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