Tain Sisters win European Gold Medals

Congratulations to Mary Smith and Anne Ryan from Tain who won European Gold Medals last week in Berlin when they played in the Scottish Seniors' team.

Florence Allan
Captain

Draw for County Open at Inverness - Sunday 12th September 2010

A few spaces are still available for the County Open at Inverness on Sunday 12^th September 2010.  Please call Eileen Robb on 01463 238101 if you would like to enter.

Abbreviations:  F, Forres; FR, Fortrose & Rosemarkie, G, Gairloch; GK, Garmouth & Kingston; GOS, Grantown-on-Spey; I, Inverness; MO, Muir of Ord;  N, Nairn; ND, Nairn Dunbar; Ry, Reay; RD, Royal Dornoch;  T, Tain.

10.18 - L. Fraser (FR) & J. Nicol 

10.24 - I. McIntosh (I) &  M. Barr (G)

10.30 - E. Coghill (RD) &  S. MacVicar (G)

10.36 - M. MacCulloch (FR) & M. Dick (GOS)

10.42 - C. Marshall (N) & M. Allan (GOS)

10.48 - M. Ritchie (MO) & E. Sloan (GOS)

11.00 - H. MacLeod (I) & E. Hill (GOS)

11.06 - J. Drummond (N) & C. Waterson (GOS)

11.12 - P. Moscati (RD) & S. Vickerman (GOS)

11.18 - L. Argyle (RD) & P. Wilson (GOS)

11.24 - L. Ballantine (GK) & C. Ramsay (RD)

11.30 - M. Gauldie, (GK) & M. Orr (RD)

11.36 - E. Hutton (MO) & F. MacDonald (RD)

11.42 - E. Wallace (MO) & T. Weekes (RD)

11.48 - C. Dingwall (MO) & D.McBride (RD)

12.00 - W. Spencer (MO) & A. Burnett (RD)

12.06 - N. Scrimgeour (MO) & A. Bartlett (RD)

12.12 - C. Graham (MO) & K. Lawson (RD)

12.18 - A. Rowe (MO) & W. Murray (RD)

12.24 - H. Stuart (MO) & A. Gowie (I)

12.30 - F. MacKay (MO) & A.Harding (RD)

12.36 - M. Brook (MO) & M. Douglas (RD)

12.42 - C. MacKay (MO) & M. James (F)

12.48 - A. Mackay (MO) &  D. Marshall (F)

 

13.00 - J. Cameron (FR) & P. Cronin (F) 

13.06 - A. Jack (FR) &  P. Davis (F)

13.12 - S. Ramsay (I) & V. Wright (F)

13.18 - I. Croal (G) & I.Wilson (F)

13.24 - E. Tunn (Ry), G. Dowling (ND), F. Allan (N) 

Dorothy Marshall

Secretary

KELSEY CAPS GREAT SEASON BY WINNING BELGIAN JUNIOR TITLE

Congratulations to Kelsey MacDonald, 19, a member of Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, who has just won the Belgian Junior International Tournament's Girls' individual title at the fourth and last attempt at Royal Golf Club of Belgium, near Brussels today.

Kelsey, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, winner this year of the Scottish Women's Amateur title and the Scottish Under-21 Girls Championship for the second year in a row and also beaten finalist in the British Women's Open Amateur Championship, capped her great season by coming from several shots in arrears with a brilliant last round of two-under-par 70.

That gave her a total of 293 after earlier rounds of 72, 73 and 78. She won by five shots from Federica Maria Costantini (Italy) who finished with a 76 for 298.

Golf Quiz

As the County Open at Thurso was cancelled, the draw for the golf quiz was done on Saturday 21st August instead of the Friday.  It was the Ladies' Open at Thurso so I asked Anne Simmonite the Lady Captain to draw the winners for me.  The winners were:

1st   Mrs Liz Fraser from Nairn
2nd  Mrs Margaret Young from Inverness
3rd  Mr & Mrs George Spark from Strathpeffer

M & S vouchers have been posted.

Most people got the connection which was that they had all won Majors.  There were only about four incorrect answers.  Anagram 7 was Angel Cabrera and not Bernhard Langer.

What a lovely course Thurso was and in excellent condition too.  The wind was really strong on the Saturday but two of the Forres ladies won prizes so the trip was worthwhile.

Dorothy Marshall

Secretary/Treasurer

HANNAH MCCOOK DOES IT AGAIN

On her way home from the Girls' Home Internationals in Northern Ireland the week before last, Hannah McCook from Abernethy Golf Club played in the North of Scotland Girls' Championship at Brechin on Sunday 15th August winning the North of Scotland Girls' title for the second year in a row.

Hannah made hay while the sun shone over the Brechin course with a two-over-par round of 74 to win the title by one shot from Rachel Polson (Peterculter) and Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne) with another member of  the Scotland girls’ team, Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) in fourth place. 

