The Blairgowrie Golf Club

Blairgowrie Golf Club has 2 fine 18 hole courses and one fantastic nine holer.  The Rosemount Course is a classic old Scottish woodland/ heathland course cut through some wonderful trees with a great variety of holes.  Indeed in the 60s and 70s it was home to many championship both on the European Tour and the amateur game.  The Landsdowne Course was opened in the early 70s and is a great addition to the club.  For those with the energy this makes a memorable 36 holes for the visiting golfer. Or I would highly recommend playing one of the 18 hole courses at the club and add a round on the Wee Course which has some of the best holes of any 9 hole course in Scotland.  Blairgowrie is a club with a rich history as can be seen below.  Ask me to add this great inland Scottish course to your itinerary.

Peter Craigon, Morton Golf Holidays.

http://www.mortongolf.com/

It was formed following a meeting held in the Victoria Hotel, Blairgowrie on Tuesday, 26th February 1889. The Chairman of the meeting said a suitable piece of ground for golf had been found close to the Black Loch belonging to the Dowager Marchioness of Lansdowne, from whom the course took its name, Lansdowne, which was later to become the Wee Course. Old Tom Morris played with the Captain, Sir Alexander Mackenzie of Delvine, against the Secretary, Mr Henry-Anderson and Major Peter Chalmers. The Match was very close, with Tom Morris sinking a long putt on the last green to win. When leaving, Tom Morris said “I think this is the most beautiful inland green I have ever seen” – a very favourable comment from the most famous of golfers who had laid out courses in all parts of Great Britain and Ireland.

 The original Lansdowne course (later to become Rosemount) was designed by Dr. Alistair McKenzie, the renowned golf course architect who also designed Cypress Point, Augusta National and many others. His first inspection and design was carried out in 1914 but, perhaps understandably, the club decided that “this was not a good time to incur such expenditure”. However, following the Great War, Dr. McKenzie was called back and an extension from 9 to 18 holes was designed and constructed at a cost of £3,000. The new course finally opened for play in 1927.

 In 1930 the club decided to expand the facilities yet again and engaged James Braid to re-design the course to devise a new 18 hole layout with provision for a new nine hole course. For what then became the 18 hole Rosemount course, Braid utilised some of the holes from the original Lansdowne course – the 17th is classic McKenzie design – and incorporated some completely new holes. The nine hole course became the Wee Course virtually as it remains today.

The original Braid design proposals from 1930 are on display in the clubhouse together with a follow-up inspection note, which commented on an agronomy report made in 1932, 2 years before the new Rosemount course was opened for play in 1934. The comments display a healthy scepticism for the findings as you can see! 

Following the James Braid extension, in the continuing search for golfing perfection several well known course architects and famous golfers were consulted regarding course improvements. In particular, the Rosemount 1st green was a continual source of concern until a new green designed by Donald Steele was eventually constructed in 2000. Some of the names involved in this process, together with their proposals, are noted below.

Willie Auchterlonie Proposal – 1954

C K Cotton Proposal – 1961

Eric Brown Proposal – 1970

Blairgowrie now has two championship 18 hole courses. Rosemount, designed by James Braid and Lansdowne, built in the 1970’s, designed by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas.

In recent years both championship courses – Rosemount and Lansdowne have hosted many national events, most notably the British Seniors Amateur Stroke Play Championship twice and the British Boys Home Internationals, both run by the Royal & Ancient. The Scottish Amateur 72 hole stroke play event has been played on a number of occasions as has the Scottish Mid Amateur championship.

Greg Norman won his first European Tour event in 1977 the Martini tournament held on the Rosemount course.

The British Youths was also held on the Rosemount course at Blairgowrie in 1984, preceded by the GB & Ireland match against Continental Europe. As you will see from the referenced match cards, some illustrious names appeared in the event including Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal. 

The maturity and stature of the Club was recognised by the granting of a Coat of Arms by the Lord Lyon at a ceremony on 5th April 1980.

