Local knowledge tells at the Abernethy challenge
ABERNETHY
Another busy week at Abernethy Golf Club starting with a Seniors' team taking part in this season’s first Tri-Match series contested between Abernethy, Carrbridge and Rothes golf clubs with Abernethy lying in 2nd place, 4 points behind current leaders Rothes.
The regular Seniors’ 9-hole Stableford was once again a success story for the winners with 1st place going to David Sandeman scoring 22 points, 2nd place was gained by Helen Fraser (21 pts) and 3rd place went to Charles Legge (20 pts).
The weekend started with the Junior Open when 17 players entered, no doubt being encouraged by the competition also being a qualifier for the Justin Rose/The Telegraph Junior Championship as well as a qualifying competition for the Scottish Golf North Junior Order of Merit.
With a very steady round, local player Haris Burke (14) scored a net 68 lifting the trophy. In 2nd place, also an Abernethy player, was Ewan Sharples (28) with a net 69 and 3rd placed was Grantown player Archie Laing (9) with a net 70.
The winner of the Scratch section was Grantown player Findlay Nicol with a Gross 79.
Findlay also won Nearest the Pin at the tricky 2nd/11th hole with a shot 290cm from the pin.
The Junior Open was followed by a 3-Ball Mixed Team Open on Sunday, when the two best stableford points at each hole counted towards the team scores.
Local knowledge prevailed with the winning teams all being Abernethy players.
The outright winners with a score of 90 points, were Team Munro, made up of Moray Munro, Jean Munro and Margaret Smith.
Two points behind on 88 points were Team West, Matthew West, John Inglis and John Mackie.
In 3rd place with a score of 83 points were Team Donald comprising Alex Donald, Charles Legge and Malcolm McCreath, thanks to a Better Inward Half over Team Clark’s 83 points, June Clark, Susan Philpott and Alison Mitchell.
Winner of the 2nd/11th hole Nearest the Pin for Men was Willie Chisholm, (Inverness) firing to 208cm from the pin and for Women was June Clark (Abernethy) hitting to 303cm from the pin.
BOAT OF GARTEN
At Boat of Garten on Saturday the third Open Tournament of the season, the Annual Mixed Foursomes, attracted a quality field of over 40 pairs from all across the country and was played this year on a day of heavy showers which tested even the very best.
Best scratch score on the day came from Innes and Morag Cowie of Buckpool Golf Club who won on countback from Gordon and Frances Hay ( Boat Of Garten / Whitecraigs) after both couples had returned gross scores of 80.
In third place and just a single shot behind were Amanda Shepherd and Rory Simpson from the host club.
In the Handicap Section it was also a very close affair with Graeme and Alison Daun (Inverness) (13) winning on countback from Ben and Eni MacDonald (Inverness) (16) after both couples carded net scores of 69.
Chris Cox and Irmina Krzak (Shifnal) (19) were third on 70, just pipping Jonathan Bell and Catherine Souter-Bell ( Boat Of Garten) (23) and Ben Klinger / Kinga Nemes (Leatherhead) (17) on countback. Nearest the pin winners were Kathleen MacInnes (Moray) at the 9th hole (1m42cm) and Walter Morris (Nairn) at the 16 th hole (3m 40cm).
Other results: Club Stableford (June 5th) – C Strachan (4), K MacKenzie (11), R Simpson (5) 36 pts; A Gristwood (6), C Stewart (29), C Riach (10) 35 pts; T Philip (22) 34 pts; T Burns (7), I Turner (18) 32 pts.
SGU Greensomes (June 8) – R Lyon and I Murray 35 pts; A Gristwood and R Quinn 34 pts.
Seniors Stableford (June 4th)- K Cruickshank (22) 34 pts; J Ross (8) 32 pts; A Morrison (39) 31 pts; F
McNeilage (35) 30 pts; R McGrath (22) 28 pts; A Boxx (18) 27 pts; D Card (22) 26 pts; R Palmer (29) 22
SPEY VALLEY
The Midweek Stableford saw a low-scoring competition reflecting the poor weather conditions when James Ingram churned out a winning score of 34 with John Low only managing a two less at 32.
1 James Ingram PH 11, net 34; 2 John Low PH 20, net 32; 3 Jonny Barr PH 15, net 28
2's Comp Jerry Ingram @ 10th
The Weekend Stableford from May 17 saw Owen MacGregor card an impressive 7 pars and 1 birdie for a Stableford score of 37 points , beating Paul Downs, with 11 pars and 1 birdie scoring a net 36.
Division 1
1 Owen Macgregor PH 13, net 37; 2 Paul Downs PH 4, net 36; 3 Fraser Sharp PH 9, net 34.
Division 2: George Whyte did well to card a respectable 36 points with a steady scoring of 18 out and 18 back beating Andy Morrison ( 35 points with 5 par): 1 George Whyte PH 23, net 36; 2 Andy Morrison PH 23, net 35; 3 Terry Swinton PH 19 - Net 35
2’s Comp: Paul Downs @ 6th; Scott Fraser @ 10th
KINGUSSIE
Midweek medal:
1 Jake Rodgers (11) 63, 2 W Fraser (4) 65, 3 David Borthwick (2) 67, G Mabon (26)67, A Tulloch (38)68.
June medal div1 1 R Mackeachan (9) 64, R Mcgregor (8)64, David Borthwick (1)65.
Div2 1 D Wink (15) 65 Rory Munro (16)66, B Eley (16) 67. Div 3 1 A Tulloch (35)62 s Hutchinson (27)69 M Macwilliam (33)70. Ladies millennium trophy rnd 2 A Neild (38)72, R Clow (23)76 H Peebles (31)77 K Heslop (25) 80.
CARRBRIDGE
On Sunday at Carrbridge Golf Club The Tommy Loynes Memorial Trophy saw some close competition with only two Stableford points separating the top five in the Gents competition at Carrbridge golf club on Sunday
Charlie Edwards was the winner with 38 points just ahead of Alastair Beatie and Stewart Taylor on 37 points
Resuls: 1Edward, Charlie(19)38 2Beattie, Alastair(10)37 3Taylor, Stewart(13)37 4Muir, Jamie(10)36 5Murray, Andrew R(7)36 6MacKenzie, Kenneth(7)35 7Walker, John(13)35 8MacBean, Lewis(15)33 9Boxx, Alan(14)33 10Watson, Alan(13)32 11Fraser, Andy(19)32 12MacDonald, Charles(13)32 13Gordon, Jamie(0)32 14Malcolm, Ken(16)31 15Nixon, Robert(3)31 16Taylor, Kevin(8)29 17Clark, Jock(17)28 18Hendry, Martin(10)25 19Edward, Alan(14)23 20Henderson, Scott(17)21
In the Ladies competition for the Tommy Loynes Memorial Trophy it was a close with only one point separating the Winner Helen Lorimer from 2nd place Aisne Imperiale:
1Lorimer, Helen(27)33 2Imperiale, Aisne(38)32 3Walker, Ruth( 29)27