Foursomes Final.

Report by Ken Marshall: The final of our summer foursomes knockout was played in slow, cold and blustery conditions over the Kings this afternoon. Twenty Two pairs had started and both our finalists had already won 4 matches to reach the final. It was Tariq Ali and Ken Marshall vs David Mitchell and Andy McGill. There was some confusion over strokes but Frank confirmed while we were on the 4th tee that David and Andy were getting one shot…. this was good news for them as the match was all square at the time and they won the hole with a 5 nett 4 to go one up.

They then went 2 up at the 5th and also birdied the 6th. Fortunately Tariq had hit his normal driver off the deck onto the green and had holed a decent putt for a half. Ken and Tariq then won the 7th, the 8th was halved and David and Andy managed to win a scrappy 9th to lead by two holes at the turn.

Andy then holed a nice putt for a par at 10 to move 3 up again but a long break at the halfway hut eating pies while chatting to several ex footballers who were playing in front of us led to Andy losing his tee shot at 11. Perhaps hearing that someone a few groups in front of us had holed his tee shot with a driver put him off?

The 12th was a scrappy half before the shot of the day from David at the 13th who knocked Andy’s drive onto the green into the wind to about 10 feet to move 3 up yet again. Ken and Tariq won the 14th to move back to 2 down, Andy and David won the 15th to go back to 3up with 3 to play but then lost the 16th to go back to 2up again. Both drives at 17 missed the fairway, one left one right. Andy found his but Tariq didn’t and the match was over.

Well done to Tariq for carrying us through the first few rounds to get us to the final. Well done to Andy for his first Dun Whinny Trophy and especially well done to David who finally wins a matchplay event after losing in two finals - a feat I have now equalled…..

Andy and David celebrating in the bar afterwards.

Trophy Histroy: The J D Penny Quaich First Played in 1968. This is a silver Quaich first played for in 1968. The competition is for foursomes golf. There is no note in the Club minutes of how this trophy came into being but it is likely that it was purchased by the Club and named in the honour of the then Honorary Secretary, James D Penny. For this event members are allowed to nominate their own partner but after a number of years when the same pairing kept winning the trophy the rule was changed so that any pairing may now defend the trophy only once