 Golfing legend Gary Player was guest of honour at the Club’s centenary celebrations in 1989, and to commemorate the occasion and in recognition of his magnificent contribution to the world of golf, club Captain Bill Christie and Vice Captain Tom Watson presented Gary with Honorary Membership of the Club.
The Blairgowrie Golf Club were proud to have had Jessie Valentine MBE (1915–2006) as a distinguished member, and she was conferred Honorary Membership in 1968. She was inducted into the Scottish Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Winner of the British Ladies Amateur golf championship in 1937, 1955 and 1958. In 1959 she was the first woman golfer to be awarded the MBE for services to golf; in 1967 she also received the Frank Moran Trophy for ‘the Scot who has done most for the game of golf’. During the Second World War she drove a truck, and was clearly held in great esteem in the USA. So much so, in fact, that when her fiancee was captured and held as a POW, the Curtis sisters, who created golf’s Curtis Cup, sent him food parcels every month.

• British Ladies Amateur Golf Champion, 1937, 1955, 1958
• Scottish Ladies Amateur Golf Champion 1938, 1939, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956
• New Zealand Ladies Champion 1935
• French Ladies Champion 1936
• Represented GB & Ireland in the Curtis Cup 7 times between 1936 and 1958

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Royal Dornoch is without doubt one of the very best links golf courses in the world.  I recommend it is included in any itinerary when the visiting golfer comes to Scotland.  When our clients send us feedback after they have been to Scotland Royal Dornoch is regularly listed as the BEST course played during the tour.  The layout is classic Scottish links with wonderful greens and superb scenery which is hard to beat anywhere in the world.  It has been said before but if Dornoch was in a nearer to the centre of Scotland it would surely have hosted The Open Championship.  However part of the charm of the place is it’s location being to the north of Inverness and set in the Highlands when you play Royal Dornoch for the first time there will only be one question in your mind and that is when will you be able to come back to this golfing heaven to play it again.  Tell me what you think of Royal Dornoch or indeed ask me to add it to your golfing itinerary for your next visit to Scotland.  To give you a “flavour” of the place I have shown below a short history of the place ( taken from the club website )

Peter Craigon, Morton Golf Holidays

http://www.mortongolf.com/

Long before a golf club was formed at Dornoch, the game of golf was played on the town lands on the links along the seashore. Sometimes it was frowned on by authority because presumably there was a need for their subjects to practise more warlike activities and good marksmen were needed more than good golfers.

The first three golf links in Scotland of which there is written record are: 1552, St Andrews; 1593, Leith; 1616, Dornoch.It was in 1877 that the Dornoch Golf Club was founded as the successor of the Sutherland Golfing Society whose members played at Dornoch and Golspie. The course was then only 9 holes long. The annual subscription to the club was 2/6 and the annual income was £3 18s 6d. But changes were in store. The great Tom Morris came up from St Andrews and laid out 9 proper golf holes. Three years later another 9 holes were added and the fame of the Dornoch course started to spread, even across the Atlantic to America.

About the turn of the century the great Sandy Herd first played with the new rubber-cored ball and out of fashion went the old gutty. John Sutherland, the Club’s Secretary who guided the fortunes of the Club for over 50 years, and his committee, had to remodel the course as a result of the faster ball and Dornoch became for a time the 5th longest course in Britain.In 1906 through the influence of Duchess Millicent of Sutherland the club was granted the Royal Charter by King Edward the Seventh and Royal Dornoch Golf Club was born.

The superb Carnegie Shield was presented to the club by Mr and Mrs. Andrew Carnegie in 1901 for annual competition, and the link with the United States was forged more closely when they opened a new clubhouse in 1909.The Second World War saw an aerodrome in being on the Ladies 18 hole course on the lower links and 4 holes of the championship course were lost. In the late 1940s the decision was taken to construct further holes out towards Embo and once again the House of Sutherland helped by leasing the land (later purchased) to the Club. This was largely the work of George Duncan for John Sutherland had died in 1941. A restricted 9 hole relief course was formed known as the Struie. This has now been developed to a full 18 holes.

Dornoch is far from the main centres of population and so has never been host to the most widely advertised national championships. Nevertheless it has hosted through the years the Northern Open; the Scottish Ladies; and the Scottish Professional Championships. Improved transport systems have helped international golfers and a stream of personalities visit the Club and their praise is unstinting. Tom Watson headed North in 1981, the year after winning the third of five Open Championships at Muirfield. He arrived to play 18 holes, but had three rounds and ‘the most fun I’ve ever had on a golf course’. Tom Watson, now an Honorary Member of the Club, returned before the 1996 Open at Lytham and his view of the course has not changed. Other Honorary members are HRH Prince Andrew and Ben Crenshaw and more recent celebrities to visit the course include such notables as Greg Norman, Mark Brooks and Jack Nicholson.

