Gullane Junior Golf - Home of the US Kids European Championships - No 1 for Junior Golf !

East Lothian Junior League and Strokeplay Champions 2009 & Junior League Champions 2012, Scottish Girls Champion 2010, Scottish Amateur 2010, Home of the US Kids European Championship, British Girls Home Internationals and Amateur Champiopnship 2011, Developing Talent & Growing the Game, clubgolf for 7 years, Babe Zaharias & Honor Bright Trophies at Gullane Primary School, Scottish Girl Internationalists, Boys U16 Internationalists, Boys U18 Internationalist,141 Junior Members, St Andrews Boys Open Winner 2011, Scottish Schoolgirls Champion 2012

Friday 24 December 2010

THE RENAISSANCE RULED OUT AS SCOTTISH OPEN VENUE

FROM THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE

http://sport.scotsman.com/golf
By MARTIN DEMPSTER

The long-awaited decision on a venue for next year's Barclays Scottish Open now appears to be a choice between a move to Castle Stuart as part of a multi-year contract with the Inverness course or staying at Loch Lomond, its home for a decade.
It had been hoped an announcement would be made by the European Tour before Christmas but that has now been put back until early next month, although the reason for that is not entirely clear.

One thing for certain, how-ever, is that the 2011 event will not be staged in East Lothian at The Renaissance Club, which had been in the running along with Castle Stuart until recently.

"The Scotsman" newspaper understands it has been ruled out due to the fact it doesn't yet have a proper clubhouse, while the European Tour would also rather wait until three new holes in the pipeline there are not only built but also bedded in before hosting one of the biggest events on the circuit.
It had been suggested Castle Stuart could host next year's tournament before it then moved to The Renaissance Club for a spell, but a problem with that is the return of the Open Championship to Muirfield, its next door neighbour, in 2013.
Having two major events back-to-back in such close proximity is a situation both the European Tour and the RandA are believed to be keen to avoid.
As things stand, it appears Castle Stuart, which has earned rave reviews since opening its doors 18 months ago, is still the likely option for next year and, quite possibly, for another two years after that.

TO READ THE REST OF MARTIN DEMPSTER'S ARTICLE
ON THE SPORT.SCOTSMAN.COM WEBSITE
http://sport.scotsman.com/golf

Wednesday 22 December 2010

How would you spend $10,000 on golf ?

How Would You Spend $10,000 on Golf ?

