Winter League Stableford Round 5

The standings for Round Five of the Winter League Stableford were topped by youngster James Hawes with 38 points. The highlight of a fine round of gross 79 was a birdie at the 6th hole. Colin Munro took the runners-up spot after claiming 37 points from his round of 77 which included birdies at the 6th and 10th holes. Tim Hawes took third spot with a total of 35 points.

Winter League Stableford Round 4

Round Four of the Winter League Stableford was claimed by Tim Hawes after he accumulated a fine tally of 38 points. A shaky start was soon forgotten after a birdie at the 6th, but Hawes amassed the majority of his points during a magnificent inward half of 39 which included a further birdie at the 13th hole. Second place on the day was shared by Alan Paul and the in-form Farmer after both players posted totals of 37 points. Paul managed a brace of birdies during his round at the 5th and 8th holes, with Farmer recording his solitary birdie at the 5th.

December Medal

Winner of the December Medal courtesy of a fine nett 69 was Kenny Farmer. After a steady start, a disastrous 9 at the tricky par 5 6th hole looked to have ended his hopes of glory prematurely, however, a run of pars repaired some of the damage and he reached the turn in 44. A more consistent inward half, also of 44, was good enough to give Farmer the victory by a single shot from Ian Ritchie and Ian Ross. Ritchie produced a steady round of 79 for his nett 70, made up of halves of 42 and a storming inward 37. Ross also did his best work on the back nine, with an excellent inward half of 40 paired with an outward 41 to give him his nett 70. Lowest gross score of the day was courtesy of Lee Parnell who carded an excellent round of 76 which included a solitary birdie at the 3rd hole.

Winter Eclectic Round 2

A strong field of golfers took to the fairways for round two of the Winter Eclectic at Reay recently, and the wintry conditions ensured good scores were at a premium. Taking top spot was Donald Mowat who carded the lowest gross score of the day, a superb 74. A pair of birdies at the 4th and 5th holes ensured his round got off to a flier and he reached the turn in a mere 35 blows. A steady inward half of 39 ensured Mowat took the victory on the day by two strokes by virtue of a nett 67, and it also catapulted him up to third place in the overall eclectic standings.

In second spot following a fine nett 69 was club president Fred Groves. An outward half of 39 was followed by a super inward 37 to give a gross score of 76, with a birdie at the long 14th the highlight of his round.

Beaten in to third place on countback was the in-form Alex Mackay after he also returned a score of nett 69. His card had something of a topsy-turvy look to it with halves of 41 and 44 including two ugly triple bogeys and a solitary birdie at the 6th hole. A string of steady holes between these highs and lows was good enough to secure the final podium place.

A quartet of players, Sandy Chisholm, David Mackay, Leslie Mackay and Martin Bain shared fourth place after carding nett 71s.

In the overall eclectic standings Richard McDonald remains in the lead on a score of 67.37 despite sitting out round two. Chisholm has moved up to second place on 68.25, with Mowat third on 68.37. However, with four rounds remaining there is still plenty of time for further challengers to emerge from the chasing pack.

WLS 3

The race for Winter League Stableford glory has been hotting up with round three played in glorious autumn conditions. Winter specialists Ian Sutherland and Sandy Chisholm topped the scoring charts after both carded 39 points. Both managed a single birdie during their rounds with Sutherland recording a 2 at the short 5th hole, while Chisholm carded his at the par 4 16th hole. Murray McGlasson took third place on 38 points with the highlights of his round being a pair of birdies at the 6th and 16th holes. John Nicolson, Steve Efemey and Alex Mackay finished a point further back on 37 points.

