Midlands Alliance draw for Thursday, April 8 at Montrose

The Midland Golfers' Alliance, WH Miller Team competition at Monifieth Links was postponed due to the severe weather. This will now take place on Monday 12th April, 8.30 - 12.30.
Next meeting JTC Interiors Express Midland Golfers' Alliance Championship, Thursday 8th April, Montrose Links / Royal Montrose Golf Club.

Draw
8.00/1.00 G. Brown S. Graham E. Rae
8.08/1.08 K. Bruce J. Craig R. Farquhar
8.16/1.16 M. Pirie R. Bell D. Spaven
8.24/1.24 J. Stevenson D. Herd G. Able
8.32/1.32 K. Hutton D. West H. Hunter
8.40/1.40 R. Ford M. Fraser I. McMurray
8.48/1.48 C. Donnely K. Harper S. O’Donnell
8.56/1.56 G. Finlay S. Harrod H. Cowburgh
9.04/2.04 R. Stewart R. Barton J. Leddy
9.12/2.12 P. Brookes D. Mitchell C. Westland
9.20/2.20 C. Matheson W. Crosbie G. Jenkins
9.28/2.28 P. Jamieson A. Lockhart J. Crawford
9.36/2.36 G. McLeod R. McDonald G. Cant
9.44/2.44 L. Vannet D. Chalmers J. Paisley
9.52/2.52 L. Sutherland M. Brown A. Mason
10.00/3.00 N. Cameron

Lee Sutherland
PGA Professional
Ballumbie Castle Golf Club

Scott Larkin leading vouchers' winner in
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North-east Alliance 2009-2010 season

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Banchory's Scott Larkin, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who played the American college circuit for four years as a student at the College of Charleston, was the leading "money-winner" in the 2009-2010 North-east Golfers Alliance season just ended.
As he is an amateur, with +2 of a handicap, Larkin, of course, cannot accept cash prizes. Instead he collected £600 of prize vouchers from secretary Ron Menzies during the season which had several Wednesday competitions cancelled because of bad weather - or else the Banchory man might well have got much nearer the £1,000 mark.
Ian Bratton, the Newburn on Ythan club professional, was the next most successful competitor with £490 cash winnings.
Larkin also headed the Scratch Order of Merit with an average weekly score of -1.4 in relation to CSS.
Many thanks to Ron Menzies for compiling the following statistics:

MONEY/VOUCHERS LIST
a denotes amateur voucher,
p denotes professional cash
1 Scott Larkin (Banchory) a £670.
2 Ian Bratton (Newburgh) p £490.
T3 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) a £420.
T3 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) a £420.
5 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) a £370.
6 Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo) p £310.
7 Graham Gordon (unatt) p £300.
8 Laura Murray (Alford) a £276.
9 Stewart Pert (Huntly) a £258.
10 Derek Randall (Banchory) a £256.
11 Steven Kennedy (Craibstone) a £250.
12 Mike Booth (Kemnay) a £217.
13 Norman Stewart (Northern) a £213.
T14 Craig Carnegie (Kemnay) a £200.
T14 Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) a £200.
16 David Law (Hazlehead) a £190.
17 Jim Scott (Peterculter) a £188.
18 Michael Rogers (Kemnay) a £186.
19 Robert Lamb (Newmachar) a £185.
20 Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum) a £181.

ORDER OF MERIT (Scratch)
Average weekly score in relation to CSS
1 Scott Larkin (Banchory) -1.4
2 Ian Bratton (Newburgh) -0.6.
3 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh) -0.4.
4 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 0.2
5 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 0.7.
6 Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 2.0.
7 Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead) 2.3.
8 Stewart Pert (Huntly) 2.4.
9 Fergus Bisset (Banchory) 2.7.
10 George Paterson (Northern) 2.9.

ORDER OF MERIT (Class 1)
+Average net score in relation to CSS
1 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) (scr) 0.2.
2 Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead) (2) 0.3.
3 Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) (6) 0.3.
T4 Stewart Pert (Huntly) (2) 0.4
T4 James Duncan (Newburgh) (4) 0.4.
6 Paul McIntosh (Newburgh) (4) 0.5
T7 Scott Larkin (Banchory) (+2) 0.6.
T7 Robert Lamb (Newmachar) (3) 0.6.
T7 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay) (5) 0.6.
T10 Fergus Bisset (Banchory) (2) 0.7
T10 Brian Harper (Newburgh) (6) 0.7
ORDER OF MERIT (Class 2)
+Average net score in relation to CSS
1 Steven Kennedy (Craibstone) (11) -0.2.
2 Mike Booth (Kemnay) (19) 0.0.
3 Jim Scott (Peterculter) (10) 1.3.
4 Derek Townsley (Peterculter) (13) 1.4.
T5 Raymond Brown (Craibstone) (12) 1.6.
T5 Derek Randall (Banchory) (14) 1.6
6 Michael Rogers (Kemnay) (13) 2.3.
8 Norman Stewart (Northernb) (12) 2.7.
9 David Bisset (Banchory) (9) 2.8.
T10 Ian Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11) 2.9.
T10 Gerry Kelly (Peterculter) (14) 2.9

So how about Summer Alliance fixtures?

Colin Farquharson writes: As the North-east Alliance season ended with the finals of the foursomes competitions at Murcar Links GC on Friday and players said their farewells until the start of the 2010-2011 season in September, there were one or two who speculated that they would not mind it if the North-east Alliance season continued through the summer months.
Secretary Ron Menzies was quick to put a damper on such idle talk:
"The clubs are quite glad to have us during the late autumn, winter and early spring months on the Alliance terms of so much per competitor, which is considerably less than the visitor's green fee. But it would be a different story in the summer months when the difference between what the Alliance pays and what a host club's visitor's green rate is would be much greater."
Just to test the water to see if Ron Menzies is correct in his assumption, if there are any North-east golf clubs out there who would be prepared to host an Alliance fixture in the so-called summer months at a "winter rate" with regard to green fees, E-mail me at Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Four foursomes aces: left to right: Nigel Parker, Charles Cassie, Kyle Nelson and Keil Beveridge. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency. Click on it to enlarge.

Beveridge & Nelson, Cassie & Parker win

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North-east Alliance foursomes finals

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Inchmarlo Golf Resort tour pro Paul Cormack, winner of the North-east Alliance championship last week, failed to pull off the winter circuit's end-of-season double.
He and amateur partner Mike Jenkins, a Duff House Royal Senior member, lost by 2 and 1 to Aboyne assistant Keil Beveridge and Murcar Links amateur Kyle Nelson in today's (Friday) final of the North-east Alliance pro-am foursomes at Murcar Links.
Beveridge, boyfriend of Scotland amateur international player Laura Murray (Alford), did not qualify for the foursomes championship but was called into action on Thursday morning as a substitute for James Mooney (Kingscliffe). At the end of two days, he had won himself an unexpected windfall of £80.
All square after losing the 15th, Beveridge and Nelson regained a winning lead by taking the 16th and 17th holes for a 2 and 1 victory, achieved with mainly par figures. They collected the Evening Express Shield.

Nelson's local knowledge was a key factor, particularly in first and second-round wins in Thursday's foggy conditions.
In the all-amateur handicap foursomes, Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay) (5) and Nigel Parker (Murcar Links) (9) beat Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) (+2) and Neil Chisholm (Kemnay) (9) by 4 and 2 in the final of The Press and Journal Shield.
Cassie and Parker received four strokes.
All square after 12 holes, Cassie and Parker, who was suffering from a groin strain, made the most of receiving a stroke to win the 13th, thanks to a great three-wood by Cassie. They then birdied the 14th to double their advantage and kept up the winning roll to win the 15th - another excellent approach shot by Cassie - and 16th
Results of finals:
SCRATCH - Semi-finals - Final - Keil Beveridge (Aboyne) & Kyle Nelson (Murcar Links) bt Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo) and Mike Jenkins (Duff House Royal) 2 and 1.
HANDICAP
Final - Charles Cassie NIgg Bay) (5) & Nigel Parker (Murcar Links) (9) bt Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) (+2) & Neil Chisholm (Kemnay) (9) 4 and 2.

Monifieth amateur Martin Brown wins at Perth

By LEE SUTHERLAND
This week the Midland Golfers’ Alliance held a meeting at a driech King James VI Golf Club in Perth. Martin Brown (Monifieth), who is a +2 rated amateur. won the scratch section by two shots with a superb, two-under-par score of 68.
Sandy Mitchell, who plays off 12 at Dunblane New, won the handicap price with a net 67.
LEADING SCRATCH
68 M Brown (Monifieth).
70 P Jamies (Dunblane New) p.
71 G McLeod (Monifieth) p, M Pirie (Pitlochry) p, A J Webster (Edzell) p.
72 R Redpath (Scotscraig).
73 E Rae (Arbroath), R Stewart (Tulliallan).
74 N McLeod (Monifieth), G Milne (Aberdour).
75 W Crosbie (Blairgowrie), P Brookes (Pitreavie) p.
LEADING HANDICAP
67 S Mitchell (Dunblane New) (12).
68 D Vicary (Craigie Hill) (11), N McLeod (Monifieth) (6), R Redpath (Scotscraig) (4).
69 G Milne (Aberdour) (5).
70 E Rae (Arbroath) (3), J Leddy (Bathgate) (9), H Cowburgh (Muckhart) (6), W Crosbie (Blairgowrie) (5).
71 J Crawford (Dunblane New) (6), R Beatt (Scotscraig) (12), J Gray (Craigie Hill) (12), C Westland (Alloa) (11).
Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Montrose Links

N. McLead (Monifieth) (6).
D. Wilson (Monifieth) (4).
K. Salmoni (Muckhart) p.

Next Meeting
Tuesday 30th March
Monifieth Links, Grange Golf Club (8.30 to 12.30)
Sponsored by W.H. Miller

David Patrick with the UniRoyal championship trophy at Gullane (image by courtesy of alliance secretary Keith Liddle).

David Patrick wins East of Scotland Alliance title by three

David Patrick (Elie) won the Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance championship over the Gullane Nos 2 and 3 courses today.

He totalled 131, made up of a 70 over No 2 and a 61 over No 3.

There were at least five scores better than David's over the longer No 2 course but his 61 over the shorter lay-out was four strokes better than anyone else at that venue.

