From the fairways to the Greenlees

It marks a significant milestone for Ladies’ golf and the set-up created by Ysobel Greenlees and the league is known as ‘The Greenlees’.

Ysobel founded the league in 1930, for which her husband donated the Greenlees Trophy.

Her purpose in starting it was to give club players, especially the younger ones, greater experience in playing competitive match-play golf.

It was first played for in 1931 when Prestwick St Nicholas won, after a play-off against Troon. From 1939, due to the War, the League was suspended until 1949, when Troon won.

Greenlees was a vivacious, powerful golfer, and when playing in the Open competitions newspapers reported “her golf gives a more aesthetic pleasure to the spectator than any other of the competitors.”

She passed on in 1996, and today is remembered for “The Greenlees” league, now of three divisions, playing in its 75th year of intense competition and rivalry between 27 clubs across the West of Scotland each summer. It is unique in Scotland.

The defending champions are Cathkin Braes Golf Club, the ladies having won for the first time in 2014, and the immediate past champions are Milngavie Golf Club when they won four years in a row – a record in modern day golf.

At the special anniversary Tri-Am players from 27 golf clubs will take to the fairways.

Also at Cathcart Castle is the Greenlees 2015 Prize-Giving Lunch on October 20, and the Greenlees Annual General Meeting on November 17.

Copies of a celebratory brochure about Mrs Greenlees and the Greenlees heritage will be available from September, with the compliments of the club, in Mearns Road, Clarkston.