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If searching for a word to describe Prestwick I immediately think of class.  The whole place is just “ousing” with class – from the wonderful old links course to one of the great clubhouses in the country – to the very nice people who will welcome you when you visit.  I was lucky enough to make my first acquaintance with the course in the 1979 Scottish Amateur ( 3rd round loss to Allan Brodie a Walker Cup player – last green so I was not embarrassed )  Ever since then I have loved going back and now I have the opportunity to send our clients there.  The feedback over the last 6 years since we took over Morton Golf Holidays has been fantastic and it is on almost everyone’s MUST PLAY list.

Take a look at the article below by Hamish Frew which gives a very good account of the history of the club.

What do you think of Prestwick ?  Be delighted if you send me your comments.

Peter Craigon, Morton Golf

http://www.mortongolf.com/

Prestwick Golf Club was founded in 1851 by a group of 57 members who met at the Red Lion Inn, Prestwick. The Earl of Eglinton was the first Captain of the club, and presented a gold medal for annual competition, the Eglinton gold medal is still played for to this day. Colonel Fairlie of Coodham brought Tom Morris with his wife Agnes and son young Tommy to Prestwick from St. Andrews, to be the Keeper of the Green, Ball and Club Maker. The members purchased two cottages opposite the Red Lion Inn- One for Tom, and the other as a clubhouse- both buildings are still standing today albeit visibly reconstructed. Tom returned to St.Andrews in 1864 and his house was auctioned in 1866 for £170. This allowed the club to build a new Clubhouse on the present site for a cost of £758 in 1868. In 1877, extensions cost £700 and in 1882, 90 lockers, which are still in use, were installed at a cost of £350. A major re-development was completed in 1999.

The first Open Championship was held at Prestwick in 1860, which was organised by the members who subscribed £25 to purchase a red morocco belt with silver clasps. It was won by Willie Park of Musselburgh with a score of 174 over 36 holes and there was no prize money. The Belt was won in three successive years by Young Tom Morris from 1868 to 1870 and thus became his property. When Morris won for the third time, in 1870, he had a first round score of 47 over 12 holes, a score that has never been equalled or bettered. He started with a three at the 578 yard first hole- in those days a par 6. His Belt is now in the keeping of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St.Andrews. A replica Belt was presented to Sandy Lyle, the winner of the 125th Anniversary Open Championship at Royal St.Georges Golf Club. Another Belt is on display in the Cardinal room in the Prestwick clubhouse. There was no Championship in 1871 and, and thereafter, Prestwick, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St.Andrews, and the Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers joined forces to purchase a current Claret Jug for £30, played for in the Open Championship. When the Championship was revived in 1872 Young Tom won again, thus winning the Open four times in a row- a feat no other golfer has ever matched, or likely will. His prize money was £8.

Prestwick hosted the Open twelve more times after 1872, from 1875 intermittently until 1925. It was in 1182 that the eighteen hole course was born. Notable winners during this period included John Ball Jr., the first amateur to win the Open – the last amateur to win being the legendary Bobby Jones, in 1930 at Hoylake. Harry Vardon, who won the Open a record six times, won at Prestwick on three of those occasions; in 1898, 1903, and 1914. In 1908, James Braid, a member of the great golfing triumvirate, won at Prestwick, and he was also involved in the redesign of parts of the course, a role he was to fulfil for many other courses thereafter.

Prestwick’s final Open was in 1925, when the crowds became so great that players were insufficiently protected, and MacDonald Smith in particular, was put off his game, allowing Jim Barnes USA to steal the title.

The Amateur Championship has been held at Prestwick on eleven occasions from 1888 to 2001, in which year Michael Hoey was the Champion. The most remarkable final was between W. Lawson Little Junior of Presidio, USA and J. Wallace of Troon Portland in 1934. Little went round in 66 in the morning and started in the afternoon 3 3 4 3 3, to win at the 5th hole by 14 and 13. In 1952 the final of the Amateur Championship was between two Americans – Frank Stranahan and winner Harvie Ward. The last Amateur held at Prestwick was 2001 as part of the Celebrations for the Club’s 150th Anniversary. It was won by Michael Hoey from Shandon Park, Northern Ireland, who defeated Ian Campbell from Marlborough Golf Club in Wiltshire, by one hole in a closely contested final. A new amateur course record of 66 was set by Nick Dougherty of Shawhill.