Neil Bain (Haddington), Scott Catlin (Greenburn) and Neil Colquhoun (Merchants) all finished three shots behind Patrick on 134, Bain with two rounds of 67, and both Catlin and Colquhoun with 69s at No 2 and 65s at No 3.

Bain, a five-handicapper, had the consolation of returning easily the lowest net total of 134.

MARTIN DEMPSTER'S REPORT FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS:

A day that had an ugly start for David Patrick produced a pretty ending as he regained the East of Scotland Alliance Championship at Gullane.
The former Walker Cup player from Edinburgh woke up with one of his eyes puffed up like a golf ball and wondered if he'd be able to play in the two-round event.But, after having problems with gauging distances on the greens on a morning 70 on the No 2 course, Patrick found his range as he stormed to the top of the leaderboard with an afternoon 61 on the shorter No 3 course.

His eight-under-par total of 131 gave him a three-shot win over Scott Catlin, the defending champion from Greenburn, Merchants pro Neil Colquhoun and Haddington amateur Neil Bain as Patrick repeated his UniRoyal Trophy triumph at Dalmahoy in 2008.

"I was doing stuff around the house on Tuesday night and I might have rubbed my eye after touching something or, alternatively, something might have got into my eye," said the 35-year-old.

"When I woke up in the morning, my eye was the size of a golf ball and I couldn't open it."It was still streaming when I started out for my first round, during which I had five three-putts. I kept hitting my first putt long and couldn't stop it. Thankfully, it got better as the day went on."

Three off the pace on the No 2 course after his opening effort, Patrick, who is attached to Elie these days, made his move with a sparkling start to his afternoon round.

He went 3-2-2-3 to be four-under after four – and reckoned it could have been even better.

"I holed from ten feet and 15 feet for birdies at the first and second then chipped in for an eagle at the third," he revealed.

"I should also have had an eagle at the fourth, missing from eight feet, but it was still probably my best-ever start to a round."

A poor sand wedge led to his only dropped shot of the round at the 12th before he finished in much the same way as he'd began – reeling off three straight birdies.

"I've not been playing much but have been working on my short game and feel my putting in particular has improved as a result of some stuff I've been doing in the house," added Patrick, who is gearing up for a first season of playing in pro-ams on the Tartan Tour.

After an opening 65 on the No 3 course – an effort matched in the morning by Colquhoun and Royal Burgess amateur Ian Taylor – Catlin maintained his excellent defence of the title with a second-round 69 to claim second spot.

The outstanding amateur performance of the day came from five-handicapper Bain, who claimed the Gavin Clark Trophy with two superb net 62s."They've got to be the two best rounds of my life," admitted the 45-year-old, who works as a project manager for Hewlett Packard in Edinburgh, having moved to the Capital from the Highlands, where he was a former club champion at Abernethy.

LEADING SCRATCH TOTALS

Gullane No 2 score first, Gullane No 3 score second.

131 David Patrick (Elie) 70 61.

134 Neil Bain (Haddington) 67 67, Scott Catlin (Greenburn) 69 65, Neil Colquhoun (Merchants) 69 65.

137 Colin Fraser (Peebles) 68 69.

138 Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) 72 66, Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 72 66.

139 Ross Neill (Drumpellier) 70 69, Richard Johnston (Glenbervie) 71 68, Alan Reid (West Lothian) 71 69, Ian Taylor (Royal Burgess) 74 65.

140 Ryan Buckley (Craigielaw) 71 69, Gordon Law (Uphall) 71 69, Scott Grieve (Turnhouse) 71 69.

141 Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) 75 66, Thomas Wilson (Glenbervie) 73 68, David Graham (Duddingston) 72 69, Mike Thomson (Torwoodlee) 71 70.

142 Grant Skinner (Glencorse) 74 68, Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) 68 74, Chris Morris (Kingsknowe) 74 68, Andrew Erskine (Ratho Park) 74 68, George Wither (Lothianburn) 74 68.

143 Craig Imlah (Peebles) 72 71, Stuart Callan (Bathgate) 77 66, Andrew Marshall (Houston GR) 72 71.

144 Andrew Rothney (Deer Park) 74 70.

145 Andrew Wight (Glencorse) 73 72, Robert Denholm (Duddinston) 75 70, Steven Doyle (Gifford) 76 69, Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe) 75 70.

146 Derek Fish (Glenbervie) 77 69.

LEADING HANDICAP

124 Neil Bain (Haddington) (5) 62 62.

131 David Graham (Duddingston) (5) 67 64.

135 Richard Johnston (Glenbervie) (2) 69 66 , Robert Denholm (Duddingston) (5) 70 65, David McKean (Cardrona) (8) 70 65.

136 Grant Skinner (Glencorse) (3) 71 65, Peter Sewell (West Linton) (6) 69 67.

137 Colin Fraser (Peebles) (scr) 68 69, Ian Taylor (Royal Burgess) (1) 73 64, Thomas Wilson (Glenb ervie) (2)71 66, Stgeven Doyle (Gifford) (4) 72 65, Ian Jeavons (Dubar) (5) 71 66.

138 Ian Jeavons (Dunbar) (5) 71 66.

138 Philip Leggate (Musselburgh) (9) 78 60.

139 Thomas Cordery (Musselburgh) (4)70 69, Stephen Gilhooley (Duddingston) (6) 70 69, Graeme Johnston (Glenbervie) (6) 68 71.

141 Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe) (2) 73 68, Arthur Harper (Dunfermline) (4) 71 70, Wilson Morton (Dunbar) (4) 70 71, William Laing (Prestonfield) (6) 74 67, David Jeffrey (Whitekirik) (8) 70 71.

PRIZELIST
Scratch
1st £300 David Patrick (Elie) 131
2nd equal £200 voucher Neil Bain (Haddington) 134
2nd equal £200 Scott Catlin (Greenburn) 134
2nd equal £200 Neil Colquhoun (Merchants) 134
5th £100 Colin Fraser (Peebles) 137

Winner of the Gavin Clark Trophy (Best net score)
Neil Bain (Haddington)

Handicap vouchers
1st £150 David Graham (Duddingston) 131
2nd equal £100 Richard Johnston (Glenbervie) 135
2nd equal £100 Robert Denholm (Duddingston) 135
2nd equal £100 David McKean (Cardrona) 135
5th equal £25 Grant Skinner (Glencorse) 136
5th equal £25 Peter Sewell (West Linton) 136

Munro Ferries and Billy McBain with their North Alliance championship trophies. Images by courtesy of Robin Wilson.

Munro Ferries retains North Alliance Scratch Quaich

By ROBIN WILSON
Tain's Munro Ferries travelled to Reay last Sunday for the final North Alliance fixture of the season with a win at Golspie 24 hours earlier still showing on his belt and in Caithness he collected his trophy as the scratch leading player of the season.
The “slotted in” Golspie fixture on Saturday was not a success. Because of so many postponements of what has always been a popular venue it was decided to fit in a Saturday visit to Golspie before the season ended the following day but fewer than two dozen members bothered to turned up.
A 73 from Tain's Ferries easily took his number of scratch wins up to five from ten outings and left his 72 hole gross aggregate intact for Reay the next day where he retained the scratch Quaich for another year.
The member who benefited most from the Golspie fixture was Billy McBain from Durness. The Fishery Officer at Kinlochbervie was still requiring a mandatory fourth card to enter the race for the Mackintosh Salver (handicap scores), having already recorded two net 65s at Tarbat and Dornoch and a 71 at Durness.
McBain fished out a net 68 from Golspie to win his section and bring his 72 hole total to 269, now catching and overtaking the trophy holder Seann Sutherland (Bonar- Bridge/Ardgay) by four shots before the play began at Reay.
Reay's entry total was back to the season's average of over fifty, all enjoying the best day of Spring that permitted play for the first time in short sleeves and a clutch of excellent scores were returned, ten of 75 and better, and the best from the Alliance Secretary, Tony Gill of Brora
Four-handicapper Gill was denied a scratch success by Ferries in the opening fixture of the season at Durness, but satisfied himself with the leading net return in Class 1. At Reay, after a steady outward nine holes of 36, his card come to life towards the end of his round.
Gill was one under par over the first three inward holes before losing a ball from a wayward drive at the shortest par-4 on the course, the 13th, and taking a double bogey 6 before an eagle 3 on the next hole. The eagle ignited a run of 3s that did not end until the final green, giving him an inward 32 and 18 hole card of 68 (36/32).
At the same 14th hole where Gill went up a gear Ferries's game dropped down a gear when he played from the wrong tee to incur a two-shot penalty to end up with a double bogey 7. The +2 left-hander was back clubhouse with a one over par 70 (36/34), but he was not in second place. This was already taken by Wick's John Harper who made a score of 33 on the outward half with successive birdies on the sixth and seventh holes and after being only slightly more successful than Ferries on the 14th, a single bogey 6, got home in one over par 36 for 69 and second place.
Don A. Mackay, returning to the Reay fold, showed what a valuable asset he can be to any club with a gross 70, from equal halves of 35 and a share of third place with clubmate John O'Brien and Ferries. O'Brien's gross 70 (36/34) turned into the leading net 65 in Class 1 while Mackay's 70 was elevated to the second scratch prize.
O'Brien's net 65 was matched by four handicapper Harper but in the net card play-off the Wick member came out second best. A scramble of three net 68s followed from three Ross-shire members, Tain pair Alec Gunn and Steve Holmes and Tarbat's Hamish Skinner. After net inward half comparisons, the order was Gunn 31, Holmes 34 and Skinner 34.5.
The home players kept stacking up the net scores in Class 2 which would eventually see their club win the Alliance Shield for club team scores. Leading the way for the Hosts in Class 2 was their past captain Ian Ross, finishing with a birdie 2 for a super gross 76 net 65 followed closely by Gavin Gunn (10) 68, Gunn going behind with a bogey 4 at the 18th.
The homesters were followed by Durness pair Alistair McCowan (12) 70 and John Mackenzie (16) 71 the letter on the better inward half from Shaun Ashe (Brora) (13)71.
Billy McBain having taken his Salver winning net total to 269 at Golspie and not change after his Reay score then saw a new runner up emerge in the shape of the individual scratch winner, Gill. The Secretary's scratch 68 reduced to a net 64 wiping nine shots from his previous total and when combined with his three other best scores, 65 at Durness, 70 at Tarbat and 72 at Brora he came up with a new total of 271 to rob the Salver holder Seann Sutherland of second place by a shot.
Thurso's Alan Swanson was not in the frame until this month but after his 68 at Tarbat to add to his 69 at Dornoch last November he completed his March venue scoring with a two74s( Wick and Reay) for 285 and take the scratch runner's up place behind Ferries.
Brora with just the minimum four members at Reay put up a stout defence of the team trophy with a total of 275, Tony Gill 64,Robin Wilson 69, Shaun Ashe 71 and Peter Etheridge 71 for 275 but the home four, Ian Ross 65, John O'Brien 65, Don Mackay 68 and Gavin Gunn 68 for a total of 271 returned the team trophy to the Reay Clubhouse for the first time since season 1998/99.
The Alliance season completed there is the opportunity for 36 holes of competitive play in Sutherland this weekend when Golspie and Brora open their summer season with walk-on open competitions. Time can be booked in advance for Golspie on Saturday and Brora on Sunday.
ALLIANCE RESULTS
AT GOLSPIE
Scratch
M. Ferries (Tain)73. P. Sangster (Thurso) 75.
Handicap
Class 1 – S. R. Sutherland (BBA) (6) 71. A/ J. Gill (Brora) (4) 72. A. Gunn (Tain) (6) 73 Class 2 – B. McBain(Durness) (19) 68. S. Bremner (Thurso) (17) 73. S. Mackay (Durness) (15) 73.
AT REAY
Scratch
A. J. Gill (Brora) 68. J. Harper (Wick) 69. D. A. Mackay (Reay), M. Ferries (Tain), J. O'Brien (Reay) 70. S. Holmes (Tain) 72. A. Gunn (Tain), R. W. Taylor (Wick), W. Murray (Wick) 74. B. Ronald (Thurso) 75. R. J. Wilson (Brora), C. Burness (Thurso) 76. R. Barker (Wick) ,H. Skinner (Tarbat) 77.
Handicap
Class 1 – J. O'Brien (Reay) (5), J. Harper (Wick) (4) 65. A. Gunn (Tain) (6), S. Holmes (Tain) (4), H. Skinner (Tarbat) (9) 68.
Class 2 – I. Ross (Reay) (11) 65. G. Gunn (Reay) (10) 68. A. McCowan (Durness) (12) 70. J. Mackenzie (Durness )(16) 71.

