League Secretary Dave Warren had this unusual shot at the 4th hole at Muirfield, and lipped out! Imagination (and luck) is sometimes the key to great shots!

Twelve East Lothian junior golfers from various Clubs in the County, comprising 4 girls and 8 boys, and their 3 Leaders, are about to embark on a wonderful trip to Pinehurst, North Carolina, where the Juniors will compete in International events in which they will represent their local Clubs, the East Lothian Junior Golf League, and “Scotland’s Golf Coast.” 

 

Between the 6th and the 16th of February the Juniors will play up to 10 rounds of golf in 10 days, visit an NHL Ice Hockey game, and visit the Campus at Duke University which has a superb golf scholarship program. Accommodation will be provided for the 15 strong group, partly in the 5 star Carolina Hotel in the Pinehurst Resort, and partly in the homes of three generous families who live in Pinehurst and who are also members of North Berwick Golf Club. 

 

The Juniors, who were offered the trip because they had played often and well in various League events, will compete against other Junior players from several States in the USA and golfers of other Nationalities, in two “Winternationals” events. They will be playing these firstly over Pinehurst No. 8 and No. 9, then on the 2nd weekend, they will play over No. 4 and the fabled Pinehurst No.2 – site of several Mens’ US Opens and a Ladies’ US Open. Other rounds have been arranged at Forest Creek Golf Club, and at Mid Pines and Pine Needles Golf Clubs, the latter of which has been the venue for 3 US Womens Opens and will host it again in 2022. The Juniors will also test themselves over a wonderful short course, called “The Cradle” which was recently added to the Pinehurst Resort by Gil Hanse, a world famous architect.

 

In addition to all the Players having practice rounds on Pinehurst No 4 and No. 8, the Boys squad will play against a strong Team from the local Pinecrest High School over the No.2 course for a trophy donated by the League in memory of one of its former players Duncan McLean, who tragically died aged 20 in 2016. Duncan had once played in the US Kids World Finals in Pinehurst. The 4 Girls do not miss out as they will visit and play at the home of the US Kids Golf, which is located at Longleaf Golf Club. The US Kids European Championships are held in East Lothian every year over 5 local courses, with up to 650 competitors, and US Kids kindly sponsors our League with donations, which the League uses to subsidise these visits to Pinehurst, of which this is the 3rd in successive years, with future visits to come we hope. The Juniors only get to go on one trip each.

 

The League offers a big thanks to the parents for funding the trip, and to North Berwick Golf Club for hosting the recent lunch for Players and Parents, and for providing a wonderful meal. Guests included the Provost of East Lothian John McMillan, representing the East Lothian Council who sponsor the annual League Championships. Also present was Bob Gunning representing Scotland’s Golf Coast.  The photos below show the Team in their team shirts, with their East Lothian Clubs in brackets. Girls L-R, Freya Constable (Kilspindie), Natalie Fowler (Castle Park), Annie Wilson Castle Park), and Grace Crawford (Gullane and North Berwick.) Boys L-R Niall Holman (Haddington), Ryan Yuill (Craigielaw), Gregor Thomson (Craigielaw), Neil Canavan (Longniddry.) Back Row L-R Jamie Grainger (Haddington), Angus Mather (West Links), Carl Schmidt (Gullane), Calum Robinson Gullane.) The Leaders will be Shona Paton (Gifford) David Canavan (Longniddry) and Secretary Dave Warren. Slideshow below will be updated daily with photos from Pinehurst.

[Show picture list]

 

 

Thanks are due to all those involved at The Glen for hosting this re-scheduled event. The CSSs were:- Boys U18/U16 – 71, Boys U14 – 70, Boys U12 – 37 points,  and the Girls CSS – 73. All Players’ Home Clubs have been notified of the results. Thanks are due to the helpers who assisted throughout the day, and to EL’s Provost John McMillan and Glen’s Lady Captain Sam Frost for presenting the trophies and prizes. 

There were 58 Players playing in 3 different age groups for Boys and Girls. Scores below. As well as over £700 worth of vouchers donated by the East Lothian Council, other prizes were kindly donated by the R&A and by Muirfield, and these were also awarded. All trophies were retained by the Secretary for engraving asap. Any unclaimed prizes will be distributed to the winners. There is a full report here, which will also appear in the local Press. Well done to all the prizewinners! Dave Warren, Secretary. 