A stone cairn to the west of the Clubhouse, marks the first tee of the original 12 hole course, from which the first Open was played. The 1st hole measured 578 yards to what is now the 16th green, where in 1870 Tom Morris Jr holed out in three strokes using hickory shafts and a gutty golf ball. Seven of the original greens are still played on today. The Cardinal Bunker is named after “The Cardinal’s Nob (or nose)’, a monk of Crossraguel Abbey (now a ruin -near Turnberry) played a match to settle a deadly feud against a Lord of Culzean -the wager, his nose. Willie Campbell’s grave is a bunker on the current 16th hole where Willie, leading in the Open of 1887, took four shots to escape, and in doing so, lost the Championship to Willie Park Jr. The Elysian Fields comprise the fairways to the east of the Pow burn and to the north of the Dow burn. The Zareba is the hollow near the Cardinal under the shoulder of the 16th green. The Hartz Mountains constitute the rolling 13th fairway, named after Harry Hart the Secretary (left), who was so short he would periodically appear ‘invisible’ on the 13th.

When Tom Morris Snr left the Club for St. Andrews in 1864, Charlie Hunter then took his place, but left soon after for Blackheath in 1865. On his departure, Andrew Strath of St. Andrews, then took the post of Keeper of the Links in 1865, the same year he won the Challenge Belt. Strath died tragically in 1868 of tuberculosis at the age of 32. Charlie Hunter then returned from Blackheath to become Custodian of the Links. Hunter, competed in, or was the official starter at every Open Championship at Prestwick until his death in 1921 with 53 years service to the Club. A portrait of Hunter hangs in the Dining room (right). James McDowall then became the club professional for a term of 6 years resigning in 1927 when Robert McInnes was appointed. McInnes became an Honorary Member in 1957 and died in 1962. Frank Rennie (left) was appointed in 1962 and remained in post for 42 years until he retired in 2004. Frank was made an Honorary Life Member in 1988.

David Fleming succeeded Frank and was appointed Professional in October 2004. David trained at Turnberry and became Head Professional. He then became Director of Golf at Carton House, Dublin prior to his appointment at Prestwick.

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I was lucky enough to play golf at Royal Aberdeen whilst attending university in the 70s and it quickly became one of my all time favourite courses.  When it was light enough to play by 6.30am ( this was each October then from March to June ) I arrived at the course and played a quick 18 to finish by around 8.45am.  A brisk walk back to the university and I could make my first lecture by 9am.  It was a priviledge to be able to play a world class links course every week and it was wonderful to see the golf course “show cased “ around the world when the British Seniors Open was played there in 2005. It was great to see Tom Watson, Greg Norman and all of the other famous seniors play the course that week and to hear so many favourable comments.  A mark of Royal Aberdeen’s greatness is again going to be recognised in 2011 when the club will host the Walker Cup which is the biannual match between the amateur teams from Great Britian & Ireland and the USA. 

If you have been lucky enough to play Royal Aberdeen tell me what you thought of the course or why not get in touch if you would like me to include it as part of your itinerary on your next trip to Scotland. 

Peter Craigon, Morton Golf Holidays

http://www.mortongolf.com/

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Fraserburgh is the 7^th Oldest golf club in the World – Founded 1777.  If ever you wanted to play a hidden gem then this is the course for you.  I played it first way back in the 70s and was delighted to visit again with some friends recently.  This is links golf at it’s very best, great dunes define the course which has a variety of intersting holes and you will love every minure of your round.

Please look at the short slideshow and you will see what I mean.   Let me know what you think and also tell me if you would like to come to Scotland to play on these wonderful links at Fraserburgh Gold Club.

embedded by Embedded Video

Peter Craigon, Morton Golf Holidays

http://www.mortongolf.com/

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A story of a Birdie and an Eagle from the Home of Golf