JIMMY GUNN'S AMERICAN HOLE IN ONE

Royal Dornoch's exile Professional, Jimmy Gunn celebrated his second hole-in-one since joining the Gateway Satellite tour in America. Just a little over a year after his first American hole-in-one at Litchfield Park in Arizona Gunn scored his second ace on his way to victory in the Cancer Awareness Research and Education Pro-Am at the desert Mountain and Country Club in Scotsdale. He aced the par three 166 yard 12th hole on his way to an individual wining 65 and at the same time helping his amateur team to victory.

Ross Harrower is North Scottish Alliance champion

By ALAN COWIE
Boat of Garten professional Ross Harrower won the North Scottish Golfers' Alliance Championship fixture at Fortrose & Rosemarkie after John Forbes (Inverness) was unable to make the scheduled play-off.
Forbes posted a five-under-par 66 early on with six birdies and a single dropped shot at the 17th.
Later starter Harrower equalled this mark seven birdies between bogeys at the first and last. Five of his sub-par figures came on the home nine and he was awarded the Sir Hugh Mackenzie Trophy.
Consolation for Forbes was the fact that his net 67, off a handicap of +1, earned him the Bank of Scotland Quaich for victory in the Handicap Class 1.
In Class 2, L Macbean (Boat of Garten), playing off nine, won the Jim Thom Quaich for a net 69.
Jim Simpson (Forres) won the seniors' scratch award, the J A B Little Trophy, with a 72 while A Tait (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), playing off six, took the seniors' handicap prize, the J M C Gourlay Salver with a net 68.
LEADING SCRATCH
66 R Harrower (Boat of Garten) p, J D Forbes (Inverness).
69 G Hay (Grantown), M Macdonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie).
70 G Murray (Spey Bay), B Fotheringham (Forres).
71 M L Macleman (Moray).
72 S Chisholm (Nairn), J Simpson (Forres).
73 J C Milne (Moray), A Cameron (Inverness), J R Mackay (Muir of Ord).
74 B A Watson (Nairn Dunbar), J A Grant (Grantown), C Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) p, R McKerron (Forres), A Tait (Fortrose & Rosemarkie).
75 K Thomson (Moray), J Milne (Elgin), K Stables (Elgin) p.
76 F Brown (Nairn Dunbar).
77 M. McDonald (Grantown), W Hutchison (Inverness), A Henry (Inverness), I Hamilton (Elgin).
78 G Mackenzie (Hopeman), K Williamson (Torvean), L Macbean (Boat of Garten);
79 A Thomson (Moray) p, R Proctor (Forres), B Main (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), S Rooney (Boat of Garten), G Burnett (Nairn), I Macaulay (Elgin), N. McWilliam (Elgin).
80 G J Abel (Elgin), S Wilson (Inverness), W Weatherall (Muir of Ord), J B Thomson (Moray).
LEADING HANDICAP
Class 1 (eight and under)
67 J Forbes (Inverness) (+1).
68 A Tait (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (6), G Hay (Grantown) (1).
70 I. Hamilton (Elgin)(7), J C Milne (Moray) (3).
71 S. Rooney (Boat of Garten)(8), M Mcdonald (Grantown) (6).
Class 2 (nine to 14)
69 L. Macbean (Boat of Garten) (9).
71 T Loynes (Boat of Garten) (12).
72 C Small (Nairn) (11).
73 D Macleod (Loch Ness) (11), G Knapp (Muir of Ord) (11), J Mcdonald (Nairn Dunbar) (14).

North-east Alliance scores for Cruden Bay

Secretary Ron Menzies' focus was on the North-east Alliance 36-hole championship when the second round was played at Cruden Bay last Wednesday. But there were scratch and handicap prizes for Cruden Bay scores along.
Now Ron has released the leading scores for the Cruden Bay round.
SCRATCH
Par 70
68 Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo).
71 Ryan Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo).
72 John Mitchell (Fraserburgh), Brian Nicolson (Auchmill), Scott Larkin (Banchory).
73 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Laura Murray (Alford), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian).
74 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Steven Chalmers (Banchory), Anthony Bews (Murcar Links).
HANDICAP
Class 1 - Laura Murray (Alford) (4) 69; B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2) 780; A J Fiddes (Deesidee) (3), J Mitchell (Fraserburgh) (scr), C Carnegie (Kemnay) (4) 72.
Class 2 - A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10), N Stewart (Northern) (12) 70; A Clark (Newmachar) (12), D Randall (Banchory) (14) 71; H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) (11) 72; D Bissett (Banchory) (9) 73.

David Roger wins West of Scotland Golfers Alliance Championship.

By JOHN CARRELL
Secretary, West of Scotland Golfers Alliance
A total of 64 amateurs and 16 professionals contested the outing at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Conditions were fantastic with no wind and plenty of sunshine. The course, in excellent condition for this time of the year, produced many praiseful comments. Our thanks to all at Falkirk Tryst for helping to make our day successful.
The WSGA Championship is held over two rounds, one at Lanark Golf Club and one at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. David Roger (Windyhill Golf Club) took the honours at both events to walk away with the championship.
Two Eagles and five birdies helped David win the event at Falkirk with a four-under-par card of 66. This, combined with his 68 at Lanark last week, gave him a total of 134 over the two outings to become the 73rd winner of the event which has been running for 77 years. Nearest finisher was last year's champion, Stephen Gray, on 137.
New member this year Johathan D'Aguillar (Glasgow) (11) and Hugh Semple (Hayston) (9) tied for first place to share the Handicap prize, carding net 68s.
Seniors prize went to William Houston (Torrance House) and James Kinloch (Cardross) who both scored net 68s.
PRIZEWINNERS
Championship
134 David Roger (Windyhil) p.
Scratch
66 David Roger (Windyhill) p £110.
67 Stephen Gray (Hayston) p £80.
68 James Smallwood (Fereneze) p £50, Robert Jenkins (Crow Wood) (amateur) £50 voucher.
Handicap
Vouchers as prizes
68 Jonathan D'Aguillar (Glasgow) (11), Hugh Semple (Hayston) (9) £65 each.
69 Vaughn Ralph (Moray) (14) £35.
71 Billy Campbell (Loudon Gowf Club) (5), John Fowler (Hayston) (scr) £12.50 each.
Senior Prize Vouchers
72 William Houston (Torrance House) (13), James Kinloch (Cardross) (2) £25 each.
Our top three handicap winners also took the sweep money, with eight members sharing the 2s' sweep money.

Graeme Brown wins Midland Alliance at Crieff with a six-under 65

By MARTIN BROWN
(Lee Sutherland is on holiday).
This week's Midland Alliance meeting was held at Crieff Golf Club and was won by Montrose assistant professional Graeme Brown with a magnificent, six-under-par effort of 65.
Tieing for second place were senior amateur Bob Stewart (Tulliallan) and Edzell assistant pro M Finlayson with commendable 67s.
There was a three-way tie for leading handicap with G Jenkins (Crieff) (3), H Hunter (Alloa) (10) and C Westland (Alloa) (11) leading the way with net 66s.
LEADING SCRATCH
65 G Brown (Montrose) ap.
68 R Stewart (Tulliallan), M Finlayson (Edzell) ap.
69 S Smith (Ladybank) p, S O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap, G Jenkins (Crieff).
70 M Pirie (Pitlochry) p, A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap, S Cargill (Arbroath), A J Webster (Edzell) p, C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap, K Harper (Carnoustie), G Finlay (Ballumbie).
LEADING HANDICAP
66 G Jenkins (Crieff) (3), H Hunter (Alloa) (10), C Westland (Alloa) (11).
67 R Bell (Pitlochry) (5), R Stewart (Tulliallan) (1).
68 J Crawford (Dunblane) (6), D K Hutchison (Murrayshall) (6), A Mason (Thornton) (7).