December 12th, 2010
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In this season of gift-giving, the writers at golf’s leading website http://theoutwardnine.com/golfing/the-a-list/ ( other than Gullane junior blog ) offer presents to themselves-and give back to the game they love
I love links golf, have since the moment I ran a shot onto the second green at The Old Course the first time I played the old gal. What fun! And that’s where we spend the ten thousand, going to and playing the great game in Scotland with my two sons and my son-in-law, whom I actually like. (We got lucky.) During this past Thanksgiving, I played with the three of them, ages 30, 29, and 22, almost every day of the week. The weather was glorious, the company sublime, and the experience magical. So here’s the plan: We fly to Edinburgh, play Muirfield, play North Berwick and a couple of other gems ( Gullane ? ) , then head north to St. Andrews in a van large enough for us and all of our stuff. I’m thinking a couple of bed and breakfast rooms. I’m thinking New Course and Old, Kingsbarns (that’s it, above; amazing, isn’t it?) and Crail, and the Jubilee. I’m thinking about meals at The Dunvegan. And I’m thinking of beating the kids, big time. We stay until the 10 grand runs out—then I reach into my own pocket and off we go, north to Dornoch!
—Peter Kessler, peterkessler.com
I don’t want to come off as sounding uber-altruistic but I had the opportunity this past summer to work with youngsters involved in the First Tee program at a municipal course near where I live. To see the joy on these kids’ faces as they learned to get the ball airborne or hole a 10-foot putt is something truly precious and special. But where do these inner-city kids go once the program concludes? For all the good intentions of such initiatives, golf remains an expensive sport to play, a game not many low-income kids can afford. I’d take that 10 grand and get as many kids as I could junior memberships to allow them to continue to learn and enjoy the game and carry it with them through their adolescent and teen years. I know it sounds cliché, but kids really are the future of the game. Without benefactors and the generosity of golf course owners, managers, and head pros, kids like the ones I worked with this past summer likely have no future in golf. It’s just a matter of putting money where our mouths are when we talk about making golf inclusionary.
—John Torsiello, torsmangolf.com
With $10,000 in hand, I book PerryGolf’s deluxe “Kruger & Cape Town, Golf & Wine” South Africa tour. At Jock Safari Lodge, situated in the heart of Kruger National Park, I enjoy high tea prior to an evening game drive in Africa’s premier wildlife preserve. I tee it up at Leopard Creek, a bushveld course—flanked by the Crocodile River—that doubles as a game park. Heading south, I savor a three-night stay at Fancourt, a majestic resort located along the Garden Route east of Cape Town. When I’m not sampling vintages at the region’s historic wineries, there’s golf to play at The Links at Fancourt, host of the 2003 Presidents Cup; and nearby Pinnacle Point, a jaw-dropping layout perched on cliffs where several shots are played across deep chasms to greens that appear to float in the Indian Ocean. After a revolving cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain for a bird’s-eye view of Cape Town, I stroll through Cape of Good Hope National Park to see colonies of African penguins. An extra $10K in my stocking enables me to bring my golf-happy wife on this trip of a lifetime.
—Brian McCallen, brianmccallen.com
One word: Scottsdale. Which the Robb Report once called the best place to live in the US for golf. I’ll fly business class and begin my trip with a warm-up round on the Kierland Golf Club just because it’s fun, then make my way to a Kiva suite (outdoor shower, fireplace, plunge pool) at the Four Seasons Resort, where I’ll walk the two terrific Troon North courses at least twice or until I’m out of golf balls. I’ll eat pillow mints to make the money last longer and begin checking world-class courses off my list: We-Ko-Pa (the Saguaro course is shown above), Grayhawk, The Boulders, TPC Scottsdale, and every course with the word “desert” actually in it, including Desert Canyon, Desert Forest, Desert Highlands, and Desert Mountain. When I’ve tried all the dinner entrees at the Four Seasons’ Talavera Restaurant I’ll move to the beloved Fairmont Scottsdale Princess and squander the rest of my funds at the Willow Stream Spa. I won’t leave until my pockets are empty and security escorts me to the outer gate with a stern warning.
—Jeff Wallach, jeffwallach.com
For most golfers, the top of the bucket list is playing someplace like St. Andrews or Pebble Beach. For me it is playing in a PGA Tour pro-am. This combines everything the typical fan loves about golf: great courses under the best conditions, quality time with one of the world’s best players, and lots of “free” drinks, swag, and VIP parties. If you have never done it, splurge—it’s truly once in a lifetime. I’ve had the good fortune to play in five PGA Tour pro-ams and it never gets old. So I would take my ten grand and buy an entry into the Harbour Town event (formerly Verizon), the best bang-for-the-buck, including a rare second practice round and a Tuesday Am-Am tournament on another course (around $5,700). Then I’d buy a spot in the Tour player’s favorite, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, famed for obscenely good and copious food and partying (about $1,800). I’d use the remaining $3,500 to pay for my airfare and lodging for the two events, finishing with a lifetime of memories from time spent “Inside the ropes!”
—Larry Olmsted, larrygolfstheworld.com
If someone gave me $10,000 to spend strictly on golf, I would give it to my home club with one stipulation: that they start a caddie program. They could use a portion of the $10k to subsidize the potential lost income from golf cart rentals and use the rest to implement a formal caddie recruitment and training program. This could provide a productive outlet for local youth looking for extra income and would also be a way to introduce golf as a sport to a wider group of individuals. I believe that after one year, the members would love it, the local youth would flock for the opportunity, and the club would find that it would enhance their ability to attract and acquire new members, which is far more important than extra cart rental income.
—Casey Alexander, caseyalexandergolf.com
On balls.
—Timothy Nolan, tgpnolan.com
For several years, I’ve belonged to a small organization called The Keepers of the Green. Based in St. Andrews, Scotland, it holds a pair of “meetings” in the spring and fall to play golf on either the Jubilee or Old Course with a small set of vintage hickory-shafted clubs, raise money to buy powered wheelchairs for the disabled who can’t afford them, and then drink fine Scotch before dinner, over dinner, and probably afterward in the clubhouse behind the Old Course’s first tee. For a variety of reasons, I’ve never been able to attend. Handed $10,000 for a singular golf experience, I’d be at the next meeting without question, selfishly having the time of my life and yet able to give at least half of the money or more to a very worthy cause.
—Jay Stuller, jaystuller.com
Shuttling three aching-body-excuse-laden friends to Miami, I’d book four nights of plush accommodations at the eternally tropical Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort. There, the revolutionary Bommarito Performance System is churning out miracles: We’d go through the program’s Advanced Biomechanical, Medical, and Neuromuscular Screening Analyses, undergoing dozens of tests to find out why we can’t hit like we used to and what to do about it. After the recommended therapeutic fixes and 60-minute Golf Performance Massage at the Willow Stream Spa (left), we’re off to THEgolfacademy for three days with Top 100 Teacher Bill Forrest and his Four-Building Blocks Program, along with daily golf at the stunningly beautiful Soffer and Miller courses. After a three-course organic filet mignon repast at Bourbon Steak, the Miami skyline observes as we learn Mojito-making techniques with Chef Buss’ homegrown sugarcane and mint. All while pondering that, indeed, Ponce de Leon actually did discover the Fountain of Youth here.
—Janina Jacobs, janinajacobs.com
When 20-year-old Francis Ouimet won the US Open in 1913, the USGA was younger than the new champion. By the middle of the 20th century, America had overtaken the UK as the ascendant force in world golf. The axis is shifting again, this time to Asia. China has its own Francis Ouimet, an unassuming professional named Cheng Jun. In 1997, just 13 years after China’s first modern course, the Arnold Palmer-designed Chung Shan Hot Springs course in Guangdong, opened, Cheng Jun became the first Chinese golfer to win an international professional tournament—the China Open. In gratitude to his country for allowing him to aspire to a career as a golfer, Cheng Jun donated his purse to China. In honor of Cheng Jun’s gesture and to thank China for keeping the golf industry alive in the 21st century, I would contribute my $10,000 to the China Golf Association.
—John Strawn, johnstrawn.com
With ten large in hand, I’d strap myself and two others from the MOTO Research Team (also known as the usual foursome) into a plane bound for Edinburgh. The fourth I’d book on the Queen Mary, giving him a head start, for the simple reason that he has a medical condition that prevents him from flying. But that’s not cheap, and he has to get back, too, so I figure we’ll have to leave the wives home this trip, sorry, Honey, but it’s only $10,000, maybe next time. Figuring we have about $4,000 left for golf, lodging, and food, that leaves $1,000 for beer. That should do it, but now thrift enters the equation. The perfect solution is to avoid the pricier golf shrines and head for East Lothian, where we’ll gorge on links golf at North Berwick, Dunbar, Gullane, maybe even Muirfield, and return home richer than Croesus.
—Tom Bedell, tombedell.com

