Congratulations to League Player James Wood who won the Scratch event at the recent Lothian Junior Champion of Champions event held at The Merchants GC in Edinburgh with a score of 66. Sean Gallacher and Alexander Yuill were 2nd and 3rd. Cameron Brown won the handicap prize with a net 63. The scoring can be seen on the Lothians website here.
Results for MD2! An Ace!
The Team results for MD2 at North Berwick West Links can be seen below. Thanks to the staff at North Berwick Club for hosting a great day yesterday for our Junior League visit to the beautiful West Links! And thanks to helpers and parents who assisted. Congratulations to Ben Churn who had an Ace at the 4th hole with a 9 iron! I have given Ben a nice prize for his feat! Photo below. Prizes for Players at Match Days can be seen at this link.
In the Team event, the two West Links Junior Teams, Bass and Fidra, topped the Team scores with 141 and 140 points respectively (Best 4 out of 6 Stableford Points total.) Musselburgh Toun also scored 140 points, but lost out on 2nd place on count-back. The West Links Bass Team have now won both Match Days to date and now lead the League Table with the West Links Fidra Team now in 3rd place, just behind Craigielaw. The League Table can be seen on the right hand side of this website.
Two West Links Players had the best gross points totals – Jack Collingswood with a 68 (39 points) and Sean Gallacher with 71 (36 points), and the conditions were not easy! Both Players are now playing off +1. The best net points totals were recorded by Kole Henderson of Craigielaw with 44 points, followed by James Hamilton of Gifford with 40 points, and Cameron Brown with 39 points. Ben Churn was playing as a reserve and had a hole-in-one at the 4th. The League have given him a voucher as a prize.
The prizes for the top 4 scores in both Scratch and Handicap categories at each Match Day can be seen on this website under the drop down at “MD Results/Prizes 2023.
Individual scores at each Match Day can be seen on the Golf Genius App by accessing the Match Day concerned, then going to Leaderboard and clicking on Net or Gross scores. Member Portal
We had only 63 Players at MD2 as some of our Players were competing in the Junior Tour Scotland event at Golspie and Royal Dornoch, where the leading scores can be seen here. Congratulations to Aidan Lawson of West Links who finished tied 2nd in the 54 hole event.
Please enter our next 2 events at Craigielaw and Longniddry by using the Golf Genius App to do so.
Dave Warren.
MD1 Results from Gullane!
These are the results of Match Day (MD) 1 at Gullane No. 3 on Sunday the 26th March. Many thanks to Gullane Golf Club for accommodating our Players and Volunteers. Congratulations to the West Links Bass Team for their win with Craigielaw and Kilspindie close behind them. There was a record turnout of 74 Players but the weather was not helpful to good scoring, so 42 points was the highest net points tally recorded, by Seb Harvey of West Links Bass who had a gross 66. Seb also had the best gross total of 37 points, followed by Harris Munro and Charlie Cuthbert, tied on 36 points. The prizes for both gross and net are the same but the gross scores take primacy over net scores for prizes. So Katie Mackenzie of Gullane, with a gross 73 scored 41 points and pipped Ellie Bent and Harvey Blair for the best net prizes on count back. Prizes will be awarded at the following Match Day. All scores have been submitted to WHS for handicap. And “Season Points” for the Orders of Merit have been awarded. The best 6 placings out of 10 MDs over the season will count for some great prizes. Entries for MD2 at North Berwick are still being taken, so please enter through the Golf Genius App if you can play.
