Monday, May 12, 2014

IT'S AGAINST THE CLUB'S PRESENT RULES

R and A MEMBERS MAY BE ALLOWED 

TO VOTE BY PROXY ON THE FEMALE 

MEMBERS ISSUE
FROM THE GOLF CHANNEL WEBSITE
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The Royal and Ancient Golf Club could make history even before its historic vote in September to have female members.
R and A secretary Peter Dawson said the club is deciding whether to allow members to vote by proxy, something he said has never been done in club history. Club rules require members to be present to vote.
''The jury is still out on that,'' Dawson said in a telephone interview.
''The rules of the club only allow a vote to be taken at the business meeting of those present. There is a view in the club, and quite a strong one, that postal voting should be allowed.''
Dawson announced last month that the R and A would vote on September 18 whether to allow female members for the first time in its 260-year history.
The R and A Golf Club has about 2,400 members around the world.
Dawson is hopeful the vote will be favourable toward allowing women to join.

Dawson, who is retiring in September 2015, said:  ''We're never sure of the outcome but I think it's the right thing, and I hope that R and A members do what's right for golf.''
Because attendance is required to vote, a proxy vote might include those who are in favour of change but are disinclined or unable to travel to St. Andrews in September. 
Several golf administrators are R and A members. The vote falls between the end of the FedEx Cup and the week of the Ryder Cup.
The R and A said Monday in a statement that ''members from around the world have expressed the desire to be part of this September's historic vote.'' 
It said the general committee is investigating a change to club rules that would allow voting by mail on ''particularly important issues such as this one so that every member can have the opportunity to be involved.''
It's an important vote for the image of the R and A, particularly coming just two years after Augusta National allowed female members for the first time in its 80-year history. 
There are differences. Augusta National is a private golf club. The Royal and Ancient is based in St. Andrews, though the Old Course and other links run by the St. Andrews Links Trust are open to the public.
The R and A Golf Club is separate from ''The R and A,'' a business arm created 10 years ago to handle the Rules of Golf, organize the Open and operate other business affairs
The R and A has female employees. Its committee and board, however, are populated by Royal and Ancient Golf Club members. Thus, there are no women in leadership roles for governing the game or running a major championship.
Dawson is secretary of the R and A Golf Club and chief executive of the R and A. He said he expected a decision on the voting procedure ''fairly soon.''
''It would be very easy to say that would be the democratic thing to do,'' Dawson said of a proxy vote. 
''There are cons to it. One can say that affairs are to be settled locally, not at the bar of one's club. It's a balance of what's right or wrong. All the legislation in the UK - and maybe it's the case in the U.S. - laws are passed by those who turn up at Parliament. There has not been a proxy.''

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RENFREWSHIRE COUNTY NEWS


RENFREWSHIRE BOYS TEE OFF WITH A 

DRAWN MATCH AT CARDROSS

RENFREWSHIRE GOLF UNION
PRESS RELEASE

Renfrewshire Golf Union’s boys' team travelled to Cardross for the first match of the season against Dunbartonshire and came home with a well earned drawn match.
Jack Currie (Greenock), the current county champion, showed his class with a 7 and 6 victory over Bearsden’s Matt Waterstone and there were solid wins for Craig Orr (Cochrane Castle) and Conor Toal (Old Ranfurly).  
Jamie Stewart, also Old Ranfurly, fought hard to finish all square against Hayston’s Stuart Goodfellow and, with Ross Robertson, another Old Course player, coming down the last one up, it looked as if an early season away victory was on the cards.   
However, his opponent, Greg Fitsimmons from Windyhill took the wind out of the Renfrewshire sails by holing a 20ft putt to square the game and the match.

COLIN EDGAR WINS BOYS’ STROKE PLAY CHAMPIONSHIP

Colin Edgar of Cochrane Castle Golf Club has won Renfrewshire Golf Union boys’ stroke-play championship. He won the Strathand Security- sponsored Caven Trophy at Caldwell Golf Club.
His morning round was 73 which was bettered only by Sean Burns of the home club. He had a level par round of 71.
In the afternoon, Sean had a disaster at the difficult second hole, running up a triple bogey from which he never fully recovered and finished with 77 for a 148 total. He was later joined as leader in the clubhouse by Erskine’s Andrew McColl, the newly crowned Renfrewshire boys’ champion of champions, who followed up his morning 75 with a composed 73.  
Colin Edgar, in the meantime, was playing his usual steady game and by the time he came to the 16th was one under par. However, a dropped shot at that hole and at the last meant he finished with a one over par round of 72, giving him a total of 145 and a three-shot victory over Andrew and Sean.


