JOHN PANTON AWARD - Bill Lockie receives 2018 PGA honour

Ayrshire golf professional Bill Lockie is the 2018 recipient of the Professional Golfers’ Association prestigious John Panton Award for outstanding services to golf, which was presented at the annual lunch of the PGA in Glasgow in December 2018.

Bill Lockie with the John Panton Award
Photograph courtesy of Kenny Smith Photography

A very well known and respected figure throughout the county and beyond, Bill’s roots remained firmly in his native Ayrshire throughout his career.

His playing expertise came to the fore as a boy when, as a thirteen year old playing out of the Troon St Meddans club, he won the Ayrshire Boys Championship at Irvine GC in 1961. He repeated his county boys’ title win in 1965, the year after he won the 1964 Scottish Boys Championship title.

In 1968 Bill won the Scottish Universities Championship before embarking on his professional career where he did his PGA training at Turnberry and worked for a short time at Royal Troon before taking the club professional’s post at Kilmarnock (Barassie) in 1974, where he remained for over 20 years.

Though his main focus was on his club duties and player development, Bill still competed when the opportunity arose, with successes including the 1970 Scottish Assistants’ Championship, the 1982 Scottish Alliance title, the 2000 Scottish Seniors’ Professional Championship, and the British PGA Seniors' Professional title in 2008. 

During his time at Kilmarnock (Barassie) Bill built an enduring reputation as a coach which saw him progress to coach many an Ayrshire youngster at club and county level as well as both the Scottish Mens’ and Ladies’ squads during his career, and he continues to use extensive knowledge to contribute to the development of the game as he still assesses PGA trainees during their training.

 Bill’s coaching acumen continues in the family, with son Neil, a former Ayrshire county player himself, employed as the director of golf at Jonathan’s Landing Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida, where he was voted Professional of the Year by the South Florida PGA Southeast Chapter last year.

It was wholly appropriate that the award was presented to Bill by PGA in Scotland chairman Alan Reid, who was a leading light in the junior section of Kilmarnock (Barassie) during Bill’s time at the club.

Sincere congratulations are extended to Bill from everyone at The Ayrshire Golf Association on this very well deserved award.

SCOTTISH GOLF ORDER OF MERIT - Louise Duncan takes Girls' title as Ayrshire players feature in the top fifteen at all levels

A number of Ayrshire players featured in the Scottish Golf Order Of Merit tables at all levels in 2018, with pride of place going to Louise Duncan (West Kilbride) who won the Girls’ title, ahead of fellow Ayrshire golfer Rachel Foster (Prestwick St Nicholas).

Scottish Golf Girls' Order Of Merit Winner
Louise Duncan (West Kilbride)

Both Louise and Rachel played in 11 events with Louise collecting 1518 points and Rachel finishing with 1165.

Claire McLaughlin (West Kilbride) finished in 22nd place with 175 points from 6 events, whilst the only other Ayrshire girl that featured was Katy Hill (Prestwick St Cuthbert) who was in 42nd place with 25 points from one event.

In the Boys’ Order Of Merit, the best placed Ayrshire player was Jack Broun (Ayr Belleisle) who finished in fourth spot behind the winner Greg Dalziel (Airdrie) on 1233 points, with 828 points from 15 events.

Ruben Lindsay (Ayr Belleisle) was 8th on 767 points from 10 outings whilst Cameron Johnstone (Troon Welbeck) was 22nd on 280 points from 13 starts.

The other Ayrshire player to feature was Sean Addie (Ayr Belleisle) who was joint 52nd with 75 points in three competitions.

In the Senior Womans’ Order Of Merit, Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie) was best for Ayrshire in seventh place on 275 points from 2 outings, behind the winner Elaine Moffat (St Regulus) on 903 points.

Liz Keohone (Loudoun) finished in 11th place on 155 points from 2 starts, whist Donna Jackson (Troon Ladies) was in 20th place on 100 points from 3 events.

The Senior Mens’ Order Of Merit was won by Ronne Clark (Erskine) with 1277 points, with the best Ayrshire player being Robert Jenkins (Royal Troon) in 14th place with 274 points from 7 events.

Paul Moultrie (Royal Troon) was two places further back in 16th spot with 268 points from 4 events whilst Richard Gray (Caprington) was tied 39th on 100 points from 7 starts.

Alistair Belford (Prestwick St Nicholas) finished in 42nd place with 88 points from 8 starts, with Tom Sirel (Largs) tied 62nd on 15 points from 4 events and Brian Bingham (Royal Troon) tied 65th on 4 points from 5 events completing the Ayrshire representation in the table.

In the Womans’ Order Of Merit, won by Hannah McCook (Granton On Spey) with 1331 points, the best placed Ayrshire player was Hazel MacGarvie (Troon Ladies) who finished in 6th place with 475 points in 6 events.

Connie Jaffrey (Troon ladies) finished just outside the top 10, in 11th place with 310 points from 4 starts, whilst Girls’ title winner Louise Duncan (West Kilbride) was three places further back in 14th spot with 198 points from 3 events.

Emma Hale (Troon Ladies) was tied 28th on 50 points from 4 outings along with Lorna Ronnie (Kilmarnock Barassie) who gained her points from just one event.

