Date:- 16/05/2008
Time:- 17:58:09
Time:- 17:58:09
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 Tournament Reports - Season 2004-2005 ALL reports are being compiled by Donald Campbell & Grant Coghill.
Green Keepers recognition This summer for the first time Reay entered the British & International Golf Green keepers Association (BIGGA) Golf Environment Competition. Basically, we have been judged on our commitment to the environmental management of the golf course on the following 'Committed to Green' criteria;
The results were published in the December issue of 'Greenkeeper' and we didn't win BUT we were in the top 27 of the hundreds of clubs in England, Scotland and Wales who entered. How do we know we were in the top 27? Because we had a follow up visit to our entry from Len Penrose one of the two judges.He was so impressed by our entry he took aholiday to visit the course. We even managed for him to land a salmon on the Thurso River! The efforts of Roger Martin and James MacGee were very much appreciated and we have been urged to enter next year. The winning course was Minchinhampton Golf Clubnear Stroud in Gloucestershire. They have two 18 hole golf courses with 10, yes 10, full time greenkeepers. It seems that they are about to move their composting project indoors! and then use the outdoor area as a reed bed to filter the machine wash-off water. The ScottishRegion winnerwas Brighouse bay Golf Club. report provided by Chris Hobson
End of Season Presentation Reay Golf Club captain, Graeme Dunnett, accompanied by his wife Sophie presided over the club's annual dinner dance and presentation of trophies in the Pentland Hotel, Thurso. Special guests for the evening were the Lybster ladies' captain, Janette Calder and the Thurso vice captain, Ewen Mackenzie, who presented the prizes.
picture from John 'O' Groat Journal
McRobert Thistle Open -
26 September 04
Order of Merit Title -
26 September 04 Bruce Mackay's disappointment at missing out on the medal was tempered by the news that he had won the Order of Merit title. The nine points he collected from Saturday's competition saw him jump to the top of the leaderboard with a total of 32 points. David Dunbar moved into second place on 30.5 points with last weeks leader, Andy Bain, slipping to third on 9.5.
Banks Medal -
25 September 04 Playing in only his fourth competition of the season, Neil MacDonald proved that he had lost none of his golfing ability as he claimed Reay's 100 year old Banks Medal. On yet another windy day when the CSS went up to 71, McDonalddid not get off to the best off starts. He was five over par after onlny four holes but covered the remaining holes in one under par to finish with a gross 73, nett 70. However, it was a close call. Bruce Mackay (13), with steady halves of 42 and 41, also closed on nett 70. It took the countback rule to decide the medal, with Mackay losing out to MacDonald's superior last six holes. The division one runners-up were Alistair Gunn on 80 (8) 72 and Grant Maxwell on 81 (8) 73, while Division two's sweep winners were Alex Mackay on 94 (22) 72 and Willie Williamson on 95 (22) 73.
Seniors Trophy -
20 September 04 Reay's senior golfers who have benefited from the organisation of Evan Sutherland are coming to the end of a busy and successful season. Their big club event for the Retired Members Cup saw Calum Mackenzie lift the Trophy with a score of 39 points. The Hobson Trophy for the over 65's was won by Alf Mackay on 32 points.
Texas Scramble -
19 September 04 In Sunday's Texas Scramble Open, the team of Don A MacKay, Grant Maxwell and Raymond Taylor, who was deputising for Ron Matheson, were only two shots off their record breaking gross 57, returned in the May Texas Scramble. This was another outstanding performance by the trio who recorded birdies at holes 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 15 and 17, plus an eagle at 14 for a total of 59. With a handicap of 2.4 and a net score of 56.6, they were the clear winners. Nearest challengers were the Melvich threesome of Bruce Mackay, John O'Brien and Ian Ritchie. They also put together a round laced with birdies but had to settle for second place on 63 (5.4) 57.6. The headlines were not confined to the top two teams. One of the September Medal winners, Dav Mackay, holed his tee shot at the fifth hole using a 9-iron. It was the fourth hole-in-one at this hole this year.
September Medals - 18 September 04 Dav MacKay (8) and Andy Whitelaw (14) were the winners in the September Medal competition at Reay. In typical autumnal weather, both players scored evenly balanced rounds ending in net 71 to add their names to the 2004 prize list. Runner up in Division 1 was David Dunbar (6) on 72 with Lee Parnell (4) third on 74. In Division 2, the minor placings were taken by Danny O'Hagan (18) on 72 and Andy Bain (13) on 73.
Raemyre Greensomes & Match Play Quaich Finals -
12 September 04 The fading summer season has seen the completion of the club's match-play events. In the Raemyre greensomes' competition, Richard McDonald and Steve Efemey were appearing in their third successive final. Their match against Don A MacKay and Evan Sutherland was all square after 17 holes, but a par three at the 18th was sufficient for them to regain the Trophy they lost last year. The Match Play Quaich Final, a singles competition, was a repeat of the Handicap Club Championship Final, between Gavin Gunn and Jock Eunson. Again the match went the distance and, unfortunately for Jock, the result was the same, a one hole win for Gavin.
RNLI Open -
12 September 04 Not surprisingly, there was a smaller field than normal for the RNLI Open sponsored by Pennyland Service Station. And also not surprisingly, scoring was on the high side with only the overall winner Alan 'Kinser' Mackenzie beating nett 70 with a superb nett 68, three clear of the field. It was a good day for Brent Munro, when he was the only player to break 80, his edging out Stephen Spargo by a shot for the scratch prize. Andy MacGregor's nett 71 won him category one from Reay's Mojo Mowat and Lachie Sutherland, who were a shot further back. Donald Sutherland (72) and Ian MacPhee (77) completed the category two prize. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Pilkington Cup - 11 September 04 Raymond Taylor defied the conditions to win one of Reay's most prestigious trophies, the Pilkington Cup. The round did not start well for Raymond when he bogeyed the first two holes. However, these figures were countered by birdies at holes 4 and 6 as he reached the turn in level par 34. Incessant rain on the back nine saw him drop further shots but a strong finish of 4, 3, 3 left him just two over par for an excellent round of 71. His net 66 ensured him his first individual trophy on home soil this year. Thurso High schoolboy, Gavin Sutherland, turned in another fine performance, scoring 75 (7) 68 to take second place in Division 1. Gavin's rapid rise up the rankings continues as his latest effort has put him on the 6-handicap level. Alistair Gunn and Dav MacKay, both playing off 8, finished on net 70, with Alistair given third place after countback. In Division 2, a rejuvenated Andy Bain took the spoils with a round of 81 (13) 68. Andy MacKay (14) played to form to finish one shot behind whilst Mr Consistency, Murdo MacDonald, (13) took third place, a further shot behind. Royal Hotel Mixed - 05 September 04
Thurso Junior Open - 05 September 04 Twenty seven young golfers enjoyed great conditions for the Thurso Junior Open, sponsored by the John O Groats House Hotel. There was a great tussle for the claim to be the best golfer on the day between last years winner , Gavin Suterland, Reay and Brent Munro, Thurso. At the halfway stage Brent was three up and with Brent powering his way forward with back-to-back birdies, there was no way back for Gavin leaving the Thurso golfer to lift the title. Rebecca Meiklejohn was unopposed in the older girls' section and lifted the scratch and handicap trophies.
report & pictures from John 'O' Groat Journal
Ulbster Cup - 04/05 September 04 Reay 'A' won the Ulbster Cup at Reiss last weekend, defeating Wick 'A' in the final and reversing the result of the Wilson Cup played at the same venue. Reay defeated both Thurso teams to reach the final, while Wick similarly overcame Lybster. In the first match Colin Paterson and Raymond Taylor played the steadier golf, reaching the turn two up on Ron Taylor and William Murray, while the second pairing of Andy Mowat and Graeme Dunnett were all square with Nicky Klimas and John Harper. There was still only one hole in the match after the 13th but thereafter Paterson and Taylor extended their lead, eventually beating Wick's first pair by five holes. The second match was close all the way but Mowat and Dunnett gained a one-hole victory with an excellent birdie at 18, giving Reay overall victory by six holes.
