April 21st 2007
RELIEF FOR ERIC
Determined to get his picture in the paper at least once before he returned to work in the North Sea, and disappointed to have been overlooked when he and partner Kenny John” Pongo” MacLeod won the day on the penultimate Saturday of the Winter League, Eric “Bo” Anderson held off the challenge of Donald “Sweeney” MacSween to win the Cancer Research Shield last weekend by dint of the better inward half. Third place was claimed by Davie “Coachy” MacLennan.
Davie will be looking for a reason to return to the island for the prize-giving later in the year to accompany wife Jan who triumphed in the ladies medal qualifier, on Saturday, to add to her win in the ladies Cancer Research shield on the opening day of the season. A promising start to his year (albeit somewhat overshadowed by Jan) saw Davie pipped to the Centenary Medal qualifying top spot in midweek by some scintillating golf from a pair of Chris’s. Davie’s 41 pts was only good enough for 3 rd place behind newly crowned Winter League Champion Chris Shield’s 46 pts, and Chris Graham’s 43 pts. Chris has carried the good form of the winter (and the practice habit) into the summer season, and continues his winning ways.
It has been commented by some sore losers in the clubhouse , and on the website (http://www.forumspring.com/winterleague/), that there was a degree of “ banditry” going on, with ability and handicaps being somewhat at variance for the past 6 months regarding one of the “form” players of 2007 to date. Given some of the outrageous acts of larceny committed by some of the protagonists in this ongoing debate, I will certainly add fuel to the fire by congratulating the Winter League winners on at least striving to improve their game by hard work (practice) and application, whilst their detractors are left in their wake by nothing more than indolence.
Everyone has a handicap. Everyone starts somewhere. By practicing, improving, and regularly playing in competitions, the handicap is adjusted to become a true reflection of your ability. If you are still playing off a high handicap after many years of golf, then this is surely an accurate reflection of your ability based on historical evidence.
Maybe jealousy will spur them on? Maybe they will thump me on Saturday?
Midweek saw the ladies contest SLGA Brooch, where Christine MacLeod’s excellent 72 won from Jan MacLennan, who was runner-up, one stroke adrift. Aside from the runaway win of Chris Shields in the men’s competition on Wednesday evening, Norrie “T” MacDonald sneaked qualifying in the low handicap section from Norrie “O” MacDonald, again, by virtue of the better inward half, both finishing somewhat adrift of Chris on a lowly 34 points.
TUESDAY
Ladies SLGA Brooch
1 Christine Macleod 72 Overall Winner
2 Jan Maclennan 73 Overall Runner-Up
3 Donna MacLeod 76 Overall Third
WEDNESDAY
Men's Centenary Medal Stableford Qualifier
1 Chris Shields 46 pts Division 2 Winner
2 Chris M Graham 43 pts Division 2 Runner-Up
3 Dave Maclennan 41 pts Overall Third
4 Norrie"T" MacDonald 34pts Division 1 Winner
SATURDAY
Men's Cancer Relief Shield
1 Eric Anderson 63 Overall Winner
2 Sweeney MacSween 63 Division 2 Winner
3 Dave MacLennan 65 Overall Third
4 Neil Morrison 66 Division 1 Winner
Ladies Medal Qualifier
1 Jan MacLennan 70 Overall Winner
2 Mairi MacIver 73 Overall Runner-Up
3 Donna MacLeod 75 Overall Third
Junior Texas Scramble
1 Stephen Dunn 53.9 Overall Winners
Ally Gillies
Scott MacAulay
Norman MacLeod
2 Jordan MacLean 54.2
David(B) MacLeod
Charlie Morrison
Joseph Munro
Saturday too saw the welcome return to something approaching form of Neil “I’m not going to NR this year” Morrison (no pressure there buddy!). His fine nett 66 saw hip edge out, fresh from hibernation Bryan Geddes (welcome back Bryan), and evergreen Alasdair “Greens” MacLeod who both carded nett 67’s.
The juniors played out a Texas Scramble on Saturday, and the winning team of Stephen Dunn, Ally Gillies, Scott MacAulay and Norman MacLeod must have been delighted to subdue a team containing new junior winter champion Charlie Morrison and also 2006 club junior champion Jordan MacLean.
With Texas Scrambles in mind, please note that Friday 1st June has been set aside as the date for the Western Isles Island Games Golf team’s fundraising event ( followed by food and raffle ) , and the sheet for this is already filling up in the locker room. The entry fee is £20 (£10 for junior teams), and hopefully members will give this their full support, and ensure success of a similar vein to 2005. All donations for the raffle are accepted; please feel free to leave them behind the bar, give them to one of the team, committee or even any member you know. Many thanks to folk who have already contributed ; please rest assured that I will try to send out as many thank you letters as I sent begging letters to help with our participation in this bi-annual event.
Eric Anderson
Jan Maclennan