Monday, September 27, 2021
WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER COUNTY LEAGUES - Ayrshire A team make it 2 wins from 2 whilst Youths draw away from home.
AYRSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUES - Outstanding fight backs from Rowallan Castle and Largs in play off matches.
Rowallan Castle and Largs staged outstanding fight backs when the second legs of the Division 3 title decider and the Division 1 & 2 play off were completed on Sunday the 26th of September 2021. Scratch league Division 3 Winners - Rowallan Castle
In the Division 3 title play off match, Rowallan castle trailed West Kilbride by 5 - 1 after first leg, played recently at West Kilbride, but in an exceptional turn around the Rowallan castle team recorded a second leg victory by 6 - 0 to take the Division 3 trophy with a 7 - 5 win over the two legs.
John Rushbury led the way with a 3&2 win in the lead tie against Shaun Hedger and the Rowallan team went on to record wins by various margins in the third, fourth , fifth and sixth ties, leaving the title destination in the hands of Rowallan's Colin Ward and Alan Kelly from West Kilbride, in the second tie out.
In the event, the tie went to the final green before being decided in favour of Colin Ward, his single hole victory ensuring the silverware for his team.
Match details (Rowallan Castle names first)
John Rushbury beat Shaun Hedger by 3&2
Colin Ward beat Alan Kelly by 1 hole
Mark Gallacher beat Chris Lawson by 3&1
Gordon Johnston beat Craig Stevenson by 4&3
Robbie MacInnes beat Kevin Clarke by 4&3
Gary Allison beat Louis Fleming by 3&2
ROWALLAN CASTLE 6 WEST KILBRIDE 0
In an even more remarkable recovery in the Division 1 / 2 play off, Largs overturned a 5.5 - 0.5 first leg defecit against Turnberry to win the second leg at Largs by 6 - 0 and gain promotion to division 1 next season, at the expense of Turnberry, with a 6.5 - 5.5 win over the two leg play off.
Cammy Aitken set the standard for the Largs team with a notable 2&1 victory over Scottish internationalist Ruben Lindsay in the lead tie.
Match details (Largs names first) :-
Cammy Aitken beat Ruben Lindsay by 2&1
Johnny Andrews beat Gordon Boyle by 4&3
Ian Brown beat Scott Campbell by 2&1
Brian Moore beat Alan Connor by 3&1
John Robertson beat Michael Carlin by 2&1
Brian Fisher beat Billy McCulloch by 4&3
LARGS 6 TURBERRY 0
The result sees Largs promoted to Scratch league Division 1 next season, with Turnberry taking their place in Division 2.
With all the Scratch League fixtures now concluded, the final results for 2021 are:-
DIVISION 1
Champions – Irvine
Relegated – Ballochmyle
DIVISION 1 / 2 PLAY OFFS
Winners (promoted to Div 1) – Largs
Relegated to Div 2 - Turnberry
DIVISION 2 WINNERS – Royal Troon
Relegated – Troon St Meddans
DIVISION 3a Winners (promoted) – West Kilbride
DIVISION 3b Winners (promoted) – Rowallan Castle
DIVISION 3 TITLE PLAY OFF
Winners – Rowallan Castle
AYRSHIRE JUNIOR GLF LEAGUE - Irvine retain Under 16 Knockout Trophy
Irvine Golf Club retained the Ayrshire Junior Golf League Under 16 Knockout Trophy on Sunday the 26th of September 2021, when the final was played over their home course against Prestwick St Nicholas.
The Irvine team were giving a number of shots to their higher handicapped opponents from St Nicholas but eventually prevailed by 3.5 - 0.5 to retain the title they won in 2019.
Despite playing in blustery conditions which deteriorated further during the afternoon with a period of rain, both teams produced a final which was much closer than the final score suggested.
Match details (Irvine names first)
Ryan Kennedy (2) halved with Ethan McMurdo (22)
Jamie McCormack (10) beat Harris Vennard (22) by 2 holes
Aidan Hay (11) beat Connor Hunter (24) by 3 & 2
Lewis Trundle (14) beat Lewis Glover (28) by 5 & 4
IRVINE 3.5 PRESTWICK ST NICHOLAS 0.5
At the conclusion of the final the Ayrshire Junior Golf League Secretary, Gavin Scott, presented the trophy to the winning team.