Wick Open - Round 1 & 2 - 28&29 August 04
Final
Summer Cup - 24 August 04
Reay golfer Lee Parnell stepped up from his runners-up spot of last year to clinch the 2004 Summer Cup. The competition, sponsored by Atkins Nuclear, is based on the aggregate of the best eight from sixteen, midweek medal rounds played over the summer months. It was significant that Lee's scores were fashioned from nine consecutive rounds (4 to 12) in which his scoring average was an impressive 68.33 stokes per round. Lee's winning total was 541, ten shots clear of the field. Lee's top position was challenged briefly by young Gavin Sutherland but stormy weather in the earlier and later rounds curtailed his chances. Gavin finished second, four shots ahead of Murdo MacDonald. The penultimate round of the competition was virtually wiped out with Cammie Ross on 79 (11) 68 and Fred Groves 76 (5) 71 the winning survivors. Round 16 made no difference to the overall result other than confirm Murdo MacDonald's third position with a score of 81 (13) 68. Second place in Division 2 went to Barry Cann on 82 (13) 69. In Division 1, Evan Sutherland was a clear winner, scoring 79 (11) 68. Dav MacKay (8) and Bruce MacKay (12) took the remaining places with scores of 71 and 73 respectively.
Club Championship Finals - 22 August 04 On Finals Day at Reay Golf Club, defending champion Graeme Dunnett won the Reay Club Championship with a deserved 3 and 2 win over Don A MacKay. It was a day when Graeme played strictly par golf and Don, noted for the accuracy of his iron play, was not at his best.
Don grabbed the initiative at the opening hole, but by the third Graeme was back on level terms. Pars from 4 through 7 followed, but at the eighth Don carved his second left of the green and failed to get down in two. With Graeme one up and the ninth halved in par, he had a chance to go two up at the tenth but missed a holeable putt, as Don bravely salvaged par. Holes 11 and 12 were halved but at the 13th Graeme played a magnificent wedge shot to within 15 inches of the cup and holed the putt for a birdie three to go two up. Graeme could have consolidated his lead at the 14th but missed from nine feet. The par-3 15th was halved but the end came at the next hole where Don three putted from the edge of the green. Graeme thus added another notch to his impressive haul of championships. Since 1984, when he won his first championship, Graeme has secured 7 wins at Reay. He has also been crowned Club Champion at Tarbat (5 times) and at Thurso (5 times). The Handicap Club Championship between Gavin Gunn and Jock Eunson turned into a topsy-turvy affair. Only two holes were halved in the entire match. Gavin took control from the second and by the ninth had built up a four-hole advantage. Jock, who had previously overturned a four-hole deficit against Lee Parnell, whittled back the lead, winning 10, 11 and 12. A birdie at 13 by Gavin halted the comeback, but Jock won the next two holes to level the match. For the first time, Jock went into the lead at the 17th, but at the 18th Gavin played a beautiful chip and sunk the putt. The match was all square. At the first extra hole, Gavin obtained his par three to become the new Handicap Club Champion. The Seniors Club Championship between Chris Hobson and Ian Sutherland also went the full distance. Chris had the better of the opening holes and was two up at the turn. However, Ian fought back and by the 14th had levelled the match. Holes were then halved until the 18th, where Ian encountered problems off the tee, giving Chris the opportunity to wrap up the title. The winners of the three trophies received their awards from the Club President, Alf MacKay.
Thurso Hospital Bus Open - 22 August 04 Scoring in last week's Hospital Bus Open, sponsored once again by Thurso dentist John Barry, was good rather than spectacular with five players returning 37 Stableford points and a further five returning 36 points. When the computer ahd done its business Andrew Main emerged as the overall winner thanks to the day's best inward nine of 21 points. Main also won category two with Donald Sutherland (37), Trevor Henderson (37) and Colin Cameron (36) completing the category prize list. Reay's Raymond Taylor was the front runner after nine holes with 21 points to Jim Mcleod's 20 but McLeod secured the vital extra point on the inward nine to claim the category one top place. Taylor was doubly unlucky as he also shared the day's best scratch round with Jim Sangster and Thurso Open winner Warren Gordon but again lost out on countback which saw Sangster awarded first place ahead of Gordon. The young brigade in the shape of Brent Munro and Scott Nicol completed the category one prize list, both returning 35 points. Robbie Oag from the Stromness club and Alan 'Skins' Mackenzie were the unfortunate countback losers, both having 36 points. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Safari Open (36) Foursomes - 21 August 04 With more than 50% of the field in Reay's Safari team competition made up of visiting players, hopes were high that the Safari Trophy would be wrestled from the formidable 'Dream Team', last year's winners. However, the dream lives on as the Dream Team of Don A MacKay, Colin Paterson, Raymond Taylor and captain Sandy Stewart won the competition for the fourth time in five years. Although a handicap competition, the odds are against a team of low handicappers winning the competition, but the one factor which has been prevalent in all their successes has been their ability to handle the windy conditions and at Reay on Safari day, the wind usually blows. There was nothing to choose between the teams after the opening round. In the lead on 212 was Jock Eunson and his team of 'Jock the Cock', for whom Graeme Dunnett shot the best gross score of the day, a 68. Alistair Gunn and his team of 'Gunns 'n Roses' were only one shot behind, with the Dream Team in third place a further shot adrift. On 216 was the 'Premier Plan' team, for whom Bill McIntosh's net 66 was one of only three scores to beat the CSS of 70. Among the other teams still in with a chance were the 'Hilly Billy's', 'Speed Merchants + 1', the 'Hungry Hippos', the 'Castletown Mafia' and 'Hobson's Choice'. Scoring in the second round was generally better and although a number of teams improved on their first round scores, others struggled to find the necessary three good scores to challenge for the Trophy. The first round leaders were certainly up for the challenge with Jock Eunson's net 67 giving his team a score of 208, a total of 420 and one hand on the Trophy. However, the Dream Team pulled out all the stops and responded to the challenge. A gross/net 69 by Don A Mackay, a net 68 by Colin Paterson and a net 67 by last-man-in, Raymond Taylor brought them home in 204, for a grand total of 418. The Cup was theirs and in a rousing speech afterwards, Sandy Stewart thanked his team for their efforts and indicated that competition for places in the Dream Team next year would be interesting, with the probable return of James 'Birdie' Henderson, one of the original members. Prizes were presented by Graeme Dunnett, representing UKAEA and by Jon Baggs of Abbotts Risk Consulting (ARC), joint sponsors of the competition. Results were as follows:
pictures from John 'O' Groat Journal
Reay Junior Open - 15 August 04 A large entry of 46 juniors from the local golf clubs turned out to contest this year's junior open held at Reay Golf Club on Sunday 15 August. After a rainy start the weather cleared up and the players and mums and dads enjoyed a lovely afternoon bathed in sunshine. Once again the junior section are grateful to sponsors AEA Technology, W S Atkins, D C Mowat, Bank of Scotland, O'Brien Construction, ARC, Royal Bank of Scotland ,W & D Ross Painters , Thor Fishing and the Ferry Inn, Scrabster. As a result of this sponsorship every player received a prize. The Fairway Ferrets section for the youngest players was contested over three holes and had a large entry of 20. Anna Loughborough went one better than last year and won the competition by two shots from Andrew Adamson and Kyle Churchill. Close on their heels were Sarah Meiklejohn, Ian Mackay and Ben Spenser. Anna won the Dunnett Shield for the best gross and Andrew the 3 Hole Cup for best boy. Fourteen players contested the Birdie Baggers section played over six holes. James Loughborough made it a family affair when he won from Stuart Adamson, Ewan Crawford and Ranald Stewart. Holly Owen was the best girl. To even up the Loughborough mantelpiece James also won the Alec and Don Mackay Shield. The competition for the boys playing 18 holes off the junior tees resulted in some very close scoring with James Reid just piping Ian Dunnett by one shot to win the section and the Begg Cup. David Mitchell, Ross Williamson and David Craig were not far behind. In the main competition, Gavin Cunningham from Thurso Golf Club won the Reay Junior Open with a fine gross 82 off the medal tees. In the handicap section Lee Malcolm played well below his handicap to record a comfortable win from Michael Smith, Brent Munro and Gavin Sutherland. Gavin Cunningham was presented with the AEA Technology Cup by Reay Golf Club Captain Graeme Dunnett who also presented Lee Malcolm with the Northern Heating Controls Cup for the best nett score.
