Scottish Vet -- Fiona de Vries breaks her ankle

 In happier times, here is a photo of Fiona, on the left, ready to sweep with Maggie Scott in the final of the Scottish Senior Championship at the Lanarkshire Ice Rink. Photo © Skip Cottage.

 Scottish Vet Fiona de Vries (Midlands) broke her ankle on the ice at the 2011 World Senior Curling Championships in Saint Paul in Minnesota USA last week

"Marie O'Kane was skipping her Irish Women to a 3-0 lead over Scotland's Linda Young into the fourth end when Scottish lead Fiona de Vries tripped at the edge of the sheet breaking her ankle

The reports is that she is now recovering from her surgery to pin her broken bones. According to sources in Saint Paul the operation was successful and she will need to stay in hospital for about ten days.

Her husband is making arrangements to come out and stay with her as the teams fly home tomorrow. The members of the US ladies' team are going to make sure Fiona is not lonely and are setting up a rota for visiting the hospital and apparently have offered accommodation for her husband when he arrives.

Fiona the 2006 Scottish Vets Champion and current Scottish Senior Internationalist will certainly be missed  by West Vets Past Captain and Scottish Vets Vice Captain Helen Faulds  who is Captain of Scotland's team for this season's Senior Women's Home Internationals

The West Vets wish her a speedy recovery

Happy Easter to all our West Vets Readers

CLICK HERE to view your Easter Card

Spring Meeting Prestwick St Cuthbert -- "Golden Girl" Sally has a Hole in One

Mamie, Sally (Hole in One) and Anne - Click to enlarge

It was a beautiful day at Prestwick St Cuthbert today in the West Vets Spring Meeting and the scores certainly reflected the good conditions. 
Robina Gilbertson (Prestwick St Nicholas) was the best of the day with a scratch score of 74 -- 3 over the SSS of 71.
The best Net Score of the day was by May McGhee from Balmore who had a fantastic net 65 off a handicap of 24. She also therefore won the title of "Super Vet "
Highlight of the day was a Hole in One at the 9th by Sally Coster (Hilton Park) pictured above with her playing partners Mamie Robin from Elderslie and Anne McKellar from Whitecraigs who had enjoyed the great event. It was Sally's 3rd Hole in One and many of the competitors enjoyed a wee glass of wine back in the clubhouse --- Compliments of Sally.

Janette Stewart (Kilmarnock Barassie) - Silver Winner - Click to enlarge

Janette Stewart from Kilmarnock Barassie was the winner of the Silver Division with a net 66.

Played 19th April 2011, SSS 71, CSS 71 , 87 Entrants
Scratch - Robina Gilbertson (Prestwick St Nicholas)
Silver:
Janette Stewart  - (Kilmarnock Barassie)  85 (19) 66
Kay Murray (Whitecraigs) 87 (19) 68
Jess Blackwood 83 (Kilmarnock Barassie) (14) 69 (bih)

Bronze :
May McGhee (Balmore) 89 (24) 65
Pat Robertson (Caldwell) 88 (21) 67

Super Vet: May McGee 89 (24) 65

CLICK HERE for all the Scores

CLICK HERE for your Handicap Exchange Letter --- Please just print your appropriate Home Club page

CLICK HERE to see the "Course Stats" for the Day

PLEASE NOTE YOU WILL ALSO FIND THESE LINKS ON THE RHS OF THIS WEBPAGE

Scotland v Ireland Vets Match - - THE IRISH HOLD OFF RALLYING SCOTS TO WIN MARY McKENNA TROPHY

The annual Veteran's match against Ireland for the Mary McKenna Perpetual Trophy has been played at Craigielaw yesterday and today. West Vets May Hughes was playing for Scotland

Scotland, despite a brave fightback in the singles, lost 6 1/2-5 1/2 to Ireland in the two-day senior women's amateur golf international match for the Mary McKenna Trophy at Craigielaw Golf Club today. The Irish built up a three-point lead in Sunday's four-ball foursomes when the Scots could muster only half a point from the four ties.
The home team took the singles 5-3 today with wins by Moira Thomson, Anne Ryan,
Lorna Bennett, Elaine Allison and Alison Bartlett but it was not enough to make up the leeway.