 

The field of more than 30 players was the biggest the championship has attracted for a number of years. In the final analysis it was Hannah’s figures over the last six holes that retained the title to add to the Northern Counties' Girls’ Championship which she won earlier this season when she was also runner-up in the Paul Lawrie Scottish Schoolgirls' Championship.

 

Hannah covered holes 13 to 18 in one under par with a birdie 4 at the 16^th .for an inward half of 36. Rachel Polson was one over par for the same stretch, having an eagle 3 at the 14^th but bogeys at the 15^th, 16^th and 17^th in 38 home. 

Congratulations from everyone in Northern Counties.

Florence Allan

Captain

County Open - Friday 20th August - Thurso

Unfortunately this fixture has had to be cancelled due to lack of support.

Dorothy Marshall
Secretary

County Open - Friday 20th August - Thurso

The next County Open will take place at Thurso Golf Club on Friday 20th August. 

Entry fees:  Members £8.00, Juniors £3.00, Non Members £12.00.  Members over 50 years of age will be eligible to win the Vets Trophy.

Enries should be sent to Eileen Manson, 49A Princes Street, THURSO, KW14 7AB Tel: 07934 298802.

Dorothy Marshall

Secretary

Hannah McCook wins Northern Counties' Girls' Championship

May Britovsek & Annabelle Brown

May Britovsek & Hannah McCook

The Northern Counties' Girls' Championship was played at Nairn Dunbar on Friday 30th July.
 
Despite the rain Hannah McCook from Abernethy carded an excellent score of 70 gross with birdies on the 2nd, 4th, 13th and 18th and an eagle on the 16th.  The handicap prize was won by Annabelle Brown from Nairn Dunbar playing off 12 with a net 77 beating Eleanor Tunn from Reay off 8 with a net 78. 
 
To encourage the junior girls without a handicap, May Britovsek oragnised a five hole competition to follow the main competition.  Six girls took part and although the results were very close, Kayrin Fraser from Inverness was the winner with Rachel McPherson from Nairn Dunbar in second place.  All these junior girls really enjoyed the competition and with a bit more encouragement will no doubt become stars of the future for Northern Counties.

Dorothy Marshall

Secretary

Girls' 2010 Championship Draw

Draw for the Girls' Championship at Nairn Dunbar Golf Club on Friday 30th July is as follows:-

1332  Hannah McCook, Eleanor Tunn
1340  Natalie Britovsek, Eilidh McTavish
1348  Annabelle Brown, Dana Stoddart

5-Hole Competition

1356  Katie Miller, Lauren Fraser
1404  Abby Cruden, Kirsty McBeath 
1412  Kayrin Fraser, Rachael Mackenzie, Rachel McPherson

Dorothy Marshall
Secretary

ANNE RYAN AND MARY SMITH IN SCOTLAND TEAM

Congratualtions to sisters Anne Ryan and Mary Smith from Tain who have been named in the Scotland team of six to compete in the European Senior Women's Team Golf Championship at Sporting Club, Berlin from September 1st to 4th.

 

Anne earned her first cap by finishing joint second in the Scottish Senior Women's Stroke-play Championship at Fortrose and Rosemarkie in late June. She led the field until the last few holes of the 36-hole competition.

 

Mary is a regular selection for Scotland's over-50s teams.  Anne and Mary have also been named for the Scotland team, for the Veteran Ladies' Jamboree at Seascale Golf Club, Northumbria from August 3rd to 5th.

Florence Allan

Captain

THREE UNDER-21 TITLES IN A ROW FOR KELSEY

 Well done to Kelsey MacDonald who has just won the Scottish Under-21 Girls' Open Amateur Stroke-play Golf Championship at Dunfermline Golf Club for the third year in a row.

 

Nineteen-year-old Kelsey who is the Scottish women’s Champion from Nairn Dunbar Golf Club signed off in champion style with a two-under-par 70, the joint lowest round of the tournament, for a one-over-par total of 217.  That gave her a four-stroke winning margin from last year’s Scottish Women’s Champion, Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm).

 

Kelsey is the first player since Kathryn Imrie in 1985-86-87 to complete a hat-trick of wins in this event and she is still young enough to have a tilt at Suzanne Cadden’s four-timer record, set between 1974 and 1977.

 

The older she gets the easier it gets for Kelsey.  She was Under-21 champion for the first time by a single shot from Pamela Pretswell in 2008. Last year, over her home Nairn Dunbar course, she had to beat England’s Lucy Williams in a play-off to make it two in a row.  This week, Kelsey led throughout to follow up her victories in the Scottish Women’s Championship at Craigielaw and the R & A Bursars' Tournament at St Andrews before, reaching the final of the British Women’s Open Amateur Championship at Ganton in June.

