McAlpine holds nerve in Tain championship clash
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TAIN Golf Club was guaranteed a new first-time men’s club champion last weekend when Invergordon-based Lyle McAlpine took his place in the final to meet Ross Mackenzie.
MacKenzie had enjoyed a comfortable winning result over Tarbat greenkeeper Mike Keay in his semifinal after earlier claiming the the notable scalp of Billy Ferries. But in the final McAlpine (21), last season’s North District Youth champion, claimed his first Tain title with a 15th green win over local Mackenzie (24).
The handicap championship final went the distance, Charlie Finlayson beating Kenny Anderson in the semifinal then holding his nerve to beat Robin Porteous by one hole on the final green.
In the women’s championship final Anne Ryan was attempting to win the title for a tenth time. Vass, nee Russell, was a teenager of 18 when she won her first of nine club championships in 1978. But she was foiled from making it into double figures up against Claire Ross in the final. Ross brought a one-hole lead to the final hole where both players were putting for birdies. Both missed and Ross claimed title number two after first winning two years ago.
The women’s section handicap championship trophy went to Lorraine Mackay after she won the 16th hole and the final against Fiona Brand. Earlier in the week, Andrew Watt beat Davie Vass in the final of the men’s senior championship (scratch) and Ewan Forrest won the handicap final against Ken Anderson.
Results
Gents Club Championship
Scratch
Semifinals — L McAlpine beat F Fotheringham 4&3; R I MacKenzie beat M Keay 6&5.
Final — L McAlpine beat R I MacKenzie 4&3.
Handicap
Semifinals — C Finlayson beat K Anderson; R Porteous beat M Brunton.
Final — C Finlayson beat R Porteous by one hole.
Box Tee Stableford (CSS 70) — 1 R Sutherland (27) 49 points; 2 R Marshall (9) 41; 3 S Ferries (28) 38 BIH; 4 B MacKenzie (6) 38.
Fortrose Championships
CLAIMING his seventh Fortrose and Rosemarkie club championship title last Saturday was the current club secretary, Michael MacDonald, after two needle ties against the defending champion Alan Cameron and then last season’s beaten finalist, Chris Gaittens.
Cameron looking for a hat-trick run of titles went under to MacDonald after sixteen holes of the semifinal while on the same green Peter Cameron went under to Gaittens in the other last four tie. Taking a one-hole lead to the final tee of the scratch championship, MacDonald and Gaittens both found the par three green green but neither holed out for birdie twos leaving MacDonald triumphant.
A relatively new lady member Karen Johnstone won the women’s championship for the first time beating Karen Mackay by four and three after both players had to go an extra hole to win their semifinal ties, Johnstone beating Loraine Nixon and Mackay beating Mary Galloway.
In the handicap finals Alan Plampton beat Chris Skelton and Maureen Wilson won the women’s handicap cup. In the men’s senior championship Robbie Mackay made a successful defence of his title on the final green beating Lewis MacLeman by one hole.
Gents Club Championship 2014
Scratch Section
Quarterfinals — Chris Gaittens beat Philip MacPherson 2&1; Allan Cameron beat Kevin Fowler 7&6; Mike MacDonald beat Bruce Main 5&4; Peter Cameron beat Lewis Reid at the 19th hole.
Semifinals — Chris Gaittens beat Peter Cameron 3&2; Mike MacDonald beat Allan Cameron 4&2.
Final — Mike MacDonald beat Chris Gaittens by one hole.
Gents Handicap Section
Quarterfinals — Mike Evans (19) beat Calum McIver (20) 5&4; Davie Douglas (19) beat Calum MacLean (8) 2&1; Jeremy Price (16) beat Doug Younie (7) 4&2; James Fraser (5) beat Philip Schnier (6) 4&3.
Semifinals — Mike Evans beat J Fraser by one hole; Davie Douglas beat Jeremy Price by one hole.
Final — Davie Douglas beat Mike Evans 4&3.
Seniors Club Championship
Scratch Section
Semifinals — Lewis MacLeman beat Willie Donnelly 4&3; Robbie MacKay beat Ian Calderwood 4&3.
