AFTER the postponement of the first fixture due at Thurso the previous weekend, the North Golf Alliance winter season got under way over the Durness golf course last Sunday.
With an entry on a par with previous fixtures at this venue, forty-four members turned up to enjoy the Sutherland experience over a course in fine autumnal condition and no signs of soft fairways that had caused the postponement at Thurso.
In a repeat of last year's fixture Thurso's Bryan Ronald and Tain's Munro Ferries were again locked at the top of the scratch leader board and on Sunday joined by another Tain member, Mike Sangster.
Durness's spectacular final hole separated the trio, Ronald finishing in style with a birdie two for an inward 34 and gross 71, while defending Alliance Quaich champion Ferries was 37 and 35 for 72.
Mike Sangster reversed the Ferries scorecard, halves of 35 and 37 for his 72 and with a nett 69 was the Class 1 handicap winner by three shots from David Dunbar (Thurso) and in third place Mike Moran (Invergordon) with nett 74, off 7. Veteran Alliance golfer from the host club, Francis Keith, led the Class 2 section which was dominated by local members, John MacKenzie, Gerald Klein and Davie Ross occupying the next three places.
Thurso Golf Club will host their postponed fixture this weekend, Sunday, and then the Alliance moves to Brora on Sunday. November 6.
Durness Results
Scratch 71 B Ronald (Thurso); 72 M Ferries (Tain).
Handicap Class 1 M Sangster (Tain) (3) 69; D Dunbar (Thurso) (5) 72; M Moran (Invergordon) (7) 74. Class 2 F R M Keith (Durness) (12) 69; J Mackenzie (Durness) (16) 70; G Klein (Durness) (20) 72; D Ross Durness) (14) 73.
Ross Sutherland Seniors'? Golf Society
THE October 5 meeting of the society was played over the Golspie course. Fifty members took part on a blustery but mainly dry day which resulted in rather low scoring for a stableford competition. The exception was local member Colin Ritchie who scored an excellent 43 points. The course was in excellent condition and is a credit to the club and greenkeeping staff.
Results:
Section 1 (1-14) 1 C Ritchie (Golspie) 43; 2 M McArthur (Fortrose) 37; 3 R Sim (Brora) 36.
Section 2 (15-20) 1 J Winter (Alness) 34; 2 J Fraser (Fortrose) 33; 3 N Mackay (Muir of Ord) 33 (BIH).
Section 3 (21-28) 1 A Gair (Strathpeffer) 32; 2 C Arrol (Strathpeffer) 29; 3 A Polson (Muir of Ord) 28.
Scores taken over the season resulted in Ross-shire retaining the County Cup with a score of 170 to Sutherland's 168.
Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club
PRIZEWINNERS for 2011 with presentations on Saturday, November 12 at 7pm.
Ladies
April Medal Cath Purvis.
Spring Meeting Tray Melonie Morrison.
Round Table Trophy Kate Bartlett.
Shoot Out Trophy Keira McFleat.
Centenary Cup Melonie Morrison.
MacMillan Cancer Spoon Melonie Morrison.
Telecom Vases
Silver Melonie Morrison.
Bronze Jackie Manson.
New Zealand Lamb Panja Bethune.
May Medal Melonie Morrison.
Coronation Foursomes Sandra Anderson and Gayle Anderson.
Cormack Trophy Kate Bartlett.
Summer Tray Kate Bartlett.
June Medal Liz Bannerman.
Cherrett Greensomes Viv Morrison and Jackie Manson.
July Medal Liz Bannerman.
McCabe Trophy Melonie Morrison.
Presidents Prize Kate Bartlett.
Michie/Spark M/F M Bartlett and K Bartlett.
County Carpets Sandra Anderson and Liz Bannerman.
SLGA Badge Kate Bartlett.
August Medal Kate Bartlett.
Captains Prize
Scratch Rachael Maclean.
Handicap Phemee Cameron.
Breakthrough Brooch Panja Bethune. Cleish Trophy Kate Bartlett. Munro Trophy Liz Bannerman.
