July Update

July started in style with Gillian Donaghy scoring a net 67 in the July Medal. Gillian went on to win the Stableford & Vets Trophy later in month with an impressive 48 points. It was also an excellent few weeks for   Morven McLeodwho won both the Dorie Hunter Strokeplay with a net 72 and the Summer Meeting for the Walker Quaich with a net 65. Well done Gillian and Morven!

On Thursday 16 July, we welcomed a strong field to the Ladies Open. Huge thanks to everyone who volunteered on the day, offering a warm welcome to our lady visitors. Many thanks also to those who generously contributed to the raffle allowing us to raise £402.00 for SAMH. Most importantly, our heartfelt appreciation goes to Marion Munro who once again orchestrated the day with elegance and calm authority. Despite an unexpected fog delay, we went on to enjoy quite magnificent weather. The course looked spectacular thanks to Craig and his team and Leanna once again did us proud.

We had a great turnout for our Summer Greensomes, a lovely fun format that brings members together on the course. Here's to a similar turnout for our fun Australian Scramble on Wednesday 20 August. It's not too late to sign up, so please do join the list in the Ladies Locker Room.

July also saw four ladies travel to Bothwell Castle to play in the mixed Four Castles Event, an annual inter-club match between Bothwell Castle, Haggs Castle, Buchanan Castle and Ranfurly Castle. Despite rather tricky greens I am delighted to say that The Castle successfully defended their title, bringing the trophy back in an unexpected away win AND Sheila Swinnerton won the best score of the day for the winning team.

Congratulations finally to Anne Robinson and Julie Wall, winning the Ladies Prize and coming overall third in Professional Day.

We are now building up to the climax of our 2026 Golfing Season with The Ladies Championship Final to be played on Sunday 23 August. Congratulations to Allison Murray and defending champion Roisin Black on reaching the final. We all look forward to an excellent match and as ever to welcoming strong support from our Ladies Section to follow the match on the course. Details to follow in terms of exact timings, but I would anticipate a late morning or lunchtime start.

Looking forward into September, our Ladies Outing this year is to East Renfrewshire Golf Club on Tuesday 1 September. Our outing follows a tri-am format, and the entry fee is £36.00. For this, on arrival we will be served a hot roll and hot drink followed by a two course lunch after golf. We will also seek to raise funds for SAMH on the day by offering both a 'One Bunker Pass' and a  'Mulligan Shot' for £2.50 each. These can be bought for cash over breakfast. For those who are really struggling in the sand we will also offer a Course Bunker Pass for £10.00. The sign-up sheet for the day is on the Ladies Noticeboard.

On Sunday 6 September, a team of 22 Ladies from RCGC will be taking part in a Solheim Cup formatted day with Old Ranfurly and Kilmacolm Ladies Sections at the Old Course. The teams will be a mix of all three clubs. Please do let me know if you would like to be included in the day. As May Hunter, the Ladies Captain of the Old Course, said to me, 'the more the merrier!'

Finally, on Sunday 20 September we are planning an informal Ladies High Tea at the club from 17.30. Details to follow on the noticeboard but please do get it into the diary.

Here's to a sunny August and to an exciting Ladies Championship Final!

Aye,

Eleanor

07768 647916

AUGUST MEDAL - WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST 2026

RESULTS

BRONZE

WINNER.                           Mary Jane Bird.           Net 86

RUNNER UP                     Kate Scott.                    Net 88

SILVER

No entries

SATURDAY AUGUST MEDAL - SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST 2026

 RESULTS

WINNER.                 Helen Black              Net 76

RUNNER UP.           Marissa Barr.            Net 83

Summer Greensomes Stableford Wednesday 29 July 2026

Well done everyone for staying the course through pretty miserable weather on the back nine. It was a close run finish with four teams scoring 37 points. First and second could only be separated by their scores on the 16th, 17th and 18th.

Winners: Gillian Donaghy and Senga Nixon 37 points (better last three holes)

Runners Up: Eunice Muir and Karin Mackenzie 37 points

Mary Craig & Vicky Rennie and Anne Judge & Alison Coats also scored 37 points coming third and fourth respectively on countback.

Well done also today to Sheila Biggart, Alison Templeton, Jan MacNab and Morven McLeod whose foursomes tie went to the 21st hole, with Sheila and Alison victorious on the 3rd green.

