Women golfers target Australian Spoons national final Six pairs of women golfers, each representing one of England Golf’s regions, have won through to next week's national final of the Australian Spoons tournament. They are all regional winners in the stableford foursomes competition and will play off at Wilmslow Golf Club, Cheshire, on Friday, 20 September. The trophy is a pair of silver spoons, originally presented by the Australian Ladies’ Golf Union. The finalists are: Sandra Taylor and Jean Lamb of Rudding Park, Yorkshire, representing the North Kerry Variava and Joanne Smith of Charnwood Forest, Leicestershire, representing  Midlands North Mary Evans and Bryony Travill of Brampton Heath, Northamptonshire, representing Midlands South Elaine Osbourne and Tricia Ainsbury of Burstead, Essex, representing the East Lynn Lambert and Victoria Westgarth of Windlesham, Surrey, representing the South   Jean Rockall and Jayne Begley of Saunton, Devon, representing the South West The Australian Spoons competition is for players with handicaps of 15 and over. Caption: the 2012 Australian Spoons winners, Janet Ions and Jean Halligan of Tytherington Golf Club, Cheshire (image © Leaderboard Photography) Lyndsey Hewison Press Officer England Golf

BEE STING IN EYE SENDS FIONA LIDDELL TO HOSPITAL IN KENT

E-mail from Fiona Liddell's dad, Stephen

Just wanted to let you know that Fiona was stung in the eye at the Duke of York Young Champions Tournament at Royal St George's, Kent today and suffered an allergic reaction.
She was taken to the local hospital as one eye was so badly swollen that she couldn't see
The organisers took great care of her and did everything possible so that she could play ... so an 84 was not too bad an effort.
Royal St George's is a tough enough track even with two eyes open. Thanks to Laura who took Fiona to the hospital and looked after her so well.

Stephen Liddell

SCROLL DOWN TO READ A REPORT AND SCORES FROM
THE FIRST DAY OF THE DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS TOURNAMENT - WHICH WILL BE HOSTED BY ROYAL ABERDEEN GOLF CLUB NEXT YEAR

CHANGE IN CONGU HANDICAPPING SYSTEM WAS BEGINNING OF END FOR MANY TOURNAMENTS

E-mail from Carol Fell 

 Response to article (scroll down to read it) about long-established tournaments being cancelled because of lack of entries.

Hi Colin
With regards the lack of entries to prestigious events such as the Riccarton Rosebowl etc. I feel when the handicapping system changed to the CONGU System and Category 1 players no longer needed to submit AWAY scores  as part of their handicap record that spoiled County Golf Entries and these Scratch Trophy Events.
I think in general women liked the old system of handicapping when it was the average of 6 or 10 scores.  The flaw there was you carried a good score for 2 years. However you were always trying to get a better score in. Now with the Congu system, although I personally don't mind it - you have to play a lot for it to work and not have small fields (which happens a lot in ladies golf). 

 Also the fact that the CSS calculation is not the same as the men although we are meant to be the same - Men up to handicap 21, ladies up to 28 does have an effect.
I just feel so sorry that these big events are now not happening and for players (especially women) that were members of more than one club are now needing to resign due to the cost from one of their clubs due to being forced into full membership that they may never have wanted.
The majority of golfers are wanting to play FUN Golf which is a pity for those who like both !!
Cheers 

Carol Fell
Webmaster of much golf !!!

 E-Mail on same subject from John Laurie

Morning Colin,

Interesting you touched on cancelled golf tournaments.

Personally I think the cost of entering tournaments is getting too expensive, eg Scottish Strokeplay and Scottish Amateur are nearly £70 to enter, my own club, Glasgow, host the Tennant Cup – £60 entry fee.

 Individually it’s not a lot of money but, as they are played within 7 weeks of each other the initial outlay is a lot for young golfers and probably affects entry forms being sent for other competitions.

Rumours of the “Scottish” becoming strokeplay qualifying would make sense in the future, players should have better value for money in the biggest competition in the country.

Would love to know what other people think.

John Laurie.

  Concierge Manager

HILTON GLASGOW

t: +44 141 204 5555  I  f: +44 141 204 5004 

1 William Street  I  Glasgow G3 8HT  I  Scotland

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BRADLEY NEIL IN PICTURE AT DUKE OF YORK YOUNG CHAMPIONS TOURNAMENT

Blairgowrie's Scottish boys champion Bradley Neil is lying third alongside Jack Sing Brar (England) and Ireland's Robin Dawson on the 75 mark - two shots behind the Italian pacemaker, Guido Migliozzi - after the first round of the 54-hole The Duke of York Young Champions Tournament at Royal St George's Golf Club, Kend.
Scotland's other boy in the invited field, Robert MacIntyre did not do so well. He had a 79 and is sharing 23rd place with England's Sophie Keech.
Sammy Fuller, also of England, is joint 28th on 80.
Germany-based Scot Fiona Liddell had an 84 and is joint 47th with two rounds to go.
Next year's The Duke of York Young Champions' Tournament will be hosted by Royal Aberdeen Golf Club.