SCOTLAND 5 1/2, IRELAND 6 1/2

SUNDAY FOUR-BALL FOURSOMES (1/2-3 1/2)
Scottish names first
Lorna Bennett and Elaine Allison lost to Sheena McElroy and Phil O'Gorman 2 and 1
Heather Anderson and Anne Ryan lost to Niamh Giblin and Mairead MacNamara 4 and 3
Moira Thomson and May Hughes lost to Valerie Hassett and Violet McBride 3 and 2
Mary Smith and Allison Bartlett halved with Helen Jones and Pat Doran.

MONDAY SINGLES (5-3)
Thomson bt McNamara 2 and 1.
Hughes lost to McElroy 2 and 1.
Ryan bt McBride 1 hole.
Bennett bt Giblin 3 and 2.
Smith lost to Doran 2 and 1.
Allison bt O'Gorman 1 hole.
Bartlett bt Hassett 6 and 4,
Anderson lost to Jones 2 holes.

TO READ THE FULL REPORT GO TO THE EAST VETS WEBSITE

Spring Meeting - Prestwick St. Cuthberts

I am so pleased to see so many of you have entered the Spring Meeting next week at Prestwick St. Cuthberts. It would be nice to think that we will have a dry and sunny day, but appreciate that to have both will be a real bonus!! Hopefully most of you will have managed to play some competitive golf before next week, but if not, the 19th April will be something to look forward to!
Most of all enjoy the day and I look forward to seeing you all at the beginning of another season of Vets golf.
Fiona

Draw for the West Vets Spring Meeting

The Draw for the Spring Meeting on Tuesday 19th April at Prestwick St Cuthbert has been done. It is a large entry and Captain Fiona Roger and Past Captain Helen Faulds (who has just completed the draw) would like you to take note that it is a large entry --- Over 90 entrants. They would both like you to make sure you are at the clubhouse well in time for your tee off and also to move smartly when out on the course to keep the play moving well.
Also they would like you to ENJOY YOUR DAY


Time Player 1; Player 2; Player 3.
09.30 E Dewar ; J Blackwood; R Gilbertson.
09.37 M Cook; J Finnie; J Mack.
09.44 A Glennie; A Aitken; N McCrossin.
09.51 E Taylor; A Telfer;
09.58 A Wilson; K MacAulay; H Faulds.
10.05 M Dunlop; E Bremner; S Carruthers.
10.12 M Hogg; K Murray; S McLean.
10.19 L Snodgrass; M Walker; Fiona Roger.
10.26 W McCallum; J MacGregor; L MacDonald.
10.33 J McCartney; R Simpson; E Hanlon
10.40 S Cadden; M Key; J Halley.
10.47 J Stewart; M Stewart; H Robertson.
10.54 M Myers; J Graham; A Mc Millan.
11.01 H Burnet; C Richmond; C Dingwall.
11.08 P Richmond; M Ramsay; C Finlayson.
11.15 J Paterson; C Fell; J Irons.
11.22 M Rees; S Shaw; M Cameron.
11.29 I McVicar; E Grant; M Craig.
11.36 S Osborne; H MacGregor; S Young.
11.43 E Park; J Lockhart.
11.50 S Greenshields; S Pickles; A Reid.
11.57 A MacKellar; S Coster; Maimie Robin.
12.04 G Rintoul; K McColl; P Robertson.
12.11 A Nicolson; A Robertson; P Kerr.
12.18 G Campbell; A Taylor; A Dunn.
12.25 M Gray; J Dow; D Horsefield.
12.32 L Stansfield; A Berry; M Galloway.
12.39 E Hodge; J Sinclair; A Murison.
12.46 S Niven; M Rennie; A MacDougall.
12.53 E J Thomson; I Kerr; M Camrass.
1.00 M McGhee; A Donnelly; H Crichton

