There's a buzz in the air on the course

Published 4 Feb 2010 11:36 0 Comments

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David Graham, Tom Haveron, Tony Morris and Alex Hepburn

HELENSBURGH Golf Club is bucking the national trend of doom and gloom - with a real buzz in the air at the club.

At a time when throughout the country and beyond golf clubs are suffering from the current economic difficulties with falling memberships, reduced income and a rising uncertainty as to where it is all going to end, this is not the case at Helensburgh.

The successes of new initiatives on the playing scene over the last couple of seasons with, for example, Friday Night Fun Nights and the anticipation of increased levels of support in the coming season under the new committee, headed up by the ubiquitous Tom Foster, recently installed as captain, are largely responsible.

Last Saturday that anticipation generated an encouraging field of 104 members in pleasant, but wintry, conditions for a cross country scramble.

The event had been postponed since last summer because of conditions, which had been materially worse than those now enjoyed.

The competition, which was organised and sponsored by the club's head professional Fraser Hall, was won by David Graham, Tom Haveron, Tony Morris and Alex Hepburn with a nett 27.

Andy Bennett, Charles Barbour, Jack Myles and John MacMillan were runners up with 29.1.

The participants had an opportunity to inspect Fraser's latest addition to his comprehensive service to members, and non-members alike, and his own bold expression of confidence in the future of the sport.

He has recently installed a swing studio, which is an indoor hi-tech teaching and club customisation facility, enabling him to use slow motion photography to analyse and advise and to obtain all the knowledge of the individual golfer which is required.

As it is a totally indoor facility, lessons can be provided and equipment tested irrespective of the outside conditions. It is the only equipment of its type which is available to all golfers within the area.

Fraser is to be congratulated on his initiative and his generous sponsorship of the cross country scramble.

One section of the club has played a leading part in the well being of the club. The Ladies were responsible for the introduction of a number of initiatives in recent years. These included Friday Fun Nights incorporating short competitions followed by a complementary social activity.

These added much to the promotion of Helensburgh as a family club and are eagerly awaited by the devotees when the clock changes in a couple of month's time.

Events such as these are used by the Ladies to generate funds which are applied for charitable purposes.

And last year, under the captaincy of Doreen Sneddon, this generated the sum of £1,620 from raffles and other fundraisers being handed over to the chosen beneficiaries, local charity JIGSAW.

In another generous initiative the committee of management at the club marked the outstanding success of Lynn McCathie, who has won the Ladies Championship on no fewer than 20 occasions.

The club is also endowing a Junior Scholarship with the beneficiaries annual subscription being paid by the club based on Lynn's choice of the most suitable recipient.

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