GAVIN DEAR FINISHED JOINT THIRD AT IRONHORSE, FLORIDA

Gavin Dear from Scone, near Perth finished joint third in a field of 52 players at the latest Golfslinger.com Tour in Florida.
Dear shot a three-under-par 69 in the one-round Ironhorse December Shootout at Ironhorse Country Club, West Palm Beach.
He finished four shots behind Brad Adamonis, an American who won the $1,000 first prize by three strokes with a 65.
Nathan Sutherland finished second on 68 and earned $700.
Greg Duncan from Edinburgh finished joint 20th with a 74 and earned $72 and 50 cents.

JIMMY GUNN EARNS $3,215 FOR FIFTH PLACE IN ARIZONA

Jimmy Gunn (pictured) from Dornoch can't come up with a tournament-winning final round but he's still laughing all the way to the bank!
Gunn, joint third with one round to go in this week's All-American Professional Golf Tour event at Longbow Golf Club, Mesa in Arizona, finished fifth on 13-under-par 200 - and earned $3,215.
He has played three events on the tour's winter schedule in recent weeks and finished fourth, sixth and now fifth, earning a total of $8,850 from the three starts on what is a fiercely competitive circuit.
Gunn had rounds of 64, 68 and 68 over the par-71 course. He finished two shots behind the two play-off participants on 15-under 198, Justin Searles (68-66-64) and Brian Vranish (66-65-67).
Searles won the play-off and the first prize of $11,350. Vranish's runner-up prize amounted to $6,175.
Two more Americans, Scott Harrington (63-69-67) and Dan Miernicki (67-65-67) tied for third place on 199.

FASCINATING INTERVIEW WITH JIM FLICK JUST BEFORE HE DIED

FROM THE GOLF DIGEST.COM WEBSITE
By JOHN STREGE

On a warm day in late September, I ventured over to the Kingdom, as TaylorMade's testing facility in Carlsbad, California, is called, where the renowned instructor Jim Flick kept an office near the lesson tee on which he plied his trade in the last years of his life.
A plate of food was on his desk, but he never touched it. "I'm kind of struggling with my health a little bit," he said. "But when you get to be almost 83, you're going to have some days. They've got me on some iron and I really get a reaction to food."

