The end of the golfing season is now upon us and we can look back at a very successful season for the club. Many thanks must go to our captains Christine Cannon and Richard Herries for their hard work and leadership this year. We wish next year’s captains Dennis McGinn and Mhari McCulloch all the best for the golf season in 2024. 

A huge thanks must go to our band of Greenkeeping volunteers who have kept the Course in excellent condition. We greatly appreciate all their hard work and we hope they enjoy their well deserved Christmas night out at the Harbour Inn on 2nd December. For the 2024 Season we will welcome Bobby Blackley as a part time GreenKeeper.

We would like to thank all our sponsors for their generous donations towards our Open Competitions. They are:

William Neil

Harrison’s Coffee Shop and Beltie Books 

Briars Engravers

Tom and Norah Simpson

Chris Robinson Golf

Bladnoch Distillery

We would also like to thank Kate and Davie Bell (with Wigtown Rangers supporter’s club), Foulds Opticians and Gavin Milven Plant Hire for sponsoring our Charity Open competitions which this year raised over £4500 for cancer charities. Many thanks to all those who organised or supported these events.

This year we have introduced family membership deals and free golf for primary school children. We managed to hold a few family days but not as many as we had hoped due to a wet summer. Hopefully we will continue these next year, it’s so good to see junior golfers out on the course. Our Course is very quiet and accessible, so perfect for beginners to come and have a go at Golf.

Some of our fundraisers this year have included a hugely successful Coffee and Cake day, Facebook draw, Prize draw and Race night with an auction. All money raised is spent on the course or clubhouse, and is vital in order to keep the Club functioning. Also vital are the office bearers and Committee members who give their time for free to organise and run the Club.

The Club House is always available to hire for local groups, we currently host the Bridge Club on a Wednesday afternoon. The Machars Car club will be holding their Prize giving in the Club house too. 

Dates for the diary

25th November – Course Tidy up (9am)

3rd February 2024 – Quiz with Matthew Robinson

Wed 7th February – 2024 AGM

Many thanks to all our Club members for supporting are weekly competitions, especially to our 2023 Prize Winners listed below:

Ladies Section:

Monthly medal winners: April S Milven; May  J Blakeman; June M McCulloch; July J Blakeman; August J Blakeman; September K Bell; Medal winners shield: S Milven 

Singles

 Red Cross: S Drysdale;

 RNLI: M McCulloch;

Audrey Heggie Medal: S Milven;

Pairs 

 Silver Salver: S Milven & S McGinn;

Match Play 

Daily Mail Qualifiers: N Simpson & S McGinn

Runners Up C Cannon & D Gunby

Frullani Cup: A Potter

Runner Up C Cannon

Trophy winners: 

Gibson Trophy: S McGinn

Neil Trophy: A Potter  

Lady Veterans: C Cannon

Birdie Queen: M McCulloch

Eclectic Trophy: J Blakeman

Norah Simpson Handicap Trophy: S McGinn

Runner up S Bell

Lady Golfer of the year: S Milven

Ladies Club Champion: Mhari McCulloch 

Runner Up S McGinn

Mens Section

Medals April Andy Steele; May (Ping Qualifier): Ewan Marshall; June: Richard Herries

July: Ewan Dodds; August ( Pat Yourell trophy): Richard Herries; September: Dennis McGinn; October: Ewan Dodds:  Medal Winners Shield: Ewan Dodds

Singles

Drysdale Cup Duncan McHarg

Noel Bullmore Quaich Neil Cluckie

Veterans Over 50’s Neil Cluckie

Captains Tankard Richard Herries

Bark Trophy Duncan McHarg

Drew Smith Quaich Ben MacDonald

RD Watson Putter Tony Bark

Over 60’s Stableford Andy Steele

Outing Trophy Andrew Cannon

Past Captains Salver David Drysdale

Teams

Campbell Scramble M Potter / A Cannon / D McHarg

Match play

Boyd – Winner Michael Brown

Boyd – Runner up David Drysdale

2 Ball – Winners (McGowan) M Potter + D McGinn

2 Ball – Runners up J Nichol + M Brown

4 Ball – Winners (McLaughlan) S Kingston + D McHarg

4 Ball – Runners up M Potter + D McGinn

72 hole Scratch & Handicap Kevin Nicholson / Ewan Dodds

Birdie King Duncan McHarg

Gents Club Champion (Muir memorial) Richard Herries

Runner up Matthew Robinson

Mixed

Carlton A Potter + A Milven

AC Patterson K Bell + D Bell

Gartshore C Strain + A Milven

Gregory Mixed Greensomes A Potter + M Potter

Evans A Potter + S Kingston

On behalf of Wigtown & Bladnoch Golf Club I would like to wish a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year to all Courier readers. Here’s hoping for a successful 2024.

Wow, what a fantastic combined Prize Presentation and Race night. So many thanks are due to numerous people for the race night, apologies if any are missed. Well done to Captain Richard for organising the auction items, a Robbie Smith Northampton Saints signed shirt, 4 balls at Turnberry, Dumfries & Galloway Golf Club and Southerness, a lesson package from Stuart Fisher. Thanks to Malcolm Macdonald and Dennis McGinn for the racing, especially Dennis’s singing! To Christine Cannon for technical expertise getting the races onto the big screen! To Malcolm Potter for assembling the race cards, and to the 30 Race sponsors, 240 horse owners and all the “punters” who came along. We think the total raised is around £2330. Thank you so much.

Congratulations to the lucky ladies in our November 50/50 draw, they were:

1st Linda Tait (123) drawn out by herself!

2nd Diane Ritchie (161)

3rd Heather Inman (267)

There are plenty of numbers available for next years draw which starts in December. Just £12 gives you the chance to share £100 every month.

The October winners of our very popular 50/50 club are:

1st M. Neil (304)

2nd R Johnston (235)

3rd G Gillan (134)

Well done to our lucky winners. The next yearly subscriptions are due by mid December in time for the December draw. Collectors and individuals will be contacted shortly, mostly by email. New players are always welcome.

Many many thanks to everyone who supported our Annual Prize draw, by donating prizes or buying and selling tickets. We made an amazing £600 for club funds. The following lucky people won the cash prizes, and many more won the donated prizes.

1st Cash Prize £150 Carol Black

2nd Cash Prize £75 Dennis McGinn

3rd Cash Prize £25 Debbie Gunby

The lucky winners in our September 50/50 Draw are:

1st Peggy Irvine (201)

2nd Willie Barclay (274)

3rd Ellen Milven (153)

Congratulations to all our winners. It only costs £12 per number, this entitles you to entry into 12 monthly draws. The next annual subscription is due before mid December, new players are always welcome!

Our 2023 club captains Christine Cannon and Richard Herries enjoying the view across the Course which is in magnificent condition. It is a credit to all our course volunteers whom we can’t praise highly enough.

The ladies held their closing Cancer Competition – 3 person scramble – today (3rd September). This competition is generously sponsored by G A Milven, Plant Hire & Foulds Opticians. The excellent presentation of the course and great weather led to ideal playing conditions.

The results were:

1st Heather Inman, Helena Fox, Liz Maiden 68-09=59

2nd Amanda Houston, Jane Johnstone, Sheila McMurtrie 67-06=61

3rd Mhari McCulloch, Sharon Milven, Jennifer Blakeman 72-10=62

Well done to everyone who took part.