Skip, BJ, Keith and Dan’s adventure in Scotland

It had been an amazing trip to the Home of Golf and the four of us were agreed that nothing could have been done to make things any better. Guided by our Scottish friend Peter Craigon of Morton Golf, we had played a wonderful mixture of Scotland’s most famous courses and some of the many delightful ‘hidden gems’ to be found throughout this beautiful country.
We had covered the country and played golf at nearly every compass point. Starting in the east in the Kingdom of Fife – famous for the Old Course but home to a host of other excellent courses – for example we played and loved Lundin Links - we had then headed north to play Tain and Royal Dornoch, sampling the local whiskies and beers as we went.
Our trip was coming to an end and, with only Royal Troon in the southwest and Gullane in the southeast still to play, we were savouring every last minute. Open Championship venue Royal Troon is a classic links course, hugging the seashore and rewarding visitors with spectacular sea views and glimpses of wildlife.
At the fourth fairway, we had a gallery of several dozen seagulls who regarded our first three drives with complete disdain. However, BJ’s drive left his club a wee bit thin and struck one of the seagulls with fatal consequences. It was a horrible break but we recorded the incident to show our loved ones back home and insisted that he play on in accordance with the Rules of Golf – “play it as it lies “ is how they play in Scotland.
Gullane lies just to the east of Scotland’s historic capital city, Edinburgh. A close neighbour of the Open venue Muirfield, Gullane is charming and its members very welcoming and friendly. This was the final round of trip and we were all taking advice from our caddies to make sure our last round was one of our best.
The ninth at Gullane is a beautiful 165 yard downhill three par and that day we were shooting into a 20 mile an hour breeze. Keith’s caddy persuaded him to hit a six iron and told him to aim 10 yards left of the hole. The resulting perfect shot ran softly to the right and into the hole.
What a joy! Keith’s eagle and BJ’s birdie(!) were just two of the lovely memories we took home from our trip of a lifetime to the Home of Golf.

Skip Talley, Kansas

The above is the remarkable story of the trip taken by Skip Talley along with golfing buddies BJ, Keith and Dan which culminated in Keith’s wonderful hole in one at the brilliant Gullane No 1 course.

Tell me if any of you have had a hole in one whilst on a golf tour to Scotland?

Peter Craigon, Morton Golf Holidays

http://www.mortongolf.com/

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Today marks the 200th anniversary of Royal Montrose Golf Club and, while the snow and frost has forced a seven-hole hickory competition planned for tomorrow to be put back until February, the celebrations are already underway.
Over 100 members attended a Hogmanay party, during which Ian Harley, the club captain, and Janet Henderson, the ladies’ captain, unfurled a bicentenary flag. The club was also first footed by members of Montrose Mercantile and Montrose Caledonia.
Founded as the Montrose Golf Club and then known as Royal Albert Golf Club, Royal Montrose is the ninth oldest continuous golf club in the world. It received its Royal Patronage in 1845, only the third golf club to receive the honour after Royal Perth and the Royal & Ancient.
Royal Montrose was one of the original 24 sponsors of the Amateur Championship Trophy. It has also played a significant role in the evolution of the Rules of Golf while its professionals have made their mark around the world.
Alex Findlay, for instance, emigrated to Nebraska in 1887 and, after creating its first golf course consisting of six holes, and promoted golf widely, became known as the grandfather of golf in the States.
He was affiliated with over 210 clubs worldwide and an honorary member of almost every club in America. One of Findlay’s brothers, Fred, emigrated to Australia in 1910 to become professional at the Metropolitan Club before joining his brothers in America, where he became a renowned course architect.
Among the events being held to celebrate the bicentenary are a 25-hole Open to mark the only Open for professionals and amateurs played over that many holes in 1866 and a week-long programme of events at the end of August to which Royal golf clubs around the world have been invited to send representatives.
“So far we’ve had a positive response from more than 40 of the 63 clubs,” said the club’s vice-captain, Brian Ritchie.

Montrose Golf Links is a fantastic golf course and should be included as part of any itinerary when golfers come to Scotland.

Peter Craigon, Morton Golf Holidays

http://www.mortongolf.com/

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Crail Balcomie always receives some of the best comments from Morton Golf clients who have played there as part of their Scottish golf trip.   It is one of the oldest clubs in the world ( c 1786 ) and offers up a true links test with superb views and a variety of types of golf holes.  Ask Bobby Evans from Shreveport - last year Bobby and my son Sam ‘whupped’ Dick Perkins and your correspondent on a beautiful warm and sunny June day and in fact we narrowly avoided the dreaded ” Dog’s Licence “ ( so called in Scotland as 7 and 6 is how much a dog licence used to cost in our old money ie 7 shillings and 6 pence )

Bobby had one of the best rounds he’d had in many a day and he is sure to want to include Crail as part of his itinerary when he returns in 2011.  We’ll get our revenge next time Dick.  When you visit Crail why not ask us to arrange for Graeme Lennie to give your group a “Hickory Golf Demonstration ?”  Graeme is the head pro at Crail but is also one of the top golf historians in Scotland and he will delight you with wonderful stories of how golf started all those centuries ago and he’ll show you how to hit the old hickory golf clubs.  You will even have the chance to try to hit shots with these old clubs yourself and what a great way to understand how skillful the players of the 1800s and early 1900s really were! 

