Newsflash: BGA AGM
Due to our Secretary's wife's pending hip replacement operation which is just a day before the proposed date of the BGA AGM, we have postponed the AGM until the Thursday 8th December 2011 at Selkirk Golf Club.
BGA Summer League 2011: Hirsel Golf Club Saturday 15th October 2011
The final of the Summer League was played on Saturday at the Hirsel Golf Club between Torwoodlee Golf Club and Hawick Golf Club.
Torwoodlee seemed to be in charge of the Foursomes, ahead in two and down in the final match. However W Renwick & S Hunter turned it around in the first match and won on the 18th against David Gillie & C Riddle. D Martin K Beattie had to birdie two of the last three holes to claim a half against A Lawrie & Derek Gillie. Alan Ballantyne had a putt on the 18th to win their match with R Brydon & J Berry but it slid past and this match was also level. This gave Hawick a 2/1 lead going into the singles.
David Gillie had a three hole lead after 14 holes but W Renwick fought back to take it down the 18th but he was unable to win this hole so Torwoodlee were level at two points each. In match 2, S Hunter was always in control against A Lawrie. R Brydon took his match against K Beattie to make the overall score 3/3.
The Summer League was going to be decided by the results of the last three matches. C Riddle was holding a comfortable lead against P Johnson but the other matches were in the balance. D Martin had 1 hole lead over J Berry with three to play but unfortunately lost a ball in the leaves on the 16th.When Jackson three putted on the 17th David had a chance to go into the lead but he also took three to get down. When Jackson put his second onto the green of the par 5 18th and David was in the trees the tie and match was over and the 6th match between A Ballantyne and Derek Gillie which ended in a win for Derek gave Torwoodlee a win by 6-3
BGA President Ian Thomas thanked the Hirsel for providing the course in excellent condition and also for looking after the players. Torwoodlee Captain David Gillie also had kind words for Hawick in being tough but friendly competitors and the match could not have been played in a better sprit.
Results
Foursomes
W Renwick & S Hunter Beat David Gillie & C Riddle 1 Hole
D Martin & K Beattie Halved with A Lawrie & Derek Gillie
A Ballantyne & P Johnson Halved with R Brydon & J Berry
Singles
W Renwick lost to David Gillie 2 Holes
S Hunter Beat A Lawrie 4/3
K Beattie Lost to R Brydon 4/2
D Martin Lost to J Berry 1 hole
A Ballantyne Lost to Derek Gillie 2 holes
P Johnson Lost to C Riddle 5/3
BGA Match Play Championship, the Roxburgh Golf Club.
The BGA Match Play Championship was held at the Roxburghe on 8th & 9th October. 16 qualifiers had damp conditions to contend with on Saturday. Never the less there was some good golf played and at the end of the day Colin Riddle (Torwoodlee), David Gillie (Torwoodlee), Alan Chalmers and Bryan Graham (Kelso) made it to the semi-finals on Sunday.
The first match was close until David lost a ball on both the 10th and 12th hole a birdie on the 15th gave Colin a lead of two but a 3 putt on the 16th gave David a chance. He won the 17th and had a putt from 8 feet for birdie on the last to take it to extra holes. Much to his dismay it slid past the hole.
Bryan's length gave him a big advantage over Alan and he won on the 15th hole.
The weather improved in the afternoon and Colin got off to a winning start when Bryan failed to get up and down from the edge of the first. Colin then 3 putted the next and a birdie from Bryan on the 3rd gave him the lead. The 4th was halved and Colin was back in the match at the 5th with a birdie.
Another half at the 6th then things turned against Colin when he found a fairway bunker at the par 5 7th. Bryan was able to eagle the hole and more bunker trouble cost him at the 8th. Colin looked to be back into the match when he was inside Bryan at the 9th but Bryan holed his putt and Colin missed.
Colin found another bunker at the 10th to go four down. Both the next two holes were halved in par but Bryan went 5 up with a 2 at the 13th. Colin conceded on the 14th when Brian had a short putt for another birdie. A score of 5 under for 14 holes is great golf but if it hadn't been for bunker trouble, Colin could have taken the match much further.
President Ian Thomas presented Bryan with the trophy and thanked the Roxburghe for the use of the course and all the players for making such a successful tournament.
BGA Challenge Trophy 2011
The final of the Challenge Trophy was a close match between Allen Chambers and Bryan Graham of Kelso Golf Club and Allan Turnbull and Jamie Morris of Peebles Golf Club.
Both pairs got off to a steady start with pars at the 1st. The Kelso pair had slice of luck on the 2nd when Alan's drive hit the road and bounced back onto the course. The hole was halved when both failed to get up and down from the edge of the green. The Kelso pair went ahead on the3rd hole when the Peebles team failed to get up and down for par.
The 4th, 5th and the 6th were halved in pars and the match was squared on the 7th when the kelso pair boggied. Both 3 putted the short 8th when their puts were left short. The 9th was another par for both but Jamie sunk the first birdie of the round on the 10th to go 1 up. Pars at 11, 12, and 13 and birdies at the 14th followed. A great second to the 15th by Alan Chambers to 2 feet got the match back to level.