Watching the “The Bucket List” movie recently got me thinking about my own list. No, I do not have the “Big C” like the two movie characters, but when approaching the “Big 7-0” it’s not a bad idea to dream about what you would do if you had $10,000 to spend on golf. I’d check with PerryGolf or Haversham and Baker to buy a package to New Zealand. Ever since watching the Kiwi Challenge matching Hunter Mahan, Anthony Kim, Camilo Villegas, and Sean O’Hair on television in the fall of 2009, I’ve wanted to play the Tom Doak-designed Cape Kidnappers, featuring holes never seen anywhere else along the edges of deep ravines with awe-inspiring views of the sea. Once would not be enough, but I would want to make time to play other courses like Kauri Cliffs. I wouldn’t want to miss seeing the spectacular mountains and fjords in what everyone calls one of most gorgeous places in the world.
—James McAfee, jamesamcafee.com
“Having fun” has become a well-worn trope among professional golfers and others, used to characterize a state of mind effective in plying their trade. Trouble is, they seldom sound like they’re actually having fun. The Henebrys— Jeannine and John, the brother-sister team responsible for an awful lot of the most stunning golf-course photography in existence—convey the palpable joy of people who really enjoy what they do. (An interview with the Henebrys is scheduled for a later posting at www.tomharack.com.) As a 35mm photographer whose photos have sometimes accompanied magazine articles I’ve written, the Henebrys are Mozart to my Salieri, without the vitriol. Of course, you can’t buy such creativity, but the $10K would cover the cost of a large-format view camera, sturdy tripod, and so forth, all camera technology that’s changed very little as smaller-format equipment has experienced quantum leaps in complexity. New piano, Salieri?
—Tom Harack, tomharack.com  

Tuesday 21 December 2010

SLGA Squads - Gullane & East Lothian to the Fore !


MORTONHALL'S Rachael Watton and Jane Turner, who plays for 
Craigielaw, have retained their places in the Scottish women's squad 
for 2011.

The duo, who helped Scotland win the Home Internationals in Wales 

earlier this year, head a number of Lothians players included in SLGA

 training squads.Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies) and Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw) are in the girls' squad, while Scottish Golf Academy spots 

have been secured by Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe) and Clara Young 

(North Berwick).


FULL SQUADS


Women's: Megan Briggs (Kilmacolm), Louise Kenney (Pitreavie), Kelsey 

MacDonald (Nairn Dunbar), Laura Murray (Alford), Pamela Pretswell 

(Bothwell Castle), Jane Turner (Craigielaw), Rachael Watton (Mortonhall), 

Sally Watson (Elie and Earlsferry).


Girls: Lesley Atkins (Gullane Ladies), Eilidh Briggs (Kilmacolm), Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw), Hannah McCook (Abernethy), Rebecca McGeehan (Hummelbachaue, Germany), Alyson McKechin (Elderslie), Ailsa Summers (Carnoustie Ladies).


Scottish Golf Academy Year 2: Ailsa Bain (Peebles), Alison Goodwin 
(Glenbervie), Connie Jaffrey (West Kilbride), Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe), 
Tara McTaggart, Jessica Meek (Carnoustie Ladies), Samantha Munro 
(Aberdour), Rachel Polson (Peterculter), Linsey Stevenson (Elie and Earlsferry), 
Eleanor Tunn (Reay), Eilidh Watson (Muckhart), Lauren Whyte (St Regulus), 
Clara Young (North Berwick).

Scottish Golf Academy Year 1: Katie McGarva (Troon Ladies), Eva O'Connor 
(Bothwell Castle), Emma Hale (Troon Ladies), Emma Greenlees (Dumfries 
and Galloway), Rachel Walker (Dumfries and Co), Chloe Goadby (St Regulus), 
Tegan Seivwright (Deeside), Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne), Claire Gadsby 
(Crieff), Heather Munro (Monifieth), Sophie Maguire (St Regulus).


COMGRATULATIONS AND WELL DONE TO RACHAEL , LESLEY , CLARA 
AND THE OTHER EL GIRLS 























Training Camp in Spain 

Pro Shop Xmas Draw & News

CHRISTMAS DRAW 2010 WINNERS

The Christmas Draw was very well supported this year and I'd like to thank everyone who participated. I hope that the lucky winners enjoy  their prizes, just pop into the pro shop to collect them anytime.
1st- 4 Ball at Carnoustie on the Championship Course including an overnight stay for 4 people at The Carnoustie Golf Hotel
Winner: Ken Wright


2nd- 910 Titleist Driver
Winner: Greg Houlston


Full list in Pro Shop



Christmas Special Sale!

