HUGH HUNTER'S CLACKMANNAN COUNTY NEWS

  HOME TRIUMPH FOR COUNTY GOLF TEAM.
 It was Clackmannan that came out on top of the Provan Salver encounter against Fife last weekend over Braehead Golf course.  With a strong fight back by the Fife team over the closing holes in the tight matches, the score line at 4 matches to 3 with one half was a lot closer than hoped. 

Top Clackmannan performances came from Ross Benvie, Jamie Aitken, David Finlay and Mike Rust--- all established solid early leads that were never threatened.  Alva’s Michael Robertson secured the necessary half to ensure a Clackmannanshire win. 

Team Captain Jamie Aitken was pleased with the result  “ With several of the top county players on duties elsewhere, it was a very good win and gives great hope for the Area Team event in May” 

 MATCH RESULTS.  (Clackmannan names first)
1.  Ross Benvie (Braehead) beat Alex Main (Thornton) 6/5
2.  Jamie Aitken (Alloa) beat Barry Hynd (Leven Thistle) 5/4
3.  Darren Hulston (Dollar) lost to Keith Anderson (Charleton) 1 hole
4.  Steve McIvor (Alva) lost to Alan Anderson (Dunfermline) 1 hole
5.  David Finlay (Braehead) beat Cammy Mitchell (Lundin) 6/5
6.  Andy Anderson (Braehead) lost to Greg Wishart (Charleton) 1 hole
7.  Mike Rust (Braehead) beat Stewart Elder (Kirkcaldy) 7/6
8.  Michael Robertson (Alva) halved with Sandy Squires (Scotscraig)

 The final fixture of the Provan Salver is against Perth&Kinross over Dollar on the 29^th April.

  TOP TEN FINISH AT LEVEN FOR SCOTT

 In the Scottish Champion of Champions at Leven last weekend, Dollar’s Scott Borrowman recorded his best performance for some time with a 6^th placing after rounds of 71-72-68-74, and should secure some valuable ranking points.   Scott’s one over par score was 10 shots behind winner Fraser McKenna. 
Scott Moffat (Braehead) the County Match Play Champion was a bit further down the field with rounds of 79-73-74-81.

This weekend, Scott Borrowman will be at the Craigmillar Park 72 hole tournament—the draw has put him with Darren Hulston… also Dollar

  WORLD AMATEUR GOLF RANKINGS 
 The up to date rankings show Lawrence Allan (Alva) at 1494 a jump up thanks to the recent good Junior Tour performance and Scott Borrowman at 2046 . Lawrence is now at his highest ever ranking, now moving into the top thirty Scottish players at 36.

CLOSE OF MIDLAND ALLIANCE SEASON
With the Midland Alliance Championship last week at Carnoustie Burnside, the 2012 season is now complete with the exception of a re-scheduled event at the Buddon course this week.  Best local performance in the Championship came from Chris Westland (Alloa) in the 36 hole handicap event with a third place finish.
In the previous week’s event at Monifieth, Alloa’s Chris Westland and Hugh Hunter had a fourth equal placing with net 70’s and the Alloa trio of Hugh Hunter, Alan Didcock and Bill Cunningham took the third prize in the team event with a team score of 61
In the Order of Merit for 2012, Chris Westland is in the runner up spot with 305 points, Bob Stewart (Tulliallan) and Hugh Hunter (Alloa) tie at 14^th equal on 135 points--- the remaining Clackmannanshire players are outwith the top twenty.
The Alliance season re-starts in August.

   AUGUSTA THRILLER
Like most golfers in Scotland, most Wee County golfers would be thrilled by the Masters event. While relating to many of the shots that went astray into the trees or the water, it is doubtful if handicap golfers would have the powers of recovery demonstrated by these top professionals.
Using golf course rater Michael Niven’s Scratch score assessment of 78 for Augusta, it is easy to allocate a handicap performance----- the cut fell at 5 over par for two rounds—that’s a handicap of plus 3.5, while the joint leaders at 10 under par for the four rounds played to a handicap of  plus 7.5 average over each of the four rounds. The single best score represented a handicap of plus 14---in local terms that would be a 57 at Schawpark
It’s not impossible to get tickets------ but they are very, very expensive---- just put “Masters tickets” into an internet search engine.  It’s also possible to apply for a practice round ticket through the Masters website----- some of those who are successful even do a “day” trip to Augusta!!

 STILL TIME TO JOIN AND PLAY

For those local golfers inspired by the Masters golf, entries are still available for the County Spring Meetings at Braehead and Tulliallan and the Boys Championship also at Tulliallan. For inspired non club members, there are still spaces in the local golf Clubs for new members--- all parts of Clackmannanshire are within a few miles of a  Golf Club, and you are sure of a warm welcome.