The Old Course Ranfurly Golf Club—Newsletter Winter 2015

Captain’s Message

We are quickly approaching Christmas and the New Year and

there are plenty opportunities to enjoy some fantastic, festive,

fun at the golf club. With the numerous social nights in the

calendar, festive lunches as well as our normal catering, we look

forward to working the socks off Louise, Heather, Katie, Jean and

all our terrific catering and bar staff who, I’m sure, will rise to

the challenge and look after us in their usual extremely

professional and supremely friendly manner. I know emails have

been sent out and posters put up but, if you’re still not sure what’s

on, you can also log in to the website, look at the members section

and check out all the events on offer.

Given the spell of very wet weather we have been having it

looks like most of the December fun will be taking place inside

the clubhouse. However, I do hope that those of you who enjoy

golf all year round will find a few dry(ish) hours to get the

necessary “fix” that only playing the game can give you.

December can be a frantic month but, please, take time to enjoy

it. On behalf of myself and all members of the Board, may you

all have a fantastic Christmas and a tremendous New Year.

Derek

The Old Course Ranfurly Golf Club

o FESTIVE OPENING HOURS

The Bar will be open as follows during the

Christmas and New Year period.

2015

Thursday 24th December 11.00 am – 5.00 pm

Friday 25th December 12 noon – 6.00 pm

Saturday 26th December CLOSED

Sunday 27th December 11.00 am – Close

Monday 28th December 11.00 am – Close

Tuesday 29th December 11.00 am – 7.00 pm

Wednesday 30th December 11.00 am – 7.00 pm

Thursday 31st December 11.00 am – 5.00 pm

2016

Friday 1st January CLOSED

Saturday 2nd January NORMAL HOURS

Jamie Stewart crowned Junior Champion of Champions.

Congratulations to our Junior Member, Jamie Stewart

(pictured) who won the Junior Champion of Champions at The

Duke’s, St. Andrews on Saturday 17 October 2015.

Jamie posted an excellent 69, two under par, for a three shot

victory over Scottish Schools champion Darren Howie from

Peebles Golf Club.

Special Recognition Award

In recognition of Jamie’s outstanding achievements in golf

during 2015 the Club have presented him with a special award.

We would like to wish Jamie continued success in 2016.

More news on Jamie’s outstanding achievements on Page 3 of this Newsletter.

Gents Prizegiving

The Gents Prizegiving was held in the Clubhouse on Friday 20 November 2015 when over 90 members were

entertained by guest speaker Robbie Glen.

Congratulations to the following members who were successful in winning trophies this season:-

Club Championship Stephen Renfrew

SGU Trophy Stephen Renfrew

Mixed Foursomes Mairi & Derek Milne

Jubilee Trophy Donald Laurie & Brian Forsyth

Seniors Club Champion Hugh Booth

McCulloch Cup Stuart McDonald

‘H’ Trophy Alistair McIlvar

J R Ross Trophy Robert Hillcoat

Rover Trophy Graeme Campbell

Wilma Aitken Birdie Trophy Josh Bogle

Smith Trophy Eddie Dorrian

T S Brown Veterans Trophy Jim Barr

Sandy Brodie Trophy Donald Laurie

Cronies Trophy Angus Bell & Louis Oliver

David Cooper Trophy Derek Milne

Jim Dunbar Trophy Louis Oliver

McRobert Thistle Cup Jamie Shepherd & Chris Ferris

Millenium Putter Stewart Watt

Tannery Centenary Trophy Louis Oliver

A R Connell Trophy Craig Watson & Stephen Robertson

Fraser Innes Trophy Jamie Shepherd & Chris Ferris

George Whiteford Trophy Stewart Watt

Merit Trophy Eddie Dorrian

Congratulations to the following Gents who triumphed in Monthly Medals:- Alistair McIlvar, Colin Baillie,

Phil Sweeney, Stewart Watt, Andrew Mitchell, George Hepburn, Gerry Morton, Ronald Craig, David

Nelson, Alan Stirling, Lee Fernie, Stephen Renfrew, Bill Russell, Stuart Lunney, Craig Ayton, Louis Oliver,

Robert Hillcoat, Scott Fraser, Archie Kidd, Peter Connell, Andy Forrest, Andy Baxter and Sam McDonald.

Unclaimed prizes can be picked up from the office. SGU prize vouchers can now be credited to your Bar

and Catering Card.

Captain Derek MacDougall

presenting Club Champion,

Stephen Renfrew, with the

Bonar Shield

RGU News

This has been a very successful season for the Club at local and international level. Both County

Handicap Trophies were won by Old Ranfurly members, playing at their home club. Brad McGuire

(6-12) and Craig Watson (13-28).

