AYRSHIRE MEN'S FOURBALL CHAMPIONSHIP - Beith pair take 2025 title

Paul Kytzia and Joe McSorley (Beith) are the 2025 Ayrshire Men's Fourball Champions after victory in the final on Sunday the 14th of September over Alan & Stuart Pole (Abbotsford) at Caprington GC.

With the Abbotsford pairing both playing off 11, the beith players were both getting shots in the final, with Paul receiving 1 and Joe getting 14.

Despite giving shots it was the Abbotsford team who took the early lead, winning the second an third with pars to take a two hole advantage. 

A birdie three at the fifth and a par four at the sixth was enough for the beith players to take both holes to level the match and the teams remainined locked together until the ninth when a par four was good enough for the Abbotsford players to take a single hole lead as the players turned for home.

A par at the par three eleventh saw the beith duo square the match once again but it was the Abbotsford duo that again edged in front with a par five at the thirteenth after both their opponents found trouble.

In what had been a tight match throughout it was no surprise when the beith pair took the fifteenth hole with a par four to level the match, and a three at the short sixteenth hole put the beath team ahead in the match for the first time.

Despoite their best efforts the Abbotsford duo could only match theor opponents over the closing two holes, leaving Paul Kytzia and Joe McSorley as the winners of the match, taking the trophy back to Beith for the first time in the 43 year history of the competition.

At the conclusion of the final the match referee, Ayrshire Gofl Association Vice President Barry O'Rourke (Caprington) presented vouchers to all four finalists before handing over the trophy to the 2025 championship winners from Beith GC.

  

SCOTTISH BOYS AREA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP - Ayrshire team finish fourth at Hamilton

The Ayrshire team contesting the 2025 Scottish Boys Area Team Championship at Hamilton GC on Sunday the 14th of September finished in fourth place overall, narrowly missing out on third place by virtue of the fourth singles score.

In the morning foursomes Finlay Watt (West Kilbride) and Euan Forrest (Turnberry) had a seven over par score of 78 while the pairing of Findlay Andrew (Turnberry) and Harris Vennard (Ayr Belleisle) were a shot better with a six over par score of 77.

Ayrshire's morning total of 155 left them in joint sixth place, seven shots behingd the leaders, and eventual champions Lothians.

In the afternoon singles Euan Forrest was best for Ayrshire with a level par 71, with Findlay Andrew a shot further back on 72. Finlay Watt scored 78 and Harris Vennard 83.

With the best three singles scores counting towards the team totyal, Ayrshire finished on a score of 376 overall, which left them 21 shots adrift of the runaway winners Lothians, five shots behind the runners up from Renfrewshire, and on the same total as Perth & Kinross in third place, losing out on the bronze medal spot by virtue of the higher fourth singles score, by a single shot. 

The full list of team totals were:-

2025 AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION AGM - Initial notices sent to clubs

The 2025 Annual General Meeting of The Ayrshire Golf Association is scheduled to take place at Loudoun Gowf Club on Tuesday the 28th of October at 7.30 p.m., and initial notices have been sent by email to member clubs on the 9th of September. 

The provisional agenda for the AGM is :-

1. Apologies

2. Minutes of AGM of 22/10/2024

3. Matters Arising

4. Presidents report – to be forwarded to clubs in due course

5. Financial report – to be forwarded to clubs in due course

6. Coaching report – to be forwarded to clubs in due course

7. Ayrshire Junior League Report – to be forwarded to clubs in due course

8. Election of President

9. Election of Vice President

10. Election of Secretary/Treasurer

11. Election of General Committee

12. SGL & Area Subscriptions

13. AOCB

In accordance with the constitution, there are five retiring members from the executive this year. 

Initial indications are that four serving Executive members will be standing for re-election, with one other vacancy remaining. 

If the number of nominations exceed the number of vacancies a ballot will take place to fil the five available places on The Executive.

Under the constitution, Nominees must be a member of a club affiliated to The Ayrshire Golf Association and be proposed and seconded by members of affiliated clubs also.

The work of The Association Executive is varied and encompasses, amongst other things, Competitions, handicapping, team administration at all age groups, rules and working with the National body and local agencies in the promotion of golf in the county.

All matters for the AGM, any proposals from member clubs and nominations for above positions and Executive posts require to be in the hands of The Area Secretary, in writing, by  Monday the 6th October at the latest.   