Thurso Open (36) - 14 August 04 With a 5.30am start for Thurso Golf Club's Open championship, sponsored once again by the Central Hotel, on Saturday, many fingers were crossed on Friday night for clear weather and they were not be disappointed. Conditions were perfect throughout the day for a capacity field of 120 competitors from Orkney in the north to Dunbar in the south. At the end of the first round the home club's Warren Gordon and scratch player Don A Mackay (Reay) led the scratch category with one over par 70s. The main talking point from Gordon's round was his eagle three at the long fourth after a birdie two at the third. Mackay got only one of the par threes but compensated with birdies at the eighth, 13th and last holes. Reay's Colin Paterson was next best at the half way stage with a 72. Both of the leaders struggled in the afternoon and were six over par after 12 holes. A birdie at the 13th seemed to settle Gordon who parred the remaining holes for a 74 and a two round total of 144. Mackay also settles down and played par golf until the final hole which he bogeyed to leave him two shots adrift of Gordon, a deserved winner of the scratch trophy. Thurso duo Dougie Thorburn, the defending champion, and former winner Alan Swanson finished a point adrift of runner-up Mackay. Reay's Raymond Taylor turned the clock back with a 70, the best second round of the day. In the handicap section, Reay secretary Bill McIntosh got the clubhouse crowd buzzing with an excellent first round nett 62 based on an outward nine of only 38 shots. Young Brent Munro was only a shot behind McIntosh after shooting a superb gross 73 which included a double bogey at the final hole. McIntosh struggled in the second round and it was Thurso's Gordon Milne who appeared likely to land the Gunnach Trophy for the lowest handicap return when he added a nett 64 to his morning 65 for a tremendous total of 129 for the two rounds. It was not to be, however, as Stuart McIntosh equalled uncle Bill's morning nett 62 to equal Milne's total of 129 and land the trophy, courtesy of the better second round. Andrew Whitelaw (Reay) claimed the best scratch award in category two by a couple of shots from Trevor Henderson, while John Kemp (Kirkwall) and Ian MacPhee led the handicap sections of categories one and two respectively. Kemp's win ensured that the Orcadian contingent fared better than the bigger group of their Caithness counterparts had done the previous week at the Stromness Open.
report & picture from John 'O' Groat Journal
Summer Cup - Round 14 - 10 August 04 Gavin Sutherland's first opportunity at reducing the lead came in round 14. However, a combination of warm weather and strong winds produced a rash of 'no returns', including one by Gavin. The best performance of the day came from Andy Whitelaw in Division two. Despite the wind, Andy kept the ball in play and was awarded with a score of 81 (16) 65. Second was Will Young on 96 (27) 69 and third Gordon Walker on 87 (15) 72. After a loss of confidence, Sandy Chisolm bounced back with the leading score in Division One, 82 (12) 70. Donald 'Mojo' Mowat came second on 79 (8) 71 and Aly Mackay third on 78 (5) 73.
Reay Mixed Open - 08 August 04 It wasn't only the golfing abilities of the 25 pairs who took part in the Reay Mixed Open that were put to the test recently, but also their abilities to stay calm in the face of adversity. On a day when winds reached near gale force at times and tempers probably blew just as hard it was only those with patience, sheer rugged determination and an element of luck that made it to the winners' rostrum. With every pair having a "tail to tell" on what might have been and with scores higher than expected it was a surprise that any couple could play to their handicap. However, Bill McIntosh, of Reay, with Isobel Kirkpatrick, from Thurso, managed to do just that and return a nett 70.5 to lift the handicap trophy, with their playing partners Lyn and Andy Whitelaw returning a nett 75 for second place. In the scratch section, by virtue of a better inward half, Colin and Carol Paterson beat arch rivals Andy and Pam Bain who both returned gross 85. Other prize winners were Alan Proudler and Issy Currie, Chris Hobson and Carole Cameron, Mike Browne and Helen Williamson, Tim and Susan Hawes and Steve Effemey and Julie Murray. The event was sponsored by engineering consultants Babtie. The prizes were presented by Babtie's Ian Henderson and his wife Helen.
August Medal - 07 August 04 It has been a rewarding few weeks for Colin Stewart at Reay Golf Club. On Saturday, Colin was the Division 2 winner in the August Medal and thus claimed back to back Monthly Medal honours. Equal halves of 39 gave Colin a gross score of 78, net 65 and a winning margin of four shots. Second was Ian Sutherland with a score of 87 (18) 69 and Murdo MacDonald third on 84 (13) 71. Jock Eunson is a name that has not made the headlines for a couple of years but in Saturday's competition, Jock ended his barren spell by winning the Division 1 Medal. Jock's score was a mirror image of that of Colin's and with a handicap of 12, his winning score was net 66. Only one shot behind was the greens' convenor, Chris Hobson on 79 (12) 67 with university student Andrew Crawford third on 73 (5) 68.
Summer Cup - Round 13 - 03 August 04 Just when it appeared that the competition for Reay Golf Club's Summer Cup was done and dusted, with Lee Parnell holding a seemingly unassailable lead, Gavin Sutherland came charging into contention in round 13 and has reduced Lee's lead from 15 to 8 shots. Gavin had the lower shot of the day, a gross 72 nett 64, to win division one. However, it will still take two par bursting rounds to haul back Lee's advantage. In a tie for second place, Colin Paterson (5) got the better of Richard MacDonald (6), both scoring nett 69. In division 2, Colin Earnshaw's progress continued with another sub par round, this time 83 (15) 68. David Craig made his mark in second place with a score of 98 (28) 70. The better inward half decided third place, Alan Paul (13) shading Hugh Millar (27), both finishing on 71.
McVittie and Price Foursomes - 31 July 04 In the stroke play foursomes competition for the McVitie & Price Cup, the entry was low but the quality more than compensated. In a blanket finish, four pairs tied on net 661/2 and had to be separated by applying the better inward half rule. Andy and Euan MacKay made the perfect start and were one under par after 13 holes, but then a slump set in and they had to settle for fourth place. The play of Donald 'Mojo' Mowat and Dav MacKay followed a similar pattern with the last five holes their undoing, as they slipped into third place. The top two pairs were separated on the inward half by a mere half stroke. Fred Groves and Gavin Sutherland finished second, even though they had the best gross score of 73. That left the Cup in the hands of Ian Ritchie and Evan Sutherland who had the best net inward half, thanks to a tidy finish of 4, 4, 3. Wick Gala Open - 29 July 04
Reay Seniors Open - 28 July 04 Don C MacKay who has missed most of the season due to a hand injury made a successful return to the game by winning the Reay Seniors Open Scratch award. Both he and Alistair Gunn shot rounds of 74 but it was Don's inward half of 34 that proved decisive. The turning point came at holes 16 and 17 where Don scored 3, 4 against Alistair's 4, 5. Warm sunshine and no wind made for ideal conditions but only one player took full advantage. He was Calum MacKenzie who recorded halves of 43 and 44 in his round of 87 (23) 64 to win the Handicap Trophy. In the 50 to 59 age group, Alistair Gunn's net 66 took first place with Mike Browne on 92 (21) 71 finishing second. Another player making his return after illness was Jim Masson. Jim was given the perfect tonic when he won the 60 plus age group with a score of 84 (14) 70. Murdo MacDonald lost out to Jim on countback having scored 83 (13) 70. Danny O'Hagan stepped up to third place ahead of Chris Hobson with a score of 83 (12) 71.
