East Lothian Junior Golf League

Supporting junior golf in East Lothian, Scotland

Pinehurst 2023 trip completed!

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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.

 

East Lothian Junior Golf League News

Schools Winter Foursomes

Kate Green has just set up a new winter Competition for Players who attend East Lothian Schools. This event involves a lot of our present and future Players in the East Lothian Junior Golf League. This may be the first time that some of you play under the Foursomes format! It requires a totally different mindset to that required for individual golf. Good luck to all! Thanks Kate!

Kate also advises you all have a look over the rules of Foursomes and Match Play in advance of your match… any questions let Kate know and she will try to help!

–          Foursomes (Also Known as Alternate Shot) (randa.org)

–          Match Play (randa.org)

All players should download the R&A’s rules app on to their phones if they can as you can type questions into the app and hopefully find guidance if you need it:  Rules of Golf App (randa.org)

 

County Cup 2023/24

County Cup 2023/24 – This year the County Cup for 2023/24 will again be staged over the winter months and the final must be completed before the end of March 2024, just in time for the new League season starting. The draw and amended rules have been prepared and now appear below. Please read them. Each Junior Convenor has been sent an email containing the information. NOTE – an example for calculating the strokes to be given in any match can be seen on this page after the Rules.  See recent change to Rule 14.

 

RULES FOR THE COUNTY CUP 2023/24. (AMENDED 15/11/2023)

  1. ELIGIBILITY – Golf Clubs situated in East Lothian, who have Junior Sections, and who have playing rights on courses in East Lothian, and have paid their annual subscription to the League, may play in this Team competition.  Clubs in East Lothian currently not in the League, may enter a Team by invitation, on payment of a £30 entry fee.
  2. Team Members must be under 18 years of age on the 1st of January 2023 for the purposes of this competition which will run from when the draw is published until the event is completed, which must be by 31st March 2024 at the latest.
  3. The seeded draw has been made with reference to the finishing positions in the 2023 League, so the 4 leading Teams have been given “Byes.” 
  4. A “Player” may play for any League Club where the player is a bona fide member but will be “Cup Tied” for the remainder of the event once they play for any Team.
  5. FORMAT – Each “Team” will consist of 4 players. The format is Double Aggregate Handicap Foursomes (alternate shot) so each Match will involve two Foursomes “Games.” 
  6. The two lowest handicapped Players in each Team, MUST play in the first game. If Players have identical Handicap indexes on the day of the event, the Convenor may choose who will play in the first game.
  7. VENUE – Matches are to be hosted by the Team first named in each tie, and courtesy of the Course will be given to the visiting Team. In the case of Musselburgh Toun being the host Team, their Matches can be played at either of the Musselburgh courses, at any stage of the competition. 
  8. Matches will be played as per the conditions in place at that venue e.g. fairway mats, preferred lies etc.
  9. TEES – These will be the Mens and Ladies “Medal Tees” or any Mandatory “Winter Tees” unless both Junior Convenors mutually agree that another set of Tees will be used. Convenors can agree that each Game might be played from different Tees. 
  10. If any Girl plays in a foursome, the Girl will drive off the Ladies’ medal tee when the playing order dictates. Rules Note – any “”Provisional Ball” MUST be played by the partner from the SAME tee where the original ball, which might be lost or out of bounds, was played from. 
  11. RESULT – The winning Team is decided by aggregate “holes up” over both Games. 
  12. TIES – In the event of a tie on aggregate after 18 holes, both Games must complete extra holes until a clear aggregate result is obtained. For example if in Game 1, Team A wins the 19th hole, and in Game 2, Team B wins the 19th hole, then both Games have to proceed to play the 20th hole etc etc until a winning aggregate is evident. Handicap strokes will again be given at extra holes where the stroke indices dictate.
  13. HANDICAPS – Both Games will be handicap Games in which the maximum handicap allowed for any player is 24. Players off higher handicaps may play, but they will be limited to a handicap of 24 before any calculation of handicap strokes to be received is made.
  14. CALCULATION OF HANDICAP STROKES – Foursomes. Playing Handicaps for each side in Foursomes are 50% of the combined Course Handicaps of the two players concerned. If multiple tees are in use, then an adjustment for any difference in the C.R. is required. The first step is to calculate the allowance as 50% of the combined Course Handicaps and then to apply any adjustments using the different Course Ratings depending on which tee are being used. To achieve equity any adjustment is half the combined adjustments for each side. The Playing Handicap is always rounded to an integer value. (See example below.)
  15. STROKE INDICES – Handicap strokes are to be taken at the holes indicated by the Stroke Index for Men on the card of the course unless any Game involves only Girls in which case the Ladies Stroke Index will apply. 
  16. STROKES RECEIVED – Any strokes to be received by a Girl in a mixed gender game will be taken at the appropriate holes using the Mens’ Stroke Indices. In any all Girls match, the Ladies’ Stroke Index will be used.
  17. COSTS -The costs of catering and refreshments at a match will be shared by the two Teams involved. 
  18. FINAL – The Club hosting the final will provide soft drinks and a snack for the finalists after the final but this will be paid for by the League.
  19. REFEREE – The Referee will be the League Secretary who should be contacted on any Rules issue which cannot be resolved between the Players, or any attending Convenors. The League Secretary will be in attendance at the Final to decide on any rules issues or disputes. 
  20. PRIZES – Prizes in the form of vouchers will be awarded to the Convenors of the finalists for fair distribution to the Players who have represented their Team during any stages of the Competition.
  21. RULES – The Rules of Golf as approved by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club, together with any Local Rules, will apply to the Matches.
  22. Distance measuring devices (DMD’s) which comply with the Rules of Golf are allowed in this Competition.
  23. No Caddies are allowed. 
  24. Junior Convenors, other Team Members or Reserves, Parents or Relatives or any other Club representatives, are not allowed to offer “Advice” to players in either Team during any Match. The definition of “Advice” is: – “Any counsel or suggestion that could influence a player in determining his play, the choice of a club, or the method of making a stroke.” BUT: – Information or interpretation of the Rules or on matters of Public Information, such as the position of hazards, or the flagstick on the putting green, or the shape of dog-leg hole, yardage from sprinklers, and encouragement etc IS NOT advice. In addition, Parents and Relatives are expected to keep a discreet distance from any Matches so as not to influence any Players in any way.