- 25% off Adidas Winter Wear
- Peter Scott Gullane Sweaters!     Were £56.99,    Now £39.99!
- Selected Mens Trousers 30% off!
- 30% off Puma!
- Shoe Sale!
- Ladies Sale - Tommy, Golfino, Daily Sports, Masters and lots more discount up to 50% OFF!
- Ex Hire Clubs for Sale! Up to 50% OFF!
-Ex Hire Golf Bags on SALE!
-30% OFF All Golf Bags!
And many Sale items available in our Swing Studio, come by the pro shop to have a look!


UnderArmour ColdGear
UnderArmour ColdGear

With the freezing weather now taking hold the best way to ensure you keep warm when out on the course is to wear a base layer.
An Under Armour ColdGear mock will do just the job. Featuring a double-sided fabric that wicks moisture from the skin and circulates body heat, it will keep you warm without weighing you down, and ensure you can swing freely without being restricted by bulky clothing.
SSP: £34.99 For more information on Under Armour's coldgear mock please click here.



Short Game Academy in Association with Yes Golf by Alasdair Good


Would you like to improve your putting from the comfort of your own home?
The best putters adopt a consistent stance that involves bending forward so their eye line is directly above the ball thus encouraging good aim of the putter face.
Using a wall in your house, take a putting stance so that the toe of the putter is touching the skirting board. Carefully bend forward until your head is touching the wall, ensure you are well balanced with your body weight through the laces. Practice your stroke with a focus on keeping the head gently pressing against the wall and constant balance. This drill will train you to make a more consistent, stable stroke and hole more putts.
Note. Allow the putter stroke to follow a gentle arc, not dead straight along the wall.
As ever if you would like to discuss any part of your game please don't hestiate to drop by the shop.




Drive Further This Winter


High tech launch monitors have taught us that the most powerful tee shots with the most carry, feature a high launch angle with low backspin. This is especially true during the winter when ground conditions are soft and there is little run on the ball.
To achieve this type of shot and maximise your distance the ball should be struck with a rising swing. The set up position is key. Aim to position the ball opposite the heel of the front foot and tilt the upper body slightly away from target.
During the backswing generate power by turning your left shoulder behind the ball and on the through swing stay behind the ball until after impact. Enjoy watching the ball fly long and straight.
Equipment check: If you are not carrying the ball far enough consider a driver with more loft or a more flexible shaft.


Get Fit for 2011


It is a proven fact that proper physical preparation can improve not only your health, but will also take strokes off your score and help you to enjoy your golf.
During the winter period when the days are shorter and colder the opportunities to play the course are limited, but that doesn’t mean you have to forget about your game.
Use this period to prepare for next season, and what better way to prepare than to get yourself into shape and fighting fit for golf?
A simple series of stretches and strengthening exercises can go a long way to improving your flexibility, which it turn will aid your swing and improve your core strength.
By following simple exercises on the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) website you can prepare for the golfing season from the comfort of your own home.


For more information visit www.mytpi.com

Winter Stableford / Match v Liberton / Junior Winter League

We have round 2 of our Winter Stableford Series on 4th Jan @ 11.30am  on No 3 - weather permitting !! All welcome whether or not you played in Round 1 - best 2 out of 3 scores count

Please advise if available ir.mclean@yahoo.co.uk

We will arrange hot food in Members Clubhouse after - in the mixed lounge upstairs. In the event of continuing snow I plan to organise a social event with PS3 / Wii golf .

We are combining it with a friendly match versus Liberton who are the Scottish team champions and need some warm weather training before heading to Spain - they hope to bring 8 down and we will play them on a stableford basis within the competition.  Team for this to follow.

We sit on top of our Junior Winter League section being undefeated in the few games played so far - next game 16th Jan

Monday 20 December 2010

EAST LOTHIAN JUNIOR GOLF - MERRY CHRISTMAS AND REVIEW OF 2010





Written by David Warren  - Secretary East Lothian Junior
Golf League
 
Sunday, 19 December 2010 11:36

I would like to wish all Juniors and Organisers a very Merry Christmas
 and a Happy New Year, and the best of golfing fortune in 2011. The
highlights of 2011 include The British Girl's Championship and Home Internationals at Gullane and The Scottish Boys' Championships at Dunbar. 
All Junior Events of possible interest for next year will be found at our "Events" section - make sure you don't miss out on anything! Get your entries in early.

Now the snow has appeared again it is unlikely that any of us will get any 
golf over the holiday period, so the next best thing might be to watch the Daily Telegraph Abu Dhabi Junior Championships on TV. This programme is 
aired 5 times on Sky on 22nd and 23rd December and you can get these Channels and times by searching for Abu Dhabi Junior Golf at this site:- http://tv.sky.com/tvlistings
I have prepared a report of the golfing accomplishments of our Teams 
and Individual Juniors for 2010. This can be seen by clicking on "read 
more" below. Well done to you all. 

Dave Warren, ELJGL Secretary.

