Gabrielle Macdonald

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Gabrielle’s Golf Day 2020

Unfortunately due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic I have postponed my golf day for the time being. I am hoping to rearrange for later in the year and will be in touch once I know more. For now I hope everyone stays safe and healthy.

After a successful event last year, I will be hosting another golf day this year on the 12th June at Craigielaw. The format will remain the same, being a 4 person Texas scramble. Team entry is £300. Following the golf there will be food and a raffle. More details to follow, but I’m sure it will be a fun filled day with lots of great prizes on offer. Save the date!

South Africa 2019

PORT EDWARD, SOUTH AFRICA – FEBRUARY 28: Gabrielle Macdonald during day 3 of the Supersport Ladies Challenge at Wild Coast Sun Country Club on February 28, 2019 in Port Edward, South Africa. EDITOR’S NOTE: For free editorial use. Not available for sale. No commercial usage. (Photo by Carl Fourie/Sunshine Tour/Gallo Images)

Five weeks ago I flew out to George, on the Western Cape of South Africa to start my professional career and now I’m sitting waiting to board my flight home. I can’t help but reflect upon my time out here. Having never been to South Africa I wasn’t sure what to expect but I’ve had a great time. The trip has been full of new experiences from hitting my first shot as a pro; playing in my first pro am; playing 5 weeks in a row; playing in my first LET event and being chased by a baboon at Cape Point. The latter being the most nerve-wrecking out of all these experiences! 

I’ve played 5 events on the Sunshine Ladies Tour, with some satisfying results. My first event was the Dimension Data Ladies Pro-Am and I could not have picked a better place to start my career. The courses at George and Fancourt were stunning and the hospitality was first class… with a daily selection of cake and ice cream in the players lounge! However, I wasn’t too distracted by the hospitality and I managed to get myself in contention after shooting 68 in round 2. It was such a buzz to have a chance at winning in only my first event as a pro and although I finished in a tie for 6th I was really pleased with this result. More so, as this was my 1st competitive event since early November and also since my mum passed away. I was a little emotional, knowing how much my mum would have loved to have seen me do well, and I guess I missed having my family around to support and celebrate.

Next up was Durban, to play in the SA Women’s Masters and the SuperSport Ladies Challenge. If I was on a high from the Di Data I was quickly brought back down to earth when we arrived at our digs! Life on tour really isn’t glamorous! After surviving a night with bed bugs we managed to find a new place to stay on site at San Lameer and we lucked out with a fab host family! Despite struggling a little with my game that week, I finished in 14th place and another cut made. 

It was a tight turnaround as we then went straight into the practice round and Pro Am at Wild Coast Sun. The course really is wild! It covers some amount of land up on a cliff top and is on the edge of a wildlife reserve. It’s really exposed to the wind and we were all warned of high winds forecast. Fortunately it wasn’t quite like a windy day at Craigielaw and I seemed to cope with the trickier conditions that we had in round 2. I played some great golf that week, and finished outright 3rd. Again it was exciting to be in contention and I felt like maybe it could be my week when I teed off in the final round. However, I didn’t take advantage of my good approach play on the front 9 and my short putting let me down. 

My final stop of the tour was Cape Town for two more events. After playing 3 events in a row, I was ready for a few days off! Luckily we had time to relax and do some site seeing which is actually quite rare on most of my golf trips. Cape Town really is incredible with the striking Table Mountain and scenic coastline. I know how lucky I am to visit such amazing places like Cape Town. After a few days off I felt mentally refreshed and raring to go again at Royal Cape GC. It wasn’t my best golf week but I am proud how I grinded it out after a poor opening round. In some very typical Scottish weather, I managed to move up each day and finished tied 13th in the end. 

