East Vets Participating in Spanish Seniors

This early season seniors championship in Spain used to boast a fair Scottish entry but of late it has declined in popularity. Often the weather can be a little disappointing. This year it is being played at La Manga. Four East Vets out of an entry from Scotland of only seven are hopefully enjoying a little early sunshine and getting their swings into gear for a successful season.

The first two days were the "Doubles" day 1 a four ball and day 2 the two ball foursomes. For some reason the scores were very much higher throughout the field in the two ball foursomes. the Spanish couple of Catalina Castillego Oriol and Maria Orueto Pemartin won the Doubles Championship with a total of 154. Pamela Williamson (Baberton) and the adopted Scot from Canada, Diane Williams were our leading entry with a joint total of 168

"Doubles" Scores
154 Catalina Castillego Oriol and Maria Orueto Pemartin
Scottish scores
168 Pamela Williamson and Diane Williams (81, 87)
175 Lesley Johnston and Suzanne Cadden (81, 94)
176 Sue Penman and Dorothy Thomson (84, 92)
179 Helen Faulds and Jennifer Mack - West Vets (84, 95)

Karen Ballantyne selected for Scottish Vets Team

At last, with the New Year having been installed for almost six weeks this East Vets site is up and running again and definitely open for business. And what better way to start up than by announcing that an East Vet lady has been selected for the Scottish Vets team. Karen Ballantyne (Craigmillar Park) is to play in the annual match against an Irish Senior Select team with the clear and single-minded object of wrestling the Mary McKenna Perpetual Trophy back from Irish hands. This year, the match is on Irish soil - so all the sweeter to win - and will take place on the Hilton Templepatrick outside Belfast.

The team, captained by Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) and apprentice Noreen Fenton Dunbar(vice-captain) has some changes. Fiona de Vries(Midlands) is hoping for a full return to duties after her curling accident of last year and Anne Ryan (Highland), having had a lean 2011 owing to back problems will both be aiming for inclusion in the Jamboree at the Hirsel in August, but this has been seen as an opportunity to recall Alison Bartlett who shone in the Irish Seniors last year and to introduce Linda Urquhart of North who was runner-up to Noreen Fenton in the Scottish Vets Championship. Noreen indicated last year she was retiring from international participation. The team will hardly be rudderless with the talent it has.

Scotland has a wealth of players in the wings and competition for a place in future vets international games this year will be fierce. So watch this spot.

Scottish Team (in alphabetical order)
Elaine Allison (Midland)
Heather Anderson (Midland)
Karen Ballantyne (East)
Alison Bartlett (Highland)
Lorna Bennett (Midland)
May Hughes (West)
Mary Smith (Highland)
Linda Urquhart (North)
Reserves
Anne Ryan (Highland)
Jill Harrison (North)
Alex Glennie (West)

Happy New Year

Happy New Year and great golf to all East Vets


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Moira's Funeral Arrangements

 
Moira's funeral will be at 2pm on Wednesday 30th November at Mortonhall Crematorium. The family invite everyone to meet after the funeral at the Nether Abbey Hotel in Dirleton Avenue, North Berwick to celebrate Moira's life.

Moira Thomson dies after a short illness

All who knew Moira Thomson will be completely shocked at the sad news of her death this morning at the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. It is literally only short months since she was competing in the Scottish Seniors at Portpatrick in early July with no thought that she would have any kind of threat to her health. Her family and friends who visited her in hospital can have had no idea that her recently diagnosed illness would have claimed her quite so quickly. Our thoughts and condolences are with her husband Alastair and her family.

It is impossible to know what Moira was going through in these last weeks, but she faced all of it with the most incredible courage and patience and without a word of self-pity. Is it always difficult for visitors to know what to say in situations such as this where the diagnosis is known, but Moira would take control and make it so easy for those who arrived at her hospital bed. Conversation would never stick around the laughter over shared memories.

Moira won the Scottish Girls, in her youth and was a strong team player in both the Midlothian and East Lothian county teams over several decades. However since becoming a senior lady golfer possibly her best years were to come. She was selected year in, year out, to play for the Scottish Vets and also to represent Scotland in the Senior Home International team. Two years ago Moira was a member of the successful team which won at Newport in Wales (first and only time), and in 2010 as a member of team to win the European Senior Team Championship in Berlin, a most stupendous achievement. This was one of her very best performances and one of which she could be justly proud.

The East Vets have lost a truly great player and friend.