Eleanor

STABLEFORD AND VETS TROPHY - WEDNESDAY 22ND JULY 2026

 RESULTS

WINNER                    Gillian Donaghy            48 pts

RUNNER UP.             Senga Nixon.                 40 pts

Winner of the Vets Trophy     Gillian Donaghy

Amazing score Gillian, well played .

Summer Greensomes

Please see below the draw for the Summer Greensomes on Wednesday.

09.30: Vivien Howe & Pat Pennel with Denise Cowan & Chris Minto

09.40: Gillian Donaghy & Senga Nixon with Eleanor Stewart & Carol Reid

09.50: Anne Robinson & Maureen Cook with Roisin Black & Eileen Walker

10.00: Anne Judge & Alison Coats with Agnes Williamson & Lilias Snodgrass

10.10: Mary Craig & Vicky Rennie with Marion Munro & Carol Barnes

10.20: Joy McLeod & Rosemary Ogilvie with Eunice Muir & Karin Mackenzie

To reserve these tee slots in advance, a Group Booking was created on the App. To view your booking, go onto the Home Page of the Scottish Golf App and scroll down to Your Bookings and you will find your pairings.

The competition is a Team competition and will be managed via manual cards. Please place £2 entry fee into an envelope in the box.

Cards with your team handicap calculation will be ready for you to pick up in the Ladies Locker Room ahead of your round. Please enter your gross scores and place your cards in the box at the end of your round.

This is a Stableford competition, played off the Green Tees. Each player must have a minimum of six drives.

So delighted to have such a full field. Enjoy this super, friendly format.

Any queries please get in touch. 

I shall be at the club early on Wednesday.

Eleanor

07768 647916

West Renfrewshire League v Ralston - 20 July 2026 (away)

 Our last West Renfrewshire League match for the season was played last night in glorious weather away against Ralston.

We were well and truly beaten 5 and a half to half but enjoyed the company and hospitality of our opponents and their challenging course.

SUMMER MEETING FOR WALKER QUAICH - WEDNESDAY 15TH JULY 2026

 RESULTS

WINNER.                  Morven McLeod.                  Net 65

RUNNER UP.            Joy McLeod                          Net 71

Ladies Open Thursday 16 July 2026

The Ladies Open Day took place today eventually after a 30 minute fog delay. The sun then broke through and it became very warm. 

I would like to thank all the ladies who helped with the raffle, check-in, starting and closing the competition. Also my thanks to those who sponsored the novelty holes and all the prizes for the raffle. The table looked fabulous. 

A wonderful amount of over £400 was raised for SAMH.

Marion Munro

Mid Season Update

It seems remarkable that we are half way through the season already!

As ever, June was a busy month for the ladies at The Castle. To kick off the month we saw 19 ladies compete for the inaugural Captains' Day Ladies Quaich on Saturday 6 June, which Anne Judge won with 37 points. I am delighted to say that all lady winners were present for the prizegiving and we had a lovely, fun evening. 

On Friday 12th we welcomed 24 Past Lady Captains to the club for lunch after16 ladies played earlier in the day in a fun 12-hole competition which Sheila Biggart won, receiving the prized Past Captains'Day Waterford Door Stop. It was a chance for all present Past Captains to thank Karen Binning for her hard work and commitment as Handicap Secretary. Karen has led the Ladies Section through inordinate change, navigating the introduction of digital scoring and we all very much appreciate her efforts. Karen steps down from the committee at the end of the year.

Congratulations to Joy McLeod who triumphed in the Hospice Cup and to Alison Murray who had the best scratch score at the Spring Meeting for Captain's Prizes, and to Mary Craig who had the best net score. My thanks to everyone who took part on the day when we were blessed with surprisingly good weather.

The McLachlan Cup was won by Anne Judge and Karin Mackenzie, and warm congratulations also go to our Treasurer Morven McLeod who won the Dorie Hunter with the best net score of 72.

June saw the communication of the changes to RCGC's tee management protocols on a Saturday and Wednesday as a result of the Saturday Pilot Review. I want to thank everyone for their input and support through the consultation process and in particular for the smooth and elegant transition to the new protocols on a Wednesday.

Competition play for the Ladies Section is always in three balls. It is not however imperative that you enter the competition on a Wednesday for you to reserve a tee time, just as it is not imperative for the men to join the competition should they reserve a tee time in their reserved slot on a championship qualifying Saturday. For clarity, your playing partners in a three ball may choose to play in the competition but if you simply wish to attest their cards that is absolutely fine as part of the new arrangement.