November Medal

Good scores were at a premium for the November Medal at Reay which was played in cool and crisp conditions. Standing head and shoulders above the rest at the top of the leaderboard was Kenny Farmer who recorded an excellent total of nett 66. After a steady outward half of 44, he turned up the heat with an inward 41 which included a birdie 3 at the par 4 13th hole. Farmer secured the silverware by a margin of two strokes from his nearest challenger Fred Groves who carded a nett 68. After an excellent start, Groves blighted his card with an ugly double-bogey at the tough 7th hole, but he still managed to reach the turn in 39. A strong finish which included a birdie at the 14th hole saw him come back in 36 to card a gross score of 75, the best of the day. Richard McDonald has been enjoying some excellent form in the winter competitions to date, and he secured third spot after scoring nett 69. A very tidy gross score of 76 was made up of halves of 39 and 37 which comprised 11 pars and 7 bogeys.

Winter Eclectic Round 1

The first round of the Winter Eclectic was played in beautiful autumn sunshine, with a number of great scores recorded in the favourable conditions. Richard McDonald began the defence of his trophy in spectacular style with a gross 70 giving him a nett score of 62. Halves of 36 and 34 included birdies at the 7th and 13th holes. Taking second place was Andy Mackay with a tremendous round of nett 64, with two birdies at the 3rd and 15th holes the highlights of his round. Alan Paul took third place after a nett 67, with three players, David Dunbar, Ian Ritchie and Graeme Dunnett a shot further back after they all carded nett 68s. 

3-Club Stableford

In the 3-club Stableford competition players were required to dispense with 11 of their bats and play a round with only 3 carefully selected clubs. After some excellent scores were recorded some players may have been left wondering why they have invested hundreds of pounds in a full set of clubs when only 3 would do. Securing victory with a creditable 32 points was Kenny Farmer. The in-form Cammie Ross took second place on 29, with Donald Mowat edging Evan Sutherland to take third place after both recorded tallies of 27.

October Medal

A small field of players contested the October Medal in dull and blustery conditions, with all players struggling to break par. In the final analysis it was Ian Sutherland who pipped Cammie Ross to the victory after both recorded scores of nett 71. After an excellent 3 at the tricky first hole, Sutherland endured a few shaky holes to reach the turn in 47. However an impressive inward 43 which included pars at the final two holes was good enough to take the silverware. Despite finishing as runner-up Ross had the distinction of carding the lowest gross score of the day, a fine 78. An outward half of 41 was blighted by an ugly 7 at the 3rd hole, but he came roaring back in 37 with seven pars and only two bogeys making up his card. Ian Ritchie took third place with a nett 73, with Donald Mowat taking fourth place with a 74.

Ward Trophy and High Handicap

The Ward Trophy and High Handicap, both Stableford events, were played in tough conditions with frequent blustery showers making scoring difficult. The Ward Trophy for players with handicaps from 0 to 12 was bagged by McGlasson with a haul of 35 points. His round of 78 included nine pars and nine bogeys. Taking second place on countback after also amassing 35 points was Bain, the highlight of his round being a fine birdie at the 10th hole. Alistair Gunn and his son Gavin finished a point off the pace after both recorded tallies of 34 points.

In the High Handicap competition for players with handicaps of 13 and above, Ross Mackay took the glory after an excellent round which gave him a total of 40 points. A shaky start was soon forgotten and an excellent second nine gave him the win by a margin of 5 points ahead of Fraser Organ who amassed 35 points. Ian Sutherland took third spot on 34, with Tim Hawes fourth on 33.

Medal Winners Cup/Wear It Pink Day

RGC Ladies decided to mark the Medal Winners Cup, won by Pam Bain, by making it a 'Wear It Pink Day' in memory of past lady members.  A small donation was gathered on the day and given to MacMillan Cancer.  As you can see some of us where quite creative!!!!

Num..Num..Numbers. It's the 2012 Stats.

Part 1 - Bestest Birdie Bagger of 2012 is.......................

 

No competition really, same as last year.

Well done Lee.


Coming next, Exceptional players and Most Improved. 

Where will you be?

aye, that was a surprise!!!!!






























Will Lee get all 3 of tonights first dip into the murky world of Numbers?

Well done Tom.

































No chance, this time pal.  It had to be one of those pesky juniors.

