This event was played on Saturday, 10th April, and once again there was a delay of about one hour at the start due to frosty conditions. When the competition did get under way, the members enjoyed the best of conditions, with long sunny spells and light winds, although some did get caught out with a couple of short lived hail showers in the early afternoon. This was a three man team event, with the two best net scores counting as the team score at each hole. The winners of the Grouse Trophy, with a very good score of 122, was the team of Ian Wilkie; Tom Welsh and Billy Macdonald, and they received a prize of £30 each for their considerable efforts. Second with a score of 123 was the team of Grant Kinghorn; Hughie Macdonald and Ian Main, and they received £25 each. Third was the team of Peter Henderson; Les Rutherford and Andy Pickersgill with a score of 125(bih) and they received £15 each. Prizes for 2’s at the 6th/15th holes were won by Rodney Pow and John Coyle at the 6th; and Jackson Cockburn; Grant Kinghorn; Scott Galloway and Nathan Douglas at the 15th; each of these players receiving the princely sum of £4 for their efforts. There was also a prize for nearest the hole at the 9th/18th (each player having two chances to achieve this feat) and in this case the winner was Dennis Smith who managed to get his ball to stop 2’5″ from the hole. He received a prize of £20 for his efforts and must be congratulated on his magnificent shot from the tee, although it must be recorded as a sad postscript that he failed to convert his score into a two. The entry fee was £15 per team, making a total of £270 from the 18 teams who took part; £210 was paid out to the winners, and with £24 going to the two’s winners and £20 to the nearest the hole winner, this left £16 to the contingency fund.

The above competition took place on Saturday, 3rd April, and although there was a delay at the start of about one hour due to frosty conditions, a total of 59 members took part in a competition which enjoyed the very best of weather, dry and sunny with a very light breeze. The winner of the Trophy with a total of 43 points was Hughie Macdonald, who was also awarded a prize of £45 for his efforts. Second equal were David Beveridge and Ronnie Douglas on 41 points, who were awarded £30 each; and Fourth was our long suffering Captain John Coyle on 40 points, and he was awarded £20. There were three two’s at the 6th hole, recorded by Paul McVie; Rob Forrest & John Coyle, and there was a further three two’s at the 18th hole, recorded by Grant Lightfoot; Les McAllister & Ian Potts. Each of these skilful players received the sum of £5 for their efforts. The entry fee was £3, making a total of £177 from the 59 entrants; £125 was paid out in prize money and with £30 going to the two’s winners this left £22 for the contingency fund.

Dear Members – I am sure you will all be desperate to know the result of the above match.   In a nutshell it was a crushing victory for the President’s team by 21 holes to 1 hole.      

Unfortunately because our scoring system in this particular game is rather unique, Peter and I were unable to enter the scores on the Scottish Golf app.

Individual games went as follows:-

Game 1 – Coyle &  McAllister beat Hume & Bett by 1 hole

Game 2 – Pow & Macleod lost to C. Kemp & E. Robertson by 2 holes

Game 3 – S. Kemp & Forrest lost to Henderson & Rutherford by 7 holes

Game 4 – Cockburn & MacGregor lost to Grant & Gass by 2 holes

Game 5 – This game between Purves & Bell versus Finlay & Rae was abandoned

Game 6 – Walton & Douglas lost to Pickersgill & Webster by 1 hole

Game7 – Clark & Galloway lost to Thomson & Falconer by 3 holes

Game 8 – Middlemass & R. Robertson lost to Macdonald & Wilson by 6 holes

Game 9 – The match between Beggs & Wheelans versus Beveridge & Kinghorn was all square.

Individual prize winners in this competition were as follows:-

Nearest to hole at the 6th/15th    –     Mitch Thomson (bottle of whisky)

Nearest to hole at the 7th/16th    –     John Coyle (bottle of vodka)

Nearest to line at 8th/17th           –     Colin Gass (Prosecco; Beer & Sweets)

Nearest to hole at 9th/18th          –     Gordon MacGregor (£25 cash)

The entry fee amounting £105 (35 entrants at £3 each) donated to the Children’s Christmas Party (which hopefully will take part this year).    One entrant withdrew before the competition started.