FORMER BOYS CHAMPION MARK PILLING A SUCCESS - AS A COACH

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com
British boys’ championship winners who go on to fame and fortune on the European Tour and beyond are few and far between. Spaniards Jose Maria Olazabal (1983) and Sergio Garcia (1997) have certainly done so and Tom Lewis, the 2009 national Under-18s title winner, has not taken long to make his mark as a tournament-playing professional.
But that is not to say that the majority of former British boys’ champions who turn pro spend the rest of their lives wondering about what might have been and why their teenage title-winning ability did not grow up with them.
Far from it. Take the example of Mark Pilling who, as a junior member of Astbury Golf Club, Congleton in Cheshire, played the best golf his life during one week at Carnoustie in 2002. It was the British boys’ open championship and Mark ended his glory week by beating Wales’ Rhys Davies at the 38th in the final.
Davies had gone to Carnoustie in hot form, having won all six of his matches for Wales in the previous week’s boys’ home internationals but he could not master Pilling whose short game was on song.
Davies went on to win the British boys title the following year and gained Walker Cup honours before turning pro and he has been a winner on the European Tour.
So what happened the Mark Pilling, you may ask?
Let’s get him to recap for you.

“I started playing golf in 1996 aged 13 at Astbury Golf Club in Cheshire. Within a couple of years I knew golf was to be my future. The satisfying feeling that we all know and love following a good round of golf was and still is my driving factor in the game.
“I believed that to become better than everyone else I had to work harder than everyone else “In 2002 after winning the British boys’ championship, the Faldo Junior Series and Cheshire stroke-play championship, I represented GB and Ireland boys in a victorious Jacques Leglise Trophy side against the Continental boys and participated in the England Men’s B Squad.
“In 2004 I turned professional to compete on the PGA EuroPro Tour. Following four years of full time competition, I decided my heart was in helping others achieve their golfing potential.
“Having decided to embark on a career in the coaching sector, I finished fifth, second and second respectively in the Titleist PGA Assistant of the Year during my three-year degree course between 2008 and 2010. I also won Trainee of the Year in the North of England.

“I have now opened the Mark Pilling Golf Academy at Prestbury Golf Club in Cheshire.

“The lessons I learned whilst competing taught me a technically sound golf swing is just one one part of achieving your potential. At the Mark Pilling Golf Academy, players will experience a holistic approach to their development, encompassing all aspects of golf from technical and mental, right through to nutrition.
“During my playing and coaching career I have learned many things but the one I believe to be the key to success is to work SMARTER not HARDER.
“It is my belief that we can all reach our full potential as a golfer through simple, effective and innovative coaching and that’s what I provide at the Mark Pilling Golf Academy.”

You can read more about what Mark has to say on his own website: http://www.mpgolfacademy.co.uk.
So Mark Pilling is one past British boys’ champion who believes that he was cut out to be a coach not a European Tour star.

EDZELL PRO WEBSTER WINS AT WINDY FAIRMONT ST ANDREWS

Edzell Golf Club professional Alastair Webster coped admirably with very windy conditions at Fairmont St Andrews today to win the Midland Golfers' Alliance competiition with a one-over-par 73 on the Torrance Course. Webster won the top scratch prize by two shots from Brahead pro Jamie Stevenson and Donald McKay, pro at the Wellsgreen Golf Range. Stevenson (P, Braehaed) led his team of Jim Stevenson (Dunfermline) (handicap 8), Murdie Gilmour (Braehead) (7) and Ken Kilgour (Dunfermline) (11) to victory in the team event with a best-ball net 137. Leading Scratch scores Par 72 73 A J Webster (Edzell). 75 J Stevenson (Braehaed), D McKay (Wellsgreen). 76 R Walker (Lundin), P Brookes (Pitreavie). 77 S McLaren (Crieff). 78 K Nusteling (Pitlochry), P Jamieson (Dunblane New). 79 B Smith (Downfield), C Nugent (Dunfermline), P Wytrazek (Burntisland) Leading team totals  137  J Stevenson (Braehead), J Stevenson (Dunfermline) (8), M Gilmour (Braehead) (7), K Kilgour (Dunfermline) (11). 139 D McKay (Wellsgreen), D Thomson (Downfield) (6), S Marshall (Downfield) (4), A Thomson (Downfield) (7). 140 (bih) K Nusteling (Pitlochry), T McLevy (Blairgowrite) (scr), J Seaton (Pitlochry) (3), A McKay (Pitlochry) (9).

