21st March: Monifieth Stableford: The draw for this Friday's stableford at Monifieth can be viewed under Competitions Tab, Winter Events.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
8th March 2023: Matchplay Changes
As you may be aware, following on from the members survey carried out last year, the majority of respondents indicated that they wished a change to the qualification methods, and format of our Match-Play competitions, both main event and Super Seniors.
As a result, we have initiated a change for 2023 to reflect these wishes, and the success, or otherwise of these changes, will be reviewed after the competitions.
The main changes are as follows:
- 1. Qualification for the Main Match-Play will be based on the top 32 in the Gross Order of Merit after the R&A Seniors British Open on 14th July.
- 2. Qualification for the Super Seniors Match-Play will be based on top 8 in the Super Seniors Handicap Order of Merit after the Super Seniors Open (Sandy Pirie Trophy) on 11th July.
- 3. If a Super Senior qualifies under point 1 above, and also qualifies under point 2, then they can decide which competition they wish to participate in.
- 4. If any qualifier cannot make the 3-day event at Forfar on 14-16th August, then their place will be offered to the next member in the OOM to obtain a full field. Only qualifiers who play in the Match-Play event will therefore gain OoM points.
- 5. All qualifiers in both events, will be guaranteed 3 days play at Forfar.
- 6. Entry fee for the 3 days knockout stages will be £50.
- 7. Order of Merit points for 2023 have been amended to reflect these changes. Any changes to Super Seniors OOM points will be advised separately to Super Senior members in due course.
- 8. Order of Merit points will also be tiered from winner to tied 31st in main event, and from 1st to 8th in Super Seniors event. This gives all players the opportunity to maximise their possible points awarded during the 3 days.
- 9. This will also give certainty as regards accommodation requirements for members for these 3 days, as well as boosting the number of spectators for both finals in the afternoon of day 3.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
7th March 2023: WINTER STABLEFORD UPDATES
WEST KILBRIDE EVENT ON 9th MARCH CANCELLED DUE TO POSSIBLE WEATHER DISRUPTION.
Order of Merit will now be best 2 events from 4.
Draw for Stirling on 3rd March is now available and can be viewed, along with local rules, in he Winter events page under Competitions Tab.
Spaces are filling up rapidly for the 5 stableford events in March. MONIFIETH on the 24th is FULL with a reserve list now in place. Names will be added to reserve list in order received.
For details of all entries see winter events page under Competitions tab.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
21st December 2022: The fixture list for 2023 has now been finalised and can be viewed via link below, and is also shown on the Fixtures page under Competitions Tab.
On-line entry forms are in process of being updated, once this has been completed we will advise members via email when entries will be accepted.
With almost 4% of UK adults leaving an inheritance tax bill for their loved ones after passing away, careful estate planning is something we can all consider to protect our nearest and dearest when the time comes.
Of particular value to homeowners, business owners and those in possession of assets such as bank savings, investments, pensions and second homes, proactive estate planning allows you to capitalise on the allowances available. It can also prevent an unexpected shock while your family are grieving, as many families liable to pay inheritance tax never expect to find themselves in such a position.
In the UK, the Nil Rate for inheritance tax applies to the first £325,000 of the deceased’s estate. Leaving your home to a child or grandchild can add up to £175,000 to that Nil Rate, meaning that an individual person may pass on an estate valued at up to £500,000 before it is liable for inheritance tax. Should an estate exceed the Nil Rate Band, the portion of the estate which exceeds it will be taxed at 40%. These thresholds were set out in the 2021 Finance Bill and are fixed until April 2026.
Inheritance tax receipts are now at a record high, with HMRC reporting £6.1 billion collected in tax year 2021/22 – an increase of 14% on the previous year. The freezing of the Nil Rate Band and long-term asset growth among older generations, particularly those who have benefited from growth in house prices, have exposed more estates to inheritance tax liability.
With complex rules in place governing the gifting of money and assets to loved ones up to seven years before death, the transfer of allowances between spouses and civil partners, the use of protected trusts and tax relief on certain donations to charities and registered clubs, professional advice is crucial.
As one of Scotland’s foremost Independent Financial Advisers, McCrea Financial Services offer estate planning services which integrate with your overall financial goals and circumstances. Drawing on their award-winning expertise in pensions and retirement planning, they can help you manage your estate in a way which allows you to live the life you want to live now while protecting your loved ones in the future.
Their friendly team are happy to answer any
questions you might have about whether
estate planning is right for you. Why not give them a call on
0141 572 1340, or email enquiries@mccreafs.co.uk to find out more about their
award-winning personalised service?
As one of Scotland’s foremost Independent Financial Advisers, we at
McCrea know that careful retirement planning is one of the most rewarding
contributions you can make to your quality of life.
For many of us, our home is the most valuable asset we own. Recent
research has shown that homeowners are tapping into that value to transform
their retirement – with some boosting their retirement savings by up to 181%.
Lifetime mortgages are the most popular form of equity release, where
homeowners borrow against the value of their property. They allow homeowners
aged 55 or over who own a property in the UK worth at least £70,000 to access
the value tied up in their home while remaining able to live there with 100%
ownership.
The average equity released through a lifetime mortgage is now £115,511.
For those approaching retirement, or for those who have already retired, this
sum can be the difference between a frugal and a more fulfilling retirement.
Other homeowners opt for lifetime mortgages in order to free up funds
for family school and university fees, home improvements or private medical
treatments, while others direct the funds towards pensions and investments.
Before deciding to go ahead with a lifetime mortgage, or any other form
of equity release, it’s compulsory to obtain expert advice. As a fully
independent firm, McCrea has a team of advisers ready to assess your personal
financial circumstances.
