RENAISSANCE PRO WINS WITH SIX-UNDER 65

McALLISTER PIPS FOX FOR AYRSHIRE

WGA VICTORY AT WESTERN GAILES

Stephen McAllister  won today's Ayrshire Winter Golf Association competition at Western Gailes with a fine round of six-under-par 65

The Renaissance Club professional set the tone with birdies at the first two holes and holes and signed off with an eagle 2 at the 18th.

McAllister's only bogey came at the third. He won by a stroke from Graham Fox (Clydeway Golf) whose 66 also included an eagle 2 at the last hole where he drove the shortened par-4 and holed an 8ft putt.

Fox heads the AWGA Order of Merit with 18 pts following his win at the previous fixture at Dundonald and today's second place.
Jason McCreadie (Buchanan Castle) was third with a 67.
The Ian McLeod Trophy for the amateurs was won by C.McLatchie (West Kilbride) with a net 66 after a countback with Bill McMahon (Irvine Bogside). Both play off 10.
PRO SCORES
Par 71
65 S McAllister (Renaissance)
66 G Fox (Clydeway Golf)
67 J McCreadie (Buchanan Castle)
68 R Arnott (Bishopbriggs), C Elliott (Haggs Castle)
69 P McKechnie (Braid Hills)
71 S Gray (Hayston)
72 C McManus (Kilmarnock Barassie)
73 P Robinson (Largs), R Collinson (Bishopbriggs), D Watters (Gourock), J Mullaney (unatt)
74 M Patterson (Kilmacolm), S Maxwell (Eastwood), S Garrett (Fereneze, I McNab (Dundonald)
75 D Knapp (American Golf Giffnock), A Brown (Archerfield)
76 C Beveridge (West Kilbride)
77 C Portiani (Trump Turnberry)
78 P Wilson (Cawder)
79 N Walton (Glasgow)
80 B Harvey (Scottish Golf Academy), A Todd (Prestwick)
81 D Fleming (Prestwick)

LEADING AMATEURS
net scores
66 C McLatchie (West Kilbride) (10), B McMahon (Irvine Bogside) (10)
67 B Anderson (Royal Troon) (7), J Lappin (Portland) (6), J Matthewman (Kilmarnock Barassie) (13).

LEADING AMATEURS
scratch scores 
70 C Peddie (Kirkintilloch), Niall Lamond (Balmore)
71 P Moultrie (Western Gailes).
72 A Johnston (Glasgow), D Waddell (Glasgow).

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

POTENTIAL BLOW TO NEW CLUBHOUSE PLANS

      The Broadhill Bar building which has been vacant for years ... but is suddenly the centre
                  of attraction for five potential bidders. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency

 ABERDEEN LINKS CLUBS' PLAN IN 

DANGER OF BEING STYMIED BY RIVAL

BIDDERS FOR BROADHILL BAR SITE


By COLIN FARQUHARSON

When the Aberdeen Links Golf Club formed by the merger of the present Bon Accord, Caledonian and Northern clubs, comes into being on April 1, the hopes were that they would move across Golf Road into a brand new clubhouse.
The plan was to purchase the vacant, almost derelict Broadhill Bar building from Aberdeen Town Council, knock it down and put up a smart new two-storey golf clubhouse, capable of housing the 600 to 700 members envisaged for Aberdeen Links Golf Club.
But the bad news is that suddenly - after years of business apathy towards its future - it would seem that there are at four or five bidders for the site.
Where have they been over the past 10 to 15 years?
Why have they waited until the golf clubs are on the verge of amalgamating and want to build their new home there?
That's what Caledonian Golf Club captain Derek Johnstone would like to know.
"We have learned that we face stiff competition in our bid to buy the Broadhill Bar premises," said Derek.
"Aberdeen Football Club, apparently, want the building as a training centre for their young players .... another company want to buy it to re-open as a public house ... and we hear that a developer is interested in using the site for an office building or housing.
"So it's not good news for the new golf club."
The danger is that Aberdeen Links Golf Club gets caught up in a "sold to the highest bidder" auction.
Until they sell their own land, presently occupied by their clubhouses and car parks, the officials of Bon Accord, Caledonian and Northern golf clubs do not have that kind of financial option.
So where would the new Aberdeen Links Golf Club go if not across to the Broadhill Bar site? 
That is the 64 dollar question.
Aberdeen Town Council apparently have the future of the site of the agenda for a meeting next Tuesday.

