Summer League (sponsored by NewsBeaT) - Season 2010-2011

Summer League 6 - 19 May 10

After a distinctly subdued start in miserable spring weather the Newsbeat Summer League at Thurso Golf Club came to life in spectacular fashion last week with some excellent scoring and the first hole in one of the season added in for good measure.

The week's top score belonged to Graeme Henderson who shot the round of his life on Wednesday, going round in gross 76 for 46 Stableford points.

Henderson scored 24 of his points on the front nine that contained his only birdie, at the eighth hole. He stumbled a little with a double bogey at the eleventh but five more pars over the closing stretch more than compensated for the slip. As a result of his efforts Henderson's handicap has been cut by four shots to 13.

Jason Simpson, who has been showing some form this season, claimed second place from Rory Hadden on count back, after both scored 40 points. Simpson had 21 points for the back nine, one more than Hadden.

Malcolm Morrison, playing with Simpson, also had 21 points on the way in for 39 points, a total also recorded by Stephen Osborne and Walter Rutherford.

Alan 'Kinser' Mackenzie made a fine return to competitive golf with 38 points, the same as Nicky Doherty, Keith Dreaves and Pat Valentine.

Former Club Champion Alan Swanson managed to avoid hitting any bridges this week as he returned a gross 65, his best ever score on his home course, to win the Thursday session with 42 points.

Swanson's first nine was eventful. Despite a less than perfect second shot to the first hole, a good putt, the first of many during the round, delivered a birdie. A visit to a ditch on the fourth took him back to level par but three consecutive birdies from the seventh hole got him to the turn in 32. Further birdies were to follow at the thirteenth and eighteenth holes but a visit to the trees on the sixteenth cost him a bogey and limited his inward nine to one under par 33.

Competition Sponsor Terry Mackay only dropped one point to the card, at the seventh hole, on his way to a 39 point round and claimed second place on count back from Graeme Cameron who had an impressive 21 point front nine.

Alan Coghill, Ronald Matheson, Peter Knight and George Munro were next best on 38 points.

Doug Thorburn was in fine form again with a gross 68 that included birdies at the twelfth and thirteenth holes. However, his birdie two at the twelfth did not give him the honour on the thirteenth tee. This went to popular greenkeeper Frazer Sparling who scored his first ever hole in one.

Sparling had not been having the best of nights, especially at the par fives, but a sweetly struck rescue club delivered the ball into the hole after one bounce. He then went on to birdie the next hole and equal his other playing partner, Graeme Cameron's, inward nine total of 21 points.

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