KIPPIE LODGE GOLF POST FOR KEIL BEVERIDGE

By COLIN FARQUHARSONColin@scottishgolfview.com PGA professional Keil Beveridge from Aboyne has been appointed Director of Golf at Kippie Lodge Sports and Country Club, Milltimber near Aberdeen. Beveridge, 29, who specialises in teaching the game, had his base at Inchmarlo Golf Centre, Banchory, which closed earlier this year when the company leasing the facilities went into administration. "I'm delighted with the appointment," said Keil. "It's a great place to be associated with and a fantastic career opportunity for me." Beveridge, whose young sister Kimberley is one of Aberdeenshire's best young players, is coach and partner of Laura Murray who won the Scottish women's amateur title last year and recently turned professional. Laura worked part-time at the Kippie Lodge swimming pool for a spell but has not given up that attachment to concentrate on her new career as a tour golf professional. She will be playing on the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre Scottish Ladies Open Tour. "I believe Keil will be a brilliant coach at Kippie. He has a lot of enthusiasm and his fresh approach will be welcomed with open arms," said Laura. One fellow pro who will substantiate that is Royal Aberdeen's Joel Hopwood who won the North-east Alliance scratch foursomes with Brian Harper last week. "I was having trouble with my driving until I played a round with Keil Beveridge and asked him if he could sort me out. He spotted the flaw right away and got me to take a wider arc in my takeaway on the back swing," said Hopwood. The remedy worked a treat for Hopwood a few days later in the North-east Alliance championship second round at Duff House Royal where he reduced the outward nine holes to only 31 shots. And in the foursomes over the next two days, he was booming his drives down the middle, giving him and his partner an advantage of up to 100 yards at some holes in the final. Beveridge started his new post on April 1 at Kippie Lodge which has its own nine-hole course, driving range, and a short-game and putting practice area. It also organises its own pro-am at Peterculter Golf every summer. The Kippie Lodge Sports and Country Club, which also has a tennis professional, Alan Lamont, two all-weather tennis courts, a swimming pool, a gymnasium and restaurant, was formerly called the Aberdeen Petroleum Sports Club and was set up mainly for American oil-related workers in the 1970s but has since broadened his membership base and changed its name to become one of the leading sports and country clubs in the North-east of Scotland, if not farther afield. ends