AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION FINALS DAY - Six finals now set to go ahead at Ballochmyle

The finals of six Ayrshire Golf Association events are set to take place on Sunday the 1st odf September at Ballochmyle in the 2024 Ayrshire Golf Association Finals Day.

The finals begin at 11.00 a.m. with the scratch club team knockout competition for The Gary Bryden Memorial Salver which is assured a new name on the trophy when Ballochmyle take on Ayr Belleisle in the final.

At 11.30 a.m. Steven Murray and Andrew Watt (Caprington) take on Kieron Gallagher and Bruce Harris (Golf South Ayrshire) in the Ayrshire Fourball Championship final.

Next up at 11.40 a.m. will be the Ayrshire Women's Handicap League Championship final where the defending champions take on Largs, who won through there recent semi-final at home to Troon Welbeck with a 4-0 scoreline.

At 12.20 p.m. it is the turn of Moorpark and Ardeer to contest the Ayrshire Men's Handicap League Championship final

At 13.20 p.m. the penultimate final of the day will be the final of the mixed greensomes knockout competition for The Ayrshire Jug, which features Iain & Shirley Campbell (Prestwick St Cuthbert) and Neil & Sheila Kennedy (Louodun).

The last final of the day tees off at 13.30 p.m and features Ardeer and Moorpark again, in the handicap club team knockout competition fonal for The President's Putter.  

 

JIMMY LEONARD - Prestwick St Nicholas stalwart passes away

Members of many clubs throughout Ayrshire will be saddened to learn the news that long time Prestwick St Nicholas member Jimmy Leonard passed away on Tuesday the 27th of August 2024 at the age of 93.

Jimmy was well known throughout the golfing community in the county, having served as junior convenor of Prestwick St Nicholas for several years, and having supported golf at all levels in the area for a very long period, making many friends in the process with his amiable and friendly disposition.

Jimmy was born in and lived all his life in the same house in Ayr, just a stones throw from his beloved Prestwick St Nicholas links, a club of which he was a member for over 70 years and where he spent many happy days either playing the game or simply mixing and socialising with fellow members, visitors and other aqaintances gathered through friendships formed during his many years of involvement in the game.

The golfing community in Prestwick and Ayrshire is certainly the poorer with Jimmy's passing, and sincere condolences are extended from all at The Ayrshire Golf Association to Jimmy's family and friends at this sad time.

For those wishing to pay their final respects, Jimmy's funeral will be held at Masonhill Crematorium, Ayr, on Monday the 9th of September 2024 at 10.30 am.    

AYRSHIRE JUNIOR ORDER OF MERIT - Chase for 2024 title hots up, with two events remaining

With just two counting events remaining, the chase for the 2024 Ayrshire Junior Order of Merit title is hotting up.

A third place finish in the recent Tom Lehman Trophies event at the Troon Links courses moved Quintin Dunlop to within twenty points of long time leader Jack Broadfoot (Royal Troon), while several other players can still harbour hopes of the title with good finishes in the final two counting events.

The remaining events are the Prestwick St Nicholas Junior Open on the 8th of September and the irvine Junior Open on the 23rd of September.

Present positions in the Ayrshire Junior order of Merit are:- 

AYRSHIRE GOLF ASSOCIATION CHARITY GOLF DAY - Some spaces still available for Rowallan Castle event

With under three weeks to go until the inaugural Ayrshire Golf Association charity golf day, there are still a limited number of places available for more teams to enter.

Benefiting The Association's preferreed charity, Ayrshire Cancer Support, the texas scramble event takes place at Rowallan castle GC on Friday the 13th of September.

Entry fee for a team of four players is £200.

Competition and entry details are included on the attached poster, and the remaining places will be filled on a first come first served basis.

Many thanks to Rowallan Castle GC for supporting this initiative and to those who have already supported the event by entering a team.

This promised to be an enjoyable day of golf and anyone considering entering a team is encouraged to make contact as soon as possible to secure a place in the field.

  

AYRSHIRE MEN'S HANDICAP LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP - Ardeer meet Moorpark in the final

The final of the Ayrshire Men's Handicap League Championship at Ballochmyle GC on Sunday the 1st of September will be contested between Ardeer and Moorpark.