Helen is the guest speaker at the Aberdeenshire Centenary Lunch

Helen Faulds - Click to enlarge (Courtesy of Colin Farquharson)

Past West Vets Captain Helen Faulds (Douglas Park), Captain of Scotland's team for this season's Senior Women's Home Internationals was the guest speaker at Saturday's Aberdeenshire Ladies' County Golf Association Centenary Lunch.
Helen was in brilliant form and it was said that she was the best stand-up comedienne ever heard, bar none.
To read all about it go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Happy St Patrick's Day to all Vets in Scotland and Ireland !

CLICK HERE to see your St Patrick's Day Card

May Hughes Selected to play Ireland

The SVLGA team selected to play Ireland in April 17/18th at Craigielaw is as follows:

Elaine Allison (Stirling).
Heather Anderson (Alyth)
Alison Bartlett (Royal Dornoch)
Lorna Bennett (Ladybank)
May Hughes (Lanark)
Anne Ryan (Tain)
Mary Smith (Tain)
Moira Thomson (Gullane Ladies)
Reserves
Alex Glennie (Kilmarnock Barassie)
Suzanne Cadden (Cardross)

Karen Ballantyne...SVLGA Champion is in Australia and unavailable
Fiona de Vries.....Scottish Seniors Champion is unavailable as she is in USA representing Scotland in the Seniors World curling Championship

Captain Fiona returns from Australia

Beach and Sun in Australia - Click to enlarge

I have now been home a couple of weeks from another lovely trip to Australia. We were extremely fortunate to miss all the dramas that were unfolding in various parts of the country and we saw nothing but blue skies and very high temperatures. Spending many hours in the sea was a very special bonus for late January and early February!


Many of you have already put your entries in for not only the Spring Meeting at Prestwick St. Cuthberts, but also the Summer meeting at Whitecraigs. I look forward to yet more entries flooding in! As I look out the window today, I hope for two equally sunny days!

Secretary Ruth and I attended the February meeting of the SVLGA at Swanston Golf Club last week, chaired by President Jean Thomas, and attended by Captains and Secretaries of the 6 areas in the country. The meeting was short and no problems were reported. The dates for the Mary McKenna Trophy, to be played this year at Craigielaw GC, the Jamboree at Wellingborough GC and the Blairgowrie Meeting are all on your fixture cards and if you wish any information regarding them, please do not hesitate to ask me. Our West Division Championships will take place again at Renfrew GC June 2nd/3rd, and our three matches, two against East and one against Midlands will be played on the dates given on your fixture card.

We wish past captain Helen a successful year as she takes over the Scottish captaincy for the senior home internationals to be played at Tramore GC (South West Ireland) in September.

I hope you have all 'wintered' well and look forward to seeing you in April.

Cheers Fiona

The Scottish European Senior Women's Team are one of the Nominees at the Scottish Golf Team of the Year Award

Gillian Kirkwood and Helen Faulds -- Click to enlarge

The Scottish European Senior Women's Championship Team captained by Pam Williamson was represented at the Scottish Golf Awards at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Friday 18th February 2011.

Pam Williamson the Captain of last years team and the newly appointed Captain for 2011 -- Past Captain of the West Vets Helen Faulds was also at the dinner as was your webmaster Carol Fell.

We all had a wonderful evening. The Seniors Team did not win the Team of the Year Award  but were delighted to congratulate Lesley Nicholson's all conquering Scotland Home International Team in winning the main award.

