STIRLING GOLF STUDENTS "ESCAPE"
TO WARMER CLIMES IN JANUARY
Stirling University’s golf scholarship students are being taken overseas next month in search of warm-weather competitive play.
The six members of the university’s female squad – Clare-Marie Carlton, Dawn Dewar, Emma Tipping, Rachael Cassidy, Catherine Barnes and Courtnay Montgomery – are bound for the United States.
They will play in the Dixie amateur championship at Palm-Aire Country Club, Pompano Beach, just north of Fort Lauderdale in Florida from January 2 to 5.
This event, which has separate men’s and women’s sections, is one of the oldest amateur tournaments in the United Sates.
ORANGE BLOSSOM TOUR
Then, for the second year in a row, the Stirling girls will play in a couple of events on the Orange Blossom Tour in Florida – the South Atlantic Ladies amateur championship at Oceanside Country Club from January 10 to 13 followed by the Doherty amateur championship at Coral Ridge Country Club from January 15 to 21.
Stirling University’s Sports Performance Manager Raleigh Gowrie said: “The trip is supported by the International Sports Scholarships Programme that provides performance development services, including coaching and sports science support as well as competitive funding to allow young players to combine their academic studies and their golf.
“We hope to emulate the successes of last year’s trip when Olivia Briggs and Alex Marshall, now graduated, reached the finals of the Doherty championship and Dawn Dewar partnered Olivia to a semi-final appearance in the women’s international four-ball event as well.”
GRAND SLAM YEAR
The very successful Stirling University men’s team – they pulled off the grand slam of British university golf titles in 2006 - will fly to Johannesburg in late January for an 11-day tour of South Africa that will include a Ryder Cup-style match against Tshwane University over three championship courses.
“The trip will also include a visit to Sun City, the home of the Million Dollar Classic. Twelve players and two coaches will make the journey, providing a fantastic opportunity to practise, play and compete in warm weather,” said Raleigh Gowrie.
Stirling University’s most famous golfing student – US amateur champion Richie Ramsay from Aberdeen – will not be going to South Africa.
“Richie has decided not to travel, choosing instead to spend some time at Atlanta, Georgia, in preparation for the Jones Cup match and the US Masters in April,” said Raleigh.