Stewart Spence, Dave McNicoll chip in £200 each for lady pro prize funds

Lesley Mackay ready to dust off the

clubs to have a go on XLtec Tour

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
It's nine years since she reached the final of the Scottish women's amateur championship at Carnoustie and five or six years since she last played for Scotland ... but Golspie-born Lesley Mackay is getting an itch to play competitively again!

Providing the stimulus is the new XLtec Pro Tour with its section for women professionals, six 36-hole events teeing off at Whitekirk Golf Club, near North Berwick on March 25-26.

When Lesley turned professional, it was with a view to gain WPGA credentials and becoming a coach and teacher of the game. She passed her WPGA test with colours flying so high that she gained a national award as the top trainee professional of her year (that's her pictured at the time with her trophy).

Here's Lesley's E-mail to Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk:

"Thanks for all the information about the new lady professional competitions. I may have to dust off the clubs and have a go. Just a bit busy just now with coaching Stirling University, Renfrewshire and Lanarkshire county as well as individual lessons at Playsport in East Kilbride."

Lesley Mackay

Another E-mail received from Carnoustie's Katy McNicoll, winner of the North of Scotland championship last year and now a professional. She's been back over the winter months in Florida where she spent four years playing the college circuit as a Lynn University graduate

"I won't make it back in time for the first event but will be home on April 6 so will be able to play in the future lady pro events. This is exactly what professional women's golf in Scotland needs. So thanks for pushing for us."

Katy McNicoll

It is hoped that each of the six events for female professionals on the XLtec Tour will have a little extra money from an outside source to boost the prize funds which would otherwise consist entirely of the sum of the £50 per competition entry fees.

I floated the idea earlier this week on Kirkwoodgolf.co.uk that it would be a very nice gesture if six companies or individuals came forward, willing to chip in £200 each so that the girls would not be playing simply for their own money .

Stewart Spence, owner of The Marcliffe at Pitfodels Hotel, near Aberdeen, and Carnoustie Golf Shop owner, Dave McNicoll, former Dunfermline Athletic footballer and father of two rookie professionals himself, the aforementioned Katy and Keir, have wasted no time in stepping forward to make £200 donations.

"I'm delighted to be able to help the girls' section of the new XLtec Pro Tour," said Stewart who has a long history of putting his hand in his pocket to help young golfers, dating back to Muriel Thomson and Paul Lawrie and, of course, the Doug Sanders world and European boys championships when they were played in Aberdeen for so many years.

"I'll chip in £200 and ask a few of my pals to do the same. I think it's a great idea," said Dave.

If, at the end of the day, we get more than 6 x £200 donors, then we can divide the total over the six events.

If you want to add your name or your company name to the list, E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com without delay.

You can name the venue at which you want to support the lady pros' prize fund:

March 25-26: Whitekirk.

April 28-29: Hilton Park.

May 25-26: Dalmahoy.

July 28-29. Westerwood.

September 28-29: Spey Valley, Aviemore.

October 6-7: Dundonald Links.