Cameron comes good with another weekend win
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FORTROSE and Rosemarkie’s Alan Cameron, recently recalled to the North District’s six man team who will travel to the Scottish Golf Union’s Area Team Championships at Ranfurly Castle and Old Ranfurly courses next weekend, continued to justify his reinstatement to the north team with a second weekend of first places in North open events.
Two weekends ago Cameron had an outstanding score to win the Finlay Cup over The Nairn’s championship course. The cup is a handicap one yet scratch player Cameron won it with a gross and nett 66 bettering the next best gross score of the day by six shots.
Cameron’s current iron play and putter is the key to his low scoring. Two birdie twos on his outward card plus further birdies at the 2nd, 7th and eighth holes and just one dropped shot added up to a four under par outward half of 32 at Nairn. After his sixth birdie of the round at the tenth hole he collected a third birdie two on the eleventh green. With one inward half dropped shot, at the 14th, he repaired his little error with a following hole birdie to get him home in two under par 34.
After a lengthy absence from the North team Cameron will accompany North Alliance Champion Bryan Fotheringham (Inverness), his namesake Fraser Fotheringham (The Nairn), and the trio of Jordan Milne, Elgin), Jordan Shaw (Boat of Garten) and Jeff Wright (Forres) at the Area Championships, a title the North have not won the title since 2000.
Last weekend back on Ross-shire turf Cameron entered and won Tain’s May 18 hole open competition with a card matching the par of the course. After fifteen holes the Fortrose champion was still trailing former district player Bruce Thomson (The Nairn) but with two birdies over Tain’s closing four holes, the 15th and 18th and avoiding the water hazards of the 16th and 17th holes Cameron finished with four successive threes to reduce his inward card to 33 and tie Thomson’s 70. The separating count back of 33 against Thomson’s 34 gave the Fortrose champion another first prize winning voucher.
Local Frank Mackle came home in 34 to claim third place on the count back ahead of Inverness’s David Joel. Mackle 37/34 for 71 and Joel 36/35.
Home member David Vass also returned a gross 71 (36/35) but his nett 66 was the best in Class 1 to give him a one shot win over Invergordon’s Mike Moran and Local Frank Sutherland. The scoring in the Class 2 section was a bit higher. Local Russell Anderson led with nett 71, off 16, followed by visitor S Kidd from Pumpherston in the Lothians.
Results (CSS 72) (All Tain unless stated)
Scratch — 1 A Cameron, F&R (scr) 70 BIH; 2 B Thomson, The Nairn (0) 70; 3 F Mackle (2) 71 BIH; 4 D Joel, Inverness (1) 71.
Division 1 — 1 D Vass (5) 66; 2 M Moran, Invergordon (10) 67; 3 F Sutherland (12) 68; 4 C A Stewart, Brora (3) 69 BIH.
Division 2 — 1 R Anderson (16) 71; 2 S Kidd, Pumpherston (12) 73 BIH; 3 R Ross (23) 73 BIH; 4 E Chisholm (19) 74 BIH.
Other results from the club:
Hole In One
Deirdre Wlodarczyk had a hole-in-one at the 16th (127 yards) playing with Jaqui Neill and using a 7 wood.
Glenmorangie Pairs (CSS 73)
The club would like to thank The Glenmorangie Distillery for their continued support of the club and of this competition in particular.
Handicap — 1 A Mackenzie, Tain (5) and G McHardy, Golspie (12) 144 BIH; 2 M Brunton, Tain (23) and J Laird, Pumpherston (11) 144; 3 C Ilett (4) and M Sangster, Tain (3) 145 BIH.
Scratch — A Everett (1) and D Thorburn, Tain (0) 149.
Individual Scratch — M Ferries, Tain (+1) 73.
Individual Handicap — A MacLeod, Gairloch (9) 67.
Gents Ballantine Shield — 1 D MacLeod (10) and R Farquhar (12) 62; 2 J Manson (22) and R Bannerman (14) 63; 3 M Sangster (3) and C Ilett (4) 64.
Tain golf club lottery, May 3 — numbers 1, 4 , 7 , 15. No winners – next weeks jackpot £1,400. Tickets available from the bar
Dornoch Firth League at Brora
With two non-resident junior members added to the team Tain Golf Club have the strongest of the two Ross-shire teams taking part in the Dornoch Firth League fixtures at Brora Golf Club this weekend.
Alness’s Shaun Hogg and Inverness’s Keiran Mackay, both regulars in North District boy’s teams and holding handicaps of five and one respectively will more than compensate for the miss of club champion Munro Ferries, not available due to being on holiday, in the Tain team that has scratch Caithness based Dougie Thorburn linking up with Alan Everett, Billy Ferries, R I Mackenzie and Chris Ilett on Saturday. James Cameron, David Clark and Graeme Mackintosh are added to the pool for Sunday’s ties.
On paper and with home advantage, Brora should add to their record eighteen triumphs in the league contest but Royal Dornoch, the holders, will prove stubborn on relinquishing the trophy they won for a twelfth time last year at Tain.
When going to press, Invergordon who pulled off a memorable win two years ago, are still unable to release their team. The order of play over the two days is; Saturday morning – Brora v Tain; Invergordon v Golspie. Afternoon – Brora v Golspie; Invergordon v Royal Dornoch. Sunday morning – Brora v Dornoch; Tain v Invergordon. Afternoon – Brora v Invergordon; Dornoch v Tain v Golspie.
Northern Counties Women line up at Royal Dornoch.
THE lure of the Royal Dornoch championship course has led to an over subscribed entry into this weekend’s Northern Counties ladies golf championship which begins with a stroke play round on Saturday morning.
