Gents Section
Saturday 16th July, Ian Campbell Memorial Trophy.
A photo finish to decide the winners of the Ian Campbell Memorial Trophy was a fitting tribute to a man who died too young. Ian used to nip onto the course-the family home adjoins the property-from a very early age there to develop his skills and slake his thirst for the game.
Although never destined to be one of the club’s top performers he was right up there front and centre when the craic and the patter came to the fore and unlike many he could take it as well as dish it out.
He loved the fun and informality of the scramble concept hence the format for the trophy played for in his memory.
On a fine day of weather then it finally came down to four teams in the frame for the top honours and it was to be Alex Munro and Alan Maclaine’s day as they pipped John Finlayson and Geoff Williams on the better inward half method of deciding the result.
They were the highest ranked team playing off a handicap of 3 in and they glided to the turn in 33 shots with a mixture of bogeys and birdies in addition to old man par.
Following the turnaround it was same again for another 33 and a nett total of 63.
John Finlayson and Geoff Williams took 34 blows to the turn and 35 more to return to base resulting in a gross total of 69 minus their allowance of 6 and a nett 63.
However they lost out on the better back nine procedure.
One single shot in arrears were two other teams and it would be churlish to subject their returns to unnecessary forensic analysis-so joint third they are!
Club Captain Ally Young paired up with committee member David McHutchison and they slipped to the halfway house in 34 blows returning in 35 and with five shots deducted they signed for a 64.
Also on that number were the pairing of Robbie Weir and Andrew Long. They too returned a score of 34 for lap one and 35 for lap two and they also signed for 64 with identical nines and further scrutiny there was none.
Good effort on a good day in memory of a good man.
Sunday 17th July, Medal.
In a nice bit of co-operative planning this medal competition was very kindly sponsored by Nicky Deighton, daughter of the man who designed and laid out the Sconser golf course back in the early 1960’s.
As the Course History section on the club website relates Dr Frank Deighton was approached by Ian Campbell, Sconser(father of Ian re the Memorial Trophy)to assist with the project to create a golf course on a piece of Mr Campbell’s land which is the present site.
Thankfully there was a good turnout to respect the generous gesture by Nicky and it was two returnees from the previous day who were to take the honours.
Geoff Williams was the winner again but apparently other players are available.
Geoff’s two nines were 38 and 35 for a total of 73, minus 11 and a nice nett score of 62.He had four birdies in his round which is well worthy of mention but what is it with the first two holes on the course?
Geoff started 5, 6 for both loops so that’s five shots lost to par at the commencement of each circuit-and he still shot 62.
Good effort that man.
Runner up was Andrew Long whose two circuits were negotiated in 36 and 39 shots respectively.75 minus 8 for nett 67.
That was a weekend for both reflection and nice memories.
Wednesday 20th July, Strath Cup, Round Three.
Three Sconser musketeers made the effort to support this midweek competition and it required investigation to decide the winner.
John Finlayson is the only man to have played in all three rounds to date with the best three from four scores to decide the trophy winner and although he submitted a meritorious score of 39pts on this occasion he was to be pipped by Andrew Long.
Both players returned the same points total but Andrew’s two halves were 18 and 21pts respectively whereas John’s were 21 and 18.
Geoff Williams was also in attendance but this time he had a very rare off day albeit he still scored 35pts.
One round to go then and unless Geoff or Andrew return a brilliant score the trophy looks like it’s en route to Kyleakin.
Ladies Section
Three ladies turned up to play in their monthly medal(which was kindly sponsored by Jonathon Mackinnon of JCM Plumbing, Kyleakin) and the scoring was very close indeed. With handicaps applied there was a 72 and two 74’s so the girls were very well matched on a very pleasant day of weather.
The winner took 94 strokes to play her round and with 22 strokes deducted for handicap purposes her score of nett 72 took the honours.
Second place went to the lady who shot a 92 and with her handicap applied she signed for a nett score of 74 as did third lady in the group who took 93 strokes from first to last and she also signed for 74.
When the identities of the players are revealed Donalda Johnston was the winner and Helen Hamilton, still familiarising herself with Sconser golf nipped in just ahead of Jill Mackinnon to snatch second place on the better inward half.
Highlight of the game was Donalda’s cheeky wee birdie on 10 when, Cam Smith-like she raked in a 20 footer!
Greenkeeper John Cunningham drew praise from the ladies for tidying up some areas of the course peculiar to their game although the nicely nourished rough continues to cause the girls some difficulties.
CRAIG LEE AND HEATHER MACRAE
Or should that be the other way round as in a recent PGA Scotland 36 hole Order of Merit Tournament played at the Strathmore Golf Centre in Perthshire they finished in first and second place from a field of over 60 players.
Both shot 69’s in the first round but, playing in the group behind Craig(so she could keep an eye on him perhaps?)when the bold boy holed for a brilliant 63 the ‘local’ lass went one better with a course-record-breaking-ten-birdie 62 to scoop the pool!
Heather has become the first woman ever to win a Professional Golfers Association event.
Craig has been her coach for the past three years too so if it’s good enough for Heather?
Great stuff guys-keep up the good work and best wishes from us all here at the IOSGC.
For those new to these pages Craig conducts regular coaching sessions at Sconser and Heather, whose parents live on Skye has visited both the course and the island on many occasions.
FIXTURES
This Saturday in the gents section it’s one of the season’s biggies, the Ian Fullarton Trophy which is played for in memory of one of the club’s stalwarts and long-time treasurer way back in the day.
Year on year at the AGM Ian would indicate his desire to step down but year on year he was persuaded that he was the best man for the job so he continued-because he was the best man for the job!
The Sunday competition is a two category strokeplay event.
Meanwhile the ladies will be playing the fourth round of their club championship where Donalda Johnston leads Jill Mackinnon by three strokes after three rounds in a closely contested competition generously sponsored by Gaelic Whiskies and Gaelic Gins of Eilean Iarmain to whom we give our thanks.
RESULTS
Gents Section
Saturday 16th July, Ian Campbell Memorial Trophy
1) A Munro/A MacLaine 66(3) nett 63 bih; 2) G Williams/J Finlayson 69(6) 63; 3)= A Young/D McHutchison 69(5) 64 and R Weir/ A Long 69(5) 64.
Sunday17th July, Medal.
1) G Williams 73(11) nett 62; 2) A Long 75(8) 67.
Wednesday 20th July, Strath Cup, Round Three
1) A Long 39pts bih; 2) J Finlayson 39pts; 3) G Williams 35pts.
Ladies Section
Sunday 17th July, Medal.
1) D Johnston 94(22) nett 72; 2) H Hamilton 92(18) 74 bih; 3) J Mackinnon 93(19) 74.
JOHN MARSHALL