Presentation at the North District agm: left to right - Donnie Godsman, Jim Fallon (championship convener), Rodger Clark, Calum Stewart, Alister Paterson (junior convener), Gordon Hay.

Tain's Ian Ross double presidency role until January

By ROBIN WILSON

At the annual general meeting of the North District of the Scottish Golf Union, current President of the Scottish Golf Union, Ian H. Ross (Tain) took on the dual role of SGU President and that of the North District until January 2010. In January his term with the SGU will end.
After two years as the North's vice-president Ian Ross follows James Fraser of Fortrose & Rosemarkie as North president for the next two years.
In his opening remarks to the delegates in attendance at his final meeting in charge of the North, outgoing president James Fraser paid tribute to three former North officials who sadly passed away in the last couple of months, the district's honorary president, an honorary vice- president and a former secretary.
The funeral service of Dr John Grant of Royal Dornoch, who was the North District's first President, was held in the Dornoch Cathedral on Monday, October 12. He was elected the North's first President in 1994, having had connections with the North District stretching back to the 1960s as a member of The Nairn Golf Club, Orkney Golf Club and of course his home club, Royal Dornoch where he was their president.
After failing health over the previous year, the death of Denis le-M. Mackay, a past president and honorary vice-president rocked the North and within a few weeks the executive had lost another serving stalwart, George Thomson (Inverness) who had voluntarily filled the role of secretary during his spell as secretary of Inverness Golf Club and after giving his post had remained on the Executive Committee where he gave much of his time to the junior coaching programme and course rating.
With the approval of all in attendance honorary vice-president Bill Templeton (Abernethy) was elected the new honorary president.
It was from this point that the retiring president turned to the North's juniors expressing his delight at their success during his final year in office. He thanked all the players and the parents for the encouragement and support given to their talented sons and the success they enjoyed during the season.
It was the North's juniors best ever year, winning three trophies at Youth, Under-18, and Under-16 level and topping them all were the four boys who became the North's first winners of the Scottish boys' area team championship in June at Ballumbie Castle: Kyle Godsman (Hopeman), Rodger Clarke (Moray), Gavin Hay (Grantown on Spey) and Calum Stewart (Brora).
On behalf of the executive, the retiring president made a presentation of a framed picture of the team with the trophy to each of the boys and in their absence, as they are both on first year college courses in America, Gordon Hay and Donnie Godsman, collected the award on behalf of their sons. Kyle Godsman now enrolled in South Carolina (Aiken) University and Gavin Hay attending Carson-Newman College, Jefferson City, Tennessee
In the election of office bearers, Robert McKerron (Forres) is the new vice-president with existing members Robin Thomson (Forres), Alister Paterson (Inverness), Jim Fallon (Tarbat), Alan Cowie (Moray) and Gordon Lawson (Royal Dornoch) all re-elected with new additions to the executive, Ken Galloway (Stornoway), George Kirkley (Nairn Dunbar) and Alan Boxx (Boat of Garten).