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R.McClymont 12 December 2019
Buchan Senior Men’s Golfing Association
The inaugural meeting of the group was held in Peterhead Golf Club on 25th March 1989.
BSGA INAUGURAL MEETING AGENDA 1989
Prior to that meeting, Mr Bill Gray, (then Captain of Peterhead Golf Club) along with Mr Charles Kelman and Mr Gordon Smith had approached clubs around the north east, to see if they would give the courtesy of their course on one day per year, for senior gentlemen golfers to play there. The initial idea was that these gentlemen would meet regularly and enjoy each other’s company whilst playing various courses around the north east.
Peterhead, Longside, Inverallochy, Newburgh, Fraserburgh, Cruden Bay, Ellon and Oldmeldrum clubs agreed that they would like to offer their courses for the group. A representative from each club came to the initial meeting.
BSGA INAUGURAL MEETING RECORD1989 1
BSGA INAUGURAL MEETING RECORD 1989 2
Mr Bill Gray became the first Captain when the group started in 1989. Sadly Bill gave up his captaincy in 1990 and died in 1991, before seeing his “vision” continue to grow and be very successful.
(from left to right – Charlie, Bill and Gordon at Peterhead Golf Club 150 Open )
Mr Charlie Kelman was the first Secretary/Treasurer until 1994, then Mr Gordon Smith (who had actually assisted Charlie in the position) was secretary until 2001. Gordon Smith was the first Honorary Life member of the Association. Although he then stepped down from the position, he regularly assisted at the desk for some years later.
THE ORIGINAL MEMBERSHIP WAS DRAWN FROM EIGHT CLUBS, AS THE BSGA FOUNDERS’ MEMBERS LIST SHOWS.
BSGA FOUNDER MEMBERS LIST 1989
At the end of the first year, Inverurie golfers asked to be included in the group “tour” and they became the ninth club to take part.
The group logo, designed by Mr Buchan of Buchan Embroidery in Peterhead, shows a map of the north east corner of Scotland – Buchan – with the positions of the nine clubs on the map.
EE newspaper report -( thank you to member Peter Barclay for this – September 1991)
Approximately 95 senior men played in the first year, at each venue. By 1992 the number of members was 156 and in 1995 it was 222, with an average attendance at each meeting being 135. By 1999 the average attendance was 168.
Initially, all the work of organising the times, winners, entry lists, scorecards etc was done by hand – a lot of paperwork! In 2002, however, a laptop was used for the first time, making the tasks much easier.
£1 entry and £1 at each venue was paid, in the beginning. By 1996, subs were £12, by 2002 they were £20 and by 2006 they were £25. Not much to pay, to play on nine courses!
Membership was per club. The six larger clubs could have 30 members with the three smaller ones(Longside, Oldmeldrum and Newburgh) having 20 members. However, in 1999 it was agreed that all clubs could have 25 members.
John Robertson was made an Honorary Member after his long (and continuing) service to the Association, in May
Buchan Seniors Golf Associations 