US WALKER CUP TEAM FOR ABERDEEN WILL REMEMBER 9/11

INFORMATION FROM THE GOLFWEEK WEBSITE
This year's Walker Cup match over the Royal Aberdeen Golf Club links at Balgownie ends on September, September 11 - the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist-inspired tragedies in America. 
US team captain Jim Holtgrieve has talked with team manager Robbie Zalzneck about ways in which the anniversary can be recognised. 
“My intention is that we will do something,” Holtgrieve said. “I don’t know what we’re going to do, I don’t what the R and A is going to allow. If I have my way, absolutely, we’ll do it, whether we do it during the course of play, whether we do it during the closing ceremony. There will be a remembrance.”
Sixteen potential members of the United States team had a three-day practice session at Old Memorial Golf Club in Tampa, Florida last week.
To illustrate the Walker Cup’s importance, Holtgrieve had ex-President George H.Walker Bush (whose grandfather, George Herbert Walker was the USGA president in 1920 when the trophy came into being) addressed the American squad in a video.
“He re-emphasised the distinction of playing for your country and staying amateur and having an opportunity to play for the Walker Cup,” Holtgrieve said. “It was perfect.”
During a Walker Cup year, there are always questions about which players will turn pro before the competition. In 2009, Billy Horschel, Kyle Stanley and Jamie Lovemark were among the leading American amateurs who turned pro before the event at Merion (not that they were missed, as the US won 16.5-9.5). Holtgrieve is confident that the players who attended last week’s session will remain amateur until September.
“When we invited these 16 candidates to come down, we talked to them about turning pro,” Holtgrieve said. “ I just don’t think any one of these guys is going to turn pro before the announcement is made.”
When the US team arrives in Scotland, it won’t be seeing Royal Aberdeen for the first time. Holtgrieve went on a reconnaissance mission to the Walker Cup match venue last July, taking detailed notes of each hole. He showed potential team members a slideshow of the course last week.
Holtgrieve is compiling a book that’ll contain photos and yardages of each hole, and will give each team member a copy before departing for Scotland.
Not all the prospective candidates for selection to the team of 10 for the three-day contest.
Bank Vongvanij, the No 2 player in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings is of Thai descent and lived in Thailand before attending IMG Golf Academy in Bradenton, Florida, but he was born in Hawaii and is, therefore, a US citizen.
While the Walker Cup practice session was going on in Tampa, the New Year’s Invitational tournament was being held nearby at St Petersburg Country Club. Vongvanij finished runner-up in that event. He recently won the Isleworth Collegiate Invitational, one of the college season’s top events.

DONALD FORD: Accountant, footballer, cricketer and, for the last 20 years, golf course photographer par excellence

Donald Ford, played football for Heart of Midlothian and one of the few sportsmen to have been capped for Scotland at football AND cricket. He played Scottish county championship cricket for West Lothian, having been born at Linlithgow.



By COLIN FARQUHARSON

I had the pleasure of sitting next to Donald Ford, footballer-cricketer-chartered accountant-turned golf course photographer, at a lunch in The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa, Pitfodels, near Aberdeen, today when SCOTTISH GOLF TRAILS, the brainchild of Hector Emslie and Andrew Shinie, strongly supported by Stewart Spence, proprietor of "The Marcliffe," among others, was launched for a second time.

Andrew (left) and Hector are pictured on the day of the first launch, last month, which had to be postponed because of the treacherous state of the roads for travel after heavy snowfalls.                                 In my previous life as a football writer, I reported many times on Ford's play as Heart of Midlothian centre forward - that was the term before "striker" became the fashion - against Aberdeen FC. Donald, now 66, spent 11 years with the Tynecastle club, having been signed by Tommy Walker in 1964 but in the early seasons he was an amateur footballer as he continued his accountancy studies.

"The first of my nine amateur caps for Scotland was for international against England at Pittodrie Stadium in 1964. I played well and I came to regard it as one of my favourite grounds because I always used to have a good game there," said Donald who was later capped three times as a professional for Scotland and also as a cricketer for Scotland - a bit like Denis Compton of Arsenal, Middlesex and England.

