Visitors to the fore as Tain Golf Week gets underway
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE pipe opener to the start of the multi-sponsored Tain Golf Week was the men’s Balblair Distillery 36-hole open last Saturday which attracted an entry of over sixty. The competition was dominated in the scratch section by visiting golfers.
Local backmarker Alan Cameron went into an almost matchplay situation with his playing partner David Joel in round two but after a second round 18-hole tussle had to give way to the the Inverness member member who proceeded to win the old established Abdul Ghani Cup with cards of 71 and 67.
It was another Inverness member, Laurie Chancellor, who led after the first round with a one under par 69 (36/33) his inward card featuring birdies at the 14th and 16th holes.
Teenager Connor Toal (Old Ranfurly), who will be taking part in next week’s Boy’s Amateur Championship over his home course and Dundonald Links next week, was just one back with 70 before the first local challenge came in the form of James Cameron who covered his inward nine holes in 34 for 71 to second spot with Joel.
Chancellor and Toal fell out of contention when playing in the worsening afternoon conditions but Cameron, winner of the recent Black Isle 36 holer, who had opened with a 72, fell further behind after Joel began his second round with birdie three. The gap widened to four shots when Joel got to three under par with further birdies on the third and ninth holes for a super outward count of 32.
Cameron came home in 33 to add to his first nine 35 for 68 but Joel’s level par par inward card of 35 for 67 secured first scratch place and the cup with gross 138 while Cameron had to settle for second place on 140. Local Cameron repeated his first round halves of 37 and 34 for another 71 and third place but in the voucher ranking value moved to second handicap with a nett 132, off 5.
In round two Lyle McAlpine, a first time Tain club champion at the beginning of the month, had lost some of his shine from a first round inward half count of 39 for 74. But in round two he was back to his championship best with an outward two under par 33 before the second nine again let him down beginning for home, bogey, double bogey, and finishing bogey, bogey for 38 and 71. However it took the Invergordon based member into third place ahead of Chancellor (69/77), and then local Munro Ferries, followed with 73 and 74 for 147.
Winning the Rutherford Trophy with the overall nett aggregate of 131 was the former Tain Club Captain, Rob Hudson who with his ten handicap showed ultimate consistency with gross rounds of 75 (39/36) and 76, his final three holes, birdie, par, birdie. Charlie Finlayson, the local handicap club champion making a successful return to golf after several years away from the game and now playing off eleven, claimed third place following two solid nett 67’s for 134, before the younger McAlpine brother, Corey, came fourth and Seann Sutherland the final fifth place.
The club would like to thank Balblair Distillery for their continued support of this even.
Results (CSS for first round members 71, visitors 72) (CSS for second round members 72, Visitors 73) (all Tain unless otherwise stated):
Sratch — 1 and Abdul Ghani Trophy, David Joel, Inverness 138; 2 Alan Cameron (F&R) 140; 3 Lyle McAlpine 145; 4 Laurie Chancellor, Inverness 146; 5 Munro Ferries 147.
Handicap — 1 and Rutherford Trophy, Robert Hudson (10)131; 2 James Cameron (5) 132; 3 Charlie Finlayson (11) 134; 4 Corey McAlpine (6) 139 better 2nd round; 5 Seann Sutherland (7) 139.
Best individual round over both rounds outwith major prizes
Scratch — Connor Toal (Old Ranfurly) 70.
Handicap — Glen Owens (Riverfront) (17) 68.
On Sunday there followed an 18 hole open sponsored by Glenmorangie Distillery and their trophy and two more cups and trophies were won by home club members. The club would also like to thank them for their continued support.
Results
Seniors (55+) Handicap — 1 and Morrich Trophy (Glenmorangie Whisky) and Quaich, D J Mackay, Tain (9) 71; 2 D Hughes, County Armagh (15) 72; 3 T Watson, Tain (9) 73.
Scratch — 1 and Beveridge Cup (Glenmorangie Whisky) and Quaich, G Ross, Strathpeffer 77; 2 G McIntyre, Hilton Park 80 (BIH); 3 C Taylor, Bedlingtonshire 80.
Handicap (0-12) — 1 and Morangie Trophy (Morangie Whisky) and Quaich, I MacDonald, Murcar Links (9) 69; 2 P Gair, Strathpeffer (11) 70; 3 K Orrock, Inverness (12) 71.
Handicap (13-28) — 1 and Gardiner Trophy (Glenmorangie Whisky) and Quaich, R Bankes, Tain (25) 71; 2 M Kendrick, Royal St Davids (16) 72 (BIH); 3 A Graham, Duke’s St Andrews (13) 72.
Scratch (13-28) — 1 and David Innes Trophy (Glenmorangie Whisky) and Quaich, C Hughes, Tain 83.
