Coaching and Training for County Golf
Information has been collected coaching and training offered by Midlothian to members of the County squad over the last 17 years.
| Year | ||
| 2005 | Captain | Maggie McPherson |
| Selector | Pamela Williamson (4th year) | |
| County Matches | Schawpark Golf Club, Alloa - Midlothian were the East Division Winners (for the first time since 1988) | |
| County Finals | Ranfurly Castle - Midlothian won the County Finals for the first time in 70 years! | |
| Winter Training | short-game coaching at King's Acre | |
| Matches | Ladies:- Borders at Toorwoodlee; Lanarkshire at Lanark. | |
| 2004 | Captain | Janet Wake |
| Selector | PamelaWilliamson (3rd year) | |
| County Matches | Mortonhall Golf Club, Edinburgh (Fife won) | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | Squad of 18 had short game practice at Kingsacre. Groups of 4 at a time, each receiving three one hour sessions with Alan Murdoch & Ian Butcher Squad internal winter practice games - 2 ball foursomes in two groups of round-robin | |
| Fitness | Dr Audrey Duncan from Dundee University gave the Squad a presentation overviewing fitness for golf with emphasis on both the dynamic and static warm up. Also a brief practical on warm up stretching routines | |
| Matches | Ladies:- Borders at Mortonhall, Lanarkshireat Mortonhall. Mens' Teams:- Duddingston; Mortonhall; Lothians Golf Association; SUGS (no match - not able to raise a team) | |
| 2003 | Captain | Janet Wake |
| Selector | Pamela Williamson (2nd year) | |
| County Matches | Balwearie Golf Club, Kirkcaldy (Fife won) | |
| Winter Training | Squad of 18-20 hs Short Game Practice with 2 sessions for each squad member, each lasting 2-3 hours at Kingsacre Winter Practice. Internal squad games of 2 ball foursomes in 2 mini-leagues | |
| Fitness | Golf Fitness Assessment with Yvonne Brooks of Braid Hills Golf & Driving Range. This entailed a flexibility and strength assessment screening, followed by Ian Young , also of Braids Driving range looking at each individual squad member's swing on video | |
| Psychology | session with Dr Richard Cox | |
| Matches | Ladies:- Borders at Minto; Lanarkshire at Lanark. Mens' Teams:- Duddingston; Mortonhall; SUGS (Gullane 2). Two practice games at Balwearie in April. | |
| 2002 | Captain | Karen Ballantyne |
| Selector | Pamela Williamson (1st year) | |
| County Matches | Haddington Golf Club (Stirling & Clackmannan won) | |
| County Finals | ..... Stirling & Clackmannan won | |
| Winter Training | Coaching from Ian Young at Braid Hills Golf & Driving Range | |
| Fitness Training | Audrey Duncan | |
| Psychology | Talk by Dr Richard Cox | |
| Matches | Ladies:- Borders at Broomieknowe; Lanarkshire at Baberton. Mens' Teams:- Duddingston; SUGS (Gullane 2). | |
| Other | The Captain held a debriefing later in the season with the squad to obtain feedback on Squad Training | |
| 2001 | Captain | Karen Ballantyne |
| Selector | Fiona Smith (4th year) | |
| County Matches | Stirling Golf Club (Stirling & Clackmannan won) | |
| County Finals | ..... Stirling & Clackmannan won | |
| Winter Training | Ian Young at the Braids Hills Golf & Driving Range used as County Coach for the first time Each Squad member received 3 sessions for 2 hours each, and individual Squad members chose which aspect of their game they wanted to work on | |
| Fitness | Evening with Audrey Duncan, Sports Scientist from Dundee University, focusing on stretching and conditioning exercises | |
| Psychology | 2-hour talk by Katie Sinnot a sports psychologist | |
| Matches | Ladies:- Borders at Eyemouth; Lanarkshire at Drumpellier. Mens' Teams:- Duddingston, SUGS | |
| Other | Captain circulated questionaire to all Squad members to gain on how beneficial they found the training and coaching | |
| 2000 | Captain | Anne Brownie |
| Selector | Fiona Smith (3rd year) | |
| County Matches | Murrayfield | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | Main squad: 6 training get togethers at Braids Driving Range during February & March. Development Squad: 3 training sessions at Melville Golf Range with Garry Carter. Main Squad of 20 received coaching from Adam Hunter & Alan Murdoch at Kingsacre. | |
| Psychology | talk by Anne Brownie; plus 'Rules Evening' for the main and development squads | |
| Matches | Ladies:- Lanarkshire. Mens' Teams Lothians; Duddingston; SUGS (Match rained off but since it was the 70th anniversary of the match, there was a meal and an anniversary cake.) | |
| 1999 | Captain | Anne Brownie |
| Selector | Fiona Smith (2nd year) | |
| County Matches | Elie & Earlsferry | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | Coach: Julie Forbes. Main & Development Squads attended sessions at Melville Driving Range (Development Squad: 10 invited & 8 took part) | |
| Other | A Golf Quiz & Social Evening for both squads. Questionaire was sent for the first time to 23 prospective squad members - final squad was 16. Squad Selection was made by Captain, Vice & Selector who picked the members from the criteria FACTS - Fitness, Ability, Commitment, Team Spirit | |
| Matches | Ladies:- Lanarkshire; Borders. Mens' Teams: Duddingston | |
| 1998 | Captain | Margaret Rodgers |
| Selector | Fiona Smith (1st year) | |
| County Matches | Longniddry | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | 18 squad members had 4 of 6 sessions at Melville Driving Range Feb/Mar. Pre-season training at Melville included Julie Forbes having 9 holes with groups of 3. Development Squad short game practice at Melville in early spring | |
