Seniors Section

 

Senior Section Overview

The Senior Section meets every Thursday from late September through to mid-April. Both ladies and gentlemen are warmly welcome. Players gather in the clubhouse for the draw at 9:30 AM.

Each week, we run a 15-hole Stableford League competition. Over the course of the season, the player with the best six scores is awarded the Brown Cup, while the Trophy goes to the runner-up. In addition to the league, we play a variety of other formats throughout the season — including monthly scrambles and other fun competitions.

We also enjoy three away days at different courses, competing for 36-hole and 18-hole trophies. An annual fixture is our friendly match against Kirkcudbright EGGS.

In May, we take a much-anticipated three-day trip to the Borders, organised by Dave Nielsen — a highlight of the Seniors calendar.

About the Seniors Section

The Seniors Section is an independent and informal group, separate from the main club sections. It was established in 2003 during Mick Wood’s time as Club Captain. The initiative came from Eddy Yates and Derek Shipley — Eddy acted as Convenor and organiser, while Derek served as Match Secretary.

From the start, it was agreed the Seniors would not be a formal section like the Ladies. Initially, play was on Wednesdays, before moving to the now-traditional Thursdays. During the winter league, a unique handicap system was introduced: the winner of each week’s game had their handicap cut by 2 shots, and the runner-up by 1 shot. The weekly winner received £10, and there was a draw for a sleeve of club-branded golf balls.

At the beginning, the group was gentlemen-only, but it soon became a mixed section — keeping the focus firmly on social golf and camaraderie.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

The first Borders trip was arranged by Eddy Yates and held at the Castle Hotel in Coldstream. The hotel had plenty of charm — with sloping, creaky floors and paper-thin walls — except for the spacious end room, where senior member Roddy Hermon held court.

Pre-dinner drinks were hosted in Roddy’s room, and dinners were a lively affair, with the entire hotel effectively ours for the trip. Let’s just say most found their way to bed in high spirits. Highlights included Roddy’s rousing rendition of “On Ilkla Moor Baht’at” and Eddy’s unforgettable mouth organ performances.

League Table Explanation

The stableford points are calculated in the normal fashion in Handicap Master. Rather than deduct a shot from a player’s handicap a point is deducted from the stableford points total. One stableford point is deducted for each win.
This amounts to the same thing as cutting a handicap. Handicaps cannot be temporarily reduced as handicaps are held in the Scottish Golf database.  The club is not allowed to play around with official handicaps.

League Table
DATE EVENT WINNER
24th October 1st Round of 36 Hole Trophy played at Thornhill won by Ronnie Ritchie
19th December Christmas Lunch held ay Clachan
13th February Alan Walker Trophy
27nd February 18 Hole Trophy at Glenluce Provisional
3rd April Second Round of 36 Hole Trophy
17th April Final League & Lunch
17th September 2025 Match v Kirkcudbright EGGS Home at 10am
25th September 2025 Roddie Hermon Cup
2nd October 2025 9 Hole competition and AGM

New Galloway Golf Club Seniors’ Section Annual Meeting 2024.

Minutes of the meeting held in the clubhouse on Thursday 3rd October 2024, commencing at 9.25 a.m.

Present: Dave Aitken, Brian Duguid, Terry Haine, Wave Tyrrell, Ronnie Ritchie, Stuart Rhodes, Derek Shipley, David Nielsen, Janette Davidson, Ian McCulloch, Jeff Sutcliffe, Rex Dressler, Sandy Harvie and Iain McQueen