North-east Alliance title in doubt until mid-evening

CORMACK CHAMPION AFTER

SCORECARD HITCH

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Inchmarlo tour professional Paul Cormack, one of the last men to finish in a field of 85, was confirmed as winner of the North-east Golfers' Alliance championship more than two hours after he returned his second-round card at Cruden Bay today.
Cormack's two-under-par 68, coupled with last week's one-under-par 67 in the first round at Duff House Royal for a total of 135 gave him the title and earned him the Uniroyal Quaich by the resounding margin of eight strokes.
But they don't present the trophies until next week's foursomes at Murcar Links so there was no need for Paul to hang around the Cruden Bay clubhouse after he had finished.
However, during Alliance secretary Ron Menzie's thorough scrunity of all the scorecards at the end of the day, he noticed that Cormack's inward half total had been entered by his marker as 35 while the figures entered per hole added up to 34.
The 26-year-old player, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who spends much of his time playing on satellite tours in the United States, had left Cruden Bay for his Banchory home before the secretary could check out the discrepancy.
It was after 7.30pm before Ron Menzies was able to get hole of Cormack by phone and- fortunately - the player was able to confirm that the figures he had signed for at each hole were correct. And that's all that matters, the totals for halves are irrelevant if the the score per hole is correct.
Had it been the other way round, the player would have been disqualified, almost an astonishing repeat of last week's events at Duff House Royal where Phllip McLean, the leader, was disqualified long after he had left the course.
It was a double-eagle performance by Cormack who had a 3 at the long sixth and a 2 at the par-4 14th. He also birdied the second, fourth, and 12th - and also had five bogeys in halves of 34 (two under par) and 34 home (level).
"There was a fair mix of the good and the bad in that round," said Paul. "I'm glad it all worked out in the end."
For the record, Cormack's figures today were:
OUT: 5-3-4-2-4-3-4-4-5--34. IN; 5-4-2-6-2-3-4-4-4--34.
Joint second overall on a bright, sunny day but with a veering wind, eventually behind the players down the 17th and 18th, made conditions tricky, were Newburgh professional Ian Bratton who came home in 40 with six bogeys for a 76 and 143, a total matched 21-year-old Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), who has played on the US college circuit, a 69 at Banff and a 74 today, which made him the winner of the J K Hall Quaich as the leading amateur.
Kevin Duncan's figures today:
OUT: 4-4-4-2-5-5-5--3-5--37. IN: 5-3-4-5-6-3-3-4-4--37.
Mike Jenkins (Duff House Royal), joint eighth overall with a scratch total of 148, won the Veterans' Cup.
Scotland international Laura Murray (Alford), the only female in the field, won
the Chapper's Pot with the lowest Class 1 net 36-hole aggregate of 138 with a pair of net 69s off her Alliance handicap (she plays off the men's tees) of four.
Her birdie 4 at the last followed one of the longest drives by anyone at the 18th.
Laura's figures were:
OUT: 4-4-5-4-6-5-4-3-4--39. IN: 4-2-5-5-4-3-4-4-3--34.
Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum), who plays off 10, won the Major's Pot for the best Class 2 aggregate of 140.
No award for Fergus Bisset but the golf writer from Banchory deserved one for his loyalty to the North-east Alliance. Fergus played in the Sunningdale foursomes on Tuesday - and the Alliance championship today! He finished joint 12th in the scratch aggregates on 149 and qualified to play in the pro-am foursomes for the Evening Express Shield at Murcar Links next Thursday (draws for both scratch and handicap competitions can be seen below today's collated scores.
+Cruden Bay's "extra short hole" - it was played as the 12th - out at the far end of the course and played towards the North Sea, was well received by all the players I spoke to. It was the first time it had been played in a competition outwith Cruden Bay members.
+The general opinion was that, depending on the strength and direction of the wind, it could be a great, testing hole.
+The hole has been created so that it can be brought into play when another hole is having work done on it. Great idea, the envy of most golf clubs and their head greenkeepers!

2010 NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE CHAMPIONSHIP TOTALS
(first score at Duff House Royal, second score at Cruden Bay).
Par 138 (68 at DHR, 70 at Cruden Bay)
135 Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo) 67 68.
143 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 69 74, Ian Bratton (Newburgh) 67 76.
144 Anthony Bews (Murcar Links) 70 74, Scott Larkin (Banchory) 72 72.
145 Stewart Finnie (Caledonian) 72 73.
146 Laura Murray (Alford) 73 73.
148 Justin Duff (Fraserburgh) 73 75, Ryan Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) 77 71, Craig Carnegie (Kemnay) 72 76, Mike Jenkins (Duff House Royal) 71 77.
149 Kyle Nelson (Murcar Links) 71 78, Fergus Bisset (Banchory) 72 77.
150 Duncan Clark (Duff House Royal) 72 78.
151 John Mitchell (Fraserburgh) 79 72, Jim Emslie (Royal Aberdeen) 74 77.
152 Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon) 79 73, Richard Hyland (Craibstone) 73 79.
154 Paul McIntosh (Newburgh) 76 78, James Mooney (Kingsliffe) 79 75.
155 Stewart Pert (Huntly) 77 78.
158 David Wilson (Duff House Royal) 78 80.
159 Andrew Campbell (Deeside) 84 75.
160 Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum) 80 80, Martin Forster (Cruden Bay) 78 82.
161 David Corkey (Royal Aberdeen) 75 86.
162 Mark Lawrie (Kemnay) 74 84.
165 Norman Stewart (Northern) 83 82.
166 Brian Harper (Newburgh) 80 86, Hamish McNaughton (Cruden Bay) 83 83, Nigel Parker (Murcar Links) 80 86.
167 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay) 80 87, Dave MacKay (Newmachar) 81 86, Neil Chisholm (Kemnay) 80 87.
168 Mike Booth (Kemnay) 81 87.

HANDICAP
Class 1
138 Laura Murray (Alford) (4) 69 69.
140 C Carnegie (Kemnay) (4) 68 72.
143 K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) (scr) 69 74.
145 J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen) (3) 71 74, K Nelson (Murcar Links) (2) 69 76, F Bisset (Banchory) (2) 70 75.
146 P McIntosh (Newburgh) (4) 72 74, M Jenkins (Duff House Royal) (1) 70 76; D Wilson (Duff House Royal) (6) 72 74.
147 S Finnie (Caledonian) (+1) 73 74.
Class 2
140 A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10) 70 70.
141 N Stewart (Northern) (12) 71 70.
144 H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) (11) 72 72.
146 D Randall (Banchory) (15) 75 71.
148 M Booth (Kemnay (10) 71 77, N Parker (Murcar Links) (9) 71 77.
149 N Chisholm (Kemnay) (9) 71 78.

FOURSOMES DRAWS
Draws for the North-east Alliance pro-am foursomes at Murcar Links next Thursday and Friday are:
SCRATCH (Evening Express Shield).
10 min intervals
9.30: J Mooney (Kingsliffe) & K Nelson (Murcar Links) v D Naylor (Banchory) & A Bews (Murcar Links).
9.40 P Lovie (P1 Corporate) & D Clark (Duff House Royal) v R Hyland (Craibstone) & S Larkin (Banchory).
9.50 S Chalmers (Bnchory) & K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) v P Cormack (Inchmarlo) & M Jenkins (Duff House Royal.
10.0 I Bratton (Newburgh) & F Bisset (Banchory) v R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) & F Bisset (Banchory) v R Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) & C Carnegie (Kemnay).
+Second round on Thursday afternoon.

HANDICAP (Press and Journal Trophy)
10.10 J Emslie (Royal Aberdeen) & A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) v D Wilson (Duff House Royal ) & H McNaughton (Cruden Bay).
10.20 D Corkey (Royal Aberdeen) & B Lumsden (Northern) v M Forster (Cruden Bay) & N Parker (Murcar Links).
10.30 B Harper (Newburgh) & M Booth (Kemnay) v M Lawrie (Kemnay) & N Stewart (Northern).
10.40 P McIntosh (Newburgh) & D Randall (Banchory) v A Dunton (McDonald Ellon) & N Chisholm (Kemnay).

+Second round on Thursday afternoon; Finals on Friday morning.

NORTH GOLF ALLIANCE REPORT

Liam pips Calum on card countback at Brora

By ROBIN WILSON
Two local teenagers, Liam MacDonald-Macleod (19) and Calum Stewart (17), left the Alliance's leading player, Tain's Munro Ferries, in the shade when playing their home course in Sunday's North Golf Alliance fixture at Brora.
Each local protege returned a gross card of one-over-par 70 and with a one-under-par inward half of 33, MacDonald, pictured by Robin Wilson, pegged back Stewart's outward lead of two strokes to make it into first place, adding his name to the list of scratch winners after a handicap win at Royal Dornoch last November.

Scottish junior cap Stewart matched his rival's outward 35 shots over the next nine holes but it was at the 13th and 14th holes where MacDonald made up ground with back-to-back birdies to win the card play-off.
Tain's left-hander Ferries finished with the fourth best score of the day, a 73, which matched his two earlier scores of 73 at both Royal Dornoch and Tain. After adding a 66 at Tarbat the previous week and an opening season 70 at Durness, the +2 handicapper, now with a four scores' total of 282, has built up a six-shot aggregate lead over Thurso's Bryan Ronald whose 77 at Brora did not improve his situation.

Ferries' lead should be a sufficient to guarantee retention of the Scratch Quaich with two fixtures remaining.
Reducing his previous net aggregate total of 283 by 10 shots to 273 with a superb handicap- winning score of 64 at Brora, Seann Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay) is on track to retain the Mackintosh Salver. He has gone ahead of Ronald's net 276 total by three with remaining fixtures left to play this weekend at Golspie on Saturday, followed by Reay on Sunday.

Tain's Andrew Watt occupies third net place with 277, Watt unable to improve on any of his counting scores at Brora. Missing a chance to get into the mix was Durness's Billy MacBain who unfortunately along with playing partners Alister Corbet and John Morrison disqualified themselves after discovering they had played from a wrong tee.
Sutherland has had two strokes taken from his handicap (8 to 6) for the final two events but he won't grumble too much after his gross 72 (38-34) for a net 64 was six ahead of the next best score in Class 1.

This came from former Alliance secretary Robin Wilson (Brora) who has been out of the prize lists for the whole of last season and all of the current while his handicap was rising to seven. But he got back into the scene with a closing birdie 2 for a gross 77, net 70, and second place. The local member finished two ahead of Tain pair, Steve Holmes and Alec Gunn.
The overnight rain and strong wind that had even blown out several of the flag poles from the greens had abated by morning but Brora's winter tee positions toughens several holes and this was reflected with no player in the Class 2 section getting close to the net par.

