Published: Thursday, 5th June, 2008 12:00
Ballingry Golf Club celebrate centenary
By Jim Stark
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Events to mark Ballingry Golf Club's centenary year get underway this weekend.
Starting the events on Saturday 7th June will be an invitational golf competition and an evening celebration to be held in the Benarty Tavern Crosshill.
The club is now based at Lochore Meadows Country Park golf course, but this was not always the case.
Match Secretary, Johnny Mackie, a keen golf historian, said: "Ballingry Golf Club has been part of the Benarty Community for one hundred years.
"The club was originally formed in 1908 and played their golf on the brand new site at Torres loan. In fact if you look closely you can still see the outline of where the different holes used to be. This was a golden period for the club who joined The Fife Golfing Association and the National Golf Union.
"However the outbreak of World War Two had a devastating effect on the Club and it was with reluctance that the Club gave up its tenancy of the course. This action brought to a close the first chapter of the Club's history
"For nearly thirty years the Club was homeless but there was still a burning desire from many people in the area to resurrect the club. At a public meeting in 1971 a decision was taken to reform Ballingry Golf Club, with a view to obtaining land to construct a new home for the Club".
"After many failed attempts, Fife Council announced it was to construct a new municipal course which would be situated in Lochore Meadows Country Park. The course opened for play on 25th April, 1981, and a new chapter in the Club's history was begun.
He added, "A new golden age dawned for the Club, who started to produce some outstanding young players. We had a very strong group of junior players who all competed at county level and beyond, they included Andrew Dickson, Terry Ironside, Stephen Payne, Michael Sanaghan, Brian Moore and Iain McLeod.
"Since this time the Club has gone from strength to strength with a steady stream of new members and junior members, and has had much success competing all over Scotland.
"The Club has produced some outstanding golfers, and it is with great pride that our own Terry Ironside has gone on to win our open championship no fewer than seven times. A truly awesome feat.
"This year the club has embarked on an ambitious coaching programme to encourage even more young people to take up golf. A few active members of the Club have attended coaching courses and obtained nationally recognised qualifications which will allow them to give the very highest standard of coaching to local school children.
"All in all the club is thriving and looking forward to the next one hundred years".
Pictured is Johnny Mackie with youngsters Ryan Rankine and Lewis Doyle along with other young golfers.
Meanwhile, Ballingry Golf Club centenary open competition was won by club member Terry Ironside.
Terry faced tough competition from fellow members and outside challengers at the Lochore Meadows course but his 74 held off all competitors by a shot.
Results were, scratch section, T Ironside, Ballingry 74; R Doyle, Ballingry 75; I McLeod, Ballingry 77; R Walker Murrayshall 77; C Russell, Lochgelly 77. Best Ballingry scratch H Duddy 77.
Handicap section J Burnside, Ballingry (20) 68; G McGuire, Ballingry (14) 68; P Reddington, Ballingry (19) 69; K Murphy, Ballingry (10) 70; D Kinnell, Lochgelly (16) 72.
Best Ballingry 12 to 18 S Wheatley (15) 71. Best Ballingry 19 to 24 D Martin (20) 70.
This Saturday Ballingry GC holds their centenary invitational greensome over the Meadows course.
Meanwhile Ballingry have now progressed into the sixth round of the national Mail on Sunday competition defeating Dunfermline Golf Club over the Meadows and now play Kirkcaldy (Balwearie), the only two Fife teams left in the competition.
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