In the second semi final Moorpark won their home leg on Thursday the 22nd of August by 5-1. The return leg was scheduled to take place on Sunday the 25th of August, the final day for the tie to be played, at caprington golf course. In the event the adverse weather on and before Sunday led to the course being closed and as one of the teams were not available to play the tie early this week, the decision was taken to treat the second leg as an abandoned tie.

Consequently Moorpark progressed to the final due to their win in the first leg. 

BALLOCHMYLE ROSEBOWL - Doc Thom Ayrshire Order of Merit counting event postponed

The Ballochmyle Rosebowl, a counting event towards the Doc Thom Ayrshire Order of Merit, was postponed on Saturday the 24th of August due to the course being closed following heavy rain in the days leading up to the championship.

Ballochmyle GC hope to reschedule the event in the coming weeks, and the revised date will be advised and cicrulated in due course.

AYRSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUES - Royal Troon win relegation decider to retain Division 1 place

Royal Troon have retained their place in Division 1 of the Ayrshire Scratch Leagues after winning a relagation showdown in their final fixture against Ballochmyle.

Playing at home in their final fixture of the season, Royal Troon got the required win, by 5-1, to overtake their opponents from ballochmyle and move out of the relegation places.

With the bottom two clubs to be relegated to division 2, the final placings in Division 1 this season were:-

CLUB	P	W	D	L	F	A	DIFF	PTS
Prestwick St Cuthbert	6	5	1	0	26.5	9.5	+17	22
Kilmarnock Barassie	6	3	2	1	21	15	+6	16
Irvine	6	3	1	2	19.5	16.5	+3	14
Royal Troon	6	2	1	3	16.5	19.5	-3	10
Largs	6	1	2	3	15.5	20.5	-5	8
Ballochmyle	6	2	0	4	13	23	-10	8
Loudoun	6	1	1	4	14	22	-8	6

AYRSHIRE WOMEN'S HANDICAP LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP - Caprington through to final in title defence

The defending champions Caprington are through to the final of the 2024 Ayrshire Women's Handicap League Championship as they bid to retain the title they won in the inaugural event last year.

In their recent semi final match, Caprington hosted Louodun and won through to the final with a 2.5 - 1.5 score in the match.

In the final Caprington await the winners of the other semi final between Largs and Troon Welbeck. 

AYRSHIRE SCRATCH LEAGUES - Prestwick St Nicholas win Division 3 while Turnberry join Ayr belleisle with promotion from Divisi0n 2

The Ayrshire Scratch leagues are rapidly heading towards a conclusion, with several results posted recently and some promotion matters confirmed.

In DIVISION 2, Turnberry secured the second promotion place with home wins by 4-2 against Troon St Meddans and 3.5-2.5 against Caprington.

West Kilbride ensured their place in Division 2 next season with a 4-2 home win over Troon St Meddans, which also confirmed Troon St Meddans' relegation along with Ardeer.

With just the fixture between Caprington adn West Kilbride to be completed, the present positions in Division 2 are:-

CLUB	P	W	D	L	F	A	DIFF	PTS
Ayr Belleisle	6	5	1	0	29	7	+22	22
Turnberry	6	4	1	1	22	14	+8	18
Troon Portland	6	3	1	2	19	17	+2	14
Caprington	5	2	0	3	13	17	-4	8
West Kilbride	5	2	0	3	14	16	-2	8
Ardeer	6	1	1	4	10	26	-16	6
Troon St Meddans	6	1	0	5	13	23	-10	4

In DIVISION 3, Prestwick St Nicholas secured the title with a 5-1 home win over irvine ravenspark and a 3-3 draw away to Troon Welbeck in their final two fixtures of the campaign.

With three fixtures still to be recorded, Irvine Ravenspark and Girvan are battling it out for the other promotion place.

The remaining fixtures are Girvan Vs Redburn, Irvine Ravenspark Vs Rowallan Castle & Irvine Ravenspark Vs Rowallan Castle.

Present positions in Division 3 are:-

CLUB	P	W	D	L	F	A	DIFF	PTS
Prestwick St Nicholas	5	4	1	0	20.5	9.5	+11	18
Irvine Ravenspark	4	2	1	1	13	11	+2	10
Redburn	3	1	1	1	9.5	8.5	+1	6
Troon Welbeck	4	1	1	2	10.5	13.5	-3	6
Rowallan Castle	4	1	0	3	10.5	13.5	-3	4
Girvan	4	1	0	3	8	16	-8	4