Scottish Vets Team for Jamboree Announced

The team to represent the Scottish Vets in their annual Jamboree against the English regions - this year hosted by Scotland at the Hirsel -  has been announced by the captain Helen Faulds (West).  The team is perhaps a little unusual in that expected names have been omitted and new, introduced. The recent Seniors Championship  at Kemnay produced surprises -  and of course some disappointments.  Inevitably, these results from Kemnay have been considered in the announcing of this team. For the first time in many years, there is no representation from the East apart from the Vice-Captain, Noreen Fenton from Dunbar.

Team
Heather Anderson (Midlands)
Alison Bartlett (Highland)
Lorna Bennett (Midlands)
Fiona de Vries (Midlands)
Alex Glennie (West)
Janice Paterson (West)
Mary Smith (Highland)
Linda Urquhart (North)

Reserves
Kathleen Sutherland (North)
May Hughes (West)
Anne Ryan (Highland)
Jill Harrison (North)

Captain Helen Faulds (West)
Vice-Captain Noreen Fenton (East)

We wish the team the very best of luck and good golf

East Vets lose Elise Duncan trophy

What a day!

The amber weather warning over and around Edinburgh did not deter the intrepid East Vets team as they sallied forth to defend the Elise Duncan Trophy, first thing on a very wet and horrible morning.  Much emailing had gone on the night before to determine whether the match was still to go on but the general opinion was that the journey would be awful (and it was!) but that Troon Portland  "wouldn't be too bad".  How wrong could it have been!  It was magnificent at Troon.  Sun, sun, sun.  A soft blue Arran floating in a shimmering sea was a mouthwatering backdrop to the whole game and surely made everyone in both teams feel that much better - even when they lost - after the days of nonstop rain that we have all had recently.  No one wanted to leave afterwards especially when they knew that the rain - and what rain - was waiting for them just up the road.

The downside was that the Elise Duncan trophy having been in the possession of the East since 2006 is now sitting in a West trophy cabinet somewhere.  East lost by 5 games to 4. but lots of good golf, lots of incredible putting and birdies. 

The day started with coffee and bacon rolls and finished after the game, with a lovely prawn salad and cheescake to die fo.  And everyone seemed to be smiling so a great day was had by all.  An East person who shall remain nameless arrived without golf shoes, another east person seemed to lose the second pair of spectacles in a week but it was only a slip of the memory and found them  (the second pair) in a safe place she had forgotten about and a West person  forgot to put enough balls in her golf back and had to send out to eBay for more - actually it was the west Captain who was sent back to get them.   Not to mention the momentary eclipse when the world went black for a minisecond - a Prestwick plane blotted out the sun.  The excitement of the day was almost too much.

Start practising fo next year.  We want that trophy back.

Results
Noreen Fenton lost to Alex Glennie 5 and 4
Anne Hanson beat May Hughes i hole
Fiona Hunter beat Helen Faulds 4 and 3
Pamela Williamson lost to Suzanne Cadden 1 hole
Karen Ballantyne lost to Jane Finnie 3 and 2
Sue Penman lost to Janice Paterson 2 and 1
Lesley Johnston beat Pat Hutton 2 and 1
Linda Grieve lost to Jennifer Mack 6 and 5
Ruth Brown beat Anne Robinson 5 and 3

Looking Back on Kemnay

The Scottish Seniors at Kemnay was certainly different but by the time it was finished, most people would have claimed to have enjoyed it.  It began with very disappointing conditions, grey and wet but by Wednesday, this had done the complete circle to, quite literally, summer weather and all this while Edinburgh and the Lothians were being flooded out.

The practice round on the Monday - for those who bothered  - was a slog.  As was round one on the Tuesday.  Most had on waterproofs for the entire round, although it wasn't particularly cold, but because many of the fairways had areas of casual water, this kept the referees very busy dispensing with kindly advice.  Many of the referees wore appropriate footwear and we apologise for not having a photograph of June McEwen's flowery red wellies for all to enjoy.  Most tasteful.  All those who had never been to Kemnay before, were deprived of a view of the local mountain, Benachie, until the Thursday when the mist rolled back and exposed it in all its solitary glory.  In fact when the mist rolled back, the whole place changed and everyone exclaimed at how lovely it was.  Whereas on the first two days, it was drenched in mist and rain and most people, heads down, just plodded doggedly up and down fairways they could never recognise again, miserable and probably wishing they had never come.  Actually it wasn't quite as bad as that and the odd good hole fairly perked one up.  The scoring was undoubtedly rather high and its only redeemable factor seemed to be it was a non-counter.

