot and fromer Scotland cap Brian Innes (Murcar Links) followed at the fourth hole with a 3 and the advantage was held throughout the remaining holes.

Former Walker Cup player and past Scottish men's and boys' champion (in different years), Hugh Stuart, the current captain of Murcar Links Golf Club, was unable to accept an invitation to take part in the exhibition match.
The presentation to David Law followed in the clubhouse to which all the crowd were invited, The captain of Hazlehead Golf Club Mike Faulkner spoke of David's achievement in winning the Scottish boys' match-play championship (at Royal Aberdeen) and the Scottish men's amateur match-play championship (at Royal Troon) , both in the 2009 season, and bestowed on him honorary membership.
David was presented with a glass trophy, inscribed with his achievements, by Gordon Murray (pictured above), vice-president of the Scottish Golf Union and a life-long member of the Hazlehead club.
All players in the exhibition match received a memento of the day.
Note from the Editor of Scottishgolfview.com: The above item should have appeared within days of the match and presentation to David Law back in October but, due to the Editor being on holiday in Portugal at the time, it was put into an electronic "pending" tray and never called up until Gordon Murray reminded the Editor about it at the North-east District annual dinner last Saturday night. Better late than never!

Michael Sim goes 'home' for the

Australian PGA Championship

FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA WEBSITE
They’re three of the hottest young golfers on the planet, they’re Aussies and they’re coming home for summer! (Aberdeen-born) Michael Sim, pictured right, Marc Leishman and James Nitties will line up at the Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola and all have one intention – to win the PGA Tour of Australasia’s season-ending event.
In a massive bonus for Aussie golf fans the young guns announced will compete at the PGA of Australia’s flagship event, to be held at the Hyatt Regency Coolum on Queensland's Sunshine Coast from December 10-13.
Michael Sim has been a revelation on the world golf scene in 2009 and it’s not hard to see why. The West Australian (who emigrated from Scotland to Perth with his parents when he was seven years old) broke just about every Nationwide Tour record on his way to gaining a ‘Battlefield Promotion’ to the US PGA Tour.

In August, in just his 12th event Sim claimed his third Nationwide Tour victory for 2009 at the Christmas in October Classic and became the first player on the Nationwide Tour to top the half million dollar mark. He held the number one place on the Money List for a record-breaking six months and made history by being the first Nationwide Tour player to crack the world top 100 on May 18. To top it off Sim made his Major debut at both the US Open and USPGA Championships with the highlight partnering Tiger Woods for the final round at Bethpage where he finished in 18th place.
Now ranked 66th (a year ago he was 312), Sim, a former world No l amateur, whose best result in three appearances at Coolum was a tie for third place in 2007, said he was looking forward to capping off his incredible year with a strong performance in front of a home crowd.
“I really enjoy going to Coolum. It’s a fun event and will be a great way to finish off the 2009 season,” said Sim. “I’ve had a few wins overseas this year and it would be great to close out the season with a victory on home soil so I’ll be gearing up to give it a shot and finish the year on a high note.”
Similarly, Marc Leishman has wowed the US crowds as his star rises, but typical of the boy from Warrnambool in regional Victoria, it’s all been done in his own quiet way. Winner of six tournaments in Australia, the unassuming 25-year-old won his USPGA Tour card via finishing in the Top 25 on the Nationwide Tour in 2008.

Like Sim, Leishman has been paired with Woods along the way and finished second to the world No 1 at the BMW Championship. Amassing over $2 million from all events this year Leishman, 47th on the US Tour Money List, has headed back home to Australia with the aim of winning the Kirkwood Cup to cap off a magic 2009.
“This year has been an amazing year for me and I can’t wait to get home to play in front of a home crowd and some familiar faces. The Australian PGA Championship is in one of my favourite places in the world so what a great place to finish off the year - hopefully with a win.”
“The final event it could see everything come down to the wire and make for a really exciting conclusion to the Australasian Tour season and the Order of Merit.”
Completing the trio is 27 year old New South Welshman James Nitties. Of the three Nitties came closest to claiming the Australian PGA title when he finished runner up to Peter Lonard in 2004 in just his fourth professional appearance. He followed that with a tie for eighth place in 2006. After his form was affected by a debilitating case of reactive arthritis first diagnosed in 2005 Nitties bounced back earning his 2009 US PGA Tour card after finishing second at Qualifying School. His consistency in 2009 saw him claim two top 10 finishes and seven top 25s.