Three net 72s were separated into order by inward half counts and it was local Peter Etheridge, who came home in net 34, who got first place ahead of Jim Johnstone (Thurso) and Tain's Ali Melville.
As mentioned above, the final fixture is at Reay on Sunday but Golspie are giving three hours of their members' times on Saturday morning - 8.30 to 11.30am - to get all ten fixtures completed. RESULTS
Scratch

70 L MacDonald-Macleod (Brora) 37-33, C Stewart (Brora) 35-35.

72 S R S Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay) 38-34.

73 M Ferries (Tain) 38-35.

74 J Sangster (Thurso) 37-37.

75 B Ferries (Tain) 39-36.

76 S Holmes (Tain) 40-36).

Handicap

Class 1 – S R S Sutherland (BBA) (8) 64; R J Wilson (Brora) (7) 70; S Holmes (Tain) (4) (bih), A Gunn (Tain) (6) 72.

Class 2 – P Etheridge (Brora) (12) (bih), J Johnstone) (Thurso) (16), A Melville (Tain) (11) 72; D A Matheson (Brora) (15) 75.

Stewart Wilson wins North Scottish Alliance at Muir of Ord

By ALAN COWIE
Secretary, North Scottish Golfers' Alliance
Stewart Wilson (Inverness) won the penultimate North Scottish Golfers' Alliance fixture as the Alliance played Muir of Ord for the first time. Halves of 36 and 31 gave him a one under 67 and a one stroke victory from Graham Mackenzie of Hopeman.

LEADING SCRATCH
67 S Wilson (Inverness).
68 G Mackenzie (Hopeman).
69 C Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) p.
71 G. Burnett (Nairn), K Thomson (Moray), N. McWilliam (Elgin)
72 G Mellis (Muir of Ord), J D Forbes (Inverness)
73 G. Hay (Grantown), I. Macaulay (Elgin)
74 J. Wright (Forres)
75 M.L. Macleman (Moray), A. Henry (Inverness);
76 W. Weatherall (Muir of Ord), S. Aird (Forres) p, A. Cameron (Inverness), R Harrower (Boat of Garten) p.
77 A.W. Mair (Moray), S. Mitchell (Moray), J.C. Milne (Moray), D. Joel (Inverness)
78 R. Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), S. Chisholm (Nairn), J.A. Grant (Grantown).
79 B.A. Watson (Nairn Dunbar), W Hutchison (Inverness).
80 V. Tilman (Muir of Ord), W R Duncan (Moray), J. Treasurer (Inverness), D. Hector (Elgin), D.R. Mackellar (Grantown), K. Williamson (Torvean)
HANDICAP
Class 1 (eight and under).
63 G. Mackenzie (Hopeman) (5)
68 I. Macaulay (Elgin) (5)
70 G. Mellis (Muir of Ord) (2), A. Henry (Inverness) (5), W. Weatherall (Muir of Ord) (6)
Class 2 (nine to 14)
69 J. Kennedy (Moray) (13)
71 E.P. Lamsdell (Forres) (14)
72 L. Duncan (Elgin) (9)
73 A. Boxx (Boat of Garten) (10), I. Turner (Boat of Garten) (14), W.B. Johnston (Moray) (9)

The Aggregate competitions were decided on Saturday in the penultimate fixture of this winter's North Scottish Golfers' Alliance. Results:

Scratch Section
K M Cameron Trophy (First three apart from A Cameron win prizes).
337 C Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) 69 68 65 67 69.
343 B Fotheringham (Forres) 70 69 69 69 66, A Cameron (Inverness) 68 69 66 70 70.
346 K Thomson (Moray) 70 69 69 68 70.
349 J S D Campbell (Grantown) 74 63 73 67 72.
351 M L Macleman (Moray) 71 69 69 74 68, N McWilliam (Elgin) 66 70 71 73 71.

Handicap
Section One (eight and under).
(Playing for the Burnett Trophy, first three win prizes).
343 A Cameron (Inverness) 68 69 66 70 70.
345 S Johnston (Elgin) 72 67 65 69 72.
347 S Wilson (Inverness) 69 71 71 71 65, J C Milne (Moray) 72 66 71 71 67, J A Grant (Grantown) 69 66 71 71 70.
348 K Williamson (Torvean) 71 67 62 74 74.
350 G Hay (Grantown) 68,69,69,72,72.
351 R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar) 70,70,68,71,72.
352 A Cowie (Moray) 64,73,73,69,73.
353 S. Chisholm (Nairn) 72,68,70,71,72.
354 D. Hector (Elgin) 67,66,66,77,78, A.W Mair (Moray) 70 70 74 71 69, A Henry (Inverness) 73 72 70 68 71.

Section Two (nine to 14)
(Playing for the Bill McQueen Trophy. First three win prizes).

350 C. Small (Nairn) 69 69 74 64 74.
352 L. Duncan (Elgin) 69,69,72,73,69.
R.G. Macpherson (Moray) 68,69,70,71,74.
355 L. Macbean (Boat of Garten) 72,71,71,74,67.
358 D. Macleod (Loch Ness) 72,62,79,74,71.
360 A. Grigor (Boat of Garten) 75,73,71,71,70.
361 W.B. Johnston (Moray) 73,74,68,73,73.
362 A.A. Lees (Moray) 72,73,71,76,70.
363 A. Boxx (Boat of Garten) 69,74,73,73,74.

Windyhill Pro David Roger takes West Alliance

honours at Lanark Golf Club with two-under 68

By JOHN CARRELL
West of Scotland Golfers' Alliance secretary
A total of 60 amateurs and 15 professionals were put to the test in this week's West of Scotland Golfers' Alliance competition at a frosty Lanark Golf Club.
The start was delayed by an hour and a half while we waited for the sun to soften the ground. Play got underway at 9.30 with only one winter green. The course looked in great condition and the players enjoyed their time on this Open Qualifying course.
David Roger, the pro from Windyhill, took an early lead on 68 with five birdies and no bogies in the first nine. The second nine was looking good with par all the way till the 18th where he took a triple bogey 6 to leave him on two under par. The mistake on the 18th turned out to be okay though as no-one managed to overtake him for the rest of the day.
Previous winner Stevie Gray, the pro from Hayston, came equal second with two young amateurs, James Hendrick (+1) from Bonnyton and Conor O'Neill (+2) from Pollock, both on par 70.
The amateurs' prize went to Kevin McCann (7) who finished with a net 66. Kevin Caldwell (4) from Hayston and Brian Robertson (11) from Forrester Park shared second place on 69.
Seniors prize went to the last outing's amateur winner, John Greene (12), who carded a net 70.
PRIZEWINNERS
Scratch
68 David Roger (Windyhill) p £110.
70 Stevie Gray (Hayston)p £60, James Hendrick (+1) (Bonnyton) and Conor O'Neill (+2) (Pollock) £60 vouchers each.
Handicap
Prize Vouchers
66 Kevin McCann (Vale of Leven) (7) £80.
69 Kevin Caldwell (Hayston) (4), Brian Robertson (Forrester Park) (11) £42.50 each.
71 Andrew Sturton (Forrester Park) (9) £25.
Seniors
Prize Vouchers
70 John Greene (Cowglen) (12) £30.
72 John Mansfield (Troon Merchants) (15) £20.

Our top three handicap winners also shared the sweep money, while eight players who achieved 2s on the day shared our amateurs' 2s sweep money.

Lockhart and McKay tie with 69s at Burntisland Golf House

By LEE SUTHERLAND, Professional, Ballumbie Castle Golf Club.
This week the Midland Golfers Alliance held the Eddie Sherry pro-am at Burntisland Golf House Club in Fife.
There was a tie for first scratch between Ladybank assistant pro Alan Lockhart and Donald McKay, the Wellsgreen professional, both with scores of two-under-par 69.
Winners of the team competition by a margin of five shots were Guy Mathieson (Dunnikier Park), Jim Brown (Kirkcaldy), Jack Cree (Thornton) and Jim Muir (Scotscraig) with a score of 124.
LEADING SCRATCH
69 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap, D McKay (Wellsgreen) p.
71 R Stewart (Tulliallan).
72 R Ford (Scotscraig).
73 P Jamieson (Dunblane New) p, M Rae (Alyth) ap, A J Webster (Edzell) p.
LEADING TEAMS
124 G Mathieson (Dunnikier Park) (4), J Brown (Kirkcaldy) (9), J Cree (Thornton) (11), J Muir (Scotscraig) (10).
129 (better inward half) R Ford (Scotscraig) (4), R Redpath (Scotscraig) (4), J Rankin (Scotscraig) (9), R Beatt (Scotscraig) (12).
129 S O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap, C Wallace (Caird Park) (10), G Milne (Aberdour) (5), C Marr (Glenrothes) (13).

Next week's meeting: THURSDAY, MARCH 18 - CRIEFF GOLF CLUB (8.30am - 12.30)

Because of the current snow at Crieff there is a doubt if it will be playable next Thursday. If it is unplayable, then Drumoig is on standby.
Watch this space for on-off news.