SENIORS AREA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP - Fourth place finish for Ayrshire at Glasgow Gailes
Despite playing in the worst of the weather in the morning, with a breeze and intermittent drizzle, the team of Paul Moultrie (72), John Rushbury (72), Alistair Belford (77), J Gordon Boyle (78), Robbie Stewart (80) and Paul Denim (80) combined for a five score team total of 379 to edge into fourth spot ahead of Glasgow, by virtue of the best sixth score.
Renfrewshire won the title with 365, ahead of Perth & Kinross on 371 and Fife on 375.
The final team positions were:-
365 - Renfrewshire
371 - Perth & Kinross
375 - Fife
379 - Ayrshire 379 (better 6th
score)
379 - Glasgow
380 - South Scotland
381 – Stirlingshire (better 6th
score)
381 - Argyll & Bute
382 – Dumbartonshire
385 – Lothians
390 - North East Scotland
397 - Clackmannanshire
Saturday, September 25, 2021
BERT FERGUSON - Stalwart of the Ayrshire county team passes away.
A past Captain and Club Champion of the Troon Welbeck club, and latterly a member of Royal Troon, where he was also Club Champion on two occasions, Bert was not only an excellent golfer, but also excelled at football, playing professionally for Ayr United, St Mirren, where he was Sir Alex Ferguson’s first signing, and Stranraer. After moving to the junior ranks he also became a Scottish Junior internationalist.
Though he never captured any of the Ayrshire golf titles, Bert was regularly in the mix at the latter stages of county competitions. He was one of those players who was a mainstay of the county team for many seasons, could always be relied on to step up and play for the county team whenever his services were requested, and could always be relied on to give 100% at all times.
A long time resident of Troon, Bert established a successful construction business, and was well known in Ayrshire golfing circles, and beyond, as a fine golfer who was great company both on and off the course.
Sincere condolences from all at the Ayrshire Golf Association are extended to all Bert’s family and friends at this sad time.
Wednesday, September 22, 2021
2021 AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - Initial notice sent to member clubs
An initial notice, outlining the business to be conducted at the meeting, has been emailed to all member clubs today. Should any club secretary not be in receipt of the initial notice, they should contact the Area Secretary by email at
ayrshire.golf@btinternet.com
Any business for the AGM should be submitted by clubs, in writing, to the Area Secretary, by Friday the 7th of October at the latest.
All relevant annual reports and AGM paperwork will be forwarded to member clubs shortly after the 7th of October.
Monday, September 20, 2021
AYRSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUES - Turnberry establish good advantage in bid to retain Division 1 status
Turnberry have established a significant advaintage in their bid to retain their Division 1 status in the Ayrshire Scratch leagues, with a fist leg victory over Largs in the Division 1 play off tie on Sunday the 19th of September.
Playing at home in the first Leg, the Turnberry team won by 5.5 - 0.5.
Match details (Turnberry names first) :-
Jack Broun beat Cameron Aitken by 6&4
Peter Kennan beat Scott Davidson by 1 hole
Brendan McKenna beat Ian Brown by 4&3
Dominic Booth beat Brian Moore by 3&1
Paul Ferguson halved with Johnny Andrews
Gordon Boyle beat John Robertson by 8&6
TURNBERRY 5.5 LARGS 0.5
The return leg is scheduled to take place at Largs on Sunday the 26th of September.
AREA BOYS TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP - 2021 marks Ayrshire's third title win in 44 year history of the national competition
The recent victory in the Scottish Boys Area team Championship, at Dullatur Golf Club, was just the third occasion that the title has been claimed by Ayrshire since the event began in 1977.
With both foursomes scores in the morning and three of the
four afternoon singles scores combining towards the team total, a good score in
the morning format by both pairings is vital and in this year’s championship
the pairings of Connor Wills (Royal Troon) and Harvey Broadfoot (Troon Welbeck)
and Jack Allan (Ballochmyle) and Max Barclay (Ayr Belleisle), with scores of 75
and 77 respectively, delivered the goods to jointly lead after the morning
foursomes, along with The North, on 152.