This weeks lottery numbers were 7, 8, 11 and 20 and with no winners next week will be for £2,700.
Kelly Foursomes Trophy returns to Inverness.
THE Kelly Foursomes was from its outset synonymous with the Inverness Golf Club but on the closing down of the family gents outfitters business in Inverness and the family retiring to the Black Isle the competition was resurrected with renewed Kelly family support at Fortrose & Rosemarkie.
It remains a north premier event attracting a full quality entry and last Sunday the trophy was returned to the Inverness Golf Club by its members David Joel and Jamie Treasurer.
It completed a handsome voucher winning weekend for Joel following his individual Tain success and for his playing partner, Treasurer (23) a possible sign off from amateur golf as he has aspirations to following a career in golf with the PGA Professional at the Fairways Golf Centre, Inverness.
The pair from the south side of the Kessock Bridge gelled at Fortrose returning a first round 71 (36/35) and repeating the score with slightly changed halves 35 and 36 in round two. They shared the same 36 hole aggregate as local secretary Michael MacDonald and ex Muir of Ord member David McIntosh, now of Royal Dornoch.
MacDonald and McIntosh compiled their 36 hole total with cards of 70 and 72 but then had to relinquish first place on the better second round separator carded by Joel and Treasurer. The winners Inverness club mate Bruce Thomson and John Forbes led after a first round 69 but a second round 75 dropped them back to third place.
After a first round 77 from local pairing James Fraser and Peter Cameron a second round sub 70 gross score of 69 rescued their day to give them the first handicap vouchers with nett 139 (73½/65½).
Results (all Fortrose and Rosemarkie unless otherwise stated)
Scratch Section — 1 D Joel and J Treasurer (both Inverness) 142 (71/71); 2 M MacDonald and D McIntosh (Royal Dornoch) 142 (70/72); 3 J Forbes and B Thomson (both Inverness) 144 (69/75); 4 L Reid and A Cameron 147 (74/73); 5 S Forbes and A. Begg (both Muir of Ord) 149 (76/73).
Handicap Section — 1 J Fraser and P Cameron (3.5) 139 (73.5/65.5); 2 E Skinner and K Gaittens (4.5) 139 (72.5/66.5); 3 H MacCulloch and G Cameron (12) 141 (69/72); 4 A Brown and R Keith (5) 143 (70/73); 5 I MacGruer (Royal Troon) and K MacGruer (Muir of Ord) (9) 144 (75/69); 6 S Chisholm and D Chisholm (5.5) 144 (74.5/69.5).
Ross and Sutherland Seniors Golf Society
EIGHTY members of the took part in a stableford competition for the Invergordon Seniors Cup held at Invergordon Golf Club on Wednesday, July 30.
Category 1 — 1 G Robinson (Bonar Bridge / Ardgay) 41 points; 2 S Smith (Tain) 39; 3 Roy Nelson (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 37.
Category 2 — 1 A Macarthur (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 41; 2 J Macleod (Bonar Bridge / Ardgay) 38pts; 3 J Bradley (Tain) 37.
Category 3 — 1 H Black (Muir of Ord) 42 (BIH); 2 S Harmon (Strathpeffer) 42; 3 J Mackenzie (Muir of Ord) 40.
The overall winner and winner of the Invergordon Seniors Cup was Harry Black (Muir of Ord GC).
A special thanks to Hugh Joss and his team for organising the event.
The next outing will be to Strathpeffer Golf Club on Wednesday, August 20.
Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club
Gents
Medal
Scratch — 1 J Ramsay (10) 76; 2 I McKie (9) 79.
Handicap — 1 K Kellow (20) 65; 2 C Stewart (17) 67.
Presidents Prize
Scratch — 1 N Duff (12) 69; G Ross (3) 69.
Handicap — 1 N Ross (11) 65; 2 J Gordon (9) 66.
18-Hole Walk on Open
Scratch — S Crossley (Strath) (5) 69; 2 A MacBean (Strath) (5) 70 (BIH); 2 D Clark (Tain) (6) 70 (BIH).
Handicap — 1 K Kellow (Strath) (19) 62; 2 N Duff (Strath) (10) 64; 3 P Bannerman (Strath) (5) 66 (BIH).
George Hastings Cup — 1 S Gaffney (8) 65; 2 R H Stewart (2) 66; 3 J H Urquhart (14) 67.
Secretary’s Prize
Scratch — 1 M MacKenzie (6) 58; 2 C Faulkner (6) 63; 3 G Ross (3) 65.
Handicap — 1 K Kellow (18) 61; 2 D Cowie (15) 62; 3 A Stewart (22) 65.