East Lothian Junior Golf League - Review of 2010
The East Lothian Junior golf year year started in fantastic style when 
Craigielaw, at the 3rd time of trying, finally won the Junior Home Nations Championship in Spain. Grant Forrest won the 54 hole aggregate 
scratch prize, and probably set an all time record in being undefeated in
9 head to head matches in 3 finals. Dougie Maxwell won the prize for the 
lowest scratch round. A substantial amount of TV coverage of that Final 
exists on the Talent Nation website -http://www.talentnation.com/channel/viewByName/golf The Craigielaw
 Team were also later presented with the "Team Of The Year" award 
at the East Lothian Celebrating Sports Awards.

Also at club level, Gullane were narrowly defeated by Orkney Golf Club 
in the clubgolf Junior Club of the year. http://www.clubgolfscotland-youth.co.uk/cluboftheyear.html

In the County’s 3 main Team events in 2010, the League title, the format 
being 6-a-side matchplay, was won by a strong Tantallon team for the 2nd 
time in 3 years, and for the 4th time in the 35 year history of the event. 
Craigielaw were a close 2nd and Haddington were 3rd. Both Tantallon 
and Craigielaw therefore qualified for the Junior Home Nations Scottish 
Final at Spey Valley in October, where Tantallon were 2nd (by 1 stroke to 
Liberton) and Craigielaw were 3rd. In 2011 there is a distinct possibility 
that East Lothian will be able to send a select Girls Team to the UK finals, 
subject to sufficient funding becoming available.

Congratulations also go to the 4 man Tantallon team for winning the 
Strokeplay Team event at Dunbar, followed closely by Longniddry. 
Gullane’s Team won the handicap prize at the same event, and 
Anthony Blaney’s 69 gross was one of the best rounds of the year.

Congratulations also go to the 4 man Haddington team who won the 
recent County Cup at Gullane, beating Longniddry in the final. There was 
added spice in this match as the Haddington Convenor is Jim Simpson, 
whose son Stevie is the Longniddry Convenor.

The League would like to thank the Clubs who hosted the 3 major County 
events – these were Dunbar, Gullane and Royal Musselburgh. All three 
courses were in superb condition and all made the players very welcome. 
In 2011 these three major Junior County events are to be played at 
Winterfield, Musselburgh Old and Longniddry.

There were many age group winners at the EL Championships this year 
at Royal Musselburgh, and these are all on the website. Euan Bowden 
with 138, and Clara Young with a 78, lifted the scratch trophies and are 
our County Champions. Prizes were won by 26 players out of the field of 
84, a record attendance. The website contains all these details. East Lothian 
Council continued to generously sponsor the event, and it is hoped that 
this relationship will continue. The League has received this accolade 
from Councillor Paul McLennan - "East Lothian is blessed by many fine 
golfers and really appreciate the work of the ELJGL in supporting 
development of golf in East Lothian.”

There have been many notable performances by individuals this year, 
and most, if not all, of these, are on the website. Pride of place must go 
equally to Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest for winning his 2nd National title, the Scottish Boys’ Championship at West Kilbride and to Gullane Ladies’ Lesley Atkins for winning her 1st National title, the Scottish Girls’ Championship 
at Eyemouth. East Lothian member Rachel Watton led the qualifiers by a staggering 11 strokes and Craigielaw’s Gabrielle MacDonald reached 
the semi-final.  All 4 players then went on to represent Scotland with 
distinction in their respective Home Internationals. Grant also went on to represent GB&I against Europe in Milan and he finished 5th in the 
Egyptian Amateur.

