January 5th 2008
COLIN & BRYAN PROVE THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR CLASS
As sure as there was a guarantee of rain last Saturday, you could also have been sure that two quality golfers would, at some point in the season, come good. Never at any point must last week’s winners Colin MacRitchie and Brian Geddes thought that they wouldn’t score heavily at some point the Winter League. You would have been a fool to bet against them winning at least once.
Combining an eagle and four birdies with three bogies (otherwise it could have been an incredible gross score) they took the course apart, finishing three under par gross, five nett. Had they eagled the more obvious chances presented on the new layout (the driveable Par 4 Whins-Avenue, and the reachable in two, Par 5 Manor-Foresters), and avoided the lapses to par, we could really have witnessed a humbling of the course. As any golfer will tell you, the reason we play is because we all hope to one day have a perfect round, and “blitz” the card. No doubt the lower handicap teams will be eyeing the current course greedily with a view to getting amongst the major points. Could we see someone beat 3 under par gross? Even after only one week of the new course it would be hard not to envisage several pairings, at least, coming close.
One of the pleasures of the winter layouts is that we get to play “hybrid” holes. Few of us have the opportunity to regularly participate on “other” courses (with the exception of Scarista) and they certainly add to our enjoyment and appreciation of our own home course. As we protect our summer tees with alternative starting locations; playing to different greens, from winter tees, gives us the chance to add a bit of variety to our own set up. Suffice to say not everyone agrees with such “innovations”, but as a derivation of what Abraham Lincoln said “You can please some of the people, some of the time…..etc”
Have any of the current membership any ideas about a hole they would like to add to the “hybrid” list? Anyone with any ideas out there? Given the constraints on every 18 hole layout, and with the difficulty in ensuring that when bisecting fairways we do not encroach on any of the current holes in play, or endanger fellow golfers, “inventing” a new hole is not as easy as it first appears.
A bottle of scotch and the chance to have a hole named after you (possibly) if anyone can suggest one not previously tried.
With the weather on Saturday being somewhat tempestuous, conditions for scoring were far from ideal; doubly so when playing on your own, and with little margin for error. Surprisingly then ( or not so surprising if you know the golf he is capable of) Al “Greens” MacLeod was the only significant mover at the top of the table last weekend, shooting an exceptional one over par on his own, and being rewarded with five points. This moves his team to second place and within nine of the leaders. Who knows what the return from injury of partner Ali Nicolson may yield? A league title? Premier or Winter?
Missing partners was a common theme on Saturday, though none of the other “singles” out there distinguished themselves as well as our head green-keeper. Alan “Biddley” MacLeod again bemoaned the lack of support from partner Kenny”Six-pack” MacIver; missing (this time) not through inclement weather, but a prior engagement.
He would do well to remain mindful of a recent trend in the Winter League: Following on from Arthur & Douggie MacIntosh (father and son) we now have Willie & Coinneach MacAulay, Fred & David MacLennan and Paul and Jordan MacLean. There are also Peter O’Brien and Ross MacRae (grandfather and grandson) and current leaders the Johnson (twins).
If blood is thicker than water he might not wish to look at the junior scores from the weekend. There is an up-and-coming young MacLeod waiting in the wings.
From my senior correspondent…
Not a great deal of activity in the past week – a few people are away on holiday, others were recovering from the festivities. Although last Monday was surely one of the best days this winter, the scoring was not particularly good. Duncan MacLean, Peter O’Brien and Jimmy MacKenzie were the pick of the bunch – hardly surprising that the more consistent players should feature prominently.
At the other end of the scale, one player (who shall remain nameless in case I need a favour) returned the lowest Stableford score ever recorded in the history of senior’s golf in Stornoway. He was probably dazzled by all that winter sunshine.
There is no change in League Table positions this week – none of the leaders made a significant move.
On the club front, this week sees the first of four quizzes which we have organised to break the winter monotony, and determine a “Spring” Champion team. There will be nightly winners but the overall winning team will be the one with the best aggregate score from 3 of the four quizzes. The dates are tomorrow night (11th Jan) and subsequently the 1st and 29th of February, and the 28th of March.
Entry fee is £5 per team of four, and we are looking for teams from anywhere and everywhere. We will start at 7:30, and teams can turn up on the night.
The Burns Supper (25th Jan) tickets are on sale in the club now, and predictably they are moving swiftly. Pick yours up now, or call the club on 702240 to reserve them. This is one of the highlights of the year, and a night not to be missed.
Scores Saturday 05.01.08 Gross H/C Nett Points
B Geddes & C Macritchie 46 2 44 15
MSmith & Coinneach Macaulay 50 5 45 11
R Martin & N Mackenzie 52 7 45 11
N Munro & J Mackinnon 55 9 46 8
M Macdonald & I Macritchie 54 7 47 7
DK Macleod & S Moar 52 4 48 5
C Robertson & R Galloway 51 3 48 5
Ali Nicolson & Al Macleod 50 2 48 5
D Rattray & KN Macdonald 57 9 48 5
DJ Maclean & J Watson 58 9 49 1
A Macintosh & JD Macintosh 55 6 49 1
J Duncan & G Macaskill 55 6 49 1
D Macsween & J Fraser 57 8 49 1
DJ Smith & D Macleod 52 3 49 1
D Black & M Maclennan 50 1 49 1
P Dickie & S Macdonald 55 6 49 1
M (Griddy) Macleod & K Macrae 51 2 49 1
League Leaders Points
Murdo & Magnus Johnston 74
Ali Nicolson & Al"Greens"MacLeod 65
J Gillies & G Brown 63
DJ Smith & D Macleod 62
D.Black & Murdo "Hollo" MacLennan 60
Junior Scores Saturday 05.01.08 Gross H/C Nett Points
David 'Biddley' Macleod 67 23 44 10
Alasdair Gillies 57 7 50 7
Charlie Morrison 59 9 50 7
Kenneth Macleod 66 14 52 3
Scott Macaulay 58 4 54 2
Junior League Leaders Points
Kenneth Macleod 65
Stuart Macaulay 60
Scott Macaulay 59
Senior Scores WE 05.01.08
Duncan Maclean 23
Peter O’Brien 22
Jimmy MacKenzie 22
Dennis Hall 21
Norrie MacLean 21
Bryan Geddes & Colin Macritchie