ROUTE 36

Route 36 arrives at Strathmore. This was something Kathryn told me about which was huge in America. I watched the video she sent that featured Rory McIlroy explaining the concept and he admitted that both him and his father agreed that his children would follow this, as it made so much sense. Start with the short game then work back. You begin by playing 9 holes from 25yds and completing this in 36 holes or less. Once completed you move to 50yds then 75yds and finally the full tees. After agreeing this with the Centre and head green keeper Ben Anderson, Dawn and I marked out the course. We decided to use the old tee system so 25yds are Red, 50yds are Yellow and 75yds are White. We intend introducing this on Thursday to our third session of new member coaching to see what happens. I believe this could be something very special. 

HAMISH MCTAVISH CUP

Great turnout for our first Trophy of the season with 9 juniors playing. Louis Purdie had a fantastic gross 82 nett 68 and will reach his first goal of being a single figure player very soon. Archie Puttullo finished 2nd beating Jessica Sievwright into 3rd place with a better back 9. Keegan Fergusson was only a couple of shots back in 4th. 

Great to see these youngsters making so much progress and witnessing their camaraderie and friendships grow. Jessica has joined us for the last two weeks and her confidence has grown immensely. Her ball striking is so pure. On the 7th she was on the back of the green in 2. 

ANOTHER JUNIOR STEPS UP TODAY

Jessica Sievwright who has been attending P&K girls coaching during the winter and practicing  joined us on the course today and what potential. She hit 4 shots to the side of the first green but unfortunately 3 putted. She then hit a huge drive down the second and followed it up with a decent second shot, her chip onto the green was followed by 4 putts and Dawn and I both thought oh no, what a shame, such a good long game but no short game. But oh how she proved us wrong. She had a 5 on three and a great up and down from the bunker on the fifth. A par on six. Unbelievably she was neatly pin high on nine in 2 which is a par 5. She chipped to five foot and just missed her birdie putt. Out in 53 was acceptable but then everything changed. A back nine of 45 was a joy to watch and could have been better. A five on 10 should have been a four with a short putt missed. A six on 12 was excellent, but that was surpassed by a fantastic birdie on 14, her first on Rannaleroch. She followed that up with a great par on 15 where she blocked her tee shot behind the trees but played the sensible shot short of the green and got up and down. Her putting stats were superb. A poor start was followed by by some great putting resulting in a front nine of 21 putts but that was surpassed by an amazing 16 on the back nine. Most people would settle for 37 putts a round but someone playing off a handicap of 27.9 should be so proud of this achievement. With 41 points she won today from Keegan who followed up his success of last week with 38 points. Archie Pattullo was disappointed with his back nine after shooting 37 on the front nine, and so proud of Cammy Galloway who called a penalty shot on himself when incorrectly marking a ball. 

Conan Reid finished 2nd in the Gents White handicap Medal.

At the Helen Holm past juniors Katy Alexander and Megan Ashley are tied 13th and 18th respectively. 

HELEN HOLM SCOTTISH WOMENS OPEN

Great to see two past Strathmore junior girls in the top 20 at the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open. Katy Alexander lies tied 11th with Megan Ashley one shot behind tied 16th. 

NEW MEMBERS AND BEGINNERS COACHING

First night of New members and beginners coaching took place tonight. First to arrive was Jake Taylor, then brothers Wyatt and Oliver Fleming then Mia Baxter who missed the whole of last season through injury. We set up chipping lanes and used them to practice distance control for 10, 20 and 30 yards. We also concentrated on putting with 3 tasks, short putts, long putts and the obstacle challenge which combined both skills. In the second group we had Daniel Alexander, Hugo Lynch, Ollie McLaren and Will McLaren. All youngsters listened to Dawn and myself and quickly improved. We were very impressed by them all and have no doubt we may have unearthed some more future stars. 

Ollie was presented with his 1st and 2nd Certificates tonight and I’m sure more will follow. 

Archie Loudon “on tour” played Kingussie today in the Faldo Futures and qualified again, finishing 2nd again, with a round of 48 with the winner scoring 44. He decided to play the course again and went round twice in 42. His attitude and commitment is exemplary and I believe that he has the game and potential to progress as far as he wants. 

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

Christopher King becomes new member number 13 for 2025. Whilst writing this Logan Symon has just become number 14 !!! 

First Bell Salver league game arranged ✔️

GolfSixes teams and reserves all done ✔️ 

GolfNines - first event played another 3 to go ✔️

FALDO FUTURES

Brechin hosted the Faldo Futures today with Willow Rae winning the girls 7-8 age group and qualifying for the regional final. 

FIRST GOLFNINES OUTING

Keegan Fergusson and Keir Reid represented Strathmore at Crieff today in the first GolfNines event of 2025. They should have been joined by Saoirse and Seamus Sangerman but unfortunately Saoirse was unwell and had to pull out. 

