East Lothian Ladies' County Golf Association

PRE-SEASON LUNCH AT GULLANE GOLF CLUB ON SATURDAY 5th MARCH

The 2016 pre-season lunch was held at Gullane Golf Club on Saturday 5th March and was a lovely start to the season. 78 members attended the lunch including many new members and by the noise at the tables everyone enjoyed getting together before the season started. The event started with a glass of prosecco and a chance for everyone to see the newly furbished Gullane Golf Club and everyone admired the new decor and feeling of space in the upstairs area. The members were welcomed by the Captain Barbara Biggart who also mentioned ELLCGA guests Janice MacLeod, Captain of Whtekirk, Beryl Morris former chair of the East Lothian McMillan Committee and Nicky Black, Captain of Gullane Ladies Golf Club.Janette Buchananan our President gave the Grace and we all enjoyed a lovely lunch.

After lunch Elaine Dick, Vice Captain gave us a potted history about Babe Zaharias, a very talented athlete and golfer from America. She was the first American winner of the British Ladies amateur championship held at Gullane in 1947. She started her athletics career playing basketball and her team reached the National Finals 3 years in a row with Babe awarded the stop amateur award of All american Player. She then developed her athletics and won 2 golds and a silver medal in the broad jump, javelin and high jump respectively. She then was introduced to golf and loved it. At that time her drives were 240-260 yards which is amazing when you think of the equipment then. She had problems with her amateur status so played many exhibition matches including trick shots with Gene Sarazen and Tommy Armour. In 1938 she married George Zaharias and with his encouragement gained back her amateur status. She came over to Gullane in 1947 after successful events in America and beat local member and Scottish Champion Jean Donald in the semi final of the British at Gullane. She then turned Professional and continued to win tournaments but sadly lost her fight with cancer age 45 years. Her husband donated money to Gullane golf Club for a junior prize to be played for by members of Gullane Primary School. In 1963 Torphin Golf Club asked her husband to donate a trophy in her memory and George donated the wonderful Babe Zaharias Trophy seen today at the lunch. This was the last trophy she won before her death. The trophy and the Ultraplast Trophy for handicap has been played for ever since and many big names have won this including Belle Robertson, Margaret Pickard (nee Nichol), Jean Bald and Jessie Valentine. The trophy moved around and then was played at Whitekirk in many different forms. Janice MacLeod approached Nicky Black to see if Gullane would take over the trophy. Gullane agreed to host the competition for 2 years and Nicky approached ELLCGA to see if we would facilitate the competition. ELLCGA committee agreed to facilitate the competition with it rotating round East Lothian Golf Clubs and the other lady captains agreed . It will revert back to a stroke play with scratch and handicap prizes. After this overview Janice MacLeod handed the trophies to Nicky Black for the tournament this year to be played on 22nd August 2016.

After this the draw for the raffle and the draw for the 100 club took place and the winners are below.

100 club winners

1st Liz McLelland 

2nd Gail McKill

3rd Jane Herd and Linda Henderson

Raffle Winners

Round of golf for 4 at Dunbar Liz McLelland

Spa Voucher for Archerfield £90 Carol McLeod

Blue Sky Pilates voucher Janice McLeod

Lesson Alistair Good Liz Dunn Butler

Lesson Martyn Huish Jean McNeil

Barbara McIntosh kindly gave a vote of thanks on behalf of the members to Gullane Golf Club and to the ELLCGA committee. I personally would like to say thank you to Gullane Golf Club and to Steven Marshall and his team for working so hard to make ELLCGA members so welcome . I would like to thank Elaine for her organisation and her speech about Babe Zaharias and to Linda Henderson and Janet Fairweather for selling tickets for the raffle so successfully. It really was a very happy day.

Below are pictures of the event

Thank you to all our lady members for supporting the event.

 

Barbara Biggart 
Captain ELLCGA

Pre Season Lunch 2016

The Annual Pre -Season Lunch was held very successfully on the 5th March 2016 at Gullane GC and a report and photos will be posted shortly.

The lunch saw the formal re-launch of the Babe Zaharias Competition as a stroke play competition With The Babe Zaharias Trophy for the best Scratch score and Ultraplast Trophy for the best handicap. Further details of the competition are now available on the website.

 

Babe Zaharias Competition 2016

EAST LOTHIAN LADIES’ COUNTY GOLF ASSOCIATION in conjunction with GULLANE LADIES’ GOLF CLUB

invite entries for

THE BABE ZAHARIAS TROPHY

(single round of stroke play with scratch and handicap prizes)

22 AUGUST 2016

GULLANE NO 1

Entry £20 (cheques payable to ELLCGA)

Liz McLelland Elmsford, Main Street, Gullane, EH31 2DR

Email – [email protected]       Phone - 01620843131

This tournament is held to perpetuate the memory of Babe Zaharias who was an exceptional US athlete and golfer, winning the British Ladies’ Amateur title at Gullane in 1947.  She then turned professional and went on to win every major title before she died of cancer in 1956 aged just 45 years.