Picture shows James Forbes (Caldwell GC captain), Colin Edgar with trophy and RGU vice-    president Graham McGee

TOP SCOTTISH AMATEURS TO PLAY AT RANFURLY COURSES

With Renfrewshire having announced its well known team of Matthew Clark, Michael Daily, Gordon Stevenson, Ronnie Clark, Craig Watson and Andrew Farmer to challenge for the Scottish area team championship over Old Ranfurly and Ranfurly Castle this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday, there is already good reason to go to watch top golfers in action.
However when one sees that the 96 players will also include Jamie Savage (Cawder), who won the Irish amateur open stroke-play at Royal Dublin at the weekend, Alexander Culverwell (Dunbar), the current Scottish champion, Scottish youth champion Robert McIntyre (Glencruitten) and regular internationalists Graeme Robertson (Glenbervie) and Scott Borrowman (Dollar), it is obviously an event which should not be missed.



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WHERE TO GO ON SUNDAY, JUNE 8

DRUMPELLIER CUP 36-hole scratch open

A Lanarkshire Order of Merit event 

Drumpellier Golf Club, Coatbridge
Sunday, June 8th.

Handicap limit: 5 and under
Entry fee £20 (payable online).

Superb prize fund with the winner receiving a £300 SGU voucher, down to 8th place of £30 voucher

Wilson Bryson writes:
Drumpellier is one of the best courses in the West 
of Scotland. It's always in great condition, and has 
a long list of top amateurs and internationalists who have won the prestigious 36-hole event (Charlie Green, Barclay Howard, Steven O’Hara, A D Ferguson, Brian Smith, W S Bryson, Allyn Dick and Dean Robertson to name but a few). 
In addition, to reflect the challenge offered by the course, Drumpellier was re-rated by the SGU at the start of the year and the SSS increased by an extra stroke from 70 to 71, so now matches the Par.

Click on drumpellier cup “book now” tab, select preferred Tee off time, choose visitor option, & process payment via card.

Entries close: Sunday, June 1

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BISHOPBRIGGS PRO-AM ON MAY 25 PROFESSIONAS' TEE TIMES


Professional tee times for the Bishopbriggs Golf Club pro-am on May 25 are:


  7:30 AM   Paul Gallacher (Bearsden Golf Range)
  7:40 AM   Ross Dixon (Renaissance Club)
  7:50 AM   Jamie Fraser (Renaissance Club)
  8:00 AM   Colin Gillies (Kingsfield Golf Range)
  8:10 AM   Anthony Mackrell (Playsport Golf)
  8:20 AM   Liam Neeson (World of Golf)
  8:30 AM   Greg Paxton (Ralston Golf Club)
  8:40 AM   Michael Mackenzie (Edzell Golf Club)
  8:50 AM   James McGhee (Bishopbriggs Golf Range)
  9:00 AM   Christopher McMaster (Panmure Golf Club)
  9:10 AM   Ryan Buckley (Royal Musselburgh Golf Club)
  9:20 AM   David Stein (Ranfurly Castle Golf Club)
  9:30 AM   Peter Scanlan (Playsport Golf)
  9:40 AM   Iain Colquhoun (Loch Lomond Golf Club)
  9:50 AM   Steven Taylor (Bothwell Castle Golf Club)
  10:00 AM  Brian Mason (Callaway Golf)
  10:10 AM  Christopher Currie, Caldwell Golf Club
  10:20 AM  Alistair Brown, Archerfield Links 
  10:30 AM  Stephen Craig, Craig Golf 79
  10:40 AM  David Broadfoot, Kirkcudbright Golf Club
  10:50 AM  Ian Graham, Crow Wood Golf Club
  11:00 AM  Paul Robinson, Largs Golf Club
  11:10 AM  Garry Forrester, St Andrews Golf School
  11:20 AM  Scott Herald, Mearns Castle Golf Academy
  11:30 AM  Neil Fenwick, Dunbar Golf Club
  11:40 AM  Craig Ronald, Carluke Golf Club
  11:50 AM  Chris Kelly, Cawder Golf Club
  12:00 PM  Gavin Hay, Nairn Dunbar Golf Club
  12:10 PM  Christopher Robinson, Portpatrick Dunskey Golf Club
  12:20 PM  Robert Arnott, Bishopbriggs Golf Range
  12:30 PM  James McKinnon, Irvine Golf Club
  12:40 PM  Paul O'Hara, Clydeway Golf
  12:50 PM  Mark King, Kingsfield Golf Range
  1:00 PM   Greig Hutcheon, Paul Lawrie Golf Centre
  1:10 PM   Jason McCreadie, Buchanan Castle Golf Club
  1:20 PM   Scott Henderson, Kings Links Golf Centre
  1:30 PM   Craig Matheson, Falkirk Tryst Golf Club
  1:40 PM   Stephen Gray, Hayston Golf Club
  1:50 PM   Mark Kerr, Marriott Dalmahoy Golf & Count
  2:00 PM   Graeme Brown, Montrose Golf Links Ltd.
  2:10 PM   Graham Fox, Clydeway Golf
  2:20 PM   Jonathan Sharp, Carrick on Loch Lomond
  2:30 PM   Jonathan Lomas, Caprington Golf Club
  2:40 PM   Scott McGrenaghan, Cochrane Castle Golf Club
  2:50 PM   Neil Colquhoun, Merchants of Edinburgh Golf Cl
Complete information is available at Tournament Information Page (TIP) 