Summer Cup - Round 12 - 27 July 04 In Round 12 of the Summer Cup, sponsored by Atkins Nuclear, Richard McDonald once again produced an array of birdies, starting at the third with a run of 3, 5, 2, 4 against the par of 4, 5, 3, 5. This time Richard had no hiccups on the inward half and returned his best score of the year, 71 (7) 64 to win Division 1. Richard had only one stroke to spare, as young Gavin Sutherland put together another excellent round. Halves of 37, 36 gave Gavin a score of 73 (8) 65 and second place. Third place went to Dav MacKay on 77 (8) 69. Andy Whitelaw emerged as the top player in Division 2, finishing on 86 (16) 70. Andy MacKay (13) and Andrew Sutherland (28) had a private battle as they played together, with Andy, as a result of the better inward half, taking second place, both ending up on net 72. Prime movers in the race for the Summer Cup after Round 12 were Gavin Sutherland and Richard McDonald. They are tied on 413, some 15 shots behind the runaway leader, Lee Parnell.
Thurso Gala Open - (Thurso) - 25 July 04 Bily Noble claimed his second win of the week when a storming back nine of 38, bettered only by scratch winner Bob Robertson, edged out DC 'Mojo' Mowat on countback to claim the Gala Trophy with nett 70. With no fewer than eight players finishing on nett 71, a fair amount of arithmetic was required to sort out the prizes - but top of the list was Wick's Eann Steven to win category two ahead of Ian MacPhee, Billy Sutherland and Willie Williamson. George Munro, Scott Nicol and Ronald Mackay completed the category one honours with Graeme Cameron missing out. Angela Williamson, who stood in for husband Stephen at a prize giving a couple of weeks ago, will be attending in her own right after recording the best score by a lady. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Stuart Campbell Open - (Thurso) - 24 July 04 It was a wet Saturday for the Stuart Campbell Open sponsored by Ashley Ann. Scott MacDonald provided the performance of the day, when he shared the lowest gross score of the 73 with playing partner Steve Spargo for a competition winning nett 63. On over par at the turn, MacDonald got to level par at the 13th but dropped four shots over the closing holes played in torrential rain. It was a similar story for Spargo, who was one under for 11 holes before the weather took its toll. David Dunbar beat Fred Groves and Bob Robertson on countback to claim second place in the scratch section while Joe Duffy, Willie Shearer and Sandy Wright completed the category one prize list. Ron Mowat has found a new consistency in his game this season and was a deserved winner of category two with a fine nett 65 to beat former captain Dave Philips by a shot, with James Lynch and Willie "WJ" Shearer in third and fourth places respectively. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Summer Cup - Round 11 - 20 July 04 In contrast to Round 10, Round 11 produced not one sub par score. In Division 1, Steve Efemey's (11) extra handicap-stroke gave him the advantage over Evan Sutherland (10), both scoring net 70. Third place went to Andy Mowat (4), edging out Sandy Chisholm (12), both scoring net 71. There was a quadruple tie for the positions in Division 2. Colin Stewart (13), Colin Earnshaw (15) and Alan Paul (13) were given the one-two-three in that order, with Brian Davidson (22) the unfortunate one, all finishing on net 69.
Corrie Open - 18 July 04 With conditions akin to those in the Open at Royal Troon, golfers competing in the Corrie Open at Reay had to face an extra element, the Caithness breeze. Difficult conditions which saw the Standard Scratch Score rise to 72 usually favour the home players, but on this occasion it was the visitors who took the spoils. An outstanding round by Thurso golfer, Jim McLeod, saw him return the best gross score of the day and take pole position in Division 1 with a score of 78 (9) 69. After an inauspicious double bogey start, Jim was seldom in trouble and nobody could match him over the exposed, inward nine holes. Runner up was Cammie Ross with a score of 82 (11) 71. Third place went to Andrew Simpson (6) of Wick whose net 73 saw him hold off comeback man, Ian Ritchie (8) and Dav MacKay (7). The scratch prize went to John O'Brien on 79. James Lynch of Thurso appears to have a liking for seaside golf. Following earlier success in the RNLI Open, James returned to Reay and took first prize in Division 2 with a top score of 88 (20) 68. Second place went to Mike Browne on 93 (22) 71 with Craig Somerville (20) of Thurso edging out Billy Dunbar (16) for third spot on net 73.
picture from Fred Groves.
July Medal -
17 July 04 Saturday's Division 1 July Medal developed into a contest amongst the Big Boys. Don A MacKay set the standard with a gross 69, net 69. Within the hour, Graeme Dunnett had taken the lead on 70 (2) 68. Then came the Reay Open Champion, Fred Groves. Out of sorts since his title success, Fred rediscovered his form and an eagle three at 14 helped him clinch the Medal with a score of 72 (5) 67. Missing out on net 69 were in-form Gavin Gunn (10) and Richard McDonald (7) who specialises in spectacular scoring, this time finishing with four threes. The Division 2 Medal also saw a close finish. Consistent scoring was the deciding factor with equal halves of 41 giving Colin Stewart a winning score of 82 (13) 69. A quadruple bogey seven on the last hole was costly for Danny O'Hagan as he slipped into second place on 87 (17) 70. Willie Williamson was third on 92 (21) 71. Colin was delighted with his performance and even more so when he discovered he will represent the club in the Hall of Fame Championship regional qualifier at Kingussie, in September.
Special Hole-in-One - 15 July 04 There have been few days and nights this summer when the wind hasn't blown at Reay. But on July 15th the evening was so balmy you could hear a golf ball drop. That is exactly what happened to Liam Bremner, when he holed his tee shot at the short 15th using a wedge. What made this hole-in-one so special was that Liam was playing for his handicap. He was partnered by Davie Swanson and Gavin Gunn who duly coaxed him to the 19th hole to celebrate in traditional fashion.
Seniors Open (Thurso) - 14 July 04 Players in last Wednesday's Thor Fishing Seniors' Open found points hard to come by on a squally day at Thurso Golf Club with Ronnie Gray, one of the more junior seniors, regaining the trophy he won two seasons ago with a return of 35 stableford points. After a faltering start, the winner put in a good burst of scoring for 19 points on the outward nine and held his game together for a further 16 points on the way home, a total bettered by only category two winner George Dickson and runner-up Mike Browne with a very commendable 17 point efforts. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Summer Cup - Round 10 - 13 July 04 Round 10 of the Summer Cup at Reay produced some of the best golf of the year with all the leading contenders firing sub par rounds. With three birdies in his round of 72 (8) 64, Donald 'Mojo' Mowat came out on top in Division 1. In a tight finish, Donald benefited from the better inward half as he tied with Gavin Gunn (7) who also scored net 64. It was a similar story for third place with Bruce MacKay on 78 (12) 66 overtaking Lee Parnell on 70 (4) 66. The best score of the day in Division 2 came from George MacDonald, despite recording two eight's in his round of 87 (22) 65. Murdo MacDonald finished second on 79 (13) 66 and Michael Williamson third on 95 (28) 67. After Round 10, the overall position in the Summer Cup, sponsored by Atkins Nuclear, is that Lee Parnell has extended his lead and now stands on 329. Murdo MacDonald is in second place on 343, two ahead of Donald 'Mojo' Mowat and three ahead of Evan Sutherland.