Coming next....Hardest Triers, Kings of the N/R, Most Consistent, and the Disco-leaderboard.

Watch this space.........

Reay Meadal

The Reay Medal saw a number of low scores recorded with players enjoying the bright and calm conditions. Topping the leaderboard following a magnificent nett 62 was Pete McCartney. A solid outward half of 40 provided the foundation for his round, but he upped the tempo during an inward 36 which comprised 8 pars and a solitary bogey at the 10th hole. As well as the silverware, McCartney secured a well-deserved handicap reduction for his efforts.

Taking second place on countback following a nett 66 was Simon Harper who has enjoyed an excellent end to the season. His gross score of 73 was made up of two steady halves of 36 and 37, with birdies at the 6th and 14th holes providing the highlights of his round.

Lee Parnell took third place after carding a nett 66, and he also had the distinction of recording the lowest gross score of the day, a 71. An outward half of 34, which included a birdie at the 9th hole, was followed by a 37 on the inward nine. A further two players carded nett scores below 70, Andy Bain and Murray McGlasson, who both scored nett 68.

County Pairs

Note for the Ladies the County Pairs are on Sunday 16th September at Wick, if you would like to play find a partner and contact Carole Cameron to enter.

Donald Campbell Open

The Donald Campbell Open on Sunday saw players from all over the county and beyond vying for success, but once again it was Steve Efemey who emerged victorious, this time in the scratch category. A magnificent round of 72, which included no less than five birdies at the 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th and 14th holes, was good enough to take the win on countback from Lee Parnell and David Dunbar of Thurso, who both carded gross 72s.

In the handicap section youngster Euan Munro finished on top of the leaderboard following a fine round of nett 63. Playing off a handicap of 13, he carded a very impressive round of 76, with birdies at the 8th and 16th holes the highlights of his day.

Ruari McCartney took the prize for Category 1 with a fine nett 65, and Dunbar gained some consolation after scooping up the runners-up spot. Category 2 winner was another Thurso player, Keith Dreaves, after a nett 70, with Willie Allan taking second place on nett 71. Pat Valentine won the prize for nearest the pin at the 18th.

September Medal

On Saturday players from the home course were competing for glory in the September Medal. Despite a fresh wind from the north-west several excellent scores were recorded in both categories. 

Steve Efemey took the prize in Category 1 following a nett 65. His round of gross 74 was made up of halves of 36 and 38 with birdies at the 8th and 14th holes. John O’Brien took second place following a nett 66, courtesy of the lowest gross score of the day, a 73. Halves of 36 and 37 included a solitary birdie at the 12th hole. Donald Mowat bagged third place after his gross 75 gave him a nett score of 67. Mowat also managed a brace of birdies at the 8th and 13th holes.

The Category 2 prize was claimed by youngster Ian A. Mackay who has seen his handicap tumble over the summer months. A steady round of 83 was good enough for a nett score of 67, and he secured a further handicap reduction for his efforts. Taking second spot was John Disbury following a nett 68, with a birdie at the 12th the highlight of his round. Pete McCartney took third after a nett 70.

Centenary Bowl

Centenary Bowl presented by Mo to Lauren & Su

Centenary Bowl pairs competition was played on Sunday 2nd Sept in perfect conditions.  An exciting competition with a chip in for par on the 10th and sinking a 20ft putt for par on the 11th before blowing it on the 16th and that was just Mo and Al! Su and Lauren snatched the victory from Carole and Pat with a better inward half.

Summer Cup [Final Results]

Over the past four months golfers at Reay have been competing for glory in one of the most keenly contested Jacobs Summer Cup competitions in recent years. Following the final round it was Lee Parnell who emerged victorious to claim his third triumph in the competition.

The format of the competition sees the best 8 nett scores from 18 rounds count towards each player’s aggregate score, and going in to the final round Parnell held a two stroke lead over his nearest challenger Cammie Ross. The windy and wet conditions meant that neither was able to improve on their previous scores, and Parnell’s total of 543 was good enough to pip Ross to the trophy. Early leader Steve Efemey finished in joint third place on 549 alongside Simon Harper, with youngster Euan Munro claiming fifth spot on 550.

