NORTH DISTRICT THINK THIS
COULD BE THEIR YEAR TO
WIN SCOTTISH AREA TITLE
By ROBIN WILSON
Since winning the Scottish area team championship at East Kilbride in 2000, the North District golf team have not figured in the last four of the SGU’s national competition but with two home ties to play this season there is an air of optimism that it is the turn of the eight other areas to sit up and take notice of the Highlanders.
If the North is to make a serious bid for the title this year they will have to take something from what will most likely be their toughest tie, a first-round game against the Lothians at Mortonhall on May 20.
In early preparation, the North executive gathered their select squad of players at Forres last Sunday for a run-out against the Under-18 squad, several of them still fresh from good performances at Dunbar in the Scottish boys’ championship and eager to let the adult squad know they are waiting in the wings.
Only John Campbell (Grantown on Spey), Neil Hampton (The Nairn) and Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) remain in contention from the 2000 triumph at East Kilbride. Fotheringham had to miss the Forres day because he qualified for Sunday's final two rounds of the Craigmillar Park Open.
Past internationalist Fotheringham will remain a vital figure in the North team and students like Russell Knox and Duncan Stewart (both in their final year at Jacksonville University, Florida), will be called upon as and when available.
One new face that should add strength to the line up is ex-Nairn assistant professional Alex Scott, pictured above, who has now made himself available for selection after reinstatement and an eye-catching return to amateur scene last year in the Scottish amateur championship at Nairn.
In his younger days Scott (39) originally from the Edinburgh area, played team golf for the Lothians. After gaining an engineering degree, he changed direction and took up a professional position at Nairn. He continues to reside in Nairn and has reverted to engineering, working in Inverness with the Halcrow Group.
The Forres outing resulted in a win for the adult squad although they got a bit of a an early fright when past champions John Campbell (Granton on Spey) and Michael Macdonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie ) lost the top game to reigning North boys' champion Fraser Fotheringham (Nairn) and Scott Stables (Elgin).
In game 2 the Inverness pairing of John Forbes and Bruce Thomson managed only a half with Ryan Elder (Nairn Dunbar) and John Fair (Fortrose & Rosemarkie).
The men's squad took the next three games to register a 3 1/2 to 1 1/2 win.

Details (men's squad names first):

J S D Campbell (Grantown on Spey) & M MacDonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) lost to F. Fotheringham (Nairn) & S Stables (Elgin) 2&1.
J Forbes & B Thomson (Inverness) halved with R Elder (Nairn Dunbar) & J Fair (Fortrose & Rosemarkie).
J Gunn (Royal Dornoch) & M Ferries (Tain) beat S Connell (Inverness) & J Foley (Forres) 4&3. N D Hampton (Nairn) & N McWilliam (Garmouth & Kingston) beat I Allan & K Godsman (Hopeman) 3&2.
R McKerron (Forres) & A Scott (Nairn) beat C Stewart (Brora) & C Gaittens (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) 1 hole.