Click Here and then click on slideshow to see larger picture and download a favourite

Helen Faulds is the 2011 Scottish Seniors Captain

Congratulations go to Scottish Vets Captain and West Vets Past Captain Helen Faulds (Douglas Park) --- pictured left  who takes over the role of CAPTAIN for the Senior Home Internationals at Tramore in September
She takes over from last year's Scottish Vets Captain  Pamela Williamson (Baberton).
The West Vets wish Helen and the team every success for 2011

Past Captain Helen celebrates St Valentines Day with husband Bobby

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

PAMELA WILLIAMSON IS TOP SCOT IN SPANISH SENIORS CHAMPIONSHIP

News from the Gillian Kirkwood Website
Baberton's Pamela Williamson finished as top Scot in the Spanish international senior women's amateur individual championship at Santa Ponsa GC, Majorca today .
With rounds of 88 and 87 for 175, she finished joint 33rd, 19 shots behind the three-shot winner, France's scratch veteran Cecilia Mourgue d'Algue with rounds of 80 and 76 for 156.
Former Curtis Cup player West Vets Suzanne Cadden (Cardross) shared 41st place with scores of 86 and 91 for 177, one shot ahead of the 1975 Scottish women's amateur champion, Lesley Johnston (Gullane Ladies) with 86 and 92 for 178 and 46th place.
West Vets Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) scored 93 and 88 for 181 and joint 51st place.
Barbara Biggart (North Berwick) scored 90 and 93 for 183 and a share of 56th place.
Susan Penman (Gullane Ladies) had rounds of 96 and 91 for 167, four shots ahead of clubmate Dorothy Thomson who had scores of 94 and 97 for a share of 72nd place on 191.
Ireland's Sheena McElroy finished as the top British or Irish player in joint third place on 161 with scores of 81 and 80.
Denise Richards (Wales) came next with 81 and 82 for 163 and a share of ninth place just ahead of another Welsh player, the redoubtable Vicky Thomas with 80 an d86 for a share of 14th place on 166.
The level of scoring suggests that the weather was not what you would expect on the holiday island of Majorca, even in February!

LEADING TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
156 Cecilia Mourgue d'Algue (Fra) 80 76.
159 Barbara Jourde (Fra) 76 83.
161 Sheena McElroy (Ire) 81 80, Veronique Ewald (Fra) 82 79.
Selected totals
163 Denise Richards (Wal) 81 82 (T9).
166 Vicky Thomas (Wal) 80 86 (T14).
175 Pamela Williamson (Sco) 88 87 (T33).
177 Suzanne Cadden (Sco) 86 91 (T41).
178 Lesley Johnston (Sco) 86 92 46th).
181 Janice Paterson (Sco) 93 88 (T51).
183 Barbara Biggart (Sco) 90 93 (T56).
187 Susan Penman (Sco) 86 91 (T67).
191 Dorothy Thomson (Sco) 94 97 (T72).

CHECK OUT ALL THE SCORES ON THE TOURNAMENT WEBSITE CLICK HERE

West Vets Suzanne Cadden leads the Scottish way at the Spanish Seniors

Former Curtis Cup player and West Vet Suzanne Cadden (Cardross), and 1975 Scottish women's amateur champion Lesley Johnston (Gullane Ladies) are heading the Scottish contingent at the halfway stage of the Spanish international senior women's amateur individual championship at Santa Ponsa Golf Club, Majorca.
They both returned 86s - 10 shots behind French leader Barbara Jourde - to be joint 31st with a round to go.
Pamela Williamson (Baberton) is sharing 38th place with an 88 and Barbara Biggart (North Berwick) is joint 50th after a 90.
West Vets Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) returned a 93 for a share of 60th place while Dorothy Thomson and Susan Penman, both Gullane Ladies members, had rounds of 94 and 96 respectively.
To read more go to the Gillian Kirkwood Website