There will be one more Saturday in the season when ladies are restricted to playing from 11.00 on a Saturday and this will be for the final qualifying stage for the Mens' Championship on Saturday 15 August. 

The Summer Greensomes is on Wednesday 29 July and there will be a pre ballot, so please enter via the sign up sheet. This is an opportunity for us to welcome players who perhaps haven't been playing in competitions this season either because they are new to competitive golf and have established a handicap for the first time or perhaps because they are new to the club and do not know many other lady members. Please do sign up. Greensomes is a lovely format for social golf and a great way to meet fellow members.

There will also be a pre-ballot for the Australian Scramble, which is on Wednesday 19 August. A sign up sheet for this event will be posted soon and everyone is encouraged to take part in this fun format.

On the course, I am delighted to report that the toilet facility is now 'up and running!' The toilet is to be found between the 6th green and 12th tee and members are asked to only dispose of toilet paper in the facility. Massive thanks to Jim Park for his tenacious oversight of the whole project from inception to installation.

Our Ladies Outing is taking place on Tuesday 1 September when we shall be visiting East Renfrewshire Golf Club. The cost per head is £36.00 for a tea or coffee with a hot roll on arrival, a round of golf and lunch. We would appreciate ladies that this is paid by bank transfer a week before the outing so that we can settle with East Renfrewshire ahead of the day. A sign up sheet will be on the board shortly and this will include the Ladies Section Bank Details. Thank you to Anne Judge for all her hard work in arranging our day out!

The Ladies Committee met last Monday and agreed to host a Ladies Lunch on Sunday 20 September so take a note in your diaries and details will follow in due course. My thanks to our Secretary, Past Captain Agnes Williamson, for taking the lead on the arrangements.

Finally, this week, on Thursday 16 July we have our Ladies Open. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our magnificent course and for lady visitors to experience our warm hospitality. Please can I ask that you consider donating to the raffle. Past Captain Marion Munro is masterminding the day and asks that donations are left in the ladies locker room. If you are able to volunteer an hour of your time on Thursday to support the team deliver this event, please contact Marion directly. I know that she will very much appreciate your time. 

My charity of choice this year is SAMH, a charity very close to my family's heart. Kerry-Anne Hastings is my daughter's best friend and SAMH is the charity that Kerry-Anne and her brother Corey have asked that we support in memory of her parents, Jenny and Scott. All proceeds from the raffle on Thursday will go to SAMH.

Here's to a successful and gloriously sunny Open Day!

Aye,

Eleanor

Friendly match v Gourock -9 July 2026

 We had a glorious day away at Gourock last Thursday 9th July for our second Friendly Match of the season.  The views from the course were spectacular and the golf was pretty good too with Ranfurly Castle  winning three of the four games.

Well played everyone !

DORIE HUNTER STROKEPLAY - WEDNESDAY 8TH JULY 2026

 RESULTS

WINNER.                       Morven McLeod.            Net 72

RUNNER UP.                 Mary Craig.                     Net 74

Fun Australian Scramble 19 August 2026

 The entry sheet will be going up shortly for this fun team event.  

It is pre-balloted with mixed handicaps.  There is no entry fee.

Summer Greensomes Stableford Wednesday 29 July 2026

 This competition will be pre-balloted.  Please add your name to the sheet on our Notice Board.

We would  like to encourage our new members and on this occasion our Gap members to take part so if you happen to know any of these ladies please encourage as best you can.

The draw will be advised nearer the time -entry on the day is £2pp

West Renfrewshire league- Ranfurly Castle v Kilmacolm home match Tuesday 7th July 2026

 Our West Renfrewshire League match was played on Tuesday at home against Kilmacolm.

In surprisingly pleasant weather, our team played well coming in with a 4/2 win.  

There is one more match left for this season , away against Ralston which has been rearranged for 

Monday 20th July.

JULY MEDAL - WEDNESDAY 1ST JULY 2026

 RESULTS

SILVER

WINNER.                              Allison Murray.          Net 76

RUNNER UP.                        Vivien Howe.             Net 77

BRONZE

WINNER                                Gillian Donaghy.        Net 67

RUNNER UP                         Kate Scott.                 Net 70

Ladies Open Thursday 16 July 2026/ updated

Ladies your help with Raffle Prizes  for our Open Day would be much appreciated 

There is a box in our Locker Room for  donations of bottles, plants and chocolates.