TEE TIMES FOR BELHAVEN BEST BEN PRO-AM AT CARDROSS, MAY 21
1A 1:00 pm Craig Ronald (Carluke G C)
2A 1:00 Robert Farrell (Cardross G C)
3A 1:00 Campbell Elliott (Haggs Castle G C)
4A 1:00 Paul O'Hara (Clydeway Golf)
5A 1:00 Robert Arnott (Bishopbriggs G R)
6A 1:00 Graeme Brown (Montrose Links)
7A 1:00 James McKinnon (Irvine G C)
8A 1:00 Stephen Gray (Hayston G C) 
9A 1:00 Greg McBain (Kemnay G C) 
10A 1:00 Craig Matheson, Falkirk Tryst Golf Club 13A 1:00 Christopher Robinson (Portpatrick Dunskey)  14A 1:00 Mark Kerr (Marriott Dalmahoy) 
15A 1:00 Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle)
16A 1:00 Christopher Currie (Caldwell G C)
17A 1:00 Grant Smith (Gleneagles Hotel)
18A 1:00 David Orr (Mearns Castle G A)

Complete information is available at Tournament Information Page (TIP)

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BIRDIE 3 AT 19th WINS FINAL AT LONGNIDDRY




Description: David Miller with the Lothians trophy at Longniddry Golf club. Pic: Ian Rutherford. www.ianrutherfordphotography.com
David Miller with the Lothians trophy at Longniddry Golf club. Pic: Ian Rutherford. www.ianrutherfordphotography.com

·        
FROM THE SCOTSMAN AND EDINBURGH EVENING
NEWS WEBSITE
 by MARTIN DEMPSTER


David Miller overcame a 3am baby feed and an obstinate opponent on the greens to become the ninth Duddingston player to be crowned as Lothians champion.

This is the biggest win of my career, without a shadow of doubt,” beamed the 36-year-old after beating Musselburgh Old’s Nathan Free in the Longniddry final with a birdie at the 19th.

Miller had made the semi-finals on three previous occasions in the LGA’s flagship event, including the last time it had been played at the East Lothian course in 2008.

Since then he’s become the dad of two young daughters – three-year-old Nina and 12-week-old Clara – and feeding duties for the latter had left him short on sleep during this title bid.

“I was up at 3am on Saturday morning so feel shattered now,” admitted Miller after following in the footsteps of some highly-decorated clubmates.

Previous Duddingston winners of the event included the legendary Ronnie Shade and Stuart Smith, who lifted the title four times in ten years.

“To follow guys like them on to the trophy is fantastic and it’s great to know my three bronze medals in this event have now been eclipsed,” added the new champion.

Miller, who’d only got in front at the 15th in his morning semi-final against Turnhouse teenager Jack McVey, got off to a flyer in the title showdown.
 He won the first with a birdie-3 after hitting a wedge to no more than four feet and then went two up with another birdie at the seventh.

Free, who’d ended the brave run of Steven Armstrong, the 2004 winner from Turnhouse, in the other last-four clash, looked nervous. But he won the eighth with a par following a poor approach from his opponent then got back to all square with a birdie from ten feet at the 11th.

After both players had hit their second shots into the par-4 14th, Free could have been forgiven for thinking he was about to get his nose in front for the first time, but Miller had different ideas.

He’s renowned for having a hot short game and that was evident as he chipped in from 40 yards for a birdie, which Free, safely on in two, was unable to match.

Rattled by that setback, Free then dumped his tee shot at the next into bushes close to the road to go two down with three to play.
He’s not a young man who throws in the towel, though, and showed that by getting up and down from a greenside bunker at the par-3 16th to keep the match alive.

Miller, whose dad Derek, a well-kent face around the Capital, was on caddying duties, missed from around ten feet there for the title and did so again at the next, this time for a par, to see the match head up the last.

There, the Duddingston man had a third chance to wrap things up, albeit from a long way away, but probably felt a two-putt would be enough.

It was the first time all week that Free had played the closing hole but he made a good fist of it, finding the heart of the green then rolling in a 20-foot birdie putt to take the match into extra-time.