Banks Medal

Players enjoyed sunny conditions as they contested the Banks Medal recently. In a closely run contest, three players managed to record nett scores below 70, with the in-form Ian Ross taking the win with a fine 67. After a steady but unspectacular start he reached the turn in 41, with a double bogey at the 9th spoiling an otherwise tidy card. However as his round progressed, the quality of his golf got better and better, with the highlight of an inward 37 being a birdie at the long 14th.

Taking the runners-up spot following a nett 68 was Pete McCartney. After putting an ugly 8 at the 4th hole behind him, he reached the turn in 43, and then turned on the style with a tremendous inward 39 which included a run of five pars in succession over the closing holes.

A stroke behind in third spot was Simon Harper following a nett 69. Harper has been in a rich vein of form of late and his gross score of 76, aided by birdies at the 13th and 18th holes was the lowest of the day.

Caithness/Sutherland Intercounty

Reay Teams  1 & 2 Handicap Winners 2012

On Saturday 25th August Reay hosted this years ladies Intercounty competition (Caithness v Sutherland) in what started out as a beautiful sunny day, but soon turned to heavy showers and drizzle. The Wick team of Deirdre McAngus, Doreen Cormack, Marion Mackay & Carol Place lifted the Scratch trophy, Brora took 2nd Scratch.  Reay Ladies took the 1st and 2nd Handicap prizes.  Reay 1 - Eleanor Tunn, Carole Cameron, Alison Ross & Su Hawes, Reay 2 - Lauren Ross, Maggie Fecitt, Morag Mackay & Pat Owen. Well done ladies :)

Wick Scratch Winners 2012

New Reciprocal Agreements

We now have new agreements for discounted golf:

• Golspie Golf Club - 3 rounds per year - £10 per round (up to the end of 2012)
• Orkney Golf Club - 3 rounds per year - £10 per round

The Safari Open - Results

The JF Nuclear Reay Safari Open lived up to its name as competitors had to contend with biting insects, tropical temperatures, thunderous downpours, and some exotic wildlife last Saturday. The 36 hole event was contested by teams of 4 players, with the 3 best nett scores in the morning and afternoon rounds counting towards the team total.

After Round One it was the ‘Tiger’s Wood’ team of Andy Mackay, Bill Budding, Colin Munro and Peterculter’s Simon Robb who led the way on a level par total of 207. This was largely thanks to the efforts of Robb who used his handicap of 10 to great effect to post a blistering 64, the lowest nett score of the day, and Mackay who recorded a fine 68.

The Junior Open

Thirty nine juniors turned out to contest the Reay Golf Club Junior Open last Sunday. The weather was kind but a strong southerly wind made for difficult scoring. Once again there was a good number of visitors with representatives from Lossiemouth, Brora and the local clubs as well as three international competitors from Paris.

Achshebster Road Sweep

On Saturday players enjoyed warm and bright conditions as they competed for glory in the Achshebster Road Sweep. The leaderboard was topped by a trio of Ian’s, with Ian Sutherland edging Ian Ritchie on countback after both recorded fine rounds of nett 65. Ian Ross took third spot after a nett 67, with Richard McDonald and Fraser Organ a shot further back on nett 68.

Caithness Golf Week

The Caithness Golf Week Open held at Reay last week went right to the wire with three players from the home club, Gavin Sutherland, Ross Munro, and Cammie Ross, tied at the top of the leaderboard on 39 Stableford points.

In the final analysis it was Sutherland, playing off a handicap of 3, who prevailed following a superb round of gross 69. Highlights of a fine outward half of 37 were birdies at the 4th and 6th holes, but his inward half proved to be even more spectacular with a barrage of birdies at the 13th, 15th, 16th and 18th holes helping him to cover the back nine in a 3 under par tally of 32.

