Well done Sarah

Congratulations go to Sarah Eckford won the Ladies open at Barassie on Monday with 36 pts and dropped her handicap 0.6 to 8.9.

Winter Greensome Final

Congratulations to Marion Munro and Jean Irvine who won the Winter Greensome final today and commiserations to Shona Gray and Eunice Muir who were defending the title.

Extra Medal

Played 29/4/09 27 Entries
SSS 73 CSS 73
Silver Winner Sarah Eckford (9) 74 bih
Runner Up Helen Craig (15) 74
Bronze Winner Helen Abram (23) 75
Runner Up Anne Nicoll (24) 78
Scratch Winner Sarah Eckford 83

Ranfurly Castle Ladies Success at Islay Open

Congratulations to the 6 Ranfurly Castle Ladies who had success in the Islay Open on Saturday 25th April 2009.

Anne Robinson 1st Scratch
Sarah Eckford 2nd Scratch
Anne Judge 4th Scratch
Evy Macgregor 2nd Handicap

Shona Gray and Eunice Muir also won Handicap prizes.
Well done girls!

Peugeot LGU Coronation Foursomes 2009

19 couples played today in this Foursomes stableford competition. Congratulations to the winning pair with 38 points, Morag Thomson and Linda McDougall. In second place with 37 points, Sheila Gray and Helen Abram. A full list of scores will be entered in the results book. Morag and Linda will be eligible to compete in the area finals.

Friendly 9 holes Foursomes Monday 18 May 2009

A notice has already gone up in the locker room, please encourage as many members as possible to take part. We tee off from both the 1st and the 13th playing 9 holes with a pre-balloted partner between 9am and 9.45am. This is followed by lunch and presentation of prizes. All monies raised will go to charity.
So, if you are free on the 18th, and want a fun few holes early on in our golfing season , please pop your name on the notice.(remember the notice does get taken down approximately 10days before in order to do the draw)
Reserves very welcome.
Agnes

2009 Greenlees Trophy

The Greenlees Matches start this week and to keep up to date with all the fixtures and results go to the West of Scotland Website
Our Fixtures:
May 26th: Ranfurly Castle v West Kilbride (H)
June 5th: Prestwick St Nicholas v Ranfurly Castle (A)
June 26th: Kilmacolm v Ranfurly Castle (A)
July 6th: Milngavie v Ranfurly Castle (A)
July 24th: Ranfurly Castle v Hilton Park (H)
July 29th: Ranfurly Castle v Cathkin Braes (H)
Aug 4th: Kilmarnock Barassie v Ranfurly Castle(A)
Aug 25th: Ranfurly Castle v Troon (H)

Natasha reaches the quarter finals of the Renfrewshire County Championship

Clare - Marie Carlton and Natasha

Natasha won her 1st round Renfrewshire County Championship tie against Whitecraigs Ladies Champion Linda Stevenson. She then played Clare - Marie Carlton (Fereneze) the 2003 County Champion and played well but was beaten.
To see all of todays results go to Renfrewshire County Website

April Junior Coaching 16 April Plus

Andrew our Assistant Professional gave instruction today to Alex, Beth, Gwen, Karen and April. A cold morning yes, and although the girl's hands looked frozen, they worked their way steadily through a large number of practice balls.
I plan to be at the club on the following Sunday evenings , 6.30pm for 6 holes: 19th April, 3rd May, 31st May and 14th June. Whilst this is aimed at the Juniors, any lady member able to come along will be made very welcome.

Renfrewshire County Championship

Natasha Qayum played in the Renfrewshire County Championship today at Whitecraigs Golf Club and has qualified for the matchplay stages which begin tomorrow

Marie Curie Stableford

Played Wed 15 April 2009
CSS - 75, 27 Entries

Silver Winner: Nancy MacGadie (11) 36pts
Runner-Up: Evy MacGregor (13) 34pts
Bronze Winner: Morag Cunningham (26) 39pts
Runner-Up: Alexandra Qayum (36) 30pts (bih)

Carol was on Radio Scotland !!

Carol Fell was interviewed by John Beattie at the Wets Vets Spring Meeting at Sandyhills Golf Club. Along with Scottish Golf Development Manager Andy Salmon of the SGU they were asked questions about Centralised Handicapping, the Counties Centenary Year, Womens Golf and the Scottish Golf Awareness week which is on this week (13th - 20th April 2009).
The interview was on BBC Radio Scotland on the 11th April ---
Please let it be noted that I did not set up the Centralised Handicapping System --- I was only a part of a technical group looking at it. Andy Salmon of the SGU is the main person involved

As part of the Golf Awareness Week campaign, the Scottish Golf Union has compiled a list of eighteen compelling reasons why you should join a golf club.

Go to the SGU Website to read more

Helen and Morag do well at the West Vets Spring Meeting

Congratulations go to Helen Crichton and Morag Thomson who were 1st and 2nd in the bronze division at the West Vets Spring Meeting at Sandyhills Golf Club yesterday
To read all about it go to the West Vets Website

Easter Junior Coaching April 2009

Andrew is organising coaching on the 6th, 15th and 16th April(16th is proving the most popular with the girls) -- 08.45am till 12.30, covering the full swing with drills and demonstrations at the practice area at the 17th car park area. This will be followed by short game instruction at the short game area near to the car park at the 4th tee.
The cost of £20 includes instruction and a choc bar and juice.
Those taking part need to register in the clubhouse lounge and make their own way to the practice area.
Please encourage any junior member you may know or for that matter anyone with a youngster interested in the game of golf. Please contact Andrew via the Pro shop or Click Here to email him

April Medal -- There is one Star player today

This is not an April Fool's Day Joke --- the Medal was won with a net 65 !!!
Click on the daffodils above at the 16th and see who was the star of the day with a wonderful round in the first medal for 2009 ------ You will recognise her !!