3 holes are normally sponsored, (nearest the pin/longest drive) 1 has been secured , vouchers best, value £20 -can you help? fingers crossed 😊

Finally, if  anyone could spare an hour on the day to help please contact Marion Munro on 07773 713486 or email mvamunro@gmail.com 

McLACHLAN CUP - WEDNESDAY 24TH JUNE 2026

 RESULTS

WINNERS           Anne Judge & Karin Mackenzie                       41 pts

Runners Up.        Anne Robinson & Sheila Swinnerton.              34 pts   

Wednesday & Saturday Tee Management Pilot

Over the past six months and particularly over the first two months of the playing season, Match & Handicap (M&H) has been monitoring the impact of opening the Tee Sheet to Lady Members on a Saturday morning before 11.00. As part of this Tee Management Pilot, M&H has also been assessing the demand and availability of tee times to Men on a Wednesday morning.

The results of the Pilot were assessed by the Board on Wednesday 17 June and their decisions shared with, and endorsed by, the Ladies Committee on Monday 22 June. The results showed that there has been ample availability of tee times for Women and Men across each of these two days of the week. The key issue is the popularity of tee slots between 08.00 and 10.00 on these days and so, to meet the needs of all concerned, the following decisions have been taken:

Wednesdays, from 8 July 2026:

1. The Tee Sheet shall be reserved for Ladies from 09.30-11.00 each Wednesday.

2. The Tee Sheet on a Wednesday shall be three balls only until 10.30. From 10.30-11.00, to allow for Ladies not wanting to play in a competition, we shall open the Tee Sheet to four balls.

3. Any member wishing to book a tee time before 09.30 or after 11.00 on a Wednesday, including Ladies wishing to play earlier or later in the day, will be able to do so on the Open Tee Sheet.

4. Any of the reserved tee times on a Wednesday that are not booked will be released onto the Open Tee Sheet at 09.00 on the preceding Monday.

Saturdays, from 4 July 2026:

1. Pilot conditions on a Saturday will be made permanent from 4 July 2026 except for:

• Men's Championship Qualifiers when the Tee Sheet will be restricted, with Ladies able to book a tee time from 11.00. There is one remaining Men's Qualifier this season on Saturday 4 July. 

• The Men's Christmas Cracker. This is a Shotgun start so the Tee Sheet will be closed to other members for the duration of the competition.

2. Ladies Championship Qualifying Saturday Medals will be held on the same day as the Gents' Qualifiers next year and the tee will be reserved for Ladies playing in the Qualifiers from 12.00-13.00. The Tee Sheet will be reviewed on the preceding Thursday at 09.00 and any unallocated tee times from this reserved hour slot will be released onto the Open Tee Sheet.

In Summary:

On a Wednesday, if you wish to play before 09.30 or after 11.00, you will be able to do so but the tee sheet will not be reserved. Please note that the tee sheet opens at 07.00 on the preceding Wednesdays and Saturdays for tee bookings.

If you wish to play in the reserved tee slot, then your booking must be made before 09.00 on the preceding Monday when the unallocated tee times will be released to other members.

There will be five Saturdays in the year when Ladies playing rights will be restricted to after 11.00. Ladies wishing to play in any of the four Saturday Championship Qualifiers, which will fall on the same day as the Men's Championship Qualifiers, will have the opportunity to book within an hour's Reserved Tee Slot from 12.00-13.00. The reserved tee times will be available until 09.00 on the preceding Thursday when the any unallocated tee times will be released to other members.

In Closing:

I appreciate that this new arrangement will take time to get used to and that each of us will need help and support in adjusting to the new protocols. By looking out for our friends, reminding each other to book our tee time in good time each week, we will quickly adapt and continue to thrive.

In setting out to represent you through this Pilot Review, as your Lady Captain, I was determined to serve both our community of Wednesday golfers and our hopefully growing group of Lady Members on a Saturday. My hope is that you find this new arrangement a gentle and enabling compromise.

If you have any questions, or would like to talk through the new arrangements, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours aye,

Eleanor Stewart

07768 647916

                     

SPRING MEETING (CAPTAIN'S PRIZES ) - WEDNESDAY 17TH JUNE 2026

 Good morning ladies, disappointed I couldn't make it yesterday . I have heard it was a fabulous day !

RESULTS

BEST SCRATCH.                 Allison Murray.          86

BEST NET.                           Mary Craig.         Net.  74

2ND NET                              Eunice Muir.        Net 75 (BIH)

3RD NET                              Sheila Biggart.    Net 75

Well played all 🏌