CAPTAIN�SLETTER

As we approach the endof 2013, I have a fewreflections worth sharingwith you. Firstly it is nice toreport that at long last wehave had a greatsummer with both coursesp r e s e n t e d i n amagnificent condition byRobert and his team. Itwas wonderful to play onhard and fast fairwayswith superb greens� truelinks golf! Secondly, neverb e f o r e h a s R o y a lAberdeen received so

much recognition and interest from the golfing world.The success of the British Seniors, the Walker Cup andthe Seniors Open Amateur, together with the �Trumpeffect� and next year the hosting of Aberdeen AssetManagement Scottish Open, has put us even morefirmly on the golfing map. This has great benefits for us,but also brings many challenges. Thirdly, with the Clubcontinuing to be in a sound financial position, and largecash surpluses being generated by the growth in visitorincome, this means we have the opportunity to createa Forward Plan containing improvements to the Courseand Clubhouse.

The demand for visitors to play Royal Aberdeen is, aftermany years of trying, now growing and we anticipatethat this will continue for a few years yet. This incomestream provides financial stability and the means toimprove our assets. However the challenge will be tominimise the disruption to members whilst meeting ourfinancial plans, and measures will be introduced overtime to improve this balance.

On the Course we shall continue to focus on the greens,which suffer from root rot, namely 2,3,4 and 6 plusremodeling holes 12 and 13. The remodeling work carriedout by Robert and his team, on the 15th and 18th holesgives us confidence to progress with these other courseimprovements. The fairway watering system will alsoneed some attention and hopefully some progress onthe on-course toilet will be reported. The target is toshare the Plan with members in February 2014.

As ever we have had a busy season with interclubmatches played against ALGC, Deeside, Panmure, NewClub St Andrews, Royal Troon and the R&A, with eachmatch played in great spirit and thoroughly enjoyed byall. I would encourage everyone to try and participate

Royal Aberdeen NewsDecember 2013 Issue No. 51 Sponsored by The Marcliffe Hotel

Jon Christiansen, Captain

DAN FRASER, PAST CAPTAIN,REPORTS ON ��.

The 2013 Francis Ouimet Centenary Celebration at the

U.S. Amateur.

At The Country Club, Brookline, Boston. In September

1913, Francis Ouimet, then a seventeen-year-old

amateur who lived across the road and had served as

a caddy at the club, won the US Open at the Country

Club. This was against all odds, as the field included

the best professionals from both sides of the Atlantic,

the favourites being the great English stars of the day,

Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. The victory was the event

that took the fledgling sport of golf in the USA on to the

front pages of the national press and is credited with

the birth of the professional game in that country.

Ouimet went on to win the US Amateur in 1914 and in

1931, to play on eight occasions in the Walker Cup and

to Captain the US team on four. In 1951 he became

the first American to be elected Captain of the R&A.

His legacy continues in the Ouimet Scholarship Fund

supporting young golfers.

The 2013 US Amateur was awarded to TCC and marks

the centenary of Ouimet�s victory. They decided to

bring together representatives of clubs associated with

the TCC from both sides of the Atlantic. The criteria,

loosely, was clubs that had hosted the Walker Cup, the

Curtis Cup, US and British Amateur since 1892 or had a

connection with TCC. The over riding criteria was a love

of the game of golf. The list of clubs attending reads

like golfing poetry and included: Royal Liverpool,

Interlacken, Formby, Kittansett, Merion, Myopia Hunt,

Royal St Georges, Peachtree, Royal Aberdeen,

Ekwanok, Carnoustie, PineValley, Quaker Ridge and

as special guests the Moles Golfing Society, a historic

golfing society with links to Ouimet. The representatives

of RAGC were Peter Burnet, Roy Haites, John Mackenzie

and the writer.

In the course of five days we played golf at some of

the best courses in the Boston area, and watched, the

final of the US Amateur, won, playing awesome golf,

by Matthew Fitzpatrick who was the first Englishman to

win the title for over a hundred years. We found it

necessary to remind the USGA officials that he was not

the first Brit to succeed! On the Monday following the

final we played the championship course, reduced

from its full length of 7300 yards to� 7135 yards. A par

five of 625 yards is not within range! I am afraid the

writer struggled, but thankfully the format was stableford.

A Match was played, Walker Cup style US clubs versus

GB, for the Centenary Cup, the US, on this occasion

prevailed.

Whilst the golf was outstanding the great joy of the

Francis Ouimet was the celebration of the Game of

Golf. 100 representatives of more than 30 clubs from

both sides of the Atlantic were not there for the quality

of their golf, though we had past US Amateur

Champions and Walker Cup Captains in the company,

but rather a commitment to their love of the game.

We left Brookline after golf on Monday, realising that

the problems of golf at club level, architecture and

course renovation, pace of play, equipment and the

aspirations of members, are challenges faced at every

club.

We also left with friendships made and renewed,

invitations given and offered, and the consensus that

we were all privileged to play this great game.

in inter club matches, you won�t be disappointed!