In the afternoon singles, Harvey (70), Max (71), Jack (78)
and Connor (82) combined to establish a team total of 371, which ultimately
gave them the title by a clear six shots from the runners up from The Lothians.
The victory in 2021 came fourteen years after Ayrshire last
won the title, at Forres Golf Club, when the team of Michael Stewart (Troon
Welbeck), Cameron Gray (West Kilbride), David Currie (Kilmarnock Barassie) and
Euan Brown (Kilmarnock Barassie) came back from fourth place after the
foursomes, and overturned a five shot deficit to again edge The Lothians into
second place with victory by two shots, with a team total of 339.
The Ayrshire players produced some spectacular scoring in
the afternoon singles that year, with three of the team posting scores under
par which left the best three scores from the four singles totalling 198, 12
under par.
Pride of place that
year went to Cameron Gray, his brilliant five under par round of 65 securing him
the Niagra Cup for the best individual score of the championship, one ahead of
Michael Stewart and two better than Euan Brown. This was the second occasion
that an Ayrshire player had secured the individual trophy, after Graeme Fox (West Kilbride) won it in 1995 at Milngavie, and is a feat which has only
been matched once since, when Marc Smith did so at Peebles in 2010.
Of the four members of the winning team in 2007, Michael
Stewart went on to enjoy an outstanding amateur career before turning
professional. Amongst his achievements in the years following the Boys Area
team Championship win, Michael secured the Scottish Amateur title in 2010 at
Gullane and the South African Amateur Championship in 2011, and was a member of
the victorious Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team in 2011 at Royal
Aberdeen.
The distinction of being the first Ayrshire team to win the
Area Boys team Championship fell to the team of Steven Wallace (Prestwick St Cuthbert),
Neil Lockie (Kilmarnock Barassie), Gary Holland (Ballochmyle) and Gordon Fraser
(Troon St Meddans), who triumphed at Cowglen Golf Club in Glasgow in 1998.
The victory came just weeks after Gary Holland, who later
progressed to the professional ranks before being reinstated to the amateur
game, had won the Scottish Boys Open Amateur Strokeplay championship at
Burntisland, with Scottish representative honours at boys level following on
from his win. Neil Lockie also later turned to the professional game and is now
a well respected professional and coach in the USA. Like Neil, Gordon Fraser, who won the Ayrshire Boys Championship in 1999, also
later moved from Ayrshire to the United States. Like Gary Holland, Steven
Wallace went on to represent Scotland at boys level and the following year was
a bronze medallist in the Scottish Amateur Championships, beating the defending
champion Graeme Rankin en route to the last four, and has established a successful
amateur career and reputation in the West of Scotland in the intervening years.
MEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS - Scotland pipped for title by Ireland
In the morning foursomes Stuart Easton was paired with Lewis
Irvine, losing by 2 holes to T J Ford and Jack McDonnell as Scotland trailed 3 –
2 going into the afternoon singles.
In the singles Stuart Easton beat Jack McDonnell by one hole
whilst Ruben Lindsay lost by 2 & 1 to Alan Fahy as the Scots lost the
singles series 5.5 – 4.5 to lose the opening match overall.
On the second day Scotland faced England, winning the match convincingly
by 10 – 5.
Both the Ayrshire players took part in the morning
foursomes, which Scotland won by 3 – 2. Ruben Lindsay and Darren Howie lost to
Olly Huggins and John Gough by 5 & 4 whilst Stuart Easton again teamed up
with Lewis Irvine and beat Zachary Chewirden and Laird Shepherd by 3 & 1.
In the afternoon singles, in which Scotland overpowered England
by 8 – 2 to secure the win overall, Stuart Easton beat Callan Barrow by 2 &
1 whilst Ruben Lindsay lost to Jack Bigham by 4 & 3.
On the final day Scotland faced Wales, knowing that a
victory, coupled with an England victory, would give Scotland the Raymond Trophy and Home
Internationals title for 2021, and they ensured a nail biting finish by
defeating Wales 11 – 4 in their last match of the series.
