Scottish golf news: £10,000 boost for SGF, Scott sets up Texas Tech triumph, amateur legend dies, PGA promotions

Martin Dempster’s latest round up of grass-roots Scottish golf stories

Jamie Kennedy pictured handing over his £10,000 cheque to Stephen Gallacher at Kingsfield Golf Centre near Linlithgow.

£10,000 boost for SGF

A cheque for £10,000 has been handed over to the Stephen Gallacher Foundation from an 18-hole round of golf with a difference undertaken by Edinburgh man Jamie Kennedy last year.

The Royal Burgess member played 18 holes on 18 different courses in East Lothian on the second-longest day of the year, hitting his first shot at Old Musselburgh and holing the final putt at Dunbar.

Texas Tech celebrate winning the All American Intercollegiate at the Golf Club of Houston. Picture: Texas Tech

In between, he also visited The Musselburgh, Royal Musselburgh, Longniddry, Craigielaw, Kilspindie, Luffness, all three Gullane courses, Muirfield, The Renaissance Club, both Archerfield Links courses, North Berwick, The Glen and Winterfield.

“Having completed the challenge round, I was able to pass the £10,000 mark of donations while playing that day,” said Kennedy. “It took a little time coordinating with the foundation but I was able to meet Stevie and members of the Foundation at Kingsfield recently to present them with the cheque and hear, first-hand, how it will benefit kids in golf across Scotland.”

Gallacher presented Kennedy, a former Lothians Boys’ Order of Merit winner, with a glass trophy etched with all of the courses he visited during the challenge.

Calum Scott leads way in Texas Tech triumph

Janette Wright won the Scottish Women's Championship four times, including a hat-trick. Picture: Scottish Golf

Nairn’s Calum Scott led Texas Tech to victory in the All American Intercollegiate at the Golf Club of Houston.

Scott, who played for Great Britain & Ireland in last year’s Walker Cup at St Andrews, carded rounds of 72-71-72 to finish joint-sixth on one under in the individual standings.

The effort helped Texas Tech finish with a team score of seven-over, giving them a two-shot victory over the Sam Houston side.

Closer to home, Stirling duo Alexander Farmer and Ellie Docherty landed their respective titles in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) West of Scotland event at Western Gailes.

Kilmarnock (Barassie) general manager David Addison has been elevated to a PGA Fellow Manager. Picture: The PGA

With impressive rounds of 70-67-69 for a seven-under total, Farmer won by seven shots while Docherty (78-77-70) finished four shots clear of her nearest rivals.

Scottish women’s amateur legend Janette Wright passes away

Janette Wright, a successful player herself and mother of Solheim Cup player Pamela, has passed away.

Wright won the Scottish Girls' Championship before adding four victories in the Scottish Women’s Championship, including a hat-trick from 1959-1961.

On the team front, she helped Great Britain & Ireland win the Curtis Cup at Prince’s Golf Club in Kent in 1956 and also played on victorious GB&I sides in both the Vagliano Trophy and Commonwealth Trophy.

Wright’s husband Innes was the professional at Aboyne, where Pamela cut her golfing teeth before going on to play in the first three editions of the Solheim Cup, including a famous win at Dalmahoy in 1992.

Scots among PGA members to ‘Excel’

Two Scots are among the latest group of PGA members who have achieved a new membership through The Belfry-based organisation’s PGA Excel framework.

David Addison, the general manager at Kilmarnock (Barassie), has been elevated to a Fellow Manager while Michael Kanev, who recently became the club professional at Aberdour after a successful stint at Kingsknowe, is now an Advanced Professional.

Launched in 2022, PGA Excel awards are presented every quarter, with the initiative being praised by Addison, who said: “It’s important to tell people about your skills.

“More and more, I think clubs will look to The PGA and say, ‘we are looking for a manager, can you help us out?’ Having this accredited status just shows the membership of Barassie that they have someone with expertise. It’s a huge benefit to the club.”