NEWS FROM THE NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE

Hugh Stuart captain of

Murcar Links Golf Club

in its Centenary Year

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Nice to see former Walker Cup star Hugh Stuart (pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency) in the McDonald Ellon clubhouse at today's North-east Alliance meeting.
He wasn't playing in the Alliance - more's the pity, but I understand that another North-east Walker Cup man of yesteryear, Sandy Pirie, was bending his ear at Ellon today about joining the autumn-winter-spring circuit.
Like so many career amateurs who have seen it all and done it all when they were younger, the urge to continue to play competitively seems to lessen as they get older.
Hugh, originally from Forres, of course, was telling me that he goes on as captain of Murcar Links Golf Club. Being made captain of your golf club is a great honour and it's a double whammy for Hugh because it is Murcar (Links) Golf Club's Centenary Year in 2009.
At the other end of his golfing career from Hugh Stuart is Scottish schoolboys champion Chris Robb (Inchmarlo) who returned a par 70 at today's meeting.
Chris played for Scotland in Monday's schoolboys international match against England who were narrow winners at Royal Lytham & St Annes.
Chris says he would still be young enough to play in the 2009 international but for the fact that he has left/is leaving Banchory Academy (not quite sure about the timing) and will be a full time amateur golf for the best part of next year.
"After that I am going to go to the United States, hopefully to play on the college circuit for a number of years," said Chris.
"I've not done anything personally about it but I have a contact who will do the sounding out with the various universities and colleges to see if any of them will offer me a golf scholarship."
That Scottish schoolboys title, which he won over his home course this past June, should impress a few college golf coaches in America.
Met Curtis Cup player and Scottish women's amateur champion Michele Thomson in the McDonald Ellon clubhouse. Michele, of course, is now an honorary member of the club. Michele was giving nothing away to inquisitive golf writers about whether she intends to go to the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga, Spain in January.

There is nothing to stop Michele keeping her competitive eye in by playing in the weekly North-east Alliance competitions. She certainly would not be the first lady competitor to be play on the circuit.

As Tournament Controller of the 2009 Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival, I've got my fingers firmly crossed that Michele will be one of the star entries for the February 11 to 17, four-event programme which is open to lady professionals or amateurs.

Her Curtis Cup captain from earlier in the season, Mary McKenna, has already filed her entry alongwith two of her Irish golfing friends.

Did Ian Smith, the retired Hazlehead professional, beat his age with a round of 74 at the Alliance today? Ian seemed pretty chuffed with his round but it's not the done thing to ask a gentleman his age, is it?

Huntly stalwart and scratch player Don Garrett tells me he will soon be playing out of Turriff as his home club. Huntly is next Wednesday's North-east Alliance venue.

The field for today's competition, by the way, was 109, stretching the McDonald Ellon club's car-parking facilities somewhat. It was the highest of the fledgling season after earlier meetings at Braemar and Kemnay.

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