December Medal

Several brave souls endured squally showers and chilly temperatures to compete for the December Medal held at Reay recently. The tricky weather conditions were reflected in the scoring with no one in the field able to post a nett score below 70.

Christmas Open Scramble

A welcome break in the weather allowed competitors at Reay to dust down their golf clubs to compete for glory in the Christmas Open Scramble at the weekend. 

Winter Eclectic Round 2

Players were once again treated to clear skies and calm conditions as they teed up for the November round of the Winter Eclectic held at Reay Golf Club recently. Early pace-setters Richard McDonald and Sandy Chisholm were out to improve on their first round scores, but several other challengers emerged on a day of good scoring.

November Medal etc...

Players at Reay have enjoyed an uninterrupted start to their winter golf season, with some mild weather and a course in good condition providing some excellent scoring conditions over the past month.

The Split Stane Challenge

On Saturday players gathered at Reay for the annual Split Stone Challenge which pits players from the east against players from the west in a team event. Sunny skies and a strong wind from the south-east made for pleasant but tricky playing conditions. 

Top 10 Best Caddy Responses

Golfer: "I think I'm going to drown myself in the lake."

Caddy: "Think you can keep your head down that long?"

Winter Eclectic Round 1

Saturday saw golfers at Reay competing in the first round of this years Winter Eclectic competition.  Over the coming months competitors will play six rounds over the course, with their best score recorded at each hole counting towards their final tally. In this format of competition, players are looking to accumulate as many birdies as they can, but the windswept conditions on Saturday meant these were few and far between.

Lowest score on the day was a splendid nett 65 recorded by Richard McDonald. McDonald covered the front nine in a mere 36 strokes, managing seven pars and two bogeys. A steady back nine of 37 included a solitary birdie at the par 5 14th hole. McDonald’s gross score of 73 was comfortably the lowest of the day, and gives him a solid foundation for the remaining rounds.

Cold weather expert Sandy Chisholm took second place after a nett 67. After a very successful winter campaign last season, he showed his rivals that he has lost none of his touch in the wind with a steady gross 78. Chisholm covered both halves in 39 strokes, with his solitary birdie coming at the par 4 13th hole.

Joining Chisholm on nett 67 was Willie Williamson, following his gross 85. Williamson recorded an outward half of 42, and he continued to play steady golf with an inward half of 43. A shot further back following their nett 68s were Hugh Millar who birdied the ninth, and Ian Ross who managed his solitary birdie at the 6th. The only player in the field to manage two birdies was Stuart Grieg, with a 4 at the 6th and a 2 at 9th helping him to post a fine nett 69.

October Medal

Alex Mackay became the latest player to feel the wrath of the handicap secretary’s chopper, after a spectacular performance at Reay on Saturday. Even the most optimistic of forecasters could not have predicted the calm and dry weather that met the players in the morning, and these conditions coupled with some favourable tee locations allowed several competitors to shoot low scores.

Winter League Stableford Round 1

The beginning of October heralded the start of the winter season at Reay, and players got down to serious business on Sunday with the first round of the Winter League Stableford, which was held in overcast conditions.

2011 Stats

We’ve put together a few statistics taken from all the competitions since 1st April.  

There are no surprises in the course analysis, as once again, the 2nd comes out as the most difficult on the course.

Pilkington Cup and McRobert Thistle Open

The weekend saw Reay Golf Club host two events, but there was only one winner as Vice-captain Lee Parnell produced some stunning golf to claim victory on both days. On Saturday players were met with a tricky breeze and some squally showers as they contested the Pilkington Cup.

Parnell got his weekend off to a flying start with birdies at the par 4 2nd and 8th holes helping him reach the turn in 35 strokes. A poor start to the back nine was soon forgotten with further birdies at the 12th and 14th holes. Parnell saved his fifth and final birdie of the round for the last hole, draining an outrageous putt for his 2. Parnell’s back nine of 35 was good enough to secure a nett 65 which beat his nearest challenger Leslie Malcolm by a convincing 3 stroke margin. 