Next week's meeting
Tuesday 8th November
Alloa Golf Club

Tee reserved: 8.30am - 12.15


Sponsored by K.M. Thomson

Lee Sutherland

NO SCOT IN TOP 200 OF WAGR WHEN MICHAEL STEWART TURNS PRO

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Walker Cup player Michael Stewart is still ranked No 11 in the world as he retains his amateur status until he sees how he gets on at the Alps Tour Final Qualifying School from November 14 to 16 in Tuscany, Italy.
If, as expected, Stewart turns pro after that it will mean Scotland, for the first time in several years, will not have a single player ranked in the world’s top 100.
In fact, after today’s weekly revision of the World Amateur Golf Rankings knocked Norwich-based, Paisley-born Stuart Ballingall (Dunston Hall) down from No 179 to 410, there will not be a Scot in the top 200 if and when Stewart leaves the amateur ranks.
Only if you are a follower of the United States college golf scene will you have a clue as to who Ballingall is and why he was ranked well above the likes of SGU Order of Merit winner James White (Lundin), runner-up Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie), Philip McLean (Peterhead) and Brian Souter (Leven GS).
The family home for Stuart Ballingall is in Norwich although he was born in Paisley and played for Scotland as a boy.
He earned his world ranking with two very good college golf years (2009-2010 and 2010-2011) as a student at the University of Missouri. He never looked back after winning the very first tournament in which he played in America in the autumn of 2009.
Ballingall did not win again but he produced a string of high finishes.
Ballingall cut short his course at Missouri halfway through the four year schedule and did not return for the start of the new term in August this year.
According to Ed Hodge, the SGU's new Press Officer, Ballingall is pondering his future - obviously taking his time. He is not sure what he wants to do, whether to complete his university education in the UK or to turn pro.
I would say he has missed the boat in both directions until next autumn.

Leading Scots in the updated WAGR are:

11 Michael Stewart (Troon Welbeck).
233 Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie).
258 Philip McLean (Peterhead).
270 Brian Soutar (Leven GS).
280 Ross Kellett (Colville Park).
294 James Ross (Royal Burgess and Houston Univ, USA).
307 Daniel Young (King James VI and Lynn Univ, USA).
311 Greg Paterson (St Andrews New)
352 Paul Shields (Kirkhill)
363 James White (Lundin).
410 Stuart Ballingall (Dunston Hall).
470 Matthew Clark (Kilmacolm).
475 Scott Gibson (Southerness and East Tennessee State Univ, USA).
543 Fraser McKenna (Balmore).
641 Scott Crichton (Aberdour).

