FAREWELL TO NOREEN FORDYCE

After joining Blairgowrie Golf Club 44 years ago, Noreen leaves us to start a new chapter in her life.

Some of the ladies got together on Tuesday, 17 December to say farewell at the end of her last Bridge Session.   It was a pleasure to present Noreen with a photo memento of her time at Blairgowrie as well as some other gifts including a card and an orchid.

Noreen will be missed but not forgotten and we wish her well for the future!

LADIES WINTER LEAGUE - Friday, 20th December

The penultimate Ladies Winter League of 2024 took place on Rosemount with a mixture of full and winter greens.  The forecast was for heavy rain during the round but that did not materialise, much to our relief!   Another good turnout of 23 ladies with golf balls being awarded to the winners as follows-

Winner of Division 1 - Anne Farquharson with 40 points

Winner of Division 2 - Elaine Robson with 39 points

Congratulations to both winners.

BRIDGE SESSIONS RESTARTS - Tuesday, 7th January 2025

 

FESTIVE GREETINGS FROM THE LADIES COMMITTEE

 

WINTER SOCIAL EVENTS SCHEDULE 2025

To keep us occupied in the winter months, the Ladies Committee have put together some Winter Social events for 2025 which we hope you will enjoy.  Along with the regular activities, there are a couple of new ones.

All events are suitable for everyone so please come along and join in.

Information on the individual events will be posted on the noticeboard in the ladies locker room.

LADIES WINTER LEAGUE AND STANLEY CLARK TROPHY - Friday, 13th December

23 Ladies turned up to play on Lansdowne.  It was very frosty at the start of the round but with the milder conditions coming through the ground softened and green fairways could be seen towards the end of the round.  The change in temperature proved to be a challenge but did not stop there being some fantastic scoring!

Golf Balls were awarded to the winners as follows:-

Division 1 winner -   Carolyn Haddow (42 points)       

Division 2 winner - Kathy Cameron (42 points)

Wee course ladies results :-

Jeannie Webster won with an incredible score of 28 points with Heather Welsh as the runner up also with an impressive 22 points.

LADIES CHRISTMAS LUNCH - 6th December **More Pictures**

Here are some more photos from the Lunch.  Thank you to Morna and Marion who were our photographers on the day and to Morna who took a video of the dance performance.

LADIES CHRISTMAS LUNCH - Friday, 6th December

Fifty Seven Ladies came along to the Christmas Lunch in festive spirit to enjoy a day of fun and laughter in the company of friends old and new.  

On arrival the Ladies were delighted to see Anne Farquharson's array of delicious handmade confectionery.  You had to make your purchases quickly as they were going fast!!  Cocktails/Mocktails were also enjoyed by all.

The smaller tables of 6 enabled the ladies to chat and helped them answer the 3 quizzes put before them.  Heather Dawson had everyone scratching their heads with her Cryptic Quiz, Marion Kay's Music Quiz was equally taxing and Morna Bell's Picture Cartoon Quiz had some people stumped ! 

The winning Quiz team were Cassy Grant, Fiona Johnston, Anne Farquharson, Morna Bell, Jennifer Livingstone and Eileen McMurray who were given a prize for their combined effort!

A beautiful lunch was enjoyed by all, finished off with tea/coffee and a mince pie.

There were lots of prizes to be had on the day.  M&S Vouchers were awarded for the Turkey Trot competition on 25 October as follows:  Div 1 winner Gillian Wallace, runner up Heather Anderson and Div 2 winner Pauline Hill, Runner up Sheila Bruce.

Hot Seat prize went to Linda Rice.  It was fun watching everyone checking their seats for the golden star!

Now came the moment for draw for the Christmas Hampers and Prizes.  Winners were as follows;

Sue Waddell (Main Hamper), Gordon MacLachlan (Hamper), Teresa Lynch (Macallan Hamper),Jean Webster (Hamper), Frank - the Starter (Gift Set), Anne Farquharson (Golf Lesson), Sheila Bruce (Bottles of Fizzy).

Congratulations to everyone !!!

At 3pm we were treated to a surprise dance performance by Kinross dance company "Dance Connect".  Starting with a tap routine, then jazz it was topped off with a beautiful ballet dance en pointe.  A truly memorable day left everyone feeling festive.