It was then onto Westlake for the Investec South African Women’s Open which was a co-sanctioned LET event. This event had the highest purse and so I was eager to have a good week! As it would happen, I was probably too eager! Although, after hitting two great shots on my opening hole and sinking the putt for birdie, I actually felt right at home in my first LET event. Unfortunately, after a shocker of a bunker lie on my 9th hole my golf started to slip and I let my mistakes get to me more than I normally do, thinking I had played my way out of the tournament. This was my biggest lesson learned of the trip – never think it’s over- as had I saved a few shots in my last few holes I would have been around the cut mark with a lot less to do in round 2. To be honest, I actually felt a little embarrassed with my score and also disappointed with myself and my attitude on the golf course. I needed the afternoon off to clear my head and the views along Chapman’s Drive and Hout Bay definitely helped distract me.

By the next day I was ready to give it my best shot at making it to the weekend, and I got off to a good start with 2 birdies in the first 4 holes. However, a double bogey on the 14th hole proved costly and I ended up missing the cut by 1. I was gutted, it was the first cut I’d missed on the trip and missing it by 1 is a tough one to take. However, I was happy with the way I had played in round 2 and how I had recovered from the double bogey, playing the last 4 holes in 1 under. They say you learn more from your mistakes than your wins and that has probably been the case on this trip!

Overall, It’s been a fun few weeks out here and a great start to my pro career. There’s nothing quite like playing competitive golf and to have that week after week has been such a good experience for me. I’m now looking forward to going home and spending time with my family and sleeping in my own bed! It will also be good to get some practice in before my season starts in Europe on the LET Access Series. Let the adventures continue!


Gabrielle Turns Pro

Gabrielle has today announced that she has turned professional. Gabrielle will be continuing her journey with Craigielaw, and is delighted to be attached to the club. She has enjoyed her time as an amateur, representing Craigielaw, Midlothian Ladies and Scottish Golf over the years and now looks forward to starting her professional career.

Gabrielle spent time with some of the juniors at Craigielaw and reflected back upon her time playing for the junior team; “It was great to be part of a strong junior team and a club which welcomed juniors to play as much as they wanted. Craigielaw had only been opened for a few years when I joined and had a modern approach to club competitions, as both ladies and juniors could play in all medals with no restrictions. I also loved playing in the East Lothian Junior League, and being part of the team’s success at the Home Nations Finals in Spain. These competitions definitely helped me gain matchplay experience and likely played a part in my success in the Scottish Amateur Championship. Hopefully, the junior section can keep growing, and it’s great to see the juniors here today enjoying themselves despite the cold weather!”

Gabrielle with some of the current and future junior team members
Photos taken by David Hillson

Gabrielle is heading out to South Africa next week to play on the Sunshine Ladies Tour. She will play 4 events and hopes to qualify for the co-sanctioned LET event before flying home. She will then get her season started on the LET Access Series.

Gabrielle would like to thank everyone who has helped and supported her over the years.

“Big smiles today as I am excited to announce that I am turning professional! I can’t wait to start this new chapter in my golfing career and I’m delighted to have Craigielaw’s continued support. I want to thank the club and to everyone who has helped me along the way, I’m very grateful for all the support I have received over the years. Ready to start my 2019 season out in South Africa in just over a weeks time.”

100th Scottish Amateur Champion, 2014

GABRIELLE MACDONALD, WITH TARTAN CAP, AND SCOTTISH WOM CHSHIP TROPHY PRESTWICK MAY 2014  In a dramatic conclusion to the 100th Scottish Ladies’ Championship, Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) beat Connie Jaffrey (Troon Ladies) with a par four at the first hole of the sudden-death play-off in the final at Pretwick.
At the 19th, Jaffrey hit her second shot left and had to hit her pitch over a bunker and failed to get up and down while Macdonald, two-putted for victory.
“I’m delighted to win,” said MacDonald, a 21-year-old St Andrews University student. “I was nervous all day and that match was up and down. But it’s a tough course and the match was always going to go one way and then the other. “
In her third year of a geography degree, MacDonald is intending to turn professional sometime in the future. “But it won’t be for a few years,” she said.  “At the moment, I just want to enjoy this win.”
On a bright but windy day, 17-year-old Jaffrey made a encouraging start in her attempt to become the youngest ever champion, winning the first hole in par. But MacDonald levelled with a birdie at the long third and then won the fifth and sixth and was still two up at the turn.
Jaffrey, the Scottish Girls’ Champion, launched a fight back with wins at the tenth and 11th and moved one up with a birdie at the long 12th.
But there was another turnaround with MacDonald taking the 13th and moving one up with a terrific birdie at the 16th where she hit a wedge shot to a foot.
At the 17th, it was the Ayrshire girl’s turn to make birdie to draw level and pars at the last sent the final into extra time.
For Jaffrey, it was a disappointing end to the week, but she underlined her promise as she looks forward to heading to a golf scholarship at Kansas State University this autumn.
For both finalists, a summer of golf lies ahead. “I have finished university for the summer,” said the new champion.
“Everyone at the University is so supportive. Kevin Hale is our first team coach and he is great.”
Jaffrey was disappointed but pleased to play her part in a great final. “I just ran out of shots at the end,” she conceded.