SOLID START BY CRAIG LEE IN CHALLENGE TOUR GRAND FINAL

                    CRAIG LEE ponders over a putt. Image by courtesy of Phil Inglis©

CHALLENGE TOUR REPORT

From Neil Ahern, European Tour Assistant Press Officer
nahern@europeantour.com
Craig Lee’s steady two-under-par opening round of 69 means he remains in perfect shape to claim a card for the 2012 European Tour International Schedule after the first day of the Apulia San Domenico Grand Final.
The 34-year-old from Stirling is in 12th place in the Challenge Tour Rankings on €70,052 and his solid start at San Domenico in Puglia, Italy, means he is not only in a great position to consolidate his place in the top 20, but he can also push into the top ten, which would earn him a better category on The European Tour next year.
The Scot was one of the many players to be caught out by the extremely difficult par four opening hole, dropping a shot there before picking up birdies at the sixth and eighth holes to reach the turn in 33.
He started the back nine as he began the first, with a bogey at the 10th hole before birdies at the 14th and 17th helped him to a share of 18th place.
“I didn’t miss too many greens but I didn’t hit too many great chip shots and I’m happy with two under – it’s a great start,” said Lee.
“It’s too early to start working out what’s going to happen, who’s going to do what, but as long as I’m there or thereabouts then I’ve always got a chance. But I don’t want to go into Saturday thinking that I need to shoot eight under so if I just keep plugging away it’ll make life a lot easier.
“Obviously everybody’s got something to gain, there are very few people with much to lose either so it’s just a case of trying to dig away and see what happens at the end of the week.
“It’s almost impossible to work out at the moment, I’m only around €700 behind tenth spot but that means nothing at this stage, you could have someone come up from behind and jump further up so I’ve just got to try and get into the top five this week and it’ll take care of itself.
“On day one you don’t want to play yourself out of the tournament or be eight shots behind so two under is a nice steady start and I’m happy with it.”
Julien Guerrier, meanwhile, produced a sparkling display on the opening day to take a share of the lead and stake a late claim for one of the 20 golden tickets on offer.
A round of 66 helped the flying Frenchman set the clubhouse target on five under par, where he was joined by Spaniard Jorge Campillo, who is hoping to cement his place in the top 15 of the Rankings, home hero Andrea Pavan and Portugal’s Ricardo Santos, both of whom have designs on topping the Rankings.
Chris Doak shot a level par round of 71 to finish the opening day tied for 34th place.
FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Par 71
66 J Guerrier (Fra) , R Santos (Por) , J Campillo (Esp) , A Pavan (Ita) 
67 S Thornton (Irl) , S Little (Eng) , A Johnston (Eng) , J Elson (Eng, A Marshall (Eng) , B Hebert (Fra) , S Tiley (Eng), T Fleetwood (Eng)
68 V Riu (Fra) , M Erlandsson (Swe), C Russo (Fra), C Gane (Eng) , C Lloyd (Eng)
69 S Walker (Eng) , P Edberg (Swe), A Tampion (Aus) , B Ritthammer (Ger) , J Quesne (Fra) , D Denison (Eng), M Baldwin (Eng) , F Praegant (Aut) , J Lima (Por) , A Snobeck (Fra) , A Tadini (Ita), C Lee (Sco)
70 E Dubois (Fra) , E Kofstad (Nor), L Kennedy (Eng) , B Grace (RSA)
71 P Gustafsson (Swe) , C Doak (Sco), F Delamontagne (Fra), M Bothma (RSA)
72 K Borsheim (Nor) , F Colombo (Ita) , T Ferreira (RSA) , L Jensen (Den) 
73 P Archer (Eng) , M Southgate (Eng) , J Moul (Eng) , N Meitinger (Ger)

