DUFF'S PHENOMENAL 61 AT NEWMACHAR BUT CAN IT BE A RECORD?

By COLIN FARQUHARSON Colin@scottishgolfview.com  Newmachar Golf Club member John Duff had a phenomenal round of 11-under-par 61 over Swailend, the club's No 2 course, also designed by Dave Thomas, at the weekend. Duff's figures were: OUT: 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 - 31 IN: 3 3 2 3 4 4 4 4 3 - 30 That scorecard contains one eagle (at the 11th) and nine birdies (first, third, fourth, sixth, eighth, 12th, 13th, 14th and 18th) and not a single bogey. He almost holed his second shot at the 18th which would have given him a 60. The Swailend course measures 6,388yd and has a par of 72 and a Standard Scratch of 71. It was opened in June 1997. The previous lowest score over the Swailend course was a 64 by Martin Lawrence who is now an assistant professional at Newmachar GC. That was achieved in September 2008. The question is whether Duff's round can and should be recognised as a course record. The R and A recommend that course records should be restricted to individual stroke-play medal rounds and not include par, bogey or Stableford rounds. Duff was competing in a Newmachar club Stableford competition when he returned his 61. But it transpires that Lawrence's 64, which has been recognised for the best part of three years, was also achieved in a Stableford points round.  The Newmachar Golf Club committee will meet later this week to decide whether or not to recognise Duff's 61 as the new Swailend record. John was a member of the Newmachar Golf Club team who won the Northern Counties Cup at Royal Dornoch last year. He already has a +2 handicap.