Caithness Glass Open (Wick) - 11 July 04
scores from John 'O' Groat Journal
Reid & Fraser Open (Thurso) - 10 July 04 The one shot increase in standard scratch for the Reid & Fraser Open at Thurso Golf Club gave an indication of difficult scoring conditions - but two of the higher handicap players showed what could be done by returning nett 62s. Lee Malcolm, who has just received his senior handicap of 26, beat Reay member Willie Williamson, also a 26 handicapper, but of more mature years, on countback to claim the category two award. Donald Sutherland completed the category prize list with a nett 71. Colin Chessor's nett 68 won Category one by a shot from Michael MacGregor and Brent Munro, with Reay's Cammie Ross losing out on countback. In the scratch category Ewan Mackenzie claimed his first winning voucher of the season after a well earned 73, three ahead of Sandy Stewart.
Summer Cup - Round 9 / Strokeplay - Round 4 - 06 July 04 Lee Parnell has given indications recently of a higher level of consistency on the golf course so it was no surprise when he delivered a closing round of 69 to win the Reay Stroke Play Championship. A disappointing opening round had left Lee's hopes hanging by a thread but much-improved scores in Rounds 2 and 3 saw him back in contention. He still trailed leader Andy Mowat by two strokes going into the fourth and final round. The deficit was still two strokes with only nine holes remaining, but a devastating spell, in which Lee birdied 11, 13, 14 and 17, saw him clinch the title with a winning score of 293. Andy had the consolation of winning the Handicap Championship with a total of 286. Summer Cup Round 9 In Round 9 of the Summer Cup, sponsored by Atkins Nuclear, Lee Parnell's net 64 made him a clear winner in Division 1. Aly MacKay followed up last week's top score with a round of 74 (5) 69 to finish second. One shot adrift were Cammie Ross (11) and Colin Paterson (5) with Cammie taking third spot after count back. Les Patrick's third sub-par round of the season, 79 (14) 65, gave him first place in Division 2. Colin Earnshaw recovered well after a nine at the fourth and returned his best score of the year, 83 (16) 67, to finish second. Third place went to Willie Williamson on 96 (23) 73.
Wilson Cup - 03/04 July 04 Wick overcame Kirkwall and Stromness to reach the final, while Reay defeated Shetland and Thurso. Wick's first pairing of Ron Taylor and William Murray took an early lead against Don Mackay and Raymond Taylor and were soon four up. But the Reay pair fought well and had reduced the arrears to two at the turn and had squared the match by the 12th. A birdie at the 13th restored Wick's advantage and it remained that way to the last hole. Here Don Mackay holed a putt from the back of the green for a birdie, leaving Ron Taylor a five footer for a half. He duly sank the pressure putt to maintain Wick's one hole advantage. In the second match Wick's Nicky Klimas and John Harper also made a flying
start and were soon three up on Graeme Dunnett and Andy Mowat, but, as in the
first match, the Reay pair fought back and were all square by the 13th. As usual there was an excellent camaraderie between all the teams over the weekend and the matches were played in terrific spirit. Both Wick pairs won all their games, but there was special praise for Murray and Taylor, the former having first played in this competition in 1959, the latter representing the club for the 26th consecutive time. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
photographs taken by James Henderson, Colin Paterson & Bill McIntosh
Saturday's Extra Day Medal - 03 July 04 In Saturday's Extra Day Medal, Colin McColm marked his first competitive outing with an impressive 76 (12) 64. Cammie Ross (11) moved into second place in Division 1 on net 68, one stroke ahead of Donald 'Mojo' Mowat (8) and John O'Brien (5). Kenny Farmer won by a proverbial street in Division 2, with a score of 81 (13) 68, six shots ahead of Calum MacKenzie (23) and George MacDonald (22).
Summer Cup - Round 8 / Strokeplay - Round 3 - 30 June 04 Tuesday has not been kind to golfers this summer, but finally, in week 8 of the Summer Cup, favourable conditions were the order of the day for Reay's golfers and how they responded. Aly MacKay, who is now emerging as a serious threat to the top golfers in the club, set a blistering pace and shot a personal best gross 67, net 61, which included an eagle at 14 and birdies at 4 and 16. Young Gavin Sutherland maintained his progress with another steady round, this time gross 73, net 64, his highlight being a birdie at 14. Not to be outdone, Lee Parnell notched three birdies in an excellent gross 70, net 65 to complete the one two three in Division 1. Gavin Gunn and Richard McDonald both shot net 66, but out of the prize list. However, Gavin distinguished himself by shooting nine successive fours on the inward half. In Division 2, Alan Paul confirmed his step up to the top division with a score of 80 (13) 67. He was well clear of Danny O'Hagan (17) and Murdo MacDonald (13) who both finished on net 71. At exactly the halfway point of the Summer Cup, sponsored by Atkins Nuclear, the leader with the best four rounds total is Lee Parnell on 271. Evan Sutherland is in second place on 273, with Murdo MacDonald and Gavin Sutherland on 277.
Reay Open - 26 June 04 A past winner in 1990, Fred Groves rolled back the years as he came from behind to win the Reay Open Championship. After the opening round, Fred trailed youngsters Andrew Crawford and Gary Calder by five shots. But as the weather deteriorated, experience began to tell and Fred, renowned for his short game skills, put together an excellent round. With the greens in immaculate condition, the putter became the hottest club in the bag, which Fred proved as he single putted seven of the eighteen greens in his score of 73. Fred did have an anxious wait before being declared the winner, as last man on the course and defending champion Raymond Taylor put in a late surge to finish just one stroke behind the winning total of 151. As champion, Fred won the Reay Trophy whilst Raymond had the consolation of collecting the Hebden Cup for the lowest net total of 142.
In Division 1, scratch prizes went to Nicky Klimas (Wick) and Andrew Crawford, both on 153 with Gavin Sutherland (9) and Gary Calder (Thurso) (5) taking the handicap prizes, both on 143. In Division 2, Alex Anderson (14) led both the scratch and handicap lists, but it was his net score of 146 that gave him the top prize. Andy MacKay (13) was clear in second place on 149 and Mike Browne edged Stuart McIntosh (Thurso) (19) for third spot on 154. The scratch prize went to Gavin Gunn on 175. Prizes were presented by Ian Martin, Sales and Marketing Director of Orion Engineering Services Ltd, the main sponsors of the event.
JGC Open (Thurso) - 20 June 04 One of the North of Scotland's best golfers, Steve McIntosh, paid a surprise
visit the Thurso Golf Club on Sunday to compete in the JGC Open and shot a
superb round of 65 to win the scratch award by three shots from his playing
partner Allan Cameron, from Fortrose and Rosemarkie club. Steve Pickard, now a Reay member, claimed top place in the 0-12 handicap category on countback from Lee Parnell after both returned 64's. Steve Spargo was a shot further back in third, with Wick's Forbes Sinclair edging out Jim Swanson countback for fourth place. Ronald Mackay gave further evidence of his rapid progress in the game he only took up a couple of seasons ago with a winning net 65 in the higher handicap category. Wick member Eann Steven finished in second place with a nett 67 beating the home club's bar organisers Davie Irvine and Ronnie Mowat by one and two shots respectively. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Pentland Open (Thurso) - 19 June 04 Poor weather curtailed the field for the Pentland Hotel sponsored - Pentland Open for teams of three on Saturday and it turned out to be the late starters who fared best. Graeme Cameron(36), Andy MacGregor (36) and Alan Mackenzie (32) set the target of 104 points and Ewan Mackenzie (34) and Dave Lyall (35) had an anxious wait for their final team member Alf Williamson's return. Williamson, with an astonishing outward nine of 23 points, did not let them down and his final tally of (37) gave them the trophy by two points. Billy Sutherland (36) claimed the award for the best score outwith the winning teams. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Summer Cup - Round 7 / Strokeplay - Round 2 - 15 June 04 Highlight of Round 7 was yet another hole-in-one at the short 5th hole, the third of the season. Richard McDonald became the toast of the evening when his wind assisted, wedge shot trundled into the cup for his moment of glory. Further glory beckoned with birdies at the next two holes but from then on it was a struggle. Instead, it was Richard's playing partner, Lee Parnell, who took the Division 1 honours with a fine score of 74 (6) 68. Only one stroke behind was Gavin Sutherland (9) with Grant Maxwell (8) beating Andy Mowat (3) to third place on net 70. In Division 2, Willie Williamson (23) claimed first place ahead of Bill McIntosh (19), both finishing on net 68. Danny O'Hagan was on his own in third spot, scoring 87 (17) 70. As the Summer Cup approaches the half way stage, it is Evan Sutherland who leads the competition with an aggregate score of 275 for four rounds. Murdo MacDonald is in second place on 277 with Lee Parnell third on 280.
