Yet another sponsor has come on board at the Isle of Skye Golf Club.
This time it’s thanks to the management and staff at the Portree office of Macleod and MacCallum, legal and property services and the club wishes to express it’s gratitude to Evelyn Crate and her team for this very generous gesture.
As a result the signage at the club continues to improve following the recent installation of a Gaelic sign courtesy of Urras an Eilein.
Many thanks also to the WHFP for their continuing sponsorship of the Gents Singles Matchplay Competition at the club. The draw has just been made for this competition and the ties will be underway soon.
The IOSGC would also like to place on record it’s thanks to the Editor for allowing the golf club good and continuing coverage in the sports pages-much appreciated!
SATURDAY GENTS
On a day of brilliant sunshine and a decent breeze the small field had some difficulty in coping with the fiery conditions but club steward Duncan Macrae took the honours with a respectable score.
In fact he won by some distance with only Chris Mackinnon providing any real challenge on the day.
The Achmore man’s two nines were both unfortunately characterised by rather sloppy starts.
First time it was 5,8 and second time it was 5,6 and whereas he couldn’t recover first time round in signing for 43 shots at the halfway stage he produced an excellent finish to his game by playing the final seven holes of the second circuit in level par.
A tidy wee birdie on the 15th being the highlight as me came back in 36 shots for a winning nett score of 68.
The golf club is grateful to MacGregors Industrial Supplies, Portree for very kindly agreeing to sponsor this competition.
SATURDAY LADIES
With the Kidney Kids Scotland charity event scheduled for Sunday a trio of ladies came to Sconser to try their luck in their June Monthly Medal.
The competition was kindly and generously sponsored by Experimental Scottish Gin and Whisky Tasting in Kyle of Lochalsh so it was rather appropriate that the prize stayed on that side of the bridge.
Same conditions as for the men and it proved to be a difficult task for all three competitors with the scores soaring in line with the temperatures.
Yet again Donalda Johnston had the Indian sign on the others as she eased herself to a four shot victory over Jill Mackinnon with Helen Hamilton still adjusting to the ground and weather conditions here on the Isle of Skye.
The highlight of the round for the winner came on the 8th hole when she raked in a 20 foot birdie putt.
SUNDAY
Kidney Kids Scotland is this week’s charity of choice and on a brilliantly sunny day there was a good turnout to support this very worthy cause.
The club is extremely grateful to the crew at William Wilson, Portree for their continued and generous sponsorship of this competition.
Added thanks to Dave Reid Marketing Manager at William Wilson , for supporting this years event for the second year
It is part of a national fund-raising event with the winner’s score being forwarded to HQ for the team’s possible further progress.
Last years qualifier was won by the team of Chris Mackinnon and Mick Coe and they received a voucher from the charity as a reward.
The format for the day was Better Ball Pairs Stableford and the competition was fierce.
Unfortunately the scoring system and method of recording devised for this unusual hybrid competition format proved to be too difficult for this particular bodach to decipher but the result was clear, decisive and as follows.
Third place went to the old pals but regrettably infrequent competitors of late, Alex Munro and Graham Cope.
The Breakish/Broadford duo recorded five nett birdies and one nett eagle in lap one for a total of 23pts.
Another three birdies and an eagle for another 23pt haul second time round combined for their tally of 46pts.
The runners-up were the ‘scratch’ pairing of Andrew Long and club captain Ally Young.
A strange Peiness/Staffin team there but they did their days work very well.
Five nett birdies and an eagle resulted in an excellent total of 25pts for them first time round but they seemed to fade on lap two with four birdies for 22pts but sneaked into second place with a total of 47pts.
The winners were the father and son team of Jim and Ross Cumming who continued their fine early season form.
Broadford and Skeabost Bridge that one and it seems to be a match made in heaven as yet again they dovetailed, or ham-and-egged it as we golfers say to great effect.
A nett eagle at the opening hole was a great start and although they added a further three birdies the result of their toil was a rather underwhelming first nine total of 22pts.
However they certainly engaged a higher gear on their second circuit as three eagles and three birdies saw them harvest 26pts for the winning total of 49pts.
All three ‘winning’ teams had a blemish or two on their cards but I choose only to emphasise the positive on this occasion.
Well done also to the other players and teams who although they didn’t quite reach the lofty heights of a podium position their attendance on the day contributed to an assemblage which is pretty well de rigueur for a competition of this stature.
Great effort boys-well played!
FIXTURES
This weekend in the gents calendar it’s the second and final qualifying round of the Club Championship and that will decide the four men who will fight for the title. The consolation handicap event will also near it’s conclusion.
The IOSGC acknowledges the kind and continuing sponsorship of this event and the ladies club championship by Gaelic Whiskies and Gaelic Gins of Eilean Iarmain.
The ladies will play their Monthly Stableford competition on Saturday before the much-anticipated second session of integration where handicap-holders and wannabees will combine in a fun get-together on Sunday.
RESULTS
Gents Section
Saturday 4th June, Monthly Medal.
1) D Macrae 79(11) nett 68.
Sunday 5th June, Kidney Kids Scotland Charity Competition.
1) J Cumming and R Cumming 49pts; 2) A Long and A Young 47pts; 3) A Munro and G Cope 46pts.
Ladies Section
Saturday 4th June, Monthly Medal.
1) D Johnston 94(22) nett 72; 2) J Mackinnon 93(17) 76.
JOHN MARSHALL