Busy week of competitions at Machrihanish
Last weekend was a busy one at Machrihanish Golf Club, with three competitions taking place.
Kicking things off, 68 players took to the course to compete for the Lachlan MacKinnon Memorial Plate last Saturday.
Bruce MacNab secured first place, recording a stableford score of 43 points. His excellent scorecard included two birdies and 12 pars.
In second place was Alan Glendinning who also scored 43 points, but lost due to Bruce’s better inward half.
Trevor Wignall came third place with a score of 42 points. Trevor’s great under-par gross round of 69 included four birdies, 11 pars, and three bogeys.
Leading the ladies’ stableford scoring with 41 points was Catherine Reid. After finding trouble at the opening hole, she managed to steady the ship and record one birdie and nine pars.
In second was Maggie MacArthur who recorded a score of 27 points, and in third was Tracey Nice with a score of 23 points.
In first place for the men’s 65+ section, it was Ian Ward with a score of 39 points.
Also on Saturday, 10 ladies played for the Coronation Cup on the Pans Course.
Leading the stableford scoring with 37 points was Jennifer Gilchrist. In second it was Helen Bapty, who also scored 37 points but lost due to Jennifer’s better inward half, and Elizabeth Casey was third with 35 points.
Rounding off the weekend’s competitions, the second leg of the McNeill Cup, a pairs better ball matchplay competition played annually against Dunaverty Golf Club, was held on Sunday.
After the first leg held at Dunaverty earlier in the month, Machrihanish walked away with a 6-0 lead.
The second leg was a much closer scoreline with the end result being 3-3. However, Machrihanish was able to retain the trophy this year with an aggregate score of 9-3 overall.
McNeill Cup second leg full results: 1st game: Dean Ratcliff and Andrew Wallace vs George MacMillan and Duncan Watson III – Machrihanish win; 2nd game: Michael Morrison and Trevor Wignall vs Fraser MacBrayne and Alistair McConnachie – Machrihanish win; 3rd game: Campbell McCallum and Steven Kelly vs Willie Ross and Jake MacMillan – Dunaverty
win; 4th game: John Shaw and Grant Grant vs Mark Paterson and Campbell MacBrayne – Machrihanish win; 5th game: Darren Kelly and David Rankin vs David MacBrayne and John Brown – Dunaverty win; 6th game: Eric Dunlea and David Wallace vs Neil Brodie and Stevie Garrett – Dunaverty win; captain’s game (score doesn’t count towards overall match): John Thomson and Barry Colville vs Willie Young and Willie Ralston – Machrihanish win.
“Everyone at Machrihanish Golf Club would like to thank all the players from both courses for making this event a continued success,” said a club spokesperson.
“We would also like to thank the club staff at Dunaverty Golf Club and Machrihanish Golf Club for preparing excellent meals for each player after both matches.” with a course which was in fantastic condition thanks to the hard work of green keepers Jonathan Barbour and Campbell MacBrayne – assisted by the club’s volunteers on the greens committee, who put in numerous hours of work to keep the playing conditions superb – resulted in some very low scoring.
Fine weather in the morning, with no wind, ensured that the earlier starters had a slight advantage over the later teams as the wind increased as the day went on.
Great scoring resulted from the favourable ground and air conditions and it was the team of George MacMillan, Jake MacMillan and Neil Brodie which emerged victorious with a magnificent 12 under par gross score of 54 resulting in a nett 51.4 to pip the trio of John Brown, John
Martin and Robert MacKay by just over a stroke.
“Thanks to Moyra Paterson and staff at The Putt Stop, as always, for the fantastic hospitality and friendly welcome to all who enter the clubhouse,” said a club spokesperson.
Result: 1 George MacMillan, Jake MacMillan and Neil Brodie 54-2.6=51.4, 2 John Brown, John Martin and Robert MacKay 60-7.5=52.5, 3 Duncan Watson III, Campbell MacBrayne and Grant Edmondson 58-5.0=53.0.
Saturday.
On a changing day that started calm, cool and cloudy and ended mainly sunny but with a freshening wind, Lindsay Garrett, in the first group home, set the pace with a nett 64.
However, her lead was short-lived with Rona Young in the following group carding a nett 63. Again, Rona’s placing was surpassed by an excellent score of nett 60 by Maureen Johnstone.
Maureen’s score would normally have been enough to secure first place, however, Mary Wilson, playing a very steady round, carded a superb nett 57.
The following players were unable to better or match Mary’s score and she secured first place.
“Well done to all who took part,” said a club spokesperson.
Results: 1 Mary Wilson 8225=57, 2 Maureen Johnstone 94-34=60, 3 Linda Arkell 81-19=62. Lowest gross: Lindsay Garrett 77.