Ethel Jack (nee Philip) 1939-2012
Scottish Ladies' Golf will be a sadder place today with the announcement of the death of Ethel Jack.Ethel had been suffering from lung cancer since last summer, and despite chemo and radio treatments, she finally succumbed at the Eddington Hospital, North Berwick, this afternoon. The end was quick and peaceful, just as we all wanted it to be.
Ethel's sense of fun was infectious. She could not suppress it at times, and her outbursts always cracked the ice on any occasion where the proceedings were getting just a little too staid and boring. Her wit was renown, but her repartee even more so!
Ethel started her golf at Prestonfield, encouraged by her father, who was a member of Duddingston. Ethel played for Scotland at all levels. In 1955 she played in a Girls' Home International match along side Connie Lugton and Marjorie Ferguson, who were to become life-long friends, and encouraged her to join Gullane Ladies' Golf Club in 1957. She played for GB&I against France in an Under 21 team, and for Scotland at adult level in 1965, 66 and 67 and then later as a Senior in the Scottish Veterans' Ladies team. She was a stalwart of the Midlothian County Team, winning the County Championship five times between 1959 and 1990.
But it was in administration that Ethel excelled. Captain of Midlothian County in her early thirties, she went on to be Secretary of Scottish Girls' Golf in the days when there was a separate committee, and later served on the Executive Council of the SLGA, becoming Chairman from 1979 to 1981. During her term of office Scotland hosted the European Ladies' Team Championships at Turnberry, and Ethel ran the show. The SLGA made her a Vice President in her early forties as an acknowledgement of the work she had put in.
A born leader and organiser, Ethel was a Handicap Advisor and Scratch Score Assessor for Scotland. Even when the SLGA adopted the USGA Scratch Score method, a perfect time to step down, Ethel continued to lead the East Lothian team in their re-assessment task.
Ethel was Captain and often later President of numerous teams and clubs, including Prestonfield, Longniddry, Gullane Ladies', Midlothian County and Scottish Vets, but probably her proudest achievement was to take on the Presidency of the Scottish Ladies' Golfing Association from 2007 to 2010.
Ethel was pre-deceased by her husband, Philip, and leaves behind her sister Doris, her nieces Catriona and Suzie, and nephew Graham. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.
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| Ethel Jack, fourth from left, with some of her Saturday Girls |
On a personal note, and speaking as one of Ethel's Saturday Girls, we are all going to miss her.
Thanks go to Gillian Kirkwood for the obituary