Reigning club champion Munro took the runners-up spot after a round of gross 72. He also managed a brace of birdies at the 5th and 6th holes during an outward half of 36. He matched this tally during his inward half, which included further birdies at the 14th, 17th and 18th holes.

Cammie Ross carded a very tidy round of gross 73 which included no less than 12 pars, with his solitary birdie coming at the 6th hole. Thurso players Gary Calder and Harvey Cowe took fourth and fifth places respectively after both players recorded tallies of 37 points.

Mixed Open

17 couples took on the challenge of Reay Golf Course to play in the clubs mixed open, which proved too much for the defending scratch trophy pairing of D Mowat and V Balfour.

Home couple, Cammy and Alison Ross (Reay) breezed round the course with a gross score of 80 giving them an excellent net 66 to lift the main prize seeing off 2^nd placed Tim and Su Hawes (Reay) net 71 ½.  The Ross’s playing partners Hannah McLean & Lemmy Thain (Wick) were 3^rd handicap also on net 71 ½.  The scratch trophy went to the Brora pairing of Tony Gill and Angela Grant.

Prizes were presented by RGC Captain Graeme Dunnett.

August Medal

There were birdies galore in the August Medal played at Reay with some tremendous scores posted in showery conditions. In Category 1 a spectacular nett 60 from Sandy Chisholm was good enough to take the prize by 6 shots from his nearest rivals Gregor Munro and Bob Earnshaw.

Chisholm got off to a lightning start and the 12-handicapper was one under par after five holes following a birdie at the 4th. A double bogey at the 6th followed, but after reaching the turn in 35, he continued to play some excellent golf and a further birdie at the 15th helped him to come home in 37 for a magnificent gross 72.

Munro, runner-up on countback, posted a fine round of 73 for his nett 66 with halves of 38 and 35 which included birdies at the 2nd and 14th holes. Earnshaw also posted a nett 66 with birdies at the 7th, 8th and 14th holes helping him to record a gross score of 76 made up of matching halves of 38.

In Category 2 Murdo Macdonald claimed victory following a fine nett 65. The highlight of an outward half of 38 was a birdie 4 at the 5th. A steady inward half of 40 was good enough for a gross score of 78 which earned a deserved handicap reduction. Youngster Euan Munro took second place after halves of 40 and 41 gave him a gross score of 81, for nett 67. Ian Sutherland took third spot with a steady round of nett 71

Clubgolf Scotland

Reay's Club Champion

Presidents Salver

The Presidents Salver was played in tricky conditions and this was reflected in the CSS which rose to 70. Despite the occasional showers and a tricky breeze, three players finished tied at the top of the leaderboard after recording scores of nett 69. Gavin Sutherland just edged the win on countback after the 3-handicapper carded an excellent gross 72. Andy Bain, who has been enjoying an excellent run of form, took second spot, with David Mackay in third.

Ross Bogey

In the Ross Bogey players used their handicap allowance to play in a matchplay format against the course, and winner Leslie Malcolm was the only competitor to emerge victorious finishing 3up. Kenny Farmer and Evan Sutherland shared second spot after both finished all square.

NDSL Open

A strong field of players from all over the county and beyond gathered to play in the NDSL Open, but despite the dry and bright conditions good scores were at a premium due to a tricky sea breeze. The wind did not seem to deter Dougie Thorburn as the plus one handicapper continued his rich vein of form with an excellent round of level par 69 to take the scratch prize. He reached the turn after birdies at the 4th, 6th and 7th holes, and another birdie at the 12th had Thorburn eyeing a score in the mid 60s. An uncharacteristic double bogey at the 13th took the momentum from his round, but an inward half of 36 was still good enough to take victory by a single shot.