LEADERBOARD
73 Guido Migliozzi (Ita)
74 Kristian Johannsen (Nor)
75 Jack Sing Brar (Eng), Bradley Neil (Sco), Robin Dawson (Ire), Alexader Frances (Den), Karina Kukkonen (Fin), Nicola Morales (US)
76 Vice Van Veen (Net), Gustav Held (Swe), Ji Sun Kang (SAf).
77 Roberta Liti (Ita), Alejandro Tosti (Arg), Aditi Ashok (India), Jeremy Freiburghaus (Swi), Anna Solveig Snorradottir (Ice)
SELECTED OTHER SCORES
79 Robert MacIntyre (Sco), Sophie Keech (Eng) (T23)
80 Sammy Fuller (Eng) (T28)
84 Fiona Liddell (Sco) (T47)

TO VIEW ALL THE SCORES

CLICK HERE

SCOTS BID TO END LONG LOSING RUN IN HOME INTERNATIONALS

The only way is up as far as Scotland are concerned in the Women's Home Internationals which tee off tomorrow at Scotscraig Golf Club, the 13th oldest in the world, Tayport in North Fife.
Scotland, under the captaincy of Lesley Nicholson, won the title and the Miller Trophy at Cardiff three years ago. Since then they have lost six matches in a row over two years, spanning the 2011 and 2012 internationals.
The team leadership is back in the hands of a Lothians figure in Karen Marshall (Baberton) and, for one reason or another, she has a very young team at her disposal.

Scottish girls champion Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies), Heather Munro (Monifieth), Stirling student Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) and St Andrews student Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) will all be making their debut in the Women's Home Internationals.

The backbone of experience in the eight-strong side is provided by the Briggs sisters, Megan and Eilidh from Kilmacolm, last year's Scottish girls champion Lauren Whyte (St Regulus) and Scottish champion Alyson McKechin (Elderslie).

For the opening foursomes against Ireland, skipper Marshall has paired McKechin with Eilidh Briggs, Megan Briggs with Macdonald, and Whyte with Jaffrey.

England, winners of the title at Cork last year and Hillside in 2011, are warm favourites with several world-ranked players in their ranks.
If they can make a winning start against Wales who always seem to punch above their weight in the Home Internationals - they won the title the last time the three-day event was played in Scotland, at Irvine Bogside, in 2009 - England will be hard to stop.
Perhaps an omen for Wales that Sam Birks has had a hole in one - her fifth, with a five-iron, at the 163yd 15th in practice.

Admission and car parking is free at Scotscraig and strong home support would certainly aid the Scots' cause.

Wednesday morning's foursomes:
 
ENGLAND v WALES
8.30 Lauren Taylor and Georgia Hall v Amy Boulden and Becky Harries
8.40 Alexandra Peters and Gabriella Cowley v Chloe Williams and Katie Bradbury
8.50 Sarah-Jane Boye and Rachael Goodall v. Sam Birks and Kath O'Connor
Singles from 1.10pm to 2pm
 
 SCOTLAND v IRELAND
9.00 Alyson McKechin and Eilidh Briggs v Lisa Maguire and Leona Maguire
9.10 Megan Briggs and Gabrielle Macdonald v Marie Dunne and Emma O'Driscoll
9.20 Lauren Whyte and Connie Jaffrey v Paula Grant and Olivia Mehaffey.
Singles from 2.10pm to 3pm.

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ANOTHER LONG ESTABLISHED TOURNAMENT IS CANCELLED DUE TO LACK OF ENTRIES

A sign of the times and changing values ... The Hands Across the Sea boys' tournament, to be be played at the Kings Links, Aberdeen, on Sunday has been cancelled due to lack of entries.
Many of the North-east of Scotland's leading golfers over the years played in the "Hands Across the Sea" which was regarded as one of the most prestigious junior events in Aberdeen.

On the female side, the Riccarton Rosebowl, an SLGA Order of Merit women's tournament  hosted by Hamilton Golf Club for many years, was cancelled last Sunday ... again because of lack of entries.
Other women's events that have fallen by the waywide over the years include the Ness Trophy at Inverness and the Mary Macallay Trophy at Dumfries.


If anybody has any views on the reasons for this trend all over the country and what can be done to halt it, send them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com 

 RESPONSE FROM ALISON SCOTT

Hi Colin

I know my daughter was very disappointed that the Riccarton Rosebowl was cancelled again this year (the second or third year in a row) as it is an order of merit event.   Perhaps this event could be scheduled earlier in the season to avoid the mass exodus of young players to the USA in August?   I am sure that this would increase the number of entries – I do acknowledge however the difficulties of reorganising an already complex calendar of events.

Alison Scott MSc
Lecturer in Radiography
School of Health Sciences Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh Queen Margaret University Drive Musselburgh EH21 6UU

SCOTLAND'S SCHOOLS INTERNATIONAL TEAMS PICTURED BY HUGH HUNTER

 Scotland schoolboys team captain Andrew Burgess (right) holds the trophy won with a narrow win over England in the annual schools international at West Kilbride Golf Club yesterdaay. Scottish Schools Golf Association president is extreme right in the back row. Lewis Reid (left) is also holding the trophy       . Picture by Hugh Hunter.

Scotland's schoolgirls team who lost narrowly to England. Left to right: Hazel MacGarvie, Kimberley Beveridge, Emma Hale, Emily Dalgetty, Danielle Ker and Eilidh Watson, team captain.
                                               Picture by Hugh Hunter

            SCROLL DOWN TO READ THE REPORT AND RESULTS OF THE MATCHES