My thanks go to my Ladies Committee, Heather, Morna, Marion and Pauline who helped make this possible.  To Nicky and Sean who helped print my posters/documents for me in the lead up to the event.  The catering and bar staff who were always so willing to help and who put in so much work behind the scenes.

Charity Total:  Anne's Confectionery raised an incredible £376.46 with the total money raised for my chosen charity Alzheimer Scotland being £1,578.96.  Thank you to everyone who donated to the Christmas Hampers and bought raffle tickets.  This is a charity very close to my heart - I cannot thank you enough for your generosity!

And finally...... to you all for coming along and joining in !  I hope you all have a very Merry Xmas, when it comes.

There are lots of photographs from the day which I will post over a few pages on the blog so that you can see them more clearly!

LADIES WINTER LEAGUE - 6th December

Four Ladies played in the Winter League competition on Rosemount.  Numbers are always low on this date as it falls on the same day as the Ladies Christmas Lunch.

Those who played on the 6th managed to get their game in before the next named storm Darragh came our way.

Winners awarded a golf ball each are as follows:-

Div 1 winner, Teresa Lynch (38 points)

Div 2 winner, Jacqui Doig (37 points on c/b)

Well done Ladies - again some great scores !

FINAL BRIDGE SESSION OF 2024 - 17th December 2024

 

 

INFORMATION SESSION - BASIC RULES OF GOLF - Sunday, 1st December

Thirty ladies gave up their Sunday afternoon to attend my Information Session which included experienced and long standing golfers, ladies new to golf, or new to the club.  

Using the R&A Video I covered the Basic Rules of Golf and used examples to demonstrate other rules not touched upon in the video.  Important topics as course Etiquette, IG, Scottish Golf and R&A  Apps were also included.  There was an informal Q&A session afterwards to check if everyone had been listening and I was delighted to be able to give out small prizes as a result!   I produced handouts with useful diagrams and information for attendees to take away.

At the end some ladies took part in a fun putting competition with Heather Anderson winning the prize.  

Thank you to everyone who came along to this session.  Hopefully I will be able to repeat this again at some point in the future.

A huge thank you goes to Marion, who gave up her time to assist me on the day.

LADIES WINTER LEAGUE - Friday, 29th November

Another good turnout with 25 Ladies playing in the Winter League on Rosemount.  

Thankfully, the weather was much milder than yesterday.  Despite playing on full winter greens with frozen ground underfoot, there was some fantastic scoring with some scores in the 40s.

Golf balls were awarded to the winners as follows:

Division 1 - Meriel Walker (40 points) and Division 2 - Margaret Kerr (41 points on c/b)

There was also impressive scoring for the Wee Course Ladies:

Winner - Heather Welsh (23 points) Runner up - Shirley Irvine (21 points)

LADIES WINTER LEAGUE AND STANLEY CLARK TROPHY - Friday, 22nd November

23 Ladies braved the winter-like elements today in our competition played on winter greens. There were some outstanding scores recorded.

The sunny but cold weather produced some lovely images around the Lansdowne course.

Congratulations to Cara Davidson who scored an eagle on the 2nd hole.

Winners were presented with a golf ball each as follows:

Division 1 - Gill Tissell (40 points) and Division 2 - Marion Kay (41 points)

7 of our Wee Course Ladies enjoyed their game today with lots of layers on to keep them warm.

Wee Course Ladies results:

Winner - Heather Welsh (22 points on c/b) Runner up - Jean Laburn (22 points)

CHRISTMAS HAMPERS/PRIZES ON DISPLAY

Pauline Hill and I have been hard at work and have put together this year's Christmas Hampers and Prizes.

Raffle tickets are on sale for £1 per ticket or £5 per strip of tickets and can be purchased from the bar or from any member of the Ladies Committee.

The draw will take place on Friday, 6 December at the Ladies Christmas Lunch.

Good luck everyone !

LADIES WINTER LEAGUE - Friday, 15th November

28 Ladies played in the Winter League.  Again, very mild conditions for this time of year.  There were some impressive scores despite playing on full greens, with 2 winter tees for the first time!