Malcolm has made a welcome return to Reay this season and he has made steady progress throughout the year with some good scores. Malcolm produced two halves of 43, with a birdie 3 at the 8th hole the highlight of his round. Matching him on nett 68 was club Captain Murray McGlasson after a fine round of 76 which included birdies at the 6th and 13th holes. A fine front nine of 36 had McGlasson dreaming of glory, but a disappointing back nine cost him dearly.

On Sunday Parnell managed to go two strokes better, scoring a magnificent gross 68 to win the McRobert Thistle Open. He showed no ill-effects after a night on the town celebrating his Pilkington Cup victory and got his round going with a rare eagle 2 at the par 4 3rd. Some deft chipping and putting helped him reach the turn in 34 strokes and Parnell continued to play some fine golf on the back nine. Eight pars and a birdie at the 13th hole were good enough for an inward half of 34 to secure victory by a single shot and a handicap reduction to 4.

Taking second place following a nett 64 was Grant Maxwell. A birdie at the 5th helped Maxwell reach the turn in 34, and he continued to play some fine golf with a run of 7 pars from the 10th. A unfortunate bogey, double-bogey finish spoiled the round somewhat and proved to be very costly in the final analysis.

In third place following a welcome return to form was Cammie Ross. Ross produced a fine round of 75 for a nett 66, with birdies at the 6th, 9th and 14th holes the highlights.

Autumn Texas Scramble

Players from all over the county gathered at Reay on Saturday to compete in the Doosan Babcock Texas Scramble. Windy conditions and the occasional heavy shower made things difficult for the three-man teams, but in spite of this some good scores were posted. 

September Medal

On Saturday players braved the strong winds and squally showers to contest the September Medal. 

Donald Campbell Open

On Sunday players gathered from near and far to compete in the Donald Campbell Open at Reay. The early morning showers soon gave way to sunny skies and several excellent scores were posted in the favourable scoring conditions. 

The 2011 Jacobs Summer Cup

The end of August brought a conclusion to the Jacobs Summer Cup at Reay Golf Club. Players have been competing every Tuesday night over the summer months with their best 8 scores during this period counting towards their overall aggregate score. Emerging victorious on a total of 542 after a string of excellent scores was youngster Andrew Adamson. Adamson led the event almost from the word go after some impressive scoring in the earlier rounds and he maintained this high standard throughout the summer to win by 6 shots. His victory was made all the more remarkable by the fact that seven of his eight counting nett scores were under 70.

Occupying second place on a total of 548 was club vice-captain Lee Parnell. Parnell recorded a couple of nett 66s in July, and had an outside chance of catching Adamson going in to the final round, but a closing nett 70 meant his challenge ended in disappointment. Last year’s champion Gavin Sutherland put up a spirited defence of his title to finish third on 555.

Top 10 Summer Cup Players

1. Andrew Adamson    542
2. Lee Parnell               548
3. Gavin Sutherland     555
4. David (Dav) Mackay    556
5. Murray McGlasson    558
6. Fred Groves              559
7. Gavin Gunn               559
8. Colin Munro               561
9. John O'Brien   561  
10. Ewan Crawford   562

The 2011 Safari Open

On Saturday Reay hosted one of the most unique events of the Caithness golfing calendar, the Safari Open, jointly sponsored for the first time by NDSL and JF Nuclear. 

Banks Medal

Sunday saw Reay’s golfers compete for one of the oldest and finest trophies at the club, the Banks Medal. 

Junior Open 2011

Overall winner Eleanor Tunn (right), Nett girls winner Lauren Rosson (left)

Eleanor Smashes All Records

Forty six juniors turned out to contest the Reay Golf Club Junior Open last Sunday. The weather was kind which resulted in some low scoring in all sections. Once again there was a good number of visitors with representatives from Strathpeffer, Brora, Stromness and the local clubs  as well as a couple of international competitors from Paris.

Aschebster Road Sweep

Members of Reay who were not on Thurso Open duty competed in the Achshebster Road Sweep on Saturday morning in bright conditions. 

August Medal & Reay Mixed Open

Saturday brought calm conditions and bright skies as the golfers of Reay teed up for the August Medal. Despite the favourable weather, scoring was more steady than spectacular, largely due to the fierce rough which lines many of the fairways at present.

