Ross-shire golfers team up for Inverness in Northern Counties Cup clash
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Clubs can only select their teams from members whose handicaps are held by them and as Forbes continues to have Inverness Golf Club hold his scratch handicap, he was an automatic choice for their first team, being a previous winner with them in 2008 at Tain.
Forbes partnered another Ross-shire golfer playing for Inverness, Tain’s Keiran MacKay, to a four-hole win in the double foursomes format over Sean Johnson and Graeme Mellis. The Muir second string of Scott Forbes and Thomas Nicholson went under by three holes. In Friday’s first round the Muir team had beaten Fraserburgh by a combined three holes. Johnson and Mellis +3, Scott Forbes and Nicholson all square.
Leaving the scene on Friday were Tain, (Munro Ferries, Sean Kennedy, Billy Ferries and Gary Urquhart) beaten by the four holes lost by Billy and Urquhart, which were not enough to offset the two won by Munro and Kennedy against Fraserburgh.
Fortrose and Rosemarkie’s Alan Cameron and Lewis Reid finished six down while Mike MacDonald and Chris Gaittens finished three up to go out to the host’s second team. Strathpeffer Spa (Gary Ross, John Pirie, Kevin Bartlet and Scott Duff) put up a plucky fight before going under by four holes to the eventual winners. Bartlet and Duff did claim a notable scalp with a one-hole win over Kyle Godsman and Graham Murray, the Moray Pair’s only defeat.
The Moray first team won the trophy for the first time since they last won it over their home course in 2005, comfortably beating Murcar by eight holes in the final on Sunday afternoon. Moray beat Inverness in the semi-final and Murcar beat Turriff in the other semi-final,
BOAT of Garten club captain James Grant continued a winning streak in his first season as a senior by winning the Macallan North District Championship over his home course last week.
Winner of 13 Boat of Garten club championships, Grant, who turned 55 last December, didn’t let a day of incessant precipitation rain on his parade, returning a creditable two-over-par card of 72 (35/37) to win by two shots from Inverness’s Laurie Chancellor, the winner from two years ago at Muir of Ord.
With a poor entry of just 51, there were only two members from outside the Speyside area to see their names in the prize list, Philip Bannerman (Strathpeffer) 75 nett and second in his age category (65-70) and Adrian Baggot (Royal Dornoch), 85 nett for third place in his age bracket (71+)
• SIXTY-seven members of the Ross Sutherland Seniors Golf Society took part in a stableford competition at Tain Golf Club, playing an enjoyable round in conditions contrary to the dire weather predictions.
Results
Category 1 – 1 Mike Moran, Invergordon 37 points; 2 George Knapp, Muir of Ord 34; 3 C Skelton, Fortrose and Rosemarkie 33 BIH.
Category 2 – 1 Clive Austin, Bonar Bridge/Ardgay 36; 2 John Bradley, Tain 35; 3 James MacKay, Invergordon 32.
Category 3 – 1 R Dunn, Golspie 33; 2 Tony Bushell, Tain 29; 3 Steve Harmon, Strathpeffer Spa 28 BIH.
The overall winner of the Ackie Robertson Trophy was Mike Moran of Invergordon Golf Club.
The next outing will be to Golspie Golf Club on Wednesday, October 4 when members will compete for the County Cup followed by the AGM and prizegiving.
Further details are available on the society website.
Muir of Ord Golf Club
Gents Midweek Strokeplay (CSS 68) – 1 J Reid (18) 67; 2 M Sanderson (9) 68; 3 S Johnson (2) 69; 4 J Allen (10) 70.
Seniors Friday Stableford (CSS 71) – 1 G Clark (15) 39 points; 2 J Lee (27) 37; 3 D Maclachlan (13) 37; 4 K Williamson (28) 36.
Gents Carn A Chlarsair Open (CSS 68):
Scratch – 1 S Johnson (2) 71; 2 J R Mackay (2) 71; 3 D Newbigging (5) 72; 4 R Borthwick (4) 72.
Handicap 0-14 – 1 K Gray (12) 66; 2 G Flynn (11) 66; 3 J O’Rawe (13) 66; 4 A Henry (5) 68.
Handicap 15-28 – 1 W Richmond (23) 63; 2 J Sinclair (16) 68; 3 S Gillies (15) 68; 4 R Wylie (21) 68.
