***** HAPPY NEW YEAR !!! *****

With many thanks to all our readers in Ayrshire and beyond who have supported this site throughout 2009, taking the number of visits from 30,000 in 2008 to over 46,000 in 2009.

Looking forward to 2010 we intend making even more Ayrshire Golf related items available through the web page, including entry forms and posters for all The Association's competitions.

Wishing all our readers a happy and healthy 2010 with hopefully some good golf included at least sometime during the season.

42nd AYRSHIRE JUNIOR GOLF LEAGUE AGM - new Secretary and Chairman elected

The 42nd Annual General Meeting of The Ayrshire Junior Golf League was held at Caprington Golf Club on Tuesday 1st December 2009.

Barry Somerville, who held the post of Secretary for the last four years stod down, with Billy Tait (Annanhill) being elected to the post. Barry remains involved however, taking on the supporting role of Assistant Secretary.

The new Chairman for 2010 will be John Nordbo (Largs) - pictured right - who takes over from iain McKay (West Kilbride) who stood down at the meeting.

John Nordbo will also retain Match Secretary responsibilities whilst Iain McKay will take on the role of AJGL representative on the Ayrshire Golf Association Executive.

It was agreed that the supscription and raffle levy remain the same as 2009.

A number of rules alterations were made to deal with various aspects of the AJGL competitions, including the play off proceedure in the under 16 Knockout Competition, clarification of the role of the Convenor and proceedures should a club fail to complete ther fixtures.

The 2010 AJGL finals will be held at Largs Golf Club on Sunday 19th and 26th September 2010 whilst the Convenors Outing will be held at the same venue on Sunday 16th May.

JUNIOR CLUB COACHING GRANTS - 2010 Grant Application Forms now available

The Club Coaching Grant scheme which was revised in 2009 has proved to be a worthwhile exercise and consequently the scheme will continue in 2010, under the same format.


Application forms are now available to club convenors to assist in the cost of coaching junior boys within member clubs.

The application forms can be downloaded direct from the link on the left of this site, under the 'Junior' heading.

Clubs are advised to apply for grants at an early stage as available finance will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

2010 AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION ANNUAL DINNER - Tickets now available

Tickets are now available for the 2010 Ayrshire Golf Association Annual Dinner, with posters and a covering letter having been sent to clubs recently.

As well as honouring the 2009 Championship winners, the attendees at the 2010 dinner will be entertained by two excellent speakers.

David Joy from St. Andrews is an author, artist and actor who is known worldwide for his portrayal of Old Tom Morris in stage shows, television commercials and on video/DVD.

Professor David Purdie, who hails from Ayrshire, is a celebrated after dinner speaker who is nationally acclaimed. One of his claims to fame is his contribution as Sam Torrance’s speaking coach prior to his Ryder Cup captaincy, which is acknowledged in Torrance’s autobiography.

Tickets priced £15 are available from The association Secretary and as usual will be sold on a first come first served basis.

THE AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION

ANNUAL DINNER
&
PRESENTATION OF TROPHIES
At
IRVINE RAVENSPARK GOLF CLUB

FRIDAY 26TH FEBRUARY 2010
6.30 P.M. FOR 7.00 P.M.

SPEAKERS

DAVID JOY
&
PROFESSOR DAVID PURDIE

TICKETS PRICED AT
£15.00 EACH
ARE AVAILABLE FROM
THE AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION SECRETARY

ALASDAIR J. MALCOLM
17 AUCHINCRUIVE AVENUE
PRESTWICK
KA9 2DT
Tel. 01292 477657
Email – ayrshiregolf@fsmail.net

PEANUTS GOLF TENERIFE - Merry Christmas to all

Bill McLellan sends a Merry Xmas to you and yours from all at Peanuts Golf Tenerife.

Bill keeps up to date with Ayrshire Golf News through ayrshiregolf.blogspot.com, throughout the season.

Good to hear that one of our county players, Ian Robertson was in tenerife two weeks ago and we managed a few rounds of golf with Bill.

We are sure that if anyone from our member clubs are in Tenerife then Bill and other members of the Peanuts Golf Society would be happy to hear from them.

Further information on the society can be found via the link on the left of this page.

Best wishes to Bill and the other Peanuts Golf Society members for a happy and succesful 2010.

EUROPEAN SENIORS TOUR - Torrance & Drummond open 2010 bid with top 12 places in Mauritius

Ayrshire born Sam Torrance and Prestwick resident Ross Drummond made a solid start to the 2010 European Seniors Tour this week in the innaugural Mauritius Commercial Bank Open, which heralded the start of the 2010 tour schedule.