Presidents Salver, Seniors Open & Sandside trophy

A busy weekend of golf at Reay began with the playing of the Presidents Salver in calm and mild conditions on Saturday. The Reay rough has increased in its ferocity over the summer months, but winner Grant Coghill was more than a match for the challenges the course presented on his way to a blistering nett 65. Coghill reached the turn in 38 following a steady front half which included 5 pars and 4 bogeys. The inward nine began in similar fashion, but a triple-bogey 7 at the 13th hole threatened to leave his challenge in tatters. However, Coghill regained his composure and played the final five holes in one over par, for an inward half of 40 which was good enough to take the spoils by a single shot.

Runner-up following a nett 66 was club vice-captain Lee Parnell, whose gross score of 71 was the best of the day. Parnell, who had spent the previous two weeks on a sunshine break, showed no signs of rustiness on his way to an outward half of 37 which included a birdie at the 6th. After reeling off a series of pars at the start of his inward nine, Parnell went in to overdrive with birdies at the 13th, 15th and 16th holes. An unfortunate bogey at the final hole took the shine off things, but he still managed to complete the inward half in a one under par score of 34. Taking third spot was Tim Hawes who also carded a nett 66. Hawes compiled two steady halves of 41 and 40, with the single birdie of his round posted at the final hole.

Dull and breezy conditions greeted players on Sunday contesting the Reay Seniors Open. Emerging victorious after a splendid nett 65 was club president and short-game wizard Fred Groves. Groves reached the turn in 36, but a run of bogeys from the 10th threatened to sink his challenge without a trace. However a magnificent run of holes including birdies at the 14th, 16th and 17th holes, saw Groves come back in 37 for a best of the day gross 73. In second place following a nett 68 was Ian Ritchie. Ritchie compiled two very steady halves of 39 and 37, with his solitary birdie coming at the tricky 8th hole. Taking the final place on the podium was Sandy Chisholm following a nett 70.

The Sandside Trophy was also held on Sunday for players not competing in the Seniors Open. Youngster Ian A. Mackay came out on top after posting a fine nett 67 which included a birdie at the 13th hole. Claiming the runners-up spot was Steve Efemey following a nett 69 whose round also included a solitary birdie at the 13th hole.

July Medal

A strong field of players teed up on Saturday for the July medal at Reay. Clear skies and a light breeze provided ideal scoring conditions, and this was reflected in the CSS which dropped to 68.

Benn Ratha Trophy

With many of Reay’s members either on Wilson Cup duty or enjoying the Scottish Open golf at Castle Stuart at the weekend, only a small field of golfers gathered on Saturday to contest the Benn Ratha trophy. Those who did compete were rewarded with clear skies and a pleasant breeze, in contrast to their more illustrious professional counterparts who were braving the elements in Inverness.

Captain's Charity

The players of Reay gathered on Sunday to compete in the Captain’s Charity competition, a Stableford event. The bright sun, blue skies and gentle breeze provided favourable scoring conditions, and a number of players duly took advantage.

The Reay Open

Saturday saw Reay play host to its annual 36-hole Open. A field of 43 players gathered to test their skills against the course in the hope of travelling home with some of the silverware which was up for grabs.

Club Championships & The Parry Trophy

Club Championships

Sunday saw the finals of the Club Championship at Reay Golf Club contested in overcast conditions, with a slight breeze from the south-west. The scratch final was a meeting between the two form players at the club in the shape of Gavin Sutherland and defending champion Don Mackay, who qualified for the knock-out stages in first and second places respectively. Given the skills of the Sutherland and Mackay, the final was always going to be a close-run affair, and so it proved with extra holes required to determine the outcome. Sutherland looked to have things wrapped up as he stood on the 16th tee 3up with 3 to play, however Mackay demonstrated why he has won the title on numerous occasions in the past with a spirited comeback to square the match at the 18th and force a sudden death play-off. Sutherland held his nerve and eventually emerged victorious at the second extra hole. 

County Championships

Saturday saw the sun-bathed Reay links play host to the Caithness County Championship. The small field of players enjoyed warm, calm conditions and some impressive scores were recorded during the 36 hole event.