WIND-TAMER IAN BRATTON WINS N E ALLIANCE AT MONTROSE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolview.com Newburgh club pro Ian Bratton, pictured, just back from holiday, marked his return to the North-east Golfers' Alliance circuit by battling through a fierce wind to win today's competition over the Montrose Links with a three-over-par 74. It was the proverbial game of two halves for the field of 103 – the first three-figure entry of the season – with the inward half into the teeth of the wind and no surprise that there were  29 No Returns. Lost balls were common. One player lost five and even international Philip McLean (Peterhead) lost two balls at one hole, the par-4 ninth which cost him a 9 on his way to a 79 when, if anything the wind was even stronger than the early morning starters had to endure. "I'm used to playing in the wind at Peterhead but nothing like as strong as that," said McLean who will miss two Alliance fixtures, including one over his home course, as he plays at the Alps Tour Qualifying School in Italy. Amazingly McLean, when the wind was its strongest in his face, came home in only 36 shots, birdieing the short 12th and bogeying the 16th and 17th. Bratton highlighted his card with an eagle 3 at the downwind 490yd sixth where he easily got home in two and holed an 8ft putt. Sacrificing distance for control off the tee and driving with a No 3 wood almost throughout, Bratton also birdied the 14th and would matched par but for a double-bogey 6 at the 17th (unplayable lie in the gorse but only one putt!) and a bogey 5 at the last in halves of 39-35. Most players voted the par-4 17th into the wind the most difficult hole on the course. Last week's winner at Cruden Bay, Newmachar's +3 amateur John Duff, who has graduated from Aberdeen University, finished second on 75 with a double bogey 6 at the 11th but he had a total of 15 pars, noteworthy in conditions as tough as they were. Former Aberdeen Links champion Stewart Finnie was in a bunch who tied for third place on 76. Stewart had a double bogey 6 at the first and a double bogey 6 at the 17th. Give him pars at both these holes and he would have finished two shots ahead of winner Ian Bratton! LEADING SCRATCH Par 71 (4-4-3-4-4-5-4-4-4: 36 OUT. 4-4-3-4-4-5-3-4-4: 35 IN)   74 Ian Bratton (Newburgh) OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4: 35. IN:  4-5-3-5-3-5-3-6-5: 39. 75 John Duff (Newmachar) OUT: 4-4-3-4-4-5-4-5-4: 37. IN: 4-6-3-4-4-5-3-5-4: 38 76 Craig Carnegie (Kemnay) 37-39, Fraser Clarke (Newmachar) 35-41, Patrick Lovie (P1 Corporate) 37-39, Ryan Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) 36-40, Stewart Finnie (Caledonian) 39-37. 77 Paul Simpson (Aboyne) 39-38. 78 George Paterson (Northern) 39-39, Alistair Fiddes (Murcar Links) 41-37, Greg Ingram (Inverurie) 41-37 79 David Leslie (Northern) 40-39, Philip McLean (Peterhead) 43-36  80 Colin Nelson (Mackenzie Shop) 37-43, Euan Kennedy (Newmachar) 39-41, Keith F Watson (Deeside) 39-41, David A Fleming (Portlethen) 43-37. 81 Donald Macandrew (Royal Aberdeen) 40-41, Gordon Munro (Fraserburgh) 42-39, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 40-41, Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) 39-42, Bill Urquhart (Murcar Links) 40-41. 82 Albert J Smith (Turriff) 41-41, Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay) 40-42, Harry Roulston (Stonehaven) 41-41, David Brown (Kemnay). 83 Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead) 42-41. 84 Mike Booth (Kemnay) 42-42 85 Jim Duncan (Newburgh) 43-42, Neish Chisholm (Kemnay) 42-43. 86 Bryan Robson (Newmachar) 41-45, Brian Harper (Newburgh) 40-46, Manson Merchant (Newmachar) 44-42, Claire Prouse  (Hazlehead) 41-45, Jackie Forrest (Northern) 46-40. 87 John M Hamilton (Murcar Links) 41-46, Mike Duncan (Deeside) 44-43, David Bisset (Banchory) 43-44, Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) 43-44, Gary Ross (Meldrum House) 43-44. 88 John Forrest (Murcar Links) 42-46, Jim Murray (Banchory) 42-46, Les Roger (Royal Aberdeen) 40-48, David Nelson (Aboyne) 44-44, Clark Alexander (Murcar Links) 46-42 89 Graeme Mitchell (Braemar) 45-44  90 Jim Scott (Peterculter) 41-49, Sandy Davidson (Northern) 47-43. 91 Laurence Prouse (Hazlehead) 42-49, John Borthwick (Craibstone), Dave Wilson (Duff House Royal). 92 Paul McIntosh (Newburgh), Alistair Petrie (Oldmeldrum), Josh Turner (Kemnay). 93 Nigel K Parker (Murcar Links), 94 David Mackay (Newmachar) 46-48, John Hosie (Hazlehead) 46-48, Michael Holley (Ballater) 50-44 95 Mike Rogers (Kemnay) 48-47, Chris Brindley (Banchory), George Stevely (Murcar Links). 96 Ray Brown (Newburgh) 50-46, Mike Smith (Turriff) . 98 Steve Kennedy (Craibstone) 45-53 100 Gary Homer (Northern) 47-53 101 Michael Randall (Stonehaven) 53-48 102 Mike Brown (Newburgh) 46-56 105 Ben Lumsden (Northern) 51-54 109 Ian Grant (Keith). LEADING HANDICAP Class 1 – C Carnegie (Kemnay) (3) 73; D Leslie (Northern) (5) 74; D A Fleming (Portlethen) (5), H Roulston (Stonehaven) (7), K Watson (Deeside) (5) 75. Class 2 – M Booth (Kemnay) (11), N Chisholm (Kemnay) (12) 73; L Roger (Royal Aberdeen) (12) 76; S Davidson (Northern) (13) 77; J Murray (Banchory) (10) 78. Next Wednesday's  NE Alliance switched from Peterculter to Craibstone Due to unforeseen circumstances, next Wednesday's NE Alliance has been switched from Peterculter to Craibstone whose general manager Billy Sim was glad to help out at short notice. The scheduled fixture for Craibstone on Wednsday, December 14 is not affected by the move. The Craibstone clubhouse now offers a full catering service. SLOW PLAY AT MONTROSE MEANT END-OF-FIELD PLAYERS RAN OUT OF LIGHT TO FINISH ROUNDS NE Alliance joint secretary Davie Wilson, who always goes out last in the field after handling the clubhouse administration, was raging at the slow play which meant that players at the end of the field ran out of light to finish their rounds. Others complained of four or five groups waiting on every tee from very early in the round due to some players not letting faster players play through. The biggest field of the new season - 103 - coincided with the first NE Alliance fixture since the clock changed. To get everybody round in daylight, play would have had to be at a brisk tempo. It was anything but. Davie Wilson is going to read the riot act to players before next week's meeting at Craibstone. He will also introduce two-tee starts where possible as there is less and less light to get players round in the Alliance fixtures between now and the mid-winter break. At Craibstone, players will go off from the first and the seventh tees. One player at Montrose Links today complained that seven-minute intervals between the groups of three setting out was not nearly long enough and led to the field clogging up early on in the round. Another suggested that the field should be capped at say 80 players, reducing by 10 every week until the second half of the season. But who's going to decide who plays and who doesn't play - and can you imagne the discord that would create. At times like this the North-east Alliance is a victim of its own success. There is simply not enough light to get everybody who wants to play round in daylight. PRAISE FOR MONTROSE LINKS ... EVEN THE BUNKERS! By common consent, the Montrose Links were in tip-top condition and I even heard praise for the quality of the sand in the bunkers! ... the second week in a row that the NE Alliance competitors have been fulsome in their praise of the course, following last week at Cruden Bay.

