ALL THE LATEST NEWS ON AMATEUR GOLF IN AYRSHIRE

Thursday, January 24, 2008

AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION - 2008 Fixtures

The Ayrshire Golf Association have almost finalised the Fixture list of County events for 2008, with the exception of the Doc Thom Order Of Merit events.

The fixture list includes the reintroduced Ayrshire Seniors Championship, which will be played on a handicap basis, with both handicap & scratch prizes, over the Kilmanrock (Barassie) course in July. The player returning the best nett score overall will win a new trophy, to be called The Sandy Provan Trophy, in recognition of the long serving Championship Convenor's contribution to The Ayrshire Golf Association's activities ofer a number of years.

The 2008 fixture list is

FEBRUARY
24th - Ayrshire Vs. Troon Welbeck (Troon Darley)

MARCH
2nd - Ayrshire Vs. Irvine (Irvine Bogside)
16th - Ayrshire vs. Kilmarnock Barassie (Kilmarnock Barassie)
23rd - Ayrshire Vs. South Of Scotland (Ballochmyle)

APRIL
13th - Ayrshire Boys Team Championship (Largs)
20th - Ayrshire Strokeplay Championship (Prestwick)

MAY
5th-8th - Ayrshire Matchplay Championship (Western Gailes)
18th - Area Team Championship Vs. Clackmannanshire (Braehead)
25th - Ayrshire Under 18 Vs Stirlingshire (Brunston Castle)


JUNE
24th - West Of Scotland Boys Strokeplay (Ardeer)
25th-26th - West Of Scotland Boys Mtchplay (Ardeer)
29th - Ayrshire Under 18 vs Lanarkshire (Drumpellier)

JULY
6th - Ayrshire Club Championship (Irvine)
13th - Ayrshire Under 18 Vs. Dumbartonshire (Prestwick St. Cuthbert)
22nd - Ayrshire Seniors Championship (Kilmarnock Barassie)

AUGUST
1st - Ayrshire Champion Of Champions Semi Finals (Royal Troon)
3rd - Area Team Championship vs. North east (Prestwick St. Nicholas)
7th - Ayrshire Boys Championship (Ayr Belleisle)
8th - Ayrshire Champion Of Champions Final (Royal Troon)
14th-16th - Ayrshire Boys Matchplay (Prestwick)
31st - Ayrshire Under 18 Vs. Glasgow (Cowglen)

SEPTEMBER
14th - Ayrshire Under 18 Vs. Renfrewshire (Irvine Ravenspark)
21st - Area Team Championship Vs. Argyll & Bute (Troon Portland)
? - Ayrshire Fourball Final (TBC)

OCTOBER
11th - Ayrshire A vs. Lanarkshire (West Kilbride)
11th - Ayrshire youths Vs Lanarkshire (Airdrie)
18th - Ayrshire A vs. Dumbartonshire (TBC)
18th - Ayrshire Youths vs. Dumbartonshire (Kilmanrock Barassie)
25th - Ayrshire A Vs. Glasgow (Ardeer)
25th - Ayrshire Youths Vs. Glasgow (Ralston)

NOVEMBER
1st - Ayrshire A Vs. Renfrewshire (Largs)
1st - Ayrshire Youths Vs. Renfrewshire (Elderslie)
8th - Ayrshire A Vs. Stirlingshire (Stirling)
8th - Ayrshire Youths Vs. Stirlingshire (Brunston Castle)

2008 also sees a number of national amateur events taking place in Ayrshire

In the Scottish Junior Tour, Irvine (Bogside) host the second event, on 20th April, and Kilmanrock Barassie again host the final event, eventy five, on 15th June.

The SGU also visit Ayrshire from 14th to 16th June when the Scottish Mid Amateur Championship is played at the Dundonald Links.

The Amateur Championship makes a return visit to Ayrshire from 16th to 21st June when the premier Amateur title is contested at Turnberry.

As well as the amateur events, golf fans can look forward to the Seniors British Open Championship, which will be held at Royal Troon from 24th to 27th July.

The Doc Thom Ayrshire Order Of Merit event is presently being reviewed with the intention of introducing a greater number of counting events, including local club open competitions and national championships, to augment the present 6 counting events.

Locla clubs are presently being surveyed in this regard, and details of the counting events for 2008 will be published around March.

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

SCOTTISH BOYS CHAMPIONSHIP - accommodation tip for Southerness

The 2008 Scottish Boys Championship will be held at Southerness from 7th to 12th April. Southerness is a top class course on the Solway Firth, although it is a little out of the way for ease of accommodation.

The following information has been forwarded by the parent of a prospective competitor, and may be a help to any boys thinking of taking part in the championship & looking for accommodation in the area.

"Wondered if you could pass info onto any boys looking for accomm for scottish boys at southerness next to golf course is a Parkdean Caravan site which will not let you book for the sun (practice round) will only take weekly booking £270
But there is a private site right next door called Lighthouse Leisure Park web site
www.lighthouseleisure.co.uk tel 01387 880277 they will take a booking for sun night and sun to fri costs £180 for 3 bedroom caravan walking distance to golf course and they will do breakfast and 2 course dinner for £10.00.

think this is worth letting boys know about this rather than paying B&B and most are over 7 miles away."



Many thanks to the parent concerned for the info, which I am sure will be of use to some of those taking part in the championship.

AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION - Annual Dinner sold out

The Annual Dinner of The Ayrshire Golf Association, to be held at Irvine Ravenspark on Friday 22nd February 2008, has proved as popular as ever with tickets now sold out.

A capacity audience from throughout the county, and beyond, will meet to honour the seasons winners, including the County Champions, the Ayrshire Boys Team who won the Scottish Area Boys Team Championship in 2007 and the Youths team who took the West Of Scotland Inter County Youths title.

Guest Speakers at the 2008 dinner will be comedian and entertainer Joe Camay and former football referee Kenny Clark.

AYRSHIRE JUNIOR GOLF LEAGUE - Farrelly becomes latest Honorary Member


Brian Farrelly (Ardeer) was honoured for his contribution to junior golf in Ayrshire, and his club in patricular, at the Annual General Meeting of The Ayrshire Junior Golf League in December 2007.

In recognition of his long association with The League, and his committment as Junior Convenor of Ardeer for over 10 years, he was elected an Honorary Member of the Ayrshire Junior Golf League, to become the 13th person so honoured since the formation of The League in 1968.

Brian served as A.J.G.L. Chairman in 2001 and also led Ardeer to their first League Championship win in 2003, which they followed up by retaining the title in 2004 and losing out in the final in 2005, when bidding for 3 in a row.
Brian joins the other seven surviving Honorary Members of The League, including fellow Ardeer member Bill Tinsley who was elected an Honorary Member in 1992.
The other surviving Honorary members are :- Sam Coulter (Maybole - 1980), Bob Grassom (Ayr Belleisle - 1984), Iain Harvey (Ayr Belleisle - 1990), Russell Cameron (Ayr Belleisle - 1990), Charlie McGregor (Irvine Ravenspark - 2000), Alastair Graham (Prestwick St. Cuthbert - 2002) & Alasdair J. Malcolm (Prestwick St. Cuthbert - 2002).