Golf balls were awarded to the winners as follows:

Division 1 - Erica Espley (35 points) and Division 2 - Louise Whitehead (36 points)

Wee Course Ladies results

Winner - Margaret Sturrock (17 points on c/b) Runner up - Shirley Irvine (17 points)

AWAY WINTER LEAGUE FRIENDLY MATCH v. DUNFERMLINE - 10th November

 

As you drive through the gates of Dunfermline Golf Club, along the sweeping driveway, the spectacular Pitfirrane tower house greets you.  Dating back to the 15th century it really is a sight to behold!

This was the venue for our third Winter League Friendly match played on the Pitfirrane course.  The weather for the most part was kind to us with the sun coming out towards the end.

All matches were keenly contested however our opponents won 2-1.  Post golf we enjoyed a selection of soup, sandwiches, croissants and sausage rolls along with a nice chat.

Thank you to Moira Campsie, Denise Ginley, Fiona Edwards, Hannah Hislop, Margaret Johnstone and Maggie Marshall (Team Captain) for giving up their time to represent Blairgowrie.

LADIES WINTER LEAGUE AND STANLEY CLARK TROPHY - Friday, 8th November

There were some impressive scores yesterday in the Ladies Winter League and Stanley Clark Trophy played on Lansdowne.

Thirty Four Ladies turned out to play on full greens in another mild day for this time of year!

Golf balls were awarded to the winners - Div 1 Cara Davidson with 36 pts on c/b and Div 2 Elaine Robson with 37 pts.

On the Wee Course, Margaret Sturrock was the winner with 19 pts and Heather Welsh was the runner up with 17 pts.

Congratulations to all the winners !

LADIES GROUP COACHING 2025 - ADVANCE NOTICE

I am delighted to let you know that Neil Cameron will once again be running his very popular ladies group coaching sessions next spring and, as is customary, the sign-up sheets with full details will be posted on the notice board located in the upstairs landing outside the locker rooms on the morning of the Ladies Christmas Lunch - Friday 6th December.

The cost for a block of six lessons will be £42, so if you want to take advantage of these excellent sessions be ready to put your name on the sheets.

WINTER LEAGUE - Friday, 1st November

The first Winter League game of the season was played on Rosemount on Friday 1st November, with 22 ladies enjoying fine conditions, with many layers being removed!  The weather remained dry until the players returned to the Clubhouse.   Golf balls awarded to the winners  – Div 1 Mary Miller with 37 pts and Div 2 Marion Kay with 33 pts.

On the Wee Course, Shirley Irvine was the winner with 20 pts and Heather Welsh the runner-up with 19 pts.

Congratulations to all winners!

WINTER LEAGUE MATCH AT HOME v. EARLSFERRY THISTLE - 27th October

It was a pleasure to host the ladies from Earlsferry Thistle on Rosemount and to welcome them for their first match since joining the Winter League.  The weather was very pleasant and we all enjoyed making new friends whilst playing the course which was in excellent condition.

Our visitors thoroughly enjoyed their day which was rounded off with a very friendly post match chat over soup and sandwiches.  The matches were keenly contested, however home knowledge proved to be an advantage, with Blairgowrie winning 2 to 1.

My thanks go to the Blairgowrie ladies - Lesley McPherson, Denise Ginley, Hazel Moore, Cassy Grant, Mary Miller and Elaine Robson (team captain).

Well done Ladies !!

Thanks to Elaine for the match report and photos 

TURKEY TROT - Friday, 25th October

28 Ladies took part in the Turkey Trot played on Rosemount.  The weather was mild, overcast but thankfully there was no wind.  The greens were playing a bit slow apparently causing a few missed putts!

The results are as follows:

Division 1: Winner – Gillian Wallace (36 points); Runner-up – Heather Anderson (34 points). 

Division 2: Winner – Pauline Hill (38 points); Runner-up – Sheila Bruce (34 points) 

Congratulations to the winners and runners-up.  

Vouchers for winners and runners-up will be presented at the Ladies Christmas lunch on Friday 6th December.  

LADIES AND MIXED OPENS & INVITATIONAL EVENTS 2025

Please see below the list of Ladies and Mixed Opens & Invitational Events for 2025.  This will also be posted on the noticeboard in the Ladies Locker Room.