The foundation of the win was laid with a 4.5 – 0.5 win in
the morning foursomes matches. Stuart Easton again paired up with Lewis Irvine and
beat Luke Harries and Alex Greville by 1 hole in the morning ties.
In the afternoon singles, which Scotland won by 6.5 – 3.5,
Stuart Easton lost by 3 & 2 to ben Chamberlain. Ruben Lindsay did not
feature in the final day’s ties.
Despite their efforts, Scotland’s championship title bid
fell agonisingly short when Ireland secured a 7.5 – 7.5 draw with England in
their final match, to take the Home Internationals title for 2021.
WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER COUNTY LEAGUES - Boys team win but lose out on title bid, on day of mixed fortunes for Ayrshire teams
The Ayrshire Boys team won their final match in the 2021 West of Scotland Inter County league for the Wishart trophy by 4.5 – 3.5 on Sunday the 19th of September, away to Dumbartonshire at Clydebank & District GC, but, although unbeaten throughout the five match campaign, the team narrowly failed to retain the title that they won in 2018 and 2019 when they lost out to their hosts on the overall tie countback after the two teams were tied on points at the top of the league table.
The Ayrshire team knew that they needed to win their final match of the season by 6 – 2 or better to overturn Dumbartonshire’s tie advantage over all five league fixtures and, despite the result of the match and margin of victory for Ayrshire being in doubt until the closing few holes, it was the Dumbatonshire team that secured sufficient ties to ensure their first league title since 2014.
Despite losing the first two under 16 ties, Ayrshire still retained holes of overall victory by the required margin as the Ayrshire players were ahead in all the remaining ties on the course at that stage, except one, but ultimately a couple of brave performances over the closing holes by the Dumbartonshire team to secure a crucial half point and a final green win were enough to get them over the line in their championship bid.
Match details (Dumbartonshire names first):-
Sam Somerville (Windyhill) beat Rory Inglis (Royal Troon) by 1 hole
Fergus Allan (Windyhill) beat Ryan
Kennedy (Irvine) by 3 & 2
Anthony Sheridan (Windyhill)
halved with Jack Broadfoot (Troon Welbeck)
Chris Clark (Windyhill) lost to
Dylan Cairns (Prestwick St Nicholas) by 1 hole
Stewart Forrest (Lenzie) lost to
Jack Allan (Ballochmyle) by 3 & 2
Callum Rutherford (Clober) lost to
Kerr Brooks (Loudoun) by 4 & 3
Jamie McQuillan (Dullatur) beat
Max Barclay (Ayr Belleisle) by 1 hole
Jack Clark (Dullatur) lost to
Harvey Broadfoot (Troon Welbeck) by 6 & 5
DUMBARTONSHIRE 3.5
AYRSHIRE 4.5
Sunday the 19th of
September also saw the start of the five week fixtures in the West of Scotland Inter
County Youths and A team leagues, which provided mixed fortunes for the
Ayrshire teams.
The Youths team were at home to Glasgow on week one, but slipped to a 5 – 3 defeat at Largs.
Match details (Ayrshire names first):-
Shaun Hedger (West Kilbride lost to Charlie Greaves (Glasgow) by 2 & 1
Ross Caddis (Kilmarnock Barassie)
beat A. MacNally (Pollok) by 6 & 4
Aiden Long (Ayr Belleisle) halved
with M. Hughes (Ralston)
Stewart Russell (Royal Troon) lost
to B Gray (Haggs Castle) by 1 hole
Harvey McDonald (Ayr Belleisle)
lost to T. Rankin (Haggs castle) by 3 & 1
Callum Irvine (Ayr Belleisle) lost
to A. Forbes (Haggs Castle) by 4 & 3
Scott Wilson (Kilmarnock Barassie)
halved with J. Lynch (Ralston)
Jack Thomas (Irvine) beat T Dunn
(Cowglen) by 3 & 2
AYRSHIRE YOUTHS 3
GLASGOW YOUTHS 5
In the corresponding A Team match,
played at Glasgow Gailes, Ayrshire ran out comfortable winners by 6.5 – 1.5,
with both team debutants Daniel Forbes (Irvine) and Adam Sweeney (Prestwick St
Cuthbert) recording wins in their first representative outing.