Her husband, George, donated a solid silver bowl inscribed “Serbin Open – Miami 1955” to be competed for by "Lady Golfers in Scotland”.  Torphin Hill GC hosted this prestigious championship for many years until Whitekirk took up the mantle, raising many thousands of pounds for Macmillan Cancer Support.

This is a new era for the rose bowl with East Lothian Ladies’ County Golf Association taking guardianship of the trophy and Gullane Ladies’ GC kindly offering to host the event for the next two years – 2017 marking the 70^th anniversary of Babe winning the British Ladies at Gullane Golf Club.

Proceeds will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

PRIZES

Babe Zaharias Trophy      Ultraplast Trophy

1^st Scratch £100               1^st Handicap £75

2^nd Scratch £75                 2^nd Handicap £50

3^rd Scratch £50                 3^rd Handicap £25

Download Poster and entry form

Download Babe Zaharias competition rules

 

MATCH V GULLANE GOLF CLUB ON SUNDAY 28th FEBRUARY

ELLCGA team played a friendly match with Gullane Golf Club on Sunday 28^th February. It was a glorious sunny crisp day and all the competitors had a lovely day. Willie Biggart, Captain of Gullane Golf Club and all their team members made ELLCGA team very welcome. All the matches were played in a very competitive spirit but with a very convivial atmosphere. Afterwards the teams were given a delicious high tea and the presentation of the cup to the winners. I am delighted to say that this year ELLCGA squad managed to win back the trophy we lost last year winning 4-2. ELLCGA would like to thank Gullane Golf Club for hosting the match and making us all feel so welcome. We look forward to our match next year.

The results were as follows:-

Alastair Brown and David Hardwick beat Joanne Free and Lauren Lee

Davy Saunders and Kevin Thomson lost to Mary Lou Watkins and Keren Ward

Gavin Boyd and Stewart Maxwell lost to Liz Dunn Butler and Stacey Cameron

Willie Biggart and Richard Gibb beat Anne Henderson and Barbara Biggart

Dave Hinsley and Robin Mather lost to Hazel Saunders and Lesley Johnston

Ken Wright and Paul Anderson lost to Pam Hall and Dawn Young

 

 

AMALGAMATION

Following on the amalgamation of the SGU and the SLGA, the new board are looking at how they develop Scottish golf for the future.

There is a view that since we have merged the Ladies and Men at the top and at club level that the Counties and Areas should also be looked at.

We recently had a preliminary meeting with Lothians and Midlothian to discuss if there were more things which might be done jointly, for example a pool of qualified referees available for all to draw on.

Janette Buchanan, Elaine Dick and I then attended a meeting of all the counties and areas at Gleneagles on 31st January. We were mixed up into tables with other delegates to discuss 5 questions on what might be done. The initial thought from SGL seemed to be that the "regions" would be in the middle between the clubs and SGL. There was a lot of talk but no firm proposal for us to take back to our members at the moment.

Following the meeting SGL have amongst other matters been tasked with the following:-

1. improve the website to reflect ladies competitions as well as the men's competitions

2. develop a suite of options for consideration by the Area and County representatives in terms of structure and roles. This will include options for regional forums. This task will be carried out by the Regions and Forums Working Group that has been formed for this task

3. review the inequality in the way the Counties and Areas are funded

4. ensure good communication

Eleanor Cannon has also acknowledged that “to grow participation and build stronger clubs, the full time team should work directly with clubs. The specific engagement with regions, in whatever format they take, should focus around competitions and the playing of golf”.

We are jointly with the other East Division Captains engaging with SGL to try and obtain further information on how they see matters developing.

Once we have more concrete information and/or proposals from SGL we will provide that information to our members so that we can have a constructive conversation.

Barbara

Pre-season lunch at Gullane Golf Club on Saturday 5th March 2016 12.30pm for 1pm

Pre-season lunch at Gullane Golf Club on Saturday 5^th March 2016  - Drinks from 12.30pm for 1pm lunch.

Now we are in to January our thoughts turn to the new Season and hopefully some better weather. 

We decided to keep rotating the venue for the Pre-Season Lunch and this year it will be held at Gullane Golf Club on Saturday 5^th March 2016.  The cost of a ticket which includes a welcome drink, 2 course meal, coffee and mints is £21. 

For many of our members it will be the first time they will have attended a lunch or perhaps even visited the refurbished clubhouse. We have been offered a great menu as you will see from the attached menu. There is a choice of four main courses including a vegetarian option and four desserts this year but I would ask you to indicate your choice of main course and dessert on the order form.  