The pairing gelled well and were just pipped for first place by a best back three with 3 teams tied on 36. 

Wonderful experience for these players who have progressed through the Strathmore pathway. 

JUNIOR SUMMER LEAGUE

Some fantastic scoring today. Keegan Fergusson with his new irons scored 42 points just pipping Louis Purdie who had 41. Archie Pattullo had 36, Saoirse Sangerman 35, Keir Reid 34 and Cameron Galloway had 29. 

Cameron upgraded his hire set and was hitting them a lot further, his set was then passed onto Seamus Sangerman who had outgrown his set. Broden Sidley swapped his wedges for another set and went straight out to try them on the course. 

I was very impressed by Saoirse today, whose ball striking has improved so much. Her score of 35 points could have been so much more. Dawn and I are going to take her out to give her some pointers to improve. Keir who was playing along side us today couldn’t believe the distances she was hitting her irons. 

I said I expected huge improvements and every week these players are confirming that. 

GOLFSIXES GEAR ARRIVES

ANOTHER BUSY DAY AS JUNIOR CONVENOR

First message 6.35am, first phone call 8.14am then it’s full on all day. 2nd Flag qualifier and Leighton Thomas had his best round ever. His 36th shot landed 5ft from the pin on the 9th green. His confidence must have been up as he asked his granny to video the putt which he holed for his first birdie. His 37 led to a big fun handicap cut of 8 shots to 29. Hunter McQueen finished 2nd with his final shot off the 7th green. Keiran Thomas just pipped Willow Rae as they both finished on the 6th green, his best and her first time playing the Flag. Willow had a 6 on the first and secured her first Certificate with a 5 on the ninth. 

Ollie McLaren achieved his 1st, 2nd Certificates and Fun Handicap of 16 with his first card, including a birdie 2 on the fifth, which he handed in a couple of days ago, and I look forward to seeing his progress. I received a call from a potential sponsor and we had a great conversation relating to all aspects of junior golf in P&K and what he’d heard about Strathmore Juniors specifically. He was very impressed and said he would get back to me. Met Jim Hampton on the course today and he had handed in a pair of junior golf shoes to add to our Swap Scheme, these donations are so appreciated. 

FALDO FUTURES

Archie Loudon’s season just got even better. At Murrayshall today he qualified 2nd for the Regional Final.  Leighton Thomas for the 2nd year running just missed out by 1 shot from joining him. James Thom and Keiran Thomas also played but unfortunately also missed out. 

At the P&K Ladies event at Alyth GC Jessica Sievwright and past member Tarah Simpson both took part and played well. 

Our best wishes go to past Captain Kirsten Miller, currently studying and on a Golf Scholarship at Mount Mercy University, who today had surgery to a torn labrum in her hip. We wish her a full and speedy recovery. 

HANDICAP CUTS

Player and starting handicap                       30/03                        05/04               Improvement 

Archie Loudon 34.7.                                    31.6.                          25.9                      8.8

Archie Puttullo 9.4                                        8.6                             8.5                       0.9

Keir Reid 21.8                                             21.8                            21.0                      0.8

Stuart Duncan 7.0                                                                            6.4.                     0.6 

Louis Purdie 14.1                                                                            13.9                     0.2

Conan Reid 5.1                                                                                 5.0                      0.1

First week of the season and great to see the handicaps coming down. Archie Loudon improving by nearly 9 shots in a week is fantastic and well deserved as his improvement reflects in his gross scores of 99 off the yellow tees last Sunday and 95 off the white tees yesterday. He has had to reset his handicap goal for the season having already smashed it. As handicaps get lower it’s becomes harder to get reductions but as the figures above prove it’s possible. It’s going to be a very competitive season and it’s great to see all the players supporting and encouraging each other. 

 

        

MAY MEDAL

What fantastic scoring, 10 year old Archie Loudon shot his best ever round of 95 gross off the white tees for a net 61. He knocked 3 shots off his handicap last week and we can’t wait to see what happens overnight. Junior Captain Stuart Duncan shot a gross 77 net 70 and just pipped Keir Reid who also scored a net 70. With half the field playing under their handicaps what a great first Medal result. 

NEW MEMBER NUMBER 12 FOR 2025

Ellis will meet everyone at the Skills Challenge tonight. 

GARY HARVEY TROPHY

The team representing Perth and Kinross for next Mondays Gary Harvey Trophy at Montrose is as follows: 

Angus Palmer - Strathmore

Innes Campbell - Blairgowrie

Conan Reid - Strathmore

Nathan Buttar - Crieff

Robbie Hepburn - Kinross

Luke Ross - Dunning 

Fantastic to have 2 Strathmore players in the County Boys Team