CAITHNESS TRIO WIN NORTH ALLIANCE CHRISTMAS COMP

Robin Wilson's picture of the winning trio from Reay Golf Club (left to right), Ian Ross, Peter McCartney and John Disbury.

By ROBIN WILSON
The late thaw and decision to go ahead with the North Alliance's Christmas team competition caught out most of the members and only eight teams turned up at Brora last Sunday for the annual Christmas three-ball competition.
Probably with more snow than any other area, the Caithness trio from Reay Golf Club, Ian Ross, Peter McCartney and John Disbury were faster of the mark after their lay-off, coming in with the winning net score of 49, seven below of the par of 56 for Brora's 15-hole winter course.
As they got into their stride with early net birdies at the second (John Disbury), fourth (Ian Ross) and seventh holes (Peter McCartney) for an outward seven-hole net count of 24, the Reay trio got even better on the eight-hole homeward stretch.
They had four birdies over the last five holes for 25, finishing of their round with a closing birdie 2 from Ian Ross.
From three net returns of 51 the Thurso trio of club vice-captain Ali Cameron, Angus Simpson and Bryan Ronald were awarded the second prize on the inward half count back. The Thurso trio enjoyed a three-under-par net score of 26 for the last eight holes, one better than Mike Keay, Hamish Skinner, and Derek Wood from Tarbat who shared their 27 inward half count with Andrew Watt, Steve Holmes and Alec Gunn from Tain.
All the Brora net scores
P McCartney, I Ross, J Disbury (Reay) 49
A Cameron, A Simpson, B Ronald (Thurso) 51
M Keay, H Skinner, D Wood (Tarbat) 51
A Watt, S Holmes, A Gunn (Tain) 51
A J Gill, S Ashe, K Lorimer (Brora) 52
B Ferries, M Ferries, R Lockie (Tain) 53
A Gunn, G Gunn, W Mowat (Reay) 53
A Swanson, J Sangster, A Coghill (Thurso) 57