A round of gross 70 saw Brent Munro just edged out in the scratch section, but he had the consolation of winning Category 1 following a fine nett 66. Two very tidy halves of 35 included a solitary birdie at the short 5th hole.  Grant Maxwell finished second following a nett 69, with Thurso’s Jim Meiklejohn taking third after a nett 70. In Category 2 Ian A. Mackay came out on top following a fine nett 68. Despite a shaky start he reached the turn in 44 and put together a steady back nine of 40 to take victory by a single shot from Rodney Grant who recorded a nett 70. Thurso’s Ian Macphee took third place with a nett 71.

Su Hawes claimed the Ladies Prize, with Dougie Thorburn taking the prize for nearest the pin at the 18th

July Medal

The July Medal was also contested in difficult conditions and this was reflected in the scoring with no players managing to break par. Best score of the day was a nett 69 courtesy of Alex Mackay which was good enough to secure the silverware in Category 2. However, Mackay was left wondering what might have been after a blistering outward half of 38 was followed by a disappointing inward 47. Pete McCartney took second place following his nett 71, with Ian Sutherland third on 72.

It was also a tale of two halves for Category 1 winner Lee Parnell following his nett 70. An erratic outward nine of 40 included a birdie at the 5th hole, but further birdies at the 10th and 14th holes helped him to come back in 35 and secure the win by three shots from Simon Harper. Ian Ritchie took third spot following his nett 75. 

Seniors Open

Last week the club hosted its popular Seniors Open with players from all over the county and beyond competing for glory. 

Ladies Open

Su Hawes(Reay) & Doreen Cormack (Wick) take top prizes in tough conditions at Reay.

Reward Scheme for Introduction of New Members

The Club Council have agreed an incentive scheme to reward Members who
introduce new players to the Club.

Birdie Tree

Here's the gents birdie tree for the season so far.  
Scores are based on 5 points for a birdie, 10 for an eagle and 15 for an albatross (minus 200 points if you call it a double eagle!).


As usual, Parnell tops the tree!

Strokeplay Championship

The Strokeplay Championship reached its conclusion in the first week of July, with Dougie Thorburn emerging victorious in the scratch standings with a four round aggregate score of 286. Plus one handicapper Thorburn is enjoying a prolific first season at Reay, and his rounds of 70, 73, 73 and 70 were good enough to win by a margin of 10 strokes from Gavin Sutherland. Sutherland was in contention following the first two rounds, but a disappointing 77 in round three put paid to his chances.

The handicap prize went to the wire, with a number of players in contention going in to the final round. In the end it was Groves who clinched the win with a fine final round of nett 68 giving him a tally of 280. Runner-up was defending champion Donald Mowat on 283, a score shared by Murray McGlasson. Lee Parnell and Sutherland finished a stroke further back on 284.

Wilson Cup Team 2012

WILSON CUP 7th & 8th July at Lybster Golf Club 
Team:

• Gavin Sutherland 
• Graeme A Dunnett (Capt) 
• Lee Parnell 
• Ross Munro 

If players have any queries, please contact the Match Secretary, Colin Munro. 

 Information on the format and weekends proceedings will be communicated in due course.
Members are invited to support your Club team at Lybster

Beinn Ratha Trophy

Competitors playing in the Beinn Ratha Trophy at Reay on Saturday were treated to some dull and damp conditions, and the unseasonable weather was reflected in the scoring with the majority of the field struggling to break par.

The Reay Open - Results

Defending champion Dougie Thorburn and three-time winner Gavin Sutherland served up a thrilling climax to the Nuvia Reay Open on Saturday. After 36 holes both players were tied on a fabulous one under par aggregate score of 137, and a three hole play-off was required to determine the destination of the Reay Trophy.

After the first round it was Sutherland who held the lead following a brilliant round of 68 in damp conditions. After reaching the turn in 33 following eight pars and a birdie at the 6th, he continued to play some excellent golf to come home in 35 with a bogey at the short 15th offset by a fine birdie at par 4 13th hole. Thorburn also carded two birdies during his round of 70, at the 6th and 10th holes, but a trio of bogeys at the 5th, 7th and 9th holes left him two shots adrift going in to the second rouund.