Birdies by both at the 16th with the Kelso pair up and down from sand. This was reversed on the 17th when Jamie hold his putt after then were in sand. Both missed the green at the 18th with Kelso to putt first for par. This putt dribbled just past the hole leaving Jamie a put to win. His putt rolled round the hole and hung on the lip but would not fall.
Extra holes started with pars by both at the 19th. Both missed the green with their second shots at the 20th however Kelso were able to get their par leaving Allan Turnbull a putt to keep the match going. The putt failed to drop and the players shook hand to end a very close game.
The Trophy was presented in the clubhouse where Bryan thanked the Hawick Club for the use of the course and the catering staff for looking after all the players.
Borders v South at Cardrona Golf Club, Sunday 10th April 2011
The Borders entertained the South at Cardrona Golf Club on Sunday. There were five foursomes in the morning where the home team gained an 4-1 advantage with wins for David Gillie & Alan Ballantyne, Jamie Morris & Alan Turnbull, Simon Fairburn & Colin Fraser and Paul Graham.
The afternoon singles were a closer affair but again the Borders came out on top with wins by David Gillie, Alan Ballantyne, Alan Turnbull, Colin Fraser and Alan Chalmers. Paul Graham halved his match.
This gave the Borders a victory by 9½ to 5½
President Ian Thomas thanked Cardrona Golf and Country Club for the use of the course, the green staff for producing an excellent course so early in the season, the catering staff and finally Bob Allen for helping to arrange tee times and all the little things that make such a day successful.
| Players | Score | Points | Players | Score | Points |
| Borders | South | ||||
| D Gillie & A Ballantyne | 5/4 | 1 | M Grunwell &I Thomson | ||
| J Morris & A Turnbull | 5/4 | 1 | C Riddick & G Sharp | ||
| S Fairburn & C Fraser | 2/1 | 1 | N Hamilton &A Bagnell | ||
| P Johnson & B Graham | 1up | 1 | S Kennedy & M McNae | ||
| W Ford & A Chalmers | C Corbett & C Heuchan | 2/1 | 1 | ||
| Foursomes | Total | 4 | Foursomes | Total | 1 |
| P Johnson | M Grunwell | 3/2 | 1 | ||
| D Gillie | 1up | 1 | I Thomson | ||
| A Ballantyne | 5/4 | 1 | C Riddick | ||
| J Morris | N Hamilton | 2/1 | 1 | ||
| A Turnbull | 5/4 | 1 | G Sharp | ||
| S Fairburn | M McNae | 4/2 | 1 | ||
| C Fraser | 4/2 | 1 | C Heuchan | ||
| B Graham | Halved | ½: | S Kennedy | Halved | ½ |
| W Ford | A Bagnell | 2/1 | 1 | ||
| A Chalmers | 5/3 | 1 | C Corbett | ||
| Singles | Total | 5½ | Singles | Total | 4½ |
BGA Presidents Trophy, Kelso Golf Club 3rd April 4, 2011
The opening of the BGA Season took place at Kelso on Sunday where 16 of the Border Clubs plus the President's team played a Texas Scramble over the Kelso course. The rules were four players to a team with each player to use four of his drives. 10% of the total handicap which had to be at least 25.
A shotgun start got the players away in windy but pleasant conditions. There was a flurry of rain part of the way but the Kelso course was in excellent condition and their green keepers must be congratulated for producing a course of this standard so early in the season. Birdies were aplenty with the winners, Galashiels Golf Club claiming no less than nine and no bogies. President, Ian Thomas's team returned eight birdies for second place.
Soup and rolls were provided by the BGA to go with the tales of what might have been. Mrs. Lauder wife of the Kelso Captain Ian presented the trophy and prizes donated by Blair the Jewellers of Kelso, to Galashiels Captain Kenny Nicol who thanked all concerned with the event.
| Club | Gross | H/C | Nett | |
| 1 | Galashiels | 62 | 3.6 | 58.4 |
| 2 | President | 63 | 3.4 | 59.6 |
| 3 | St Boswells | 66 | 5.8 | 60.2 |
| 4 | Melrose | 64 | 3.4 | 60.6 |
| 5 | Lauder | 65 | 4.3 | 60.7 |
| 6 | Kelso | 64 | 2.7 | 61.3 |
| 7 | Eyemouth | 67 | 5.6 | 61.4 |
| 7 | Newcastleton | 65 | 3.6 | 61.4 |
| 9 | Torwoodlee | 65 | 3.5 | 61.5 |
| 10 | Duns | 67 | 5.0 | 62.0 |
| 10 | Langholm | 67 | 5.0 | 62.0 |
| 12 | Innerleithen | 66 | 3.8 | 62.2 |
| 13 | Minto | 68 | 4.9 | 63.1 |
| 14 | Roxburgh | 68 | 4.6 | 63.4 |
| 15 | Woll | 69 | 5.1 | 63.9 |
| 16 | Hirsel | 68 | 3.2 | 64.8 |
| 17 | Peebles | 71 | 5.7 | 65.3 |
Report: Dennis Little