A knee injury ended his football career shortly after he was transferred to Falkirk in 1976.

In 1991, Ford gave up accountancy to make a living out of his hobby - photography. These days there are two Scottish photographers renowned for their pictures of golf courses - Donald Ford is one and David Whyte is the other.

I told Donald today that I once met an English photographer up in Scotland for the Open and he told me that the light in Scotland was so much better than anywhere else for taking landscape/golf course pictures.

"Yes, he's right. It could be something to do with the cold but the light is purer for a number of reasons. Of course, you have to choose your time of day to photograph golf courses at their best - usually early morning or in the evening when the sun's rays are coming in at an angle rather than from straight above," said Ford.

"One thing I would like to mention is that over the years I have been taking pictures is that the quality of greenkeeping has steadily improved. You expect it at the top courses but, what I would call the second-tier courses, and now the third-tier courses are maintained in splendid condition by their greenkeepers."

Oh, and by the way, Donald still uses film for the best results although he does have a digital camera to give him a quick check on what a scene looks like!

Donald now lives at Carnoustie and you can log on to his website to see his work at http://www.donaldfordimages.com/ and http://www.donaldfordgolf.com/

GOLF TRAILS: The one-stop shop for golfing

visitors to the North-east of Scotland

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

So what is SCOTTISH GOLF TRAILS all about?

I quote from the nice brochure, which includes golf course photography by Donald Ford:

"Our professional staff ensure customers gain from their specalised, intimate knowledge of golf and itinerary planning in the North-east of Scotland, Royal Deeside and throughout Scotland.

"We aim to provide fast turnaround, 24-hour response to all enquiries.

"We provide a one-stop shop, covering all your vacation requirements - accommodation, transport, tee times, tourist attractions, places of interest, where to eat, shopping experiences, golfing gifts etc.

"We cater fo all sixs of golf groups."

North-east courses on their "radar" are:

Carnoustie, Royal Aberdeen, Murcar Links, Newburgh on Ythan, Cruden Bay, Fraserburgh, Peterculter, Banchory, Inchmarlo, Aboyne, Tarland, Ballater, Braemar, Newmachar, Meldrum House, Edzell and Moray Old (Lossiemouth).

Andrew Shinie sees their immediate market opportunities across the North Sea in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Germany.

"Norwegian golfers can fly from Bergen to Aberdeen and be on the tee at somewhere like Newmachar or Murcar Links less than 90min after they took off in Norway," said Shinie.

"I would like to say the same applies to German golfers - but, sadly, there is no direct flight to Aberdeen from Germany. Inverness Airport has direct flights from Germany but not Aberdeen. Why this is so, I have no idea - but we need this state of affairs to change."

The Marcliffe Hotel and Spa is one of the North-east hotels who will accommodate SCOTTISH GOLF TRAILS clients.

Interesting to hear owner Stewart Spence, pictured below, explain why he is so much in favour of Donald Trump constructing a golf course complex at the Menie Estate, Balmedie.

"Donald Trump admits that the big five-star hotel at his golf course will not be built until the links lay-out has been up and running, perhaps for two or three years," said Stewart."During that time, the people who come from overseas to play the Trump course will have to have somewhere to stay while they are in the North-east. That will be the golden opportunity for the hotels that are already here."

Hector Emslie commented:

"Love him or hate him, Donald Trump demands quality in anything with which he is associated, whether it's a golf course or a hotel. When his course at Menie Estate opens, that will raise the bar for the rest of us to raise our standards - and that's not a bad thing."