Martin Dempster interview.

100th Scottish Amateur Champion 2014, Old Prestwick Gold Club

Scottish 2014Scottish Amateur 2014Scottish Amateur 2014Scottish Amateur 2014Scottish Amateur 2014Scottish Amateur 2014

Saint Sports newsletter – scholar profile

Saints GolfScholar Profile 1: Gabrielle MacDonald, Saints Golf In 2010 Gabrielle played for Scotland in the Girls Home International team, before going on to win the East of Scotland Girls Order of Merit a year later. She followed this by setting a new Course Record of 66 at Ladybank Golf Club in 2012 and was runner up at the 2013 British University Championships. In the same season Gabrielle took 5th place in the St Rule Trophy in St Andrews and also played for Scotland in the Ladies Home International team.

Now in fourth year, Gabrielle starts the new academic year on the back of her most successful season to date, the highlight of which was becoming the 100th Scottish Ladies Amateur Champion at Prestwick Golf Club earlier in May. Other successes from Gabrielle’s 2014 season include:

• 2014: Runner-up in the Scottish Ladies Junior Open Strokeplay (U21s)

• 2014: 15th in the British Ladies Open Strokeplay Championship

• 2014: Played for Scotland in the ladies team for the European Ladies Team Championships, Slovenia

• 2014: Played for Scotland in the ladies team for the World Amateur Team Championships, Japan

• 2014: 4th in the SLGA (Scottish Ladies Golfing Association) Ladies Order of Merit

Scottish Golf Awards

golf awards

The 2015 Scottish Golf Awards, with more than 600 people attending, was a celebration of the top achievements in the sport last year by the country’s leading golfers.

The guest list included Catriona Matthew and Stephen Gallacher, along with Sam Torrance, Bernard Gallacher, Richie Ramsay, Kylie Walker, Kelsea Macdonald, Sally Watson, Carly Booth, Scott Jamieson and Chris Doak. Gabrielle picked up Order of Merit award on behalf of Connie Jaffray.

A friendly game in Florida

Check out this blog from one of our hosts in Florida 2015 winter training camp…Lorne Rubenstein blog from Scoregolf

JUPITER, Fla. — In the interest of demonstrating to myself something I know but sometimes forget — that there’s more to golf than Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and pro tour golf in general — I’m writing about an illuminating experience I had at the Loxahatchee Club here. Wilson Zehner, the club’s congenial head professional, invited me to play in a recent fundraiser for the Jupiter Medical Center. And so I did.

Loxahatchee is one of my favourite courses and clubs here in Florida. I attended the course opening in 1985. There are strong Canadian connections to the club. Gordon Gray, a successful real estate developer in Toronto, made Lox, as it’s known, happen. He had gotten to know Jack Nicklaus, and invited him to design the course on an old abandoned dairy farm.

Nicklaus took on the project and would often work on his game at Loxahatchee with Jack Grout, his only instructor. Grout had a home at Lox, as does Gray. Gray recently completed writing a comprehensive book about the club’s history. I might add that the club maintains a strong caddie program, under the direction of Hugh Stacy. Here’s apiece I wrote about Stacy a couple of years ago.

