Life’s a beach at Turnberry
Sand storm as ladies win five in a row
JULY
The annual Turnberry beach rugby festival goes down a storm – Hillhead win their fifth successive women’s title while The Bill McLaren Foundation are crowned men’s champions. Coylton boxer Donny McPike 11, celebrates a title treble – winning the Scottish intermediate championship for 36kg ( 2004 schoolboy), retains his Western District Championship and lifts the Scottish title for the second year in a row. Football mourns the passing of Kilmarnock legend and former Ayr United commercial manager Jackie McInally.
AUGUST
Fans launch the AU 500 Fund and donate £ 20 a month to players’ wages at Somerset Park. Glasgow Warriors star Adam Ashe visits Ayr Rugby Club for a masterclass. The 2017 Bowls Scotland finals at Northfield will end a day earlier to suit players and spectators – George Adrain is the only Ayrshire winner after he captures the gents singles. Brian Fulton ( Northfield) wins Ayr Bowling Week for the third time after beating Chris Carswell ( Kilwinning) 21- 13 in the final. Prestwick Cricket Club celebrate their first Saturday win over Ayr in 16 years when they beat them by 90 runs. Former Cumnock and Ayr star Mark Bennett wins Olympic sevens silver in Rio.
SEPTEMBER
Former Ayr United and Liverpool star Stevie Nicol launches his autobiography ‘ 5 league titles and a packet of crisps’. Ayr Rugby Club’s hot start to the Premiership continues with a 23- 18 win at Goldenacre over Heriot’s who pipped them for last season’s title. Robbie Crawford becomes the first graduate of the Ayr United Football Academy to clock up 100 first team appearances – he receives a commemorative shirt at the Academy’s tenth anniversary dinner. Ayr cricket hero Bruce Patterson is inducted into Scottish cricket’s hall of fame. Brando wins the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup, a fourth triumph for trainer Kevin Ryan and leaves jockey Tom Eaves claiming it’s up there with anything he’s ever done. OCTOBER
A crowd of 2883 watch Ayr United draw 0- 0 with Dunfermline after prices are slashed in tribute to former chairman Donald Cameron who died. Marr Rugby go second in BT National One after giving leaders Falkirk their first defeat. Alan Forrest scores his first ever hat- trick in Ayr United’s 3- 0 win at Dumbarton. Ayrshire county golfers retain the West of Scotland Area Championship after beating Dunbartonshire at Cardross. Troon’s Hazel MacGarvie is named girl golfer of the year in Scottish golf’s Order of Merit. Nicky Devlin makes his 100th Ayr United appearance and celebrates with a cake from bakers Gordon McBlain and Stevie Corrigan who presented it to the captain.
NOVEMBER
Ayr United starlet Alan Forrest wins a first call- up to the Scotland Under 21s. He comes off the bench for the last 21 minutes of a 4- 0 defeat away to Slovakia. Glenafton go on a winning run under boss Craig McEwan who claims the Premier Division flag race could be the tightest ever. Barassie golfer Euan Walker, a final year student at the University of Missouri, keeps up his hot form with a top 20 finish in an invitation tournament in Hawaii.
DECEMBER
Skipper Pete McCallum and wing Craig Gossman turn down an invitation to play in the Dubai Sevens to help Ayr Rugby Club to a 38- 28 win over Gala at Netherdale. Around 800 competitors head to Ayr as Seaforth hosts the West District Cross Country Championships for the first time. Prestwick bowler Rebecca Houston wins the world U25 mixed triples.
Ayr Gold Cup win is right up there with anything I’ve ever done: Tom Eaves