Bags of advice for golfing girls on eve of Scottish Open

ON THE eve of the Aberdeen Ladies' Scottish Open, Catriona Matthew was at Archerfield near Gullane yesterday passing on some useful tips to Scotland's youngest and brightest girl golfers. Practise the short game, stick in at school and don't have any superstitions.

A graduate of Stirling University and the only Scot to win a women's major, the North Berwick 41-year-old has pretty well followed the advice, although she does admit that she always starts a tournament with a ball marked with a four and that she only practises with her uneven irons on the range.

"That's because I only had a nine, a seven and a five when I started," she explained. "But superstitions can become silly. For instance, what happens if you have a favourite marker and then you lose it?"

Matthew was joined by another three Aberdeen Asset Ambassadors - Mhairi McKay, Lynn Kenny and Carly Booth - and they faced a barrage of questions from the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association's Academy squad

The final thrill for a group that had 11-year-old Kirsty Brodie, from Strathmore, as the youngest member and included North Berwick's 14-year-old Clara Young, already a GB and Ireland Under-16 cap, was a session with the famous quartet on the practice range.

Today, it is down to business for the four professionals, and Matthew is hoping to extend a great run. She was fifth in the Ricoh Women's British Open at Carnoustie and then sixth in the Ladies' Irish Open at Killeen Castle, a venue she will be returning to next month for a sixth Solheim Cup appearance.

For McKay, a two-time Solheim player, it has been a stop and start career ever since the arrival of her son, Angus, nearly two and half years ago.

"Because of my ranking I don't get into any of the early year events on the LPGA Tour," said the US-based golfer who is married to an American, Dave Smith. "It means I am playing catch-up for the rest of the season. But, after this week, I have tournaments in Canada, Arkansas and Alabama and, if I do well enough, I will get into the Asian swing at the end of the season. Angus has changed my life but I wouldn't have it any other way and it's great to have him and Dave here with me this week."

Not long ago Booth was one of the leading lights in Scottish girls' golf - she won the Comrie Club Championship when she was 11 - but now the 19-year-old is a second-year professional on the Ladies' European Tour.

The teenager has carried a weight of expectation on her shoulders and she is hoping it won't be long before she claims a first professional victory.

"My rookie year was tough because I was still finishing my A levels at Glenalmond School," said Booth. "It meant my preparation for tournaments was pretty poor. But now I have more time and I feel I am building my confidence and everything is going along the right lines."Kenny represents Archerfield on the LET so she has an extra reason to do well over the next three days. "This is my home club so I really want to play well," she said. "I've been playing well enough, but just need to string three good rounds together."

Virginie Lagoutte-Clement won the title last year with a one over par total and the French player is one of those hoping to attract the attention of European Solheim Cup captain Alison Nicholas before she finalises her team by picking four wild cards for the event at Killeen Castle from 23-25 September. The team is named a week on Monday.

The leading Scot 12 months ago was Musselburgh's Vikki Laing, who finished fifth. This season the 30-year-old broke the shaft in her driver near the start of the campaign. But with a new weapon in the bag she's hoping the home posting will provide the perfect kick-start.