Free didn’t know it but the odds were stacked against him due to Miller having an excellent record in that situation.

For the second time in the match, he birdied the first, hitting almost two identical shots from earlier in the afternoon, to secure his title triumph in style. “At the start of this week I had a different mental attitude from previous years,” he revealed after receiving a winner’s kiss from little Nina – baby Clara was blissfully unaware of what had just happened to daddy – and wife Kirsty.

“I was more relaxed and went out thinking that if I did well it was going to be a bonus.” Reaching the final was exactly that for Free, who works in the Longniddry pro shop and is set to start his PGA training there in September.

“I’ve definitely overachieved this week and have taken loads of positives from it,” he said.

“Two years ago I missed out on qualifying by one shot so this shows how much I’ve improved since then. I started off a bit shaky in the final because I was nervous but I’d managed to settle down around the turn.

“David chipping in at the 14th was a key moment but it was my mistake that I took that on to the 15th tee and then hit a bad drive there.”

But, having toppled defending champion Alan Anderson en route to his title triumph, Miller was a worthy winner over a Longniddry course that earned widespread praise throughout the week.

Results:
QUARTER-FINALS
Steven Armstrong (Turnhouse) bt Graham Robertson (Silverknowes) 2 and 1.
Nathan Free (Musselburgh Old) bt Benn McLeod (Musselburgh) 4 and 3.
David Miller (Duddingston) bt Sean Walter (West Linton) at 19th.
Jack McVey (Turnhouse) bt Andrew Young (Turnhouse) 5 and 4

SEMI-FINALS
Free bt Armstrong 2 and 1
Miller bt McVey 1 hole
FINAL

Miller bt Free at 19th.

 

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TEE TIMES FOR FOUR-BALL BETTER-BALL SENIORS TOUR EVENT ON MAY 19

Tee times for the PGA in Scotland Senior
Tour four-ball, better-ball event at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club
on May 19 are: 
8:30am Steven Dunsmore and Gordon Niven, Andrew Marshall and Neil Colquhoun.
8:40 Keith Baxter and Alastair McLean, Stephen Craig and Jacky Montgomery
8:50 Kenneth Kelly and Steve Kelly, Sandy Strachan and John Strachan
9:00 Craig Everett and Stewart Savage, Fraser Mann and Gordon Law
9:10 Lindsay Mann and Dean Vannet, John Chillas and Martin Gray
9:20 Ross Drummond and Jim Farmer, Bill Lockie and John McTear
9:30 Billy Marchbank and Alan White, Stephen McAllister and Campbell Elliott
9:40 Alistair Thomson and Mel Douglas, Ian Howieson and  Lee Johnson
 
LATE RYDER CUP STALWART FOCUS OF 


FOXHILLS SENIOR PGA SHOWPIECE
 
NEWS RELEASE

The late great Ryder Cup captain and player Bernard Hunt will be remembered at Foxhills Resort this week when leading PGA professionals compete for a trophy named in his honour.
Leading club golfers from across the UK are contesting the Senior PGA Professional Championship at the Surrey resort from May 14-16.
It will be the first time the 54-hole event has been staged at Foxhills and in tribute to Hunt, who enjoyed a long association with the club, The PGA has renamed the silverware with the winner set to lift the Bernard Hunt Memorial Trophy.
Foxhills owner Marc Hayton said: “This year’s Senior PGA Professional Championship is a fitting tribute to the late Bernard Hunt MBE.
“He was a gentleman, wonderful player and teacher and a dear friend to the club.
“Foxhills is proud to host this event and wish The PGA and each player a fantastic tournament.”
The event is one of the most popular PGA tournaments and has attracted a record 195 entries. They will compete for a share of the £38,000 prize fund including a winner’s cheque for £5,250.
PGA head of tournaments Simon Higginbottom added: “Foxhills is a superb venue for the tournament and has enabled us to expand the field thanks to its two superb courses.
“It was also an opportunity to honour the memory of one of The PGA’s most illustrious members who twice captained Ryder Cup teams and The PGA.
”We’re looking forward to a fantastic week of golf and would encourage any local golf fans in Surrey to come along and enjoy see some excellent golf.”
An added incentive for the field is to qualify in the top 20 and earn a place against the cream of European seniors’ golf in the 2014 ISPS Handa PGA Seniors Championship at Stoke by Nayland from June 5-8 where past Ryder Cup captains Sam Torrance and Mark James are playing.
 
View the full list of entries and event information for the event at Foxhills Resort.

Visit http://pgagbi.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgagbi14/event/pgagbi1492/index.htm for scoring while previews, daily reports and images will be available at www.PGA.info for the latest information,

Discover more via www.facebook.com/thepga or follow us @ThePGA

 

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