June Medal, Gleeds Gala Open & Ladies Results

After nearly 2 years in the golfing wilderness with no prizes to his name, Reay’s Colin Munro came roaring back to life to win Category 1 of the June medal over the sun-soaked links on Saturday. Munro signalled his intentions early with a birdie at the tough 1st hole and he maintained this early momentum with another birdie at the 4th following a splendid pitch-in. Reaching the turn in 37 Munro continued to play steady golf until the 15th where a disastrous out-of bounds approach shot led to an ugly 7. However, Munro steadied himself to birdie the 15th and 17th holes to come home in 38 for a nett 66. Losing out on count-back after also scoring nett 66 was the in form Ian Ross. Ross has been at the top of the leaderboard on a number of occasions recently and he compiled another very steady round with halves of 38 and 39. Taking the final place on the category 1 podium was John O’Brien with a nett 67. O’Brien’s round was one of very contrasting halves after a disappointing outward 40 was soon forgotten with an inward half of 33 which included birdies at the 12th, 13th and 16th holes.

In Category 2 Willie Williamson also made a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure with a nett 68 following a solid round. Williamson’s inward nine was marginally better than Willie Allan who finished in 2nd place on count-back following his own nett 68. The evergreen Keith Buxton took 3rd place in Category 2 with a fine round of nett 70.

On Sunday Reay hosted the inaugural Gleeds Walk On Open. Top of the class following a fabulous nett 65 was Thurso player David Dunbar. Dunbar produced halves of 34 and 36 with a solitary birdie coming at the par 4 8th hole. Dunbar’s nett 65 was good enough to pip Ian Ritchie to second place on nett 66, with Grant Maxwell a further shot back. Category 2 was won by Gregor Munro following another spectacular round of nett 63. Munro’s handicap has come tumbling down in recent weeks, and he has secured another cut following his victory. Four shots back in second and third places were Willie Allan and Ian Sutherland respectively. 

Recent results from the Ladies section below:

April Medal 

Winner Morag Mackay 101-32-69, R/up Pam Bain 83-13-70.

3 Club Competition

Winner Karen Campbell 114-36-78, R/up Carole Cameron 92-14-78.

MacKenzie Cup

Winner Morag Mackay 37 points, R/up Alison Ross 31 points.

May Medal

Winner Patricia McDonald 85-15-70, R/up Susan Hawes 96-22-74.

Coronation Foursomes

Winners Karen Campbell and Carole Cameron, R/up Pat Owen and Susan Hawes.

1st Round Club Championship Qualifier

Winner Pam Bain, 81-13-68, R/up Patricia Mcdonald 91-16-75.

Quinlan Spring Trophy

Winner Carole Cameron 85-14-71, R/up Pam Bain 85-12-73.

June Medal/2nd Round Club Championship Qualifier

Winner Patricia Mcdonald 86-16-70, R/up Moira McPake 103-30-73.

Captain’s Prize & the End of the World Open

The breezy and blustery weather did not deter the golfers of Reay on Saturday in their efforts to secure glory in the Captain’s Prize.  The difficult conditions were reflected in scoring with the CSS rising to 71 as players struggled to break par.

The winning score in Category 1 was nett 70, a feat achieved by both Ian Ross and club captain Murray McGlasson. Ross’s round started slowly with a double bogey at the tricky first, but he soon warmed to the task and reached the turn in 41. Ross got his second nine off to an excellent start, with a birdie 3 at the difficult 10th, and he continued to play steady golf to cover the inward half in 40. By contrast McGlasson got off to a flying start with a front nine of 38 which included a birdie 2 at the short 5th. McGlasson continued his fine play with another birdie at the long 14th as he covered the inward half in 40. Ross took the victory by virtue of a better nett second nine. Ian Ritchie took third spot thanks to a nett 71, with Don Mackay in fourth place following a splendid gross 74 in the conditions, which included birdies at the 6th, 10th and 14th holes.

The scoring in Category 2 was slightly better with a couple of the younger members of the club, Gregor Munro and Andrew Adamson, recording nett 68s. Adamson’s halves of 42 and 45 were enough to secure him second place and a reduction in his handicap, but Munro pipped him to the win on countback with a round which included two halves of 41. Munro’s 68 was also good enough to give him first place overall in the Captain’s Prize.

