Where do I start ? Early morning trip to Mortonhall Golf Club for the Junior Team Golf, Home Nations Inter-Club Championship semi-final. Stuart Duncan, Archie Pattullo, Louis Purdie, Alasdair Brass, Keir Reid and Andrew Watt represented Strathmore again having won the quarter-final last week at Braehead. Turnhouse, Royal Burgess, Braehead and Crieff were the other clubs competing today and what a test for all the teams. Difficult course in beautiful condition, lots of undulations and hills. Well bunkered and the cold and windy conditions didn’t make it any easier. Our boys struggled at times on some of the holes but they all dug deep and kept going. We had no idea how the other teams were doing, and with one gross score and 4 nett scores counting no one knows until all the scores are in. We didn’t hold out much hope but to our surprise and delight we qualified !!
The final takes place at Stirling on the weekend of 5th & 6th of October and for Strathmore Juniors it will be our first team national final. These players have made history.
To top off an already special day we had seven Strathmore players representing their Schools in the Alfred Dunhill event at the Buddon Course, Carnoustie. Cameron Galloway won the boys handicap S4-S6 with a net 63 (-5), Jessica Sievwright won the girls handicap S1-S3 with a net 63 (-5) with Saoirse Sangerman 3rd with a net 67 (-1)
Overall a highly successful day. As we’ve been on the go for over 12 hours, more photos and details will follow tomorrow.
Junior Captain Conan Reid has just become the second player to shoot under par this season. In doing so he not only won today but won the Summer League and will get a decent handicap cut which will definitely cement his future career aspirations. So pleased for him, his consistency is key.
I played along with Keir today who shot 35 points with 2 no scorers. His driving was exceptional and his putting is improving so much. Pitching and chipping are the development areas but all round a great round and the best I’ve seen him play.
Tomorrow we are off to Mortonhall for the Scottish Team Championship semi-final with high hopes. Angus and Keegan are teeing it up in the Alfred Dunhill Schools event at Carnoustie and our best wishes go with them.
Nice to welcome William Harbison back after a one year absence. Sister Emily will follow but she is currently recovering from a broken arm ! Both showed potential so hopefully we can get them more involved and they must have missed playing. That’s our 2nd “New” member for 2025 in 2 days and it’s only September.
So proud of these boys and what they achieved today. Playing in Scotland Regional Quarter Finals (East) at Braehead Golf Club in the Home Nations Inter-Club Championship run by Junior Team Golf. Strathmore Golf Club juniors won with a team score of 396, Braehead were second on 398, Crieff third on 408 and Peebles fourth on 411. Considering Andrew and Keir were playing off a reduced maximum handicap makes this result even more amazing. They now proceed to the semi-finals (East) at Mortonhall on Sunday the 22nd. Stuart Duncan, Archie Pattullo, Louis Purdie, Alasdair Brass, Andrew Watt and Keir Reid take a bow.
Phoned Angus to see how he had got on at the Scottish Boys Area Team Championship at Duff House Royal. He finished tied 25th for his individual score of 7 over par. Said it was a great experience.
Conan continues his great form. I played along with Alasdair, Archie and Keir and what potential ! Messaged Angus who is up at Duff House Royal representing P&K in the Boys Area team Championships. This was practice day and he said it went well, with the highlight lipping out for an eagle from 110yds. He asked me to keep him informed on how the Strathmore team were doing at Braehead tomorrow, total respect, a true team player.
First up huge congratulations to Angus Palmer who has been selected by P&K to play in the Scottish Boys Area Team Championship at Duff House Royal Golf Club on the 14th and 15th of September. P&K have won this event once in 2018, when Strathmore member Alex Simpson and Cormac Sharpe, who started with us and later rejoined, were part of the four boy team. The 14th is a practice day and the 15th it’s Foursomes in the morning and singles in the afternoon. I had arranged to take him out tonight to work on yardages and spent an hour and a half at the range and on course. His ball striking has improved so much and so has his distances - 155yds with a 9 iron into a slight left to right breeze.
We wish him all the best but it means he can’t represent us in the Junior Team Inter-Club Championship at Braehead on the 15th. But as is always the case - National comes first, County comes second, Club comes third and Individual comes fourth. We try our hardest to avoid clashes but at a busy end of season these things happen. Our team for Braehead is Stuart Duncan, Archie Pattullo, Louis Purdie, Alasdair Brass, Keir Reid and Andrew Watt. One scratch score from the first three counts and four of the next 5 nett scores make up the team score.
Yesterday Vice Captain Stuart Duncan took his responsibilities to a new level, and I appreciate why he will make a great Captain next year. His dad’s car broke down on Saturday night when they were at Carrbridge. On Sunday morning he took a taxi to Aviemore to get a bus to Perth. The bus broke down due to an oil leak at Kingussie and he had to wait 40 minutes for a replacement bus. He telephoned Louis to let him know the bus looked like it was heading to the Perth bus station only for it to then go to Broxden where Louis had been waiting. He did get to Auchterarder on time eventually after a 100 mile plus trip taking over 5 hours.
The funniest thing that happened yesterday at the Flag Final at Gleneagles was when Seamus was missing just before the presentation. Someone asked has anyone seen Shay ? Quick as a flash James says “he’s at the pub !!” In some ways correct, he was at the Dormie House, which does have a bar, but he was buying a hat and not a pint of Guinness!