At night was the traditional supper after which the ladies were entertained by those who had a story to tell, a poem to relate, a skit to perform or a downright dirty joke - the latter generally being the most popular.  We have to isolate an East Vet/County captain here whose contribution practically brought the house down. It came under the latter category.

Round Two maybe started dull and misty but in no time the mist rolled back just enough to let the sun through and it was all very nice.  Scoring was still high although fractionally better, but considering the distinct possibility of the stroke-play competition being completed on simply the one round due to the wet conditions, the SLGA must have been breathing a sigh of relief.  A most excellent score was brought in by Alison Bartlett of the Highland Vets.  This, together with her first round score meant that a play-off was needed to find the Stroke-Play winner, which indeed proved to be Alison.

The top scratch sixteen players went forward to the matchpay and this included Pamela Williamson (Baberton) and Fiona Hunter (Baberton).  Both played very well.  Pamela beat Anna Telfer (West) by 3 and 2 but then lost to Linda Urquhart of the North by 1 hole.  Fiona played steadily to beat helen faulds by 6 and 5 before losing to Karen Burns (Bathgate) by 1 hole.

Last year was the inauguration of a new consolation tournament, the net Championship.  After the names of the sixteen scratch players had been removed for the Seniors Championship, the players with the top sixteen net scores went forward for the Net Trophy.  This proved to be an excellent idea last year  as it meant more ladies stayed at the venue rather than leaving immediately after the strokeplay finished.  This year Morag Wardrop (Turnhouse), Barbara Biggart (North Berwick) Karen ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) and Mairi Pollock also Craigmillar park qualified for this tournament.  Barbara, Morag and Mairi were both beaten in the first round but Karen fought through all the way to the final, which she won to become the 2012 Net Championship winner.   She beat Barbara (unfortunate draw) in the first round by 3 and 1, Karen Maxwell (Milngavie) by a runaway 8 and 7, Sandra Littlejohn (Erskine) 5 and 3 then Leigh Duff (Cathkin Braes) in a very tight match at the 19th.  Well done Karen.

All scores and matchplay results are on the SLGA website.

Ramsden Cup latest

Despite problems with getting dates, here are the next ties due to be played in the Ramsden Cup.

Denise Mitchell v May Hardy
Dulcie Barnes v Ray Lynch
Helen Holton to play the winner of Isobel Hastings/Mairi Pollock(arranged)
Sandra Simpson v Gilly Glen

When the winners of these ties report back to katherine she will give the name of a neutral course on which it is to be played - by 11th August.

East Division well represented at Scottish Seniors

The usual large representation from the East Division will hopefully be making its presence felt  on Tuesday 1st July at Kemnay, Aberdeenshire, when the Scottish Senior Ladies, 2012 kicks off.  Nineteen ladies (apologies if this omits anyone) are ready and willing to take on the challenges of the Stroke-play Championship, the Scottish Senior Championship (for the 16 leading scratch qualifiers) and the Net Match Play Championship  for the 16 competitors with the best net scores excluding those who have qualified for the Scratch Match Play Championship.

Vets/Senior ladies from the East Division are: (order as per official draw)
Sue Penman (Gullane Ladies)
Anne Brownie (Gullane Ladies)
Marion Quigley (Craigmillar Park)
Ruth Brown (Lothianburn)
Morag Wardrop (Turnhouse)
Joanne Watt (Gullane Ladies)
Barbara Biggart (North Berwick)
Frances McFadzean (Craigmillar Park)
Pamela Williamson (Baberton)
Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park)
Noreen Fenton (Dunbar)
Lesley Johnston (Gullane Ladies)
Fiona Hunter (Baberton)
Alison Wilson (Uphall)
Gillian Glen (Craigmillar Park)
Mairi Pollock (Craigmillar Park)
Dorothy Thomson (Gullane Ladies)
Roz Thoresen (Gullane Ladies)
Mary Richardson (Craigmillar Park)

Can't help noticing the huge input from Gullane Ladies and Craigmillar Park.  Six from each.  Are they having a separate competition? 

The weather forecast is not wonderful so waterproofs etc may be the order of the day.  Good luck  to all