The highlight of 2013 for myself, was my trip to the Walker

Cup at the National Links of America on Long Island,

USA and the centennial celebrations of Royal Colwood

GC on Vancouver Island, Canada, where our party for

each consisted of four members and partners. At the

Walker Cup, we stayed with members of Shinnecock

Hills who provided us with truly wonderful and memorable

hospitality, and the opportunity to play Shinnecock Hills.

Although the Walker Cup result was disappointing, it has

to be said that the best team won and to be part of

the Walker Cup family was very special. I was also

privileged to meet and chat with President George W.

Bush and Michael Bloomberg , Mayor of New York City.

Six days after the end of the Walker Cup, we were at

Royal Colwood on Vancouver Island. This was also a

wonderful experience, with superb hospitality provided,

and the course was a joy to play. 45 Royal clubs

attended the celebration with many friendships

strengthened and new ones formed.

There was one common thread which strongly came

across at both events, namely the high respect which

RAGC and its members hold globally. Something that

all members and staff should be very proud of !

Getting ever closer is the Aberdeen Asset Management

Scottish Open, which is probably the biggest ever

sporting event to be held in Aberdeen. It promises to

be a spectacular event with players such as Phil

Michelson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, and many other

top golfers in the world potentially set to grace our links.

More information on the tournament will be provided

via separate newsletters and our website. I�m sure that

for this one off experience, the resulting inconvenience

will be worth it and I look forward to your support in

making this a very successful event.

The service we continue to have in the Pro Shop and in

the Clubhouse is outstanding. We are very lucky to have

such high quality teams, led by David, Elaine and John

and my warm thanks goes out to them. Please continue

to support them.

My thanks also goes out to Members of Council, Ronnie,

Sandra and Shona for giving me advice, assistance,

support and allowing me to thoroughly enjoy my

experience as Captain.

Finally I would like to wish you and your families a Merry

Xmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Jon Christiansen, Captain

1780

Date for your DiaryA course forward planning evening will beheld at the Marcliffe Hotel on Wednesday12th February 2014 at 7.30 p.m. when theClub's course architect Dr. Martin Hawtreewill be in attendance. All members arecordially invited to attend.

From the Archivist�sAttic

by Jim Christie

In Praise of Past Masters���.

lest we forget

The newly adorned walls of the Members� Room and

Golfers� Corridor provide an interesting montage of

events and personalities past and present and stimulate

a curiosity for some further research.

Messrs Mearns & Annand

The photograph of Robbie Mearns has hung in the

corridor with some prominence for many years, but do

we know much about him as we hurry past to and fro,

beyond recalling that he was one of the early Club

Professionals � wasn�t he? Yes he was, though not quite,

and yet much more.

Mr. Mearns was one of the early Aberdeen professionals

who began his association with the Club as a caddie

and then as a self-taught caddie-coach and

professional. His tenure spanned the years before and

after the migration from The Queens Links to Balgownie

in 1888, through a career path trodden by others, and

notably also in the late 19th century at The Aberdeen

Club by Andrew Annand, who by all accounts was a

more stylish swinger than Mearns. Both achieved notable

successes and were worthy participants in the many

challenge matches which regularly took place with the

top Scottish professionals of the day.

Between 1873 and 1876 the course extended to 15

holes over which Annand went round in 65 in October

of 1875 � only one stroke more than the 64 of young

Tom Morris in 1873. It was commented at the time that

Annand was �easily the best and prettiest player on

the Aberdeen Links at this time and it is surprising that

such a fine style as he had could have been developed

in spite of the few opportunities he enjoyed of seeing

the best players. All the more credit to himself for the

beautiful, easy, graceful swing he acquired�.

Though Mearns had not the easy graceful style of

Annand, he excelled on occasions, �driving a long ball

and getting in some marvellous short game work�. It

was Annand who set the first record with an 81 for the

18 hole course in 1876, but in due course that honour

ultimately remained with Mearns, whose 72 in 1885 was

never equalled. Of particular note was his score of 31

for the nine holes from the 7th to the 15th; this on the

classical course where not one of the many visiting

Open Champions came close to Mearns� record score.

The recorded low scoring of so many players,

professional and amateur in the years leading up to

the eventual upping of sticks on the Links was mightily

impressive, when we consider the relatively

undeveloped standards of clubs, balls and ground

conditions then prevailing.

The game was played with skill by far and away the

paramount factor. Clubs weren�t part of some tungsten-

injected frequency matched progressive set featuring

a muscle-backed sweetspot; each one was as

idiosyncratic as its owner. Balls didn�t possess the latent

explosive potential of nitroglycerine � rather the ungainly

aerodynamically challenged specimen handcrafted

from the hardened sap of an Indonesian palaquium

tree. And a stimp reading was as far from the

imagination of the 19th century golfer as a verti-cutting

machine.

Ludovic G. Sandison

The next time you are stopped in traffic near the junction

of Princes Street and King Street you allow yourself time

to go back some 140 years or so. On display in the shop

window there will appear an apparition of several

hickories standing neatly together, perhaps alongside

an equally neat display of fishing rods. Here was the

local club-maker Ludovic Sandison. He had little

practical knowledge of golf however and his clubs left

a bit to be desired in the matter of balance and

suppleness of shaft, many players preferring to get their

clubs from the experts further south such as Forgan and

Tom Morris.