September Medal Kate Bartlett. Summer Eclectic Melonie Morrison.
Golf Foundation Brooch Nicola Bartlett.
Junior
April Medal Andrew Paul.
Harris Cup Ben Laidlaw.
Banchory Trophy Kaylan Grainger.
George Hampton Trophy Luke Manson.
May Medal James Elliot.
W.S. Bolton Trophy Colin MacLennan.
Richmond Trophy Andrew Paul. June Medal James Elliot.
Club Prize Jamie MacKintosh.
O'Brien Trophy James Elliot.
Presidents Prize Kaylan Grainger.
Centenary Cup Kaylan Grainger.
July Medal Jamie MacKintosh.
Telecom Trophy Jamie MacKintosh.
Kevin MacAskill Quaich Andrew Paul.
Gunn Trophy Lewis MacLean.
Sept Medal James Elliot.
Dingwall Video Centre
Scratch Andrew Paul.
Handicap James Elliot.
Brunstane Lodge Trophy James Elliot.
Order of merit James Elliot.
Most Improved Player James Elliot.
Gents
SOS Texas Scramble G Ross, M MacNab, M MacKenzie and A MacBean.
Grouse Comp C Faulkner.
Europcar Comp Martin Ross.
Ross Bowl Kevin Manson.
Heart Foundation Shield Gordon MacAllister.
G M Plaque Norman Bain.
North Star Cup Cathel Bethune.
Mrs A Paget Cup C Faulkner.
Richmond Shield Andrew Cushnie.
Spring Meeting Neil MacKay.
Isle of Skye Scramble C Hyslop, A Gair, J Hyslop and N MacKay.
Team Challenge Cup R C Maciver, R Mellon and P Mellon.
Egan Roska Trophy D F Campbell.
Colin Pritchard C Faulkner.
Centenary Cup Scott Duff.
Matheson Memorial Cup Don Cowie. Corriemoillie Cup Ronald Gillespie.
Spark Memorial Cups
Scratch James Garrow.
Handicap Ian McKie.
Dewar Cup Stuart Gaffney.
P A Marshall Cup Scott Lemmon.
Autumn Meeting Wallace Giles.
MacMillan Cancer Comp David Masson.
Surrey Cup David Masson.
Vic Walker Trophy C Faulkner.
Austin Rover Vase F Copley.
Two Man Scramble M Bartlett and D Morrison.
RSSPCC Putter Robert Gardiner.
Duncan Trophy Aaron Simpson.
Presidents Prize Gary Clark.
Millennium Pairs J Garrow and S MacKenzie.
Maclean Sports Cup Jim Hyslop. Britoil Cup Gary Ross.
George Hastings Cup C Faulkner.
Secretary's Prize
Scratch M Bartlett.
Handicap C Hyslop.
Michie Spark M/F M Bartlett and K Bartlett.
Langs Tankard Brian MacKay.
Tennent Cup C Thain.
Glass Scribe C Thain.
Garve Hotel Scott Lemmon.
Ford Vase C Hyslop.
Bannerman Quaich M Mackenzie.
Match Play Singles 1 Derek Gruber; 2 James Gordon.
Match Play Doubles 1 M Bartlett and K Bartlett; 2 D Morrison and B MacDonald.
Match Play M/F 1 M Bartlett and K Bartlett; 2 P Bannerman and L Bannerman.
Beatrice Open Trophy James Garrow.
Bannerman M/F Scramble Cup C Thompson and C Gruber.
Medals
Seniors
April S Harmon.
May J Herbison.
June J H Urquhart.
July D Spark.
August D Spark.
September J H Urquhart.
Gents
Section 1
April M Bartlett.
May Scott Duff.
June Barry Mackay.
July Alan Gair.
August Scot Duff.
September M Bartlett.
Section 2
April Martin Ross.
May Norman Bain.
June J H Urquhart.
July Steven Hyslop.
August Steven Hyslop.
September D L MacDonald.
