New roles as former Ryder Cup man goes
Blairgowrie Golf Club has unveiled the team which will take over from high profile head professional Charles Dernie.
The former Ryder Cup referee will bow out at the end of October after more than 20 years at the helm of the Perthshire club.
Blairgowrie managing secretary Steven Morgan has revealed the post will be taken in-house, with assistant and highly regarded coach Neil Cameron steppingup to the head pro post.
Experienced retail specialist Iain Mackenzie is also joining the team, after 18 years in a variety of roles at Gleneagles.
One-time Perth High School pupil Neil (33) took up golf at King James VI but became a Blair member back in 2000.
Years before, he began a three-year PGA course teed-up in tandem with the University of Birmingham.
“Charles is going to be a hard act to follow but I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said.
“It has come at a good time in my golfing career.
“I have great backing here from Steven, the committee and a strong team, especially with the arrival of Iain from Gleneagles.”
Neil, who secured a golf scholarship, graduated with an honours degree in sports and business studies from Stirling University and after working for a sportswear company, he later returned to complete his masters.
“I have been working for Charles for seven and a half years after I got the chance to do my PGA training,” he added.
“But I have had a long standing affiliation with the club.
“I have made a conscious effort to play more golf this year because it might be going on the back burner a bit as the new set-up beds-in here.
“Like Charles, the club have been good to me with regards to my teaching. I will have the flexibility to continue with that.
“We have a good crop of young players here representing Scotland at different age groups.
“That is fantastic but we have to continue to try and attract more youngsters to the sport, through the schools and parents.”
Iain (55) felt the time was right to take up a new challenge in the wake of Gleneagles hosting a successful Solheim Cup.
His career at Gleneagles included a spell in greenkeeping after an assistant managerial role at Campus Sports and managing a golf shop in Perth.
He continued: “Ken McNaught, the ex-Aston Villa footballer and European Cup winner was in charge of the bag store and he invited me to join them.
“I moved on to the golf shop in 2003 and became a team leader.
“Gleneagles is a fantastic place. I met so many different people and major events like the Bell’s Scottish Open, the Diageo Championships and, of course, the 2014 Ryder Cup were all very enjoyable challenges.
“But I was born in Blairgowrie and first became a member here at the age of 12. I was a member for 36 years so I know it well and live nearby.
“I also worked with Steven for a year at Gleneagles and this move is a no-brainer for me. I’m looking forward to getting started. This is one of the biggest golf clubs in Scotland when you look at the courses and facilities.”