HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

NEW GOLFING SEASON EDGES CLOSER

With only a couple of weeks or so until the 2011 golf season starts, local clubs will be finalising preparations for the traditional opening days. At the same time however, club officials will be looking carefully at their membership situation for the new season and hoping their will be more new members appearing - it’s very much the same throughout Scotland---very few waiting lists and plenty of opportunities to join golf clubs.

Several local clubs have “Open Days” where prospective members can meet local officials and try their skills on the courses. Local golf club members can help as well by promoting their local club and persuading others to take up a most enjoyable pastime: “It's time to join the golf club.”


CLACKMANNAN COUNTY JUNIOR GOLFERS IN ACTION

The national junior golf season starts soon as well and local juniors will be representing their club and county. The first event is the Junior Champion of Champions at the Duke’s Course, St Andrews this coming weekend.
Sixty-two of the top Scottish juniors (44 boys and 18 girls) will play one round for the title, and in the field will be John Salmond (Alloa) and Lawrence Allan (Alva), representing Clackmannanshire.
The annual Scottish boys championship takes place at Dunbar in April with Lawrence Allan hoping to build on his fine performance at West Kilbride last year.

CLACKMANNAN COUNTY GOLFERS IN THE TOP TEN

The Midland Alliance golf season - it runs from August until April - draws to a close in the next few weeks and it is pleasing to see the Clackmannanshire stalwarts finishing near the top.
Tulliallan’s Bob Stewart is usually up among the best scratch scores, and that includes the professional entries as well. Leading the amateur order of merit by a fair distance is Alloa’s Chris Westland with Tulliallan’s Bob Stewart in third place, then Michael Niven (Alloa) 8th and Ken Thomson (Alloa) 10th.
The Midland Alliance will be returning to Alloa Golf Club towards the end of 2011.

AND THE CLACKMANNAN SENIORS AS WELL!

The four-year-old Scottish Seniors Golfing Society (check out their web site) has been very successful in providing good competitive opportunities for the senior golfers of Scotland, and locals have been very supportive.
A full programme of events spread over Scotland attracts good entries. There is even a “Super Seniors” event. Alloa Golf Club, with six members, is in the top ten for member participation and with the other local Clubs featuring as well, it is a good example to others in the Wee County.
Tulliallan’s Bob Stewart has one of the lowest handicaps in the Society and will be trying hard in 2011 to regain international honours at 55-and-over level.

MANY CONGRATS TO CALLUM

Finally: Local golfers and friends will be wishing Callum Macaulay every success for golf in 2011 after his marriage to Clare-Marie Carlton who is also a very good golfer.
This addition to “Team Macaulay” hopefully will inspire Callum on his 2011 Challenge Tour campaign, and we all look forward to seeing good golfing results this season. Best of Luck!