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.