| Matches | Ladies:- Lanarkshire at Baberton. Mens' Teams:- Duddingston; SUGS; Lothians. | |
| 1997 | Captain | Margaret Rodgers |
| Selector | Elizabeth Simpson (3rd year) | |
| County Matches | Glenbervie | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | County Squad consisted of 18 players Each attended 4 of 6 sessions at Melville Driving Range, 2 of which were attended by John Murray. Training at Turnhouse for 1-hour sessions with John Murray. Development Squad:- 1-hour training session with John Murray & short game practice at Melville. Free practice balls at Melville Driving range for the Squad sessions | |
| Matches | Ladies:- Borders at Minto; Lanarkshire at Hamilton. Mens' Teams:- SUGS at Murrayfield; Duddingston. | |
| Other | Captain's ABC for squad members\;- A) ability; B) being part of a team; C) commitment. | |
| 1996 | Captain | Sue Caton |
| Selector | Elizabeth Simpson (2nd year) | |
| County Matches | Broomieknowe | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | County Squad of 16 with target sessions at Melville. Kathryn Marshall attended when available. Coaching sessions at Turnhouse with John Murray. | |
| Matches | Mens' Teams:-Broomieknowe; Duddingston; SUGS at Gullane; Lothian Men at Kingsknowe. Friendly target golf match versus East Lothian at Fenton Barns. | |
| Other | Social Evening for Squad at Marmalade Cat | |
| 1995 | Captain | Sue Caton |
| Selector | Elizabeth Simpson (1st year) | |
| County Matches | Pitifirrance, Dunfermline | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | Squad of 24, 19 with handicaps of 5 or less. Coaching at Melville Driving Range with Kathryn Marshall, who also played 9 holes with squad members. Discussion on Course management which produced a SkillsAnalyses sheet for Squad members to work on. | |
| Fitness | Rita Dee took step classes from January to March | |
| Matches | Mens' Teams:- Duddingston; SUGS at Baberton | |
| Other | Criteria for Squad Selection: handicap experience potential age | |
| 1994 | Captain | Elizabeth Rose |
| Selector | Margaret Allan (4th year) | |
| County Matches | Gullane no 1 | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | Squad of 16 with handicaps of 5 or less. Rita Dee took step classes at Craiglockhart Centre. Kathryn Marshall attended clinics at Melville Range | |
| Matches | Mens' Teams:- SUGS at Gullane; Duddingston. | |
| 1993 | Captain | Elizabeth Rose |
| Selector | Margaret Allan (3rd year) | |
| County Matches | Schaw Park Golf Club, Alloa | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | All players with handicaps 5 or less invited for winter training. Rita Dee took step classes. Kathryn Marshall took 2 coaching clinics at Dalmahoy with 12 players in each. Foursomes Practice games at Baberton. Practice game for Squad at Schawpark | |
| Psychology | John Mathers gave a presentation on sports psychology | |
| Matches | Mens' Teams:- SUGS at Liberton; Duddingston. | |
| 1992 | Captain | Gillian Kirkwood |
| Selector | Margaret Allan (2nd year) | |
| County Matches | Murrayfield | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | Rita Dee took aerobics sessions. John Mathers took a talk called " the commitment to practice". Coaching Sessions with Derek Small at Dunbar and at Peffermill, covering swings & Specialist shots (rather than course management). Team Trial at Baberton, in which 24 took part. Received £150 grant from SLGA for training | |
| Matches | Mens' Teams:- Duddingston; Lothians at Murrayfield (abandoned for fog); SUGS at Liberton | |
| 1991 | Captain | Gillian Kirkwood |
| Selector | Margaret Allan (1st year) | |
| County Matches | Ladybank, Fife | |
| County Finals | ||
| Winter Training | Pool of 24 squad members New fixture against Juniors at Broomieknowe but it could only raise 6 a side | |
| Matches | Mens' Teams:- Murrayfield; Duddingston; SUGS at Liberton (ladies received 1 stroke every 3 holes). | |
| Other | Instigation of "man of the match" awards at the County Matches First winners: Valerie Aitchison against Stirlingshire; Fiona Rennie (now Hunter) against East Lothian; Karen Marshall against Fife | |
| SLGA | New training initiative from SLGA - 15 MCLGA members ( 10 ladies & 5 juniors) took part in a regional training seminar at Dunbar. SLGA training committee (Chairman, Joan Marshall) introduced a proposed County Training Programme. Pyramid System with Clubs coaching youngsters at beginner level, the Counties taking over when the girls reached a certain level; & then Divisional coaching for better players, for which Midlothian had Derek Small at Dunbar. Apex of the pyramid a training weekend organised by SLGA for 36 of the top players from which the Scottish Team would be selected | |
| 1990 | Captain | Joan Marshall |
| Selector | Elizabeth Rose (2nd year) | |
| County Matches | North Berwick West | |
| County Finals | ||
| Matches | Mens' Teams:- Murrayfield; Duddingston; Lothians; SUGS Match 60th Anniversary) Gullane 2 (ladies receiving 6 strokes). | |
| 1989 | Captain | Joan Marshall |
| Selector | Elizabeth Rose | |
| County Matches | Stirling | |
| County Finals | ||
| Training | Squad of 24, reduced to 16 after the County Championship | |
| Matches | Mens' Teams:- Murrayfield; Duddingston; Baberton; Dalmahoy; SUGS at Liberton.. | |
