New Scottish Blood - about time too!

[Jacko_G]

So for a change the Challenge Tour is looking healthy for the Scots, Grant Forrest and Liam Johnstone are guaranteed their full European Tour cards for next season. David Law is looking comfortable and barring a collapse next week he'll comfortably be in the top 15 and secure his card.

Bob McIntyre is currently in a play off in China. Second place will promote him to 11th in the standings, winners cheque will take him inside the top 10.

Bob is someone I've been keeping my eye on for a while, big lefty from Oban with immense talent. Fingers crossed as we are starved of some decent talent on the European Tour.

Syme and Ramsey both look like losing their cards and Warren is hanging by a thread.

 

[User 99]

Syme and Ramsey both look like losing their cards and Warren is hanging by a thread.

Think Bradley Neil will lose his also. As for full card, that's actually a bit of a misnomer, yes they get a European Tour card but there are various levels of said card and only get entries to certain tournaments, then things get re graded again during the season.

 

[jim8flog]

Think Bradley Neil will lose his also. As for full card, that's actually a bit of a misnomer, yes they get a European Tour card but there are various levels of said card and only get entries to certain tournaments, then things get re graded again during the season.

The Cards 'issued' get ranked higher than gaining one from the Tour School so a better chance of getting in to most of the events.

 

[Jacko_G]

Forgot about Neil.

Plenty to look forward to for the Scots next week in the final event on the Challenge Tour.

Fingers crossed.

 

[IanM]

It’s a weird one....Scotland has a golf course every half a mile .... but the numbers breaking through is low... maybe theirs a winner in this batch?

 

[Garush34]

There is also Ewen Ferguson on the challenge tour, he has played well but getting a tour card this year was a step too far I think. Would like to see him kick on next year and be in the top 15, just needed so experience under his belt to get there.

Would like to think Warren, Ramsey and Syme would get their cards back at tour school. But if not Scottish golf looks in good shape.

 

[Grant85]

I still have my doubts that any of these guys are really going to be household names.

Of course it may seem very harsh, but the majority of these players are well into their 20s and I think David Law is about 35. They may well develop into good pros and get involved in some of the bigger events in the years to come, but Scotland really needs a homegrown world star to try and drive interest in the game, and push some of the other guys on.

Sam Locke, who won the Open Silver Medal May well be one to watch. He’s mixed it in some tour events and is still a teenaged with plenty of time to develop, I’m sure on the challenge tour next season, or maybe via Q school.

Perhaps we are turning a corner, but I can’t help feeling this is like a few years ago when we had Bradley Neil, Connor Syme, Grant Forrest, Scott Henry and a few others making it onto the tour or playing at the right end of the Amatuer game.

 

[Jacko_G]

He's 27! (Law)

Conner Syme and Bob McIntyre both have the raw talent, it's having the belief to take themselves to the next level that is the next hurdle for them.

 

[Grant85]

He's 27! (Law)

Conner Syme and Bob McIntyre both have the raw talent, it's having the belief to take themselves to the next level that is the next hurdle for them.

Fair enough, but still no spring chicken.

The sheer weight of numbers is certainly good, and with Q school to come there might be another one makes it through.

Agree about Syme. Some of his scoring has looked excellent, but then he’s just not been at the right end of many leaderboards.

I still think there is something fundamentally wrong with how we develop players not to have had 1 semi permanent fixture in the to 50 for any length of time since Paul Lawrie in 2012. Stevie Gallagher continues to notch up the years on tour, but once again, someone with a lot of talent who barely looks like winning a tournament for long spells.

Not counting Laird or Knox, as much as I enjoy watching them. These are guys who have a golf career because they left Scotland at an early stage. Tricky to say that they would be where they were if they had been based here full time.

 

[Jacko_G]

Drysdale is higher ranked than Stevie G.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

So what’s gone wrong in Scotland in regards getting the top quality professionals through - for years throughout the 80’s - 90’s and 00’s there always used to be a top Scot challenging from Lyle to Monty and Lawrie but nothing for a while and it seems a bare cupboard- think Wales is in an even worse place. England had it for a little while but have been in a solid position for the past decade or so

 

[Jacko_G]

So what’s gone wrong in Scotland in regards getting the top quality professionals through - for years throughout the 80’s - 90’s and 00’s there always used to be a top Scot challenging from Lyle to Monty and Lawrie but nothing for a while and it seems a bare cupboard- think Wales is in an even worse place. England had it for a little while but have been in a solid position for the past decade or so

I'll refer you back to the SGU thread!

 

[azazel]

Bradley Neil has had so many poor weekends, and final rounds especially. He was making a lot of cuts during the summer but falling away badly during the weekend.

I thought Syme might push on after his second place in Austria(?) but it has gone the other way unfortunately.

Still, they're both young enough to be able to take this season's experience and, even if they don't make it through Q school, could bounce straight back next year.

 

[IanM]

So what’s gone wrong in Scotland in regards getting the top quality professionals through - for years throughout the 80’s - 90’s and 00’s there always used to be a top Scot challenging from Lyle to Monty and Lawrie but nothing for a while and it seems a bare cupboard- think Wales is in an even worse place. England had it for a little while but have been in a solid position for the past decade or so

I asked a top Welsh golfer why this was...he said that Welsh Golf is too focused on Teams rather than developing Champions

 

[Grant85]

So what’s gone wrong in Scotland in regards getting the top quality professionals through - for years throughout the 80’s - 90’s and 00’s there always used to be a top Scot challenging from Lyle to Monty and Lawrie but nothing for a while and it seems a bare cupboard- think Wales is in an even worse place. England had it for a little while but have been in a solid position for the past decade or so

I think the issue may not be too dissimilar to the Lawn Tennis Association in terms of UK elite tennis.

