Stevie is the toast of Bathgate club

Nov 5 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

A BATHGATE golfer is the toast of the famous Dalmahoy Golf Club in Edinburgh after out-clubbing the UK’s top 40 amateurs.

Stevie Hubbard, 29, won the British TaylorMade tournament on Tuesday, October 27, against the country’s top amateur players.

Stevie took part in a club event at Bathgate earlier in the season – 350 clubs were eligible throughout the UK – and won his way to a shootout as one of 20 finalists at Marriott Dalmahoy last week.

On the day the rain came down relentlessly and the event had to be curtailed to 14 holes but the intrepid Stevie ended with most stableford points amongst the finalists and with Bathgate club pro Stuart Callan as his partner managed to finish second in the team event.

Hubbard’s win is all the more remarkable considering he had just picked up a club again after many years out of the game.

He originally played as a youngster but joined Bathgate Golf Club last year and just a few months on he has clinched a prized piece of silverware.

It has been a good first season back at the club for the now five handicapper and was the recent winner too of the Bob Watson Trophy.

In addition to the prestigious title Stevie also won himself a free trip to the Adidas headquarters in Germany where he will pick up a host of goodies, have specialist golf clubs tailor made to his size and two hospitality tickets to the open at St Andrews.

He will go on the all-expenses paid trip with club pro Stuart.

One event at the tail end of a busy season was the Murray’s Champions’ Bowl at Niddry Castle.

All the winners of events in 2009 at the club were out for it last weekend and it was a super 71-6=65 from Steve Cherry which walked it for him.

His score, the best scratch on the day as well, beat joint runners up Neil MacTavish (15) and John Forbes (19) by a full five shots.

Certainly a great note for Steve on which to close out a year’s golf.