ROBIN WILSON'S NORTH ROUND-UP

Carnegie Shield Winners on parade Royal Dornoch.

Sporting immortality in not all easily won but after recording a record ten Carnegie Shield successes at Royal Dornoch, spanning almost twenty years, Brora's Jim Miller, having just passed his seventieth, birthday will step into into the arena once again next week to attempt to win another Carnegie Shield.

Without re-tracing all of Miller's wins his first in 1965 is perhaps the one most easily recalled, a memorable final against local player Willie Skinner which held  captive the huge following  for an extra eight holes. Then there was his last and tenth triumph in 1983 when he beat a young Gary Bethune in the final. Bethune with the experience gained went on to win two further Shield finals.

Next week the Shield comes out of the club house trophy cabinet for the 100^th time and the milestone will be marked with an  invitation to all living former winners to play and be received by the Club Captain at a reception and dinner on the eve of the qualifying rounds, then prior to this years final, if they do not survive the match -play rounds  until then  will be asked to play a commemorative three holes in front of an appreciative gallery gathered for the final.

Those who are not longer competing will also be invited to line up on the first tee before playing a token three holes. A lot of these former winners were previously at Dornoch twelve years ago when the centenary of the gifting of the Carnegie Shield  in 1901 to the club was marked. The Centenary Year  winner was David Aitchison, now a club professional in England

 

The magnificent trophy was commissioned by steel magnate Andrew Carnegie of Skibo Castle and crafted by the Glasgow silversmiths, James Weir and Co. of Buchannan Street at a cost of just £120 today's silver value runs into thousands of pounds. It is a fine example of the silversmith's craft depicting scenes of local interest, such as Dornoch Cathedral, Carnegie's Skibo Castle home, and the Dornoch Castle . At its top  it has the Scottish Lion Rampart and the Stars and Stripes flag of America where Carnegie made his vast fortune.

Joining Miller in the Shield qualifying rounds which begin on Tuesday are thirteen other previous winners, led off at 6.30am by James Bunch (1997) and Andrew Biggadike(2003/2008)  followed by – Alex MacDonald (2010), John Forbes (Holder) Chris Mailley (2009), Jo Kellor (2002), Colin Christy (1988/1992/1993) Neil MacDonald( (1995), Paul Dolton (2011),Stewart Wilson( 1998/1999) Gary Bethune (1989/1991), Scott Chisholm (2001) Robin Wilson (1984).

Among notable former winners from the early years of the competition are two fine English exponents of the game, Roger Wethered and Ernest Holderness, both British Amateur champions and another Amateur Champion from modern times the 1985 champion at Royal Dornoch, Irishman, Garth McGimpsey makes his first competitive return to Dornoch next week. Could McGimpsey at 57 join Miller in the Hall of Fame next week?      

Overall the field has an entry of 270, 120 of these playing in the qualifying rounds of Sunday and Monday and the remaining 150 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Three lots of 32 qualifiers, scratch and two handicap groups will continue through match-play ties towards Saturday's finals.

Brora Ladies Weekend

Brora Golf Club Ladies Section held two successful tournaments last weekend, an individual open on Saturday and their popular mixed foursomes the following day.

The condition of the golf course was excellent for both events and returning to win her second Nicol Trophy in Saturday's Clynelish Distillery sponsored individual event and renewing a link with the course designer, James Braid of Walton of Waton Heath was Walton Heath member Julia Brooks.

Brooks, an English County player and regular visitor to Brora won the scratch trophy for a second time, her first five years ago, after coping better against the strong wind the competitors had to fight against over the  home stretch. Brook's outward half of 33 began with two birdies but her downwind assisted eagle three on the par five eighth hole was matched by Northern Counties and Scottish Senior internationalist Mary Smith (Tain) for both to be out in 33.  But the fight against the wind was won by Brooks who came home in 42  for a winning 75 while Smith struggled to 47 for eighty and second place.

Winner of three trophies, two confined and one open to all, was local golf professionals wife Shiona Anderson.  She still had lots of her 28 handicap strokes in hand after her outward gross 45 and despite her inward struggle of 52 still broke the course par  with nett 69 to win the Brora Bowl, the Brora Salver and the confined to Sutherland club members, Hunter Trophy.

With Helmsdale family connections, Rachel Polson (Peterculter)  improved from a third place on Saturday to a first on Sunday partnering her father, Alasdair Polson in the Cairngorm Solar Panels Open Mixed Foursomes competition.

Two handicapper Rachel, a second year student at the Florida Tech college in the USA  and her father originally from Helmsdale were not the only two couple to get round under eighty but they won the Scratch Salver over another father and daughter former winning partnership, Dougal and Jemma Chalmers (Panmure)  The Chalmers finished  with a birdie two but on the card play off over the final nine holes their score was bettered by a par, par, finish from the Polsons.

The only couple to break the par of 70 with a nett 69 was two other annual August visitors to Brora, Peter and Margaret MacDonald from Strathaven. Their 69 the A L Mackay Trophy by six shots and in the low handicap group the R M Street Shield was won by John Turner (Tyneside) and local partner Susan Smith with the nett score of 73.5. A narrow margin of half a stroke separated them over Elgin couple Debbie and Gary Bethune.