The final Agenda of the meeting, various reports, draft 2024 AGM minutes, annual balance sheet and budget proposals will be forwarded to clubs in shortly after the 6th October

Should any Club Secretary not have received the relevant email, they should contact the Area Secretary by email at ayrshire.golf@btinternet.com

SCOTTISH BOYS AREA TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP - Ayrshire team bid for 2025 title at Hamilton GC

The Ayrshire team for the 2025 championship
Harris Vennard   Findlay Andrew
Finlay Watt    Euan Forrest

The Ayrshire team to contest the 2025 Scottish Boys' Area Team Championship at Hamilton GC on Sunday the 14th of  September has been announced.

Ayrshire Boy's Strokeplay Champion Findlay Andrew (Turnberry) will be joined by his clubmate and Ayrshire Junior Order of Merit leader Euan Forrest (Turnberry), along with Finlay Watt (West Kilbride) and Harris Vennard (Ayr Belleisle).

Two morning foursomes scores along with three from four scores in the afternoon singles combine for the team total, with the Ayrshire side pitting their skills against thirteen of the other fifteen Area Associations in Scotland.

Ayrshire have won the title on three previous occasions, the last being in 2021 at Dullatur.

 

WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER COUNTY UNDER 18 LEAGUE - Undefeated Ayrshire are pipped to the 2025 league title by Lanarkshire

Despite negotiating the season undefeated, Ayrshire lost out to Lanarkshire at Ayr Seafield on Sunday the 7th of September in a winner takes all showdown for the league championship title in both areas final fixture of the 2025 campaign.

Going into the match Ayrshire needed a win while a draw would be sufficient for Lanarkshire to take the title, and in the event the honours were shared in a 4-4 draw, leaving both teams uindefeated over the five match series, with lanarkshire winning the Wishart Trophy by virtue of four match wins and a draw against Ayrshire's three wins and two draws.

In the lead under 16 tie harris Vennard (Ayr Belleisle) got Ayrshire off to a great start with a 6&5 win over Ramsay Purdon (East Kilbride), and Ryan Steven (Ayr Belleisle) added to the hosts advantage with a single hole win over Oliver Gill (Lanark).

Lanarkshire's first point on the board was won by Zak McInnes (Lanark) who beat mason Chisholm (Irvine) by 4&2, na dthe match score was tied at 2-2 when Dylan McWilliam (Kirkhill) beat Lyle Vogwell (West Kilbride) by 5&3 in the first of the under 18 ties.

Further points were traded in two of the under 18 ties, Euan Forrest (Turnberry) beating Tyler Sneddon (Strathaven) by 3&2 and Jenson Fergusson (Royal Troon) losing to Cameron Meldrum (East Kilbride) by 5&4 to make the match score 3-3 with two ties still on the course.

In the last of the under 16 ties Oliver Kane (Royal Troon) and Corey Hagan (Drumpellier) were all square playing the last hole, but while Oliver was unable to chip and putt for a birdie, Corey laid his approach some eight feet from the hole and bravely holed for a winning birdie three to secure a single hole victory and ensure that his side won the league title with at least a drawn match overall.

In the event Finlay Watt (West Kilbride) secured a single hole victory in the anchor under 18 tie against Gabriel Burns (Bothwell Castle) to maintain the Ayrshire team's unbeaten record for the campaign, even though they lost out on the championship title. 

 

AYRSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUES - Prestwick St Cuthbert and Caprington secure league titles

Prestwick St Cuthbert and Caprington have been confirmed as League Champions in their respective Ayrshire Scratch leagues, following recent results.

Prestwick St Cuthbert GC have been confirmed as retaining the Ayrshire Scratch league Division 1 title for 2025.

With all their matches completed, St Cuthbert’s title retention hopes hinged on Largs’ last two fixtures, with the North Ayrshire club still able to match the St Cuthbert points total with two victories in their outstanding fixtures.

In their penultimate fixture, at home to Irvine on Sunday the 31^st of August, Largs shared the spoils in a 3 – 3 draw which confirmed that Prestwick St Cuthbert would retain the championship title in 2025.

With just one fixture outstanding, between Royal Troon and Largs, present positions in Scratch League Division one are:-

	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
PRESTWICK ST CUTHBERT	12	9	0	3	46.5	25.5	21	36
AYR BELLEISLE	12	7	1	4	43.5	28.5	15	30
LARGS	11	7	1	3	38.5	27.5	11	30
IRVINE	12	5	2	5	36.5	35.5	1	24
ROYAL TROON	11	4	0	7	30.5	35.5	-5	16
KILMARNOCK BARASSIE	12	3	2	7	26.5	45.5	-19	16
TURNBERRY	12	2	2	8	24	48	-24	12

Caprington GC were crowned Ayrshire Scratch League Division 2 champions with confirmation that they won their final fixture of the campaign away to Prestwick St Nicholas by 4-2.