She has more than made her point – Kelsey should have been in the GB & I Curtis Cup team last month.

 

Florence Allan

Captain

GIRLS' TEAM CAP FOR HANNAH McCOOK

Congratulations to Hannah McCook (Abernethy), who is one of three new faces in the Scotland team for the Under-18 girls’ home golf international matches at Bangor Golf Club, Northern Ireland from August 4th to 6th.  The other two are Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies) and Craigielaw’s Gabrielle MacDonald.

 

Hannah was runner-up in the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish schoolgirls 'championship at Murrayshall in May and beaten finalist in the North of Scotland women’s championship at Forfar earlier this month.

Florence Allan

Captain

County Foursomes/Commonwealth Spoons - Golspie 9th July 2010

It was wet for most of the time at Golspie today so the scores were really quite high.  Alison Bartlett and Margaret Baggott from Royal Dornoch won the scratch with a gross 86.  Trish Weekes and Dorothy Lloyd also from Royal Dornoch had the best net score of 76 winning the Foursomes Trophy.  As Alison and Margaret also had the second best net score these four players go through to the final of the Commonwealth Spoons at Cathkin Braes on Thursday 23rd September.

Results were:-

Trish Weekes & Dorothy Lloyd  (RDGC)  88 (12) 76
Alison Bartlett & Margaret Baggott (RDGC) 86 (9) 77
Pat Ashe & Angela GRant (Brora)  97 (16.5) 80.5 (better back nine)
Joan Darroch & Lorraine Nixon (F & R) 100 (19.5) 80.5
Anne Rose & Caroline Graham (Muir of Ord) 102 (20) 82
Fiona MacDonald & Wilma Murray (RDGC) 101 (17.5) 83.5
Angela MacBeath & Ann Robertson (Brora) 100 (16) 84
Elaine Hill & Elizabeth Sloan (Grantown) 104 (18.5) 85.5
Cara Gruber & Elaine Gruber (RDGC/Strathpeffer) 97 (11) 86
Irene Hart & Elizabeth Cruickshank (RDGC) 106 (17.5) 88.5
Jenny Thornton & Marine McCulloch (Fortrose) 106 (18) 88
Christine Marshall & Sheila Robertson (Nairn/Golspie) 101 (12) 89
Denise McBride & Marie Blair (RDGC) 113 (24) 89
Morag James & Dorothy Marshall (Forres) 109 (19.5) 89.5
Pat Morrison & Marlene Maclean (Muir of Ord) 108 (17.5) 90.5
May Dick & Paula Wilson (Grantown) 136 (30.5) 105.5
Sheila Macdonell & Lynne Fraser (Inverness/F&R) Nil Return
Mairi Orr & Pat Davies (Tain/Forres) Nil Return
Jeani Hunter & Marjory Matheson (Bonar Bridge) Nil Return
Wendy Spencer & Claire Dingwall (Muir of Ord) Nil Return
Ann Simmonsite & Kerry Sinclair (Thurso/F&R) Nil Return
Fiona More & Barine Little (Golspie/Brora) Nil Return

Many thanks to Golspie Golf Club for giving Northern Counties courtesy of their course which was in excellent condition and grateful thanks to Fiona More for all her hard work in organising this competition.

Dorothy Marshall
Secretary

County Foursomes/Commonwealth Spoons - Golspie 9th July 2010

Draw for the County Foursomes/Commonwealth Spoons at Golspie on Friday 9th July is as follows:-

1100 - Jenny Thornton & Marina McCulloch (F&R), Fiona More & Barine Little (Golspie/Brora)
1108 - Marjory Matheson & Jeani Hunter (Bonar Bridge), Claire Dingwell & Wendy Spencer (Muir of Ord)
1116 - Wendy Murray & Fiona Macdonald (RDGC), Pat Morrison & Marlene Maclean (Muir of Ord)
1124 - Ann Robertson & Angela MacBeath (Brora), Mairi Orr & Pat Davis (Tain/Forres)
1132 - Sheila Robertson & Christine Marshall (Golspie/Nairn), Elizabeth Sloane & Elaine Hill (G-o-S)
1140 - Dorothy Marshall & Morag James (Forres), Pat Ashe & Angela Grant (Brora)
1148 - Dorothy Lloyd & Trish Weekes (RDGC), Lorraine Nixon & Joan Darroch (F&R)
1208 - Elizabeth Cruickshank & Irene Hart (RDGC), May Dick & Paula Wilson (G-o-S)
1216 - Denise McBride & Mhairi Blair (RDGC), A. Simmonite & Kerry Sinclair (Thurso/F&R)
1224 - Gillian Dowling & Diana Fraser (Inverness), Alison Bartlett & Margaret Baggott (RDGC)
1132 - Cara Gruber & Elaine Gruber (RDGC/Strathpeffer)

Dorothy Marshall
Secretary

North of Scotland Women's Amateur Golf Championship

 

It was an all-Northern Counties final at the North of Scotland women’s amateur golf championship at Forfar Golf Club where Tain’s Sammy Vass beat Hannah McCook (Abernethy) by 2 and 1.