To allow the eight scratch qualifiers for the championship cup play their first matchplay round on Saturday afternoon the entry has been reduced to 72 and in the draw are three former champions including the holder and five time champion Cara Thomson from the host club.
As Cara Gruber she won her first title at Duff House Royal in 2001 then went on to win again at Brora (2008), Nairn (2009), Moray (2010) and Nairn Dunbar last year where for the first time as Thomson she defeated her club mate Alison Bartlett in the final.
On the last occasion the championship was played at Dornoch in 2007 Elgin’s Jenny Milne was the victor and she returns to attempt a third title having won also in 2011 at Fortrose and Rosemarkie. Tain’s Mary Smith is the third former champion in the draw, Smith a winner eleven years ago on her home course and since then has become a regular in Scottish senior teams.
Ross-shire League Weekend.
EIGHT of the County’s clubs are in action the following weekend at Tain (Sunday, May 18) for the initial rounds of the Highland Fabricators Cup, a five man matchplay team event.
Fortrose and Rosemarkie who beat Tain in last year’s final at Invergordon will open their defence against Alness with a tee off of 9.30am. The opening tie involving Strathpeffer Spa and Tarbat is at 9am. The two other quarter-final fixtures are Muir of Ord v Tain at 10am and Invergordon v Gairloch at 10.30am. Clubs unable to raise teams are urged to contact their opponents and the Tain Golf club by Thursday, May 15 at the latest.
Invergordon Golf Club
Friday night was the first coaching night of the new season when 20 kids turn up to enjoy a fun-filled time on a beautiful sunny night. Coaching is on every Friday (weather permitting) from 6.30-7.30pm. Please refer to the Invergordon Golf club web page and click "junior page" or phone golf club on 01349 852715 for details.
Ross and Sutherland Seniors Golf Society
EIGHTY-ONE members attended the Captains day outing at Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club on Wednesday, April 30. Although cold and windy the rain fortunately held off until the latter part of the day which enabled the members to complete the round even if somewhat chilled. The scoring was good in spite of the testing conditions so credit to all who took part.
The nearest the pin competition on the 5th hole was won by John Patience (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) and the longest drive on the 12th was won by Graham Clark (Muir of Ord).
The Divisional winners were as follows:
Division 1 — 1 D Neil Ross (Fortrose and Rosemarkie); 2 Colin Ritchie (Golspie); 3 Murray MacKay (Muir of Ord).
Division 2 — 1 Arthur Macarthur (Fortrose and Rosemarkie); 2 Andrew Taylor (Fortrose and Rosemarkie); 3 Nigel Baird (Bonar Bridge / Ardgay).
Division 3 — 1 Gordon Kilgour (Bonar Bridge / Ardgay); 2 George McLean (Fortrose and Rosemarkie); 3 Charlie Hook (Muir of Ord).
The overall winner (Captains Prize) was D Neil Ross (Fortrose and Rosemarkie)
The society’s thanks goes to Neil Stewart and his team for their considerable efforts in organising the event.
The next society outing will be to Muir of Ord on Wednesday, May 14.
Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club
Gents
Britoil Cup — 1 N Ross (12) 60; 2 B MacKay (9) 63; 3 A Mitchell (7) 64.
Ross Bowl — 1 M Bentley (12) 60; 2 S Crossley (6) 62; 3 M Bartlett (4) 63.
Ladies
Sweep — 1 Kate Bartlett (15) 76.
Spring Meeting Tray — 1 Melonie Morrison (14) 67.
New Zealand Lamb — 1 Kerry Maclean 46 points; 2 G Anderson 41; 3 K Bartlett 31.
McVitie Price Mixed Foursomes — 1 M and K MacLean 66; 2 L and W Crossley 71.
Mail on Sunday — Strathpeffer Ladies 4, Huntly Ladies 1.
Juniors
Medal — 1 Russell Dingwall (23) 56; 2 Niall Docherty (12) 70,
Kerry MacLean had a hole in one at the 6th (113yards) using a 6 rescue club. Her playing partner was husband Mike. This is the 2nd hole in one this year.
Muir of Ord Golf Club
Lady Stirling and Extra Medal (CSS 71) — Y Martin (27) 71; W Henry (29) 71; S Campbell (20) 73.
Gents Midweek Stableford (CSS 68) — I Rae (15) 39 points; J Stuart (6) 38; D Stuart (5) 38; K Gillanders (11) 37.
Gents May Monthly Medal and Community Shield (CSS 68)
Scratch — R Moir 63.
Handicap 0-9 — G Mellis (3) 64; I Dickie (9) 66.
Handicap 10-18 — M MacLeod (17) 65; G Knapp (12) 66.
Handicap 19-28 — D Lorimer (19) 61; G McIntosh (24) 67.
Fortrose and Rosemarkie Golf Club
The Black Isle Open Mixed Greensomes
Scratch Section — S Buchan and Mrs J Borley (Invergordon) 73; M Carnie and Mrs L Carnie (Newburgh-on-Ythan) 74; N Hampton and Mrs F Hampton (Royal Dornoch) 76.
Handicap Section One — S Hunter and Mrs A Archbold (Gullane) (14.5) 68.5; A Brown and Mrs A Brown (F&R) (14.5) 68.5; T Lloyd (F&R) and Mrs D Lloyd (Royal Dornoch) (8.5) 68.5.
Handicap Section Two — D Lackie and Mrs R Stallard (F & R) (23.5) 63.5; E Morrison and Mrs H Morrison (Inverness) (23) 65; W M Jack and Mrs A Jack (F&R) (19.5) 67.5.