A five minute resume of the 2010 Scottish Boys Final can be viewed 


Other performances of note by East Lothian players include, and in no 
particular order:- Clara Young in the Scottish Girls’ Golf Academy U16s
 Winter Series finished 3rd, Lachlan Imrie was 2nd in the Paul Lawrie 
Jug at Newmachar, Charlotte Munro was 1st and Greg Lovenlock 2nd i
the Clubgolf Scottish Junior Masters at Renaissance, in which Gullane 
had 4 qualifiers. Fraser Thain made the cut in the British Boys’ 
Championship at Kilmarnock, and Lesley Atkins did the same in the 
British Girls’ at Royal Belfast, but both were defeated in the early 
matchplay stages. Lesley was 2nd and Clara 3rd in the Faldo Series 
Scottish Championship at The Roxburghe after which Lesley then 
finished 4th in the U16s Grand Final at Lough Erne in Ireland. A recent 
EL Junior, Neil Henderson, won the Boys’ Faldo Series at The Roxburghe 
with a gross 142 but could not compete in the Grand Final due to College commitments in the USA. Clara was 2nd in the Scottish Girls U14 event 
at Auchterarder with a gross 70. Both Clara and Keren Ward represented
East Lothian Ladies’ in Inter-County events. Grant with a gross 282 for 
72 holes, lost in a play off in the Sir Henry Cooper Junior Masters in Kent. 
Grant is now ranked at 773 in the R&A world rankings, higher than former
 EL Juniors Neil Henderson, Mark Hillson and Alexander Culverwell see - http://wagr.randa.org/ Mark made the cut in the British Amateur at 
Muirfield and North Berwick, but Alexander and Neil just missed out. 
Fraser, Danny Kay and Greg Smail all made the cut in the Scottish Youths Championship at Monifeith and had respectable finishes. The re-arranged Scottish Junior Champion of Championship event from 2009 was 
played over the Dukes Course at St Andrews in March. The Boys' winner 
with a 72 was Craigielaw’s Simon Fairburn beating Grant who scored 73. 
Simon also defeated Anthony Blaney by one hole in the final of the 
Lothians Boys’ Championship. Fraser and Craigielaw’s Ewen Donaldson 
were the defeated semi-finalists. All four boys are linked with East Lothian 
Clubs, and the event was sponsored by Neil’s father Ian through the North Berwick based business Golf Finance. The Lothians Team including 
Anthony, Fraser and Grant, were in the winning Team in the Scottish Boys
 Area Team Championship at Peebles, perhaps owing their success to 
valuable coaching input from ex-tour Professional Dean Robertson. The 
Final of the Ladies’ North Berwick Club Championships was contested by Juniors Clara and Keren. Clara emerged as the winner with some excellent 
golf. Alasdair Simpson, also still a Junior, defeated Nick Peoples in the 
Mens event, winning by one hole after an excellent 36 hole match of low 
scoring. Calum Hill, aged 14, reached the final of the Tantallon Club Championship where he lost by 3&2 to recent Junior Shaun Gordon.  In the 
US Kids’ Golf Gullane’s Duncan McLean finished tied 4th in the Boys 14 
group, just 2 shots behind the winner. Stephen Neilson, a recent Junior 
at Dunbar Golf Club, had a wonderful run in the Scottish Amateur by 
reaching the semi-final where he lost narrowly to the eventual winner. Oliver Huish reached a +1 handicap and has now turned Professional. However, 
pride of place for our recent Juniors must go to the Saltman brothers Lloyd 
and Elliot, formerly of Craigielaw but now linked to Archerfield Golf Club, who
 have both just have gained cards at the Qualifying School for the European 
Tour.  Grant Forrest has announced his intention to take up the offer of a 
golf scholarship at San Diego University. Apologies if I have missed off 
any other notable results. We wish all our recent Juniors moving on a 
lifetime of enjoyable golf in the future, whether as Professionals or 
Amateurs.

A Coaching programme for Boys has again been in place this year, funded 
by Procladd Scotland Ltd. and was expertly delivered by John Sandilands 
the Professional at Haddington Golf Club. A search for funding for 2011 
for coaching for Boys and Girls has resulted in a grant from The Golf 
Foundation and clubgolf but additional funding required will be discussed 
at the AGM.

In County Matches this year, much experience was gained in the Boys’ 
matches against Loretto at Dunbar, where East Lothian lost 3.5 to 2.5, 
and against Edinburgh at Baberton, where East Lothian lost 6 to 4. An 
East Lothian Boys v. Girls match was also played which resulted in a 
convincing win for the Girls.

Ric Foulner the Tantallon Junior Convenor puts in a huge amount of work 
in arranging both the County Matches and the Coaching as does Lesley Nicholson, Captain of this years Scottish Ladies Team in the Womens’ 
World Amateur Championship, in East Lothian Girls’ golf.

Even experienced players can be unsure as to the rules of golf and 
etiquette and there are always a few mistakes made every year in our 
Junior events which result in penalties being incurred. Players should 
view the pictorial explanations of the rules and test their knowledge by undertaking the quizzes which appear on the R&A website.

The website, expertly maintained by Webmaster Keith Young, continues 
to grow and now contains an exhaustive list of Junior fixtures, totalling 
around 170 this year. Some items have had almost 2000 hits since 
being published.

The website is also used by Kate Green, ELC Junior Golf Development Coordinator to promote “clubgolf” and other events. Kate and the “clubgolf” 
staff and volunteers work with the U12s age group, and current and future successes is the source of most of any future success for our Clubs and 
for the County. The website is also used to promote EL Secondary Schools League matches and congratulations are due to Preston Lodge for winning 
the 09/10 League.

I would also like to thank all Convenors for their support throughout the 
Season, particularly Harry Bentley, Dougie Denholm, Nicky Black, Andrew Needen, and Willie Rodgers for assisting in running our major events. 
A special thanks to Willie - he will be stepping down as Convenor at Royal Musselburgh after 25 years!

So, as we move into 2011, the future for Junior Golf in East Lothian looks 
very healthy indeed, but there is much more work to be done! The County 
will host both the Scottish Boys’ Championship at Dunbar and The British 
Girls Championship and Girls’ Home International Matches at Gullane so 
our players will hopefully put their local knowledge into place. Good luck to 
all our young players.

David Warren, Secretary and Treasurer, ELJGL.19/12/2010

Saturday 18 December 2010

EUROPEAN TOUR Q SCHOOL - LLOYD AND ELLIOT SALTMAN BOTH GET CARDS!

THE EAST LOTHIAN JUNIOR GOLF LEAGUE pRODUCTS !! 

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Written by David Warren   
Tuesday, 07 December 2010 20:07
Lloyd and Elliot Saltman finished joint 11th and joint 26th respectively to 
earn their European Tour Cards after 6 gruelling rounds at the PGA 
Catalunya resort in Spain. The top 30 and ties received cards. Under what 
must have been extreme pressure, Lloyd returned a last round of 69 
and Elliot a 70 to secure their playing privileges for 2011. 

