Junior Convenor Scott Sinclair of Portlethen GC was delighted with their repeat win and the Team received the SJTC trophy from Lady Captain Liz Fitzpatrick. Names of Players L-R:- Finlay Wallace, Aidan Fulton, Ritchie Smart, Scott, William Lloyd, Murray Sinclair, and Evan Fulton.
REPORT – Together with my co-organiser, Graeme Hope of the Kilmarnock Barassie Club, we would like to thank all 96 Players in the 16 Teams who competed for the SJTC Trophy on Sunday the 29th September. We are also indebted to the Parents and Junior Convenors involved, for dedicating their time to support this event.
Our thanks are due to the Captain, Members, Volunteers and Staff at Barassie for the huge commitment they made to host this event by giving courtesy of their superbly conditioned course for the Competition, and for practice rounds, and to the Clubhouse and Professional Staff for looking after all the Players and their supporters.
Some other Teams and Areas wished to compete but sadly, some could not find 6 Players to form a Team, and some who did have 6 Players could not find volunteers to transport them. Some other postponed fixtures were moved into the same date, despite the date being taken by SJTC for more than a year in advance. There is a similar event called the Junior Home Nations Championship, which also held a competing event on the same day. The East Lothian Junior League, and several other Leagues, decline to support that “Home Nations” event on grounds of costs. The SJTC is “free to enter” and usually receives donated items as prizes. The SJTC competition is a “Qualifying Round” for Handicaps. We hope to grow the support for the SJTC so please spread news of our commitment to hold the next SJTC at Crail Craighead on Sunday the 27th September 2020. A different venue, preferably a Links course, will be sought for 2021.
Regardless, this was the best turnout in the three years of the event, From 13 Teams in 2017, with just 1 Girl involved, and 9 Teams and no Girls in 2018, we had 16 Teams and 22 Girls in 2019. This year, we also had 22 Players in the U14 Category, and 5 in the U12s. Handicaps varied from 1 to 34. Some Teams mentioned they had never heard of the event until recently, but starting 3 years ago, on an annual basis, all Areas and known Junior Leagues were sent an intimation about the event and invitations to play. Sadly, Scottish Golf declined to add the event to their Championships fixture list. There seems to be no central database where all Areas, Foundations, and Leagues can register details of their events to avoid clashes and to which SG and others involved in Junior Golf can refer.
SCORES AND PRIZES
Please see the attached list here for the scores and prizes. Prizes were awarded to the top 5 Teams, the top all-Girls team and to the best Individual scorers for both Boys and Girls. The best scratch and handicap scores by the U14s and U12s were also rewarded with prizes.
The prizes came from several sources – the R&A, the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers, the East Lothian Junior Golf League, which applied a donation of funds from an anonymous donor towards prizes for the SJTC. The prize tables were full!
In reasonable weather, the Teams set out over the Championship course measuring 6814 yards for Boys and 6042 yards for Girls. Some Boys off higher handicaps played off the Yellow tees, at 6460 yards. A CHA (Competition Handicap Allowance) was applied as this was a mixed gender event off several sets of tees.
The best 5 from 6 net Stableford scores counted and two Teams tied, Portlethen and Irvine Bogside, each with 5 scores totalling 168 Stableford points, an average of over 33 points. The rules, in the event of a tie, refer to a count-back using the 6th Player’s score. This was 29 points for Portlethen and 27 points for Irvine. This was desperately close for the Irvine Team and was a great performance by both Teams. Hosts Barassie amassed 159 points for 3rd place, West Links (North Berwick and Tantallon) and Drumpellier were in a tie for 4th and 5th places on 155 points, but West Links had the better 6th score with 28. All 5 of these Teams have won Team Prizes.
We had 3 Girls’ Teams playing, 2 from West of Scotland, and one from Dumfries and Galloway. The winners were a very strong WoS Girls A Team, who scored 162 points. Their highest handicapped Player was off 9! They were also awarded some excellent prizes for their win.
Freya Russell of WoS Girls had 34 net points and just pipped Jennifer Lynagh of Caldwell on count-back. Rachel Foster also of WoS Girls, had 34 gross points to claim the Girls scratch prize. Rachel’s round was highlighted by finishing with 4 consecutive birdies for a back 9 of 34! Grace Crawford of West Links pipped Luisa Gibson of WoS Girls on count back, each having scored 31 gross points.
The best individual net scores in the Boys were by Daryn Surgenor of Irvine, and Gregor Thomson of Craigielaw, both with 40 points. Daryn just pipped Gregor on the count-back on the last 3 holes.
John McCracken and Ross McDonald, both playing for Barassie, won the top 2 Boys Scratch Prizes with 33 and 32 points respectively.
The best U14 scores, by any Boy or Girl, were by Lewis Russell of Drumpellier with 24 gross points, and by Fergus Allan, also of Drumpellier, with 33 net points. In the U12s, Aidan Lawson of West Links won with 22 gross points and Evan Fulton of Portlethen won with 33 net points.
Any prizes which were not issued on the day, are shaded on the attached list. I will be in touch with the recipients to arrange collection, or arrange delivery by post.
Our sincere thanks are due to all involved in making the event a success, and hope that we can make this the “go to” event for Junior League, Area, or Development Teams to meet up annually at the end of each season to contest the Scottish Junior Team Championship, run in Scotland, by Scottish Volunteers.
Regards to all, David Warren 07595 301425 and Graeme Hope 07983 713815.