                      THE LATE JIM FLICK
 
Nothing else suggested anything was disturbingly amiss, a diagnosis apparently yet to be made. He was his typical ebullient self, thrilled to be talking about Beau Hossler, his 17-year-old protege, the reason I was there, and the subject of the story that appears in Golf World's Newsmakers issue.
It might have been the last extensive interview he gave, lasting two hours and frequently and fascinatingly meandering off topic, as it did when he noted of his Wake Forest roommate, Arnold Palmer, that "he was the first player I played with who I thought willed the ball around the golf course."
The conversation eventually turned to Tiger Woods, as it is wont to do in golf circles, and the swing changes he has undergone.
"I wonder if he gets bored," Flick said. "I think he feels like there might be a better way. I've spent a little bit of time with him. Never really coached him. The only time I spent much time with him was 1996, I walked a practice round with he, Tom Watson and Jack [Nicklaus] at the Open at Oakland Hills. Tiger, Jack and I went into the lunch room and someone else wanted to talk to Jack, so I talked to Tiger for maybe an hour-and-a-half.
"I think Tiger feels like he needs to be motivated and I think he uses changes to do that. The truth is, in the year 2000, he [Tiger Woods] was probably the best player in the history of the game. I don't think we've ever had anybody whose concentration level is superior to Tiger's. I think he finds a way to get the maximum efficiency out of himself as a competitor. His short game is beyond belief. He had an incredible mind to find a solution for the challenge he was facing. He doesn't seem quite able to do that at the moment.
"I don't like his swing as well as I did in the year 2000. To me the major difference is that he's not changing directions from the ground up as he did when he worked with Butch [Harmon]. He's changing his directions a lot more with his shoulders and his upper body. To me, he's in a lot of different positions at impact, with his chest a little more open or a little more closed. That used to never be a problem.
"I've never quite understood why he changed his putting style. Jack said to me one time, 'I used to think if a putt had to me made I'd like to have the putter in my hands, but when I see some of the putts that Tiger has made...'"
Flick had the distinction of working with Nicklaus after Nicklaus' long-time instructor Jack Grout died in 1989.
"For me to tell you I taught Jack Nicklaus a lot of things would be an inaccurate statement," Flick said. "I think that why Jack trusted me after Mr. Grout passed was that he was seeing some fellows and they were all trying to take him down a slightly different path than what Mr. Grout had taught him. 
"My thinking was, gosh, here's a guy that was the best player in the history of the game. Why would I not want to keep him doing the same things Mr. Grout had him doing? 
"I would watch Mr. Grout teach Jack at Frenchmen's Creek [Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida where Grout taught during the winter months]. What I told Jack was, 'why don't you let me be a set of eyes for you for what Mr. Grout did with you, as best I can, and keep you on the same path?'
"I've been very fortunate. I've worked with 25 tour players who've won major championships. Not that I'm claiming I've helped all of them. I'm just saying I know what they thought about how they played the game and how they used their minds. I've learned a lot more from them perhaps than they've learned from me.
"Tom Lehman came to me in 1990. He'd lost his tour card three times and six years later he was the best player in the world. I learned a lot working with Tom. I always say that what really helped my teaching is I'd go to the Open with Tom and Jack and I'd watch Tom hit balls and every shot he hit his eyes saw right to left. 
"I'd go over to Jack and he'd see left to right. Here was the best player in the world and the best player in history and they used the club radically differently. You'd better damn well know what you're feeding each one of them to fit how they're using the golf club."
Flick said that he considered Bob Toski "the best teacher in the history of golf by a considerable margin. The reason I say that is that Bob was the best player in the world in 1954. The guy won five times in 13 months and was the leading money winner. Most people don't know that, of course. But Bob understands what it takes to teach people and put the principals together that let you play better, not just the swing and looking good swinging, but understanding what works under pressure."
He did not have the same reverence for some of the contemporary instructors, however. "Beau's dad told me he had a few golf professionals say at the Open they could do a lot better job with Beau's swing than I've done," Flick said. "You're always going to have people second-guessing what you teach and how you teach it and so on and so forth. It's the world we live in."
We would speak once more, about five weeks later. I left a message for him on his cell phone, regarding setting up a photo shoot with him and Hossler. He returned my call later that day and said that there would be no photo shoot.
"I'm on my death bed," he said. "Cancer of the pancreas."
He died six days later.

DANNY AIRENS WINS EAST ALLIANCE JOHN GLEN TROPHY AT DUNBAR

EDINBURGH AND EAST OF SCOTLAND ALLIANCE

REPORT BY ALAN GREENSHIELDS

Secretary and treasurer
+SCROLL DOWN TO THE END OF THE ARTICLE 
 FOR THE LEADING SCRATCH AND
HANDICAP SCORES AT THE DUNBAR FIXTURES 

Wind chill certainly provided a stern test to the 92 players who headed to Dunbar this week. A few said it was the coldest weather they had played in but I must say it was rather warm at the other side of the Clubhouse windows!  

Some days you wish you were out playing as Secretary but not today.

Winner of the John Glen Trophy with a net 70 (79 less 9)  was Danny Airens of Falkirk Tryst.

It looked like Scott Catlin (Greenburn), who posted early on a level par round of 71, which included a fantastic opening nine of four-under-par 33, was favourite to take the trophy.

Scott had the consolation of sharing top scratch prize with Jamie McLeary (Dalmahoy) (36-35). Third scratch prize went to Norman Huguet (Musselburgh) with 72 (35-37).

Local player Wilson Morton (Dunbar) picked up second place in the handicap section with a net 73 (76 less 3).

