From Banchory to Jefferson City, Tennessee, that's the big change about to happen in Louise McGillivray's life. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency.
AMERICAN DREAM ABOUT TO COME TRUE FOR


BANCHORY GIRL LOUISE McGILLIVRAY

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Banchory Golf Club women’s champion for the past two years, Louise McGillivray is about to follow in the footsteps of the other talented youngsters from the Deeside town – James Byrne, Scott Larkin and Adam Lindsay – by enrolling at an American University on a golf scholarship.
She leaves on August 18 on the long haul to Jefferson City, Tennessee, which is where Carson-Newman College is situated.
“I’ve accepted a four-year golf scholarship and I plan to major in business administration,” said Louise who is playing next week in the Scottish Under-18 girls championship at Eyemouth.
She is 17, has a handicap of five and has been playing golf since she was 12.
Louise played for the Scotland Under-16s team last year and was Aberdeenshire girls champion in 2008 and Paul Lawrie girls match-play winner last year.
“My first official competition as a Carson-Newman College student will be at the famous TPC Sawgrass course in September. I am very, very excited about that and the whole experience ahead of me. I know how lucky I am to have this opportunity and aim to make the most of every minute,” said Louise whose mother runs the catering service at Banchory Golf Club.
Another Scot joining up with Louise at the same time at Carson-Newman College is Stuart Boyle (Harburn), winner of a SGU Junor Tour event in 2009.
There were three British/Irish students on the Carson-Newman College men's golf foster in 2009-2010: Gavin Hay from Glasgow, Dublin's Liam Ashby and Adam Holt from Liverpool. Louise will be the first European to join the college's female golf roster. Four of the five girls who played last college season were from their home state of Tennessee.
Louise can look forward to seeing a fair bit of America over the next four years. The Carson-Newman Eagles, as they are known, played in tournaments in North and South Carolina, Florida and Arizona as well as Tennesee in 2009-2010.
+If you are a boy or a girl going to an American college on a golf scholarship for the first time next month - or you know of someone who is - please E-mail the information to Colin@scottishgolfview.com