STONEHAVEN MEN'S OPEN TEXAS SCRAMBLE

NEWS RELEASE FROM STONEHAVEN GOLF CLUB
Times are available for the Stonehaven Men's Open Texas Scramble  on Saturday, May 25.
With an entry fee of £32 per team and prizes paid out last year to the value of £600, this tournament in only its second year
will once again be very popular. 
For available tee times visit the club's website Stonehavengolfclub.com 
or phone the Golf Club on 01569 762124.
Brian Lawson
Match Secretary

BRIAN MASON FUNERAL IN INVERNESS ON MAY 20

FROM THE PGA WEBSITE
The funeral of PGA Professional Brian Mason will be held at Inverness Crematorium on Monday 20 May at 1.30pm.
Brian, a former Professional at Turnhouse, Murrayfield, Lothianburn and Nairn Dunbar golf clubs, passed away on Friday 10 May aged 58.

PAUL LAWRIE TO DESIGN GOLF COURSE AS PART OF BLAIRS COLLEGE ESTATE DEVELOPMENT

The Muir Group's plans were unveiled this week of a £115million leisure and housing project, which will include a golf course designed by Paul Lawrie, on the southwest side of Aberdeeen.
Proposals have been tabled for the first homes to be built at the Blairs College Estate off the South Deeside Road which runs up Deeside from the Old Bridge of Dee.
Outline planning permission for the scheme at Banchory Devenick, fgyhas already been obtained.
The housing will pay for the refurbishment of the Blairs College as a 100-bedroom hotel with conference facilities. The granite buildings which made up St Mary's College, Blairs were home to
Roman Catholic seminary - a training centre for young priests - which closed in 1986 and which, since 2000, has housed a religious museum.

Apart from the golf course, there will also be an equestian centre, tennis couorts and a curling pond.
The plans now go to Aberdeenshire Council for approval.
Ronnie Muir of the Muir Group said he expected the council to make their decision "around October" and was hopeful they would win the support of councillors.   
The Blairs College Estate is not all that far away from the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre.

DANISH VENUE FOR EUROPEAN TOUR EVENT IN MID-AUGUST

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR

The European Tour will visit Denmark for the first time in more than a decade next year when the inaugural Made in Denmark is held at Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort from August 14-17. 

The tournament will be played at the North Jutland venue from 2014-2016 and will carry a prize fund of €1.5million, with €270,000 on offer to the winner.  

Ian Poulter was triumphant the only previous time The European Tour has staged a tournament on Danish soil, the Englishman beating Colin Montgomerie by a single stroke after shooting a round of 66 on the final day of the 2003 Nordic Open, held in the capital city Copenhagen.    

Himmerland Golf and Spa Resort, in Farsø, is northern Europe’s largest golf resort, comprising two 18 hole courses, a nine hole course and extensive practice facilities in the NIKE Performance Centre.

The stunning 7,382 yards, par 72 Backtee New Course, which will be used for the tournament, re-opened at the start of the year after a €2million renovation programme which included the re-laying of all 18 greens and the re-shaping of every bunker.

 

PAUL LAWRIE TO PLAY NEWBURGH EXHIBITION MATCH ON JUNE 7

NEWS RELEASE FROM NEWBURGH-ON-YTHAN GOLF CLUB
Paul Lawrie, the 1999 Open champion and two-time Ryder Cup stalwart, has kindly agreed to attend the club on the evening of Friday, June 7 for an exhibition match to mark our celebration of 125 years. 

The match will take place on the back nine holes against the club professional, men's club champion and any member wishing to pay and play a hole with the group.
The format will be a skins game. Tee off at the 10th at 6 pm. For an
opportunity to play as part of the four-ball, be a caddie on the night or to sponsor a hole please contact Ian Bratton at the pro shop on 01358789058 or pro@newburghgolfclub.co.uk. 

A question-and-answer session will also take place following the golf in the clubhouse. 

The Paul Lawrie Foundation and club will receive an equal share of all sponsor money. Spectators are also welcome on the night of the event.
Paul's new book will also be available on the night, personally signed by himself.

We are also running an 125th anniversary raffle with prizes including a four-ball tee time at Trump International Golf Links, a four-ball at Castle Stuart, dinner, bed and breakfast at The Marcliffe along with many other excellent prizes. 

Tickets can be obtained at Newburgh on Ythan Golf Club. 

Anyone wishing to donate a raffle prize, please contact Shona at the club on 01358 7889058.

ROYAL LIVERPOOL GOLF CLUB TO HOST 2019 WALKER CUP

NEWS RELEASE FROM THE R AND A
 Royal Liverpool Golf Club, Hoylake has been named as the venue for the 2019 Walker Cup match.

The 47th biennial match between the amateurs of Great Britain and Ireland and the USA will be played in September 2019 at Royal Liverpool as the club celebrates the 150th anniversary of its foundation.

Hoylake was the venue for a match between the USA and Great Britain in 1921 and the following year the first official Walker Cup match was played at the National Golf Links of America in Southampton, New York.

The prestigious team event was held at Hoylake in 1983 when the USA side, led by captain Jay Sigel, overcame Charlie Green’s GB and I team with a 13 ½ - 10 ½ victory.

The Open Championship will return to Hoylake for the 12th time next year. In 2012 the club hosted the Ricoh Women’s British Open and it is no stranger to top-class amateur events, having hosted The Amateur Championship on 18 occasions and the Curtis Cup in 1992.

The club boasts a strong amateur golfing heritage. Two of the game’s greatest amateur players, John Ball junior and Harold Hilton, were members of Royal Liverpool and boast three Open Championships, 12 Amateur Championships and one US Amateur Championship between them.

Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Executive Director – Championships, said, “The Walker Cup is one of the most historic and prestigious events in golf. We are delighted to be taking the match back to Royal Liverpool in its 150th year. Hoylake will provide an outstanding challenge for both teams. It is one of the finest tests of links golf to be found anywhere and has hosted many successful championships over the years.”

David Cromie, the Secretary of Royal Liverpool Golf Club, said,  “The members of Royal Liverpool are extremely proud of their rich heritage and the many memorable golfing moments that have been played out over the links at Hoylake.  It will be an honour and privilege to host the Walker Cup in 2019, an event that will be the pinnacle of the 150th celebrations at the Club.”

This year’s Walker Cup match will be played once again at the National Golf Links of America, on 7 and 8 September. The 2015 match will be played at Royal Lytham and St Annes Golf Club and the 2017 venue will be the Los Angeles Country Club.

The Walker Cup match is contested between teams of ten players from GBandI and the USA. It is played over two days with 18 singles matches and eight foursomes matches. The current holders are GBandI after they defeated the USA 14-12 at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in 2011. 

The USA leads the overall series 34-8-1. Many great players have taken part in the Walker Cup over the years including Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson for the USA and Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell for GBandI.

DIGGERS AND EARTH-MOVERS MAKING EDZELL AN EVEN BETTER COURSE, SAYS WEBSTER

FROM THE PGA WEBSITE
Alastair Webster is ready to dig for victory when he tees off at the Senior PGA Professional Championship this week.

The Edzell Golf Club PGA professional returns to the Northants County course to try and better last year’s third-place finish in the £35,000 tournament which will be held from tomorrow (May 15) through to Friday..
And for Webster, pictured, the Midlands venue will make a change from his home club in Angus, which is currently undergoing a redesign.
“We’ve got the diggers and earth movers in at the moment to try and make the course even better,” he explained.
“The architects are at work and we’re bringing it up to date for our members. We have some ‘blind’ holes that we’re improving and some of the bunkers are being repositioned because they are obsolete now as people are hitting the ball further.
“We have a waiting list for members and we want to make sure we keep up with modern trends.”
In terms of his own game, Webster believes he is improving year on year in this event and wants to keep up the fine record of Scottish players after Peter Smith won it two years ago.
“I do feel that the more I play this course, the more I become accustomed to it,” he said.
“That has shown in the last two years when I went from top 30 to top three.
“It is a very tough course but I know the venue a lot better now and I’ll certainly be aiming to win if I can.
“Scottish players seem to do well in this event so I hope I can keep that going.
“Playing with the seniors is something I look forward to and it’ll certainly make a change from the young bucks I’m normally up against!”
Other players taking part at Northants County include former champion Bill Lockie (North Gailes Golf Centre), Keith Baxter (Buchanan Castle Golf Club), Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle),  PGA Cup player Fraser Mann (Musselburgh),  Duncan Williamson (Kirkhill) and Alan White (Lanark) with the top 20 finishers also earning a start in next month’s ISPS HANDA PGA Seniors Championship at De Vere Mottram Hall from June 6-9.
Last year’s champion Paul Wesselingh is now playing full time on the European Senior Tour so won’t be back to defend his title.

SAWGRASS MARSHALLS REFUTE TIGER'S EXPLANATION ABOUT GARCIA INCIDENT

FROM THE GOLF.COM WEBSITE
Tiger Woods and Sergio Garcia had a misunderstanding on the par-5 second hole at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday that reignited the two golfers' long-time feud. However, the marshal who was following the group said Woods' explanation for his actions on the hole was not true, according to Sports Illustrated's Michael Bamberger.
In the third round, on the 2nd hole, Woods hit a poor tee shot into the left trees. García hit a better tee shot, on the right side of the fairway. If the players had been communicating properly, García and Woods, or their caddies, would have established an order of play. But there was nothing like that. García, playing out of turn but not able to see Woods, was disrupted as he started his swing by a modest cheer from the woods, where a large group of spectators had surrounded Tiger, forming a human V around his ball. 
The cheers were a response to Woods pulling a five-wood out of his bag, meaning that he was going to attempt an absurdly difficult recovery shot. García, after fatting his shot, turned his round chin in Woods’ direction and glared. 
“It’s very simple,” García said during an NBC interview. “You have to pay attention to what’s going on because the other guy is hitting. You do something when you’re in the crowd, and the crowd is going to respond.”
Returning serve, Woods said, “The marshals, they told me he already hit, so I pulled a club and was getting ready to play my shot, and then I hear his comments afterward and it’s not real surprising that he’s complaining about something.” 
Well, when they heard that remark from Woods, the marshals were surprised. One of them, Gary Anderson, said on Sunday, “He didn’t ask us nothing, and we didn’t say nothing. We’re told not to talk to the players.”
Anderson’s boss, John North, was the chief marshal for the first three holes. He stood over Woods’s ball to protect it from the throng and was five feet away when Woods played his shot. North has worked the tournament as a volunteer marshal for 30 years, he’s a graduate of the Naval Academy, he served in Vietnam, he’s a FedEx pilot and he donates his round on the Stadium course for being a volunteer to the Wounded Warriors project. 
“Nothing was said to us and we certainly said nothing to him,” North said. “I was disappointed to hear him make those remarks. We’re there to help the players and enhance the experience of the fans. He was saying what was good for him. It lacked character.”
Hours later, his workweek done, North watched the tournament on TV in a military appreciation tent. 
“I hate to say it, but I was rooting for him,” North said of Woods. “It tears me apart. But when he’s winning..."