TO FIND OUT WHAT SCOTTISH GOLF TRAILS

HAS TO OFFER, LOG ON TO

 www.scottishgolftrails.co.uk

CHALLENGE TOUR RETURNS TO AVIEMORE

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE EUROPEAN CHALLENGE
The 2011 European Challenge Tour Schedule, comprising a minimum of 26 tournaments, will take in visits to 18 different countries on four Continents and will include new events in Italy, Norway and, for the first time, India.
The Jeev Milkha Singh-designed Kensville Golf Club in Ahmedabad, India, which will host this week’s inaugural Gujarat Kensville Challenge, is one of four new venues on the nine-month schedule, which again culminates in the Challenge Tour Grand Final from October 27-30, 2011.
The three other courses new to the Challenge Tour are the PGA of Sweden National near Malmö, Sweden, the venue for The Princess by Schüco from June 30-July 3; Acaya Golf Resort in Lecce, Italy, which will stage the inaugural Acaya Golf Challenge Open from July 7-10; and finally Losby Golfklubb near Oslo, Norway, host of the Norwegian Challenge from August 11-14.
The recently-opened Links course at the PGA of Sweden National, built over a ten year period on a 700-acre site belonging to Malmö city council, was designed by renowned architect Kyle Philips in the style of a traditional Scottish links layout, complete with fescue greens. The signature hole is the 120-yard fifth, which is the PGA of Sweden National’s version of the famous “Postage Stamp”, the eighth hole at Royal Troon.
The picturesque Acaya Golf Resort, which is located on the Adriatic coastline and is home to the first Costantino Rocca Golf Academy, is notable for the olive groves and tenth century Basilian monastery ruins which line the course.
Losby Golfklubb’s Østmork course, designed by Swedish architect Peter Nordwall, was constructed on the flood plain of the River Losby, which comes into play on a number of the holes on the back nine. It was the venue for the 2007 SAS Masters on the Ladies European Tour, won by Suzann Pettersen.
As well as a number of new host venues the 2011 schedule also welcomes two new sponsors to the Challenge Tour, with Barclays sponsoring the Kenya Open, played at Muthaiga Golf Club in Nairobi, Kenya, from March 31-April 3; and German engineering firm Schüco named as title sponsors of The Princess, which will again be supported by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson, winner of the Challenge Tour Rankings in 2000.
The Scottish Challenge returns to Macdonald Spey Valley Golf Club in Aviemore from June 23-26 and will again be sponsored by Scottish Hydro.

SENIOR EVENT RETURNS TO MELTON MOWBRAY

The European Senior Tour will return to Stapleford Park in Melton Mowbray, England, from June 3-5 for the second edition of the ISPS Handa Senior Masters presented by the Stapleford Forum.

SPENCER HENDERSON ENJOYING NEW CHALLENGE IN TURKEY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

If you are wondering how former SGU national junior coach Spencer Henderson is getting on in his first year as national coach to the Turkish Golf Federation, here's some information from Spencer is an E-mail to Scottishgolfview.com

"Happy New Year and all the best for a prosperous 2011.
"I was back at my folks in Tarves for Christmas which was great except the weather.
"I'm really enjoying the new challenge out here in Turkery. It's very different for me with both the players and the culture.
"It will be a long-term challenge, especially getting more kids playing golf and public access courses and driving ranges. There are none at all in turkey!"
Spencer Henderson


+Spencer added that he hopes to have some Turkish players among the entries for the Morocco men's and women's individual amateur championships at the Ocean Course, Agadir from October 18 to 21. Colin Farquharson is the Tournament Director. Details on the Menara Travel website: http://www.morocco4golf.com/

PETERHEAD PLAYABLE FOR WEDNESDAY'S NE ALLIANCE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Peterhead Golf Club's Craigewan links course is open for play today (Tuesday) and there is no reason to think that it won't be open tomorrow as host to this week's North-east Golfers' Alliance competition. First tee-off time: 8.15am.
If you can't make and have a tee time reserved, you should call the Alliance mobile telephone number to notify Dave Wilson or Dave Mackay that you are scratching so that someone else can get your tee time.
Similarly, if you don't have a tee time booked, you should phone the number to get a time.