Saturday’s competition was also the final qualifying round of the Club Championship. Leading qualifier in the scratch division was Gavin Sutherland, with reigning champion Don Mackay second, and John O’Brien 3rd. The qualifying leaderboard for the handicap section has a very youthful look, with Andrew Adamson, Ruari McCartney and Tom Ross leading the way.

On Sunday a small field of players competed in a Walk On Open, emerging victorious in the gents competition was Ian (D) Mackay, with no less than 5 players occupying second spot. Alison Ross added to her bulging trophy cabinet with victory in the ladies competition.

Dunnett cup round 2 & Sandside challenge trophy

The weekend was a busy one for the golfers of Reay, with the final round of the Dunnett Cup held on Saturday, and Sandside Challenge Trophy on Sunday.

On Saturday, all eyes were on leader Ross Munro to see if he could recapture the form which had produced a blistering 64 in the first round. After a steady start, Munro’s challenge was in danger of sinking without a trace after a disastrous 11 at the tough par 5 4th, however he steadied the ship to reach the turn in a respectable 44 blows. Munro continued his recovery with a string of good holes on the back 9, but his challenge was finally blown out of the water with a triple-bogey 6 at the final hole, giving him a two round total of 139. Matching Munro’s total was seasoned campaigner Alistair Gunn, who added a nett 69 to his first round of 70. The highlights of Gunn’s round were birdies at the 5th and 14th holes. Beating both men to the trophy on 137 was Ian Ritchie with rounds of 68 and 69. Ritchie also managed two birdies during his round at the tricky 8th and the short 15th.

Best score of the day in Category 1 was recorded by Steve Efemey, with a magnificent nett 62. Efemey, who has been struggling off the tee of late, rediscovered a winning formula with the driver on his way to two halves of 36, with birdies at the 14th and 18th holes. Runner-up in Category 1 was Gavin Sutherland with the lowest gross score of the day, 69. Sutherland reminded everyone that his student lifestyle has not affected his golf swing with halves of 35 and 34 which included birdies at the 10th and 14th, on his way to a nett 65.

Category 2 also produced some tremendous scores with playing partners Tom Ross and Andrew Adamson inspiring each other with some spectacular golf. Ross came out on top with a nett 62 which included birdies at the 8th and 12th holes. Adamson also managed two birdies, at the 13th and 16th, on his way to a nett 63.

On Sunday, Gavin Sutherland again showed his credentials with an excellent 39 points to take the Sandside Challenge Trophy by 2 points from Bill Budding and David Mackay. Sutherland’s points haul was aided by no less than 4 birdies, at the 3rd, 8th, 10th and 14th holes.

Walk On Open

Players who contested in the Walk On Open held at Reay on Saturday could have been forgiven for thinking it was November, not May as they were buffeted by a strong wind from the north-west which brought several squally showers throughout the day. A total of 28 brave souls donned their waterproofs to play, and of these, only one person managed to post a nett score below 70.

Coming out on top was Willie Steven with a superb nett 69. Steven, a serial winner during a glittering football career, may have to get his trophy cabinet extended to accommodate the golfing prizes that could be coming his way if he can maintain his recent form on the fairways. Steven’s round on Saturday was forged on a very steady outward half of 41. As conditions deteriorated on the back nine, Steven had a mini mid-round crisis with double-bogeys at 13th and 14th holes, however, he steadied himself to play the last four holes in level par for an excellent inward half of 40.

Runner-up was one of Steven’s former footballing foes, Andy Bain. Bain showed some very good form during the winter months and he obviously felt at home in the foul weather on his way to a nett 70. Bain’s round comprised two very steady halves of 41, although he will be kicking himself after a 5 at the short 15th cost him the chance of glory.

Best scratch score of the day was 78 courtesy of the on form Murray McGlasson. The highlights of McGlasson’s round were birdies at the par 5 6th and 14th holes. Securing a bottle of Malt for nearest at the pin at the 18th was Bruce Mackay. Mackay’s pin-seeking shot finished a mere 3.3km (2miles) from the hole – underlining just how strong the wind was during the day.

May Medal

Bright skies, a strong wind from the south-east, and hard, fast fairways presented testing conditions for the golfers of Reay at the weekend. Up for grabs was the May Medal which doubled up as the first qualifying round for the Club Championships.

