Open season at Machrihanish

It has been Open season at Machrihanish Gol Club with no fewer than five Opens in seven weeks.

The course has been really busy despite the lack of facilities this season following the horrific fire that decimated the clubhouse in December. It is the local equivalent of the European Tour’s Rolex Series.

First up in the sequence was the Rotary Open where 80 men and 17 women competed for a range of prizes supplied by the Rotary Club of Campbeltown. Players can’t be last otherwise they win the booby prize – five litres of white emulsion signifying the white wash.

The winner of the Open and nowhere near the whitewash was James Armour with 38 Stableford points. The ladies’ section was won by Elizabeth Casey with 36 points. Calum MacLean won the senior prize with 31 points and Murdo MacLean won the juniors.

Next up was the July Open which was won by Ardrishaig member Allan Weir with an excellent 8315-68, with Alister Anderson runner-up one shot back with a nett 69.

Eddie Fletcher won the seniors and the ladies’ event was won by Lindsey Irwin birdieing the last hole for an excellent 88-16-72 and to win by one shot from Elaine Robb.

The following week 120 men took to the famous dunes for the Thomson Open on Saturday July 20. The winner was Hamish Purdey, who is a member and frequent visitor to the village. Hamish had two excellent birdies at the sixth and ninth on the way out and managed a lovely birdie two at the short 15th on his way to a fine victory.

Lee Mathieson was runner-up with an excellent 74-5-69, the highlight being a lovely two at the par three fourth hole.

Lindsey Irwin doubled up with victory in the ladies’ competition for the second week in a row. This time a terrific 89-16-73 was enough for the win.

Stewart MacMillan took the senior prize with a nett 74 and Murdo MacLean was the winning junior.

Twenty-four ladies took part in the Ladies’ Charity Open played over the nine-hole Pans course on Sunday July 21.

Linda Wallace won the trophy with 29 Stableford points.

Competition was very close with seven ladies within two shots of victory. Runner-up was Myra Speirings-Hendrie with 28 points. Elizabeth Casey won the scratch prize with Catherine Dobbie runner up.

A total of £214 was raised for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance with snacks for the event kindly donated by the Co-op and Tesco.

The fifth and final Open was the Jimmy Kerr Memorial Open played on August 3.

Eighty men took to the course to compete for the top prize and the winner was visitor Mr G Sleight with a terrific 76-7-69 pipping no fewer than four men, Andrew Armour, Allan Rattray, Charlie Robertson and Donald Johnson, by a single shot.

Calum McPhail won the scratch prize with a three over par 73.

Fifteen ladies competed for the ladies’ prizes and it was Elaine Robb who took the plaudits with a wonderful 87-13-74. Pia Davis won the scratch with an 86.

Robert McGougan won the senior prize with a nett 71 and Fraser MacBrayne the juniors with a nett 75.