We are not tied to any providers and pride ourselves on taking a
holistic view of your finances to determine the best solution. We can work with
you to make clear the impact equity release would have on any means tested
benefits such as Pension Credits and set out what a lifetime mortgage means for
your ability to leave a legacy for your family after you’ve gone.
We now spend around double the length of time in retirement as our
grandparents were able to enjoy, and a lifetime mortgage may just be something
that transforms your retirement for the better.
Why not tee up a free, no-obligation chat with a member of our team to
explore if a Lifetime Mortgage would be right for you? Call us on 0141 572 1340
or email enquiries@mccreafs.co.uk.
SSGS
TOUR 2022 - SUPER SENIORS AUTUMN MEETING
The final event of this year's Tour was the Super Seniors Autumn Meeting held
at Ratho Park Golf Club. The event was won by John Fraser (Royal Burgess GS) on
139 (66,73), with Richard Gray (Caprington GC) in 2nd place on 142 (72,70), and
Brian Smith (Glasgow GC) in third place on 144 (73,71).
In the Handicap Section, the winner was Richard Gray on 134 (68,66), with Brian
Smith in 2nd place on 136 (69,67) and Bob Stewart (Tulliallan GC) in 3rd place
on 139 (68,71).
Thank you to Ratho Park Golf Club for again hosting an SSGS Tour event which is
very much appreciated.
Congratulations to John and Richard and all the voucher winners. As it is the
last event of the year, all vouchers have been posted out to all winners.
Full leader boards and voucher winners can be viewed on results page by CLICKING HERE
With the completion
of the Autumn Meeting at Cardross, the final positions in the main Order of
Merits have been decided.
The winner of the 2022 Order of Merit was our Chairman RONNIE CLARK (ERSKINE) with a final points total of 1,234. Ronnie had a very consistent season with wins in the Scottish Seniors Open, as well as our Spring Meeting at Moray and the Presidents Cup at Montrose. In second place was PAUL MOULTRIE (ROYAL TROON), on 964, and JOHN MATHERS (HAGGS CASTLE) in 3rd place on 719.
The winner of the Handicap Order of Merit was GEORGE BARRIE (CALLANDER GOLF CLUB), with a points total of 433, narrowly pushing SCOTT MICHIE (KINROSS GOLF CLUB) into 2nd place on 415. 3rd place was taken by BRYAN INNES (MURCAR GOLF CLUB) on 325.
Congratulations to Ronnie and George on a successful season.
The Super Seniors Scratch Order of Merit winner for 2023 is JOHN FRASER (ROYAL BURGESS GOLFING SOCIETY). Well played throughout the season John.
The handicap OOM however went down to the wire. Going into the last event It was still all to play for with KEITH BRUCE (EDZELL) leading JOHN FRASER by one point. However John Fraser emerged the victor at Ratho Park, taking both the Scratch and Handicap Super Senior Order of Merit awards. Keith Bruce finished 2nd with Keith Ross (Glasgow G C) in 3rd place.
To view
final main OOM positions and current Super Seniors positions visit the OOM page
on the website.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
After the 5 fourballs on Saturday, SSGS led by 3.5 - 1.5. However, UKSGA won the matches today by 3-2 so SSGS retains the salver with the final result 5.5-4.5. A fuller report including match details will be updated later. Pictured below is the successful SSGS team and Team Captain John Fraser accepting the Trophy from his UKSGA counterpart, Billy Mitchell.
A very successful tournament was held over 3 days at Southerness Golf Club on the Solway Coast between 31st August and 2nd September, and the Scottish weather even played ball with 3 days of glorious sunshine and light winds. As a result, the course was “fiery” and played tricky, even off the yellow tees.
At the end of the day, the competition couldn’t have ended closer, with 2 players tied on 212. The joint winners were new SSGS member GEORGE WRAITH (DURHAM CITY G C) and DOUGLAS CAMERON (WORTHING G C). Current holder IAN BROTHERSTON (Dumfries & County G C) was 3rd on 216 and picked up the Bronze Medal.
In the handicap section, George also had the lowest Nett score, but as you are only allowed to win 1 prize, the Trophy and Gold Medal was won by ADRIAN DONKERSLEY (DENHAM G C) with a 3-round total of 208 (1 over par). Returning SSGS member BRIAN HALBERT (RATHO PARK G C) picked up the Silver Medal on 209 with a better last round, with the Bronze Medal being won by NORMAN CAMERON (PORTERS PARK G C) also on 209.
In the Age Categories, the following also picked up medals:
70-74
Scratch winner Gold Medal – JOHN FRASER (ROYAL BURGESS GOLFING SOCIETY) – 219
1st Handicap Gold Medal – KEITH BRUCE (EDZELL G C) – 210
2nd Handicap Silver Medal - LINDSAY GORDON (TURNHOUSE G C) – 218 b.i.h.
3rd Handicap Bronze Medal - PETER HARDWICK (NEWBATTLE G C) – 218
75+
Scratch winner Gold Medal – GLYN REES(FLEETWOOD G C)– 227
1st Handicap Gold Medal – PETER KINLOCH (CARDROSS G C) – 217
2nd Handicap Silver Medal - SEAN LYNCH (MINCHINHAMPTON G C) – 221
3rd Handicap Bronze Medal - ROY SMETHURST (CREWE G C) – 223
We look forward to seeing as many of you again next year at LUFNESS NEW GOLF CLUB in East Lothian between 30th August and 1st September.
Pictured below is George receiving his Trophy from Competition
Secretary Ian Kerr. Whilst Adrian was not available to attend prize giving to receive
his Trophy on the day, we managed to get it to him later, see below.