Chapter Seventeen:  McDonald Ellon Golf Club Roll of Honour

McDonald Ellon Golf Club can be justifiably proud of the achievements of its members. The following players have either won a national trophy, represented Scotland (some have done both) or brought success to the club, either individually or in a team.

 

 

Maurice Moir

 

Maurice Moir, son of the local player Jimmy (Souter) Moir, started playing golf when he was eight, sneaking onto the course to play when there was no one about - it was only a stone’s throw away from his home. He was due to start work as an assistant with Gordon Durward at Deeside Golf Club, but having already entered the Scottish Boys’ Championship at North Berwick, went there instead and won the tournament, becoming the Scottish Boys’ champion of 1954.

 

To mark his victory the club presented him with a new set of golf clubs and, in 1962, awarded him an Honorary Life membership.

 

Maurice turned pro, went back to Deeside Golf club as an assistant and remained there for two years.

 

He then moved to Sunningdale Golf club where the captain was Gerald Micklem and where he frequently played with a young Bruce Critchley - who would later find fame as a Sky TV golf commentator. He remained at Sunningdale for three and a half years during which time he won the prestigious Sunningdale Foursomes tournament with Belle McCorkindale (later Robertson).

 

In 1961, while attached to Royal Aberdeen as a playing professional, he narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, being beaten in a play-off for the final place.

 

In 1964 he emigrated to Tasmania, where he won the Tasmanian PGA three years in succession.

 

He returned to Scotland in 1967 and was appointed head professional at Hamilton in Lanarkshire, where he worked until his retirement.

 

 

Angus Moir

 

As a junior Angus had been a very competent player but his career flourished when he got a golfing scholarship to St Thomas’ College in Houston, Texas, one of the first Scottish players to do so. He combined his golf with a degree in Business Administration, success in which was essential to ensure his continuing golf scholarship. He quickly made his mark in America winning a College tournament soon after his arrival. His grounding in College golf stood him in good stead when he returned to Scotland. He won the Scottish Youths Championship in 1983, the Scottish Amateur title in 1984 and played for Scotland in the Home International championships in 1983 and 1984. He also played for Great Britain and Ireland against Europe in 1983.

 

To mark his winning the Scottish Amateur Championship, the club held a celebratory dinner in January 1985, at which the guest of honour was Mr Michael Bonallack and Angus, was awarded Honorary Life membership.

 

He gave serious consideration to turning professional and had a short spell as an assistant at Cruden Bay, but having failed to win a tour card he decided that life as a club pro was not for him.

 

Instead, Angus entered the world of business in which he has been hugely successful becoming firstly, Business Director of Europe and then Global Business Director with Wilson Golf, before moving to Nike Golf as General Manager EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa).

 

 

John Moir

 

John was capped for the Scottish Boys team in 1981; he won the Spence Trophy the same year and reached the last eight of the British Boys Championship in 1983.

 

 

Jillian Pennie

 

Whilst having a successful career at club level, Jillian won the Aberdeenshire Ladies County Championship in 1993 at Deeside Golf Cub when just 17 years of age. She also won the Grampian TV girls’ championship at Inverness and rounded off the year by being selected to play for Scotland in the girls’ Home International Championship at Helensburgh.

 

In 1994 she again represented Scotland and was also chosen as the 2nd reserve for the under 21s and was also 2nd reserve for the British Girls’ team. In 1999 she won the North of Scotland Girls’ championship.

 

 

Michele Thomson.

 

Michele began playing golf when she was 11 years old, under the watchful eye and the enthusiastic support and encouragement of her mentor, the late Ethel Davidson.

 

Aged 15, she had her first national success winning the Royal Bank of Scotland Junior Masters at Gleneagles.

 

In 2005 she won the North of Scotland Ladies' Championship. She repeated the feat the next year when she was selected to represent Scotland in the Under 21 European Team Championships. She reached the peak of her amateur career in 2008, when she won the Scottish Women's’ Amateur Championship and was selected to play for Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup against USA at St Andrews.

 

She turned professional in 2009, but soon after decided on a career change, giving up golf and joining the police force.

 

However she returned to full-time golf in 2014 and, in 2015, had her first professional win on the LET (Ladies' European Tour) access tour. She finished 8th in the tour order of merit in 2015 having had six top ten finishes.

 

 

Adam Dunton

 

Adam was a member of the Scotland men’s squad for three years from 2012 - 2014 inclusive. During his time with the squad, he enjoyed warm weather training camps in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as playing in tournaments in South Africa and Colombia. He was selected to play for Scotland in a test match against South Africa at Prestwick Golf club in 2012.

 

In 2014 he was in the Scottish team for the Home Internationals at the Southerdown Golf Club in Wales, winning three of his four matches.

 

Team and individual successes at club level.

 

1980    Juniors win Aberdeen and District Pennant League

Michael Gillan wins the Spence Trophy

 

1986    Men win the Abercromby Cup

 

1987    Men retain the Abercromby Cup

 

1988    Men win the Rose Bowl

 

1989    Men win Abercromby Cup

            Juniors win the Felicity Trophy. This is the first time this double has been achieved

 

1990    Ladies runners-up in Challenge Cup Robertson Trophy -

            the first time of it’s playing

            Men runners-up in Abercromby Cup

            Juniors win Felicity Trophy

Juniors win Aberdeen Journals "Off the Tee" Cup for the first

time in its 15-year history

 

1991    Ladies runners-up in Robertson Challenge Cup

            Men lose in final of Abercromby Cup

 

1992    Ladies win the Robertson Trophy

 

1993    Juniors win Felicity Cup

            Ladies runners-up in Robertson Challenge

McDonald Ellon were finalists in the Robertson Challenge Cup – making it four years in a row since its inception in 1990

Gordon Foster selected for junior coaching camp in Houston Texas

 

1995    Graeme Cowie selected for junior coaching camp in Houston

            Texas

 

1996    Ross Cameron wins both individual and team trophies in North East District Alliance winter completion. He turned professional soon thereafter.

 

1997    Chris Gilbert selected for junior coaching camp in Houston

            Texas

 

1999    Ladies runners-up in Robertson Challenge Cup

 

2000    Seniors runners up in House of Commons Trophy

 

2001    Ladies runners-up in Robertson Challenge Cup

            Seniors runners-up in the House of Commons Trophy

 

2002    Anne Bowman wins Handicap Section in the North of

            Scotland Championships at Downfield G. C.

            Alma Wildgoose wins Handicap Section of the Aberdeenshire

            Veteran Ladies

 

2003    Senior men win House of Commons Trophy

 

2004    Senior men win House of Commons Trophy

            Ladies runners-up in Robertson Challenge Cup

 

2005    Michele Thomson selected for junior coaching camp in Houston Texas

            Senior men win House of Commons Trophy

 

2006    Ladies win Robertson Challenge Cup

            Juniors win Felicity Trophy

 

2007    Adam Dunton selected for coaching camp in Houston Texas

 

2009    Men win Journals Cup

            Men win Inverurie Rosebowl

 

2011    Men win Abercromby Cup

            Ladies win Robertson Challenge Cup

 

2012    Men win Northern Counties' Cup

 

2014    Senior men win House of Commons’ Trophy

 

2015    Senior men were runners-up House of Commons’ Trophy

 

2016    Senior men win House of Commons’ Trophy