The number is:

07801 819746

OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFYING IN AUSTRALIA

NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE R and A
Melbourne, Australia: Australians Matt Millar, Kurt Barnes and Rick Kulacz have earned their places in the 2011 Open Championship at Royal St George’s, following 36 holes of International Final Qualifying Australasia at Kingston Heath Golf Club, today.
Despite a bogey-bogey finish on the 7,062-yard (6,455-metre), par-72 Melbourne Sandbelt course, Millar’s 10-under-par total of 134 left him clear at the top of the leaderboard; the 34-year-old securing his first appearance in a Major Championship. Barnes finished one stroke back on nine under par after two rounds. The third and final Open berth was settled by a play-off between Stephen Leaney and Rick Kulacz, after the pair finished tied on eight under. Both parred the first extra hole, but Kulacz prevailed on the second, after Leaney missed his putt for par. Like Millar, 25-year-old Kulacz will be making his Major Championship debut at Sandwich in July. For Canberra's Millar, the result crowns a memorable week in which his wife gave birth to their second child, Charlotte.
“My wife gave birth on Wednesday so I haven’t had a chance to play much golf and practice, so maybe that’s the secret for me,” he explained. “I can’t wait. This has been a goal I set this year and it’s good to achieve one, so now I can move on to the next one.
“I’ve played a bit of golf over in Britain when I was on Tour but never at Royal St George’s, so I’m really looking forward to the experience.”
Barnes, 29, ensures his second Open start in as many years, and the New South Welshman is determined to put lessons learnt in 2010 at St Andrews to good use.
“Kingston Heath has really suited my game over the last couple of years, I put in some hard work and it’s really paying off,” said Barnes. “It’s great. It was my aim to qualify and to put in some hard yards this year, so I can get over there and play well and make the most of the opportunity.”
The third of the qualifiers, Kulacz, was thrilled with the result, particularly as he has not been playing his best golf of late.
“I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be on the first tee of the play-off, but I have been battling hooks, so I wouldn’t have been surprised if I’d hit it 70 metres left,” he said.
“My first Major; it’s going to be great. An Australian has won there before, so I’m really looking forward to what it’s all about.”
The next International Final Qualifying event of 2011 takes place in Africa on Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 January at Royal Johannesburg and Kensington Golf Club.
Full hole-by-hole scores from IFQ Australasia can be found on www.Opengolf.com.




FROM THE PGA OF AUSTRALIA WEBSITE
Australians Stephen Leaney, Kurt Barnes and Matthew Millar currently lead International Final Qualifying (IFQ) Australasia at 6-under par following the conclusion of Round 1.
Playing at Kingston Heath Golf Club on Melbourne’s famed Sandbelt, the trio made the most of the near perfect conditions to shoot to the top of the leaderboard at the end of the first 18 holes.
Hot on their heels are Peter Fowler, Adam Crawford and Andrew Buckle who both shot first round scores of 5-under par to put themselves in contention.
Having secured an Open berth after finishing first at 2010 IFQ Australasia at the same venue, Barnes knows exactly what it takes to shoot low rounds at Kingston Heath.
“I’ve done a little bit of work on my putting over the last few days which is really paying off,” said the big-hitting Barnes.
“I like Kingston Heath, there are good memories here and the layout is really suited to my game.”
As for his prospects of adding a Major to his 2011 schedule Barnes says it would be a dream come true, but is mindful that he is only half way there.
“It would be awesome to play at Royal St George’s, a course I’ve never played before and it would be nice to get there. So 18 holes to go, we will see if I can get there.”
For Millar, a spot in the 2011 Open would top off an incredible week in which his wife also gave birth to a baby girl.
As the rain clouds move in, Round 2 of IFQ Australasia is now underway at Kingston Heath.
Play is expected to conclude at 6.30pm Melbourne time tonight with the top 3 players earning a start in the 2011 Open Championship at Royal St George’s.

