With a covered outdoor pavilion, Wi-Fi, and snack bar, Golf Mountain is your one-stop-shop for outdoor fun all year! M. Murray also completes his two year term as immediate Past President. Following a fine meal and fundraising raffle, the presentation of the two Junior Golfer Of The Year awards by David Reynolds was the traditional start of the presentation of the awards for the year, with the remaining trophies being handed over to the winning team representatives and individuals by the Ayrshire Golf Association President John Rushbury. Graeme Greer (Prestwick St Nicholas) is the 2016 Ayrshire Junior Champion Of Champions title winner following a closely contested final at Kilmarnock (Barassie) GC on Saturday 24th September. The winner of the 2016 Ayrshire Junior Order Of merit was Jack Broun (Ayr Belleisle GC) who stormed to the title with a points total of 685 which included first place finishes at The Ayrshire Boys Championship as well as the Ayr Belleisle, Prestwick St Cuthbert, Prestwick St Nicholas and Tom Lehman junior opens. Celebrated Ayrshire professional Bill Lockie won the Senior PGA Professional Championship at Northamptonshire County Golf Club today in dramatic fashion, holing a monstrous 75-foot putt for eagle at the 18th to snatch the title.
In August the Ayrshire Boys Championship took place at West Kilbride Golf Club and the winner of the title, in the championships 63rd year, was Craig McKenzie of Troon Welbeck GC. With limited facilities and a lack of investment from South Ayrshire Council, the future of Maybole Golf Course and Golf Club will constantly be under scrutiny as a viable facility. We often see players roll up to training camp in expensive cars and use golf carts to get around the facility campus. Neil Laird, David Hamilton, and I have been putting together a case to oppose its change of use to residential. Putting first, Ferguson’s birdie attempt from eighteen feet slipped past the hole, leaving Greer with the prospect of two putts for the championship from eight feet, which he duly secured for a one hole victory. The 50th Prestwick Links Championship concluded on Saturday evening, 28th May, with Gavin Lawrie (Prestwick St. Nicholas) taking the honours in blustery conditions over the links of Prestwick Golf Club . According to information posted by the club on social media, the news broke in the past week about the closure of the Golf Course on March 31st 2017, with no more golf allowed from that date.
Golf facilities in East Ayrshire have seen a number of changes in recent years, with the most significant to date being the transfer of the local authority run Caprington course to full management by the Caprington Community bulk wilson golf balls Club. Louise Duncan (West Kilbride) and Jack Broun (Ayr Belleisle) were awarded the Macrobert Thistle Junior Golfer Of The Year trophies for 2016, at the Annual Dinner & Presentation Of Prizes of the Ayrshire Junior Golf League held at Kilmarnock (Barassie) Golf Club on the evening of Monday 7th November. In 2nd place in the 2016 Order Of Merit was Ruben Lindsay (Ayr Belleisle GC) who collected 242.5 points, again from only four events, including a first place at the Loudoun Junior Open and runner up spots at both Largs and Turnberry. A par at the fifth was good enough for Greer to reduce the deficit to two holes and further pars over the closing holes of the opening half from Greer saw him reduce the deficit to just one hole at the turn when he won the eighth hole in that run of four holes.
Ferguson has the better of the early exchanges and raced to a three hole lead, taking successive holes from two through to four with par figures after the opening hole was halved in par. The last three holes of the day I was so hungry that my give-a-shit was giving out. The club social media release indicate that since the news broke last week the club have contacted the local authority on numerous occasions but still await reply. The club has also produced a number of fine golfers over the years, including the present Match Secretary John Sloan, who won the Ayrshire Champion Of Champions Trophy final over Royal Troon in August and local girl Pamela Feggans who followed a fine amateur career by progressing to the professional ranks as both a tour player and coach. Since its beginnings, the LPGA Tour has now grown extensively with as many as 530 LPGA Tour members and 220 active competitors.