With just the fixture between Irvine Ravenspark and West Kilbride outstanding, present positions in Scratch League Division 2 are:-

	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
CAPRINGTON	12	8	2	2	46	26	20	36
LOUDOUN	12	8	0	4	44.5	27.5	17	32
PRESTWICK ST NICHOLAS	12	5	2	5	32.5	39.5	-7	24
BALLOCHMYLE	12	4	3	5	39.5	32.5	7	22
WEST KILBRIDE	11	5	1	5	35	31	4	22
TROON PORTLAND	12	3	3	6	30.5	41.5	-11	18
IRVINE RAVENSPARK	11	1	3	7	18	48	-30	10

With several results still outstanding, the destination of the Scratch League Division 3 title is still unclear.

AYRSHIRE JUNIOR GOLF LEAGUE - Kilmarnock Barassie take 2025 title at Ballochmyle

Kilmarnock Barassie GC are the 2025 Ayrshire Junior Golf League champions after victory ove Irvine GC in the final at Ballochmyle on Sunday the 31st of August.

In a tightly contested match five of the six ties were decided on the eighteenth green with the Kilmarnock Barassie side eventually emerging victorious by 4 tie to 2, to take the League Championship title for the first time since 2019 and the sixth time overall.

It was irvine who took the early lead in the match, the lead tie between Mason Chisholm and Zac McCallum being halved and Aidan Hay winning the second tie against Sandi Rogerson by a single hole to put Irvine 1.5 - 0.5 ahead.

The third tie saw Orla Moran and Adam Cunningham share the honours to make the match score 2-1 in favour of Irvine but soon after the match was all square when Sam Greig leveled the match with a 2 hole win over Liam Moran.

In the penultimate tie Stefi Rogerson secured a crucial 372 win over Dylan Gillespie to put Kilmarnock Barassie 3-2 ahead in the match and Harley Doherty completed the clear win for Kilmarnock barassie in the anchor tie, beating Frankie Crawford by a single hole to give Kilmarnock Barassie the 2025 League Championship title with a 4-2 winning margin in the final.

The league Championship trophy was handed over the the winning team at the conclusion of the final by Ayrshire Junior Golf League Charmen Billy Stewart (Ballochmyle)

Match details (Kilmarnock Barassie names first):-

Zak McCallum halved with Mason Chisholm

Sandi Rogerson lost to Aidan Hay by 1 hole

Adam Cunningham halved with Orla Moran

Sam Greig beat Liam Moran by 2 holes

Stefi Rogerson beat Dylan Gillespie by 3&2

Harley Doherty beat Frankie Crawford by 1 hole

KILMARNOCK BARASSIE   4   IRVINE   2  

WEST OF SCOTLAND INTER COUNTY UNDER 18 BOY'S LEAGUE - Ayrshire face title showdown with Lanarkshire at Ayr Seafield

Ayrshire face a final day showdown with Lanarkshire in the West of Scotland Under 18 Inter County Boy’s league Championship for The Wishart Trophy as the last of the fourth round of matches were completed recently.

On Sunday the 24^th of August Dumbartonshire beat Glasgow 8-0 at Lenzie to move off the bottom of the table and on Sunday the 31^st of August Lanarkshire made it four wins from four with a 4.5-3.5 home win over Renfrewshire at Kirkhill.

Present positions in the league are:-

	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	PTS
LANARKSHIRE	4	4	0	0	20.5	11.5	9.0	16
AYRSHIRE	4	3	1	0	22.0	10.0	12.0	14
RENFREWSHIRE	4	1	2	1	19.0	13.0	6.0	8
DUMBARTONSHIRE	4	1	0	3	13.0	19.0	-6.0	4
STIRLINGSHIRE	4	1	0	3	12.5	19.5	-7.0	4
GLASGOW	4	0	1	3	9.0	23.0	-14.0	2

The final matches of the season all take place on Sunday the 7^th of September and there will be a title showdown at Ayr Seafield where Ayrshire host Lanarkshire, with the home side needing a win to retain the championship title while a draw will be sufficient for Lanarkshire to win the 2025 title.

The other matches on the final weekend see Glasgow host Stirlingshire at Ralston and Renfrwshire host Dumbartonshire at Old Ranfurly.