DISTURBING DOWNWARD TREND IN NEWCOMERS TO THE GAME

LOW ENTRY CUTS A DAY OFF SCOTTISH

18 GIRLS' CHAMPIONSHIP PROGRAMME

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com

For all those with the best interests of the female side of Scottish amateur golf at heart, it is a worrying fact that fewer and fewer girls are taking up the game of golf ... and not many of them are interested in playing competitively.

Confirmation of the disturbing downward trend in Scotland comes in the news that the number of entries - 41 - was so low for next week's Scottish Under-18 girls (closed) championship at Dumfries and County Golf Club, that the SLGA have had to revise the format and reduce the tournament from four days to three.
Tournament director Toni Melvin-Ffinch (pictured above) tells me:
"The format of the Girls’ Championship has changed due to the low entry. It will now be 36 holes stroke-play on Tuesday-Wednesday with the top 16 going forward to the championship match-play.
"The next eight will go into the Ansley Reid Salver match-play competition. Both Finals will be on Friday afternoon and not Saturday morning as usual."
What's the answer to the downward trend in numbers in Scottish girls' golf? I have to confess I do not know.
If you have any constructive suggestions to make, please E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

FOOTNOTE: The Irish Under-18 girls (close) championship next week has 88 entries. They admitted players with handicaps up to and including 22. But Scotland could total only 41 with
entry open to girls with handicaps up to 34.

SLGA NEWS RELEASE

IN-FORM JAFFREY BIDS TO 

RETAIN GIRLS’ TITLE

Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) faces a strong field in defence of the Scottish U18 girls’ championship at Dumfries and County Golf Club next week 
(from July 16-18).

The 17-year-old won the title at Ranfurly Castle 12 months ago and has since gone on to make her mark at adult level. She finished runner-up at the Helen Holm Scottish Open Strokeplay Championship at Troon in April and then reached the final of the Scottish Ladies’ Championship at Prestwick in May.

“Winning the Scottish girls last year was my goal and it’s great to be able to defend,” said the teenager (pictured) who is heading for Kansas State University in the autumn.

Jaffrey is the backmarker with a plus two handicap, but it won’t be easy to retain the coveted trophy.    

Germany-based Fiona Liddell, who played in last year’s Junior Vagliano Trophy, is also playing off plus two while Clara Young (North Berwick), runner-up in last year’s Scottish Ladies’ Championship, has a plus one handicap.

Other strong contenders include the Troon Ladies youngsters, Hazel MacGarvie and Emma Hale, and Mill Green’s Nicola Callander, who won the 2012 Scottish Junior Open Strokeplay Championship.

Following two rounds of strokeplay, the top 16 players qualify for the match-play knockout. The 18-hole final takes place on Friday afternoon.