She was out in 42 and then back in 34(3,5,4,3,2,5,4,4,4) --- Pretty good for very sandy greens !!

WELL DONE MARY -- BRILLIANT SCORE --- KEEP IT UP

Played Sun 29 Mar 2009 [CSS 76 RO] and Wed 1 Apr 2009 [CSS 75], 34 Entries

Silver Winner: Mary Craig (11) 65
Runner Up: Anne Judge (7) 77
Bronze Winner: Agnes Williamson (21) 70
Runner Up: Karin MacKenzie (28) 77
Best Scratch: Mary Craig 76

The Wee Art Show

“The Wee Art Show” is an innovative art sale which will take place on 24-26th April 2009 at Wilson Davis Fine Art, Quarriers Village, Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire.
The show will be an exciting mix of anonymous postcard art from many talented professional and amateur artists and celebrities and contemporary art.
To read all about it go to The Wee Art Show Website

Also here is a Flyer that you can print out.

You will know & love many of the artists who have contributed.!! The website has all details & a lot of sample paintings that enlarge if you click on them.
We are selling tickets for the opening night for £10 each [with amazing prize for lucky ticket!]. They are going like hot cakes so let me know very soon if you want one.
Otherwise please come along during the weekend for a leisurely ‘browse & buy’!!

There is a New restaurant just opened 100 yards from gallery, serving coffees, brunches, pm tea, & Bistro dinners . Cail Briuch 01505 610956
Also, just beyond the restaurant, a lovely place for dog walking over Gryffe river, with history of Quarriers along the pathway! That’s the plug for Quarriers over!!

Thanks go to Lois Brown for all the details of the event

Ranfurly Castle win Junior Club of the Year Award

Ranfurly Castle were crowned the winners of the Junior Club of the Year Award announced at last Friday’s Scottish Golf Dinner in Glasgow after a tight title race with five other short listed clubs.

Launched last year the award is designed to reward clubs for their efforts in promoting junior golf and encouraging more juniors into the game. Alford Golf Club claimed the inaugural title setting a high benchmark for this year’s hopefuls.

Ranfurly Castle proved they were the cream of the crop from a starting field of 29 clubs from across Scotland, finally whittled down to a short list of six clubs. Representatives from Powfoot, Duns, Kirkintilloch, Palacerigg and Stranraer golf clubs were among the audience as the announcement was made at the dinner - held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel - and as runners-up received £300 to help continue their fantastic work developing their junior golf programmes.

The Renfrewshire club was rewarded with a cheque for £1,000 from the Scottish Golf Union and clubgolf, the national junior golf programme, to be invested in their junior programme. The winner’s prize also includes two spots in a European Tour pro-am, playing alongside a leading professional golfer.

The club’s pro-active approach was highlighted through their efforts to increase accessibility for juniors coming into the game. A £25,000 Lottery grant was invested in improvements to their 9 hole Clevans course, and as part of the project the club made that facility available to the local community, earning accolades from Renfrewshire District Council and local MSPs and MPs.

Renfrewshire remains the only authority in Scotland that is not rolling out the introductory game “firstclubgolf” in schools, however Ranfurly Castle has embraced the clubgolf programme by putting no fewer than 11 volunteers through the Stage 1 coaching course. That has allowed the club to open up golf coaching to non-members, and positions them well to link to local primary schools should they join up with the national junior golf programme in the future.

For existing junior club members it was recognised that there were insufficient competitions and, as part of an overall strategy of integrating them in the club to give juniors a greater sense of belonging, those with single figure handicaps were allowed to play in the vast majority of senior men’s competitions.

The reward for encouraging that increased competitiveness came when, after a 14 year absence, the club beat the previous year’s winners Greenock in the final of The Junior Newton Shield, the area team championship for the Renfrewshire Golf Union. Of a total of 31 junior boys selected for the Renfrewshire Golf Union coaching squads, six are from Ranfurly Castle, while it also provided five of the nine Renfrewshire junior golfers selected for the SGU Coaching Academy.

clubgolf Project Manager Torquil McInroy said, “Ranfurly Golf Club demonstrated real drive, as well as their ability and desire to promote golf to youngsters in their community.

“They are a great example to other clubs and this award is recognition of the hard work carried out by their volunteers. In establishing the infrastructure which will underpin their continued success in the years ahead, they worked as a team to show what can be achieved.”

McInroy who was on the judging panel added, “The response to the awards in its second year was again very encouraging and I would like to thank all of those who entered this year. Those who were short listed demonstrated just a sample of some of the great work which is being undertaken by clubs across the country. That work is vital for the health and future of the game and long may it continue.”

Ranfurly Castle’s Junior Convenor Michael McCabe and Club Captain Douglas Martin, who received the cheque for £1,000 to contribute to their junior programmes said after the presentation, “We are absolutely delighted to win this award which is great recognition of our activity here and will enable us to continue to deliver great coaching and improved facilities and boost participation numbers among juniors in the game.”

The Ladies Section congratulate Michael McCabe and their team on this marvellous award