CLUB SECRETARY MAGI VASS LEADS THE WAY

MILLER QUAICH WIN No. 11 FOR TAIN

 By ROBIN WILSON

A 14-strong team of Tain golfers regained the Miller Quaich at a sun-drenched Royal Dornoch links at the weekend.

There is no more appealing golf course in the North than Royal Dornoch at this time of year, its    Spring colour of gorse blossom complimenting the lovely Easter sun shining through on the Tain members and inspiring them to a marvellous winning Stableford points total of 364.

The neighbouring club from just across the Dornoch Bridge continued their stranglehold of the trophy originally donated by the Royal Dornoch Golf Club in 1999 to recognise the achievements of Sutherland's top amateur golfer, Jim Miller (Brora), at Dornoch and throughout the North over four decades dating back to the early 1960s

In the 16th year of the four clubs coming together,Tain have now held the trophy as sole winners nine times and shared it in four other years.  

 Golspie Golf Club came second this year with 349pts, Royal Dornoch were third (348 pts) and Brora, the holders, filled fourth place with 300pts.

The top 12 cards from the 14 team scores are used to determine the winners and it was the Tain Golf Club  secretary, Magi Vass, the lady golfer with the lowest handicap of nine, who led Tain to the top of the table .

Her 37 points was not only Tain's best but also the leading score of the day. Tain's other top scorers were Mark Brunton (35) with  Deirdre Wlodarcyk, Jim Hutcheon and Steven Martin each chipping in with 33 points.

The host' club's  Eileen Macrae and Brora's Anne Clarke were two other women team members who distinguished themselves by topping their club's individual scores, Macrae  36 points and Clarke 30 points for Brora. 

Helping Golspie to second place was Colin Mackay with an individual 36 points assisted by Billy Melville, 35,  and Raymond Jack 32 which could be a good omen for when the competition returns to their course in 2015. 

 Picture by Robin Wilson

Tain members helping Maggie Vass show off the Quaich are from left to right - Doug Neville, Billy Duff, Steven Martin, Jane Neville, Magi Vass, David Vass, Jim Hutchison, Mark Brunton, John Hugh an and Gus Gurnard.  Missing from the presentation were - Mike Kay, Daniel Cormack, Deirdre Wlodarczyk and  Anne MacDonald