Dunbar win County Cup
On the 19th March 2023, the Dunbar Team of Kiron Gribble, Kai Laing, Corran Fraser, and Rory Allan combined well to pip the Haddington Team at the 20th hole in the 2022 Junior County Cup, held at Longniddry GC. The Haddington Team comprised Adam Nichol, Murray Bowsher, Adam MacDonald and Ben Austin. Both games were played in the alternate shot Foursomes format, off handicap, with the winners decided by the aggregate score over 2 games. In the first game, Kiron and Kai managed to win the last 2 holes for Dunbar to finish 4 up against Adam Nichol and Murray. In the second game, Adam MacDonald and Ben for Haddington finished 4 up against Corran and Rory. So with the aggregate score then being all square, both games proceeded to play extra holes until either Team emerged as aggregate winners. At the first extra hole Haddington went ahead in the first game with a par 4 but in the following game Rory holed a good putt for a par 4 to level the score again. In fading light, both games proceeded down the 2nd extra hole where both Dunbar pairs made excellent winning par 4s. This was a great Match played in fine spirit and a great example of Team play. The Joint League Secretary Dave Warren was on hand to watch the Match, after which he presented the trophy and prizes to the winning Dunbar Team, and consolation prizes to the Haddington Team. Haddington fielded the same 4 Players in each round, whilst Dunbar fielded Elliot Brunton and Murray Welsh in earlier rounds. They also both received a prize for their contribution. Dave Warren thanked Joint League Secretary Jack Rogan for organising the tournament, and Steve Austin of Haddington for starting the Match. The League would like to thank Longniddry Golf Club for hosting the final. Photos below:-
The Dunbar Team L-R – Kiron Gribble, Kai Laing, Corran Fraser, Rory Allan.
The Haddington Team:- L-R – Adam Nichol, Adam MacDonald, Murray Bowsher, Ben Austin.
Rory holing a crucial putt on the 19th hole to keep the game alive.
Thanks for Pinehurst!
Many thanks to all the Juniors and Parents who have sent me thank-you cards and/or given presents to me, including the flag signed by all the Players which now hangs in my study, for organising the recent trip to Pinehurst. It was my pleasure to lead such a fine group of young Players and Co-Leaders. I hope there will be many more such trips. Meanwhile the work goes on – today – a Zoom call with Jenny Potter of Golf Genius and Jack Rogan setting up the new season, then a meeting with the new Longniddry Junior Convenor James Neil, and then an online 3 hours Child Protection Officer course. I need a proper holiday in Pinehurst now!
International Honours!
Congratulations are due to some of our regular League Players who have been selected to represent Scotland in the “Quadrangular” matches with The Netherlands, England and Wales. The matches will be held at Kennemer GC in The Netherlands on 4th to the 6th April. The Players are Aidan Lawson, Alexander Yuill, Brodie Cunningham, and Evie McCallum (pictured.) An article in the Scotsman by Martin Dempster can be seen here, or by clicking on the link available amongst the newsfeed links at the foot of the front page of this website.
Match vs. Pinecrest School
An ELJGL Team of 12 Boys recently took on a strong Team from Pinecrest High School, over the famous No.4 course at Pinehurst, North Carolina. Girls from the School were not allowed to take part due to the later start of the Girls’ official season, so our 4 Girls headed off to Pine Needles again for another round over the venue for last years US Womens Open, with helpers Shona, Stuart and Helen.
The Players competed for the Duncan McLean Trophy, donated by the League in memory of a former Gullane Junior Champion, who tragically died in his early 20s from a brain tumour. Duncan is shown in the featured image with his Dad Iain, when he competed at Pinehurst in the US Kids World Championships.
The result was close with Pinecrest winning by 3.5 points to 2.5 points in the better ball matchplay format. The match was played in great spirit and many friendships were made. Photos below – names to follow. The Bermuda grass looks dead but it is only dormant for a few months and was in excellent condition.
Pinehurst 2023 trip completed!
The following is a press report which was distributed on the 6th March to all parties concerned about the recent trip to Pinehurst and has appeared in the Edinburgh Evening News here.
This photo below was taken outside one of the best Clubhouses in the world of golf, at Forest Creek Golf Club, where all the Players and Leaders enjoyed a courtesy round of golf. We were joined by one of the hosts for the day – JJ Jackson, on Dave’s left. A resident of Pinehurst, JJ is a Forest Creek and North Berwick member and is a long time supporter of our League.
