The curtain finally closed on the Black Rock Coal Winter League at Isle of Skye Golf Club at the end of a glorious week of Spring weather. The eventual winners Donalda Johnston and John Finlayson where perhaps never in doubt from the offset, setting targets for the rest of the competitors to chase. A winter event that produced scores from over 170 rounds of golf and despite the weather, there was play on most weekends throughout. Finishing 18 stableford points ahead of Jill MacKinnon in second, Donalda pitched in with several 40 point rounds for a 10 round average of 333 pts reducing her winter handicap total by 2 and in no doubt making ready for the real challenge ahead when the serious Golf starts soon. Shona Jackson produced a 8 round total of 236 pts with a December single round total of 41, one behind the best Ladies single score of 42 from Jill who finished on 315 pts.
In the Men’s event John Finlayson and Geoff Williams split the lead between them for most of the Winter with the Kyleakin golfer finally winning by a two stroke margin. Both John and Geoff tee’d off together prior to the closing weekend but a score of 29 pts by Geoff fell well short of any total required to recapture the lead. By the time John stood on the 1st Tee on Sunday he was already declared the Gents Winner.
The top scores on the final week as the normal greens returned, belonged to Andrew Long who had jostled with Ally Young in 4th and Chris Hanley in 3rd for most of the season. Gross scores of 63 and 68 produced winning rounds of 47 and 41 pts respectively allowing Andrew to take third place on his own. Good shooting by any standard, even winter golf conditions considering the gross counts from a winter handicap of 7. He finished on 397 pts. six ahead of Chris who had contributed greatly to producing the weekly scores for the members, with a total by himself of 391.
In the end nobody could top John Finlayson’s 406 pts from Geoff Williams with 404. The dust now settles for a few weeks before the new season begins with two fundraising events. . Saturday 2nd April sees the Green keepers revenge where John Cunningham has the honour of placing the holes in the most challenging of positions. All members are welcome with a light lunch to follow with proceeds there going to Ukraine. The following week the club hosts a 3 day members event, pay and play as many times as you want raising funds for local charity Kyleakin Connections.