Reay Gala Open - 13 June 04 In a season of golfing upsets, there was another one when Sandy Chisholm, long time member of Reay Golf Club, won the Reay Gala Open competition, sponsored by AEA Technology Battery Systems. It was his first ever, individual Cup success. In near gale force winds, Sandy recorded an exceptional round of 77 (12) 65 to win by four strokes. Sandy traced his change in fortune to the preceding day's June Medal when, because of early season poor form, he discarded his brand new driver, in favour of his old trusty No 1. This gave him renewed confidence on the tee and, on Sunday, this confidence plus his accuracy with the fairway woods, particularly on the inward nine holes, saw him turn in one of his best ever performances. The competition was well supported by all Caithness clubs but, once again, the weather played a big part in the scoring. The best gross score was 77, returned by Sandy, David Dunbar and John Gunn of Lybster and, after count back, it was the latter who won the scratch prize. Runner up to Sandy was Andy Bain who fired an excellent 82 (13) 69, despite an 8 at the 16th, to take top handicap prize in Division 2. Danny O'Hagan followed him home on 87 (17) 70 with Elliot Cormack of Wick third on 85 (13) 72. In Division 1, Grant Maxwell's good scoring run continued with 78 (8) 70 to finish first. In a triple tie for second place, Thurso's Murray McGlasson (10) powered his way past Evan Sutherland (10) and David Dunbar (6), all on net 71. In the Ladies Division, the leading lady in the recent PTA Open, Lynne Whitelaw (36) repeated her success by edging out Pam Bain (11), both finishing on net 78.
June Medal - 12 June 04 It was a case of clickety-click in the June Medal as a pair of 66's won the Division medals. In a day of low scoring, Aly MacKay won the Division 1 medal after carding 72 (6) 66. One stroke behind was David Dunbar on 74 (7) 67 with Sandy Chisholm third on 79 (12) 67. In Division 2, Stephen Lucas made a big impact by winning the medal with 79 (13) 66. Willie Williamson played equally as well to score 90 (24) 66, but unfortunately, for the second time this year, Willie finished in runner up spot. Third place went to Terry Grace on 88 (21) 67. One golfer who didn't make the prize list was County Champion, Don A MacKay, but he did have the best score of the day, a gross 69.
Summer Cup - Round 6 / Strokeplay - Round 1 - 08 June 04 The Summer Cup, sponsored by Atkins Nuclear, has seen significant progress over the last two weeks. In Round 6, three of the Division 1 players had to endure some nasty weather but all scored a creditable net 71. The best finish came from Steve Pickard (8), with Andy Mowat (3) second and Alistair Gunn third. Early starter Murdo MacDonald fired the lowest score of the day as he returned 84 (14) 70. Runner up in Division 2 was Stephen Lucas on 86 (13) 73 with Danny O'Hagan third on 92 (17) 75.
Presidents Prize - 06 June 04 If anyone needs a lesson on how to play the par 3's at Reay, please get in touch with former Club Captain, Andy Mackay. Andy recorded birdie 2's at holes 5, 9 and 15, a rare and outstanding feat, on his way to a convincing three stroke win, in the competition for the President's Prize. With the rest of his game in good shape, Andy's score of 77 (14) 63 was a truer reflection of his golfing ability and justified earlier predictions of a return to the top Division. Andy's performance inspired playing partner George MacDonald into another solid showing and his score of 88 (22) 66 was sufficient to edge out the consistent Les Patrick on 81 (15) 66 for second place. In ideal playing conditions, competition for places in Division 1 was tight. David Mowat and Bruce MacKay, both off 11 handicap, tied on net 66, but David was placed first after application of the count back rule. At one stage, Club President, Alf MacKay was in the embarrassing situation of leading his own tournament, but in the end was happy to settle for third place on 79 (12) 67.
County Championships (36) - (Wick) - 05 June 04 Don Mackay won the County Championships at Reiss last Saturday with an impressive display of controlled golf and magical putting. His morning round of 67 resulted in a two shot lead over the holder, Nicky Klimas of Wick, with Ron Taylor (Wick) and Dougie Thorburn (Thurso) three shots further behind. Mackay added another superb round of 68 in the afternoon for an impressive total of 135, eventually triumphing by eight shots. Taylor's second-round 71 gave him a total of 143 and second prize by virtue of a superior second round over Klimas, who slipped to 74, while Thorburn's second 72 left him one shot adrift of the prizes. In the handicap section, Wick's William Taylor had an excellent nett 65 in the morning followed by a steady 72 and a winning total of 137, off a 13 handicap. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Summer Cup - Round 5 - 01 June 04 The club's two players with the initials LP, Les Patrick and Lee Parnell, were decidedly on song in Round 5 of the Summer Cup, Reay's midweek competition, sponsored this year by Atkins Nuclear. Steady Les had nothing worse than a 6 on his card and ended with 81 (16) 65, the best score of the day. The better inward half decided second place with Danny O'Hagan (17) marginally ahead of Andy MacKay (14), both on net 68. In Division 1, Lee Parnell recovered from a double bogey at the 6th to come home in level par and a round of 73 (6) 67. As in Division 2, there was a tie for second place. Lee's playing partner, Richard McDonald (7) birdied two of the inward nine holes to overtake Evan Sutherland (10), both finishing on net 69.
Bert Brownlie Open (Thurso) - 30 May 04 Bert Brownlee was a legendary golf enthusiast and it is appropriate that his
open trophy is sponsored by the Weigh Inn Hotel, which was the base for the
Pentland Golf society of which Bert was very much a part. The Reay pairing of David Mowat and Alistair Gunn also managed 29 on the way out to win by one shot from regular pairing Alf Williamson and Jack Johnstone. Birdie two's at the third and fifth holes, where no handicap shots were available proved decisive for the deserved winners. The highlight for the runners-up was a birdie at the last for a nett two to deny Harvey Cowe and Walter Rutherford, who beat two other Thurso pairs - Blair McIntosh and Graeme Henderson, and Willie 'WJ' Shearer and Clark Grant, to third place on countback.
report & picture from John 'O' Groat Journal
Reay School PTA Open - 29 May 04 Donald C Mowat, 'Mojo' to his friends, lived up to his nickname when he turned in a spellbinding performance to win the RMC sponsored Reay School PTA Open. He recorded five birdies in a personal best gross 70, net 62, to win the overall handicap prize and trophy. Donald's 70 was also the best scratch score, but adhering to the rule that no player can win more than one prize, the scratch award went to the recent winner of the Thurso Comm Bar Open, John O'Brien. With the first sightings of summer, the scores improved noticeably and several players made their mark. One player who deserves a special mention is senior player, Alf MacKay, who scored 77 (12) 65 to win top prize in Division 1. Thurso's Murray McGlasson took second place on 77 (10) 67. Wick Captain, John Hunter, on 74 (6) 68, secured third spot as he held off the challenge of Alistair Gunn and Andy Bain. John Disbury has already made the headlines this year and again on Saturday when he topped Division 2 with a score of 87 (23) 64. Three players tied for second place on net 66. Bill McIntosh on 86 (20) pipped Willie Williamson on 91 (25), with Wick's Tony Wilson the unfortunate player to finish fourth. In her first competitive season, Lynne Whitelaw, on 110 (36) 74, was a clear winner of the Ladies' section. Junior prizes went to Stuart Adamson and James Loughborough. The day was brought to a successful close when David Carter, Manager of Risk Management Consultants, presented the prizes in the clubhouse.