EDINBURGH & EAST OF SCOTLAND ALLIANCE
-
Duddingston Golf Club

THORNTON CUP - Overall Winner: Ian Fraser (Duddingston) 65

SCRATCH PRIZEWINNERS
1st £100 Smith Stuart Duddingston 67
2nd equal £60 Erskine Andrew Ratho Park 69
2nd equal £60 Patrick David Elie 69
2nd equal £60 Thomson Mike Torwoodlee 69
5th £20 Catlin Scott Greenburn 71

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
vouchers for amateurs
1st £100 Fraser Ian Duddingston (4) 65
2nd £80 Kemp Alex Duddingston (9) 67
3rd equal £40 Graham David Lochend (5) 68
3rd equal £40 Stewart Duncan Craigielaw (9) 68
3rd equal £40 Paterson Bryan Dunfermline (7) 68

TRAINEE PRIZEWINNER
£20 Mathieson Terry King's Acre 72

LEADING NET SCORES
1 Fraser Ian Duddingston Senior 69 4 65
2 Kemp Alex Duddingston Amateur 76 9 67
3 Graham David Lochend Amateur 73 5 68
4 Paterson Bryan Dunfermline Senior 75 7 68
5 Stewart Duncan Craigielaw Amateur 77 9 68
6 Denholm Robert Duddingston Amateur 74 5 69
7 Smith Stuart Duddingston Amateur 67 -2 69
8 Summers Alastair Musselburgh Amateur 76 7 69
9 Bootland Hinton Duddingston Senior 76 6 70
10 Brown Stuart Glencorse Amateur 75 5 70
11 Downing Stewart Craigmillar Park Amateur 78 8 70
12 Gilhooley Stephen Duddingston Senior 76 6 70
13 Johnston Richard Glenbervie Amateur 72 2 70
14 Miller William Falkirk Tryst Amateur 76 6 70
15 Sutherland Donald Linlithgow Senior 80 10 70
16 Thomson Mike Torwoodlee Amateur 69 -1 70
17 Laing William Prestonfield Amateur 77 6 71
18 McCluskey John Archerfield Amateur 84 13 71
19 Ritchie Peter Bathgate Senior 80 9 71
20 Rodaks George Dunfermline Amateur 72 1 71
21 Rothney Andrew Deer Park Amateur 72 1 71
22 Black George Torwoodlee Amateur 76 4 72
23 Clark Gavin Duddingston Amateur 79 7 72
24 Cowie Keith Newbattle Amateur 82 10 72
25 Jeffrey Peter Duddingston Amateur 85 13 72
26 Lewis Tom West Lothian Senior 85 13 72
27 Stevens Glyn King's Acre Amateur 80 8 72
28 Dickinson Graham Torwoodlee Senior 81 8 73
29 McLean John Bathgate Senior 77 4 73
30 Reid Kenneth West Lothian Amateur 75 2 73
31 White Justin Harrison Amateur 77 4 73
32 Wight Andrew Glencorse Senior 74 1 73
33 Cordery Thomas Musselburgh Amateur 78 4 74
34 Marr William West Lothian Senior 83 9 74
35 Taylor Ian Royal Burgess Amateur 75 1 74
36 Wilson Thomas Glenbervie Amateur 76 2 74
37 Young Alan Lochend Amateur 82 8 74
38 Doyle Steven Gifford Amateur 79 4 75
39 Fish Derek Glenbervie Amateur 76 1 75
40 Forsyth Walter Peebles Amateur 85 10 75
41 Murray Roy West Lothian Amateur 83 8 75
42 Wyse Ian Falkirk Tryst Amateur 86 11 75
43 Young Scott Turnhouse Amateur 76 1 75
44 Adams Thomas Aberdour Senior 86 10 76
45 Chaplin Mark Deer Park Amateur 76 0 76
46 Fyfe Ian Musselburgh Amateur 78 2 76
47 Knowles Scott Kingsknowe Amateur 78 2 76
48 Leggate Philip Musselburgh Amateur 85 9 76
49 Louden Michael Glencorse Amateur 79 3 76
50 Scott Jim Swanston New Senior 84 8 76
51 Sewell Peter West Linton Amateur 82 6 76
52 Skinner Grant Glencorse Amateur 79 3 76
53 Smith Brian Edinburgh Thistle Amateur 83 7 76
54 Smith William Harburn Senior 88 12 76
55 Wardlaw Stuart Harburn Senior 86 10 76
56 Watson Scott Leven Amateur 81 5 76

TITLE-HOLDER McLEAN DISQUALIFIED
-
IN N-E ALLIANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Defending champion Philip McLean disqualified himself after returning a three-under-par 65 which would have made him the first-round leader by two strokes of the 36-hole North-east Golfers’ championship at Duff House Royal Golf Club, Banff today.
After driving home to Peterhead and discussing the day’s play with a fellow competitor, McLean realised that he had taken a lift and drop without penalty from an out of bounds area on the bank of the River Deveron at the seventh hole, believing it to be ground under repair.
Alliance secretary Ron Menzies said: “Philip phoned me at the clubhouse and I had to confirm that the club had declared the semi-rough area in question out of bounds on health and safety grounds because the river bank is crumbling at that point and there is a risk that if competitors go too close to the bank, they will fall into the river.
“There was a message about it on the clubhouse noticeboard and also on display at the first tee but I do have some sympathy for the player.”
Three players share the lead on one-under-par 67 at the head of a field of 98 at the halfway stage of the championship - Fraserburgh’s Kris Nicol, one of only two Scots to qualify for the match-play stages of last week’s Spanish amateur championship, Inchmarlo tour pro Paul Cormack , and last man in, Newburgh club pro Ian Bratton.
Nicol recovered from a double-bogey 6 at the first with birdies at the fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth to reach the turn in two-under-par 32. Eight pars and a bogey 6 at the 12th made up an inward half of one-over 35.
Cormack also had a double bogey 6, at the fourth, but birdies at the third, sixth, 12th, 13th and 18th helped him round in halves of 34 and 33.
Bratton, out in 33 with birdies at the second and fifth, added the 10th and 12th to his bag of sub-par figures but faltered with bogeys at the 16th and 17th when set to take a clear lead.
Tongue in cheek, Ian blamed a passing motorist for putting him off his putting stroke by tooting his horn while he was on the 17th green!
Scottish boys’ and men’s match-play champion David Law (Hazlehead) is in fourth position, one shot off the pace with a level par 68 in which he birdied the first, second and fifth in 33 to the turn. He had one birdie, at the short 11th and two bogeys for 35 home.
Banchory's Scott Larkin, the man in form in recent weeks, had to settle for a 72 after driving his first ball out of bounds on to the practice area. His second ball off the tee landed on the green ... but Scott three-putted!
The second and final round of the championship is at Cruden Bay next Wednesday.

+Philip McLean could not have played in the second round anyway. Same goes for David Law. They are in the Scotland squad for next week's European Nations Cup at Sotogrande. But McLean's blunder did cost him the first prize voucher of around £100 for leading the first round scratch scores. Later news: Joint leader Kris Nicol will not be available for next week's fixture either, as he's off to South Africa for warm weather training with the Scottish Golf Union tomorrow for 11 days.
+Two other first-round contestants who are "otherwise engaged" instead of playing in next week's second round are former Press and Journal editor (and Scotland tennis international) Harry Roulston (Stonehaven) and Golf Monthly writer Fergus Bisset (Banchory). Harry is going on a Caribbean cruise while Fergus is playing with D Ford (Royal North Devon) in the Sunningdale foursomes, starting on Tuesday. Their first-round opponents are well-known tennis player of recent Wimbledon history, Tim Henman, apparently a quite useful golfer, and T Crawley, an all-Sunningdale partnership. Both pairings are playing off scratch.
+Roy Pirie (Caledonian), who had returned a 73, also phoned secretary Ron Menzies later to disqualify himself for not observing the seventh hole local rule. Are golfers more honest than any other sportsmen or women? I think so.

CHAMPIONSHIP - FIRST ROUND
Par 68
67 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo), Ian Bratton (Newburgh) p.
68 David Law (Hazlehead).
69 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon).
70 Anthony Bews (Murcar Links).
71 Patrick Lovie (P1 Corporate) p, Brian Nicholson (Auchmill), Mike Jenkins (Duff House Royal), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) p, Kyle Nelson (Murcar Links).
72 Craig Carnegie (Kemnay), Scott Larkin (Banchory), Duncan Clark (Duff House Royal), Fergus Bisset (Banchory), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian).
73 Justin Duff (Fraserburgh), John Nicolson (Auchmill), Laura Murray (Alford), Richard Hyland (Craibstone).
74 Jim Emslie (Royal Aberdeen).
75 Barry Brooks (Meldrum House), David Naylor (Banchory) p, David Corkey (Royal Aberdeen).
76 Paul McIntosh (Newburgh).
77 Billy Main (Murcar Links), Alistair Fiddes (Deeside), Steven Kennedy (Craibstone), Stewart Pert (Huntly), George Paterson (Northern), Craig Stewart (Kippie Lodge).
78 John Hamilton (Murcar Links), Sandy Elrick (Kemnay), Mark Lawrie (Kemnay), David Wilson (Duff House Royal), Keil Beveridge (Aboyne) p, David McKay (Caledonian).
79 John Mitchell (Fraserburgh), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), James Moodie (Kingsliffe) p.
80 Brian Harper (Newburgh), Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum), Neish Chisholm (Kemnay), Nigel Parker (Murcar Links).
81 John Borthwick (Craibstone), Harry Roulston (Stonehaven), Dave MacKay (Newmachar), Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen). Mike Booth (Kemnay), Dave Nelson (Aboyne).

HANDICAP
Class 1 – C Carnegie (Kemnay) (4) 68; D Law (Hazlehead) (+1), K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) (scr), B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4), Laura Murray (Alford) (4), K Nelson (Murcar Links) (2) 69; K Nicol (Fraserburgh (+3), M Jenkins (Duff House Royal) (1), F Bisset (Banchory) (1) 70.

Class 2 – S Kennedy (Craibstone) (11) 69; A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10), G Kelly (Peterculter) (14) 70; N Chisholm (Kemnay) (9), N Parker (Murcar Links) (8), M Booth (Kemnay) (10), N Stewart (Northern) (12) 71; H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) (11) 72; I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11) 73; J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (14) 74.

DUFF HOUSE ROYAL SCORECARD: Par 68
OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-3--34. IN: 4-3-5-3-4-4-3-4-4--34.

KRIS NICOL 67
OUT: 6-4-4-4-3-3-3-3-2--32. IN: 3-3-6-3-4-4-3-4-4--35.
PAUL CORMACK 67
OUT: 4-4-3-6-4-2-4-4-3--34. IN: 4-4-4-2-4-4-4-4-3--33
IAN BRATTON 67
OUT: 4-3-4-4-3-3-5-4-3--33. IN: 3-3-4-3-4-4-4-5-4--34

DAVID LAW 68
OUT: 3-3-4-4-3-3-5-4-4--33. IN: 5-2-5-3-4-4-3-4-5--35

KEVIN DUNCAN 69
OUT: 4-4-4-4-5-2-5-4-3--35. IN: 4-3-4-3-4-5-3-4-4--34

ANTHONY BEWS 70
OUT: 4-4-4-4-5-4-5-4-2--36. IN: 4-3-4-3-5-4-4-3-4--34
+In case you are interested in the scorecard of the disqualified Philip McLean (65), here is is:
OUT: 4-4-3-4-3-3-4-4-3--32. IN: 4-3-4-3-4-4-3-5--3--33

North Alliance report and scores

Munro Ferries wins at Tarbat with a 66

By ROBIN WILSON
After weeks of missed fixtures and inclement weather, Tain's Munro Ferries hit the front for the fourth time this season when the North Alliance visited Tarbat on Sunday.
There was no sign of the snow and frosts that have plagued the January and February fixture calendar when the +2 handicapper returned a stunning gross 66 by matching par on his first nine holes and scoring 32 on his second time around the nine-hole course.

