Veteran in late charge to take title

KEITH Cowan very nearly won the Lochgilphead Golf Club winter league final, played on Saturday March 24.

With only five holes to go, Keith held a one-shot lead and was playing like a pro.

Disaster, unfortunately, struck after an alleged malfunction of his fancy GPS distance measuring device from China. We don’t know if it was a problem with British Summer Time or the international date line but it led to Keith hitting shots out of bounds, into a bush and into the burn.

While this was happening, David Sinclair – who, having played the course for more than 50 years, has a good idea of how far to hit the ball without the aid of overpriced mechanical wizardry – sneaked past Keith and won by six shots.

It was a good day for David as he also won the doubles with James Scott and the team trophy with Ross and Keith.

Ross Sinclair and Alec MacAulay have taken turns at winning this event for the past 12 years, and it would be nice to think they would not mind someone else winning. It would also be nice if they invented yellow golf balls that flew straight, but both seem unlikely.

Grant MacDougall is well kitted out for his trip to St Andrews as part of the Easter outing. He may have had a malfunction of the wardrobe variety, however, and has ended up looking a bit more Max Wall or Harry Hill rather than Tommy Hilfiger.

Colin Rowan was nearest the pin at the 18th hole but, having no faith in his own ability, did not enter the sweep and won nothing.

Andy Law won the ‘duffers’ derby’ for the second year running and was pleased until James Scott pointed out that that was not necessarily a good thing.

Results

Empire trophy – Alec MacAulay. Knockout cup – Grant MacDougall. Winter league champion – David Sinclair. Doubles trophy – David Sinclair and James Scott. Team trophy – David Sinclair, Ross Sinclair and Keith Cowan. Duffers’ derby – Andy Law, runner-up – Tom Campbell, third – Colin Rowan.