Hutton thrilled by 'massive' win
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WHEN as an amateur golfer Kenny Hutton helped Muir of Ord Golf Club win the Northern Counties Cup for the first time in 1996, he must have thought it can’t get any better than this. But it did.
The following year Muir of Ord retained the cup and soon afterwards Hutton, whose parents own the Beauly Priory Hotel, decided golf was to be his chosen career and he turned professional. Currently he is attached to Downfield Golf Club in Dundee as director of golf.
A regular and successful competitor all of his years on the Scottish Tartan Tour he is now Captain of the Scottish PGA Region and at aged fifty eligible for senior events.
Last week he played in his first national Professional Senior Golfer’s championship at the Foxhills Resort in Surrey and in a dramatic last round finish where he birdied the 16th hole and chipped in for another birdie at the 17th hole he then salvaged par from a fairway bunker at the last hole to win by a stroke from fellow Scott Albert Mackenzie (Saunton). Mackenzie is originally from Lossiemouth.
He said afterwards: "To win something as big as this is the pinnacle for club professionals over fifty, and hopefully it will be a springboard for my confidence on the European Senior Tour. For me this has been massive."
IN AN exciting quarter-final tussle at Tain Golf Club last Sunday Fortrose and Rosemarkie, the holders, beat Alness to progress to the last four of the Ross-shire Singles league for the Highland Fabricators Cup.
Alness had out for the first time their recently appointed new greenkeeper, Gary Urquhart. who originates from Golspie and was trained at Nairn, and with his young family this year returned after a spell working at the Melbourne Golf Club in Australia to take up the Alness post.
Urquhart was involved in the key fifth game that would determine who would progress after the match. The score was level through the first four games. Richard Woods had taken a big Fortrose scalp against number one player Lewis Reid winning 2 and 1 before Reid’s club mate Peter Cameron levelled with a 5/4 result over Colin Doul in match two. Andrew Brown then put the holders in front beating Craig Taylor on the last green before Doug Stevenson balanced up the tie with a 5 and 3 win over Fortrose’s James Fraser.
Senior member Robert Mackay has been a Fortrose stalwart for many years and every year gets better with age – after leaving his native Helmsdale and honing his golf on the Brora’s links. Much younger opponent Urquhart was full of praise for Mackay’s play and the tie was ended long before they arrived on the final green where Mackay treated the clubhouse viewers to his fifth birdie putt of the round. Earlier he had birdied the 9th 10th and 13th holes to beat Urquhart’s challenge and the 15th green to take Fortrose through to September’s semi-finals and final at Alness on September 31.
In the semi-final Fortrose will meet Strathpeffer Spa after the Strath brushed aside Tarbat 5-0 and in the other semifinal Invergordon, 3½ to 1½ winners over a plucky Gairloch, will come up against Tain who received free passage to Alness after Muir of Ord withdrew.
Results
Strathpeffer Spa 5, Tarbat 0 — M Mackenzie beat C Urquhart 1 hole; S Duff beat Dave Mackay 4/3; M McNab beat M Keay 3/2; A McBain beat D H Mackay 2 up; J Gordon beat C Cunningham 2/1.
F&R 3 Alness 2 — L Reid lost to R Woods 2/1; P Cameron beat C Doul 5/4; A Brown beat C Taylor 1 hole; J Fraser lost to D Stevenson 5/3; R Mackay beat G Urquhart 4/3.
Invergordon 3½ Gairloch 1½ — J Fraser beat M Dodd at 20th; J Maciver lost to P Saggers 3/2; And Gilmour beat B Grant 6/5; A MacDonald halved with N MacLeod.
Tain W/O Muir of Ord.
FORTROSE and Rosemarkie’s Alan Cameron picked up his fourth three figure voucher of the season at Royal Dornoch when he won the 18 hole open which followed the Burghfield team event. Cameron enjoyed a comfortable five shot win when he match the Dornoch course par of 70.
Last weekend he was representing the North District in the Scottish Area Team Championships at Ranfurly Castle where in the qualifying rounds he carded a 76 and 71 to help the North get into the quarter-finals where they came up against the top seeds and eventual winners Renfrewshire. The North lost the tie 4-1 their one point coming from two halved games.
FORTROSE and Rosemarkie and Strathpeffer Spa golf clubs have teams taking part in the B D Fraser Senior Northern Counties Cup over Banff’s Duff House Royal Golf Course this week.
Strathpeffer got the toughest of first draws when they met the holders, Inverness Golf Club and Fortrose receiving a bye into round 2 over Royal Aberdeen. Brora Golf Club, three times winners since 2003, were unable to raise a team and their first round opponents Royal Dornoch 2 received a bye into round 2. The foursomes competition ends today.