Crail Balcomie Links will provide you and your golfing buddies with a memorbale experience and afterwards you can sit in the newly refurbished clubhouse which has one of the best views in Scottish golf. Due to such a great location on top of a high ridge and looking out to the North Sea all of the last 4 holes are visible from the lounge window – what a perfect way to end your day at Crail by having a pint of the local brew and reflecting on what a great golf course you have just played!

Tell me what you think of Crail Balcomie by sending a comment. 

Peter Craigon, Morton Golf Holidays

http://www.mortongolf.com/

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John Huggan is a past Scottish Amateur Champion and also happens to be one of the best golf writers around.  He knows the game inside out and uses his regular column in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper to “tell it the way it is”.  He also has a sense of humour sadly lacking in many of today’s golf writers so I thought you would find John’s annual “Huggy Awards” amusing and indeed insightful.

Tell me what you think of the points John raises in his Huggy Awards.

Peter Craigon, Morton Golf Holidays

 http://www.mortongolf.com/

 IN THIS, the season of goodwill to all and sundry etc etc, it is somehow appropriate that some extra special giving and receiving takes place alongside the traditional swapping of presents on Christmas Day. Yes folks, it’s Huggy time again, golf’s annual descent into the sack of goodies – and baddies – that have entertained and, dare one say it, appalled us all over the last 12 months. 2009, of course, did not let us down. Indeed, after a slow start the year built to something of an unprecedented crescendo. Much went on, ahem, behind the scenes and some of it even took place away from Tiger’s driveway and multiple boudoirs. So here they are, the great, the good and the goofy events that took the Huggy committee’s fancy this year. Maestro, the envelopes please.

MOST MEMORABLE PERFORMANCE

Although entranced by the 71 holes that old codger Tom Watson played all but perfectly at Turnberry during the Open Championship, the Huggy committee – a gender-neutral bunch – is duty-bound to acknowledge the amazing efforts of our own Catriona Matthew at the Women’s British Open. Only a few weeks after giving birth to second daughter Sophie, North Berwick’s finest romped to victory at Royal Lytham and in so doing became the first Scot to win a major title. “Supermum” indeed.

There was a hole-in-one. There were – especially on the back nine in the third round – putts holed from all over the place. Heavens, the normally stoic “Beany” was even seen to smile broadly at one point. What a week it was, and well deserving of a Huggy.

BEST USE OF CELEBRITY

Inexplicably to those of his professional colleagues who prefer (much) warmer climes, Paul Lawrie has spent all of his days in Aberdeen. He is, in fact, a bit of a bore on the subject of his birthplace, extolling its various virtues to anyone prepared to listen.

But the 1999 Open champion doesn’t just pay his share of the taxes that help keep the gritters on the roads up there in the North-east, he contributes to the society in which he lives in other important ways. Most notably, of course, he runs his own junior foundation aimed at introducing as many children as possible to the game that has given him so much. And it’s working. So far thousands of kids have been exposed to golf through Lawrie’s sterling efforts. It is the perfect use of high-profile status, one so many of his fellow pros would do well to emulate. He more than merits his ascent into the Huggy Hall of Fame.

GOLF STABLE OF THE YEAR

Quite apart from the continuing presence of Lawrie in his hometown, 2009 was a golfing year to remember for the Granite City of Aberdeen.

First there was the unprecedented feat of a young Hazelhead member by the name of David Law, winner of first the Scottish Boys Championship then the Scottish Amateur title. Never before has anyone lifted both trophies in the same calendar year. Then, just last week, the former US Amateur champion and honorary member of Royal Aberdeen, Richie Ramsay, added to his increasingly impressive CV with victory in the South African Open. And let’s not forget “Australian” Michael Sim, a loon by blood, even if his accent contains more cobbers than cabers. 2010 promises much for the 25-year-old who is, at least for the moment, the only Scottish-born golfer ranked in the world’s top-50 players.

And all of them hail from Aberdeen. Who would have thunk it?