With a year in the US under his belt, the popular Novacastrian (a native of New South Wales) will head home for the summer for his fifth appearance at Coolum.
“The Australian PGA Championship holds very fond memories for me as it was like my ‘breakthrough event’ on the Australasian Tour,” said Nitties. “I finished second in 2004 which was my first season so I came close to claiming a win there. I missed last year for the first time since I turned pro because of a clash with US Tour School so it will be great to return home knowing that I have my US Tour card for next year and that I can concentrate on putting all my energies in to making another grab at the title.”

A Royal Aberdeen golf course view painted by Stephen Shankland.

Scottish artist Stephen Shankland commissioned

to paint Arnold Palmer portrait

NEWS RELEASE BY HELEN HEADY
Scottish artist Stephen Shankland has been commissioned by one of golf’s most prestigious magazines, Kingdom, to paint the legendary Arnold Palmer for the front cover of its Winter edition.
An award-winning figurative artist, Shankland caught the eye of Kingdom’s publishers, TMC USA, following his first foray into golf art earlier this year when he produced a series of landscape paintings depicting some of Scotland’s most renowned golf courses.
“This issue of Kingdom reviews some of the many special celebrations and accolades bestowed upon Mr Palmer in honour of the King’s 80th birthday and we wanted to mark this momentous occasion with a front cover would give the magazine special gravitas and a commemorative feel,” commented John Halnan of TMC USA.
“We decided that a painted portrait of Mr Palmer would give us the feel we were looking for and perceived Stephen as the perfect choice to portray him given his tremendous talent for producing breathtaking portraits backed up by his association and involvement in golf art.”
In the main, Kingdom is exclusively gifted to existing and new members at over 200 Arnold Palmer-designed golf courses across the United States such as the Bay Hill Golf Club and Sawgrass Golf Club and at a number of Palmer-associated events.

The magazine is also available at selected premier resorts, Palmer affiliates and on subscription and contains editorial of the highest calibre written by some of the best known names in golf journalism, covering just about every aspect of the game.
This commission marks the second time Stephen has been called upon to paint a professional golfer. In 2006 the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club employed him to depict the then US amateur champion, Richie Ramsey. It was during the sittings for this portrait that Shankland’s interest in golf course landscapes was ignited and he realised that golf courses have infinite potential for abstraction using figures and landscapes together.
Since then he has focused his artistic attention on three of his homeland’s most recognised golf courses; the iconic Old Course in St Andrews, Royal Aberdeen Golf Club, the sixth oldest club in the worldand home to the 2011 Walker Cup and Turnberry, host to the 2009 Open Championship.
“I am extremely honoured to have been asked to produce a portrait of Arnold Palmer, one of the greatest golfers ever, given the relatively short time that I have been involved in the world of golf art,” comments Stephen. “It is my new passion and I am looking forward to adding to my collection of golfing scenes and bringing to life in paint the interaction between the landscape and players.
“I paint my golfers with great attention to detail in order to give the viewer a real sense of the game in action and their emotional experience that in turn plays off against the expressive or impressionistic style which I utilize to paint the landscape.”
The result is an energetic and vibrant look at the game that gives a modern take on golfing action that has rarely been seen in golf art in the past.
Shankland is currently looking to extend his golf portfolio by painting Carnoustie, Royal Troon and Muirfield golf courses and then to travel to the US to capture some of America’s most revered courses.
For a taste of Stephen Shankland’s golf art, please log on to http://www.auldkirk.com/ or for more information on Kingdom, visit http://www.arnieskingdom.com/.

Editor’s Notes:
About Stephen Shankland
Born in Irvine, Stephen Shankland has an outstanding figurative pedigree; he graduated from Gray’s School of Art in Aberdeen with a 1st class BA (Hons) degree in Design and has since won a number of awards including the 2004 BP Portrait Award which led to an exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The 38-year-old is also a member of The Royal Society of Portrait Painters.
Amongst his most notable commissions are portraits of Sir Peter Mansfield, which hangs at The National Portrait Gallery and Peter Chapman, Lay Canon of St Paul’s Cathedral for the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's.
“Painting for me is not always about faithfully copying what is in front of you. In fact the real magic in a painting is found when the artist makes a variety of individual judgments and decisions, whether that choice is in texture, brush marks, colour harmonies or composition. Using these techniques in the golf environment, I am able to transcend the basic game of golf into a work of fine art that appeals to golfers and non-golfers alike as it is both realist and expressionist simultaneously,” explains Shankland, who is represented by the Auld Kirk Gallery in Aberdeen.
“Stephen has captured something quite unique in his study of golf courses; he has managed to accurately portray golfers in action in the correct stances as well as to suggest different weather conditions, the subtlety of the light and the ruggedness and drama of golf course terrain,” comments Ronnie MacAskill, owner of the Auld Kirk Gallery and Royal Aberdeen GC's director of golf..
“This is something very new, exciting and different and there are no golf paintings in the world just now that are quite like them. Most of what I’ve seen are illustrations of the courses themselves whilst Stephen manages to add the human involvement of the golfer with the course in a truly exceptional fashion.”