“Dear Members of the Press, Sponsors, Scottish Golf managers, East Lothian Golf Club Managers and Convenors, East Lothian Juniors and Parents, and friends in Pinehurst, North Carolina, 20 Junior golfers from various East Lothian Clubs have recently arrived home safely after the East Lothian Junior Golf League’s annual 10 day trip to Pinehurst. All the Players are now raring to go in the upcoming 2023 season!
Attached is the group photo of the 20 Juniors involved, assembled by the 18th green at the famous Mid Pines course in Pinehurst North Carolina. Their names, from left to right, are back row:- Ava Simon, Struan Murdoch, Robbie Landles, Scott Porteous, Connor McCarthy, Adam Macdonald, Daniel Moos, Sean Gallacher, Adam Nichol, Harry Dunkinson, Andrew Irvine, Jackson Gray, Ben Churn, Evie McCallum, Ellie Bent, Molly Chapman. Front row, Tobin Witt, Jack Collingswood, Charlie Cuthbert, Ben Austin. The group were accompanied by 5 volunteers – all current or recent Junior Convenors in East Lothian, Shona Paton of Gifford, Gareth Jack of Longniddry, Steve Austin of Haddington, Helen and Stuart Findlay of Royal Musselburgh. They devoted most of their time to ensuring everything worked well on the trip for the biggest group of Juniors to ever go on one of these trips. However, they also enjoyed some excellent golfing experiences themselves. The trip was organised by the League’s Secretary and Treasurer, David Warren, of North Berwick Golf Club. David is an overseas member of Pine Needles and Mid Pines in Pinehurst, and his contacts there include some great friends who regularly host our Teams and provide excellent Southern hospitality! Some of them are overseas members of North Berwick and Tantallon Golf Clubs and are frequent visitors to the County.
The Team enjoyed rounds at Mid Pines, Pine Needles, Forest Creek South, Pinehurst No 4, Pinehurst No. 8, and at Longleaf, which is the home of the US Kids Golf organisation, who are one of the League’s sponsors. The Juniors also played at the 9 hole Cradle course where Scott Porteous of Longniddry had a hole in one! They were accompanied by the short game coach at Pinehurst, Kelly Mitchum, a visitor to North Berwick in 2022, who recently had an “Ace” at the 90 yard 5th hole, which gives him an unbeatable course record eclectic score of 9, having holed in one now at all 9 holes! Photo below.
Our Boys Team played a match against the Pinecrest School Boys Team over Pinehurst No. 4 which the local Team won narrowly 3.5 – 2.5 on a fourball better-ball format. The Girls were treated to a 2nd round over Pine Needles, the wonderful venue of several US Womens Open.
All of our Players, representing “Scotland’s Golf Coast” competed in two “Winternational” events against a large field of Juniors from North and South Carolina and from elsewhere in the USA. Our Team Members Evie McCallum and Sean Gallacher finished 3rd in their respective sections and both won prizes.
Air fares, meals and a 3 night stay in the 5 star Carolina hotel were funded by the Players’ families. After those 3 nights, subsequent accommodation was provided for our party of 26, for 7 nights, in the beautiful village of Pinehurst, which was supplied free of charge by local families, either in their homes or in their rental properties. Local transport firms provided ground transport to the various venues. Excellent sit-in cooked breakfasts were enjoyed at two local establishments, and on many evenings, a restaurant in the area would be visited.
The trip was subsidised by the League, through several donations from some kind sponsors and friends to whom we are extremely grateful. Another kind sponsor paid for the Team clothing supplied from a major golf apparel company. These generous donations to the League ensure that these trips can take place, and the League is extremely grateful to these donors.