Match details (Glasgow names first) :-
Scott Wearing (Bishopbriggs) lost to John Shanks (Irvine) by 5 & 4
Blair Dalglish (Ralston) lost to
Robbie Muir (Kilmarnock Barassie) by 3 & 2
Ryan Woods (Cowglen) lost to
Daniel Forbes (Irvine) by 7 & 5
John Laurie (Glasgow) lost to Adam
Sweeney (Prestwick St Cuthbert) by 4 & 3
Fraser McNeill (Haggs Castle) lost
to Steven Stamper (Turnberry) by 2 & 1
Allan Waugh (Cowglen) halved with
Blair Morton (Royal Troon)
Craig Morrison (Haggs Castle) beat
Barry O’Rourke (Loudoun) by 3 & 1
Stephen Machin (Cowglen) lost to
John Haggarty (Loudoun) by 1 hole
GLASGOW A 1.5
AYRSHIRE A 6.5
In the other A team fixtures played on week 1, Renfrewshire won by 4.5 - 3.5 away to Stirlingshire and Lanarkshire beat Dumbartonshire 6.5 - 1.5 at Wishaw.
Next Sunday, the 26th of September, the A team entertain Stirlingshire at Irvine Ravenspark whilst the youths team travel to play the corresponding fixture against Stirlingshire youths at Dunblane New GC.
Saturday, September 18, 2021
AYRSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUES - First leg lead for West Kilbride in Division 3 title play off
At home to Rowallan Castle in the first leg of their play off match, the West Kilbride team secured a 5 - 1 win to take forward to the second leg at Rowallan Castle.
Match details (West Kilbride names first)
S. Hedger beat Graham Hillan by 2 holes
A. Kelly beat John Rushbury by 3&1
C. Lawson beat Robbie MacInnes by 4&3
S. Bell beat Ben Hollywood by 3&2
C. Murray lost to Mark Gallagher by 1 hole
A. Brown beat Gary Allison by 4&2
WEST KILBRIDE 5 ROWALLAN CASTLE 1
AYRSHIRE ORDER OF MERIT - Michael Smyth wins Doc Thom Salver for 2021
With none of the chasing pack featuring at the event,
Michael Smyth’s lead at the top of the table cannot be overtaken with just the
Arrol Cup at Prestwick St Nicholas on Saturday the 18th of September
still to take place before the final placings are established.
At the Stone Trophy, Cameron Aitkin of largs took maximum
points with a scratch score of 66, one ahead of Adam Sweeney (Prestwick St
Cuthbert).
Steven Gallacher of the host club finished his round with a
hole in one at the 18th hole during the competition.
Whilst Michael Smyth has won the title this year, there are
still several players who can secure second and third places overall, with good
performances at the Arrol Cup, with over 15 players still in with a change of a
place in the prize list.