Presentation at the North District agm: left to right - Donnie Godsman, Jim Fallon (championship convener), Rodger Clark, Calum Stewart, Alister Paterson (junior convener), Gordon Hay.

Tain's Ian Ross double presidency role until January

By ROBIN WILSON

At the annual general meeting of the North District of the Scottish Golf Union, current President of the Scottish Golf Union, Ian H. Ross (Tain) took on the dual role of SGU President and that of the North District until January 2010. In January his term with the SGU will end.
After two years as the North's vice-president Ian Ross follows James Fraser of Fortrose & Rosemarkie as North president for the next two years.
In his opening remarks to the delegates in attendance at his final meeting in charge of the North, outgoing president James Fraser paid tribute to three former North officials who sadly passed away in the last couple of months, the district's honorary president, an honorary vice- president and a former secretary.
The funeral service of Dr John Grant of Royal Dornoch, who was the North District's first President, was held in the Dornoch Cathedral on Monday, October 12. He was elected the North's first President in 1994, having had connections with the North District stretching back to the 1960s as a member of The Nairn Golf Club, Orkney Golf Club and of course his home club, Royal Dornoch where he was their president.
After failing health over the previous year, the death of Denis le-M. Mackay, a past president and honorary vice-president rocked the North and within a few weeks the executive had lost another serving stalwart, George Thomson (Inverness) who had voluntarily filled the role of secretary during his spell as secretary of Inverness Golf Club and after giving his post had remained on the Executive Committee where he gave much of his time to the junior coaching programme and course rating.
With the approval of all in attendance honorary vice-president Bill Templeton (Abernethy) was elected the new honorary president.
It was from this point that the retiring president turned to the North's juniors expressing his delight at their success during his final year in office. He thanked all the players and the parents for the encouragement and support given to their talented sons and the success they enjoyed during the season.
It was the North's juniors best ever year, winning three trophies at Youth, Under-18, and Under-16 level and topping them all were the four boys who became the North's first winners of the Scottish boys' area team championship in June at Ballumbie Castle: Kyle Godsman (Hopeman), Rodger Clarke (Moray), Gavin Hay (Grantown on Spey) and Calum Stewart (Brora).
On behalf of the executive, the retiring president made a presentation of a framed picture of the team with the trophy to each of the boys and in their absence, as they are both on first year college courses in America, Gordon Hay and Donnie Godsman, collected the award on behalf of their sons. Kyle Godsman now enrolled in South Carolina (Aiken) University and Gavin Hay attending Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tennessee
In the election of office bearers, Robert McKerron (Forres) is the new vice-president with existing members Robin Thomson (Forres), Alister Paterson (Inverness), Jim Fallon (Tarbat), Alan Cowie (Moray) and Gordon Lawson (Royal Dornoch) all re-elected with new additions to the executive, Ken Galloway (Stornoway), George Kirkley (Nairn Dunbar) and Alan Boxx (Boat of Garten).

David Law brutally attacked by 'scum
=
of the earth' in Aberdeen city centre
=

FROM TODAY'S PRESS AND JOURNAL
By DECLAN HARTE
One of Scotland's most promising young golfers has been brutally attacked in Aberdeen city centre.
David Law, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, could not attend an award ceremony on Saturday night when he was due to be honoured for winning both the Scottish men's amateur championship and the Scottish boys' match-play championship as he was still nursing his injuries.
A city councillor labelled those responsible for the assault "the scum of the earth."
The 18-year-old was knocked unconscious when he was punched in Union Street early on Thursday. He was then kicked repeatedly as he lay on the ground.
Law was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and treated for cuts and bruises and received stitches on his face.
The attack happened near the junction with Bon Accord Street about 2.15am.
The golfer said: "I was knocked unconscious by the first punch and the next thing I can remember is being helped up off the ground by my friends.
"The side of my face and lip are swollen and scraped. I had to have two stitches above my lip and my left hand is also badly swollen. It could have been much worse."
He had returned the day before from Argentina where he had been competing in two international tournaments over two weeks.
Law, of Stanley Street, in the Queen's Cross area of Aberdeen, had been invited to accept a special award at its annual dinner at The Marcliffe Hotel on Saturday evening from the North-east District Association of the Scottish Golf Union to mark his double championship success.
He chose not to attend the event as his face is still badly bruised and swollen.
City centre councillor Bill Cormie called the attackers "the scum of the earth."
"Our reputation in Aberdeen city centre at night is really becoming very, very serious," he said. "These despicable beatings on fellow human beings cannot go on."
One of the attackers had ginger hair and wore a black top with blue jeans, while the other had brown hair and wore a white top with blue jeans. Both were described as in their mid-30s.