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KAYMER CONFIRMS FOR COMMERCIAL BANK QATAR MASTERS

NEWS RELEASE
Doha (QATAR): European No 1 and World No 3 Martin Kaymer has confirmed he will join a world-class field when Doha Golf Club stages the 14th Commercialbank Qatar Masters, presented by Dolphin Energy from February 3-6.
The young German will be making his fourth appearance in Qatar and will have his eye on a third Middle East European Tour title following victories in Abu Dhabi in 2008 and 2010.
And the 26 year-old – who has stormed to the top of the world game since turning pro in 2005 – will be keen to master a course that continues to provide a major challenge.
“Martin is arguably the greatest young talent in the world today and we look forward to congratulating him on becoming the new European Number One,” said Hassan Al Nuami, President of the Qatar Golf Association (QGA), organisers of the tournament in association with the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) and title sponsors Commercialbank.
“But while he has always done well in Abu Dhabi and Dubai where he has not finished outside of the top four on his last six visits, in Qatar he has yet to finish higher than 31st which once again emphasises the unique challenge of Doha Golf Club, a course we believe to be the toughest on the Desert Swing.”

Kaymer came into last year’s Commercialbank Qatar Masters fresh from victory in the UAE capital and went onto finish in 32nd place well behind eventual winner Robert Karlsson.

STEPHEN GALLACHER HELPS SGU ELITE SQUAD AT KINGSFIELD

SEE CAPTION AT BOTTOM OF THE ARTICLE.


NEWS RELEASE ISSUED BY THE SCOTTISH GOLF UNION
A four-hour session at Kingsfield Golf Centre with European Tour star Stephen Gallacher gave Scotland’s leading amateur golfers a valuable insight into what it takes to make the successful transition to the professional ranks.
Gallacher, who enjoyed a glittering amateur career which saw him win the Scottish match play and stroke play titles as well as the European Amateur Championship, was Scotland’s leading performer in last year’s Race to Dubai and organised the squad get-together with national coach Ian Rae at the Linlithgow venue.
The former Dunhill Links Champion was on hand to pass on his knowledge, experience and advice to thirteen members of the Scotland Men’s Elite Squad, ahead of getting his 2011 European Tour campaign underway in Abu Dhabi on 20 January.
The 36-year-old, who won his Tour card at the first attempt back in 1995, was delighted to play a part in mentoring the current squad, many of whom have their sights set on a place in the GB&I Walker Cup side, of which Gallacher was a member of sixteen years ago.
“There have obviously been some significant changes to the way the SGU develops the leading amateur players since I was a member of the squad and they are far more professional in their approach, which is of great benefit,” said Gallacher.
“I was fortunate to receive advice from my uncle (Bernard Gallacher) when I turned professional and I’m delighted that I can help the current players make that transition a little easier. I made some mistakes that I’m sure they can learn from and advice on any aspect on the professional game is invaluable to them, from preparation, travel, management companies and caddies.”
“It’s important they approach the professional game with the correct mindset, believing they can win and not changing what has worked for them as a successful amateur. All the Scottish players on Tour want to see more good young Scots coming through and we’re all on hand to help.” he added.
Gallacher and his wife Helen even prepared lunch for the squad after a visit to his favourite Linlithgow bakers before conducting the seminar at the nearby Kingsfield Golf Centre, to which he is affiliated, and national coach Ian Rae was full of appreciation for his input.
“We’re very grateful to Stephen for the time he spent with the squad and feedback from the players has been fantastic. They got a great insight into life on Tour and could really relate to Stephen, given his record as one of Scotland’s most successful amateur golfers,” said Rae.
“Many of the current squad have ambitions to turn professional over the next few years and its important they pick up as much as they can from players such as Stephen, who has years of experience on the European Tour and want to help the next generation of Scots.”

+Picture abve of Stephen Gallacher with members of Scotland's men's elite squad at the Kingsfield Golf Centre, Linlithgow by courtesy of Kenny Smith?SGU.
Back row (left to right): Greg Paterson, Kris Nicol, Michael Stewart, Stephen Gallacher, Paul Shields, James Bryne, Allyn Dick.
Front row (left to right): David Law, Brian Soutar, James White, Ross Kellett, Philip McLean, Conor O'Neil, Scott Gibson.