Ferries had three second-round birdies - the 11th, 15th and 17th holes - and just the one bogey at the 12th. The 66, his best winning score out of his three previous wins, lifts the “lefty“ into a strong position to retain the Scratch Quaich by returning the season's “best of four” gross aggregate score.
The Tain club champion won by two strokes from Thurso's Alan Swanson (pictured left on first tee by Robin Wilson) who matched the par of 68 (35-33) in a six-birdie round that began with the weight of a two-shot penalty on his card for playing a wrong ball at the opening hole. Thurso's Jim Sangster had a gross 70 for third place.
Local member Hamish Skinner was first out on the course and when he returned with his gross card of 74 (35-39), his net 65 in Class 1 was still the winning score at the end of play.

Tain's Andrew Watt has been a consistent scorer all season but his consistency left him at one hole during his first round. A triple bogey 6 at the par-3 fifth hole was included in his first nine of 39 but, back to normal,his second nine was 35 for a gross 74, which gave him second place with a net 66.

MacKintosh Salver holder, Seann Sutherland (Bonar- Bridge) shared a net 68 with a former salver winner, Alec Gunn (Tain) with Gunn getting the third place on the better last nine hole card play-off.
Durness club members provided the two leading scores in Class 2. Both were 65s and Billy McBain after a first place at Royal Dornoch claimed a second success in this section and put himself in the frame for a trophy when he beat clubmate Alister Corbett on the count back. Third place went to Ian Ross (Reay) with net 66.
The fixtures stay on track this weekend at Brora and on the weekend of March 20-21 there will be two fixtures played to catch up on lost dates - Golspie on Saturday the 20th with limited tee times available up until 11.30am, and the next day the scheduled final fixture and presentation of prizes at Reay.
Results

Scratch

66 M Ferries (Tain).

68 A Swanson (Thurso).

70 J Sangster (Thurso).

74 B Ronald (Thurso), A Gunn (Tain), A Watt (Tain), H Skinner (Tarbat).

76 S Holmes (Tain), M MacKintosh (Brora).

Handicap

Class 1 – H Skinner (Tarbat) (9) 65; A Watt (Tain) (7) 67; A Gunn (Tain) (6) 68; S R Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge) (8) 68.

Class 2 – B McBain (Durness) (19) 65; A Corbett ((Durness) (16) 65; I Ross (Reay) (11) 66.

North Scottish Alliance fixture

Chris Campbell wins with 65 at Spey Bay

By ALAN COWIE
Secretary, North Scottish Golfers' Alliance
Chris Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) shot a 65 to win Saturday's North Scottish Golfers' Alliance fixture at Spey Bay and also has one hand on the aggregate trophy (see totals at end of this report), played for over the winter.
He won at Spey Bay by one shot from Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) whose 7 at the 16th proved costly.
LEADING SCRATCH
65 C Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) p.
66 B Fotheringham (Forres).
68 M L Macleman (Moray).
69 A Cameron (Inverness), G Murray (Spey Bay), R McKerron (Forres).
70 G Donaldson (Elgin), K Thomson (Moray).
71 N McWilliam (Elgin)
72 A W Mair (Moray), J S D Campbell (Grantown)
73 J A Grant (Grantown), J R Ingram (Boat of Garten)
74 H McMillan (Elgin), S Wilson (Inverness), S Aird (Forres) p.
75 G McKenzie (Hopeman), J Simpson (Forres)
76 G Hay (Grantown), J Wright (Forres), A Henry (Inverness)
77 S Chisholm (Nairn), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), S Duncan (Moray);
78 D F Sharp (Boat of Garten), J C Milne (Moray), L Stewart (Grantown), L Duncan (Elgin)
79 D Joel (Loch Ness)
LEADING HANDICAP
Class 1 (8 and under)
64 G Donaldson (Elgin) (6)
67 H McMillan (Elgin) (7)
68 J R Ingram (Boat of Garten) (5)
69 S Duncan (Moray) (8), A W Mair (Moray) (3)
Class 2 (9 to 14)
68 T Loynes (Boat of Garten)
69 L Duncan (Elgin) (9)
72 R Laing (Grantown) (10);
73 D Spence (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (13)
74 R G Macpherson (Moray) (9), C. Small (Nairn) (11)

North Scottish Golfers' Alliance aggregate leaders are shown below.
The Aggregate trophies are decided by the best five scores in the Section over all the medal play winter fixtures.
SCRATCH SECTION
340 C Campbell (Pro)(Nairn Dunbar) 72,69,66,68,65.
343 B Fotheringham (Forres) 70,69,69,69,66.
343 A Cameron (Inverness) 68,66,70,70,69.
346 K. Thomson (Moray) 70,69,69,68,70.
349 J S D Campbell (Grantown) 74,63,73,67,72.
351 M L Macleman (Moray) 71,69,69,74,68.
HANDICAP SECTION
Class 1 (eight and under)
343 A Cameron (Inverness) 68,66,70,70,69.
345 S Johnston (Elgin) 72,69,65,67,72.
347 J C Milne (Moray) 72,66,67,71,71.
347 J A Grant (Grantown) 69,66,71,70,71.
348 K Williamson (Torvean) 71,67,62,74,74.
351 R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar) 70,70,71,68,72.
352 A Cowie (Moray) 64,73,73,69,73.

Class 2 (nine to 14)
350 C Small (Nairn) 69,69,74,64,74.
352 RG Macpherson (Moray) 68,69,70,71,74.
354 L Duncan (Elgin) 69,69,74,73,69.
355 L Macbean (Boat of Garten) 72,71,71,74,67.
360 A Grigor (Boat of Garten) 75,73,71,71,70.
363 W B Johnston (Moray) 73,74,68,75,73.
363 A A Lees (Moray) 72,73,70,71,77.

The last counting event for the Aggregate is at Muir of Ord this Saturday.

Duff House Royal will stage first round of NE Alliance championship

The first round of the North-east Golfers' Alliance championship will be played at Duff House Royal next Wednesday after all. Secretary Ron Menzies had been looking for an alternative venue but the condition of the Banff course has improved considerably over the past 48 hours with the fairways and most of the bunkers back in play.
The tee will be reserved from 8.15am to 1pm.
The second round of the championship is at Cruden Bay on Wednesday, March 17.
Philip McLean (Peterhead) is the defending champion.

Paul Brookes (66) wins Midland Alliance at Arbroath Links

By LEE SUTHERLAND
The individual scratch prize in this week's Midland Golfers Alliance J B Motor Company Team competition at a sunny Arbroath Links was won by Pitreavie professional Paul Brookes.
He won by four shots with a two-under-par score of 66. There was a three-way tie at the top of the handicap leaderboard, captain of the Midlands, Ron Beatt (Scotscraig), playing off 12, Chris Westland (Alloa) (11) and Hugh Hunter (Alloa) (10) all scoring net 68s.
Ron also led his team - Bob Redpath (Scotscraig) (4) and Alistair Cameron (Blairgowrie) (13) to victory in the team competition with a score of 58.
LEADING SCRATCH
66 P Brookes (Pitreavie) p.
70 G Brown (Montrose) ap, C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap.
71 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap, S O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap.
72 S Cargill (Arbroath), A J Webster (Edzell) p.
73 M Rae (Alyth) ap, M Finlayson (Edzell) ap.
74 E Rae (Arbroath).
75 G Jenkins (Crieff), K Bruce (Edzell), J Craig (Carnoustie).
LEADING HANDICAP
68 R Beatt (Scotscraig) (12), C Westland (Alloa) (11), H Hunter (Alloa) (10).
69 E Starrett (Crieff) (14), D Black (Dunfermline) (12).
70 J Irwin (Muckhart) (8), P Rhind (Grange) (9).
71 S Cargill (Arbroath) (1), E Rae (Arbroath) (3), D Mason (Lundin) (8), R Pennycook (Dunfermline) (7).
72 S Mitchell (St Andrews New) (12), G Jenkins (Crieff) (3), R Barton (Alloa) (8), A Aitken (Ladybank) (12), C Wallace (Caird Park) (10), K Bruce (Edzell) (3), M Watkin (Panmure) (12), J Rennie (Dunfermline) (13).
LEADING TEAMS
58 R Beatt (Scotscraig) (12), B Redpath (Scotscraig) (4), A Cameron (Blairgowrie) (13).
59 G Brown (Montrose) ap, P Rhind (Grange) (9), R Liddle (Grange) (14).
60 P Brookes (Pitreavie) p, C Westland (Alloa) (11), D Mitchell (Monifieth) (5).

Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Montrose Links
K Bruce (Edzell)
J Craig (Carnoustie)
S Graham (Arbroath)
N Cameron (King James VI)

Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 10
Burntisland Pro Am (sponsored by E Sherry).
Tee reserved: 8.30am - 1.30pm

Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance
PATERSON MEDAL COMPETITION
Winterfield Golf Club

Overall Winner
Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe) (2) 64 (better inward half)

SCRATCH
1st equal £90 voucher: Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe) 66.
1st equal £90: David Patrick (Elie) 66.
3rd equal £50: Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) 67.
3rd equal £50: James Dick (Duddingston) 67.
5th equal £10 voucher: Stuart Smith (Duddingston) 68.
5th equal £10 voucher; Scott Grieve (Turnhouse) 68.
Other leading scratch scores:
68 Grant Skinner (Glencorse) am.
69 Andrew Erskine (Ratho Park) pro, David Graham (Lochend) am, Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) trainee pro, Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) pro, George Wither (Lothianburn) am.
70 Scott Caitlin (Greenburn) pro, Neil Colquhoun (Merchants) pro, Ian Fraser (Duddingston) senior amateur.

HANDICAP
prizes in vouchers
1st £100: David Graham (Lochend) (5) 64.
2nd £80: Grant Skinner (Glencorse) (3) 65.
3rd equal £30: Neil Bain (Haddington) (5) 66.
3rd equal £30: William Laing (Prestonfield) (6) 66.
3rd equal £30: Alex Kemp (Duddingston) 66.
3rd equal £30: Ian Fraser (Duddingston) (4) 66.

Trainee professional
£20: Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) 69.