Any comments? Send them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

'Best golf instruction book I have ever read'

FROM THE GOLF.WEEK WEBSITE
Says James Achenbach
MIAMI, Florida – The new book from teacher Jim McLean – “The Slot Swing” (John Wiley & Sons, $25.95) – is the best golf instruction book I have ever read.
Not only is it the best, but it also is the most honest.
Why is it the best?
Because anybody can understand it. Very little mumbo jumbo here.
Because it clearly defines the notion of a “slot” on the downswing and offers three different methods for achieving it.
In short, the slot is a path to the ball, or a position just before impact in which the golfer feels the downswing plane flattening out and the club working from the inside.
Why is the book so honest?
Because McLean repeatedly admits the difficulties of teaching the golf swing. In the process, he does a masterful job of simplifying the concepts in this book.
McLean is most straightforward, though, when he attempts to clarify his celebrated theory of the X-Factor (the lower body should resist the turning action of the upper body).
Here is part of what he writes: “ ... resistance can be overdone, and most amateurs don’t have the flexibility to coil their upper bodies tightly against their lower bodies. I recommend that you turn your hips between 40 and 60 degrees in your backswing.”
Holy cow! I interpret this as repudiation – at least for ordinary golfers – of the X-Factor. I applaud McLean for this observation.
I am convinced McLean’s book can help many players hit the ball more solidly and perhaps add distance. This is not some pie-in-the-sky swing that can be achieved only by elite golfers. McLean’s slot swing makes sense in a real world composed of real golfers.
Here is the nucleus of his message: The slot swing accommodates many different types of backswings. On the downswing, just drop the club into the slot. This is ideal for hitting a draw, but McLean also explains the slot fade.
There are plenty of examples of well-known players who defy standard backswing principles – from Miller Barber to Jim Furyk to Sergio Garcia to Bruce Leitzke – and all are united by their ability to find the slot on the downswing.
In essence, “The Slot Swing” is a book for golfers who have had their fill of analysing the backswing. Plain and simple, they would rather concentrate on hitting the ball.
The reader receives plenty of visual assistance in this book, thanks to gifted illustrator Phil Franke. If you ask me, these are the best and most helpful illustrations since Ben Hogan’s famous “Five Lessons,” which first appeared in 1957.
Bravo for this entire project. McLean spent the last 18 months designing the new Jim McLean Signature Course here at Doral Golf Resort, & Spa, but somehow also managed to finish his 10th golf book.
I believe it is by far his best.
+Booknote from the Editor of Scottishgolfview.com: I have no idea if and when this book will be on sale on this side of the Atlantic. Ask your local book shop - or get someone who is going on holiday to the States to buy one for you over there!

Padraig Harrington has lost millions in downturn, report claims

FROM THE GUARDIAN.CO.UK WEBSITE
By Lawrence Donegan
Twice Open champion Padraig Harrington and Dermot Desmond, the major shareholder of Celtic Football Club, have lost £16m after the collapse of a British-based technology company, it was reported yesterday.
The Dublin-based Sunday Business Post said the two men had invested heavily – to the tune of £21.8m – in the company U4EA Technologies, which went into administration in July. Court documents show that Desmond's investment company, IIU, and Harrington will suffer a shortfall of approximately £16m.
Earlier this year Harrington, who will travel to California this week to play in Tiger Woods' charity event, the Chevron World Challenge, addressed rumours circulating in Dublin that he had lost significant sums of money in the aftermath of the global financial downturn.
"Nasty things have been said about me and I really don't want to lend credence to them by making any comment. For instance, one of the tabloids wanted to know if it was true that I had lost 20 million in investments with [Bernie] Madoff, [Allen] Stanford and a few others. They were obviously keen to cover all the bases," he said.
"The answer is that I haven't lost greatly in any ventures. I will not suggest that I was immune from everything but nothing has happened that has had any material effect on me, financially."
Prior to that the Irishman conceded his investments had lost about a quarter of their value.
"I am like everybody else, looking at investments down 25% and thinking, hey, that's OK. The greatest plus for somebody like me compared to someone on the street is that I have an earnings potential going forward and would be able to sustain ups and downs. As somebody said to me the other day, birdies are recession-proof," he said.
Desmond is reputed to be one of Ireland's richest men, with earning said to be in the hundreds of millions. Harrington, meanwhile, has made an estimated £20m in a professional golf career stretching back to 1996.