Scottish club lands top award for developing junior golfers

A Scottish golf club has been named as Junior Golf Club of the Year by the Golf Foundation, which is doing some great things in the game in the UK with Nick Dougherty as its president.

Royal Dornoch picked up the Charles Harrison Award, which is named in honour of the organisation’s former chairman, who passed away two years ago, at the President’s Awards at Wentworth Club.

Each year, Royal Dornoch runs 75 golf sessions in all of the local primary and secondary schools, delivered by trainee PGA professional coaches from the nearby University of Highlands and Islands.

Every child is then invited to take part in competitions and coaching sessions back at the club. 100 juniors take part weekly and it is estimated that over 50 per cent of the primary age children in the area are actively involved at the golf club.

“Royal Dornoch are a worthy winner,” said Brendon Pyle, CEO of the Golf Foundation. “Charles would have been proud to see everything he held so dearly in action at a wonderful club. We are delighted to celebrate the fantastic impact they have had, and hope to help them continue to grow over the years to come.”

Ally McNaughton, the PGA coach at Royal Dornoch, said: “We’re so proud. Across the club, the support for the junior section has been huge, and we’ve seen a real impact. Reaching out to local schools and working with them has been key to our success, and we hope to continue to make an impact as we keep going. Thanks to the Golf Foundation and to Nick Dougherty for this recognition – hopefully it can help inspire others.”

In a further boost, Royal Dornoch were also crowned as Scottish Golf’s GolfSixes League champions for 2024 after winning the national final at Swanston.

Whitecraigs win is ‘awesome achievement’

A win for Whitecraigs in the Scottish Final of the Junior Team Golf Home Nations Inter-Club Championship has been hailed as an “amazing achievement”.

The Glasgow club’s title triumph came in a keenly-contested event at Stirling where they pipped 2021 winners Drumpellier, with Airdrie finishing in third place.

“Awesome achievement boys, so proud of you all,” wrote David Orr, the PGA professional at Whitecraigs, in a post on social media.

Whitecraigs now go forward to next year’s National Final against the champions from England, Ireland and Wales.

They will be bidding to go one better than Turnhouse after the Capital club finished second behind Irish representatives Forrest Littre at Nefyn in Wales this year.

Dominic’s delight in Scottish Alliance Championship

Peterhead pro Philip McLean fell agonisingly short in his bid to become the first player to land back-to-back wins in the Scottish Alliance Championship in nearly 40 years.

McLean, who landed the title at Moray last year, lost in a play-off to Panmure’s Dominic Bradburn this time around at Mortonhall in Edinburgh.

The Renaissance Club’s Neil Henderson led after an opening 68, with McLean and Bradburn sitting three and seven shots behind respectively at the halfway stage.

As Henderson then added a 72 for a 140 total, Bradburn shot up the leaderboard with a brilliant 64, tying with McLean on 139 after he signed for a second-day 68.

It took four extra holes for the duo to be separated, with Bradburn eventually coming on top as he holed a birdie putt on the 18th green.

Stephen McAllister, who achieved the feat, in 1987 and 1988, is the last player to get his hands on The Scotsman Challenge Trophy two years in a row.

Bathgate’s David Thomson picked up the Clydesdale Bank Quaich for leading amateur for a second time with a scratch total of 145, two shots better than East Alliance secretary and Auchterarder member Alan Greenshields.

The Caldwell Trophy for top senior went to Pitlochry’s Willie Hutton with a 150 total while the Edinburgh & East Alliance won the Mountbatten Cup for leading district with an aggregate of 874.

Jack’s the Mann on home turf

Jack Mann made home advantage count at Fortrose & Rosemarkie in the final Junior Tour Scotland of the season.

After opening with rounds of 74-71 at the stunning Highlands venue, Mann trailed Swiss entrant Martin Shone (70-70) by five shots heading into the final round.

But, after signing off with a 66 while Shone could only manage a 78, the host club player came out on top in the end by a commanding seven shots, with Nairn’s Scott Brown (75-71-74) two further back in third spot.

In the girls’ event, Elliott Summer (Inverness) carded rounds of 74-75-73 to win by two shots from Stirling’s Erin Huskie (78-75-71).

Order of Merit winners were: Boys’ Under 14 - Thomas Kelly (Stirling); Boys’ Under 16 - Nathan Tait (Aberdour); Boys’ Under 18 - Connor Wills (Prestwick St Nicholas); Boys’ Under 21 - Christopher Clark (Bearsden); Girls’ Under 23 - Abigail McCafferty (Kirkhill); Girls’ Under 18 scratch - Zoe Davidson (Alyth); Girls’ Under 18 net - Heather Strathdee (Carnoustie).

Moore back sitting at top of table

Fraser Moore is back out in front in the season-long standings after sharing top spot in a new one-day shoot-out on the Golfbreaks Get Back to Golf Tour.

The Mizuno man and Easter Moffat’s Stephen Gray were the joint-winners at Kilmarnock (Barassie) with four-under-par 68s.

The result moved Moore 22 points ahead of Duddingston-based John Gallagher in the Golf Finance Ltd Order of Merit.

The latest event came hot on the heels of Alyth’s Ethan Hurst winning the 12th tournament of the campaign at Hayston with a three-under-par 67.