Thorburn responded in round two with a terrific round of two under par 67. An outward half of 34 which included a birdie at the 6th, was followed by an inward 33, with further birdies at the 10th, 16th and 18th holes. Sutherland posted a score level par of 69, comprising halves of 35 and 34. Birdies at the 3rd, 6th, 14th and 16th holes were offset by bogeys at 4th, 5th, 9th and 17th.

Watch Out for the bird man at the Reay Open!

Matchplay Singles & Pairs Draw [updated]

This year we'll be following the matchplay singles and pairs competitions.  Here's the draw for the preliminary and first round [click on the singles or pairs tabs at the bottom of the window for the relavant draw].


To arrange your match check the draw sheet in the clubhouse for contact details of your opponent.

The Catch

Parry Trophy

A number of excellent scores were recorded, with countback required to determine the outcome after Donald Mowat and Guy Owen both recorded nett scores of 66. In the final analysis Mowat got the nod following a tremendous round of gross 74. The trio of Pete McCartney, Ian A Mackay and Murray McGlasson finished a stroke further back after their respective nett 67s.

Club Championships Final Results

Last Friday night saw the climax of the ladies and gents Club Championship events at Reay with five finals played. The weather remained dry, but a strong breeze from the east and fiery greens made conditions difficult for competitors.

Claiming victory in the gents scratch final was youngster Ross Munro with a hard-earned 3 and 1 win over Lee Parnell. With the tie all square at the turn, Munro claimed the 10th hole to go one up. Over the next four holes Parnell had a number of half-chances to the level the scores, but his failure to convert these opportunities was punished by a birdie 2 from Munro at the 15th which put him two up. After halving the 16th, Munro finished the job in style with a fine birdie 3 at the 17th hole.

US Open - O'Macaco gives it to you straight!

O'Macaco's checked out the venue for the 2012 US Open and IT IS BRUTAL!!!!  It's a last man standing job this one.  Any player that gets round without slapping his Pro v1 (other golf balls are available behind the bar!!) into a Monterey Pine will have done well.  This course has more dog legs than the waggiest tail comp at Crufts! 
So, where should you invest your hard earned pine-nuts?  Lets look at the facts (and other slightly less factual facts)

Sandside Challenge Trophy

Gregor Munro continued his rich vein of form at Reay on Sunday with victory in the Sandside Challenge Trophy following on from his successes in the June medal and the Gala Open the previous weekend. Players were treated to bright skies and a gentle wind which made scoring conditions favourable, and this was reflected in the CSS which dropped to 68.

Munro produced a blistering round of gross 72, for a nett score of 63 which would have secured victory by a comfortable margin on most days. However, fellow youngster Ruari McCartney also posted a superb nett 63 following his round of gross 78 and countback was required to separate the players, with Munro taking the spoils by virtue of his better inward half. Alistair Gunn took third spot with a nett 64, with Andy Mackay taking fourth place on nett 65.

June Sweep

Saturday saw players not involved in the County Championships competing in a sweep off the yellow tees. Players found the forward tee positions to their liking with a number of fantastic scores recorded, which half of the field recording a nett score better than 70. This was reflected in the CSS dropped to a season’s low of 67.

Claiming the victory was Tom Ross who carded a nett 59, following a tremendous round of 71. Runner-up was Ian Sutherland after a fine nett 61, with Andrew Adamson and Gregor Munro sharing third spot after rounds of nett 65. The trio of Fred Groves, Liam Bremner, and the in-form Hugh Millar were a stroke further back after their respective rounds of nett 66.

Gala Open

On Sunday the course hosted the Reay Gala Open, with players from the home club dominating the prizes. 

June Medal

On Saturday players were competing in the June medal with prizes up for grabs in two categories. 

Club Championships Leaderboard

Here's the leaderboards for the gross and handicap club championships, after the three qualifying rounds.

Captains Prize

Ross Munro hole-in-one at the 9th

Golfers playing in the Captain’s Prize at Reay on Saturday were treated to bright skies and blistering heat as the sun shone brightly on Caithness. With the competition also doubling up as the final round of qualifying for the club championships, the fairways were packed with players keen to post a low score. 

