February 22nd 2007
DAVID AND SCOTT CLOSE IN ON LEADERS
By this morning we will all know the new vice captain, the new committee and what happened at last night’s A.G.M. Hopefully we will all be happy with the outcome(s) and can all get down , once again, to what we all prefer talking about….Golf.
Winners on a day where the scoring was expected to be (but as it turned out wasn’t so) low were Scott MacIver and partner David Gray. Their fine nett 40 for 15 points catapults them to just outside the top 5 positions on 68 points. Excellent Golf gents, and again another win for the “morning” contingent. Maybe this getting up early on a Saturday morning has something to be said for it. I know what some folks thoughts are on Saturday morning golf, and maybe I’d better not say what they said “ for it”. . Sandy and Eddie who work far too hard through the week to consider getting up early on their days off , also made a significant move into the top five, and if last season’s almost perfectly time run into form has taught them anything, it is that it is best to have the leaders firmly in your sights as you approach the final “bend”. Neil Rowlands and Andy MacDonald continue to impress, and after starting with a bogey five (one over par) on Saturday, they marked six consecutive threes on their card thereafter, and finished on a brilliant three under par 42 (+3), for a 45 and three points. Playing off a plus handicap and scoring points is no mean feat. Next week they play off +4. Can they still score points? I believe so. Class counts in this game. Ali Nicolson and Al Greens hang onto third spot, but still throw in one “mad” hole in every round, to spoil their card. To score points late in the season, they will need to cut out such basic errors. They will doubtless laugh (with good reason) at this particular pot calling any kettle black when it comes to errors on the course. Murdo and Magnus (Johnson ) have been quiet for a while, but it cannot be long before we hear from them again in the scoring; and Coinneach MacAulay and Michael Smith also sit handily placed at fourth equal as a result of some fine recent golf.
So what about the top dogs?
Chris MacLeod and Chris Shields continue to score points, punch ( and I hope they don’t mind me saying this ) above their weight, and with only seven weeks to go, a ten point lead, and still playing off a handicap of five , they must surely now be regarded as genuine contenders for the title itself. Who would bet against them? Certainly not Ali “ Ban” and partner “Flute” who dejectedly conceded another whole pound, and pounding of the eardrums in the bar afterwards, having been soundly beaten for not the first time this league campaign by the form team of the season.
Keep it up lads…nae pressure !
Donnie and Duncan ( not Duncan and Duncan) as I mistakenly reported last week , scored again last weekend, and this time even stayed for a photograph. Or was it just to correct my mistake? My apologies to Mr Murray , I will leave him something to put a sparkle in his coffee this Saturday. Murdo O’ Brien scored on his own this week, partner Murdo Fraser having to spend much of his free time this winter both building a house, and watching all the security cameras in the town in his spare time while funding is sought for extra videotape. Luckily he is blessed with a photographic memory. Unluckily the only artists available were on the end of the lens. Dennis and Robbie continue to do the seniors proud, still plundering decent points ( and the occasional half bottle in the raffle) on a Saturday afternoon despite ( or because of ?) playing several times already through the week on the “ legends” tour. Peter Grant and Paul MacLean again scored decent points, and it would have been a first for me to have had to take the same picture three weeks on the trot, Paul more used to furnishing us with papers rather than appearing in them with such regularity. We will see both their pictures in the golf notes again in 2007.
So to Saturday’s scores
17.02.07
Scott MacIver & David Gray 40 15
Sandy Bruce & Eddie MacKenzie 42 12
Neil " Barber" Morrison& Norrie "Onions" Macdonald 43 9
Chris MacLeod & Chris Shields 43 9
NT MacDonald & Jools Folkard 44 6
Donnie Murray & Duncan MacLean 44 6
Peter Grant & Paul MacLean 44 6
Murdo O'Brien 45 3
Dennis Hall & Robbie MacRae 45 3
Liam McGeoghagan& Robert Rankin 45 3
Andy MacDonald & Neil Rowlands 45 3
Top of the Table
Total H'Cap
Chris MacLeod & Chris Shields 83 5
Neil Rowlands & Andy MacDonald 73 4
Ali Nicolson & Al MacLeod 72 1
Murdo Johnson & Magnus Johnson 71 0
Michael Smith & Coinneach Macaulay 69 1
Sandy Bruce & Eddie MacKenzie 69 1
Missing from the top of the table , having featured for most of last year ( they finished 6th ) and part of this , to date, are Kenny MacIver and Alan MacLeod. Possibly a lack of awareness of what the other is doing may be contributing to their recent non-scoring woes. On the green on the long , par-5 , Cup-Forresters in three on Saturday ( a very handy position to be in ) Kenny inexplicably 5 ( or was it 6 ) putted from nine feet. On such an occasion , when you are sure ( you should check first ) that your partner has secured at worst a bogey, then when you miss the first putt by a couple of feet, you should at least focus on the putt for par. Kenny managed to not only miss the par putt, he then proceeded to do what many of us have done in frustration , and half heartedly “tap in “ the bogey putt. This missed , he then did a Marty ( Feldman of Hamlet cigar advert fame ) and ran up an 8 ( or nine ) , thinking, of course, that Alan was safely in the hole for less. Alan had , unfortunately , had something of a similar experience with his putting, and in frustration had kicked his ball into the hole for an NR. Well partner Kenny wouldn’t three putts from nine feet , would he?
Juniors take note. Never take anything for granted where your partner is concerned.
Junior scores on Saturday were ,..
Score Pts
Scott Nicolson 42 10
Charlie Morrison 45 5
Steven Dunn 47 3
Scott MacAulay 50 2
Jordan MacLean 51 1
And the top of the leaderboard looks like…
1. Charlie Morrison 89pts
2. Alasdair Gillies 72
3. Scott Macaulay 62
The ladies section was won on Saturday by Donna MacLeod who has been showing decent form of late, and will be looking to challenge Mairi Maciver as the league progresses.