James Byrne five shots off the lead in Thailand ADT event

Banchory's James Byrne is in joint 14th position, five shots off the lead, at the halfway stage of the Asian Development Tour's Boonchu Ruankit Championship at Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand today (Friday)

Byrne has had rounds of 70 and 66 for a six-under-par tally of 136.

Jaturon Duangphaichoom (Thailand) leads by one stroke with scores of 66 and 65 for 11 under par 131.

A total of 66 players with 36 hole totals of 141 and better made the cut.

Aberdeen municipal golf clubs have a lack of 

junior members headache

FROM JOHN ALLAN

Wonder if Scottishgolfview.com could help me?

 I’m thenew match secretary of Nigg Bay Golf Club, Aberdeen and over last few years our Junior membership numbers have deteriorated down to only.

Lack of junior members is not just a Nigg Bay problem. It is affecting all the golf clubs based at municipal courses in Aberdeen.

I contacted Sports Aberdeen to see if they would donate 20-25 season tickets for Juniors. They are more than happy to help.

Have also contacted the Paul Lawrie Foundation
John Allan

Senior Project Manager

Flowserve (GB) Limited
2 Minto Place
Altens Industrial Estate
Aberdeen, AB12 3SN
Tel no.         01224 248112
Mobile no.   07772998176

Email  Jallan@flowserve.com

LATER MESSAGE FROM JOHN ALLAN

Good morning Colin,

Thanks for responding when you are on holiday. Very much appreciated.

 We have tried the last few years to get juniors in. It's more an issue of  getting young people interested in playing golf

I’m really hoping issuing free Junior Season tickets donated by Sports Aberdeen will help. I have meeting with them in the New Year. They could also do some advertising on their website to attract Juniors in to ALL Aberdeen golf clubs.

Any suggestions from all parties in how we can turn around the drastic fall-off in junior membership numbers  in would be very much appreciated.

John Allan

Nigg Bay Golf Club

01224 871286

Mobile Number 07988 766980

Editor's note: If you have any suggestions as to how boys AND girls can be persuaded to take up golf and join a golf club, we would be glad to hear from you. Email Colin@scottishgolfview.com

 

Junior Tour's 10th year reunion Texas 

Scramble a big hit at Drumoig

Here are the results from the Scottish Junior Golf Tour event at Drumoig this week.

 As this is the 10^th year of the Junior Tour, at short notice, we decided to have a reunion event for anyone who had been a member during the decade. The timing of the event allowed for all the players who are home for Christmas from College and University in America and the UK to participate. 

We had a great turnout, considering the players had only three days' notice.

 

We decided to have a Texas scramble which allowed the boys to play in teams. Considering the recent weather, Drumoig was in great condition. 

Despite the windy conditions and occasional rain squall the scoring was fantastic. Drumoig’s smooth greens allowed for a lot of putts to be sunk. 

The winning team, consisting of Ian Taggart, Jack Broun, Darren Howie and Ewan Wheat, had an incredible score of 15 under round the par 73 course. Their round included 11 birdies and two eagles.

 

It was such a fun day we have decided to make it an annual event.

 

Leading Team Scores

  par73

58           Ian Taggart (Lenzie), Jack Broun (Belleisle), Darren Howie (Peebles), Ewan Wheat (Royal Montrose)         

61           Aidan Reid (Whitecraigs), George Burns (Williamwood), Calum Fyfe (Cawder), Liam Kirkham (Troon Welbeck)

61          Chris McLean (Balmore), Willem Kerr (Craigielaw), Michael Brodie (Strathmore)

62           Stuart Easton (Bogside), Aamar Saleem (St Andrews), Connor Syme (Drumoig)

63          Ally McDougall (Drumoig), Keith Bowman (St Andrews), Conor MacCallum (St Andrews)

The handicap prize was won by George Cannon (Falkirk), Jack Lockhart (Pitreavie) and Jonathan Murphy (Erskine) with 15 under par.

 

The skills competition was won by Aidan Reid.

 

What became apparent contacting past members of the Scottish Junior Tour was that very few have given up the game. Most of the original members are now in their early 20’s and I would estimate that well over 90% are still playing. 

 This bucks the trend in junior sport where the drop-out rates are very high.

 I don’t know all the reasons for such a high retention rate but golf does have some advantages. The wide range of career opportunities available in golf and the ability to play team golf while studying are two major factors. 

Also the social side of golf, the friendships formed along the way and the ties that young players develop to their clubs and counties.

 

Next event is the Christmas Family event at Dalmahoy on December  29.

 

Walter Burns

Scottish Junior Golf Tour

 

Mob: 07951 103 827

 

Email: walter@scottishjuniorgolftour.co.uk

Web: www.scottishjuniorgolftour.co.uk

 

Editor's Note: Apologies for displaying so many Tiger Woods' articles but there's not much else moving on the golf news front!