Both Lloyd and Elliot have backgrounds in East Lothian Golf having 
represented Craigielaw as amateurs and they are now attached to 
Archerfield. Lloyd's coach, Colin Brooks at Braid Hills, and their 
sponsors Aegon, must be delighted that their hard work and support 
has paid off. 

Full scores can be seen at:   


Lloyd and Elliot, and David Drysdale, are all in the starting line-up for the 
South African Open beginning on 16th December. and there is a total of 
9 Scots playing in the event. You can follow live scoring at:- 


If you wish to follow the Tour in detail in 2011, then try 
registering at:- 

Wednesday 15 December 2010

Letter from Spain

Alasdair fills us in on his golfing experience in Spain - sounds fantastic !! 

He is at  Alhaurin, near Mijas, just north of the Costa del Sol 


Spain is really good and I’m loving being out here. The weather is amazing and for the majority of the three months I have been playing in shorts and t-shirt! The golf course itself is a tough test especially when the wind blows. Very tough! Any bad shot WILL be punished. There is also a 9 hole par 3 course which is a great way to sharpen up your wedge play and short game in general.

An average day from my timetable would be......golf programme 9-12am (range for 1.5 hours, chipping and putting for 45 mins each), then a1 hour lunch break and then two laps round the par 3 course. After about 3 o’clock you can do what you want, e.g. play holes on the course, but I’m timetabled to go to the gym for a couple of hours three times a week for strength and conditioning and aerobic fitness.

Wednesday is a skills day when your short game is tested and a course challenge will be set, e.g. only hit irons off the tees, or miss greens on purpose. There is also a weekly medal each Friday, which goes towards a scratch and net order of merit.

I receive weekly coaching from the club pro and also get specialist coaching a couple times a month from coaches on the European tour. There are also lectures from a sports psychologist every now and again who explores the mental side of the game, which is very interesting and beneficial.

Last wee, Matteo Manaserro's caddy came for a couple of days and walked the course with us to give us the ‘professional’s view’, e.g. reading greens, paying attention to the wind, best places to hit to, bad places to miss greens, lay up shots on par 5s, and generally just giving us the chance to ask him questions about Matteo."

Overall, I am really enjoying myself and for any junior who has aspirations of being a professional golfer in the future, this is the place to come!


PICTURES TO FOLLOW 










Will Heather Progress ??

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2010

IT'S ALL GREEK FOR LIEBELEI AT LET TOUR SCHOOL DAY 1

NEWS RELEASE BY BETHAN CUTLER
Ladies European Tour Media Manager
Liebelei Lawrence, who could become the Ladies European Tour’s first representative from Greece, fired an opening round of four-under par 69 on the par-73 South Course at La Manga Club in the Murcia region of south-east Spain to take a one-stroke lead at Final Qualifying School for the 2011 season. 
Lawrence, who turned professional on the eve of the tournament, notched four birdies in a row from the 11th and dropped her only shot of the day on the par-five 18th for a three-under back nine total.
In cold and windy conditions, she closed with a birdie on the par-five ninth hole for a one-under total on the front-nine. 
The 24-year-old, who was born in Athens but lives in Luxembourg, finished a stroke ahead of Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall and Spain’s Belen Mozo. French amateur Joanna Klatten and Sweden’s Caroline Westrup were the only other players to beat par and finished on one-under
There were no scores below par on the par-71 North Course, where nine players finished level for the day. They were Louise Larsson, Isabella Ramsay, Nontaya Srisawang, Kiran Matharu, Ashley Smith, Adriana Zwanck, Mikaela Parmlid, Kim Williams and Monia Bernardo. 
Lawrence moved from Greece to Luxembourg aged three and started to play golf at the age of 10. She moved to Florida to attend the David Leadbetter Academy when she was 16 and received a scholarship to play golf for Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. 
She intended to turn pro once she graduated but instead took a job in sales, event planning and marketing for a start-up company selling athletic apparel. After 10 months she decided to pursue her dream of playing professional golf and made the leap to the paid ranks with a handicap of +1.6 on Tuesday evening. 
“I was a lot more excited than I expected to be. I think I kept my amateur status for comfort but as soon as I did it I felt really happy and it was a weight off my shoulders,” said Lawrence, who speaks five languages fluently. 
“I came out really fast. I chipped in on 11 for birdie, which to me was wonderful. From there I strung together four birdies and kept it going. I three-putted 18 but my putting was really good except for on that one hole. I had all pars coming in and then another birdie on the ninth, the last hole.
“It was really cold the first nine holes and then it warmed up but the wind was really rough. I don’t think I realised until I came in. It was steady wind though, no unexpected gusts.” 
Hedwall, 21, from Taby, felt comfortable on the course where she shot an eight-under par round at the pre-qualifying stage a fortnight ago. 
She said: “I started off with a couple of bogeys and made a birdie on number four, six, ten, 14 and 18. So after that start I was bogey-free, so it was okay. 
“I feel confident. We had the European (women's amateur) team championship here this summer so I really know the course really well. I feel very comfortable out there.” 
Mozo, who finish in the top 10 at last week's LPGA Final Tour School,  had a flawless round with three birdies on the par fives. The 22-year-old from Cadiz explained: “It was really easy; one of those days that you don’t make any bogeys, you make birdies on the par fives and you hit for birdie on almost every hole. 
“The greens are very soft and stepped so it’s very difficult to make putts. The ball doesn’t roll that well but it’s getting very cold so if you cut it shorter it will be bad. It’s good; it was one of those days when the putts didn’t get in and I just made birdies on par fives.” 
Westrup, 24, who played on the Duramed Futures Tour this season with a best finish of eighth, was pleased with her steady round of one-under 72 and said: “I am satisfied. It was really tough today on the first couple of holes. It was really windy going off and just trying to be focused on one shot at a time and take the right decisions.” 
There will be a cut to the top 50 players and ties after four rounds
The fifth and final round for the qualifiers will be over the South course. At the end of 90 holes, the top 30 will earn Ladies European Tour playing rights for 2011 in Category 8a. Players finishing in positions 31 to 50 and ties will earn Category 9b.
Players who fail to make the 72-hole cut will be eligible for Membership in Category 11a.

