Mens Tournaments - Season 2008-2009

Winter Eclectic 6 - 21 March 09
Calder wins 6th Round but Ali and Harvey are champions

The final round of Thurso Golf Club's winter Eclectic was played in reasonable conditions on Saturday with three players managing to beat the nett par of 66 for the winter layout.

The day's outstanding round belonged to Gary Calder with a gross 70, nett 64, that earned him victory by a shot over Alf Williamson and Stuart Bell who lost out on second place after count back. It was steady stuff from Calder as he was two over par for each nine with his only birdie coming at the short fifth hole.

Williamson's round was also a very steady one with 41 shots for each nine and his only birdie coming at the short fourteenth. Like Williamson, Bell took 41 shots for the front nine and continued to go well until the final two holes that proved extremely costly.

Pat Valentine, who had the second best scratch score of the day, a 75, finished in fourth place on nett 67, one ahead of John Morrison.

Despite a good number of shots being taken off by the chasing pack, the top five positions in the Eclectic were unchanged with Ali Simpson and Harvey Cowe coming out on top with nett 59.5, half a shot clear of Angus Cameron. Alf Williamson was in fourth position with nett 60.5, half a shot ahead of Valentine.

Winter Eclectic 5 - 28 February 09
Cameron wins with great front 9

There was a good turn out and some good scoring in the fifth round of the Winter Eclectic at Thurso Golf Club on Saturday.

Angus Cameron claimed first place with a nett 63 that was largely based on an excellent front nine of 34, only two over par.

Apart from a double bogey six at the second hole, Cameron was going along steadily until his round really came to life with birdies at the eighth and ninth holes. His inward nine was hardly of the same quality but he did add a further birdie at the fifteenth hole.

Davie Calder was also on the birdie trail with a two at the fifth hole and a three at the thirteenth helping him to a nett 64 for second place.

Competition leader Ally Simpson didn't have any birdies in his round that was a fine effort for all that, his nett 66 earning third place by a shot from John Morrison, Len Murray, Keith Dreaves and Gordon Bailey.

Simpson's efforts gave him a reduction of four shots in his eclectic total but he no longer holds the outright lead as Harvey Cowe trimmed six shots off his total and both now lead with nett 59.5.

Saturday's winner Cameron reduced his total by even more and an eight shot reduction saw him into third place on nett 62.

Winter Eclectic 4 - 22 February 09
Robertson has better fortune on Sunday

Robertson enjoyed better fortune the following day by winning the fourth round of the Winter Eclectic with a nett 68 over the winter course.

Regular playing partners Alf Williamson and Jack Johnstone would have enjoyed their own private contest as they returned nett 69's to share second place.

Competition leader Ally Simpson occupied fourth place on nett 70, one ahead of Medal winner Cowe and runner-up Cameron. A birdie at the thirteenth helped Simpson to retain his lead with a nett score of 63.5, a shot clear of Williamson with Robertson on nett 65, half a shot in front of Cowe.

Winter Eclectic 3 - 28 December 08
Terry Crow wins by one for winter victory

Terry Mackay, a recent entry into the newsagent business, successfully went in search of headlines as he won Sunday's third round of the Winter Eclectic.

Mackay, who hasn't played much golf this winter, was in good form for most of his round with the only hiccups coming at the ninth and tenth holes on his way to a nett 68 to win by a shot from Alistair Bell.

Bell, whose gross 75 was the best of the day, by one from Bryan Ronald, got off to a good start and was level par after five holes only to stumble at the par three sixth and ninth holes. He steadied the ship thereafter though to relegate Club Captain Pat Valentine into third place by a shot.

Currently Valentine occupies fourth place in the Eclectic, three shots behind Bell and Ronald who share second place on nett 66, half a shot behind leader Ali Simpson.

Winter Eclectic 2 - 15 November 08
Billy holds on to win

Competitors in the second round of Thurso Golf Club's Winter Eclectic enjoyed better conditions than in the opening round although a strong breeze helped to keep scores on the high side. Indeed the average score for the field was almost four shots higher than last weekend with all of the holes into the wind played at more than two over par.

Billy Sutherland emerged as Saturday's winner with a nett 68. After a triple bogey start, Sutherland got his game together and was out in 43 strokes, including a birdie at the eighth. His score was a few shots higher on the way in but he held on to win by a shot from Lenny Murray and Ronnie Gray. Those two, playing together, had a great battle with Gray just in front after 38 shots to the turn. A birdie at the thirteenth improved his position but Murray countered with a two at the fourteenth and held on to beat his partner by half a shot after count back. For Gray there was the satisfaction of the day's low round, his 77 beating Donald Jack by a shot.

Not that Jack would have been too concerned about that though as he celebrated his first competitive hole in one after an ace at the fifth hole.

Playing with regular partner Ian Manson, Jack took a seven iron for the 170 yard hole.

Winter Eclectic 1 - 25 October 08
John is singing in the rain

The previous Saturday was a dire day for golf but six silly souls did venture out for the first round of the Winter Eclectic.

The brothers Bain, John and David, set out when it was barely light and the early start paid off for John whose nett 72 earned the sweep money by three shots from Ali Simpson and Dave Lyall.

It was an expensive day for vice captain Simpson as his rescue club lost an argument with a tree on the fifteenth with the top half of the club travelling further than the ball!

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