Brookfield Bowling Club

Brookfield Bowling Club’s first competition of the year was for the Centenary Cup. The picture shows the winners, Eddie McGlashan, Angela Connell, Jean Monks and Andrew Duffield.

A week later the bowlers competed for the James Thom Trophy. This unusual competition, played in a triples format where players play three rounds of four ends, with different partners, opposition and rinks for each round. The winner was vice-president Scott McLaughlin. We are now totally open and new members are extremely welcome. Please phone: 07388 779215 or e-mail: Brookfield.Bowls@gmail.com or pop down on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday at 1.45pm and make yourself known.

Put your best feet forward!

A perfect opportunity to improve your fitness while enjoying a scenic walk and raising money for Diabetes UK along the way. The 8-mile walk starts and finishes at Kelvingrove Park, with groups of walkers setting off in waves from 9.30am to 11am.

The route will take you through a variety of interesting neighbourhoods in Glasgow, passing sights including the People’s Palace, the Necropolis, Merchant City, the Duke of Wellington statue and the River Clyde. Nearly five million people in the UK live with diabetes - a condition where there is too much glucose in the blood because the body cannot use it properly. If not managed carefully, both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can lead to devastating complications, including sight loss, amputation, kidney failure and stroke.

There is currently no known cure for any type of diabetes!

As well as fundraising, you will receive advice on how you can improve your diet, exercise more and live well. You will receive a Wellness Journal to help plan training walks and lifestyle changes. Participants will have the opportunity to experience some Wellness sessions from experts in nutrition, wellbeing and mindfulness. There will also be incentives for fundraisers and access to a Facebook Community page. Register at https://glasgow-wellness-walk.diabetes.org.uk There is a £10 registration fee for adults (children are free) and no minimum sponsorship although we would love people to aim for £150 in sponsorship.

Strathgryffe Tennis Club

Pictured are children from local schools with student volunteers from West College participating at a Tennis Disability Festival at Strathgryffe Tennis Club. The club runs weekly Disability Tennis coaching classes for children with a range of additional support needs. If you know of someone who might be interested, email: info@strathgryffe.net

Strathgryffe is running an Open Day on Saturday 3rd June from 2pm. Play some tennis & squash with family and friends, have a session in our fitness suite and participate in our FREE tennis coaching sessions. There are classes available for the whole family. There will be a prize draw on the day.

For more information and to sign up to the event, go to https://clubspark. lta.org.uk/StrathgryffeLTC/Events

Brookfield Curling Club Prizegiving

Following on from a very successful 2022/23 season on the ice Brookfield Curling Club held their Prizegiving recently. The season runs from October to March and the club curl at Greenacres Curling Rink near Howwood on Monday evenings. We are very keen to encourage new members to come and join us in this great sport. If you’d like to “Give curling a go” why not contact club Secretary Marilyn Muir 01505 503761 - you will be made most welcome.

Top photo - Harrison Salver 2022 - Glen Thornton, Maureen Fraser, Ninuk Smith, John Tuck

Middle photo - Love Quaich 2023 - Marilyn Muir, Carol Hughes, John Tuck, Maureen Randall

Bottom photo - Hutcheson Torphy 2022 - Marilyn Muir, Glen Thornton, Alison Douglas

Old Course Ranfurly Golf Club - Ladies

April has seen medal, team and trophy events filling the Ladies’ Diary. The Ann Lavety Memorial Trophy was won by Stephanie Watson. All those competing were treated to a drink at the bar by Gillian Lavety, who sponsored this popular event in honour of her mother.

The Pink Lunch, hosted by Mhairi Milne, raised a staggering £10,270 on the day for the charity Breast Cancer Now. With an opening speech from Lorraine Kelly (via video) everyone enjoyed an in-house catered meal and superb entertainment. Thank you to all bidders, winners and supporters (including those unable to attend) at this popular event.