Senior
Prize
Surname
Forename
Club
Net
£10
Jeffrey
David
Whitekirk
67
£10
Lewis
Tom
West Lothian
67

North-east Alliance at Newburgh report, scores

Scott Larkin completes
-
hat-trick of victories

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Banchory's Scott Larkin became the first player for a few years to win three North-east Golfers' Alliance competitions in a row when he claimed today's top prize at Newburgh-on-Ythan with a two-under-par round of 62 over the short winter course at the Aberdeenshire venue.
Larkin, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, a former American college circuit player as a student at the College of Charleston, has worked in a Banchory hotel since his return from the States. Today he was following up victories at Murcar Links and Montrose Links on the preceding Wednesdays.
He did not make the best of starts, bogeying the first and fourth, although he did birdie the second but a run of six pars in a row steadied him up before he birdied the 11th, 12th, 16th and 17th.
A bogey at the short last hole still got him home in three-under-par 29.
Runner-up, three strokes behind in a field of 85 players, was Roy Pirie (Caledonian) with birdies at the sixth and 15th but bogeys at the seventh, 16th and 17th in halves of 32 and 33.
Joint third on 66 were Scottish seniors match-play champion George Paterson (Northern) 35-31, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 32-34, home course pro Ian Bratton (Newburgh) 32-34 and Alexander Wiseman (Fraserburgh) 33-33.
Secretary Ron Menzies is looking for an alternative venue for next Wednesday's first round of the NE Alliance championship, scheduled for Duff House Royal. The Banff course has been affected by the severe winter. We'll keep you posted of Ron's success in this direction on this website.

Leading scores (Par 64)
SCRATCH
62 Scott Larkin (Banchory).
65 Roy Pirie (Caledonian).
66 George Paterson (Northern), Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), Ian Bratton (Newburgh), Alexander Wiseman (Fraserburgh).
67 Colin Duffus (Kemnay), Mark Lawrie (Kemnay), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon).
68 Manson Merchant (Newmachar), Steven Chalmers (Banchory), Craig Stewart (Kippie Lodge), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian).
69 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), Bill Shaw (Banchory).
70 Steven Sharp (Newburgh), Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead), Paul McIntosh (Newburgh), Brian Nicolson (Auchmill), Fraser Milne (Fraserburgh), Dave McKay (Caledonian), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon).
HANDICAP
Class 1 - C Duggus (Kemnay) (6) 61; M Lawrie (Kemnay) (5), R Pirie (Caledonian) (3) 62; M Merchant (Newmachar) (5), B Shaw (Banchory) (6) 63.
Class 2 - D Townsley (Peterculter) (12), Michael Rendall (Stonehaven) (12), Sandy Davidson (Northern) (13), Norman Stewart (Northern) (12) 62; W Forbes (Murcar Links) (13) 63; R Brown (Craibstone) (122), I Grant (Huntly) (18) 64.

NEWBURGH WINTER COURSE SCORECARD
OUT: 4-3-4-4-3-4-3-3-4--32. IN: 4-4-4-3-3-4-4-3-3--32



SCOTT LARKIN 62
OUT: 5-2-4-5-3-4-3-3-4--33. IN: 4-3-3-3-3-4-3-2-4--29



ROY PIRIE 65
OUT: 4-3-4-4-3-3-4-3-4--32. IN: 4-4-4-3-3-3-5-4-3--33


GEORGE PATERSON 66
OUT: 35. IN: 31.



JORDAN FINDLAY 66
OUT: 32. IN: 34.



IAN BRATTON 66
OUT: 32. IN: 34



ALEXANDER WISEMAN 66
OUT: 33. IN: 33

Fotheringham (69) wins at Kinloss Country Club

By ALAN COWIE
Secretary, North Scottish Golfers' Alliance
The North Scottish Golfers' Alliance broke new ground in Saturday's fixture in playing Kinloss Country Golf Club for the first time. Conditions only became playable after the snow cleared away on Thursday night, leaving the course wet and playing all its length.
Bryan Fotheringham shot a one-over-par 69 to register his first win of the Alliance season by one shot from playing partner Robert Mckerron and Allan Cameron.
Handicap section winners were Graham Mellis, playing off 2, and George Mccoll, off 14, both with net 70s.
Several members from the Grantown/Boat of Garten area were unable to make it to the venue due to being snowed in at home.
LEADING SCORES (par 70)
SCRATCH
69 B Fotheringham (Forres)
70 R Mckerron (Forres), A Cameron (Inverness)
72 G Mellis (Muir of Ord)
73 R Proctor (Forres), J Simpson (Forres), J D Forbes (Inverness), S Wilson (Inverness)
74 D Hexley (Inverness), K Thomson (Moray), M L Macleman (Moray), J C Milne (Moray), G Murray (Spey Bay)
75 B Cruickshank (Garmouth & Kingston), J R Mackay (Muir of Ord), S Johnston (Elgin), J Treasurer (Inverness)
76 N. McWilliam (Elgin)
77 J S D Campbell (Grantown), R. Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), B. Inch (Elgin)
78 R R Adams (Moray)
79 D Johnston (Moray)
80 B Moir (Spey Bay)

HANDICAP
Class 1 (eight and under)
70 G Mellis (Muir of Ord) (2)
71 J C Milne (Moray) (3), S Wilson (Inverness)(2), R R Adams (Moray)(7)
72 R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar) (5), S Johnston (Elgin) (3), B H Inch (Elgin) (5)
Class 2 (nine to 14)
70 G A McColl (Moray) (14)
71 G Knapp (Muir of Ord)(11), S Taylor (Boat of Garten) (11)
73 P McMillan (Kinloss) (11), L Duncan (Elgin) (9)

Midland Alliance switch to Arbroath on Thursday

Thursday’s Midland Golfers Alliance meeting, sponsored by J B Motor Co, has been moved from Kirkcaldy Golf Club to Arbroath Links due to course conditions. Tee times reserved from 8.30am to 12.30pm. Spaces still available for Burntisland Pro-Am, please contact Eddie.
Lee Sutherland
Head professional, Ballumbie Castle GC
Secretary, Midland Golfers Alliance

Report and scores from North-east Alliance competition

NO LARKIN ABOUT BY GREAT SCOTT

AS HE WINS AGAIN AT MONTROSE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Banchory’s Scott Larkin achieved back-to-back wins on the North-east Golfers’ Alliance today with an excellent score of six-under-par 58 for the 16-hole winter course at Montrose Links.
Larkin, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who has a +2 handicap, has come home from four years on the competitive American college golf circuit as a better player than when he left. He could make an impact on the domestic amateur scene once the season.
With the par-3 third and 12th not used because winter greens were not available at these holes, Larkin had an eagle 3 (at the 15th) and seven birdies in halves of 31 (one under par) and 27 (five under par). Most very good rounds still can be bettered and Larkin did have bogeys at the seventh, ninth and 16th.
Runner-up, beaten by seven shots, was Deeside’s Andrew Campbell who did very well to salvage a 65 after running up a triple-bogey 7 at the sixth, in the middle of a run of four successive birdies.
There was no snow on the course but the conditions were still very wintry with a bitterly cold wind and sleet showers, all of which reduced a “normal” field of around 80 to only 54 players, the second lowest turn-out of the season. There were more than 20 No Returns, and I don't blame any of them! It was a bad enough day down at Montrose to get a soaking and a chill just walking from the Montrose Mercantile clubhouse to the car park at the early finish.
Leading scores (par 64)
SCRATCH
58 Scott Larkin (Banchory).
65 Andrew Campbell (Deeside).
66 Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead), Steven Chalmers (Banchory).
67 Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian).
68 Bill Shaw (Banchory), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon).
69 Craig Stewart (Kippie Lodge).
70 John Hamilton (Murcar Links), Stephen Cooper (Banchory), John Nicolson (Auchmill).
72 John Dalgarno (Hazlehead), Keil Beveridge (Aboyne), Fergus Bisset (Banchory).
73 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), Manson Merchant (Newmachar), Raymond Brown (Craibstone), Mike Booth (Kemnay).
74 Alistair Fiddes (Deeside), Kenny Minty (Turriff).
75 Craig Graham (Newmachar), David Philip (Newburgh), Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum).
76 Roy Pirie (Caledonian).
77 Mike Brown (Craibstone).
78 Sandy Davidson (Northern).
79 Don Lawrie (Inchmarlo).
80 Jackie Forrest (Northern).
81 Robert Lamb (Newmachar), John Jessiman (Oldmeldrum), Ian Grant (Huntly).
82 Ron Alison (Deeside), Benny Lumsden (Northern).
83 Derek Townsley (Peterculter), Mike Smith (Turriff).

HANDICAP
Class 1 – S Larkin (Banchory) (+2) 60; L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) (5) 62; B Shaw (Banchory) (5) 63; J M Hamilton (Murcar Links) (6), A K Pirie (Hazlehead) (2) 64; A Campbell (Deeside), S Cooper (Banchory) (5) 65; J Dalgarno (Hazlehead) (6), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4) 66; K Minty (Turriff) (7) 67.
Class 2 – M Brown (Craibstone) (16) 61; R Brown (Craibstone) (11) 62; M Booth (Kemnay) (9) 64; I Grant (Huntly) (16) 65, S Davidson Northern) (12), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (9) 66; D Lawrie (Inchmarlo) (12), M K Smith (Turriff) (16) 67; R Alison (Deeside) (13), J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (12) 69; B Lumsden (Northern) (12) 70.

MONTROSE LINKS WINTER SCORECARD 64

(16 HOLES: no Par-3 3rd nor Par-3 12th)

OUT: 4-4-x-4-4-4-4-4-4--32. IN: 4-4-x-4-4-5-3-4-4--32.

SCOTT LARKIN 58

OUT: 4-3-x-3-4-4-5-3-5--31. IN: 3-3-x-3-3-3-4-4-4--27.

ANDREW CAMPBELL 65

OUT: 4-5-x-3-3-7-3-3-4--32. IN: 4-5-x-4-5-5-3-3-4--33.

SANDY PIRIE 66

OUT: 5-4-x-3-4-5-4-3-4--31. IN: 3-4-x-5-5-6-4-4-4--35.

STEVEN CHALMERS 66

OUT: 5-4-x-3-3-4-6-4-4--33. IN: 3-4-x- 5-5-5-4-4-3--33

+Next Wednesday's competition is at Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club.