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East Lothian home to summer of golf

Local junior golfers take to the world stage

2018 Scottish Golf Pro Am Team

It was a busy summer of golf in East Lothian which played host to the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Ladies Open and the Staysure Scottish Seniors Open.  East Lothian is known as Scotlands Golf Coast and welcomed over 60,000 golf spectators this summer and even the sun joined the fun.

This was good news for a number of our own young local golfers who qualified to play in East Lothian Council's Pro Am teams at each of the events. Lewis Hannah (Musselburgh Grammar/Musselburgh Golf Club) and Jamie Gallagher (Preston Lodge High School/Longniddry Golf Club) won their places in the Scottish Open Pro Am Team by topping the scratch and handicap divisions of the East Lothian’s Secondary Golf Order of Merit. Jack Noon (Musselburgh Grammar/Musselburgh Golf Club) won the third and final wild card place at the final Secondary Order of Merit event at Gullane.

The Scottish Ladies Open Pro Am team was selected from our squad of fantastic young female golfers, who are part of East Lothian County Ladies Golf Association, and was made up of Joanne Free (Gullane), Annie Wilson (Gullane) and Alicja Gorka (Royal Musselburgh).

The places in the final pro event, the Staysure Scottish Seniors Open were played for at the East Lothian Junior Golf Championships held annually in August and this year hosted by the Seniors Open Host club Craigielaw Golf Club on Fri 3rd August. Jack Noon (Musseblurgh Golf Club) and Andrew Scott (Dunbar Golf Club) and Mollaidh Nicholson (Kilspindie) won their places by being the best scratch boys and girl.

Playing alongside world class professionals on home soil we hope is an experience that will inspire these young golfers to continue to strive to progress with golf to their highest level.  We hope to offer more of our local juniors the opportunity to qualify for East Lothian Council’s 2019 Pro Am teams and the best way to do this is to take part in the East Lothian Secondary School Order of Merit.

East Lothian Secondary Schools Order of Merit Events

  1. Fri 28th Sept 2018 @ Haddington GC, Times:  1330 – 1430
  2. Fri 5th Oct 2018 @ Winterfield GC, Times: 1345 - 1445
  3. Fri 15th March 2019 @ Venue TBC, Times: 1330 – 1430
  4. Fri 22nd March 2019 @ Venue TBC, Times: 1330 – 1430
  5. Fri 29th March 2019 @ Venue TBC, Times:  1330 – 1430
  6. Fri 26th April 2019 @ Venue (TBC), Time:  1330 – 1430

Secondary Order of Merit Format

To enter any of the above events players should email Kate Green (Golf Development Officer): kgreen@eastlothian.gov.uk or contact their School Sports Coordinator / School Golf Organiser

Scottish Open and Seniors Pro Am

We have been lucky enough to be able to enter a team into each of these events in the past and we hope to offer something similar in 2019. This is likely to be the winners of the Scratch and Handicap divisions and possibly one other wild card place which will be played for at our final event on the 26th April 2019.

Paul Lawrie Scottish Schools Championship : Mon 10th June 2019 @ Murrayshall, Perth

To be eligible to enter the Scottish Schools players must be on the School Roll at 31st May 2019 and in possession of a CONGU Handicap, Boys Category 1 Handicap (5.4) and Girls Handicap of 20 or under.

Players that meet this crietira and wish to enter can do so through East Lothian Council.  Please contact Kate Green:  kgreen@eastlothian.gov.uk

Details will be available on Scottish Golf nearer the time.

PGA Level 1 Coaching License

Any interested players aged 16 or over can attend a PGA Level 1 training weekend so as to gain their Level 1 Coaching license.

Full funding is available through ClubGolf East Lothian in return for a commitment to 20 hours of voluntary coaching at an East Lothian golf club.

Please find further details online and circulate this to any players you think might be interested.

A number of Senior Pupils gained their qualification this season and it would be good to have more on board as role models for the younger players.

Click here for more information about Golf Coach Education

 

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