Matthew Dalrymple won the Junior County Matchplay Championship, The Freedman Trophy, at

Kilmacolm Golf Club. Aidan O’Hagan won the RGU Under 15 Order of Merit.

Jamie Stewart, Ross Robertson and Matthew Dalrymple were members of the team who won the

Junior West League title played against five other counties.

Matthew Dalrymple also played for the youth team and although the team finished second Matthew

won the three matches he played.

Stewart Watt was a member of the ‘A’ Team and was victorious in three out of four outings.

Jamie Stewart

Jamie captained Scotland at Under 16 level in the Quad Internationals at Archerfield, where

he won six out of six matches.

He represented Scotland Under 16, in Switzerland.

Jamie represented Scotland Under 16, in an international series at Dalmahoy.

He won the Scotland Under 16 Strokeplay Championship at Arbroath.

He also won the Scottish Junior Champion of Champions at The Dukes.

Not surprisingly Jamie won the County Junior Player of the Year award.

A great season for the players and the Club.

Lyall Campbell

RGU Representative

Greens News

In the last three weeks the course has been subjected to extremely high levels of rainfall. The staff

have tried to keep the course available to members but there have been some closures which were

unavoidable.

The path at the 8th/9th was re-instated but it has, once again, been washed out due to the overflow-

ing of the Locher Water.

The Winter Programme is underway albeit in a somewhat staggered manner, due to clean up

operations after flooding.

The bushes have been cut back on the banking at the 14th and stripping the face of the hill at the

16th is well under way.

The drainage at the 18th green has also been started.

Ladies Dinner

This event was held on Friday 16 October with Ladies Section Captain, Anna MacDougall at the helm.

48 ladies attended this event and a ‘rer terr’ was had by one and all. After the lovely meal the ladies

participated in a game of charades.

Ladies Business Meeting and Presentation of Prizes

This took place on Tuesday 3 November. Anna passed her Ladies Section Captain’s badge over to

Mairi Milne. We wish Mairi every success in the coming year. The business meeting went ahead very

smoothly and was followed by the prize giving.

Mairi’s committee this year comprises of – Vice Captain – Hazel Kirkland, Committee members – Paula

Adam, Sheila Deans, Moira Galletly, May Hunter, Fiona McMillan, Fiona MacPhee and Susan McFall.

Ladies Trophy Winners 2015

Ladies Champion Fiona MacPhee

Bronze Shield Susan McFall

Satterford Trophy Ann McKenzie

Challenge Cup Jen Owen

Medal Finals Trophy Birgit Clark

Jean Aitken Trophy Muriel Young

Jubilee Foursomes Marion Downie & Frances Miller

Mixed Foursomes Mairi and Derek Milne

Mary Simpson Salver Susan Fleming

Centenary Trophy Muriel Young

Grace Campbell Salver Marilyn Muir & Fiona MacPhee

Wilma Aitken Rowebowl Mairi Milne

Birdie Trophy Fiona MacPhee

Helen Watson Veterans Quaich Birgit Clark

Birdie Tree Ann McKenzie

Par Tree Trophy Fiona McMillan

Merit Trophy Erin Morrison

Rookie Trophy Erin Morrison

Past Captains Trophy Maureen Mitchell

Captains Outing Fay Storey

Hole in One Trophy Ann McKenzie/Hazel Kirkland

Winter Swingers Suzanne Smith

Winter 5 Club Marilyn Muir

Winter Greensomes Alison Moss & Elaine Aitken

Gold Putter Marion Downie

Congratulations also go to the following Ladies who won monthly medals during 2015. Suzanne Smith,

Ann McKenzie, Marion Downie, Marilyn Muir, Merope Dunlop, May Hunter, Erin Morrison, Gillian

Downie and Paula Adam.

Moira Hogg

On a sadder note, the Ladies Section lost a true character this year, when Moira Hogg died on 23

October. Moira was always very friendly and extremely encouraging to all new members, she was a

much loved stalwart of the Ladies Section. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her.

Moira’s funeral was very well attended by family and friends at Woodside Crematorium then after-

wards back at Old Ranfurly.

Ladies’ Champion— Fiona MacPhee

being presented with her trophy by

Anna MacDougall.

Ladies Santa Swing

Unfortunately not a club was swung this year on Saturday 5 December due to the torrential rain.

However, 24 ladies still managed to have a ball, and were joined by Santa and his little helper elf.

The raffle raised £114 – Mairi’s chosen charities this year are – The Beatson and Scottish Autism.

