Kathleen Wilson McNeil --- Pioneer of ladies' golf in Scotland; Born May 20, 1916; Died December 8, 2006.
Katherine, or Kathleen as she was know to most, was born in 1916 and lived all her life in Greenock, apart from her years of education at St Leonard's in St Andrews and at Edinburgh University, from which she graduated in 1939. She practised as a solicitor in the firm of WW&J McClure, where her father, Charles P McNeil, had been a partner, and was also the proprietrix of the family drapery business.
From the age of four, she played golf and had a very successful career as an amateur at various clubs including Greenock, Kilmacolm, Shiskine, The Ladies Club Troon, St Rule and Renfrewshire Ladies County Golf Association.
In her later years she was made an honorary member of the clubs in recognition of her enormous contribution to golf and its administration locally and nationally. Her career in golf administration began with Renfrewshire County Ladies, of which she was non-playing captain from 1957 to 1959, and at her death was honorary life president.
She was chairman (1965 to 1967 and 1974 to 1975), president (1982 to 1985) and an honorary vice-president of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association; past president (1987 to 1988) and, since 1991, honorary vice-president of the Ladies Golf Union.
She was awarded an MBE for her services to ladies' golf and in the same year was one of five Scots commended for contributions to their chosen sports at national level as unpaid volunteers, receiving an award from the Scottish Sports Council.
Kathleen was immensely popular with players of all ages and was most encouraging to the young, up-and-coming club, county and national players. She travelled the country and the world giving support. As recently as 1999 she travelled to Vancouver to support the British team in the Commonwealth tournament.
Nancy Chisholm, current SLGA president, said: "Kathleen McNeil was a lady with a wonderful sense of humour and amazing knowledge, one of our own special, greatly respected Scottish characters who will leave a void in Scottish ladies' golf."
Kathleen had many other local interests and was a life long member of Trinity Church in Greenock. She was also very much a world traveller, visiting lifelong friends
en route, her good health enabling her to continue to do this until recent years.
Unfortunately, she had no surviving family but was loved and supported thoughout her life by several lifelong friends and their families. Sue Cowan, a daughter of her oldest friend, came from Australia to be with her in the last weeks of her life following a stroke in mid-November. Kathleen's well- kent figure – topped out with "the hat" – will be sorely missed on our fairways.
Katherine, or Kathleen as she was know to most, was born in 1916 and lived all her life in Greenock, apart from her years of education at St Leonard's in St Andrews and at Edinburgh University, from which she graduated in 1939. She practised as a solicitor in the firm of WW&J McClure, where her father, Charles P McNeil, had been a partner, and was also the proprietrix of the family drapery business.
From the age of four, she played golf and had a very successful career as an amateur at various clubs including Greenock, Kilmacolm, Shiskine, The Ladies Club Troon, St Rule and Renfrewshire Ladies County Golf Association.
In her later years she was made an honorary member of the clubs in recognition of her enormous contribution to golf and its administration locally and nationally. Her career in golf administration began with Renfrewshire County Ladies, of which she was non-playing captain from 1957 to 1959, and at her death was honorary life president.
She was chairman (1965 to 1967 and 1974 to 1975), president (1982 to 1985) and an honorary vice-president of the Scottish Ladies Golfing Association; past president (1987 to 1988) and, since 1991, honorary vice-president of the Ladies Golf Union.
She was awarded an MBE for her services to ladies' golf and in the same year was one of five Scots commended for contributions to their chosen sports at national level as unpaid volunteers, receiving an award from the Scottish Sports Council.
Kathleen was immensely popular with players of all ages and was most encouraging to the young, up-and-coming club, county and national players. She travelled the country and the world giving support. As recently as 1999 she travelled to Vancouver to support the British team in the Commonwealth tournament.
Nancy Chisholm, current SLGA president, said: "Kathleen McNeil was a lady with a wonderful sense of humour and amazing knowledge, one of our own special, greatly respected Scottish characters who will leave a void in Scottish ladies' golf."
Kathleen had many other local interests and was a life long member of Trinity Church in Greenock. She was also very much a world traveller, visiting lifelong friends
en route, her good health enabling her to continue to do this until recent years.
Unfortunately, she had no surviving family but was loved and supported thoughout her life by several lifelong friends and their families. Sue Cowan, a daughter of her oldest friend, came from Australia to be with her in the last weeks of her life following a stroke in mid-November. Kathleen's well- kent figure – topped out with "the hat" – will be sorely missed on our fairways