Summer Cup - Round 4 - 25 May 04 In midweek, Keith Buxton shot the lowest score of the Summer Cup to date, in Round 4. He was amazed at his change in fortune, for only three days previously he had left the course in despair. This time, apart from a lost ball at the 13th, everything went smoothly and he scored a comfortable 82 (19) 63. Second place went to Murdo MacDonald on 84 (13) 71, with Andrew Sutherland third on 99 (27) 72. In Division 1, Donald C Mowat gave a foretaste of what was to come by firing six 3's in a round of 76 (9) 67. One stroke behind was Evan Sutherland and Grant Maxwell. Evan's 78 (10) winning on count back over Grant's 76 (8).
Bank of Scotland Open (Wick) - 23 May 04 Ron Taylor made a welcome return to form in the Bank of Scotland 18-hole
open at Reiss with an excellent round of 69, three shots ahead of clubmate,
Nicky Klimas. In section one of the event (0-12), the best nett score was returned by Alan Forbes, 69 (5), followed by Nicky Klimas on 71 (1) and Gordon Steven Jnr, 72 (9). In section two (13-28) William Taylor's nett 66 (16) resulted in another
prize heading to Watten.
G Coupar Challenge Shield - 22 May 04 A stalwart competitor for a number of years at Reay Golf Club, Ronnie Wallace doesn't always get the success he deserves, but on Saturday he put that right. Bringing up the rear of the field in the George Coupar Challenge Trophy, Ronnie raced to the turn, dropping only one shot to par and amassing a total of 21 points. Only in the closing stages did Ronnie falter but his inward 18 points was matched by few and his overall total of 39 points made him a worthy winner. One player who almost toppled Ronnie was Chris Hobson, who played in the toughest of the conditions. Equal halves of 19 points meant that Chris missed out by just 1 point, a great effort. Third place in Division 1 went to Evan Sutherland who got the verdict over Andy Bain and Gavin Sutherland, all on 35 points. The most impressive player in Division 2 was Will McLeod. A fine outward half of 20 points gave him a chance of the Trophy, but a hiccup at the short 15th hole, where he failed to score a point, left him with a total of 37 points. Alex MacKay took second place, ahead of Bill McIntosh, both scoring 36 points.
Summer Cup - Round 3 - 18 May 04 While most of the UK has enjoyed the summer weather during May, Caithness has lived up to its reputation as the windy county. From dawn to dusk, the wind blows and is threatening to make a mockery of the Summer Cup. Round 3 ended with the dubious distinction of being the first 'Reductions Only' competition at Reay. That said, there were some good scores recorded in both Divisions. Debutant, William Young, achieved the best score of the day, 98 (27) 71, to head Division 2. Some distance behind was colleague Gordon Walker on 89 (15) 74, with Andrew Sutherland third on 102 (27) 75. A player who frequently appears on the prize list, Dav MacKay, took first place in Division 1 with a fine score of 79 (7) 72. David Gray moved up one place from last week to finish second with 85 (11) 74. Alf Mackay headed a quartet of players to take third on 87 (12) 75.
Comm Bar Open (Thurso) - 16 May 04 Known as the 'Melvich magician' in his footballing heyday, John O'Brien from
the Reay Club conjured up a winning performance in Thurso Golf Club's, Comm Bar
Open on Sunday. With back-to-back birdies at the seventh and eight, O'Brien was out in one under par and, after a few shots dropped on the way in, finished with a birdie for a fine one-over-par round. The birdie was a crucial one for it denied victory for second placed Pat Valentine, who returned a nett 65 without a birdie on his card. Another former footballer, Joe Wilson, won the higher handicap category, while Anne Simmonite pipped Julie Murray by a shot to take the Ladies' prize. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Captains Prize - 15 May 04 On Saturday, a momentous day's golf at Reay produced a new course record and a hole-in-one, both in the Captain's Prize competition.
Don A MacKay shattered the existing course record of 67, which he shared with James Henderson, by going round in 63. There was no thought of a record as shots were dropped at the opening two holes, but Don quickly got to grips with his putter and retrieved the situation by birdieing 3 and 4. Further birdies at 7 and 8 saw him out in 32, two under par. A drive and sand wedge to within four feet at the 10th, which he sunk, gave him the perfect start to the inward nine. At 13, another four feet birdie putt was holed and at the par 5, 14th, a drive, wedge and ten feet putt went agonisingly close to an eagle. Holeable putts at 15 and 17 slipped by but a closing birdie two brought him home in 31, four under par. Don's scorecard read - OUT = 4 5 3 4 3 5 2 3 3 = (32) Don's record score proved a winner and completely overshadowed the hole-in-one achieved by Bruce MacKay. It came at the 5th, courtesy of a 5-iron. This was the second hole-in-one at the 5th, both within a five-week period. Unfortunately, the excitement was too much for Bruce, who let the rest of his round slip away gracefully. Second place went to Donald 'Mojo' Mowat on 76 (9) 67 and third to Dav MacKay 75 (7) 68, fractionally ahead of Aly MacKay on 73 (5) 68. Willie Williamson came out tops in Division 2 with a fine score of 92 (26) 66. Kenny Farmer on 81 (14) 67 was second and Tom Sinclair 86 (18) 68 third.
Summer Cup - Round 2 - 11 May 04 After the disappointing start to the Summer Cup, Round 2 saw the competition get back on track with several low scores. The best of these, 79 (15) 64 came from Alan Paul who is heading rapidly towards a Category 2 handicap. Murdo MacDonald also gained a handicap reduction, finishing second on 81 (14) 67 with David Craig 102 (28) 74 third. Evan Sutherland was a clear winner in Division 1 on 76 (10) 66. Sandy Chisholm also beat the Standard Scratch to finish second on 80 (12) 68 with David Gray (11) edging out John O'Brien (6) for third place on net 69.
Rotary Open (Thurso) - 09 May 04 Gavin Sutherland has made a dream start to his season. Last week the 14 year old won the Parry Trophy at his home club and on Sunday he claimed the Rotary Trophy, in Thurso, with an excellent gross 74, which yielded 43 stableford points, two clear of the field. Despite a double bogey at the short fifth, Gavin was only four over par at
the turn and did even better on the way in with birdies at the 12th and 13th on
his way to a one over par back nine. The only other player to break the 40
point mark was Ronnie Mowat, his 41 point effort - undoubtedly the best of his
career, gaining first place in category two. Ian Thomson, despite being seriously disappointed with his homeward nine, emerged as top rotarian with 33 points. Julie Murray was best of a select field of ladies with 32 points.
report from John 'O' Groat Journal
May Medal - 08 May 04 When the mist descended on Reay Golf Course at the weekend, playing conditions became both difficult and dangerous. What it did was make the golfers concentrate that little bit extra, none more so than David Dunbar who emerged with a personal best to win the May Medal. Hitting the ball long and straight, David was never in trouble. Out in 37 with a birdie at the 6th, David shot further birdies at 14, 17 and 18 to be home in 34. His score of 71(8)63 was the best net score and his 71 the best gross score. There was little to choose between Andy Bain and Grant Maxwell for second place. Andy's 79(12)67 and Grant's 75(8)67 both contained excellent inward halves, but Andy's higher handicap gave him the advantage. Four players finished on net 69 - Steve Efemey, Ronnie Wallace, Chris Hobson and Dav Mackay. Almost unnoticed, former club captain, Andy MacKay has slipped into Handicap Category 3. However, there are signs of better things to come as Andy won the Division 2 May Medal with a score of 83(13)70. In a disappointing entry in this division, Andy won by four shots from Ian Sutherland on 90(16)74.