In the Mens’ Order Of Merit,  won by Euan McIntosh (Turnhouse) with 1737 points, the Ayrshire challenge was led by Jim Johnston (Ayr Belleisle) who finished in 4th place with 840 points from 9 events, just ahead of fellow internationalist Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) in 5th place on 803 points from 6 events.

Stuart Easton (Irvine) was 11th in the table on 490 points from 6 outings with Louis Murray (Troon Welbeck) finishing in 18th place after collecting 301 points in 5 starts.

Sandy Buchanan (Prestwick St Nicholas) was tied 32nd on 200 points from 8 events, Michael Smyth (Royal Troon finished tied 58th with 95 points from three outings whilst jack Broun (Ayr Belleisle) was 93rd with 43 points from 3 competitions.

The two other Ayrshire players to feature in the final Mens' standings were Shaun Hedger (West Kilbride) in 129th place with 20 points from 7 events, and Malcolm Pennycott (Whiting bay) who gained 10 points from 6 events to finish joint 130th.

AYRSHIRE JUNIOR GOLF LEAGUE DINNER - Rachel Foster and Sean Addie named as golfers of the year

Rachel Foster (Prestwick St Nicholas) and Sean Addie (Ayr Belleisle) were named as the Macrobert Thistle Trophy Ayrshire Junior Golfers Of The Year at the recent Ayrshire Junior Golf League dinner which was held at the Grange Academy Campus in Kilmarnock..

Rachel Foster with David Reynolds

During 2018 Rachel reduced her playing handicap from 4 to 0.4, and won the ladies club championships at Prestwick St Nicolas and Ayr Belleisle.

Elsewhere she finished joint second in the Loretto Golf Academy Under 16 Girls Open Championship at St Andrews and lost in play off in the Scottish National Final of the Nick Faldo series at Bruntsfield Links, but won the under 16 section.

She also won the St Andrews University Schoolgirl’s Championship and was chosen to represent the  Scottish Girls against Wales in September. She was also selected to play in the Scottish Open Pro AM at both the ladies and gents events, and qualified for the Nick Faldo final in Abu Dhabi, and finished second in the Scottish Golf Girls' Order Of Merit.

Sean Addie and David Reynolds

Sean Addie enjoyed a tremendous season in 2018, which resulted in a handicap reduction from 5 at the start of the season to scratch by early November.

Whilst serving a second, successful year as Ayr Belleisle Junior Captain, where he became a role model for younger juniors in his club, Sean performed extremely well on the golf course, winning junior open competitions at Royal Troon, Irvine as well as taking the Ayrshire Boys' Strokeplay title at Ardeer, and he also secured a notable win in the Ayr Golf Week when he won the prestigious Tam O Shanter Trophy.

The two winners were presented with their awards by David Reynolds of Fields In Trust, formerly The national Playing Field's Association.

The Ayrshire Junior Golf League this year marked the Golden Jubilee of the association, which was formed in 1968, and a number of additional guests were in attendance, including the civic leaders of all three Local Authorities in Ayrshire and a special guest speaker in the person of Alan Tait who went on to follow a succesful career in golf after his early years as a competitor in Ayrshire Junior Golf League competitions for his home club  of Irvine GC.

After the meal, there was a succesful raffle and auction which raised a good sum for furthering the work of the Ayrshire Junior Golf League, and this was followed by a very informtive, thought provoking and entertaining speech by Alan Tait.

Also honoured during the evening were the winners of the various Ayrshire Junior Golf League competitions held in 2018.

AGA President John W Watt
 presented the Matt Lygate Trophy to
 Sean Addie and Ruben Lindsay of Ayr Belleisle

The Andrew D Nimmo Trophy was presented to
West Kilbride by AJGL Honorary member
Bobby Caddis

Prestwick Circuits Trophy presentation to
Euan Ferguson (Turnberry)

The Carrick Trophy was presented to
Lyall Jack (West Kilbride)
by AJGL Honorary Member
Brian Farrely

Jubilee Trophy - Convenors Comp.
Fred Helson & Chris Butler (Irvine Ravenspark)
along with Willie McCulloch of the AJGL 

Ayrshire Girls Trophy
being presented to
Samantha McKay (Loudoun)

Ayrshire Boys Matchplay Champion
Euan Walker (Turnberry)
Presented by AJGL Honorary Member
John Nordbo 

AAJGL Honorary Member Bob Cameron
Presented the Ayrshire Boys Championship Trophy
to clubmate Sean Addie (Ayr Belleisle)

Ayrshire Junior Order Of Merit presentation to
John McCracken (Kilmarnock Barassie)

Wallace Thornton Trophy
Presented to Ayr Belleisle by AJGL Treasurer Robin Baker

Under 16 Knockout Trophy
Kilmarnock Barassie.
Trophy presented by Scottish Internationalist Jim Johnston

Ayrshire Junior Golf League Champions
Ayr Belleisle along with Guest Speaker Alan tait who presented the trophy

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Apologies for the lack of updates and news items recently but due to computer issues, culminating in a replacement being arranged, the posting facilities have been restricted. All good now, so we hope to catch up on some news soon.