Emerging victorious on countback after scoring a fine nett 66 was Ian A. Mackay, who has been showing some good form in the early months of the season. After a disappointing start over Reay’s notorious opening four holes, he found his rhythm to reach the turn in 46, aided by a birdie at the 6th hole. After a reasonable start to the back nine, a birdie at the 13th hole set up a strong finish which saw Mackay cover the inward half in 39. His tally of 85 was good enough to take the win by the narrowest of margins and secured a well-earned handicap reduction.

Dunnett Cup

John O'Brian on his way to victory!

Saturday brought clear skies and a tricky wind from the east as golfers at Reay battled out in the second and final round of the Dunnett Cup. The putting surfaces are in pristine condition at present and several players took advantage with a number of low scores recorded. 

Overall winner of the Cup following a round of nett 72 was John O’Brien. After a first round of 67 had left him second in the overall standings, O’Brien got off to a whirlwind start in his second round, reaching the turn in a mere 36 strokes, with a birdie at the 6th hole the highlight. An inward half of 43 was less convincing, but was still good enough to give him an aggregate score of 139, just enough to seal victory by a single shot from the trio of Donald Mowat, Andy Bain, and Ruari McCartney. 

RJ McLeod Open

On Saturday Reay hosted the RJ McLeod Walk on Open, and competitors were once again treated to some difficult weather in the shape of a strong wind from the west. The testing conditions took their toll on scoring and this was reflected in the CSS which rose to 72.

O Macaco's back with a Sawgrass Special

Ask any golfer for their opinion on the scariest shot in golf and they'll probably tell you that standing on the 17th tee with a score in the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass narrowly pips standing on the 17th tee at Reay with a chance of bagging the McBob Thistle!! So, who is going to get over the knee-knocking and lift the trophy this weekend? Come with me on a journey of a process I like to think sits someone betwixt elimination and pure guesswork....

Distribution of advertising leaflets

The Captain and Vice Captain took a day out to distribute leaflets advertising Reay Golf Club last Saturday. A gentle run to Inverness saw us dropping them off at golf clubs and hotels en route and we received good feedback on their presentation.

Here's hoping they help bring some more visitors to the club and to the north in general with possible spin off for the other local golf clubs as well.

May Medal

 Golfers competing in the May Medal at Reay on Saturday experienced the four seasons in the space of four hours as periods of bright sunshine were interrupted by several squally showers of snow and hail. Despite the less than ideal conditions a number of good scores were recorded in an event which also doubled up as the first qualifying round for the club championship.


Taking the prize in Category 1 was Evan Sutherland after a round of 73 gave him a nett score of 65. In a round of supreme consistency Sutherland covered the tricky front nine in 38, before reeling off nine straight pars to cover the back nine in 35. Taking second spot after posting a nett 67 was Colin Munro. An indifferent outward half of 40 was soon forgotten after an inward half of 35 which included a solitary birdie at the 15th. 

A shot further back after rounds of nett 68 were Lee Parnell and Dougie Thorburn. Parnell’s round of gross 73 was made up of halves of 36 and 37 with birdies at the 3rd and 6th holes. Thorburn playing off a handicap of +1 recorded a fabulous round of 67, made up of halves of 33 and 34, which included birdies at the 10th and 15th, and an eagle at the 6th hole. His round could have been even better were it not for a disappointing bogey at the final hole.

Category 2 was also won with a nett score of 65, courtesy of Kenny Farmer. After a shaky start Farmer reached the turn in 45, but he turned on the style with an inward half of 39 which included a birdie at the 18th. Taking second place after also recovering from a poor start was Pete McCartney who posted a nett 69. The highlight of an outward half of 42 was a birdie at the 6th hole, and he repeated the trick with a birdie at the 13th on his way to an inward half of 41. Tim Hawes took third spot with a nett 72.