On a day of high winds, 18-year-old three-handicapper Sammy, a student at the University of Central Florida, coped with the testing conditions just that little bit better than her 16-year-old opponent who has one of a handicap.

Hannah had a definite edge off the tee, outdriving Sammy by up to 40 yards, but when it came to getting the ball in the hole in fewer strokes, Sammy showed how much she has benefited from her first year in America.
“The university’s practice facilities are tremendous, particularly for short-game work, and I feel I have definitely improved in that direction,” said Sammy who was a North of Scotland girls’ champion before she went to the States.

Hannah's putting was affected by the wind more than her long game and she was five down at the turn, having won only the third but lost the first, second, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth. But it was a different story after the turn. Hannah won three holes in a row from the 10th and was suddenly back in the game at “only” two down. However, Sammy stopped the slide with a birdie at the 13th and though Hannah holed one of her few long putts, a 20-footer to get a winning birdie at the 14th, she had lost the initiative. Halves at the 15th, 16th and 17th left Sammy, 14th of the 16 match-play qualifiers,  a well-deserved winner and Hannah, the No 9 seed and runner-up also in the recent Paul Lawrie Scottish schoolgirls championship, is a great prospect whose day will come.

Kimberley Beveridge, 15-year-old Aboyne player who plays off five, is another name to remember. Her figures, roughly par,  winning the handicap championship final by 4 and 3 against another five-handicapper, Ann Hay (Edzell) were better than those achieved by Sammy Vass in the scratch final.  Kimberley never looked back after winning the first hole.

Next year’s North of Scotland women’s amateur championship will be hosted by The Nairn Golf Club.

Congratulations to Sammy on an excellent win and to Hannah for reaching the final.

Florence Allan

Captain

Congratualtions to Kelsey MacDonald

Well done to Kelsey for reaching the final of the British Women's Amateur Championship.  Photo shows Kelsey with the Diana Fishwick Cup which was awarded to her as the beaten finalist.  She lost 2 and 1 to 18-year old Kelly Tidy from Royal Birkdale.

Florence Allan
Captain

County Foursomes/Commonwealth Spoons

There are still a few spaces left for the County Foursomes at Golspie on Friday 9th July.  If you would like to play please contact Fiona More on 01408 633504.

Dorothy Marshall
Secretary

Inter-County Championship 2010 - Blairgowrie

Thank you to everyone who sent good luck cards to the team, they were much appreciated. 

Although we only managed second place on holes up, the team played very well but unfortunately Angus played better in the foursomes against Northern Counties when we lost all three matches.  Sadly it was the first time Mary Smith and Alison Bartlett had lost a foursomes match since they have been playing together. 

Overall our seniors did very well and Cara had a magnificent fight back on the first day when she had been 6 down aganst Sammy Leslie from Aberdeenshire then dormie 4, she managed to play some excellent golf to half the match giving us a draw with Aberdeenshire that day.

The results do not reflect the great golf played by the team and the way they kept fighting. Well done to everyone.

Hopefully we will do better at Inchmarlo next year.

Florence Allan
Captain

Congratulations to Hannah McCook

Well done to Hannah for coming second in the Scottish Schools' Championship at Marrayshall on Monday 7th June.  After carding a gross 75 in the morning on the Lynedoch course when the CSS was 68, Hannah went on to return a gross 70 in the afternoon over the Murrayshall course when the CSS was 73.  At the time the course record stood at 71, however the overall winner, Julie Yang returned a gross 69 in the morning and an amazing 64 in the afternoon, setting a new course record.



Hannah has been identified as a potential European Girls' Team or Girls' Home International Team candidate and has been invited to play at Archerfield on 13th June with the SLGA squads for their training.  We wish her well.

Florence Allan
Captain

Team Practice at Castle Stuart

On Saturday 5th June the team was very lucky to get in some practice at Castle Stuart, Inverness, in preparation for  the forthcoming Jamboree at Blairgowrie 26th - 28th June.  The weather was excellent, as can be seen from the attached photos, and everyone enjoyed the course.

 
(Top Left) Eilidh Mackay, Julie Vass & Sammy Vass

(Top Right) Eilidh, Julie, Anne Ryan & Sammy


Group Photos:
Back Row:
Eilidh Mackay, Cara Gruber, Mary Smith & Pam Mackay.
Front Row: Sammy Vass, Julie Vass, Alison Bartlett & Anne Ryan



Florence Allan
Captain