Final — Robbie MacKay beat Lewis MacLeman by one hole.
Seniors Club Championship
Handicap Section Semifinals — Chris Skelton (13) beat Roy Miller (18) 3&2; Alan Plampton (18) beat William M Jack (19) by one hole.
Final — Alan Plampton beat Chris Skelton 3&1.
Ladies Club Championship
Scratch Section Semifinals — Karen Johnstone beat Loraine Nixon at the 19th hole; Karen Mackay beat Mary Galloway at the 19th hole.
Final — Karen Johnstone beat Karen MacKay 4&3.
Handicap Section Semifinals — Maureen Wilson (21) beat Gillian Lyon (25) 5&4; Anne Brown (25) beat Fiona Lackie (31) 2&1.
Final — Maureen Wilson (21) beat Anne Brown (25) 2&1.
TAIN’S North District and Ross-shire County Champion, Dougie Thorburn was one of two Ross-shire golfers to take home cups from Brora Golf Club’s James Braid Open last Saturday.
On a bracing day over the Brora links created by the legendary course architect James Braid in 1923, Thorburn outclassed a strong scratch field to become only the fourth Caithness-based golfer to break a Sutherland domination of the Howey Cup. The scratch winner broke par by two shots in each of his rounds, halves of 33 and 34 in round one and 35-32 in round two for two marvellous 67s. Former winner Iain Powell (Murcar) (71/69) was six shots behind in second place.
In the Class 2 handicap section David Grant (Muir of Ord) won the Duke of Sutherland Cup for nett scores of 72 and 70, off 13. for 142 while another Ross-shire entry, Tain’s Billy Ferries with a first round card of 71 (36/35) won the best individual scratch voucher outwith the main prize list.
Ross and Sutherland Seniors Golf Society
FIFTY-SIX members attended the society outing at Bonar Bridge / Ardgay golf club on Wednesday. June 25 where they competed for the Campbell / Lovell Targes. The conditions were excellent with the course being in very good condition.
The winners of the Campbell / Targes were Malcolm McArthur (Fortrose and Rosemarkie GC) and Harry Black (Muir of Ord GC) who completed the round with 38 points. Second were Willie MacDonald (Invergordon GC) and Arthur Templeton (Bonar Bridge / Ardgay GC) with 36 points (BIH) and third were John Cameron (Tain GC) and Simon Stokes (Invergordon GC) with 36 points.
Special thanks to Nigel Baird and his team for their efforts in ensuring members had a very enjoyable and successful day.
The next society outing will be held at Alness Golf Club on Wednesday, July 9.
LIAM Skinner tasted victory in the junior section championships at Invergordon Golf Club after a tight tussle with Ryan Patterson.
Youngsters will contest the J D Cowper Junior Open on Sunday, July 13.
Alness Golf Club
Garry Fraser Open Texas Scramble — 1 C Hall, C Jamieson, S Sutherland and S Mackinlay (3.8) 49.2; 2 B Kennedy, K Kennedy, S Hogg and G Lister (3.9) 52.1.
Royal Bank of Scotland Quaich — 1 R Bell (10) (60/67) 127; 2 C Taylor (3) (65/64) 129.
Ladies Section
June Medal
Silver — 1 R Patterson (10) 65; 2 J Keith (16) 66.
Bronze — 1 K Whythe (22) 73; 2 J McArthur (30) 74.
June Rosebowl — 1 K Whythe and E Fraser (27.6) 65.4; 2 I Ross and K Mackenzie (22.8) 69.2.
Muir of Ord Golf Club
Midweek Stableford (CSS 68) — 1 R Gardiner (17) 41; 2 B Creighton (15) 40; 3 I Morrison (24) 39; 4 L Dallas (8) 38.
Gents Club Championships 2nd Round (CSS 68)
Scratch — J R Mackay 71; G Mellis 72.
Handicap — M Gray (11) 63; K MacAskill (16) 65; D Mackay (17) 66.