The CSSs were – 1 = 65 for Boys and 68 for Girls. Players’ home Clubs will be informed of your scores and will adjust handicaps appropriately. A big thanks to Kilspindie GC for hosting the event. And to Shona Paton, Dave Parker, Chris Stirling and Frances Hall for their help. The Team Scratch Strokeplay was won by Gullane with a best 3 from 4 score total of 220, only 1 stroke better than The Glen. It was good to see a Team from Royal Musselburgh, in their first appearance for some time in any ELJGL event. They edged Castle Park by 2 strokes with a great winning net score of 189 – an average of 63 strokes per Player! List of scores and prizewinners appears below. Joseph Cookson and the best scratch score of 70. Blair Roberts with a net 62, and Ruaridh Clubb won the best handicap prizes with a net 62 and a net 56 respectively. The Secretary will arrange for prize vouchers to be issued to winners who were absent at the prize giving.

Euan Cooper had to leave early but 3 Gullane Players were present at the Prizegiving. L-R Joseph Cookson (with Trophy) Brodie Cunningham and Lucy Morrison.

This is the winning Team with their 2 reserves with the trophy and their prizes. L-R they are:- Back Row – Mackenzie Mullen, Ritchie Smart, Finlay Wallace, Brandon Simpson (Junior Team Captain), Pranav Maganti. Front Row – Murray Sinclair, Evan Fulton, William Lloyd.

The next photo is of former SGU President Ian Howarth, the donor of the Trophy, with the Portlethen Team.

Scores and Prizes (Donated by the R&A – worth about £600.)

In the Final between Kilspindie and Longniddry, Kilspindie successfully defended their title at a very windy Dunbar course. In the scratch foursome, Kilspindie’s Aaron Hall and Connor Currie played great team golf and were 8 up with 2 to play against Longniddry’s Euan and Neil Canavan. Kilspindie’s Mackenzie Notley and Mollaidh Nicholson, in the handicap foursome, were 2 down with 3 to play against Longniddry’s Max Blair and Ryan Gallagher, so the aggregate score was 6 up with 5 to play to Kilspindie. Aaron and Connor got off to a fast start winning the first 4 holes. Max and Ryan eagled the first hole and built up a lead of 4 holes by the half way mark, so overall the aggregate score was level at that stage. Aaron and Connor then holed some telling putts to increase their led to 8 up to seal the match. Several parents and supporters from the 2 Clubs were present and were rewarded by seeing excellent golf. Our thanks are due to Dunbar for hosting the Final.

Pictured below are League Secretary Dave Warren, Aaron Hall, Mackenzie Notley, Mollaidh Nicholson, Connor Currie, and Kilspindie’s Junior Convenor, Chris Stirling.

The Longniddry Team comprised Neil Canavan, Euan Canavan, Max Blair, and Ryan Gallagher pictured here with Convenor Gareth Jack.

The 2018 OOM results, and all prize-winners can be seen here.

The CSS’s for the Team Strokeplay at Royal Musselburgh were 70 for Boys and 72 for Girls. Full scores below. The scratch trophy winning Team were Gullane with 230 for 3 out of 4 scores.  They were Liam Currid 75, Joseph Cookson 74, Lucy Morrison 81, and Carl Schmidt 82. Photo below. L-R Dave Warren, Lucy, Liam, Carl, and Captain Joseph with the trophy presented by Jeanette Buchanan.  Longniddry were second with 238. Haddington won the prize for the lowest net scores with 208 by Jack McDonald 71, Ben Austin 63, Rory Leishman and Adam Nichol both 74. There were two outstanding net scores, firstly from Ben Austin of Haddington with a 63, and Abby Nisbet of East Lothian Girls, with a 64. Abby’s round included an eagle 2 at the 2nd hole, and another 2 at the par 3 16th hole. The best scratch score was by Jack McDonald of Haddington with a scratch 72. Jack, in the red top, is pictured with playing partner James Morgan of Longniddry who sadly, was leaving the next day to start at a College in Iowa USA. Thanks to  EL Ladies President Jeanette Buchanan who presented all the prizes. A big thanks to all at Royal Musselburgh for hosting us. Their Junior Section have the intention of rejoining the League in 2019 which will be excellent for our continued growth.

East Lothian Junior Golf Championships 2018.

(New – see “Gallery” for slideshow of photos. Contact Secretary for copies if required.)

Thanks to Craigielaw for hosting the event and to all the helpers throughout the day. All scores have been sent to Players home clubs. The CSSs were 71 for Girls, and 70 for both the U14 and U12 Boys. For the U18s, the CSSs were 72 for both rounds. A report and a full prize-list appear below. The Secretary has any unclaimed trophy and prizes. Photos below.

This is the Press report which is being sent to the East Lothian Courier and the Edinburgh Evening News:-

“The annual ELJGL Championships were held at Craigielaw Golf Club on the 3rd August. There were 49 Competitors including 8 Girls, the highest number of Girls since the event started in 1998. The events had an added incentive this year as the leading 2 Boys and the leading Girl, would qualify to partner a Senior Golf Pro in the Scottish Senior Open at Craigielaw, on the 14th and 15th September.  So Mollaidh Nicholson, Jack Noon and Andrew Scott will play with a Pro on the first 2 days of that event, at Craigielaw. 