Bad weather on 2nd Day of the Spanish Senior Doubles cause High Scoring

Baberton's Pamela Williamson and her Canadian playing partner, Diane Williams, failed to maintain a title challenge over today's last round of the Spanish international senior women's amateur doubles golf championship at Santa Ponsa Golf Club, Majorca.
On a day of bad weather, when even the winners, the Spanish pair of Cristina Marsans and Caralina Castillejo, scored as high as an 85 for 157, Williamson and Williams slipped from joint second overnight to a final placing of joint seventh alongside Vicky Thomas (Wales) and Sheena McElroy (Ireland) on 161.
Williamson and Williams had a second-round 87 and Thomas and McElroy an 84.
Lesley Johnston (Gullane Ladies) and Suzanne Cadden (Cardoss) finished joint 24th with an 84 for 172.
The all-Gullane Ladies combination of Susan Penman and Dorothy Thomson had a 93 for 175 and finished 26th.
Barbara Biggart (North Berwick) and Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) returned a 96 for 181 and a share of 31st place.
SCOREBOARD
LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 144 (2x72)
157 Cristina Marsans and Catalina Castillejo (Spa) 72 85.
158 Mar Corcostegui and Beatriz Juanco (Spa) 77 81.
Selected totals
161 Pamela Williamson (Sco) and Diane Williams (Can) 74 87, Vicky Thomas (Wal) and Sheena McElroy (Ire) 77 84 (T7).
172 Lesley Johnston and Suzanne Cadden (Sco) 78 84 (T24).
175 Susan Penman and Dorothy Thomson (Sco) 82 93 (26th).
181 Barbara Biggart and Janice Paterson (Sco) 85 96 (T31).

First Round Scores from the Spanish Seniors

Baberton's Pamela Williamson and her Canadian playing partner, Diane Williams are lying joint second, two shots off the pace, at the halfway stage of the Spanish international senior women's amateur doubles golf championship at Santa Ponsa Golf Club, Majorca.
Lesley Johnston (Gullane Ladies), Scottish champion in 1975 as Lesley Hope, and former Curtis Cup player Suzanne Cadden (Cardross) are sharing 12th place on 78.
The all-Gullane Ladies duo of Sue Penman and Dorothy Thomson returned an 82 for joint 24th place while Barbara Biggart (North Berwick) and Janice Paterson (Drumpellier) are joint 33rd on the 85 mark
Leading first round scores
Par 72
72 Cristina Marsans Astoreca and Caralina Castillejo Oriol (Spain).
74 Pamela Williamson (Scotland) and Diane Williams (Canada), Rocio Ruiz de Velasco Colas and Emy Garzon Lopes (Spain).
Selected scores:
77 Vicky Thomas (Wales) and Sheena McElroy (Ireland) (T6).
78 Lesley Johnston and Suzanne Cadden (Scotland -- West Vets) (T12).
82 Sue Penman and Dorothy Thomson (Scotland) (T24).
85 Barbara Biggart and Janice Paterson (Scotland -- West Vets) (T33).

CLICK HERE FOR ALL ROUND 1 RESULTS

Scottish Vets Lose a Good Friend

It is with much sadness that West Vets and indeed Scottish Vets, report that Liz Miskimmin, a former Scottish Veteran Captain and President, died on Saturday 5th February after a long illness.
Liz was well known as a very competitive golfer and was a Past President of the S.V.L.G.A and also Honorary President of the Midland Division.

She will be greatly missed by her very many friends. - Go to the SLGA Website to read more

The Funeral will be on Friday 18th February at 2.00 p.m. at Perth Crematorium

SENIOR SCOTS LADIES IN MAJORCA FOR SPANISH CHAMPIONSHIPS

Seven Scottish players will be in action in the Spanish international senior women's amateur golf championships at Santa Ponsa Golf Club, Majorca this week.
The tournament tees off with a doubles or pairs competition in which Lesley Johnston (Gullane Ladies), winner of the Scottish women's championship as Lesley Hope in 1975, teams up with West Vets Suzanne Cadden (Cardross), a Curtis Cup team player in 1976.
Barbara Biggart (North Berwick) will partner West Vets Janice Paterson (Drumpellier).
Sue Penman and Dorothy Thomson will form an all-Gullane Ladies pairing while Pamela Williamson (Baberton) will have her usual partner, Canadian Diane Williams.
Later in the week the Spanish international senior women's amateur individual stroke-play championship will be held at the same venue.

West Vets 2011 Fixture Card

CLICK TO ENLARGE THE FIXTURE CARD