Forthcoming Social Event

The Ladies would like to extend an open invitation to ALL members of the club for their first social

event of the year on Tuesday 9 February 2016 - ‘An evening with Alex Gray’

Alex Gray is an award winning Scottish crime novelist. We’ll hear some stories about her writing and

experiences about her career. Why not come along and enjoy her ‘chat’. Tickets are £5 (this will

include a glass of wine/soft drink)

Peter Feechan’s Hole in One

Congratulations to Peter Feechan who had a hole in one at 13th on Sunday

1 November 2015.

Bill Brock

It is with regret that we report the death of life member Bill Brock. Bill had been a member of the Club

for over 37 years.

Non Playing Membership

You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy the delights of Old Ranfurly!

Do you know anyone who would like to join Old Ranfurly as a non playing member? Non Playing

membership allows full use of the clubhouse and its facilities and is available from now until the end of

February next year for only £25.

Junior Section

The Junior AGM and prize giving took place on Sunday 22 November with the following boys being

appointed as office bearers, of the Junior Section.

Junior Captain—Calum Bell,

Vice-Captain—Jamie Stewart,

Secretary—Jack Bradley

Handicap Secretary—Ciaran O’Brien,

Committee Member— Oliver Weir.

The following boys won trophies throughout the year:-

Gryffe Trophy—Aidan O’Hagan, Famous Grouse—Calum Adam, Habbie Cup—Aaron Stirling, J T Scott

Trophy—Iain Milne, Merit/Handicap Trophy—Calum Adam, W C Smith Merit Trophy—Conor Toal, W C

Smith Memorial Trophy—Ciaran O’Brien, Junior Champion—Ciaran O’Brien.

The following boys also picked up monthly medals:- Conor Toal, Aaron Stirling, Lewis Brown, Jamie

Stewart, Matthew McGhee, Fraser Campbell, Iain Milne, Ciaran O’Brien, Oliver Weir and Calum Adam.

Annual Subscripion notice for Season 2016/2017

We would like to make Members aware of a slight change to the membership renewal process for

next season’s fees. If we have a current email address for you then your annual subscription notice

will be emailed to you, mid February, instead of being posted. A result of our continued efforts to

keep costs down.

Golfer’s Mind

Be a Champion, be a STAR!

At this point in the year I’m going to give you some thoughts that relate to golf,

life in general and more immediately, may help you survive the festive season

which, like golf, requires a range of strategies to be applied in order to achieve

a specific outcome. In golf, to get the ball in the hole! With the festive season

it may be to make sure you and the people around you enjoy it, or it may be that

your ultimate goal is purely to survive it!!!

Champions are in charge of their success and their failures! The goal for every situation you face is

to have such complete focus and such perfect preparation that all your resources are geared to give

100% effort. Then, if you fail, you know you have done your best and, in this way, your failure is

under control. Not everything works out positively but when you’re in control, you organise, evaluate,

and deal with situations on your terms. You may have to adapt as matters evolve so it’s important to

have a range of responses to cope.

In golf related behaviour four basic response patterns are Scripter, Terminator, Analyser and

Relater (STAR). The Scripter is an idealist, above-it-all and committed. You play your best when

things are going well, feel that all your hard work should give a good return and get upset when it

doesn’t pan out that way. Needs to accept that luck (both good and bad) is just part of the game.

The Terminator is aggressive, a leader and action orientated. When you’re on your game you play big

and talk big – always pushing the envelope but, when you’re momentum is broken, you get angry, more

aggressive and impatience sets in. Ego can rule the day and you can’t acknowledge your weaknesses.

The Analyser is methodical, optimistic and efficient. An excellent course manager, you have a

disciplined approach, are in control of your emotions as you have a plan and you stick to it,

unfortunately, even when it becomes obvious that the plan’s not working. The Relater is social,

optimistic and unflappable. Open to new ideas and people’s opinions, is flexible and adaptable so

disruptions don’t spoil your game. Under pleasant circumstances you play your best but, if you’re not

having fun, you can lose interest completely and your game collapses.

Each of us has a “comfort zone” of the way in which we deal with situations and can probably identify

which one of the STAR responses is our usual way of acting. Without taking time to reflect before

acting, we all tend to respond to situations in one specific way, thereby developing habits. By taking a

moment or two to think, we give ourselves a choice of how we respond. If you imagine STAR as a four

pointed rotating STAR, a behavioural compass that can serve as a guideline for golf self-analysis.

When you’re under pressure the STAR locks up and you can’t adapt to changing situations.

To maximise a situation become a total “STAR” with all four points available to you. Learning to turn

your STAR is an important part of running your brain because it gives you the flexibility to handle any

situation – it’s your can-do system!

Champions turn their STAR by the sheer power of their will. Champions choose the best response by

controlling which point of the STAR they will use to face the situation.

So, be a Champion, be a STAR!

Derek

Enjoy a fantastic 5 course feast for only £20 pp Enjoy a Festive Carvery for only £8 pp