RYAN Miller of Kenmay has not long been awarded his first handicap (5) but he was on form on Sunday (May 17) with his partner Angela Ross from Tain. They took the scratch prize with a score of 84 at the Bonar Bridge/Ardgay Golf Club Mixed Open.
Handicap prizes were as follows — 1 John Matheson and Fiona Porter BBA (23.5) 64.5; 2 Ron Stewart and Caroline Munro BBA (26) 67 BIH; Roddy Laing and Rosalind Cowie Golspie (19) 67 BIH; Michael Hassan Fortrose/Rosemarkie and Cheryl Hassan BBA 67; Nigel Baird and Jeani Hunter BBA (19.5) 68.5.
Ross Sutherland Senior Golf Society
A TOTAL of 72 members played in a Greensomes competition at Muir of Ord golf club on Wednesday, May 14. The weather in the morning was excellent and fortunately the predicted rain forecast for the afternoon did not materialise. The course was in excellent condition hence the many high scores recorded. The winners were as follows — 1 A MacBeath and I Black (both Muir of Ord) 45 points; 2 G Reid (Muir of Ord) and G Kilgour (Bonar Bridge / Ardgay) 42 (BIH); 3 S Smith (Tain) and ID McLeod (Strathpeffer) 42; 4 P Longmoor (Muir of Ord) and J Marshall (Strathpeffer) 41 (BIH).
A special thanks to Ian Beaton and his team for their considerable efforts in ensuring an excellent day was had by all. The next Society outing will be to Brora on Wednesday, June 4.
Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club
Gents
North Star Cup — 1 J Gordon (9) 63; 2 J Ramsay 9) 65; 3 K Kellow (20) 67.
Mrs A Paget Cup (Bogey) — 1 M Pollock 5 (15) After count back; 2 I Bartlett 5 (12) After count back; 3 I McKie 5 (10) After count back.
Ladies
Medal — 1 M Morrison (14) 66; 2 E Coupland (16) 70; 3 S Bentley (34) 70.
The club are hosting a Ladies Open sponsored by Margaret and Francis Blair, Achterneed on May 31 – late entries accepted.
Hole in One — Junior Member Jack MacLean had a hole in one at the 5th using 5 iron 113 yards while playing with his dad Mike. Mum Kerry had two hole in ones this year.
Tain Golf Club
Resluts
Medal (CSS 75)
Division 1 — 1 M Keay (8) 73; 2 G Gurney (12) 76; 3 B Duff (10) 77.
Division 2 — 1 R Anderson (16) 78; 2 R J Walker (19) 80.
May Seniors Open (CSS 73)
Group 1 — 1 E Forrest, Tain (14) 35 points; 2 W MacDougall, Tain (16) 32.
Group 2 — 1 S Greig, Tain (15) 37; 2 D Muschamp, RDGC (13) 35; 3 T Watson, Tain (9) 34; 4 K Watson, Tain (19) 33.
Group 3 — 1 S Smith, Tain (15) 35; 2 W Christie, Muir of Ord (15) 33; 3 T Dingwall, RDGC (17) 31.
Member and Guest Competition
Scratch — R Morrison and S Morrison 67.
Handicap — 1 G Ravehhill (21) and E Duthie (11) 59; 2 A Watt (6) and M Smart (13) 60.
Nine hole Stableford — 1 S Martin (8) 19 points; 2 A Melville (7) 18; 3 R MacIntosh (11) 17.
Lotto numbers on May 17 were 6, 15, 18 and 19 and as there was no winner the prize next week rises to £1,600.
Muir of Ord Golf Club
Results
Ladies Golf Foundation Challenge (CSS 71) — 1 H Stuart (14) 69; 2 J Fraser (21) 73.
Midweek Stableford (CSS 68) — 1 D A MacLennan (15) 40 points; 2 J Scott (19) 38; 3 S Fraser (12) 37.
Reichstetter Trophy (CSS 70) — 1 M Ritchie (20) 69; 2 L McBeath (32) 73.
Paterson Jubilee Cup (CSS 68)
Scratch — J R Mackay 70.
Handicap — 1 L Reid (15) 62; 2 D Campbell (12) 63; 3 G Knapp (12) 64; 4 D Marshall (11) 64.
Alness Golf Club
Recent results
Wee 9s — 1 Alness, 5 points; 2 Bonar Bridge, 4.5; 3 Tarbat 2.5.
Captains Prize — 1 D Maciver (6) 39 points; 2 I Kennedy (18) 37.
Ladies Section
May Medal
Silver Division — 1 R Patterson (9) 69; 2 J Keith (16) 78.
Bronze Division — 1 Kate Whythe (21) 73; 2 E Fraser (16) 75