Category one was a close run affair with only three players managing to better the CSS of 69. Coming out on top of the pile was Ian Ross with an impressive nett 67. An indifferent start to Ross’s round was soon forgotten with a birdie 2 at the tricky 5th helping him to reach the turn in 40 strokes. Ross continued to battle against the freshening wind during his inward half of 39, with a crucial birdie 2 at the final hole proving to be just enough to take the spoils by a single shot from captain Murray McGlasson and Colin Munro. Lee Parnell finished a shot further back on nett 69 following a fine 74, the lowest gross score of the day.

Category two provided a runaway victory for young Ruari McCartney, who made light of the conditions to post a blistering nett 63. McCartney’s front nine of 43 included an excellent 3 at the tricky 7th, and he showed nerves of steel to come back in 42, making solid pars at the last two holes for good measure. As well as winning the Category two medal, Ruari has secured a hefty handicap reduction for his efforts. Three shots behind after fine nett 66s were George McDonald and Alex Mackay.

The bright nights have also heralded the return of the Summer Cup, sponsored by Jacobs, on Tuesday nights. The early pace has been set by Gregor Munro after his nett 65 in round one, with the chasing pack being led by Colin Paterson, David Mackay, and Andrew Adamson.

Dunnett Cup 1 & Rotary Club Open

There was no time for the golfers of Reay to bathe in the afterglow of the Royal Wedding with a weekend fixture list packed full of golf to enjoy. Saturday brought blue skies with players competing in round one of the Dunnet Cup. King for the day with the best score in Category 1 and lowest overall nett score was young Ross Munro with a nett 64. Munro started with a succession of steady holes bringing him to the turn in 38 shots. He continued the back nine in a similar vein until helping himself to back to back birdies at the 16th and 17th holes. A double bogey 5 at the last took a little of the shine off his round, but Munro still managed to cover the inward half in 38 strokes. The second lowest score in Category 1 was nett 68, a feat achieved by no less than six players – Steven Mackay, Ian Ritchie, Sandy Chisholm, David Mackay, David Gray and Cammie Ross. 

Category 2 also produced some excellent scores, with a nett 66 by Keith Buxton the pick of the bunch. Buxton reached the turn after a series of topsy-turvy holes in 48 strokes, but found his rhythm during an inward half of 42 which included a rare birdie at the 17th. Buxton was pushed all the way in Category 2 with good scores from James Hawes, Danny O’Hagan and Joe Wilson. There will be several players fancying their chances of overhauling Munro’s lead when the final round of the Dunnet Cup is held in two weeks time.

The excellent weather continued on Sunday when Reay hosted the Rotary Club Open. Winner in Category 1 with a nett 67 was Walter Rutherford of Thurso Golf Club. After a slow start, Rutherford reeled off a series of pars to reach the turn in 41. Rutherford continued to play very steady golf for an excellent inward half of 38, to win by two shots from Reay’s Cammie Ross. Wayne Mowat and David Mowat finished a shot further back.

Category 2 was won by Tim Hawes with a fabulous nett 64. Hawes built his round on an excellent outward half of 39 which included a birdie at the long 4th. A less spectacular inward nine was brought to life by a birdie 2 at the 15th, and Hawes finished the last three holes in fine style to win by a single shot from Thurso’s Stanley Ross, and Andrew Main of Wick. 

The ladies category was won by Alison Campbell of Thurso with a nett 79. Campbell struggled a little on the greens, but still managed to post a score good enough to defeat her nearest challengers who included Susan Hawes, Elspeth Ritchie and Anne Youngson. 

Nearest the pin at the 18th secured a bottle of Malt for David Mackay, which will have provided him with some comfort as he reflected on a round which was ruined by a disastrous 14 at the 14th hole.

The Corfin Bogey & Spring Texas Scramble

THE HAWES TAKE THE APPLAUSE IN CORFIN BOGEY

Picture the scene.  An airport lounge, your flight has been delayed for a further hour and you find yourself at the Nike sunglasses stand (other brands of sunglasses are available).  One hundred hard earned sterling pounds for a pair of wrap around Tiger Woods style golfing sunglasses seems a bit much and after all you play golf in Caithness.  You struggle for some time to justify the outlay and finally common sense prevails.  You decide that a candle might be more useful and instead buy the wife some Stella McCartney eau de parfum (other perfumes are available) to ensure that you have enough Brownie points to even brave asking to play golf at the weekend.

