clubgolf's Willie MacKay with (l-r) Katie Thomson, Julie Vass, Rebecca Meiklejohn and Hannah McCook

Highland girls win clubgolf junior Pro-Am

Aspire Golf Centre’s Assistant Pro, Katie Thomson led her team of Julie Vass (Tain GC), Rebecca Meiklejohn (Thurso GC) and Hannah McCook (Abernethy GC) to victory at last weekend’s Royal Dornoch Young Masters clubgolf junior Pro-Am.

The event, the third to be staged on the Championship course, is designed to give promising youngsters a unique opportunity to prepare for and play in a tournament with help and advice from an Assistant Professional. 

Eighteen junior golfers from Highland clubs - Royal Dornoch, Alness, Brora, Muir of Ord, Nairn Dunbar, Reay, Thurso, Wick, Tain, Loch Ness, Abernethy and Invergordon - teamed up with Assistant Professionals on Saturday for a lesson on “How to Prepare for a Tournament” before heading out on the course. 

More than half of the juniors had single figure handicaps with those in the low teens being recognised for their commitment and dedication to their clubgolf Stage 2 coaching programmes at their golf clubs. 

The girls team beat Assistant Pro, Stuart Robin (Kilmarnock Barrassie GC), John McCook (Abernethy GC), Peter Renwick (Invergordon, GC) and Jamie Treasurer (Loch Ness, GC). The teams finished on 78 points; the girls won having a better inward half.

Willie MacKay, Highland’s clubgolf manager, said, “Each year selecting the 18 juniors is proving more difficult as there are now so many across the 32 golf clubs involved in clubgolf coaching.  The high standard of play on the weekend was a huge credit to the coaches and the PGA professionals at golf clubs. 

“Playing with an Assistant Professional on such a demanding golf course is a valuable part of these 18 juniors long term player development and we were delighted to have been given the opportunity to play the event at Royal Dornoch Golf Club.  The event was played in glorious weather with the course in great condition and the greens perfect for putting.”