Third place was also claimed by the Catlin family - Scott's father Ian with a net 74 (82 less 8) along with Phil Leggate (Musselburgh) also on net 74 (85 less 11).

Senior top prize went to Iain Stavert of Duddingston (who it must be said was a bit reluctant to face the icy wind!) but was rewarded for braving the coolish weather with his net 75 (79 less 4). 

Due to four players sharing second place in the senior section, I decided to allocate the prize on the better inward half which resulted in Keith Cowie (Dunbar) succeeding with net 76 (87 less 11).

Scratch Order of Merit sees only third place changing hands. Top three are now:

1 Andrew Erskine (Ratho Park) - 387.5 points

2 Chris Morris (Kingsknowe) - 341.5 points

3 Gordon Law (Uphall) - 340.5 points

Handicap Order of Merit sees the leader increase his advantage and new contenders moving up to second and third spots:

1 Daniel Airens (Falkirk Tryst) - 102.5 points

2 Alan MacKay (Kingsknowe) - 77.0 points

3 David Brydon (Torwoodlee) - 75 points

We now have a festive break and play resumes in East Lothian with a visit to Gullane No.3 on Wednesday, January 9.

Here's to a drier 2013.

Have a great festive break and all the best to you and your families for 2013

Alan Greenshields

Edinburgh and East of Scotland Golfers' Alliance

44/2 Pitt Street

Edinburgh

EH6 4DA

Mobile:07730 00710

Alliance Mobile: 07814 983582

E-mail: secretary.eesga@talktalk.net

LEADING SCRATCH SCORES AT DUNBAR

1

Catlin

Scott

Greenburn

Professional

71

2

McLeary

Jamie

Dalmahoy

Professional

71

3

Huguet

Norman

Musselburgh

Professional

72

4

Law

Gordon

Uphall

Professional

73

5

Gaughan

Louis

Bathgate

Trainee

74

6

Colquhoun

Neil

Merchants

Professional

75

7

Erskine

Andrew

Ratho Park

Professional

75

8

Mackie

Steven

The Dukes

Professional

75

9

Oldcorn

Andrew

Kings Acre

Professional

75

10

Burgess

Callum

Musselburgh

Amateur

76

11

Marshall

Andrew

Houston G.R.

Professional

76

12

McNicoll

Keir

Gullane

Trainee

76

13

Morton

Wilson

Dunbar

Senior

76

14

Patrick

David

Elie

Professional

76

15

Walker

Eric

Burntisland

Professional

76

16

Morris

Chris

Kingsknowe

Professional

77

17

Callan

Stuart

Bathgate

Professional

78

18

Dick

James

Duddingston

Professional

78

19

MacKay

Alan

Kingsknowe

Amateur

78

20

Taylor

Ian

Royal Burgess

Amateur

78

21

Airens

Daniel

Falkirk Tryst

Amateur

79

22

Fraser

Colin

Peebles

Amateur

79

23

Johnston

Richard

Glenbervie

Amateur

79

24

McGarvey

Sean

Glencorse

Amateur

79

25

Neill

Ross

Drumpellier

Professional

79

26

Stavert

Iain

Duddingston

Senior

79

27

White

Justin

Harrison (Braids)

Amateur

79

28

Wood

Daniel

The Hirsel

Trainee

79

29

Wilson

Thomas

Glenbervie

Amateur

80

30

Young

Scott

Turnhouse

Professional

80

LEADING HANDICAP SCORES BELOW

Airens

Daniel

Falkirk Tryst

Amateur

79

9

70

Morton

Wilson

Dunbar

Senior

76

3

73

Catlin

Ian

Greenburn

Senior

82

8

74

Leggate

Philip

Musselburgh

Amateur

85

11

74

Burgess

Callum

Musselburgh

Amateur

76

1

75

MacKay

Alan

Kingsknowe

Amateur

78

3

75

Stavert

Iain

Duddingston

Senior

79

4

75

White

Justin

Harrison (Braids)