Paul McGinley: Reaction to Tiger Woods' comeback 'Over the Top'

by GOLF WIRE

Tiger Woods’ return to competitive golf caught the attention of 
golf fans everywhere. It also caught scepticism from one popular
 European golfer.
Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley doesn’t have much faith
 in the soon-to-be 41-year-old Tiger Woods.
"It’s not sacrilege when people say that golf needs Tiger back – it’s
 showbiz," McGinley told Mirror Online. "He’s still the No.1 draw, 
and that showed in the TV ratings when he came back earlier this
 month.
"Personally, I think the reaction to the way he played in the Hero
 World Challenge was over the top. His performance level was here
 (waist-high) and the reaction was up here (above the head)."
The 50-year-old Irishman, picture below by courtesy of
 GettyImages(c), compared Woods to a soccer player in
 their early 30s, saying, "He can still play the odd great game…but 
can he do it day after day? That’s the big hurdle."
Woods’ return at the aforementioned Hero World Challenge was 
his first professional tournament in 16 months, and while he
 finished 15th in the field of 17, Woods showed flashes of
brilliance.
 McGinley’s scepticism continued to the course, however, citing
 that Woods is familiar with the course and that it was set up as a
 "member’s course."
  =hoto: Getty Images

  Tiger Woods posts shirtless "Mac Daddy" 

   Santa picture on Twitter

by Coleman McDowell

Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer of our generation, has posted a photo of himself dressed up as what he dubbed "Mac Daddy Santa" on Twitter.
There is a link to the  photo below. There's not much to say about it....except a lot of things.
First, he says his kids "love" this Christmas tradition. How exactly did something like this begin? Why did it involve dying his facial hair blond? Is Tiger going back to the frosted tips look?
At the Hero World Challenge, Woods looked noticeably slimmed down from his previously bulked-up frame. We now can see Woods was hiding some absolute cannons underneath those Nike golf shirt sleeves.
 Unless! Unless, he's doing that thing where you prop up your biceps while crossing your arms to make your arms look bigger. That seems like a possibility here.
Also, Woods is still rocking those extra-large Nike sunglasses, but at least they are solid black instead of the bright white frames from the Ryder Cup. One of the few bright spots of this photo. The all-black Oakland Raiders hat is a nice touch too.

Xmas tradition that my kids love. Mac Daddy Santa is back! -TW pic.twitter.com/pCWZNNKPRG

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) December 22, 2016

It didn't take long before Woods drew some jokes from the all-powerful Internet. The most powerful may have come from fellow pro Rory McIlroy:

Wake me up when it's 2017. https://t.co/6qrFNXyC46

— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) December 22, 2016

As Woods turns 41 next week, perhaps this is the beginning of a lighter side of Woods. Hopefully more candid photos will follow.

Tiger Woods and Donald Trump to play golf 

Friday at Trump International, Florida

FROM GOLF.COM

According to a No Laying Up report, Woods and Trump will play a round together Friday afternoon (Florida time) at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida (A Golf Digest source later confirmed the report.)   
What a week for Tiger! First, he posts the now infamous "Mac Daddy Santa" photo on Twitter, then news breaks that he'll peg it with the president-elect. And he turns 41 next Friday. A rousing end to 2016 for the 14-time major champ.
This isn't the first time Woods has played with a president. On a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Woods reviewed the rounds he's played with past presidents.

Prime date to display Fiji at its finest
 
By PGA Media Melbourne
Published on 23 December 2016

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism together with PGA of Australia have announced the dates and venue for the  2017 Fiji International - August 17 to 20 at the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course.
The Fiji International will be staged during Fiji's tourism peak season and the August 2017 date is anticipated to attract some of the best players in the world to the tropical destination.
"The Fiji International showcases Fiji to the world, so we want the world to see Fiji at its finest and what better time than in August," said Hon. Faiyaz Siddiq Koya, Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism.
"We hope that the allure of Fiji in August along with a prime position in the world, golf schedule will again ensure a quality field of Professionals competing in the fourth edition of the Fiji International."

"Now that the Fiji International is on the European Tour schedule we took a more global approach to scheduling," said Peter O'Malley, Chairman of the PGA of Australia.

"We believe the August date will better enable some of the leading European Tour players to include the Fiji International on their playing schedules."
"The three stagings of the Fiji International have produced excellent champions in Steven Jeffress (2014), World Number 20 Matt Kuchar (2015) and World Number 27 Brandt Snedeker (2016) and we are looking forward to seeing who will emerge the champion in August 2017."

Do you know someone who could be a Future

Do you know someone who could be a Future 

President of Scottish Golf ?

In establishing the inaugural Presidents of Scottish Golf, the Board set up an appointments panel to appoint three suitable people to the roles of President and two Vice Presidents.

President Jim Burns from Stranaer Golf Club, Vice President Donald Bremner (Ranfurly Castle) and Junior Vice President Liz Taylor (Prestonfield) filled those roles in 2016.
Nominations are now sought for the role of Junior Vice President.
The Articles of Scottish Golf Limited require at least one of the President and Vice-Presidents to be either male or female at any one time.

The role of President and Vice Presidents are ambassadorial, with post-holders required to represent Scottish Golf at a number of events and functions throughout the year.

To read more go to the Scottish Golf Website