SCOTT LARKIN MAKES COMEBACK  AFTER WRIST OPERATION

North-east District team player Scott Larkin (Royal Aberdeen) made his comeback today at Montrose Links after being out of action for six months with a wrist injury which required an operation.

Not surprisingly in conditions that were as much a physical test as a golfing one, Scott went round in 87 shots (43-44). He has a handicap of +2.

ALLIANCE CLUBHOUSE HUMOUR

Player 1 to Player 2: "I had a bright green shirt like that - it didn't suit me either."

 

SCOT ANDY GUNSON NOW A PRO - AND A GATEWAY TOUR WINNER

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
Earlier this week I brought to your attention that Sean Jacklin, Scots-born son of Tony Jacklin, is campaigning on the National Pro Golf Tour in America as is Royal Dornoch exile Jimmy Gunn.
And Paul Cormack from Banchory is on the NGA (Hooters) Tour. Paul has written an interesting piece for Scottishgolfview.com, which will be on view before the end of the week.
Also this week, I "uncovered" another Scot playing as a professional in America - Andrew or Andy Gunson, pictured, son of Brian Gunson who was the head professional at Turnberry before moving to the States where he is now the Director of Golf at a private golf club at Irvine, California called Shady Canyon.
Son Andy, born at Irvine in Ayrshire, played on the US college circuit as a student at the University of California-Santa Barbara and did well enough to gain a World Amateur Ranking in the top 500.
He graduated last May-June and - we missed the news at the time - but he turned pro fairly quickly and scored his first win on the Gateway Tour in their July 13-15 event at The Golf Club at Rancho California.
With a 15-under-par tally of 201 over 54 holes, Andy Gunson, 23, pocketed $15,000.