In the tournament, won by Englishman Kevin Spurgeon, Torrance finished in third place on 212, four under par, after a closing five under par round of 67.

Drummond was consistent over the three championship rounds, returning 71-72-72 for a one under par total of 215 for a share of 11th spot.

LEADING FINAL SCORES

210 - K. Spurgeon (Eng) 71 67 72
211 - G Brand (Eng) 72 70 69
212 - S Torrance (Sco) 74 71 67, A Franco (Par) 70 72 70
213 - M Cunning (USA) 74 72 67, B Boyd (USA) 73 69 71, D Frost (RSA) 70 70 73, J Bland (RSA) 72 70 71
214 - R Chapman (Eng) 70 73 71, R Willison (Eng) 72 72 70
215 - J Bruner (USA) 75 69 71, R Drummond (Sco) 71 72 72, D Johnson (USA) 68 77 70
216 - D Merriman (Aus) 74 69 73, N Job (Eng) 71 69 76
217 - P Dahlberg (Swe) 71 70 76, G Ralph (Eng) 67 74 76, P Mitchell (Eng) 68 73 76, G Ryall (Eng) 75 74 68

AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION EVENTS - Entry forms for three events distributed

Entry forms for three of the major Ayrshire Golf Association events in 2010 will be in the hands of all club Secretaries, by e-mail or post, early in the coming week.

The forms for the Ayrshire Champion Of Champions, Ayrshire Fourball and Ayrshire Summer Scratch League were sent out to clubs over the weekend.

All entries should be in the hands of the AGA Secretary
by 31st January 2010.

matches in all three competitions will take place throughout the summer of 2010 with the winners being decided in the closing weeks of the 2010 golf season.

Any clubs who do not receive a copy of the forms, either by post or e-mail, are asked to contact the AGA Secretary on ayrshiregolf@fsmail. net as soon as appropriate.

AYR DALMILLING - Succesful campaign brings golf development forum for South Ayrshire into focus

Report by Brian Milligan (Ayr Seafield GC)

the successful campaign run by Ayrshire Dalmilling Action Group (ADAG) resulted in South Ayrshire Council taking the rare step of reconsidering its earlier decision to close Dalmilling Golf Course earlier this year.

The ADAG members are Michael Balfour & Tony Crichton (Captain & Vice-Captain of Dalmilling GC), Jackie Ridge & Gillian Henderson (Captain & Vice-Captain of Dalmilling Ladies GC), Stewart Graham & Charles Hamilton (founder members of Dalmilling GC), Brian Dunlop (Dalmilling GC member and former European Tour Caddy), Joan Downs (Dalmilling Ladies GC).

In addition, four others were invited to join ADAG in light of relevant experience: Jack Boyd (retired solicitor & member of Turnberry & Royal Troon), Bruce Collier (retired Director of Trading Standards with Strathclyde Regional Council & South Ayrshire Council), Brian Milligan (retired Revenue Manager with Strathclyde Regional Council & East Ayrshire Council & Secretary of Ayr Seafield) and Billy Frew (Media & PR Consultant & Web Designer & Vice-Captain of Ayr Seafield Golf Club).

In addition to its 'U-Turn' on the Dalmilling closure, the Council has set up a 'Strategic Group - Development of Golf in South Ayrshire' and the first full meeting was on 12 October 2009. Non-Council participants are Tim Morrison (member of Turnberry, Prestwick & the R&A), Hamish Gray (SGU CE), Jack Boyd, Jackie Ridge and myself from ADAG. The group will be expanded to include others in due course.

Brian provided a copy of the full Council report of 7 October 2009 that was endorsed by elected members and ensured the continuation of Dalmilling Golf Course and its constituent members' clubs. The majority of the report's contents were matters submitted by ADAG and a lot of hard work and negotiations went on 'behind the scenes' in order to achieve our outcome.

The full content of the report can be viewed via the link on the left of this page under the "Golf Links" section.

Brian commented

"What we now have is a very positive and pro-active attitude within South Ayrshire Council regarding the future of municipal golf within its boundaries and an excellent working relationship with Harry Garland, the relevant departmental director, and his assistant Roddy MacDonald who authored the report. I should add that neither of these two officials were directly involved in golf administration within the Council when the original report recommending closure was adopted in February 2009".

PLAY FOR YOUR COUNTRY AND SUPPORT JUNIOR GOLF - New event supports Golf Foundation

(Article from The Golf Foundation publication Junior Golf Matters in conjunction with Consierge Golf Ltd)

The Golf Foundation is delighted to welcome Concierge Golf Limited as a Commercial Supporter for 2010.