Ranfurly Castle Ladies

The season has been very busy already with Wednesday competitions every week and the weather being kind. The first Stableford competition took place on 19th April - Silver Division winner was Marion Munro and Bronze Division winner was Gillian Donaghy. The Dorrie Hunter Trophy was played on 26th April - 1st was Sheila Biggart with a net 73 and 2nd was Morag Cunningham with a net 74. The monthly Medal was played on 3rd May - Silver winner was Marion Munro, net 74 and Bronze winner was Alison Templeton, net 72. Wednesday 10th May the annual Coronation Foursomes was held. - The winners were Sheila Biggart and Jan Macnab and they will now go forward to represent the club. On 17th May there was an extra medal and also the Medal finals for 2022 - The Silver winner of the Finals was Louise Cooper with a net 73 and the winner of the Bronze Finals was Kate Scott with a net 71. Congratulations to all the winners.

This year we saw the Crowning of King Charles III and so the Coronation Cup was played on 8th May to recognise this memorable occasion. This Trophy had both a Lady and Gents winners – Pauline MacEwan won the Ladies and David McDonald won the Gents. This is the first time this Trophy was played for in over 70 years.

There have been two team matches held, both at home - The West Renfrewshire League match took place on 2nd May against Gourock Golf Club. It was a pleasant evening and ended in a win for Ranfurly Castle. A friendly match, also against Gourock, which was played on Sunday 14th May - This was a foursomes format and Ranfurly took home advantage with a decisive win.

The Ladies Tri-am Open day will be held on Thursday 13th July and is now available to enter. To obtain an entry form go to the club website, select ‘MENU’ and click on ‘VISITORS’. On the drop down menu select ‘OPEN Competitions’ where you will find the entry form. Alternatively the Pro shop will be able to help you with this.

Castle Semple Sailing Club

With the weather improving our cadets section is now in full swing. Cadets sessions run twice a week, on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings, and are open to anyone aged between 8 and 17. No previous sailing experience is required and regular cadet sailors have a wide range of abilities from complete beginners, to experienced racers and tuition and safety cover is always provided. Don’t worry if you don’t have any kit – the club has wetsuits and buoyancy aids in a wide range of sizes and more than 20 club boats, ensuring that cadets can safely get out onto the water in most conditions, on their own or in groups. As well as the weekly sessions, cadets are often seen at races all over Scotland and are encouraged to take part in the standard club racing sessions.

If you’re interested, check out more details on our website https:// castlesemplesc.co.uk/cadets-and-junior-training/ or email: info@ castlesemplesc.co.uk – we’d love to see you down on the water!

Royal Gourock yacht club Open Day

Royal Gourock might once have been considered a posh club for wealthy yachties, but as could be seen on the Open Day in May it has been transformed into an outward facing multi watersports club welcoming to all. Sailing still remains the Club’s principal activity and Social Sailing members were on hand to take visitors out on the water for a taster session on the club’s own boats.

The Social Sailing scheme offers three on the water sailing tuition sessions as well as a series of winter theory talks all absolutely free and is a fantastic value way to start sailing. Coastal rowing is the next big thing: the club has built two St Ayles Skiffs – a 5 person class of traditional style rowing boat which is now represented all around the Scottish coast. Just about everybody who has tried it loves it and the coastal rowers were also out to attract new members. Also, it being a glorious afternoon, members of the open water swimming group were out there mixing it with the porpoises. In addition to all that there are also paddleboard, kayaking and a few dinghy enthusiasts in the club. Ashore there was a great atmosphere with live music, food and drinks on the balcony which has to be one of the best viewpoints on the south side of the Clyde. With its historic building and all that going on Royal Gourock is surely an under appreciated asset to the area and anyone with water-based interests should come along and find out for themselves.

Kilmacolm Running Festival

What are you waiting for? Get your running shoes out and start training for the Kilmacolm Half Marathon! Alongside a 10k and 3k, running the Kilmacolm Half Marathon is one of the biggest participation events in Inverclyde’s sporting calendar.

Sunday 10th September | Start Time : 10am | Number of Places : 500

Route: Start at the Birkmyre Park Fitness Gym, then through the streets of the village, surrounding countryside and along the cycle path before returning to the finish line at Birkmyre Fitness Gym.

Entry: * Unaffiliated Runners : £20 (until 30th Sep), £25 (until 6th Sep)

* Affiliated Runners : £18 (until 30th Sep), £23 (until 6th Sep)

* Registration Deadline : 6th September

For more information contact Jamie Cunningham: 01475 213123; email: jamie.cunningham@inverclydeleisure.com; w: https://www. entrycentral.com/kilmacolmraces