September 29th 2007
CAL ROBERTSON IN MASTERCLASS
The 2007 Lifeboat Spoon was won by Cal Robertson on a spectacularly “becalmed” Stornoway golf course last Saturday. Shooting a career equalling, gross 65 (nett 60) he finished top of the pile in an impressively low scoring field. With conditions perfect, and most of the players in their t-shirts enjoying the fine end of season weather, a low score was always going to be required to have any hopes of capturing the trophy.
Setting the pace in the morning was David”Kiwi” MacLeod who shot his season’s best score to set the early pace with an excellent 70(62). Sitting at home he must have wondered if he had left any shots “out there”, and if his score would stand up to the assault of the afternoon golfers. As it turned out only two scores bettered his, but this meant he missed out, not only on the Lifeboat Spoon, but also, agonisingly, on qualification for the last competition of the year, the Jackson Medal final, played next weekend.
Having left my own “form” in the locker-room (or was it toilet?) till the last fortnight of the season, both this year and last, I went into Saturday’s competition as the holder of the trophy. My recent, self-administered, public talking to seems to have spurred some sort of “action”, and I thought I’d just about managed to retain it, with my own best score of the year 71(61), until Cal returned to the clubhouse with his brilliant effort.
Losing out to such a score, whilst disappointing for us both, is tempered with the knowledge that so often the cream of our golfers get “pipped” by some outrageous acts of banditry from the hoi-polloi (I and the rest, not Kiwi). Cal is a fine winner, deserves his success, and the chance to further it next week in the “Jackson “.
The remaining match-play finals were played last week, and following last Saturday’s Tupper Cup win, Murdo O’Brien overcame a dogged Jules Folkard to win the Burns Cup. Played for by the lower (0-15) handicappers, he overcame some fine players to capture the trophy; Huw Lloyd, Alasdair “Greens” MacLeod, Iain Morrison & Bryan Geddes all fell by the wayside as he stormed to the final. Jules himself didn’t have it easy either, having to dispose of Cal Robertson, Kenny “5” MacLeod & David Gray before succumbing eventually to Murdo’s superior current form.
When we talk about current form, both shot a nett 63 on Saturday, so it was always going to be a close run thing.
The Consolation (Pairs) Cup was won by the Johnson twins Murdo and Magnus, with a clinical display against Huw Lloyd and Marten James. One under par after 4 holes, they wrapped up a 5&3 win on the Ditch, and will, after a relatively quiet summer , be looking forward to participation in the Winter League.
The rest of us have been duly warned.
Next week, then, sees the end of the summer season, but there are still, not one, but two (official) trophies up for grabs.
The previously mentioned Jackson Medal, one of the oldest, if not the oldest trophy we compete for, and the Galloway Aggregate trophy. The “Galloway” is one of the newest; and is won by the golfer who has the best six nett rounds of the season. After six months of play only five shots separate the leading eight golfers, and with four of these players being in the sub 5 handicap class, it proves just how competitive the top echelons of the club have been this year.
Winner of the Ladies medal on Saturday was Mary Joyce, and with only their Lifeboat Spoon to play for next Tuesday, can anyone in the ladies section break her winning streak which stretches back to mid July? Her almost complete domination (broken only by her taking a holiday) has been phenomenal this season, and despite the best efforts of the rest of the ladies to match her consistency, no-one has come close.
Several new “prizes” threaten to make an appearance at this years’ annual “do”, and the not so-eagerly awaited awards will lighten the despondency felt by many of us who regularly turn up on such nights to watch the talented pick up silverware. Prizes for incompetency and failure are generally not sought out by most, but when you aren’t in the running for anything else, have a relatively broad pair of shoulders, and a sense of humour, then the baubles on offer should prove to be of interest to those of us who fall into a sub-category of under-achievers.
With only a week left, and one chance to avoid such a trophy remaining, let’s hope for a decent turnout to mark the end of season 18 hole events, and prepare for the unbridled joy that is the “most competitive league in the world”.
Several strangers to the course have emerged from their summer “slumber” to re-awaken their interest in a “proper” sport. Confused fishermen ( who they?) have dusted off their clubs, and, in an attempt to find a swing before things get “serious”, have ventured , after a break, back onto the course. Well, bits of the course, plenty bits which make up part of the course, and some bits which we never knew were on the course at all.
The trouble was they were following folk who had been playing all summer, and whilst they presumed they were following players who knew their way around, there was always a chance that , whilst crossing several post codes not on the regular eighteen holes, they would get truly lost indeed. It is great to see everyone back and ready for “league” action.
“We met Dr Livingson, but he was deid” remarked a perplexed DH after his safari with some wayward partners. “How can fishing for salmon be more fun that?” I almost replied.
I almost won on Saturday too….funny how sitting here I have all the answers I should have had then.
Men’s Lifeboat Spoon
1 Cal Roberstson 65 - 05 = 60
2 Norrie (T)MacDonald 71 - 10 = 61
3 David (Kiwi)MacLeod 70 - 08 = 62
4 Murdo O’Brien 68 - 05 = 63
5 Julien Folkard 74 - 11 = 63
Murdo & Magnus Johnson
Cal Robertson
Mary Joyce