Amateur

79

4

75

Bootland

Hinton

Duddingston

Senior

84

8

76

Cowie

Keith

Dunbar

Senior

87

11

76

Doyle

Steven

Liberton

Amateur

82

6

76

Johnston

Graeme D

Glenbervie

Amateur

81

5

76

Miller

William

Falkirk Tryst

Senior

86

10

76

Taylor

Ian

Royal Burgess

Amateur

78

2

76

Bain

Neil

Haddington

Amateur

81

4

77

Brydon

David

Torwoodlee

Amateur

81

4

77

Denham

John

Torwoodlee

Senior

83

6

77

Adam

John

Innerleithen

Amateur

87

9

78

Fraser

Ian A

Duddingston

Senior

81

3

78

Jeavons

Ian

Dunbar

Amateur

83

5

78

Louden

Michael

Glencorse

Amateur

83

5

78

Silvestro

James

Dalmahoy

Amateur

86

8

78

Stevens

Glyn

Kings Acre

Amateur

85

7

78

Stewart

Duncan

Craigielaw

Amateur

85

7

78

Wardlaw

Stuart

Harburn

Senior

90

12

78

Brown

Stuart

Glencorse

Amateur

83

4

79

Cunningham

Robert

Dalmahoy

Amateur

92

13

79

Davidson

Stuart

Merchants

Amateur

86

7

79

Duncan

Graeme

Kingsknowe

Amateur

81

2

79

Fraser

Colin

Peebles

Amateur

79

0

79

Johnston

Richard

Glenbervie

Amateur

79

0

79

McGarvey

Sean

Glencorse

Amateur

79

0

79

Sewell

Peter

West Linton

Amateur

86

7

79

Wilson

Thomas

Glenbervie

Amateur

80

1

79

Boyle

Tony

Glenbervie

Amateur

85

5

80

Kay

Michael

Ratho Park

Amateur

91

11

80

McCluskey

John

Archerfield

Amateur

91

11

80

Skinner

Grant

Glencorse

Amateur

83

3

80

Gilhooley

Stephen

Duddingston

Senior

88

7

81

			Michael  Glencorse Amateur 83 5 78 Silvestro James Dalmahoy Amateur 86 8 78 Stevens Glyn Kings Acre Amateur 85 7 78 Stewart Duncan  Craigielaw Amateur 85 7 78 Wardlaw Stuart  Harburn Senior 90 12 78 Brown Stuart  Glencorse Amateur 83 4 79 Cunningham Robert  Dalmahoy Amateur 92 13 79 Davidson Stuart  Merchants Amateur 86 7 79 Duncan Graeme   Kingsknowe Amateur 81 2 79 Fraser Colin  Peebles Amateur 79 0 79 Johnston Richard  Glenbervie Amateur 79 0 79 McGarvey Sean Glencorse Amateur 79 0 79 Sewell Peter  West Linton Amateur 86 7 79 Wilson Thomas Glenbervie Amateur 80 1 79 Boyle Tony Glenbervie Amateur 85 5 80 Kay Michael  Ratho Park Amateur 91 11 80 McCluskey John Archerfield Amateur 91 11 80 Skinner Grant Glencorse Amateur 83 3 80 Gilhooley Stephen  Duddingston Senior 88 7 81 Wither George  Lothianburn Amateur 83 2 81 Carrigan Michael  Greenburn Amateur 93 11 82 Murray Roy West Lothian Amateur 88 6 82 Scott Jim Minto Senior 89 7 82 Laing William  Prestonfield Amateur 89 6 83 Wilson Iain Longniddry Amateur 84 1 83 Young Alan  Lochend Amateur 89 6 83 Carson Robert  Dalmahoy Amateur 84 0 84 Cordery Thomas Musselburgh Amateur 87 3 84 Marshall Robert  Greenburn Amateur 93 9 84 Millar Andrew Musselburgh Amateur 87 3 84 Wight Andrew  Glencorse Senior 87 3 84 Wyse Ian Falkirk Tryst Amateur 93 9 84		85