On a bleak and miserable day fifteen of the best young golfers in Dumfries & Galloway gathered at Brighouse Bay on Sunday 21 February for the third of the winter Performance Days.
With the weather damp in the morning the boys went to the range to get rid of their rustiness and worked on distance control and wedge play with input from the two professionals, Chris Robinson and David Broadfoot, and Trackman technology. An indoors session of putting practice followed concentrating on techniques and routines.
Although the weather in the afternoon was a misty drizzle the boys were champing at the bit to get out on the course. Pairings were selected and 6 holes of foursomes match play was the format for the day. All boys played well from the tee but approach shots and chipping and putting were poor. With the days stretching out and the nights getting lighter this is the work they have to concentrate on when they are not studying for exams.
The fifteen boys who took part were Matthew McCulloch (Portpatrick), Angus Bendall (Castle Douglas), Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright), Rowan Marchbank (D&G), William Squires (Kirkcudbright), Callan Harkness (Lochmaben), Greg Rice (D&C), Lewis Cheetham (Lochmaben), Jamie Alison (D&G), Jamie Marchbank (D&G), Callum McMillan (Kirkcudbright), Mitchell Cowie (D&C), Corey Brown (D&C), Finlay Copeland (D&G) and Cameron Gray (Kirkcudbright) who had made the long journey from school in Edinburgh. Well done, Cameron.
The Executive of the South of Scotland Golfers’ Association are extremely grateful for the knowledge and enthusiasm of the two professionals, Chris Robinson and David Broadfoot and for the help and assistance given by Jim Dougal and his staff at Gillespie Leisure
The photograph shows the boys just after they came off the course in the afternoon.