The Ronnie Wallace Open and George Couper Challenge

Sunny skies provided perfect scoring conditions for two competitions played over the Reay links at the weekend. On Saturday home players teed up for a Stableford competition, the George Couper Challenge. Emerging victorious with a score of 38 points was club stalwart Colin Paterson. Paterson has not played a lot of golf over the winter months and there was definite evidence of rustiness during his first four holes which brought several incursions to the rough and a run of bogeys. However, he soon found his usual rhythm with a string of pars from the fifth to reach the turn in 17 points. Paterson continued his fine play to cover the back nine in an excellent 21 points to take the trophy on count-back from playing partner Jock Eunson. Eunson who also managed to harvest 38 points from the course will be having sleepless nights after a careless three-putt on the final green cost him victory. Leading the chasing pack were seasoned campaigners Cammie Ross (37 points), Ian Ross and Murdo Macdonald (both 36 points).

On Sunday Reay welcomed 60 players from far and wide to compete for the Ronnie Wallace Open. Warm and still weather brought a feast of low scores, with players from Thurso Golf Club in particular enjoying the conditions. Winner of the scratch trophy with a fabulous gross score of 68 was Donald Sutherland (Thurso). Sutherland, playing off a handicap of 7, started with eight straight pars before a birdie at the 9th saw him reach the turn in one under par. Sutherland was equally impressive on the back nine, carding birdies at the 10th and 16th which were offset by the only bogies of his round at the 12th and 14th, to give an overall score of one under par.

The prize for best nett score went to Kevin Morris (Thurso) with an excellent 64. Morris edged the on-form Sandy Chisholm (Reay) on count-back after Chisholm also carded a nett 64.

The best score in Category 2 was a fine nett 66 by Terry Mackay (Thurso), with Alistair Simpson (Thurso) and Danny O’Hagen (Reay) a shot further back on 67. Clark Grant (Thurso) secured a bottle of Malt Whisky for his nearest the pin effort at the final hole.

The Opening Weekend

Saturday 2nd April 2011

Thirty eight dedicated golfers braved the damp early morning conditions at Reay to compete in the annual Captain v Vice Captain match. The dreary weather soon lifted, but it continued to be a day of misery for Captain Murray Mcglasson whose charges were soundly trounced 7-3 by the team led by Vice Captain Lee Parnell.

Parnell led his men from the front, teaming up with fellow Sassenach Steve Efemey to defeat the Scots duo of Mcglasson and Richard McDonald in the top match by a single hole. The victory was made all the more remarkable by the fact that the dithering Vice Captain had forgotten to take his putter and spikes to the course with him.

Following the festivities of Saturday, it was down to serious business on Sunday with the Category 1 players contesting the Ward Trophy, while their Category 2 counterparts competed for the High Handicap Trophy.

Sunday 3rd April 2011

Winner of the Ward Trophy with an impressive 40 points was the on-form Sandy Chisholm. Chisholm, fresh from his victory in the Winter League Stableford, started like a house on fire with birdies at the first and ninth holes. Chisholm survived an indifferent start to the back nine to finish strongly, a point clear of second placed David ‘Snapper’ Mackay. Snapper has spent a period in the golfing doldrums of late, but he made a welcome return to his vintage best, amassing a haul of 39 points from a very steady round which included a birdie at the fifth. In third place on 38 points was John O’Brien following a very impressive round of gross 72.

The High Handicap Trophy was also a very keenly contested affair, with three players tied at the top of the leaderboard on 36 points. Winner on count-back was Willie Allan, who overcame an indifferent front nine to take the silverware. In second place was Ian Sutherland following a very erratic round which included scores of 7, 8, 11, and no less than three 3s. If Sutherland can find a bit more consistency he will be visiting the winner’s enclosure very soon. Third spot was secured by young Gregor Munro, who lost his way on the back nine after an impressive start to his round.