PINEHURST FUN COMPETITION - Friday, 18th October

26 Ladies took part in today's Pinehurst fun competition. The colours are stunning on the golf course right now.  The golf was good and a winning score from Meriel Walker and Anne Farquharson with a nett 70 won the day, winning a golf ball each.   Runners up were Morna Bell and Mary Miller with a 71, so it was close. The weather was kind to us with the odd spot of rain but it did not last. No wind and it was quite mild, ideal for playing.

Thank you to Heather Dawson for providing the match report and also the beautiful photograph!

LADIES CHRISTMAS LUNCH - FRIDAY, 6 DECEMBER

You should have received an email advising that the Ladies Christmas Lunch this year will be held on Friday 6th December at 12.00 for 12.30pm in the dining room.  As well as the usual Festive fare there will be a Christmas Quiz, Music and the opportunity to win some prizes.   

At 3pm there will be a special Finale with Guest Entertainment !

Please come along and enjoy a delicious meal with friendly company, in a fun and relaxed atmosphere.  Further information is detailed below, with bookings now being taken behind the bar.

The Ladies Committee have again decided to put together a Christmas food hamper which will be raffled for my chosen charity, Alzheimer Scotland.  Heather, Pauline, Morna, Marion and myself would be delighted, and very appreciative, to accept any food items that you are able to contribute.  These can be given to any member of the Ladies Committee or handed in at the bar for my attention.

The hamper, once complete, will be displayed in the clubhouse - tickets, costing £1 each, are on sale at the bar.  You can also buy raffles tickets from any of the Ladies Committee.

TURKEY TROT - FRIDAY 25th OCTOBER 2024

Booking is now open for this year's Turkey Trot.  This is an individual, non-counting stableford competition to be played over Rosemount (morning draw only), with an entry fee of £2 per player.  Prizes will be awarded to the winner and runner-up in each of Division 1 and Divisions 2&3 combined.

The prize-winning vouchers will be presented at the Ladies Christmas lunch on Friday, 6th December.

WINTER COMPETITIONS 2024/25

As detailed in the communication from the Club issued on 11 October the Ladies Winter Competitions will commence shortly.  The Winter Eclectic and Winter Ringer, played over Rosemount and Lansdowne respectively, will run from 1 November 2024 until 31 March 2025. 

The first round of the Winter League (which is played over both courses) will be on Rosemount on Friday 1 November; the first round of the Stanley Clark Trophy (played on Lansdowne on weeks in line with course closures) will take place on 8 November.   

We would encourage all ladies to enter and play in our weekly winter competitions. They are fun and are a great way to meet up with old friends, make new friendships, and a good opportunity for ladies to socialise following their game. 

The key points to note are as follows:

• Competitions will continue to be played over 12 holes (1-12 on Rosemount, 1,2, 9-18 on Lansdowne), adopting the same stableford format that was introduced in 2022 following the changes to the World Handicap System.
• They will be set up as 18-hole competitions and any hole not included in the competition, or is closed, should be given a gross score that results in a nett par (2 points).
• The bible sheets will be reviewed and copies placed on the notice board in the ladies’ locker room.  The Winter Ringer folder will be available in the locker room from 1 November.
• It is anticipated that, as in previous years, the majority of games will be played on the shortened course and that an adjustment to playing handicap is therefore appropriate.  Playing handicaps will be calculated as 75% Course Handicap; all winter competitions are non-counting for handicap purposes.
• Competition times will be mornings only, commencing at 9.30am on Friday for the main competition, with an alternate day the prior Saturday.  Please note, if you wish to play in the alternate day outwith the allotted times,  the process is to book a tee time in advance and contact the office to assign the time as a competition time.
• There will be a weekly prize (a golf ball) presented to the winners of both Division 1 and Division 2&3 combined.
• Additional cards may be submitted for the Eclectic at any time as long as they are signed by another playing partner; the Pro Shop must be advised prior to play so that a competition for that day can be set up (to enable your scores to be input).
• The only competition needing your manual input will be the Winter Ringer (should you wish to enter it). Ringer cards on competition days should be placed in the box at the PSI terminal; additional cards should be placed in the box in the Locker Room following play. 

The Wee Course Ladies Winter League will also commence on Friday 1 November, together with their Winter Ringer.  The office will complete a draw on the preceding Wednesday and any ladies wishing to turn up and play on the day should register at the Pro Shop by 9:45 and they will be fitted in to the existing draw.