However he was an important figure for 30 or 40 years

as custodian and caretaker of members� clubs and

would assemble iron-headed clubs with the heads of

the cleek, niblicks etc. imported from Fifeshire. The golf

balls � all gutties and hand-hammered, all came from

the south; Thornton, Morris, Patrick, Anderson, Forgan

being the favourite makers and their balls could be

purchased at Playfair�s or Garden�s Gun and Tackle

Shops in Union Street. Robbie Mearns was the principal

maker of re-makes, though they were known to lose

their shape in a short time.

Sandison�s clubs too were prone to snapping at the

slightest provocation and when they were returned to

the shop by the aggrieved purchaser, his invariable

excuse was that it must have been due to some very

�hhard hhitting�.

And as you snap out of your traffic-jam reverie 140 years

later, you might recognize the same car in front of you!

Safe driving ������������.

COLIN SHAW, MATCH & HANDICAPCONVENER REPORTS ��

With our course finally looking like the Links that it is,

after several years of wet weather and lush, thick

rough, and the Scottish Open just around the corner,

the golfers of Royal Aberdeen embarked on the season

with much enthusiasm.

The 2013 Club Championship Final was contested by

Steve Buchan, who had captured the Adam Cup on

two previous occasions, and Mike Wilson, who was

seeking his first. The match produced some magnificent

golf, was played to the highest standard of

sportsmanship, and produced a worthy champion in

Steve Buchan. The Davidson of Balnagask Champion

for 2013 is Alasdair McKenzie, who defeated Bob

Jeffrey in a close final.

Two of our 2013 �majors� � The Bicentenary Strokeplay

and Autumn Meeting - were won by Mark Halliday,

while Don MacAndrew triumphed in the Spring

Meeting.

Our teams represented the club admirably in the

Aberdeen Pennant League, Northern Counties Cup,

Dalswinton Trophy and Journal Cup to name a few.

The highlight was the Maitland Shield team narrowly

missing out on reaching the final and the chance to

compete for this prestigious trophy.

Next year the extra monthly Wednesday and Sunday

medals will be played as stablefords.

ALAN JOSSJUNIOR CONVENER REPORT

This year has been very successful for the Junior

section, with membership healthy and the

standard of golf played, has been very high. One

highlight was when the Juniors qualified to play

in the Scottish Regional Finals of the Junior Home

Nations Championship, due to wining the

Aberdeen & District Pennant League for the first

time since 2000.

In the regional finals, 23 teams competed at 3

different venues, with the winner from each venue

qualifying for the semi finals along with the team

with the next lowest total. Our team played at

Scotscraig, and finished 3rd behind Musselburgh

the winners, and Turnhouse in 2nd place, who

just pipped us for the last semi final spot, so we

were very close to qualifying for the semi finals.

The team consisted of Grant Joss, Elliot Moore,

Daniel Sim, Fintan McKenna, Finlay McPherson

and Patrick McKenna.

GRAHAM THOMSON,SENIOR CONVENER REPORTS����.

I am happy to report that the senior section enjoyed

another successful season. 54 members participated

in 23 inter club matches, various club competitions

and several open events. For the record we recorded

11 wins � a better ratio than last year! Our inaugural

match with the Juniors proved very successful and

will now be an annual fixture. On the social front we

enjoyed good fellowship at both our formal dinner in

March and our lunch in October.

On the competitive side we narrowly lost to Nairn

Dunbar, the host club, in the senior Northern Counties

Cup. Our Senior Open, won by Gordon Slater of

Deeside, attracted a maximum entry with competitors

drawn from more than 40 clubs. The invitational Team

Stableford competition was won by Panmure after a

countback involving Blairgowrie and ourselves.

Congratulations to Dan Fraser on winning the David

Macmillan Cup, Rich Garrett the Ronnie Mackinnon

Tantalus. and John Davies, Sandy Macdonald and

Howard Young for winning the popular Texas Scramble

competition. Finally remember we welcome members

aged 55 and over � you will not regret joining the

group!

IMPORTANT NOTIFICATIONS

SLOW PLAYMembers are reminded that it is your individualresponsibility to maintain the correct pace ofplay and not hold others up. Pace of Playcards are available in the Pro Shop and thereis information at the 11th Tee to give some ideaof your progress to that point.

2014 FIXURE LISTThe 2014 fixture list is now available on thewebsite and the traditional hard copy formathas been re-introduced.

COURSE INFORMATION EVENINGThe course information evening held on 6thNovember was a great success. Ronnie andRobert gave a very informative insight on thecourse management, the complexities, thegreat innovative advances made, and the costeffectiveness of the operation. The presentationwas well received by the members who alsoexpressed great appreciation and support forthe work of Robert and his team.

SPECIAL NOTEPlease note that a defibrillator has beenpurchased by the Club and will be located inthe Clubhouse.