Seniors Medal & Monthly Medal
On a glorious warm sunny Saturday, everywhere but at Gleneagles where the cold strong wind would cut you in two, 28 brave Dun Whinny members battled the elements over Kings course (yellow tees) for the Senior championship (over 55s), the Mac Farlane Quaich, and monthly medal for two or three others! The course was presented in splendid condition, provided you stayed on the fairway or first cut, although the greens will improve with a few weeks of TLC. The rough was brutal, or some I am told. Nine N/Rs evidenced the tough conditions, particularly as this included some normally strong players: we have a strict policy not to ‘name and shame’ but the Captain was in good company with the Golf Secretary and another Committee member without portfolio. The Kings green keeper, whose thwarted sense of humour we endure most weeks, found a new ruse by informing the starter and hence us players that the day’s pin position was 3 whereas in reality it was 4: I guess lasers do provide an advantage in such circumstances.
Golf as we all know is a game of Ifs which several members demonstrated. If Aidan O’Carroll had birdied rather than bogeying the last, if George Watterson had not had a 6 at 16, if Tony Moran hadn’t started with a 7 despite the strong Dun Whinny trait of doing so, ……………………….
However both the Seniors and Medal came down to an exciting duopoly between Frank Johnson (Vice Captain) and George Watterson, both with excellent net 71s. While back 9s of net 35 did not separate them, Frank won by a nose on the back 6 with 22 to George’s 23. Many congratulations to Frank on an excellent result. George is left to again rue his 6 at 16 where – according to Jim Crawford, this week’s roving reporter – he put his tee shot on ‘Shanker’s Hill’. Talking of ‘MacBeths’ as he prefers to call them, if anyone in the club needs a refresher course on ‘how to’ please speak to Andrew Watson who demonstrated 3 today with relative ease.
Tony Moran, Aidan O’Carroll and Daley Smith all contended and finished with very good net 72s. Neither Tony nor Daley would have qualified for the Seniors but I would propose mandatory birth certificate inspection in future before commencing play!
The scratch medal competition was won by Neil Lock with an excellent 74 (birdies at 6 & 8, bit of a theme there) with Tony Moran second on 76 (birdies on 8!!!!!, 12, 14 & 18) and Frank with 79 the only other player to break 80.
But what of the defending champion I hear you ask? Well Eric Lambert improved on his 48 putts from last week but found all his air had been sucked out by his esteemed playing partners Frank and Neil. However all three of us finished, finished with the same ball as we started, and all had 3s at the 8th. Can any other group beat that? Your usual golf reporter, Ken Marshall, holed a miserly 6” of putts over the first 6 holes but they all count and No there is no conspiracy.
The first round of the President’s Platter is on Wednesday evening this coming week and for those not competing in the semi-finals of the Club Championship or Millennium Cup, there is a stableford over Queens next Saturday. See you there.
Picture of Rob Crockart getting the competition off to a start. Note the appropriate signage in the background.