Please remember .....

 

........ fairway mats will come into use on all courses from Friday 1 November, and must be used on the fairway and the first cut of rough. 

WINTER LEAGUE MATCH AT HOME v. ANSTRUTHER - Sunday, 13 October 2024

We welcomed the ladies from Anstruther for our first Winter League match of the season on a very pleasant October day.  The course was in excellent condition and our visitors were treated to nature at its best, with a variety of birds, several deer, squirrels, and a hare joining us to enjoy the glorious autumn colours.  

On paper the matches were all very close and that proved to be the case, with two matches finishing on the 17th and the third halved on the 18th.  Ultimately the home players were able to take advantage of their local knowledge and the match was won by Blairgowrie 2.5 to 0.5.  Our visitors thoroughly enjoyed their day, which was rounded off with a very friendly post match chat over soup and sandwiches.  My thanks go to the Blairgowrie ladies - Gill Tissell, Angela Rooney, Elaine Robson (team captain), Margaret Johnstone, Shirley Lewis and Fiona Edwards.

Well done ladies !!

Thanks to Elaine for the match report and photo.

LADIES ANNUAL MEETING - FRIDAY 11/10/24

The Ladies Annual Meeting took place on Friday, 11th October at the slightly later time of 6.30pm in the clubhouse attended by 25 Full members and 4 Wee Course ladies; 35 apologies were received.  Ladies Captain, Elaine Robson, welcomed everyone to the meeting.  After the Minutes of the 2023 meeting were approved, there being no matters arising, the various reports were read - Competition Report by Elaine Robson, Friendly Match Report by Heather Dawson, Handicap League Match Reports by Maggie Marshall on behalf of Anne Farquharson and Wee Course Ladies Report by Elaine Robson on behalf of Heather Welsh.

Elaine then read her Ladies Captain Report which summarised the main events of the year.  She then gave her thanks to the office staff, pro-shop staff, bar and catering team, starters, greenkeeping staff, past captains, the ladies committee and the lady members of the Club.  Elaine then handed over to Maggie Marshall, the incoming Captain and presented her with the Lady Captain's badge.  Maggie congratulated Elaine on her successful year as Ladies Captain and presented her with a bouquet of flowers by way of thanks from the Club and the ladies section.

 

Maggie stated her pleasure that Heather Dawson was appointed as her Vice Captain. She thanked Morna Bell and Marion Kay for standing, and being elected, to the ladies committee whilst Pauline Hill will serve for one more year.  The Wee course ladies will continue to be represented by Heather Welsh. 

After the business of the meeting was concluded the prize giving took place.  Full details of all the winners can be found in the ladies locker room.

Vouchers not presented at the prize giving are now available at the pro shop.  

Dates for the Diary 

18^th October – Pinehurst

25^th October - Turkey Trot

1^st November – Winter Eclectic & Winter Ringer starts

1^st  November - Winter League commences

6^th December - Christmas lunch

LADIES CAPTAIN'S FAREWELL AND THANKS

I am still trying to understand how the last 12 months can have passed so quickly and that my year as Ladies Captain is now over.  Together we have enjoyed so may fun events and memorable moments, all of which I will remember with a smile.

For those of you that played in the Captain's Farewell Texas Scramble yesterday, I hope that you enjoyed your game despite the periodic downpours - I was pleased that the sun did appear albeit quite late in the day.  Thank you and well done to my playing partners Liz Fertacz, Aileen Hamilton and Fanny Christie for bringing in the winning score of 59 and to Claire Bidwell, Sheila Bruce, Jane Cameron and Linda Rice who came second with 61.

The winner of the Wee Course stableford competition was Jean Laburn (18 points) with Jeannie Webster the runner-up (17 on c/back from Muriel McPherson).

I would like to thank you for the beautiful flowers I received at last night's Ladies Annual Meeting, and for your kindness and support during my year.  I am very proud to have had the privilege of serving as Captain of such a wonderful Ladies section – it has been an honour and an absolute pleasure.

I would also record my thanks to my Ladies Committee for their support during the past 12 months, and also for their fundraising activities.  We have raised a total of £2,815 for Scotland's Charity Air Ambulance and I am most grateful to all members that have supported this worthwhile charity.

