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from Colin Farquharson
Two stories in one! You're getting your money's worth today!
TWO WOMEN MAKING THEIR WAY IN A MAN'S WORLD (NO LONGER)
 BARBARA
IS NEW MURCAR SEC-CLUB MANAGER
Barbara Rogerson is the new Murcar Golf Club secretary and not a single
eyebrow has been raised within the male ranks of the 850-odd membership.
And that's how it should be in the modern world of equal rights and opportunities.
Barbara is also in her fifth year as honorary secretary of Inverurie Golf
Club and she is also the lady captain there until the end of her two-year
term of office in November.
Nothing unusual in being secretary of two golf clubs. John Pennet copes
with dual roles at Alford and Braemar.
Ms Rogerson hails from Perth. She moved up to Aberdeen 31 years ago at
the start of the North Sea Oil industry and settled in Inverurie about
seven years after that.
"I started playing golf in 1992 at Inverurie for something to do
and I've got a handicap of 12 now. I wish I'd started sooner because I've
developed a passion for anything to do with golf, from playing the game
to being involved in the club administration side," said Barbara.
"So that's how my golfing interests started and then I became house
convener at Inverurie Golf Club for several years.
Barbara was part of the management team of Wm Hay & Son for 21 years.
The company was bought over last April by a Dunfermline firm and she could
see that her job was going to be done away with as often happens in similar
circumstances.
"So, I said to myself, 'What do I really want to do now?' and to
become secretary-club manager of Murcar Golf Club is a dream come true,"
said Barbara.
"I thought golf administration would be a difficult area to get into
because golf is very much a man's world but that is changing. I've found
the Murcar members so nice to me, so helpful and I really appreciate their
warm welcome.
"Running a golf club is no different from running a commercial business
these days. We have a lot of visitors coming to Murcar. Every day we seem
to get phone calls from around the world."
 SHEENA
IS TOMMY HORTON'S CADDIE
Ballater Golf Club member Sheena Gordon has become Tommy Horton's caddie
on the European Seniors Tour and also secretary of the European Seniors
Tour caddies' association.
"I've been caddieing professionally now for about six years and I
love it although I have to say I am now beginning to have aches and pains
in my back with carrying the big pro golf bags," said Sheena who
was David Huish's "bag girl" until earlier this season.
"I decided I wanted a change from being David's caddie and I'd become
well enough established on the seniors' tour to let that be known. After
that it was just a case of waiting to see which player would approach
me.
"I had a few offers and I was delighted to get the opportunity to
become Tommy Horton's caddie."
Being a female rather than a male caddie there is one big difference when
a new working relationship is being set up - Mrs Tommy Horton had to run
the rule over Sheena and give the "union" her blessing. This
was no problem.
"Caddies have to know when to speak up and when to keep quiet,"
said Sheena. "One of my characteristics is that I neither get excited
when the player is going well nor do I get down in the dumps when he is
having a bad round."
Sheena, beaten finalist in the Aberdeenshire women's county championship
only a year or two ago and still a useful low handicap player, had a busman's
holiday at the women's home internationals at The Berkshire, Ascot last
month when she caddied for Scotland player Anne Laing.
"Tommy Horton wasn't playing that week and when met Anne Laing at
Elmwood College, where she lectures, she asked me if I would come down
and caddie at the internationals," said Sheena.
"It was completely different from the pro tours but I really enjoyed
it. Scotland almost won the title and I just hope I'm free again when
the internationals are played at Cruden Bay next year."
It was not quite a labour of love for Sheena, the only professional caddie
working at the three-day programme of matches. She received £30
a day from the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association for caddieing morning
and afternoon - considerably less than the going rate on the European
Seniors Tour.
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