Concierge Golf are launching The Four Nations Golf Challenge TM, a unique and exciting tournament offering the opportunity to UK golf club members of all standards, to play for their Nation in a Grand Final between teams representing England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

If you possess a CONGU ‘Active” handicap, you can enter to qualify with your golfing partner and in doing so help to support Junior Golf, as the more ‘Pairs’ that enter, the greater the contribution to The Golf Foundation.

Foundation Chief Executive, Mike Round, said:

“The Four Nations Golf Challenge is not only an attractive and stimulating amateur golf tournament but its creators, Concierge Golf, are helping to generate revenue for the Foundation. By supporting this unique event all clubs and members will help to raise much needed funds for ‘Grass Roots’ golf.”

Roger Brady, Director of Concierge Golf Limited, added:

“We are delighted to partner with The Golf Foundation and through our event, The Four Nations Golf Challenge, contribute funds to support their promotion of the sporting and social development of children and young people through golf.

While there are a number of national knock-out competitions for amateur golfers, there are none as far as we are aware, that result in a chance of an ‘International Team’ appearance for club golfers of all standards.

We also believe that club golfers like to participate in such events with their golfing partner and so The Four Nations Golf Challenge will invite competitors to qualify in “Pairs” through a better-ball format.”

For full details and Tournament Registration, go to

http://www.fournationsgolfchallenge.co.uk/

or phone the Tournament Office at 01276 35505.

AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION YEARBOOK - Potential advertisers sought for 2010 edition

After the successful launch of the official yearbook in 2004 The Ayrshire Golf Association has once again commissioned D & M Journals to produce our 7th edition in 2010.

The Association have been delighted with the quality of the previous six publications and the positive feedback from club members, players and advertisers.

Indeed it is understood that some advertisers have already been asking to be included in the 2010 edition and other companies, having seen the previous booklets, want to get involved for the first time.

As in previous years this publication will be distributed, free of charge, to members and players of the Association, to all 62 Clubs in Ayrshire and Arran, driving Ranges/Golf Academies, Universities and major Amateur golfing events in Scotland.

The Yearbook will contain information on all golf clubs in Ayrshire, results from the 2009 season, with photographs and editorial comment, and fixture information for 2010. The Association are looking to build on the information provided in the first six editions and give an even better overview of our activities.

This would be an excellent medium to promote local and national business and Mr. Des Buckley from D& M Journals will be contacting previous advertisers and potential new advertisers in the near future.

If any local golfers are interested in advertising their company or business in the publication, and supporting the efforts of The Association in producing the yearbook, then contact can be made directly with Des Buckley of D & M Journals who can provide details of advertising costs.

Des Buckley can be contacted on Tel : 0131 477 1026, Mobile 07970 869293 and email dmjournals@aol.com.

Alternatively, further information can be obtained from Area Secretary Alasdair Malcolm on Tel. 01292 477657, Mobile 07912 026341 or e-mail ayrshiregolf@fsmail.net .

NEW AYRSHIRE COURSE PLANNED AT GAILES IN IRVINE

(Article reproduced from the Irvine Herald)

A new £60 million golf complex centred round an 18 hole course at Gailes will bring 90 full-time jobs and £5m into the local economy, it emerged this week.

Up to 250 construction jobs will be created when work starts on the par 71 course and an adjoining hotel, spa, restaurant and conference facilities.

Work on the ambitious project is expected to start next year.

The Ayrshire Golf Company – the team who created the world’s most environmentally friendly course at the Machrihanish Dunes – and Irvine Bay Regeneration signed the deal last week.

The massive project to be known as The Ayrshire will be open to the public.

Brian Keating, a director of The Ayrshire and founder/developer of Machrihanish Dunes said:

“This will be the newest links course on the west coast of Scotland.

“We see the project as the bookend to Turnberry. One of the most exciting things for me is that it is in Ayrshire.

“A lot of people forget that while St Andrews is the spiritual soul of golf, Ayrshire is definitely the heart of golf. It’s where the Open started and its close to Prestwick Airport which brings in hundreds of thousands of European golfers every year".

At Machrihanish Dunes, developers worked closely with ecologists and Scottish Natural Heritage to ensure the course caused as little environmental disturbance as possible. The course was redesigned to avoid several rare plants and sensitive wildlife while the greens were all cut and laid by hand.

Mr Keating went on:

“The Ayrshire site isn’t as environmentally sensitive but it will still be a major consideration.”

Backers estimate the new course could be worth up to £5m a year to the local economy.

Irvine Bay chief Patrick Wiggins said The Ayrshire was one of their flagship projects creating jobs and improving the appeal of the area. He said:

“We are hoping work will start next year.”