  1. Dave Aitken, our Convenor, welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for attending. He also thanked Jeff, Wave and Dave Nielsen for their services to the Seniors Section.
  2. Apologies John Callan, Ewan and Elizabeth Kelly, Ashley Turgoose, Chris McIntosh and Christine Sutcliffe.
  3. The minutes of the last AGM held on 5th October 2023 were approved by with the correction of trophy winners for 2023
    1. Brown Cup (League winner) Ashley Turgoose
    2. Wee tankard (League Runner Up) Dave Aitken
    3. 18 Hole Trophy                                   Dave Aitken                       
    4. 36 Hole Engravers Tankard             Dave Nielsen
    5. Borders Trophy –                               Dave Aitken
    6. Roddy Hermon Cup –                       Nevile White
  4. Convenor’s Report: The convenor reported on a successful season. He was particularly pleased with the draw in our match at Kirkcudbright, 2 games to each team. It was hoped we can field a team of 12 players next season to be played at home. Dave congratulated the trophy winners.
  5. Treasurer’s Report: Jeff Sutcliffe presented a healthy set of accounts for the year. The Seniors’ bank account was closed and a balance of £293.94 was transferred to the club’s main account for our funds to be held there. Income during the year was £1139.77 and expenditure £895.502. We finished the year with £538,21. A sum of £46 was donated towards the plaque on Brians’ seat. It was proposed and seconded that £200 be donated to the Clubs’ general fund.
  6. Christmas Lunch: To be arranged at the Clachan on Thursdays 19th or 12th.
  7. Office Bearers: The following were elected
    1. Convenor:                    Dave Aitken,
    2. Secretary:                     Wave Tyrrell,
    3. Treasurer:                     Jeff Sutcliffe,
    4. Match Secretary:         Wave Tyrrell
    5. Borders Organiser:      David Nielsen,
    6. Away Days Organiser: David Nielsen.
  8. Format: The same as last year with leagues and a team game in most months. A brief explanation was given to the new members of the league format. Winners of each league to be cut by one point per win in subsequent leagues.
  9. Competitions: No change.
  10. Tee Times: No change – draws to take place at 9.30. Ladies in the choir who meet on Thursday afternoons to be granted early tee times. The proposal to start at 10.00 was rejected.
  11. Competition Fees: The annual subscription to remain at £20 was agreed.
  12. Preferred lies: It was confirmed that preferred lies would apply on the fairways placing within 6 inches and in the semi rough within one club length of the ball position no nearer the hole for the whole season. Relief for a lost ball may be taken under penalty of 2 shots by dropping on the fairway level with where the ball was deemed to be lost.
  13. Matches: Our match against Kirkcudbright EGGS was drawn this year – 2 games each. It has been arranged next year on Wednesday for 25th September 2025 to be played at Home. Jeff Sutcliffe reported that the Cricton Golf Club were interested in a home and away annual match. This was favourably received. Jeff will contact the club.
  14. Away Days: Dave Nielsen explained that the requirement for some players to use a buggy restricts the choice of venue during the winter season to two courses Glenluce and the Troon Links. Dave will try to book a venue on either Thursday 24th or 31st. He will consider Lochmaben, Thornhill, Powfoot or elsewhere.
  15. Trophy Winners 2024:
    1. Brown Cup (League winner) Brian Duguid
    2. Wee tankard (League Runner Up)            Rex Dressler
    3. 18 Hole Trophy                                                 Brian Duguid                     
    4. 36 Hole Engravers Tankard                 Jeff Sutcliffe
    5. Borders Trophy –                                 Brian Duguid
    6. Roddy Hermon Cup –                                 Ashley Turgoose
    7. Alan Walker Shield –                                 Not played
  16. Borders Trip: The consensus was to return to the Green Hotel again next year. Dave Nielsen to make the arrangements.
  17. AOB: The question of relief from rocks was raised. Local Rule 3 grants relief without penalty from embedded rocks in the general area (fairways and rough).

New Galloway Seniors Rules

1. Handicapping
A player’s handicap for the whole season is set using the handicap index in force on the 1st October. In the league only, the winner of each competition will have his or her handicap reduced by 1 shot.
2. Seniors’ League
The player with the best six points total over the season shall be the winner. The winner of each league with the lowest score will be awarded 10 points. Players with the same stableford score will be awarded the same points. Points for each league will be awarded all the way down to 1 point.
The first hole is a par 4 for Ladies & Gents. The fifth Hole is a par 5 for Ladies.
3. Divisions
There are two divisions according to handicap in order that one prize may be awarded to a player in each division.
4. Preferred Lies
Preferred lies apply throughout the Seniors’ season.
5. Damage by Animals
In the general area, areas of damage caused by rabbits or badgers are treated as ground under repair from which relief is allowed under Rule 16.1b. But interference does not exist if the damage only interferes with the player’s stance.
6. Lost Ball / Out of Bounds Relief
When a player’s ball has not been found or is known or virtually certain to be out of bounds, the player may proceed as follows rather than proceeding under stroke and distance.
For two penalty strokes, the player may take relief by dropping the original ball or another ball in this relief area.
(Summary: this will mean dropping a ball from knee height on the fairway within two club lengths of the edge no nearer the hole and level with where the ball was deemed to be lost. Relief may not be taken when a provisional ball is in play.)

League Table