Golf: Let's ease the heartache

Apr 22 2009 by Paul Behan, Paisley Daily Express

PAISLEY and Renfrewshire’s most promising golfers will be aiming to put disappointment behind them when they swing back to action next month.

There was agony for a number of talented local golfers as they fell by the wayside during the Scottish Boys Championship at Royal Aberdeen last week.

But they will be desperate to make up for their tournament heartache when the Bidwells Scottish Stroke Play Championships, held from Friday, May 29, to Sunday, May 31, get underway.

The highest-ranked local player from last year’s event was Matthew Clark from Kilmacolm and hopes are high that at least one local star can make an even bigger impact this time around.

Previous winners of the competition include Colin Montgomerie, Paisley’s Dean Robertson and Richard Ramsay. This year’s entry is expect to top 140, with many of them coming from Renfrewshire.

And following the Scottish Stroke Play Championships there is a further opportunity for Buddies to get their name on some silverware when the Scottish Boys Area Team Championships take place at Ballumbie Castle, starting on Sunday, June 7 .

Renfrewshire came second last year and all eyes will be on them again to see if 2009 is finally going to be their year.

Royal Burgess is the venue for the DM Hall Scottish Mid-Amateur Championships, to be held from Saturday, June 13, to Monday, June 15, and out of the local entries from last year Kilmacolm’s Andrew Farmer finished the highest, reaching the quarter finals of the tournament.

It’s hoped that either Andrew or another local youngster can reach the latter stages this time around.

Sam Binning of Ranfurly Castle finished joint 33rd during the Scottish Youth Championships last year and this season’s event, at Renfrew, will give him a slight upper hand as it’s a course he knows fairly well.

When the competition is held from Friday, June 19, to Sunday, June 21, he can use that local knowledge to his advantage.

And in July the firstpointusa.com Scottish Boys Under-16s Championships are being held at Largs and Ralston ace Shaun Connor finished a highly creditable fourth place last year.

When the time comes to play in this high-profile competition, Shaun and the rest of the Paisley and Renfrewshire contingent could well be battling it out with no less than another 100 or so competitors and the field is expected to be significant for the 2009 event.

Also taking place at Largs is the Loretto School Scottish Boys and Girls Under-14s championships where, traditionally, Renfrewshire’s youngsters always seem to do well.

Last year Fraser Lauder of Paisley, Stuart Cameron of Renfrew, and Paul Reilly of Lochwinnoch all finished in the top 50 and hopes are high that whoever takes part in this year’s tourney can go even better.

From Tuesday, July 21, to Thursday, July 23, the Scottish Boys Stroke Play Championships will be played over Ladybank Golf Club and this is widely regarded as Scotland’s premier stroke play competition for junior golfers.

Ranfurly Castle ace Sam Binning came agonisingly close to winning the tournament last year but had to settle for second place after an enthralling final.

This time he faces a possible entry field of more than 140.

Another high-profile competition for 2009 is the Scottish Club Championships.

The club championships will be held at Prestwick St Nicholas and Ranfurly Castle will no doubt be eager to reclaim the title they last won in 2007.

A trophy which is always highly sought- after by the clubs in the Renfrewshire Golf Union area is the Scottish Area Team Championships, to be held at Crail in October.

Last year’s winners were Ayrshire but they had to ease out a strong challenge from Team Renfrewshire to claim the top prize.