FIRST-ROUND SCOREBOARD
Best scores on par-73 South Course
Liebelei Elena Lawrence (GR) 69 
Belen Mozo (SPA) 70
Caroline Hedwall (SWE) 70
Joanna Klatten (FRA) (am) 72
Caroline Westrup (SWE) 72
Best scores on par-71 North Course
Louise Larsson (SWE) 71
Nontaya Srisawang (THA) 71
Isabella Ramsay (SWE) 71
Adriana Zwanck (SPA) 71
Ashley Smith (CAN) 71
Kiran Matharu (ENG) 71
Mikaela Parmlid (SWE) 71
Kim Williams (SAF) (am) 71
Monia Bernardo (PGL) 71

COMBINED SCORES FROM BOTH COURSES
69 Liebelei Elena Lawrence (Greece).
70 Belen Mozo (Spain), Caroline Hedwall (Sweden). 
71 Louise Larsson (Sweden), Nontaya Srisawang (Thailand), Isabella Ramsay (Sweden), Adriana Zwanck (Spain), Ashley Smith (Canada), Kiran Matharu (England), Mikaela Parmlid (Sweden), Kim Williams (S Africa), Monia Bernardo (PGL).
72 Joanna Klatten (France) (am), Caroline Westrup (Sweden), Charlie Douglass (England), Cathrine Madsen (Denmark), Stacey Keating (Australia).
73 Jaclyn Sweeney (US), Louise Friberg (Sweden), Juliana Murcia Ortiz (Colombia), Danielle Masters (England).
74 Marion Ricordeau (France), Danielle Bowers (England), Carmen Alonso (Spain), Rachel Bailey (Australia), Garrett Phillips (US), Clare Queen (The Carrick at Loch Lomond), Marieke Nivard (Netherlands) (am), Helena Blomberg (Sweden), Elin Emanuelsson (Sweden), Sara Brown (US), Sara Ardstrom (Sweden), Valentine Derrey (France), Maria Verchenova (Russia).
75 Eva Bjarvall (Sweden), Rachel Bell (England), Viva Schlasberg (Sweden), Connie Chen (S Africa),Carly Booth (Comrie), Celine Palomar (France), Erika Kuwahara (Japan), Julie Tvede (Denmark), Claire Aitken (England), Nathalie David-Mila (France), Lara Tadiotto (Belgium), Zuzana Kamasova (Slovakia), Christine Hallstrom (Sweden), Monica Christiansen (Denmark).
76 Bree Arthur (Australia), Line Vedel Hansen (Denmark) (am), Martina Gillen (Ireland), Melanie Maetzler (Switzerland) (am), Kaisa Ruuttila (Finland), Klara Spilkova (Czech Rep). 
77 Iliska Verwey (S Africa) (am), Kate Combes (Australia), Pamela Feggans (Ayrshire), Dawn Shockley (US), Maria Beautell (Spain), Tara Davies (Wales) (amateur), Heather MacRae (Downfield), Sahra Hassan (Wales), Nicole Perrot (Chile), Rachel Jennings (England).
78 Marjet van der Graaff (Netherlands), Hannah Grant (England) (am), Nicole Forshner (Canada), Melodie Bourdy (France), Laura Cabanillas (Spain), Kym Larratt (England), K, Elena Giraud (France), Rhian Wyn Thomas (Wales), Johanna Lundberg (Sweden), Corisande Lee (England).
79 Barbara Genuini (France), Sahra Hassan (Wales) 77, Benedicte Toumpsin (Belgium) (amateur), Caroline Bon (NZ) (am), Camille Fallay (France), Kanna Takanashi (Japan).
80 Antonella Cvitan (Sweden), Elin Andersson (Sweden), Caroline Martens (Norway), Whitney Myers (US), Eva Steinberger (Austria), Vittoria Valvassori (Italy).
81 Chrisje de Vries (Netherlands) (am), Danielle McVeigh (Royal Co Down Ladies) (am). 
83 Lene Krog (Norway), Sunny Park (Australia).
84 Audrey Riguelle (France).
85 Wendy Hawkes (NZ).