" YOU NEED A COURT ORDER TO GET HIS WALLET OPEN"

ANOTHER SIDE OF TIGER WOODS YOU

PROBABLY DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT

FROM GOLF.COM

Rick Reilly is making the rounds - in America - to promote his new book entitled "Tiger, Meet My Sister…And Other Things I Probably Shouldn’t Have Said."
 While on the "Conan" show this week, the soon-to-be-retired ESPN columnist ripped Tiger Woods for being a bad tipper.

“I’ve covered [Michael Jordan] his whole career, but I don’t think he can hold a candle to Tiger Woods. You need a court order to get Tiger’s wallet open. It’s unbelievable. He’s always like, ‘I don’t carry cash.’

" I know a valet here in town that stands between Tiger and his car just to get his $2. He’s really terrible. 

"I’ve seen Phil Mickelson buy a 50-cent cup of a lemonade from a little girl and give her $100. When he leaves the Masters each year, he gives the guys $2,500. Tiger gives them nothing. 

"I was with Phil once, and it was raining. He sees a homeless guy, and he gets out, parks his car and gets out his umbrella to give to the guy. Tiger would charge the guy!”

Read more: http://sportsglory.com/golf/rick-reilly-rips-tiger-woods-tipping-habits

SUPER WINNING SCORE IN VERY WET CONDITIONS

PETERCULTER'S ROBERTSON BATTLES

AT THE BROCH TO WIN WITH A 66

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Former professional golfer Tony Robertson (Peterculter) scored his first win on the North-east Alliance circuit today with an excellent round of four-under-par 66 at Fraserburgh in very wet

conditions.

The turn-out figures tell the story. From a total pre-competition entry of 107, there were only 48 returns, 34 no returns and 25 no shows.

Robertson, pictured, a reinstated amateur  has been there or thereabouts on the scratch prizelist over the last three or four Alliance meetings and he came into his own in these awful conditions. 

For the winner to drop only one shot, at the 14th, must have seemed incredible to those who could not break 80 or even 90.

Tony highlighted his card with five birdies - at the fourth, 10th, 13th, 15th and 16th in halves of 34 (one under) and 32 (three under). He earned a £100 prize voucher.

Only one other player, former British boys champion and now Craibstone-based golf teacher Lee Vannet, broke the par of 70. He did it with an even better inward half that Robertson.

For Vannet it really was the proverbial game of two halves. He was out in three-over 38 with bogeys at the second, seventh and ninth but then came come in a remarkable five-under 30 with birdies at the 11th,14th, 15th, 16th and 17th.

Full marks to the amateurs in the field for claiming six of the leading nine places in the scratch returns.

Caledonian's Stewart Finnie was third with a 72, John Duff (Newmachar) fourth with a 73 and Kevin Duncan (Cruden Bay) joint fifth on 74.

Pros David Law and Greig Hutcheon would have been pleased to score that low. They both struggled round in 78, Hutcheon taking 41 shots for the outward half and Law 42.

Royal Aberdeen staff pro Joel Hopwood, joint winner at Cruden Bay last week, finished out of the prizelist today but his contrasting halves were worth noting: out in 47, back in 33!

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS

Class 1 - C Cassie (2)_72; A J Smith (4), A Campbell (1) 74; A Graham (5) 75; S Allison (7) 76.

Class 2 - L Duncan (14) 72; D Wright (10) 73; G Leslie (10) 74; R Masson (11), M Winton (12) 76.

NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE

Fraserburgh Golf Club

SCRATCH

Par 70 (35-35)

66 T Robertson (Peterculter) 34-32

68 L Vannet (Craibstone) 38-30

72 S Finnie (Caledonian) 37-35

73 J Duff (Newmachar) 39-34

74 K Duncan (Cruden Bay) 40-34, K Nicol (Paul Lawrie GC) 39-35

75 B Fyfe (Paul Lawrie GC) 40-35, A Campbell (Murcar Links) 39-36

78 A J Smith (Turriff) 43-35, D Law (Paul Lawrie GC) 42-36, G Hutcheon (Paul Lawrie GC) 41-37

79 C Cassie (Nigg Bay) 41-38.

80 J Hopwood (Royal Aberdeen) 47-33 A Graham (Aboyne) 43-37, C Grant (Portlethen) 40-40.

81 S Leslie (Aberdeen Ladies), F Bisset (Banchory), D Leslie (Northern), C Law (Kings Links)

83 S Allison (Caledonian),D Wright (Northern), G Craig (Aboyne), J Borthwick (Craibstone)

84 B Harper (Newburgh), G Leslie (Newburgh)

85 A Roger (Fraserburgh), H Roulston (Stonehaven)

86 L Duncan (Craibstone)

87 Steve Lawrie (Portlethen), J Turner (Kemnay), R Masson (Auchmill)

88 B Lumsden (Northern), M Winton (Caledonian)

90 W Skene (Deeside), R Davidson (Caledonian), D Bisset (Banchory)

91 H McNaughton (Cruden Bay)

92 S Davidson (Northern), S Thomson (Caledonian), M Rendall (Stonehaven), D Lane (Deeside)

93 G Homer (Northern), L Roger (Royal Aberdeen), M Smith (Newmachar)

94 R Brown (Kemnay), J Murray (Banchory)

101 S Dillon (Kemnay)

111 G McDonald (Craibstone).

Next Wednesday's North-east Alliance fixture is still earmarked for McDonald Ellon Golf Club although there are fears that if there is a continuation of this week's rain it will be too wet for play.
Joint secretaries Dave Wilson and Dave Mackay will make a decision early next week.
Scroll down for next Wednesday's tee times.

NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE TEE TIMES FOR NEXT WEDNESDAYU

SCHEDULED VENUE:
McDONALD ELLON GOLF CLUB

08:00 Gary Esson, Andrew Campbell, Chris Campbell, Tom Dingwall
08:08 Brian Harper, Craig Carnegie, Grant Leslie.
08:16 Robert Masson
08:24 
08:32 Chris Law David Law Keith Shanks .
08:40 Leslie Roger, Michael Rendall, Harry Roulston
08:48 Willie Skene, Robbie Duncan, David Lane, Alistair Clark 
08:56 K McGillivary, Lenny Duncan, W Beattie 

09:04 S Davidson ,Raymond Brown, Allan Benton
09:12 Mike Smith, Scott Melvin
09:20 Gary Craig, Martin Forster  
09:28 David Mackay, Mike Winton, Stuart Thomson, Derek McDougall
09:36 Steve Lawrie, Billy Fyfe, Derek Craigie, Cameron Grant
09:44 Alan Gall, Lee Vannet, Kevin Duncan 
09:52  Ron Buchan, Ben Lumsden, Gibbie McDonald

10:00 Dick Wright, Tony Robertson, Jim Duncan 
10:08 Jim Scott, Bob Skene
10:16 David Fleming, Les Fowler, Mike Duncan  
10:24 Derek Townsley, Norman Forster, Alistair Graham, David Nelson
10:32 Gary Homer, David Leslie, Hamish McNaughton, Willie Shaw
10:40 Fergus Bisset, David Bisset, Jim Murray, Robert O'Donnell
10:48 Joel Hopwood, Kimberley Beveridge, Keil Beveridge, Laura Murray
10:56 Ian Grant, John Jessiman, Peter Walker.

