DOROTHEA IS REMEMBERED

Dorothea Hastings - 1934 - 2015

Dorothea joined Haggs Castle in 1950 when she first took up golf. She was coached by Eric Brown but did not attempt to play over the course for some time but kept practising until March 1951.

Once she started playing the course there was no stopping her. Dorothea's enthusiasm  for the game allowed her to be offered Ladies' membership at the age of 17.


She won the Highland Open at that age and was selected and played for Scotland against England in the Girls International 0f 1952 and was in the British Junior Girls Team in 1953.


She won the individual title and Scottish Universities Golf Team Championship in 1953 and then was a member of the British Touring Team to Australia and New Zealand  in 1955.
Dorothea enjoyed great success in 1958 when she won the Scottish Ladies Championship at Elie and Earlsferry and was then selected as a member of the GB&I's Curtis Cup Team and an Honorary Member of Haggs Castle and RLCGA.

Home Internationals 1960 . From L to R - Janette Wright, Ansley Lurie, Belle Robertson, Jean Burnett
Jean McCulloch (Captain) Betty Singleton, Dorothea Sommerville, Joan Lawrence and Margaret Myles

She was runner up in the Scottish in 1960 at Turnberry and semi finalist in 1963, West of Scotland Champion in 1961 and was selected to play for Scotland from 1955 - 1963 and for the British Isles against Europe in the Vangliano team 1963.
As Dorothea Somerville she won the Haggs Castle Championship 5 times and as Dorothea Hastings 5 times.
In 1961 became Captain of Haggs and in 1963 married Dr James Hastings. She then stopped playing golf for about 20 years while she brought up here children Gillian and Crawford and assist her husband running his medical practice.

Dorothea Scottish Vets Champion

She returned to golf in 1983 with a handicap of 8 and won the RLCGA Championship at Kilmacolm. She was back to scratch within just 2 years and had a remarkable run of successes by winning the Haggs, Erskine Championships and the Scottish Veterans Championships in 1992 and 1994. She also won the Scottish Foursomes with Renfrewshire's Pearl Orr.
She played for the successful Greenlees team many times and in the mid nineties served as a Scottish Selector for the West District and as RLCGA's Captain in 1995 - 1997.
With on going severe back pain Dorothea was forced to stop playing in 2003 but was still actively involved with Haggs Castle Erskine and the County.

Rena Simpson (Kilmacolm) and Dorothea at the RLCGA AGM 4th November 2015

In fact Dorothea was at the RLCGA AGM on the 4th November 2015 at Haggs Castle and enjoyed her evening there. She will be sadly missed by all who knew her and we send our sincere condolences to her daughter Gillian and son Crawford. 

To read an account as written by Dorothea herself in the RLCGA Centenary Book 1909 - 2009 - Page 56 - 59 -- 

Alternatively Click Here - (May take time to load page)

Also to see some photographs over the years  CLICK HERE

The Funeral will take place on Saturday 5th December at 10:30 am at Craigton Crematorium in Cardonald and then back to Haggs Castle Golf Club.  Everyone is welcome and no flowers please.  

 Due to a major project being carried out by Scottish water, the main entrance to Craigton crematorium at Berryknowes Road is closed.

The new entrance and exit is from Paisley Road West and there is diversion signs from Berryknowes Road in place to assist with your travel. There is also road markings and signage in place at the cemetery and crematorium to ease traffic flow. For those travelling by car and using Satnavs the new post code for the Paisley Road West entrance will be  G52 1SJ.