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HOLTGRIEVE KEEPS US WALKER CUP TEAM CAPTAINCY FOR 2013

FROM THE UNITED STATES GOLF ASSOCIATION WEBSITE
Far Hills, New Jersey – Jim Holtgrieve, of St Louis, Missouri, whose stellar amateur career includes a winning record as a member of three victorious USA Walker Cup Teams, the captaincy of the USA Team at the 2011 Match and an individual triumph at the inaugural U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in 1981, has been reappointed captain of the 2013 USA Walker Cup squad by the United States Golf Association.
“I am indeed honoured once again to be named to captain the 2013 United States Walker Cup Team,” said Holtgrieve, 63.
“The 2011 Walker Cup journey was an incredible experience for me and one that I will never forget. Golf fans, friends and family all over the United States as well as overseas were so supportive of me during this experience that I was praying that I would have the opportunity to captain the 2013 Walker Cup Team.
“I want to bring the Walker Cup back to the United States, but I also want to lead 10 men to have one of the best golfing experiences they can ever imagine. I thought I understood the true spirit of the game. However, the Walker Cup in Scotland proved so much more to me about the real meaning.”
Holtgrieve will captain the United States of America team for the 44th Walker Cup Match, to be held Sept. 7-8, at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York State.
"Jim has an exceptional grasp of the meaning of the Walker Cup Match and conveyed that very well to the members of the 2011 USA Team in Scotland,” said USGA President Jim Hyler.
“So it is fitting that he uses that well-developed perspective as a player and a captain to lead the USA squad in 2013 at The National Golf Links, which was the site of the first Match in 1922."
Holtgrieve was one of the country's top amateur players during the 1970s and '80s and played on winning Walker Cup Teams in 1979, 1981 and 1983, where he had a combined record in singles and foursomes (alternate shot) of 6-4. He also represented the USA on two victorious World Amateur Team Championship squads, in 1980 and 1982. A semifinalist at the 1980 U.S. Amateur and runner-up at the 1983 British Amateur, Holtgrieve has won numerous state and district amateur titles in Missouri.
Holtgrieve played in five Masters Tournaments as an amateur – making the cut three times – and also qualified for the 1978 U.S. Open Championship.
Holtgrieve turned professional in 1998 and played on the Champions Tour from 1999 to 2005, where his top finish was a tie for second at the 1999 Home Depot Invitational. He has played in four U.S. Senior Opens and a total of 42 USGA championships.
The USGA reinstated Holtgrieve's amateur status in 2007 after he played in 122 professional events. He currently serves as a member of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship Committee for the USGA.
The biennial Walker Cup Match is an international amateur team competition between 10 players from the United States of America and 10 from Great Britain and Ireland. The Match consists of 18 singles matches and eight foursomes (alternate-shot) matches over the two days of competition. The Great Britain and Ireland Team won the 2011 Match in September at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland by a score of 14-12. The USA leads the series, 34-8-1.
+Nigel Edwards, the winning captain at Royal Aberdeen, has already been reappointed to lead GB and I in the 2013 Walker Cup match.

COOK REPLACES JORDAN AS US PRESIDENTS CUP ASSISTANT

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (AP) National Basketball Association labour issues will keep Michael Jordan from going to Australia as an assistant captain for the United States team at the Presidents Cup.
Team captain Fred Couples took Jordan along to the last Presidents Cup in San Francisco, and signed him up again for the November 17-20 matches at Royal Melbourne. The Chicago Bulls great as a basketball player was to be an assistant captain with Jay Haas.
Jordan is the majority owner of (NBA team) Charlotte Bobcats, and had to back out as the NBA continues its lockout of players. Couples has replaced him with John Cook.
"With the NBA labour situation unsettled, as the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, I feel it is necessary that I remain in the country," Jordan said in a statement.
Jordan has been a regular at the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup over the years, often sitting in a golf cart with a cigar as he watched the matches. He was in an honorary role in San Francisco, but was a big hit with the players.
"While the team will miss his friendship, spirit and leadership, we certainly understand the complexity of his current team obligations," Couples said.