Present positions, with just one counting event remaining,
are:-
445 |
MICHAEL |
SMYTH |
ROYAL TROON |
|
237.5 |
CRAIG |
TELFER |
PR. ST CUTHBERT |
|
236.67 |
BLAIR |
MORTON |
ROYAL TROON |
|
233.75 |
JACK |
BROUN |
TURNBERRY |
|
227.5 |
JOHN |
SHANKS |
IRVINE |
|
225 |
DANIEL |
FORBES |
IRVINE |
|
140 |
JOE |
McSORLEY |
PR. ST
CUTHBERT |
|
120 |
STUART |
EASTON |
IRVINE |
|
115 |
JASON |
BUTLER |
ARDEER |
|
100 |
KEITH |
HAMILTON |
AYR BELLEISLE |
|
100 |
CAMERON |
AITKIN |
LARGS |
|
88.75 |
KEVIN |
THOMAS |
PR. ST
CUTHBERT |
|
87.5 |
SCOTT |
BROWN |
PR. ST
CUTHBERT |
|
87.5 |
RYAN |
MORRISON |
AYR SEAFIELD |
|
87.5 |
SANDY |
WALKER |
KIL. BARASSIE |
|
87.5 |
COLIN |
McGOWAN |
LARGS |
|
87.5 |
JOHN |
ROBERTSON |
LARGS |
|
86.67 |
ADAM |
SWEENEY |
PR. ST
CUTHBERT |
|
84.17 |
HARVEY |
McDONALD |
AYR BELLEISLE |
|
80 |
STEVEN |
STAMPER |
TURNBERRY |
|
75 |
GRAHAM |
MACKENZIE |
WEST KILBRIDE |
|
75 |
GEEG |
McPIKE |
BALLOCHMYLE |
|
72 |
FRANCIS |
McNEILLIE |
AYR SEAFIELD |
|
62.5 |
ROBBIE |
MUIR |
KIL. BARASSIE |
|
62.5 |
SANDY |
BUCHANAN |
PR. ST
NICHOLAS |
|
62.5 |
JAMES |
McCULLAGH |
KIL. BARASSIE |
|
57.5 |
KEVIN |
THOMAS |
PR. ST
CUTHBERT |
|
50 |
PAUL |
DICKSON |
AYR SEAFIELD |
|
50 |
PAUL |
GIFFNEY |
ARDEER |
|
50 |
GRAEME |
GIMSON |
PR. ST
CUTHBERT |
|
50 |
GLEN |
WILSON |
AYR
DALMILLING |
|
42.5 |
GREG |
JARVIE |
LOUDOUN |
|
42.5 |
ALAN |
McLEAN |
LARGS |
|
42.5 |
BARRY |
O'ROURKE |
LOUDOUN |
|
35 |
AIDAN |
LONG |
AYR BELLEISLE |
|
35 |
MARK |
WATT |
PR. ST
CUTHBERT |
|
35 |
STEWART |
RUSSELL |
ROYAL TROON |
|
35 |
ALAN |
BAILEY |
ROUTENBURN |
|
27.5 |
DAVID |
DALTON |
AYR BELLEISLE |
|
27.5 |
WILLIAM |
HUGHES |
AYR SEAFIELD |
|
21.67 |
JAMES |
McINTYRE |
REDBURN |
|
21.67 |
SCOTT |
AINSWORTH |
ARDEER |
|
21.67 |
WILLIAM |
FLEMING |
BALLOCHMYLE |
|
17.5 |
STEVEN |
CORRIGAN |
AYR
DALMILLING |
|
17.5 |
JAMIE |
McCORMACK |
IRVINE |
|
17.5 |
ADAM |
CAMBERS |
AYR
DALMILLING |
|
17.5 |
COLIN |
HUME |
AYR BELLEISLE |
|
15 |
SCOTT |
DAVIDSON |
LARGS |
|
15 |
KRIS |
KIRK |
TROON
PORTLAND |
|
11.67 |
COLIN |
BERRY |
ROWALLAN
CASTLE |
|
10 |
ROBBIE |
McFARLANE |
CAPRINGTON |
|
10 |
JOHN |
HAGGARTY |
LOUDOUN |
|
10 |
RUBEN |
LINDSAY |
TURNBERRY |
|
10 |
WILLIAM |
JACKSON |
ROUTENBURN |
|
5 |
CRAIG |
STEVENSON |
WEST KILBRIDE |
|
5 |
KENNY |
DOCHERTY |
ROUTENBURN |
|
2.5 |
KYLE |
FINNIE |
ARDEER |
|
2.5 |
LEWIS |
HIGGINS |
ARDEER |
|
1.25 |
SCOTT |
HANNAH |
PR. ST
CUTHBERT |
|
1.25 |
TOM |
LOY |
PR. ST
CUTHBERT |
|
1 |
STEVEN |
ARRANDALE |
THE CHASE |
|
1 |
KIERON |
JOHNSTONE |
AYR
DALMILLING |
|
1 |
BRUCE |
RENNIE |
AYR BELLEISLE |
|
1 |
RYAN |
CAMERON |
AYR SEAFIELD |