It is a great chance to meet up with fellow County players before the season has started.

We hope you will be able to come and if you wish to sit with friends please let us know on your lunch order form and we will try to accommodate everyone.

We look forward to seeing you at the lunch.

Download Pre-season Lunch order form

Menu

A. Baked Sea Bass Fillets set on Dauphinoise Potatoes Topped with a Garlic & Herb Butter

B. Beef & Wild Mushroom Stroganoff & Crisp Salad Bowl

C. Creamy Penne Pasta of Chicken, Chorizo & Sunblushed Tomatoes with Parmesan Shaving & Garlic Bread

D. Mediterranean Vegetable & Mozzarella Wellington with Roast Red Pepper Sauce, Potatoes & Vegetables

******

A. Fresh Fruit Salad

B. Lemon Tart with Berries & Chantilly Cream

C. Banoffee Pie

D. Cheese & Biscuits

 

 

 , 

ELLCGA Presentation of Honorary Membership to Clara Young

On Friday 8^th January 2016 at North Berwick Golf Club, East Lothian Ladies County Golf Association (ELLCGA) presented honorary membership to Clara Young in recognition of her winning the Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship 2015.

ELLCGA was represented by members of the present committee and past committee members, past captains, past presidents and team members who had all been involved since Clara started her golfing career. ELLCGA also welcomed the Lady Captain of North Berwick Golf Club and friends and family of Clara Young. We were also delighted that Catriona Mathew (also an honorary member of ELLCGA) took time out from her busy schedule as a Lady Professional to attend the presentation.

Mary Lou Watkins past captain of ELLCGA and a fellow team member gave a potted history of Clara’s achievements so far along with funny anecdotes of shared experiences along the way:

 

2009

• Youngest ever player to win the North Berwick Ladies Championship at the age of 12

2010

• Runner up in the Scottish Girls’ U14 (Open) Amateur Championship with a level par 70
• Scored the ladies course record at Whitekirk Golf and Country Club with a 72
• Defended her title as North Berwick Ladies Champion
• North Berwick Junior Girls Champion

2011

• Represented Great Britain and Ireland at U16 level in the Inaugural Junior Vagliano Trophy at Royal Porthcawl
• Top 5 at Scottish Girls U16 Open Stroke Play
• Youngest ever winner at 14 of the East Lothian Ladies County Championship
• East Lothian Junior League Strokeplay Champion with a 69

2012

• Winner of the Scottish Junior Champion of Champions with a 3 under par, 68 at the Dukes Course at St. Andrews

2013

• Youngest ever finalist at the Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship at Longniddry GC

• East Lothian Ladies County Champion
• Named as East Lothian Young Sportsperson of the Year

2014

• Runner up Irish Girls Stroke Play Championship

 

2015

• Scottish Ladies Amateur Champion
• Best finish of T2nd in collegiate event at 9 under par 54 hole total

Representative Honours:

• East Lothian Ladies County Golf Association at Inter County Matches 4 times
• Represented Scotland in various European and Domestic Championships:
• 5 times at U16 level
• 2 times at school level
• 8 times at U18 level
• Once at Ladies level
• GB&I once at U16 level
• Member of National Training Squad 2011-Present

 

ELLCGA Captain, Dr. Barbara Biggart commented: “Everyone present enjoyed hearing of Clara’s achievements and ELLCGA was delighted to confer this honour on Clara for a tremendous record of success to date. And also what an honour it was to have Catriona Matthew present to share in Clara’s success”

Clara had also brought the Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship Trophy, which she had won at Monifieth in 2015.

Janette Buchanan (president ELLCGA) presented Clara with honorary membership and a limited edition print of North Berwick West Links by William Grandison. It was a very happy and pleasant evening enjoyed by all.

Janette Buchanan(President ELLCGA) presenting Clara Young with her honorary membership

Dunbar Double

A probably unique event occurred in this year's New Year's Honours List. 

Congratulations go to Lynda Jeffrey the new Lady Captain at Dunbar GC picked up a BEM for services to music and charity work and her new Vice Captain, Diane Watt received a MBE for her work with the Children's Hearing System in Mid and East Lothian.

Lynda has been a member of ELLCGA for many years and a past committee member and Diane is one of our new members for 2016.

Well done ladies.