League Players only get to go on these trips once, so plans are now being made for the February 2024 trip for which more Players will be invited to go, based on their ages, their frequency of appearances in League events, and on their golf handicaps. Some past and present Junior Convenors will also be invited to join the next trip.
It was a great pleasure to lead such a fine group of young Players, who didn’t know each other well at the start of the trip, but by the end of the trip, great fun and many new experiences were had, so many lasting friendships were formed. The Players truly had a “trip of a lifetime” and returned home with fresh views perhaps, on what is possible in this great game called Golf.
A pre-Pinehurst trip lunch was held at The Glen GC on Saturday the 28th January at which 53 people attended. The group comprised 19 of the 20 Players who are going, there being only one absentee due to another commitment. See photo below. This is the largest group to ever go on this annual trip, leaving on the 9th February. Players only get to go once on this trip of a lifetime! They will play 9 rounds in 9 days on some wonderful courses! All 6 Leaders and plenty of Parents made up the rest of the attendees, together with special guests, Catriona and Graeme Matthew.
The Glen was a superb venue in a private dining room area, so I was able to tell all the group about the impending trip. The food was excellent too! Thanks are therefore due to the Glen F&B Manager Clint, and to the chefs and the waitresses Lauren and Claire. The Players and their East Lothian League Teams are: Andrew Irvine, Ben Churn, Jack Collingswood, Harry Dunkinson, Jackson Gray, Robbie Landles, and Connor McCarthy, all of West Links Juniors, Molly Chapman, Evie McCallum, Ellie Bent, and Ava Simon of East Lothian Girls, Ben Austin, Adam MacDonald, and Adam Nichol, all of Haddington, Charlie Cuthbert, Sean Gallacher, Scott Porteous, Tobin Witt and Daniel Moos of Longniddry, and Struan Murdoch of Musselburgh Toun.
The Leaders are Junior Convenors from our Clubs – Stuart and Helen Findlay of Royal Musselburgh, Steve Austin from Haddington, Shona Paton of Gifford, and Gareth Jack, formerly of Longniddry and now the Assistant Tournament Director in the Scottish Junior Team Championship, which is organised by our League.
If our other League Players are thinking of going in future years, to be offered a spot, you have to turn out and support your Club regularly in our 10 League Match Days and in our other League events.
There is an Instagram account using this hashtag #eljglpinehurst23 which is the official ELJGL account edited by Gareth Jack where he will be posting from. That way all our photographs will be pulled together in the same place for everyone to view. There is also a blog here, created by Shona Paton, so following all the news should be easy. Don’t forget to tell your parents so they can keep track of you! Gareth and Dave also pictured below with Catriona.
Junior Ryder Cup 2023
Stephen Gallacher has been appointed as Captain of the European Junior Ryder Cup Team for the match in Italy in September 2023. The press article here, gives details of all the qualifying events which will count for selection of 6 Boys and 6 Girls for the mixed Team to play the USA. The singles matches will be played on the Marco Simone course where the actual Ryder Cup will take place. We are hopeful that Grace Crawford a West Links (North Berwick) Junior play her way onto this Team by right, or by way of a Captains pick.
Festive Greetings!
The Secretaries would like to wish all Players and Convenors a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! We look forward to an active year of competitive golf for you all in 2023. You can plan your own golf from the Calendar on this website. Sadly, we have to say goodbye to regular Players who have become 18 years old in 2022. They are Ryan Yuill, Luke Greig, Euan Cooper, Molly Nicholson, Freya Constable, Callum Waugh, Jamie Napier, Jamie MacPhail, Ryan Gallagher, and Connor Cook. We wish them all the best of luck in whatever you choose to do in future, and fervently hope that you will remain in the game of golf for the rest of your lives! At some stage, please find a way to put your knowledge and expertise back into the game to help it grow. Thanks, Dave and Jack.
Meanwhile, Santa has delivered the clothing for the upcoming trip to Pinehurst of 26 Players and Convenors!