11:04
11:12 John Borthwick, Stewart Finnie, David McKay, Mike Booth
11:20 Graham Mackie, Stewart Allison, Richie Davidson 
11:28 Graham Allan, Scott Mackie, Brian Nicolson

FINAL OF DARREN CLARKE GOLF TOUR

DARREN SCOTT (13) WINS FIVE-STAR 

TRIP TO SICILY'S DONNAFUGATA

 

NEWS RELEASE

Teenage golfer Darren Scott will be packing his bags and heading to Sicily’s Donnafugata Golf Resort and Spa in the New Year after winning a five-star golfing break to the luxury destination in a national competition. 

The 13-year-old, who plays off a handicap of seven at Clandeboye Golf Club on the outskirts of Belfast, beat off fierce competition from 19 other talented juniors to take top honours in the final of the 2014 Darren Clarke Golf Tour, which was played at Headfort Golf Club in Kells, Co. Meath.

It was a close-run affair for Darren, whose victory over Shea Smyth was only confirmed on countback after both players had returned nett rounds of 72, and he is now looking forward to a luxury four-night holiday for two to Donnafugata after taking the top prize. 

Donnafugata’s wide array of five-star facilities include two 18-hole championship golf courses while the resort opened a new Darren Clarke Centre of Excellence earlier this year – the only one of its kind in continental Europe.

As well as enjoying four nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation, Darren and his father Ken, who will accompany him on his trip, will also be treated to three rounds of golf each on a choice of Donnafugata’s two courses, the Links and Parkland – host of the Sicilian Open in 2011. 

Ken said: “This is the first major competition that any of my family has won. We’ve never been to either Italy or Sicily before and we’re very excited about going to Donnafugata.

“For someone who loves his food, Darren was unable to eat his meal before the prize-giving due to his anticipation and excitement after he found out he’d won. The journey home took just over two hours, during which he never shut up and kept phoning and texting family members and friends. 

“Since Darren started playing golf at the age of six, we have always holidayed in Florida and he has attended a few summer golf camps while there. This holiday to the excellent five-star Donnafugata Golf Resort and Spa will be totally based around Darren’s golf and getting the most out of the facilities of the Darren Clarke Centre of Excellence.”

EUROPEAN AMATEUR GOLF TOUR ON ALGARVE

VALE DO LOBO MASTERS
 JANUARY 10 TO 15

FOR ALL THE DETAILS

CLICK HERE

The package does not include flights. Accommodation is based on twin / double share

Package prices:

·        Full package price (based on twin / double share                  £500 per person

·    Single supplement for 5 nights                                            £200

·    Non golfer                                                                         £320

·    Additional night twin / double                                              £60 per person

·    Additional night in single                                                     £100

Accommodation:

Accommodation is in the recently refurbished one and two bedroom apartments on the luxurious Vale do Lobo Resort www.valedolobo.com  The apartments include en suite bathrooms, kitchen area and separate lounge.

FOR ALL AMATEURS, WHATEVER YOUR HANDICAP

ONE OF SEVEN COUNTRIES SHOWING AN INTEREST

ITALIAN FEDERATION EARMARKS 

ROME VENUE FOR 2022 RYDER CUP
 

NEWS RELEASE
ROME -- The Italian Golf Federation will bid to hold the 2022 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club (pictured above) just outside Rome.
Located in Guidonia, north-east of the Italian capital city, Marco Simone hosted the 1994 Italian Open won by Eduardo Romero of Argentina.
The federation said today its choice followed a consultation with IMG.
Italy is one of seven European countries that have expressed an interest in hosting the 2022 Ryder Cup match.
The European Tour announced in September that notifications were also received from Austria, Denmark, Germany, Portugal, Spain and Turkey.
Ryder Cup officials will undertake inspection visits before the end of the year.
Formal submissions must be made by mid-February, and the winning bid will be announced later in 2015.