The first round of the U18/U16 Boys Championship was dominated by 4-handicap Jack Noon, of Musselburgh Golf Club, who birdied the first 2 holes, then, from the 11th hole, went eagle, birdie, birdie, birdie! However, a disastrous 8 on the final par 5 hole resulted in only a level par round of 71, giving a net score of 67. Playing in the company of two friends from an ELJGL trip to Pinehurst USA in February this year, Jack tackled Round 2 with a 3 shot lead from Andrew Scott of Dunbar, and Liam Currid of Gullane, both of whom had scored 74. 

Meantime, in the Girls Championship over 18 holes, competition for the scratch prize was keen as 6 of the Girls had handicaps of 10 or below. Mollaidh Nicholson of Kilspindie set a fast pace on the front 9 with a level par 35, and her closest challengers were Annie Wilson of Castle Park with 38, Lucy Morrison of Gullane with 39, and Carys Irvine of Craigielaw with 42. Annie and Lucy faltered on the back 9, but Carys put pressure on Mollaidh with a one over par 37 on the back 9 to score 79. Mollaidh did not know she had a 5 shot lead with 2 holes to go, but encountered trouble at the par 3 17th with a triple bogey 6. Despite a bogey 6 at the 18th, Mollaidh recorded an excellent 78 to win the scratch trophy by a single stroke from Carys. Ala Gorka of Royal Musselburgh, had steady halves of 41 for a net 72, to lift the handicap trophy by one stroke from Annie.

In the Boys U14 Championship, also played over 18 holes, Mackenzie Notley of Kilspindie, off 14 handicap, “blitzed” the opposition with a 79 to take the scratch trophy, followed by Harry Bent of The Glen who scored 82. Alexander Rate of Gullane scored a net 71 to win the handicap trophy, but only by a single stroke from Ryan Gallagher of Longniddry.

In the Boys U12 Championship, Brodie Cunningham of Gullane scored an 83 to easily win the scratch trophy by 5 shots from Joe Macpherson, also of Gullane. Rory Leishman of Haddington won the handicap trophy with a net 70, only 2 strokes ahead of Scott McEwan-Ness of Gullane. 

Meanwhile, the older Boys tackled the course again in the afternoon. Jack Noon faltered a little with an outward 38, whilst Andrew went into the lead with a level par 35. Liam lost ground with an outward 39. Andrew, playing behind Jack, had a 2 shot lead with 2 holes to go, but he finished double bogey, bogey to record a 76, for a 150 aggregate. Jack had the steadier par, par, finish to go ahead of Andrew with a 78 for a total of 149. Angus Mather of West Links won the 36 hole Handicap trophy and prizes with a score of 142.

There was a notable gross 74 in the afternoon by Joseph Cookson of Gullane to win the Boys U16 scratch trophy with a total of 153, after being tied with Malachy Hayward of the home Club. However, Malachy had the consolation of winning the handicap trophy by 3 shots from Jack McDonald of Haddington.

The League is extremely grateful to East Lothian Council for continuing to sponsor these Championships, which give many young players the chance to experience a Championship away from their own Clubs for the first time. Provost John McMillan presented the prizes to all of the 18 hole competitors and gave words of encouragement to the Juniors about being part of “Scotland’s Golf Coast” and urged them to encourage their friends and parents to play.

Apologies for absence were received from Gordon Smith, Craigielaw Club Captain (and Junior Convenor.) The League Secretary, David Warren, thanked Craigielaw Club for hosting the event, and then presented the prizes to the U18/U16 Champions of 2018. All winners received prizes of vouchers, together with golf clothing and equipment kindly donated by the R&A. 

There is still plenty of competitive golf to play this year, and we hope that more Juniors will join East Lothian Clubs, to fully experience the great courses we have in the area. Under “Events” on our website at eastlothianjuniorgolf.org.uk there is information on hundreds of fixtures. Regular participation and good performances from our Juniors may result in invitations to take part in future annual golf trips to Pinehurst USA.”

A “GolfSixes” Team event for very young Players was held on the same day over the 6 hole short course at Craigielaw. Report to follow.

David Warren, Secretary, East Lothian Junior Golf League.

The attached is a full list of prizewinners. Vouchers highlighted in green can be collected from the Secretary by arrangement.

Photo 1. L-R U18/U16 winners Angus Mather, Jack Noon, Joseph Cookson.

Photo 2. L-R Provost McMillan and Secretary. With trophies, L-R Ala Gorka and Mollaidh Nicholson.

Photo 3. L-R U12s. With trophies L-R Brodie Cunningham and Rory Leishman.

Photo 4. U14s. With trophy Mackenzie Notley.