ELLCGA Match against Lanarkshire Sunday 15th November 2015

This Sunday we welcomed Lanarkshire Ladies County team to Archerfield Links to play a friendly match against members of ELLCGA Squad for the County Team.After high winds and rain on the Saturday we were very fortunate that the day was dry until the last few holes and the wind was not strong. Our visitors and team members had enjoyable matches played in good spirit and the match was a draw. We all enjoyed our warming soup and sandwiches afterwards and very grateful to Archerfield Links for giving us courtesy of the course. The results of the matches were as follows:-

Joanne Free and Lauren Lee lost to Lesley Lloyd and Alyson Hendry 3 and 2

Stacey Cameron and Keren Ward lost to Susan Wood and Susan MCGrenaghan 5 and 4 

Liz Dunn Butler and Jane herd beat Kirsten Brown and Katie Scott 6 and 5

Cynthia Guthrie and Susan Penman beat Fiona Scott and Eva O'Connor 3 and 1 

 

Thank you to everyone who took part. 

 

The full list of 2015 Prize winners

 

ELLCGA PRIZE WINNERS 2015
Spring Meeting	At Longniddry GC
Silver Scratch	Sue Penman	GLGC
3rd Handicap	Jane Herd	The Musselburgh
2nd Handicap	Carol Murray	NBGC
1st Handicap	Marie Young	NBGC
Bronze Scratch	Janette Buchanan	The Musselburgh
3rd Handicap	June Elliot	NBGC
2nd Handicap	Linda Gray	Royal Musselburgh
1st Handicap	Lesley Ross	NBGC
Commonwealth Spoons	At Kilspindie
3rd	Dorothy Thomson and Joanne Watt	GLGC
2nd	Mhairi Tufail and Lynda Jeffrey	Musselburgh Links and Dunbar
1st	Lindsay Garden and Frances Hall	GLGC
Summer Meeting	At Craigielaw
Silver Scratch	Liz Dunn-Butler	GLGC
3rd Handicap	Elaine Wolstencroft	Kilspindie
2nd Handicap	Janet Fairweather	The Musselburgh
1st Handicap	Janice Reid	NBGC
Bronze Scratch	Jeanie Cole	Gifford
3rd Handicap	Isabel Smith	NBGC
2nd Handicap	Ann Pyrkosz	GLGC
1st Handicap	Seline Stewart	The Musselburgh
Autumn Meeting - Stableford	At Winterfield
Silver
3rd	Wendy Thummanond	GLGC
2nd	Jenni Ray	NBGC
1st	Linda Henderson	Renaissaince
Bronze
3rd	Georgene Parsons	Gifford
2nd	Sue Murray	NBGC
1st	Jeanie Cole	Gifford

 

TROPHIES   2015
5-A-SIDES
DIVISION 1	Gullane Ladies GC
DIVISION 2	The Musselburgh
HOLE N HOLE
Runner-up	Gill Ellis Pow	GLGC
Winner	Susan Penman	GLGC
WINTER FOURSOMES
Runners-up	Anne Smith and Claire Miller	GLGC
Winners	Gail McKill and Mary Lou Watkins	GLGC
CONNIE LUGTON PRIZE FOR BEST SCRATCH AT SPRING MEETING
Winner (no voucher)	Sue Penman	GLGC
SCRATCH AGGREGATE ON THE THREE MEETINGS
Winner	Liz Dunn Butler	GLGC
SILVER AGGREGATE FOR BEST NET SCORE OVER THE 3 MEETINGS
Winner	Janet Fairweather	The Musselburgh
BRONZE AGGREGATE
Winner	Linda Gray	Royal Musselburgh On a countback from Seline Stewart
CHAMPIONSHIP HANDICAP QUAICH
Runner-up	Lesley Ross	NBGC
Winner	Sue Murray	NBGC
COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP
Semi-finalists	Sue Penman Jane Herd	GLGC The Musselburgh
Runner-up	Mary Lou Watkins	GLGC
Winner	Liz Dunn Butler	GLGC

 

 

JUNIOR PRIZEGIVING

 

ELLCGA PRIZE WINNERS 2015
SPRING MEETING	At Musselburgh
Scratch AND WINNER OF MARJORIE DRAPER TROPHY FOR JUNIOR CHAMPION	Charlotte Munro	GLGC
Handicap
2nd	Catherine Milne	NBGC
1st AND WINNER OF MORRISON QUAICH	Lauren Lee	The Musselburgh
SUMMER MEETING	At Gifford
Scratch	Catherine Milne	NBGC
Handicap	Ruth Kowbel
AUTUMN MEETING	At Haddington
Scratch	Joanne Free	GLGC
Handicap	Catherine Milne	NBGC
JUNIOR TROPHIES
CONNACHAN QUAICH (KNOCK-OUT)
Runner up	Shannon Young	Dunbar
Winner	Sophie Bain	The Musselburgh
JEAN DRYDEN TROPHY – TWO BEST NET SCORES
Winner (no voucher)	Catherine Milne	NBGC

 

CUTHBERTSON CUP WINNERS 2015

 

Joanne Free

Lauren Lee

Sophie Bain

Catherine Milne