Windswept Brora challenges golfing enthusiasts
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A WINDSWEPT Brora Golf course was the venue for last week’s North District Senior’s Championship for the Macallan Trophy where Nairn’s Pat Tomisson this year attaining official pension age won the championship for the first time.
Following on from last years competition at Invergordon where Strathpeffer Spa’s head greenkeeper, Michael Wilson won the championship for a second time, last week over a very windy Brora links Wilson relinquished his title by five shots to Tomisson and making the best challenge on the new champion was Strathpeffer’s Philip Bannerman.
With all the players struggling against the strong wind over the inward half holes Bannerman added forty shots to his first nine count to finish in runner up place with 77. Tomisson after beginning with four par figures ran up a triple bogey seven at the fifth hole after visiting the burn but after his outward 38 he left his challengers a long way behind with an excellent back nine holes of 36 for 74.
After a 78 Dods Krzyzanowski (Strathpeffer Spa) lost outright third place on a better inward half to Barney Mackie (Carrbridge) but then the Strath lefty found himself with the leading scratch score in his 55 to 64 age category and in this group came another Ross-shire member. Willie Donnelly (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) claimed second handicap place with nett 72, off nine.
Climbing to first handicap place in the next age category behind the scratch winner, Robin Wilson (Brora) came Invergordon’s Keith Berry, nett 72, off 14, and making an Invergordon double was Berry’s travelling companion, Jim Hosie, with the best nett score in the over 71 age category, a nett 80, off 15.
Results CSS 73.
Scratch — P Tomisson (The Nairn) 74; P Bannerman (Strathpeffer Spa) 77; B Mackie (Carrbridge), D Krzyzanowski (Strathpeffer Spa) 78; M Wilson (Strathpeffer Spa) 79.
Age Group (55-64)
Scratch — D Krzyzanowski (Strathpeffer Spa) 78.
Handicap — P Jackson (Nairn Dunbar) (9) 72; W Donnelly (Fortrose and Rosemarkie) (5) 74; J Hunter (Wick) (6) 75.
Age Group (65 to70)
Scratch — R J Wilson (Brora) 79.
Handicap — K Berry (Invergordon) (14) 72; A B Risk (Brora) (6) 73; R G Sim (Brora ( 5) 74.
Age Group (71+
Scratch — C J Macleod (Moray) 86.
Handicap — J Hosie (Invergordon) (15) 80; I Brodie (The Nairn) (10) 84; L Ross (Royal Dornoch) (14) 86.
FRESH from their success in the Ross-shire leagues two weekends ago Muir of Ord go further afield to Royal Aberdeen’s Walker Cup Balgownie links golf course next week to try and repeat the club’s finest day in 1986 when four members, Kenny Hutton, Danny MacLean, John Mackay and Steve McIntosh carried home the Northern Counties Cup.
The 2012 competition over the granite city’s finest golf course begins next Thursday and Muir of Ord are in the draw to face a late second round tie against the winners of a first round tie between the second teams of Orkney and Meldrum House.
Playing a tough morning first round draw are Tain’s four, Billy and Munro Ferries, Frank Mackle and Ross Jack with the Tain Captain, Munro Ferries eager to make amends for his defeat to the winner of the Tain Four Day event, Fraser Fotheringham (The Nairn), who under the competition rules has to play out of his home club and will be partnered by the North District champion Bruce Thomson who has switched his allegiance from Inverness to Nairn.
Ross-shire also have in the competition two teams from Fortrose and Rosemarkie, and one from Strathpeffer Spa. Fortrose and Rosemarkie will look forward to a return to Royal Aberdeen for it was there six years ago they pulled off as big a surprise at Muir of Ord did twenty years earlier when they lifted the cup for a second time.
A meeting was convened of member clubs of the Northern Counties Cup Association in the clubhouse of the Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, Nairn last Monday afternoon to discuss proposed changes to the format of the Senior Cup competition.
Since the senior version of the competition was introduced in 2002 for a cup presented by Inverness businessman Brian D Fraser six selected venues, Duff House Royal, Inverness, Cruden Bay, Elgin, Nairn Dunbar and Brora Golf Courses the format has followed the same lines as the main version of the competition which has been running since 1901, foursomes match-play elimination over three days to determine the winners. Current holders of the senior cup are Brora Golf Club won on their home links last May.
Over the past two years several views have been expressed that matchplay ends a club’s involvement too quickly and as the competition is intended to have a social aspect for the senior golfers more than half the field head for home too soon. On the agenda at Monday’s meeting, chaired by Alister Risk, president of Brora Golf Club, was that one or even two qualifying rounds are played before proceeding to the normal match-play knock-out.
Ellon based secretary, Eddie Sherwood, has circulated all member clubs of the Northern Counties Association with the choices alternatives available or the delegates may chose to remain with the status quo and the meeting will be chaired by Alistair Risk, president of Brora Golf Club.
From a disappointing attendance the "status quo" of match-play from the outset was decided upon but there will be the introduction on day two a consolation medal or stableford round for losing teams of the first two rounds.
Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club
RESULTS this week from the club
Gents
Corriemollie Cup — 1 Mark Gair 4; 2 Dod Krzyzanowski 3; 3 Scott Duff 2.
