Scottish Disability Golf Partnership

Team winners Derek Milne, Hugh Hutcheon, Steve Smith and Iain McLachlan

with Chairman Jim Gales (extreme left) and Steve Bramwell Secretary (extreme right)

Some forty golfers, from numerous areas of Scotland, took on the challenges of the Dukes Golf Course St Andrews, and the weather, on Monday 20 March.

Players attending participated in the latest Scottish Disability Golf Challenge Charities Cup, which was generated by the SDGP for related charities and other voluntary groups to take part in a new fun golf competition. Players were divided into numerous teams including groups like the SDGP, the Guide Dogs for the Blind, Sense Scotland, East Fife Sports Council and VONEF Cupar.

As well as the challenging course and the traditional nearest the pin competitions, players were all blindfolded for a tee shot and a one-armed putt each during their round.

Jim Gales, the Event Organiser said, "We certainly fell foul of the weather with the biting cold and even some snow, followed closely by persistent rain, but we had a great turn out for our biggest event so far this year. This was also the SDGP's first 2009 competition for our Order of Merit Tables where all golfers, for both 18 and 9 hole competitions compete for the title of the GolfbloggerUK Scottish Order of Merit Champion. We must thank the staff at the Dukes Golf Course and at VONEF Cupar for their assistance in the organisation of this event.

Steve Bramwell the SDGP Secretary mentioned that, "Thanks to companies like Mirror Tess and GolfbloggerUK, which has nominated the SDGP as its charity of the year, we have some Great companies supporting us at the Dukes and we have managed to generate some fantastic golfing opportunities for our members and coaches. As well as our new 2-day Scottish Championship at Machrihanish, we have just extended our Open Championship at Scotscraig Golf Club to 4-days, and these events alongside our regular free training days for anyone with a disability or serious health problem, promise to make 2010 our best year yet."

Results from the Dukes event:

Nearest the pin SDGP Coach sponsored by Glenmure was Stewart Copland of Johnstone
Nearest the pin Disabled sponsored by Sunderland was Jim Gales of Springfield
Nearest the pin Guest sponsored by ProQuip was Alex Brown

3rd SDGP player sponsored by the Open was Kenny Raeburn of Elderslie with 32pts bih
2nd SDGP player sponsred by RAM was Jim Davidson Johnstone with 32 pts
1st SDGP player sponsored by GolfBuddy was Steve Cunningham of Newton with 38 pts

3rd SDGP Coach sponsored by ProQuip was Paul Shepherd of Tayport with 22pts
2nd SDGP Coach sponsored by Scratch Sunglasses was Stewart Copland of Johnstone with 23 pts
1st SDGP Coach sponsored by PING was Rob Steel of Eaglesham with 30 pts

Team runners up winning a fourball golf was Bob Drysdale, Davey More and Jim Samson.
Team Winners winning the Charities Trophy for 2010 and a golf 4-ball were the Guide Dogs for the Blind Team #3 of Derek Milne, Hugh Hutcheon, Steve Smith and Iain McLachlan

For details about the event or disabled golf generally, contact www.sdgp.co.uk or info@sdgp.co.uk

Some of the competitors with the team trophy