It is now time for me to pass over to Maggie, our 58^th Ladies Captain, and I wish her, her Vice Captain Heather, and Committee members Pauline, Marion and Morna all the best for the 2024-25 season.  I know that you will join me in wishing them all a very successful year.

END OF SEASON RESULTS

The summer season is almost finished and, as we look forward to our autumn and winter activities, I am pleased to announce the results from our end of season competitions for 2024 as follows:

The qualifiers for the Ladies Scottish Medal Finals for the best 3 nett scores over the 11 medal competitions are Lorraine MacGregor, Lesley McPherson and Di Barbour, who will be invited to compete in a finals competition in 2025.

The winner of the Ladies Medal Winners competition was Gill Tissell.

Spring & Autumn Meeting Aggregate:

Honeyman Salver (Division 1) Winner – Mary Miller (138); Runner-up Fiona Johnston (145).

Glass Quaich (Division 2&3) Winner – Carolyn Haddow (154); Runner-up Elaine Robson (158).

The Summer Eclectic was won by Sue Waddell with a score of 63 (on c/b from Mary Miller).

The winner of the Summer Ringer for the Hilda Hendry Memorial Trophy was Mary Miller with a nett score of 62.

The Birdie Tree was won by Susan Arbuckle with 18 birdies. Susan will receive the Robin Trophy; the Division 2/3 winner with the most recent birdie was Fiona Edwards, who receives the Pheasant Trophy.

The Par Bar Trophy (for players with a handicap index of 20.5 and above at the end of the season) was won by Sheila Bruce with 28 gross pars.

The Knockout competition results were as follows:

Coronation Trophy: Winner – Lesley McPherson; Runner-up – Cara Davidson.

Jessie Valentine Trophy: Winner – Kathy Cameron; Runner-up – Judith Carmichael. 

Gellatly Rosebowls: Winners – Bronwen Godley & Jillian Milne; Runners-up – Morna Bell & Lesley McPherson.

Lyle Trophy (Mixed): Winners – Pauline Hill & Paul Anderson; Runners-up – Cassy Grant & Craig Grant. 

Wee Course

The Wee Course Medal winner for the best three scores was Jean Laburn.

The prize for the Wee Course Single Best Nett Score was won by Jean Laburn.

The Wee Course Eclectic was won by Morag Johnston.

Many congratulations to all the winners - well done. 

3 CLUB and PUTTER COMPETITIONS - 4th October

Our fun competitions were played on a lovely autumnal day on Lansdowne and the Wee Course.  As always there was much comment on "who had what" in their bag and clearly some had chosen better than others!!

Gill Tissell was the winner on Lansdowne with an impressive nett 71, with Linda Rice second (73); on the Wee Course Morag Johnston was the winner with 17 points and Ann Malloch the Runner-up (14 points on c/b).

LADIES ANNUAL MEETING REMINDER - 11th October

 

FRIDAY 11 OCTOBER AT 6PM IN THE DINING ROOM

All Ladies are invited to attend this meeting where the Committee will be reporting on the events of the Ladies Section for 2023-24. At the meeting the Election of the Ladies Captain, Vice-Captain and Committee members will take place.  The nominations are:

Ladies Captain: Margaret Marshall - Proposed by Elaine Robson and Seconded by Anne Farquharson

Ladies Vice Captain: Heather Dawson - Proposed by Margaret Marshall and Seconded by Gill Tissell

Committee Members:

Marion Kay - Proposed by Heather Dawson and Seconded by Pauline Hill

Morna Bell - Proposed by Heather Dawson and Seconded by Elaine Robson

Anne Farquharson will retire from the Committee having served two years; Pauline Hill will serve for a further year.

No motions or other nominations have been received.

There will also be a prize giving for a number of competitions including the past winter competitions; the names of the winners and runners-up have been posted on the notice board. 

I hope to see you there.

Kind regards,

Elaine Robson, Ladies Captain

GREENSOMES - 27th September

Twenty-four ladies took part in today’s greensomes in glorious sunshine.  The winners, with a nett 77, were Jennifer Livingston and Meriel Walker pipping Annette Grewar and Louise Luke into second place on countback.  Congratulations to the winners.

LADIES CAPTAIN'S FAREWELL - 11th October