Dave Warren and Jack Rogan, Co-Secretaries. 21st October 2023.

Golf Sixes League – final results!

Please see the following from Katy McNicoll and Kate Green – Golf Sixes Leagues A and B results.

League A had their final day at Wee Course. Their Match day 5 results and final league placings are below.

League B had their final match at Longniddry Gullane and Musselburgh have both qualified for the regional final.

The final placings can be seen on Scottish Golf’s website here. Well done to both Gullane and to Musselburgh, and good luck to both who will be playing in the Regional at Dundas Park Sunday 17th Sept.

. The Regional Final and National final are as follows:-

Golf Sixes Regional Final      
Dundas Park Golf Club – 17th of September   
 
Golf Sixes National Final
Gleneagles – 1st of October

LEAGUE A Final Table

1st – Gullane 23 points
2nd – Glen 17.5 points
3rd – Craigielaw 15 points
4th – WLJ – 13 points
5th – East Lothian Virtual – 6 points

LEAGUE B Final Table

1st – Musselburgh 20 points
2nd – Royal Musselburgh 19 points
3rd – Haddington 15.5 points
4th – Longniddry 10 points
5th – Musselburgh Old GC 9.5 points

LEAGUE A Match day 5 results

Gullane 133
Glen 128
WLJ 127
East Lothian 126
Craigielaw 125

Nearest the pin winners
1st – Brodie (Craigielaw)
8th – Bella (East Lothian Virtual)
9th – Harry (Glen)

Champion at North Berwick!

I had the pleasure of a game with at North Berwick with the new Scottish Mens’ Amateur Champion, Cameron Adam, whose home club is at Royal Burgess. Cameron is connected to East Lothian by being involved in the Watson Cup matches v. South Carolina in 2022, when Players from both East Lothian and Edinburgh Junior Leagues combined. For the full story of Cameron’s great win in the Scottish, see Martin Dempster’s reports here and here. 

Before the game at North Berwick, Cameron was welcomed by Pro Martyn Huish, who was a Vice-Captain in the Watson Cup. Martyn, who was aware that Cameron had broken both Course records at Dornoch and Tain with rounds of 63 during the qualifying rounds for the Scottish Amateur, reminded Cameron that the course record at North Berwick was 63. OK then, that was the challenge for Cameron! 

Cameron and I, both wearing our Watson Cup kit, played against another of my guests, a USGA Rules official and scratch Player, Bryan Lewis, and NB member Kerr Docherty.  Handicap strokes had to be negotiated, and as Cameron was off +6, Bryan received 5 strokes, whilst Kerr and I each received 12 strokes. After a birdie 3 at the 1st hole, a visit to the beach on the 2nd hole brought Cameron an up-and-down par. A bogey appeared early in the round at hole 3, but with birdies at holes 5 and 9, Cameron had scored 34, 2 under par on the front 9. There was a gentle following wind for the back 9, so Cameron reached the par 5 11th with a drive and 8 iron, and then holed a chip from the edge of the green. Cameron’s drive over the hill to the 14th green led to an easy birdie but this was cancelled out by a 3 putt at the 15th on the slick downhill green. After 2 great birdies with putts from close range at the 16th and 17th, Cameron was asked how he was scoring. He said immediately that he needed an eagle 2 at the 18th to score 63 but his long iron tee shot, drilled low, ran off the back of the green. After a poor chip by his standards, Cameron holed a 20 footer for a birdie and a back 9 of 30. So his total was 64! Well done Cameron. 

Cameron has now returned to Chicago where he attends Northwestern University. We wish him luck in his future golfing exploits. Dave Warren, League Secretary.

Photos below:- Cameron on the 1st Green just before his 1st birdie.

Cameron, Bryan and Dave with Martyn.

Cameron’s scores.

Cameron, with Dave, Kerr and Bryan.

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