BEST VICTORY CELEBRATION

The striking Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff take-off by Lee Westwood in the immediate wake of his Dubai World Championship win is a worthy contender in this category. Then there was Rory McIlroy’s expression of relief/ecstasy at the Dubai Desert Classic. And YE Yang’s novel elevation of his golf bag following what was one of the shots of the year at the USPGA Championship also came under the Huggy committee’s microscope.

But the winner has to be the completely out of control reaction of the Molinari brothers to their victory at the World Cup in China. Totally spontaneous joy is hard to beat and for that the stereotypically excitable Italians are clear winners of this prestigious Huggy. Have they stopped running yet?

BIGGEST DOPE OF THE YEAR

Ah, Carolyn Bivens – where to begin when assessing the contribution of the now-former commissioner of the LPGA Tour? There were so many moments of madness. Who, by way of example, can forget the borderline racist edict that the many Korean players on the world’s biggest female circuit should learn English or face suspension?

But it is for one of her last public utterances that the unlamented Bivens receives her Huggy. Asked about the latest craze to hit the game, Twittering, the BDOTY was moved to comment that she would “love it” if players Twittered during rounds. “The new media is very important to the growth of golf and we view it as a positive, a tool to be used,” she gushed.

It isn’t entirely clear whether or not this further descent into insanity is what eventually cost Bivens her job, but at the Huggy committee coincidences are viewed with the greatest suspicion. She won’t be back.

“WE CAN BE BOUGHT – JUST ASK”

No, this category has nothing to do with Tiger or any of his many female chums. No, in a closely run contest that has already, almost a year before the matches take place at Celtic Manor, seen the pair of them make compensated appearances all over the globe, this tacky little Huggy goes jointly to Ryder Cup captains Colin Montgomerie and Corey Pavin.

Really, there has been virtually no escape from the men who will lead Europe and the United States into the biennial battle come next September. They even showed up, inexplicably, at the World Match Play Championship in Spain, where Monty was overheard to comment, “I only came because he (Pavin] did.”

Just about the only thing this highly motivated duo have yet to attend is the opening of the proverbial envelope. Can only be a matter of time though.

PAR OF THE YEAR

Not exactly known for his propensity to stray from the world’s fairways – he is routinely in the top-five for driving accuracy on the European Tour – Australian Peter O’Malley is nevertheless the recipient of this highly coveted Huggy.

It went like this. After driving into the fairway at what is normally the par-5 sixth hole at Kingston Heath during the Australian Masters, the former Scottish Open champion blocked his second shot into a bunker maybe 50 yards short and right of the green. He then thinned his recovery into thick bushes behind the putting surface. A drop under penalty followed, which left Pom (surely the most ironic nickname for any Aussie) with a blind pitch over said bushes. He, of course, holed it. On the fly, no less. What a Huggy.

NEANDERTHALS OF THE YEAR

Another joint award, this time for services to the 19th century, goes to the “gentlemen” of the Portmarnock Golf Club outside Dublin and the dopes populating the Irish Supreme Court.

Given the chance to banish forever the blind prejudice that alienates so many right-thinking people from golf, their lordships voted to allow the misogynists to continue their wallowing in their all-maleness. Given the chance to do so much good for the oh-so stuffy image of the greatest game, they blew it. Given the chance to forever bring sanity instead of madness to one of the Emerald Isle’s best courses, they opted out. And for all of that they get a Huggy.

BIGGEST POINT-MISSERS

David Merriman never played the main tour, either at home in Australia or anywhere else. The man from Sydney never was quite good enough to make it out there with the big boys. But that all changed when he turned 50 and ventured out onto the European Seniors Tour.

Since winning the qualifying school at the end of 2006, Merriman has amassed more than ?280,000 in prize money and more than once come close to recording what would be an enormously popular maiden victory. Even more than that, however, he is in so many ways the model professional. After every event – that’s every event – the 55-year old pens a letter of thanks to the sponsors for enabling him to follow his long-held dream of playing golf for a living.

Which brings us to the season- ending OKI Castellon Senior Tour Championship last month. After competing in the pre-tournament pro-am, Merriman spent around 90 minutes lunching and chatting with his team. He then repaired to the practice green for some work with the shortest club in his bag. Unfortunately, in so doing he inadvertently missed the pro-am prize giving. He and his companions had finished third, making his attendance mandatory, so Merriman was fined £500 by the European Tour.

Point-missing on such a grand scale cannot go unrewarded. The Huggy will surely look nice in the tour’s trophy cabinet at Wentworth.

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