Gabrielle MacdonaldI didn’t know that Wilson, a very fine player, teacher and organizer, had arranged for me to play with Gabrielle Macdonald  (pictured at left), a Saint. That’s right. She is a member of the University of St. Andrews golf team. Gabrielle won the 2014 Scottish Ladies Amateur Championship at Prestwick. She’s a fourth-year geography student who plans to turn pro after graduating and then play the Ladies European Tour. Assuming things go well there, and her play and demeanour suggest they will, Gabrielle plans to get herself onto the LPGA Tour after a couple of years gaining experience as a professional.

Wilson had provided another treat for me. Or two. Kevin Hale, the long-hitting, personable women’s golf coach at the University of St. Andrews, was in our group. So was Loxahatchee member William Van Faasen. Bill has done a tremendous amount for the game, as I would learn.

He’s done so much, to be sure, that The Francis Ouimet Scholarship Fund will present Bill with its Spirit of Golf Award during a gala reception and dinner on February 9th in Boston. Bill has been instrumental in the Ouimet organization, named after Francis Ouimet, the 1913 U.S. Open champion from Brookline, Mass., who came out of the caddie ranks. Funds raised from the dinner will go to education scholarships for inner-city kids.

A further word about Bill. He’s a five-handicap golfer in his mid-60s who has played many local and state tournaments. He told me, though, that he likes nothing more than playing recreational golf and making new friends on the course. He’s been on the executive committee of the Massachusetts Golf Association since 2005. Bill was general chairman of the 2010 Curtis Cup at his home club, the Essex Country Club. I could go on and on about his commitment to the game, and his accomplishments. You can read more about him here.

Back to Gaby, who was in the middle of a tour of courses in the Jupiter area with her coach and teammates. Watching her, I realized — for what must be the 1,478th time in my life — that nothing works better in golf than an efficient swing grounded, well, in the ground. Gaby works hard on her posture, and I don’t think there’s any wasted motion in her swing. She told me how careful she and her teammates are about all aspects of their training. (Golf Canada’s players also train carefully; no wonder so many talented young players are coming out of various programs around the world today.)

Gaby is careful about her diet as well. I couldn’t convince her to partake of Loxahatchee’s special treat after nine holes: frozen yogurt that comes swirling out of a machine, topped with chocolate chips, sprinkles and other delicacies. But I didn’t feel guilty about making my way to the machine.

Gaby grew up in Edinburgh, getting her start in golf at the local Prestonfield Golf Club, which James Braid designed. Braid, by the way, won five Open Championships between 1901 and 1910. Gaby eventually moved over to the Craigielaw course that Donald Steel designed. She did so because of its very good junior program. She obviously benefited from the association. Meanwhile, she caddied at Muirfield Golf Club and the Renaissance Golf Club. She was getting a deep education in the game.

The 10th was our last hole in the shotgun event. Gaby’s tee shot found a bunker on the left side of the fairway. She had 161 yards to a back left pin. The hole was cut behind a bunker. There was little room for error. No matter. She didn’t make an error. She clipped the ball cleanly with a five-iron. The ball was all over the flag, and finished behind the hole. Her putt was centre cup. Bill was impressed, as he had been for the entire round. Nice way to finish. Gaby has game. And, I’d say, the promise of a very good career in the game.

The next morning I met Gaby, Kevin Hale and the rest of the Saints team at a local Starbucks. We talked about their golf program, and about their course tour that would end in two or three days. I’d made a few friends and expanded my knowledge about the golf program at the University of St. Andrews. That’s what I call a good day in the grand old game.

World Golf Championships, Japan 2014

Gabrielle Macdonald 2014Scotland team at World Amateur Golf Championship, the Espirito Santo Trophy, Japan 2014. The team consisted of Curtis Cup players Gemma Dryburgh and Eilidh Briggs and Gabrielle who was the current Scottish champion. They are pictured with the team captain, Beth Paterson. Official Photo JapanJapan 2014

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