The final regular event is now underway on the Lansdowne Course at Blairgowrie, after which the top six pros and amateurs on the points table will qualify for the Grand Final at Dumbarnie Links on 20 October.

Sustainability boost for Royal Burgess

The Royal Burgess Golfing Society has been awarded the prestigious GEO Certified® distinction, recognising its leadership in sustainability within the world of golf.

The certification, awarded during Scotland’s Climate Week, highlights the Edinburgh club's dedication to reducing environmental impact, conserving natural resources, and supporting the local community.

Course manager Chris Yeaman said: “We are incredibly proud to receive GEO Certified® status, especially during Scotland’s Climate Week.

“This recognition reinforces our goal to provide an outstanding golfing experience and actively adding value through our landscape stewardship and social connections, while striving to drive down resource consumption.

“Sustainability is at the heart of what we do, and this certification is a major testament to our ongoing progress.”

Red-hot scoring in Race to Dunbar evebt

Some incredible scoring was produced in the Stephen Gallacher Foundation’s season-ending Race to Dunbar event.

Involving 45 qualifiers through the Order of Merits run over the summer, the players enjoyed a course that head greenkeeper Andrew Little and his staff had in fantastic condition.

Conditions were also perfect as Duddingston’s Daniel West secured the handicap honours with a net 60 while Dominic McGlinchey (The Renaissance Club) landed the scratch spoils with an eight-under-par 63.

To put ever-improving McGlinchey’s performance into perspective, he finished seven shots clear of host club player Kiron Gribble, Craigielaw’s Fraser Walters, Alexander Yuill (Gullane) and Jodie Graham of Royal Troon.

McLaren raises money for ‘charity close to heart’

Edinburgh professional Stuart McLaren raised just under £200 for St Columba’s Hospice Care in Edinburgh through playing on the Tartan Pro Tour.

After seeing both his grandfather and mother spend their final days there, McLaren decided to donatie £2 for every birdie and £5 for every eagle on the Scottish-based circuit.

“It has been a privilege representing St Columba's Hospice Care this year whilst competing on tour and, although I would have liked a few more putts to drop, every one that did drop meant we were helping a charity that is close to my heart,” he said.

“My schedule changed a little throughout the season due to other event commitments, which meant I missed two Tartan Pro Tour events as well as my last event getting cut short to one round.

“However, in the events I played I managed to make 92 birdies and three eagles, so the final amount I have donated is £199.”

Brown hails Dunhill win as ‘best golf of my life’

Kilspindie member Cameron Brown took pride of place in this year’s Alfred Dunhill Schools’ Golf Challenge Fairmont St Andrews.

The 15-year-old, who is a pupil at Ross High School in Tranent, won the overall scratch spoils with a two-over-par 73 on the Torrance Course.

“I’m really chuffed to have won this event, having played the best golf of my life,” said the five-handicapper, who received his trophy during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship from 11-time world surfing champion Kelly Slater.

A total of 200 aspiring golfers representing schools from Fife, Tayside and other regions of Scotland signed up for this year’s competitions which Alfred Dunhill has proudly supported for more than 20 years.

Gleneagles set to stage some foursomes fun in 2025

An exciting new event is being launched at Gleneagles next year.

The Gleneagles Foursomes will be held at the Perthshire venue in May, when pairings will do battle in a knock-out event on the King’s and Queen’s Courses.

Andrew Jowett, director of golf at Gleneagles, said: “Foursomes is one of the classic competitive golf challenges loved by club golfers the world-over and we are confident this new addition to Gleneagles’ sporting calendar will be an in-demand event for those relishing the challenge of our two James Braid-designed heathland courses.”

The new event is expected to attract 64 pairings, with entry open to both male and female amateurs (12.4 World Handicap System handicap or below) and professionals (men +1, women scratch).

New base for University of St Andrews golfers

Rusacks St Andrews is the new unofficial clubhouse for the University of St Andrews Golf Club.

The boost has been handed to Saints Golf through a partnership stuck by the University of St Andrews and the owners of the iconic hotel, Marine & Lawn Hotels and Resorts.

Ian Muir, the director of golf at the University of St Andrews, said: “This collaboration is a harmonious blend of tradition and modernity, reflecting the deep-rooted heritage of St Andrews while embracing the forward-thinking vision that drives our golf team. Together, I look forward to championing excellence at the home of golf.”

West duo land Stephen Gallacher Foundation OOM titles

Pollok’s Rosie Maguire and Ethan Lang from Elderslie completed a west coast double in a new Stephen Gallacher Foundation Order of Merit.

It was based on six World Amateur Golf Ranking events run by the Junior Ryder Cup captain’s foundation this season.

Maguire topped the girls’ points table ahead of St Regulus duo Abigail May and Carly McDonald while Lang was the boys’ winner after finishing ahead of Fraser Walters (Craigielaw) and Oli Blackadder (Deeside).

The last of the counting events was the St Leonards School-sponsored SGF Fairmont St Andrews.

It saw St Leonards pupil Julian Geerebaert card rounds of 72-69-67 for an impressive eight-under total and a four-shot win over Lang in the boys’ section.

The girls’ title, meanwhile, went to Sunningdale’s Mia Ingham, who shot rounds of 76-73-69 to finish seven shots ahead of second-placed May.