Representatives of the North, North-east and Angus districts of the Scottish Golf Union pictured with Neil Hampton (second left), golf & marketing director of Loch Ness golf course, North District president Jimmy Fraser (fourth left) and Iain Sutherland (fourth right), area director of UCB, new sponsors of the junior tournament which will be played at Loch Ness golf course on Sunday, September 14 (Cal Carson Golf Agency image). Click on the image to enlarge it.

UBC Group to sponsor extension of
long-running junior tournament

A junior golf tournament that began in the 1970s but was in danger of disappearing from the golf calendar has been rescued by UBC Group, the Inverness-based building and civil engineering company.
Grampian Television originally started an under-18 boys’ area tournament in the early 1970s and soon opened it up to include girls.
When GTV ceased its sponsorship, Eric Lindsay of the Platform 2 company in Aberdeen stepped into the breach for four years, from 2004 to 2007 inclusive.
Now UBC Group have committed themselves to sponsor the one-day event (36 holes for boys, one round for girls) at Loch Ness golf course, Inverness on Sunday, September 14.
Next year, the North-east District of the Scottish Golf Union will play host at a venue in their area before, in 2010, the tournament will come back to the north and be held at the Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth.
In 2011, Angus District will nominate a venue in their area.
A total of 36 boys – 12 from the North District, 12 from the North-east and 12 from Angus – will make up the field for the first UBC Trophy junior championship at Loch Ness golf course.
The UBC Trophy will go to the boys’ team with the lowest 36-hole aggregate, 10 from 12 scores to count. The boy with the lowest individual two-round total, not necessarily from the winning team, will be awarded a medal.
Between the boys’ two rounds, the one-round UBC girls’ stroke-play championship will be held. A field of 24 girls from Northern Counties, Aberdeenshire, Angus and Perth & Kinross
will compete for scratch and handicap individual medals and prizes
North District President Jimmy Fraser said:
"This is an important competition for the boys and the girls, giving them an opportunity to meet and compete against good players outside their own clubs and districts. I and all my colleagues in the North District, and I am sure I speak also for the North-East and Angus, are grateful for the generous sponsorship provided by UBC to keep the competition going.
“We are also indebted to Neil Hampton and Loch Ness for the privilege of playing the event on their fine and testing course."
Iain Sutherland, area director of UBC Group, commented.
“As a company we are delighted to be the main sponsor of this event and to commit to it for the next four years. UBC Group supports many sports-related causes and a number of golf events in particular. The most recent of these was the re-opening of the Old Tom Morris designed course at Askernish, South Uist where we sponsor all eighteen holes.
“I would take this opportunity to wish the organisers of the event, and the competitors in particular, the very best of luck and trust that they have an enjoyable time on the day”.