Spark Memorial Cups
Scratch — Dod Krzyzanowski.
Handicap — Kevin Manson.
Dewar Cup — 1 Stuart MacPherson (5) 68; 2 Dod Krzyzanowski (4) 69; 3 Iain MacDonald (15) 70.
Three Man Team Challenge — 1 Gary Ross, N Duff and Alan MacBean 106; 2 Duncan Bethune, Steven Ross and Rod MacIver 101.
Vic Walker Trophy — Scott Duff (4) 62; Ian Bartlett (12) 63; 3 Charles Thain (15) 63.
Seniors
Harry Sim Trophy — 1 Stephen Harmon 41; 2 A J Thomson 36; 3 Freddie Bartlett 36.
Senior Medal (Over 60) — 1 Frank Copely 37; 2 Marshall Skelly 37; 3 Dod Krzyzanowski 36.
Ladies
Captain’s Prize
Silver — Kate Bartlett.
Bronze — Jean Burnell.
Cleish Trophy — Wendy Crossley (35) 64; Jean Burnell (34) 70; Melonie Morrison (14) 70.
Tain Golf Club
RECENT results:
Autumn Tournament
1st Round (CSS 73)
Division 1 — 1 J Innes (4) 69; 2 R Marshall (7) 71; 3 E Tonberg (8) 72 BIH.
Division 2 — 1 J Wood (20) 75; 2 K Anderson (14) 76.
2nd Round (CSS 72)
Division 1 — 1 J Dundas (6) 67; 2 J Innes (3) 68; 3 R Farquhar (12) 68.
Division 2 — 1 C Fraser (18) 73; 2 K Anderson (14) 79.
Jackson Cup — J Innes.
Dick Lauder Quaich — J Wood.
Cazenove Shield — J Dundas.
Bankes Cup — J Innes.
Muir of Ord Golf Club
RESULTS this week
Ladies Monthly Medal and Breakthrough Brooch (CSS 72)
Silver — E Hutton (19) 71; C Dingwall (13) 73.
Bronze — C Mackay (25) 75; M Rae (21) 75.
Gents Midweek Stableford (CSS 71) — G Knapp (11) 35; S Gillies (14) 35; G Mellis (3) 34; I Johnstone (4) 34.
Junior Monthly Medal (CSS 68) — L MacLeod (21) 74.
Seniors Friday Stableford (CSS 68) — C Lamont (23) 36; R Stewart (15) 36; S MacDonald (20) 35; W Logan (27) 35.
Ness Motors Open (CSS 69)
Scratch — D McIntosh 68; S McIntosh 68; J Forbes 70.
Handicap 0-13 — S Duff (4) 66; A Coutts (7) 67; W Weatherall (7) 68.
Handicap 14-28 — K Gray (16) 64; S Gillies (15) 64; B Fraser (14) 67.
Late entries will be accepted on 01463 871311 for the Ladies 18 Hole Team Charity Day at Muir of Ord Golf Club on Sunday, September 16. Competitors, from the host club unless stated, tee off in teams of four at 10 minute intervals. Abbreviations — B, Bonar Bridge; D, Drumpellier; F, Fortrose & Rosemarkie; FW, Fort William; G, Gairloch; H, Haddington; I, Invergordon; IN, Inverness; M, Muckhart; R, Royal Dornoch; S, Spean Bridge; T, Tain; TO, Torvean.
9.30am — K Gruber (R), E Gruber (R); L McWhirr (F), M Webster (F), A Sangster (F), E Stuart (F); L Walker (M), E Watson (M), S Crolla (M), S Wood (D).
10am — N Scrimgeour, C Dingwall, A Lyle, I Fleming; J Gray (TO), K Bissell (TO), J. Sinclair (TO), B Shaw (TO); E Rae (IN), N Scott (IN), J Ingram (IN).
10.30am — D Wlodarczyk (T), A MacDonald (T), Y Low (B), L Mackay (T); A Mackay (F), C McMartin (F), E Short (T), M McCulloch (F); M Ritchie, E Hutton, P Morrison, E Wallace.
11am — I Hosea (I), J Sharp (I), L Thomson (I), M Johnstone (I); S Davies, S Campbell, E Jardine (H); D Sinclair (I), J Borley (I), C Ross (I), M Matthews (I).
11.30am — K Bissett (F), J Kennedy-Spence (F), T Fraser (F), S Nelson (F); A Rose, I Noble, H Slater; K Mackay (F), J Darroch (F), L Niscon (F), M Small (F).
12pm — W Spencer, H Stuart, F Graham, L Sinclair; Tarbat GC TBC.
12.30pm — S Anson (G), E Lawrie (G), J Powell (G), J Mackenzie (G); R Macintyre (FW), G Anderson (FW), C Drain (FW), T Smith (FW); A Mackay, F McKay, Y Martin, M Rae.
1pm — L Coghill (R), D. Macbride (R); J Fraser (S), M Chisholm (S), C A Munro (S); T McGiver (S), S Morley (S).
1.30pm — M Wemyss (B), J Hunter (B), M Matheson (B), L Fraser (B).
