Women’s golf in the Dundee area could be set for a much-needed boost with the appointment of former British Amateur champion Heather MacRae as assistant professional at Downfield Golf Club.
Heather (26), who is from Dunblane, took over her new role this week but tournament commitments mean it will be Saturday before she is able to give the job her full-time attention.
Heather is moving from a similar post at Gullane where she spent time coaching the club’s women and aims to continue this in her new role.
She said, “I’m looking forward to being at Downfield. Ladies’ golf in general is not as good as it could be and there are far fewer lady golfers out there than men and, hopefully, that’s something I can do something about.”
Heather enjoyed a successful amateur career before turning pro and will be aiming to fit in some tournaments on the Scottish circuit.
She already has form at Downfield having qualified for last year’s Scottish PGA the Tartan Tour’s flagship event by virtue of surviving an 18-hole qualifying shoot-out over the course.
She became the first woman to contest the championship since 1933.
In 2005, she won the Ladies’ British Open Amateur Stroke Play championship at Nairn and was the BP Scottish Under-18 girls’ match-play champion in 2001. She was also a Curtis Cup reserve before joining the professional ranks.
Last week, she made the cut in the Welsh Ladies Championship of Europe and will be competing this week at the Ladies Scottish Open at Archerfield not far from Gullane in East Lothian.
Her new boss, Downfield professional Kenny Hutton, said Heather will be involved in some coaching and predicted that many women golfers will enjoy the experience of being taught by one of their own sex.