Summer Cup - Round 1 - 04 May 04 - Reay's competitions this year have been plagued by unfavourable conditions. The start of the Summer Cup was no different and was marked by a day of incessant rain. Of the hardy souls who teed off, only three survived the elements. They were Gavin Gunn who fired a noteworthy 82(11)71, Alistair Gunn and Jock Eunson. Deservedly, between them, they swept up all the prize money.
Texas Scramble (Teams of 3) - 02 May 04 The main golf topic of conversation this week has been the spectacular gross score of 57 recorded on Sunday at Reay in the Texas Scramble Open. The players who put together this round of dreams were Ron Matheson, Grant Maxwell and Don A MacKay. The round was made up as follows:- 3 3 4 5 3 4 2 3 3(30) 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 2(27). Not surprisingly, their score of 57(2.8) 54.2 was the best net score of the day. Another Reay/Thurso combination of Richard McDonald, Murray McGlasson and Julie Murray finished second on 64(7.6)56.4 with third place going to Dav MacKay, Donald 'Mojo' Mowat and Ronnie Wallace on 63(4.8)58.2.
RNLI Open (Wick) - 02 May 04 The best weather of the season resulted in excellent scoring in the 18 hole
RNLI Open in Wick. In the handicap sections, category one (0-12) was won by David Nicolson with
a nett 67. John Hunter and Ian Thomson were second and third respectively. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Parry Trophy - 01 May 04 On Saturday, preferred lies were removed at Reay Golf Course but this posed few problems for the golfers competing for the Parry Trophy. Amongst a clutch of low scores, it was promising young golfer, Gavin Sutherland who stole the limelight. Off 14 handicap, Gavin had halves of 38 and 39, to score net 63 and win the Trophy by 1 stroke. Club treasurer, Ian Ross was the unlucky golfer to finish second, having matched Gavin's outward half, but took one more on the back nine to come home in 40. Third place went to Bill McIntosh with 86(19)67. In the top division, Gavin Gunn put together his best round of the year to score 77(12)65. He finished two strokes ahead of the Mowats, Donald 'Mojo'edging out Corfin Cup winner David on count back. Don A MacKay, who recently acquired 1 handicap status, had the best gross score of 71.
McAllan's Open (Reiss) - 25 April 04 Don A Mackay, from Reay Golf Club, continued his fine form of 2004 with a
comfortable win over the Reiss links in the McAllan's Open. His scratch 67
was an excellent score in difficult conditions, the lack of rough being offset
by early season greens. Wick's treasurer, Ewen MacDonald, came up with the best figures in the
handicap section, his nett 66 winning by a comfortable margin. report from John 'O' Groat Journal
Ward Trophy / High Handicap - 24 April 04 With spring in the air at Reay on Saturday, there was a noticeable improvement in scoring for the Ward Trophy. Although it was a Stableford competition which allows for one or two bad holes, the top two players, Alan Paul and Joe Wilson were models of consistency, each of them having nothing more than one 6 on their cards. Joe made the better start making 20 points against Alan's 18. On the inward nine holes, Joe scored 19 but Alan, with the aid of four net birdies, increased his score to 22 points. This ensured that Alan was the victor with a total of 40 points against Joe's 39. For a low handicapper to win, such as Graeme Dunnett who had strokes to spare at only two holes, required a huge effort. With four birdies in his round, Graeme came close, finishing third on 38 points. One of the best inward halves came from Willie Steven who pipped Colin Earnshaw and Gavin Gunn to take fourth place, all on 36 points. High Handicap Prize In his first outing of the season, Calum MacKenzie won the High Handicap prize. His score of 92(23)69 was matched by that of Alex MacKay on 89(20)69, but won the competition by virtue of the better inward half. Third place went to Willie Williamson on 99(25)74. RNLI Open (Reay) - 18 April 04 They say that golfers are a hardy breed and certainly at Reay, on Sunday, all who participated, including a good representation from Wick and Thurso, deserved a medal. In utterly miserable conditions, they turned in some excellent scoring in the RNLI Open. In a blanket finish, four golfers tied for first place - George MacDonald and Don A MacKay of Reay, Forbes Sinclair of Wick and Ian MacPhee of Thurso. All struggled on the way home but it was George who suffered least and won the RNLI Trophy with a score of 91(23)68.
In Category 2, Ian MacPhee's 96(28)68 took first place ahead of club mate James Lynch 89(20)69 who in turn had one to spare over Kenny Farmer on 83(13)70. Forbes Sinclair topped Category 1 with 79(11)68. Graeme Cameron of Thurso and James Howden of Wick both scored 80(11)69 but Graeme finished second by virtue of the better inward half. Don MacKay's gross 70 was by far and away the best round of the day and won the scratch prize. Corfin Bogey - 17 April 04
Reay's only bogey competition, for the Corfin Cup, produced a close finish with villagers David Mowat and Evan Sutherland tieing for first place. Out early, Evan impressed and was +3 at the turn. David was only one behind and, whereas Evan dropped a shot on the inward nine, David finished all square and won the Cup on count back. Third place went to John O'Brien on +1 with Grant Maxwell the only other player to match par. Category 2 was also very close with Colin Earnshaw edging John Disbury into second place, both on -1. One shot further back was George MacDonald. Tennent's Cup Greensome - 11 April 04 Wayne Mowat's top showing was repeated on Sunday when he teamed up with fellow 5-handicapper, Aly MacKay, to win the Greensomes competition for the Tennent's Cup. However, it was a close run affair. Their score of 70(5)65 was matched by Alf MacKay and Sandy Chisholm who scored 77(12)65 but the better inward half favoured Wayne and Aly. Third place went to Ian Sutherland and George MacDonald on net 67.2, just ahead of David Mowat and Andrew Crawford on 67.6. Reay Medal - 10 April 04 Easter weekend was an eventful one for golfers, culminating
in a dramatic and memorable win for Phil Mickelson in the US Masters. Category 1 golfers again turned in some good performances with Wayne Mowat topping the list with an excellent 71(5)66. Don A MacKay came home in 33 and shot the lowest round of the day, a gross 69 to take second place. Third spot went to Andy Bain on 81(12)69 by virtue of the better inward half from Donald 'Mojo' Mowat and Ronnie Wallace. Hi-Lo Foursomes - 04 April 04 Alex went one better on Sunday when he teamed up with Gavin Gunn to win the Hi-Lo Foursomes. In a very competitive contest, they scored net 68, one stroke ahead of Alf MacKay and Ian Sutherland who, in turn, pushed the opening pair of Sandy Chisholm and Willie Williamson into third place by half a stroke. Ian Mowat, the club's new Vice-President, handed over the Trophy and prizes at the end of play. April Medal - 03 April 04 The official 'summer' season of golf got under way at the weekend with many golfers convinced that winter had not yet departed. At Reay Golf Club on Saturday only the hardiest of golfers ventured out. One of these was Bruce MacKay who took advantage of the improving afternoon conditions to score an excellent 77, net 66, to earn the first handicap reduction of the year and win the Category 1 April Medal. It was tough on Grant Maxwell who fired four birdies in his round of 76 (8) 68 and narrowly failed to complete a hat-trick of Medal wins, having previous success in December and January. Third place went to Jock Eunson who edged out Sandy Chisholm, both on net 71. The Category 2 April Medal winner was early starter Will McLeod who swept away the competition, scoring 96 (26) 70, with Alex MacKay finishing runner-up. Captain versus Vice Captain - 27 March 04
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