MCLGA Championship

A reminder that the 2009 Championship is being held at Newbattle Golf Club, with the knockout stages for both the main and "B" Section Championships being held on Friday 1st and Sunday 3rd May. The qualifier for the "B" Section Championship (handicaps over 12) takes place on Monday 20th April as part of the County Spring Meeting, while the 2 round qualifier for the main Championship (handicap 12 and under) is being held at Newbattle Golf Club on Tuesday 28th April.

The closing date for the Spring Meeting and therefore the "B" Championship qualifier has passed but late entries or "turn up on the day" entries will be taken. Entries for the main Championship close on Friday 17th April. If you would like to take part in this competition, please send your entries to Agnes Leslie no later that the 17th April. No late entries will be accepted for the main Championship.

Spring Meeting

This year, the Spring Meeting is being held at Dalmahoy Golf & Country Club (West Course). The draw has now been made and can be viewed on the website. Please note that if you would like to enter this, spaces are still available. Please contact Agnes Leslie to add your name or you can turn up on the day and will be put with the first available group within your handicap category. This competition is the qualifying round for the "B" Section Championship, that is for handicaps above 12.

Let's hope the weather holds and we have a good day for the start of the 2009 season.

Junior Spring Meeting

Midlothian's season starts on Tuesday 7th April with the Junior Spring Meeting which is being held at Liberton Golf Club. We wish all the participants a good game and good golf, and hope the weather is kind to you all.

The draw has now been done and is as follows:

18-hole Stroke Play Competition:

10.00 am
Rachael Watton (Mortonhall)
Gillian Simpson (Murrayfield)

10.07 am
Gabrielle MacDonald (Craigielaw)
Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe)
Hannah Scott (Broomieknowe)

10.14 am
Kirsty Simpson (Murrayfield)
Heather Tumblety (Duddingston)

10.21 am
Heather Laing (Glencorse)
Sally Naysmith (Dalmahoy)
Katherine Fisher (Baberton)

8-hole Stroke Play Competition for Non-handicap Players:

10.30 am Eilidh MacKinnon & Erin Hardy

10.37 am Carys Hardy & Emma Watson

10.44 am Emma Morrison & Julia Smith

10.51 am Lisa Wilson & Caitlin Turner

A putting competition for the 8-hole players will take part subsequent to the 8 holes.

If anyone needs to withdraw, please e-mail Joan Simpson up until Monday 6th April or, if on Tuesday 7th April, please phone either Joan (07982 188634) or Tracy (07714 980524).

What a Night!

Unfortunately, the Captain remembered the difficult part and actually took her camera with her but got so caught up in the excitement of the evening that she forgot to take the camera out of her bag and use it! So, you will need to use your imagination to picture the scene for the Junior Social Night.

Being held at the Fountain Park Ten-Pin Bowling Alley last night, 26 County Juniors were let loose on the skittles. The noise and camaraderie that went on was great to see, hear and be part of. The girls were divided into 6 teams, calling themselves The Groovy Girls, The Big Balls, The Amazing Bowlers, The Fashionistas, The Supreme Team and The Bowling Babes. Stopping for a quick bite to eat, the bowling was fast and furious, with screams of joy, anguish and encouragement and celebratory dance routines that would have amazed even Simon Cowell! Soon the games were all over and it was on to the prizegiving.

First, with an average score over the 2 games of 158.8, were The Groovy Girls, ably Captained by Kate McIntosh and helped along the way by Carys Hardy, Kirsten McCorquodale, Eve Scobie and Caitlin Turner.

In second place were The Big Balls, Captained by Hannah Scott and more than helped onto the prize list by Sophie Aitchison, Heather Laing, Lisa MacPherson and Lucy Scobie.

In the other 4 groups, the highest score overall was Rachel Steedman from The Bowling Babes, with a combined score over the 2 games of 192.

The greatest improvement amongst the other 4 groups, between the 2 games, was Carla Maran from The Supreme Team who recorded 16 more skittles in the second game.

However, everyone turned out to be a winner!

My thanks go to all the helpers, Margaret Rodgers, Karen Marshall, Claire Hargan, Sharon MacPherson and Scott MacPherson, and to all of the girls who turned up and contributed towards making it a great night. My apologies go to the parents for sending the girls home in a somewhat hyper state!

Juniors at the Princes Course

There was a great turn out for the Juniors' monthly 9-hole competition at the Princes Course with 13 girls turning up. Thanks to May Hardy and Sharon MacPherson for orgainising and running this month's games. I believe it was a nice day, if a wee bitty cold. This was the start of the 6-month running competition.

The results were as follows:

1st handicap: Heather Laing (47-15.5) net 31.5
2nd handicap: Carla Maran (68-18) net 50

1st non-handicap: Julia Smith 53
2nd non-handicap: Kirsten McCorquodale 60 (bi6)
3rd non-handicap: Emma Morrison 60

Well done to everyone who played and I hope you enjoyed your games.

Cuthbertson Cup

The 2009 Midlothian Cuthbertson Cup team is Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw), Kate McIntosh (Broomieknowe), Gillian Simpson (Murrayfield) and Rachael Watton (Mortonhall; Captain), with Hananh Scott (Broomieknowe) as reserve. The Cuthbertson Cup is due to be played at Burntisland Golf Course in Fife on Sunday 19th April and we wish the team all the very best as they defend the Trophy for the 3rd year in succession.

Midlothian v Borders

Away from the snow, rain, wind and freezing cold which seems to have become the norm of late, the Main and Junior Training Squads enjoyed a match in calm, dry and warmish conditions against the Borders' Ladies at The Hirsel Golf Course in Coldstream, today. The course was in remarkable condition considering the beating it has taken from the weather recently and the golf was also very pleasing to watch. The Midlothian Main Squad recorded a win in their first practice match of 2009, by 4 matches to 0. Unfortunately, the Borders' Juniors were playing in another competition and only 2 of their girls were able to join the four Midlothian Juniors (Sally Naysmith, Natasha Shivji, Kirsty Simpson and Heather Tumblety) to play a stableford competition. In this, Natasha was beaten into second place by Amy Stevenson of the Borders on a count back.

The Main Squad results were:

Claire Hargan & Wendy Nicholson beat Judith Anderson & Denise Richards - 6/5
Rachael Livingstone & Claire MacDonald beat Philippa Costello & Liz Campbell - 2/1
Louise Fraser & Gillian Simpson beat Isla Craigie & Alison Melvin - 1 up
Karen Marshall & Gabrielle Macdonald beat Ann Dods & Sharon Lees -2 up

Our thanks go to Sarah Bolton (the Borders Captain), The Hirsel Golf Club and the Borders Ladies and Juniors for a very enjoyable day.