AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION A.G.M. - Barry O'Rourke elected as new President of The Association

New AGA President Barry O'Rourke

Barry O'Rourke (Caprington GC) was elected as the new President of The Ayrshire Golf Association at the Annual General Meeting held at Loudoun Gowf Club on Tuesday the 28th of October 2025.

Twelve member clubs were represented at the meeting and several apologies were intimated, where approval was sought and obtained for adoption of the minutes of the 2024 AGM as well as the President's Report, Financial Report, Coaching Report and Ayrshire Junior Golf League Report, which had all been previously circulated to member clubs.

Past President
Andrew Gilligan

Outgoing President Andrew Gilligan (Royal Troon) also provided an update on the ongoing efforts, pursued over the last three years by The Association with the national governing body, to try to establish equal opportunity for all the female members of The Associations member clubs to take part in several national events which are owned, administered, and financed by the national governing body Scottish Golf which, due to restrictive historical entry arrangements, are not available for over 90% of female members of Ayrshire Golf Association member clubs to enter and take part in. The position remains a focus for The Association as discussions continue.

On demitting office Past president Andrew Gilligan thanked The Association members for allowing him the honour of serving, and proposed incoming President Barry O'Rourke to take over the position for the next two year period.

On accepting to nomination and election, President O'Rourke paid tribute to the work of his predecessor before handing over a Past President's badge to the outgoing President.

New AGA Vice President 
William Fleming

Barry O'Rourke becomes the fifth member of Caprington GC to serve as Ayrshire Golf Association President, following on from R. Leslie Crawford (1981-1983), John Boyd (1989-1990), John C. Rutherford (1994-1996), and Ricky Magee (2006-2008)  

President O'Rourke's first task in office was to propose the election of Ballochmyle immediate Past
Captain William Fleming as Vice President of The Association for the next two years, who accepted the nomination with thanks to the member clubs for the honour bestowed.

AGA Secretary
Alasdair J. Malcolm

Association Honorary Life President Alasdair J. Malcolm (Golf South Ayrshire GC) was re elected as the Secretary / Treasurer of The Association for a seventeenth successive year, having served on The Executive for an umbroken period of thirty six years, since being first elected as Ayrshire Junior Golf League representative in 1989.

By rotation four Executive members, Andrew Reid (Irvine), Paul Kennedy (Irvine), John Shanks
(Irvine) and William Fleming (Ballochmyle), who moved to the postion of Vice President, retired at the AGM, leaving five vacancies for three years to fill.

Andrew Reid, Paul Kennedy and John Shanks all stood for re election, with former immediate Past President Scott Gilchrist (Loudoun) also continuing his work with the association by standing for a further three year period on the Executive. 

Alistair Tweedie

The fifth vacancy on the executive was filled with the confirmation of the election of Troon St Meddans GC immediate Past Captain Alistair Tweedie, who stood for election to the Area Association Executive for the first time.

The full list of executive members for 2025 - 2026 are:-

PRESIDENT                 Barry O'Rourke (Caprington GC)

VICE PRESIDENT William Fleming (Ballochmyle GC)

PAST PRESIDENT Andrew Gilligan (Royal Troon GC)

LIFE PRESIDENT         R. Leslie Crawford (Kilmarnock Barassie GC)

LIFE PRESIDENT         Iain Harvey (Kilmarnock Barassie GC)

LIFE PRESIDENT         Alasdair J. Malcolm (Prestwick St Cuthbert GC)

SECRETARY                 Alasdair J. Malcolm (Golf South Ayrshire GC)

EXECUTIVE MEMBERS

Kirk Ramsay (Redburn GC)

Mike Hazlewood (Golf South Ayrshire GC)

John W Watt (Golf South Ayrshire GC)

Brian Fisher (Largs GC)

John Rushbury (Royal Troon GC)

Robert Wilson (Ballochmyle GC)

Debbie Watt (Ayr Belleisle Ladies GC)

Steven Stamper (Turnberry GC)

Liz Keohone (Loudoun GC)

Jim McGhee (Loudoun GC)

Andrew Reid (Irvine GC)

Paul Kennedy (Irvine GC)

Alistair Tweedie (Troon St Meddans GC)

John Shanks (Irvine GC)

Scott Gilchrist (Loudoun GC)

JUNIOR LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVES

Andrew Reid (Irvine GC)

Paul Kennedy (Irvine GC)

After election of officials the proposal tabled by The Association to retain the Area per capita subscription sum at £2.50 for the seventh consecutive year was approved by members present, while Secretary Alasdair malcolm advised the members present that the Scottish Golf per capita sum would remain at £17.50 for the 2026 season, as confirmed at the last Scottish Golf AGM in early 2025.

There being no further business tabled by member clubs, Prresident O'Rourke brought the meeting to a close with an expression of thanks to all those who had attended. 

  

AGA President Barry O'Rourke and the 2025 - 2026 Executive team
Clockwise from top left
Vice President William Fleming, Past president Andrew Gilligan,
Secretary Alasdair J. Malcolm, Kirk Ramsay, Mike Hazlewood, John W. Watt
Brian Fisher, John Rushbury, Robert Wilson, Debbie Watt, Steven Stamper, 
Liz Keohone, Jimmy McGhee, Andrew Reid, Paul Kennedy, Alistair Tweedie, 
John Shanks, and Scott Gilchrist