Here was an organisation with an abundance of resource - far greater than many more successful nations, especially the former Yugoslav states of Seribia and Croatia. But could hardly produce a top 50 tennis player.

The greatest success was Tim Henman - ok, a decent pro but a late developer and only really came alive during Wimbledon fortnight, with very few other wins in his career. Greg Rusedksi was a product of Canada and the womans game was even worse. Moving on the only genuine world star we have produced was Andy Murray. Who famously was opted out of the LTA programme by his mother (an accomplished Tennis coach) and sent to an academy in Barcelona.

Every year at Wimbledon, and the other grass court events in the weeks before, a succession of young British hopefuls would get a wild card into the 1st round, only to last about 60 minutes on court before being dispatched. These players were getting funded by the LTA. Basically a wage to play tennis with the expectation that this would make them better players. The blazers who made these decisions had very little experience of elite sport and made even less of an attempt to find out about it, or reduce their afternoon tea budget to hire someone else.

One thing that was missing was the hunger and desire that young players had in other countries. Also, the coaching was probably not up to standard and these players would not have been playing enough competitive sets against top professionals from other countries, that they were suddenly up against come competition time. They were also being spared qualifying for Wimbledon, and other grass court events - surely an important week for many young players as they test themselves against other players of their level, basically rankings from 64 and above.

I can't help but feel Scottish golf is in a similar position. In theory this should be extremely well resourced, but the output in terms of elite players is not of the standard it is in other countries. I can't imagine that the coaching is good enough, or is being deployed correctly (more likely the latter). And I don't think there is enough competitive golf being played by the youngsters at that level.

I also reckon if you don't have a father or uncle who is a golf coach, or able and willing to drop a 5 figure sum on coaching each year, the chances of a young Scottish pro making it are very much diminished. But maybe we have turned a corner and the current generation are going to make their way in the world, better equipped than those of the previous decade.

 

[Jacko_G]

In response to above there have been some very interesting discussions with players like Forsyth, Warren, Coltart etc who say we focus too much on links golf in Scotland.

Warren especially states that he really struggled initially on tour due to his ball flight being way too low. His striking was just as good as the rest except he couldn't hold a 4 iron on the green whereas the Spanish, French etc could float a towering high 4 iron and have it stop within 10 feet, he just couldn't play that shot. He had basically been taught "drill" it. Low under the wind etc.

I think Syme and MacIntyre have the raw talent, I also don't think Law is "too old" like someone stated, he's 27, that's a good age, he's matured, he's learned his trade on the "lesser" tours and also think he is a superb player.

Fingers crossed.

 

[Garush34]

Looks like Richie Ramsey has done enough to keep his card.

I think Law will do well when he gets out on the main tour. He has been close to getting there for the last few seasons which will have done him some good of playing regularly at a higher level. And he is backed by Paul Lawrie which I'm sure must do him some good for a sounding board for advice etc.

 

[Grant85]

Looks like Richie Ramsey has done enough to keep his card.

I think Law will do well when he gets out on the main tour. He has been close to getting there for the last few seasons which will have done him some good of playing regularly at a higher level. And he is backed by Paul Lawrie which I'm sure must do him some good for a sounding board for advice etc.

Ramsey in at 115.

Normally only 110 qualify, but it seems 6 players who were exempt indicated that they would not be taking up ET membership next year, and so 116 was good enough.

Connor Syme and Marc Warren outside top 116, so I guess Q School and / or the Challenge Tour beckon for them.

Syme was well placed in the summer. I'm sure he was about 96th at the Scottish Open, when he had a blistering 2nd round and shot 62. Ultimately didn't take advantage and finished well in the pack.

 

[Grant85]

In response to above there have been some very interesting discussions with players like Forsyth, Warren, Coltart etc who say we focus too much on links golf in Scotland.

Warren especially states that he really struggled initially on tour due to his ball flight being way too low. His striking was just as good as the rest except he couldn't hold a 4 iron on the green whereas the Spanish, French etc could float a towering high 4 iron and have it stop within 10 feet, he just couldn't play that shot. He had basically been taught "drill" it. Low under the wind etc.

I think Syme and MacIntyre have the raw talent, I also don't think Law is "too old" like someone stated, he's 27, that's a good age, he's matured, he's learned his trade on the "lesser" tours and also think he is a superb player.

Fingers crossed.

If that's all it is, then it should be something that's easy fixed.

We certainly have plenty of decent inland courses to focus on. But you can see why they would schedule a lot of event at links courses as they stand up to bad weather so much better.
I believe most of the youngters do get a bit of winter training in Dubai or Florida, but you would think with the connections and resource that Scottish golf have it would not be particularly inefficient to have a semi-permanent base in a fair weather site with a dozen lodgings and the use of a range and course. Especially Florida, I think would be fairly cost effective and be a very valuable resource for players each winter.

 

[Garush34]

Ramsey in at 115.

Normally only 110 qualify, but it seems 6 players who were exempt indicated that they would not be taking up ET membership next year, and so 116 was good enough.

Connor Syme and Marc Warren outside top 116, so I guess Q School and / or the Challenge Tour beckon for them.

Syme was well placed in the summer. I'm sure he was about 96th at the Scottish Open, when he had a blistering 2nd round and shot 62. Ultimately didn't take advantage and finished well in the pack.

Both will be in the q school finals, hopefully the couple weeks break will do them some good and find something in their games and get their cards back.

If I remember correctly Syme got through all stages of q school last year, it was maybe just a step too much for him and he didn't really have the experience of how to handle things when he was in a slump. This is where i think the likes of Forrest et al. will do well as they have had some time on different tours experiencing the ups and downs and battling back. Syme started well and the confidence showed but like you say did not take advantage of the opportunities he made for himself.