Graeme Brown wins Midland Alliance at Crieff with a six-under 65

By MARTIN BROWN
(Lee Sutherland is on holiday).
This week's Midland Alliance meeting was held at Crieff Golf Club and was won by Montrose assistant professional Graeme Brown with a magnificent, six-under-par effort of 65.
Tieing for second place were senior amateur Bob Stewart (Tulliallan) and Edzell assistant pro M Finlayson with commendable 67s.
There was a three-way tie for leading handicap with G Jenkins (Crieff) (3), H Hunter (Alloa) (10) and C Westland (Alloa) (11) leading the way with net 66s.
LEADING SCRATCH
65 G Brown (Montrose) ap.
68 R Stewart (Tulliallan), M Finlayson (Edzell) ap.
69 S Smith (Ladybank) p, S O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap, G Jenkins (Crieff).
70 M Pirie (Pitlochry) p, A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap, S Cargill (Arbroath), A J Webster (Edzell) p, C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap, K Harper (Carnoustie), G Finlay (Ballumbie).
LEADING HANDICAP
66 G Jenkins (Crieff) (3), H Hunter (Alloa) (10), C Westland (Alloa) (11).
67 R Bell (Pitlochry) (5), R Stewart (Tulliallan) (1).
68 J Crawford (Dunblane) (6), D K Hutchison (Murrayshall) (6), A Mason (Thornton) (7).

NORTH GOLF ALLIANCE REPORT

Liam pips Calum on card countback at Brora

By ROBIN WILSON
Two local teenagers, Liam MacDonald-Macleod (19) and Calum Stewart (17), left the Alliance's leading player, Tain's Munro Ferries, in the shade when playing their home course in Sunday's North Golf Alliance fixture at Brora.
Each local protege returned a gross card of one-over-par 70 and with a one-under-par inward half of 33, MacDonald, pictured by Robin Wilson, pegged back Stewart's outward lead of two strokes to make it into first place, adding his name to the list of scratch winners after a handicap win at Royal Dornoch last November.

Scottish junior cap Stewart matched his rival's outward 35 shots over the next nine holes but it was at the 13th and 14th holes where MacDonald made up ground with back-to-back birdies to win the card play-off.
Tain's left-hander Ferries finished with the fourth best score of the day, a 73, which matched his two earlier scores of 73 at both Royal Dornoch and Tain. After adding a 66 at Tarbat the previous week and an opening season 70 at Durness, the +2 handicapper, now with a four scores' total of 282, has built up a six-shot aggregate lead over Thurso's Bryan Ronald whose 77 at Brora did not improve his situation.

Ferries' lead should be a sufficient to guarantee retention of the Scratch Quaich with two fixtures remaining.
Reducing his previous net aggregate total of 283 by 10 shots to 273 with a superb handicap- winning score of 64 at Brora, Seann Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay) is on track to retain the Mackintosh Salver. He has gone ahead of Ronald's net 276 total by three with remaining fixtures left to play this weekend at Golspie on Saturday, followed by Reay on Sunday.

Tain's Andrew Watt occupies third net place with 277, Watt unable to improve on any of his counting scores at Brora. Missing a chance to get into the mix was Durness's Billy MacBain who unfortunately along with playing partners Alister Corbet and John Morrison disqualified themselves after discovering they had played from a wrong tee.
Sutherland has had two strokes taken from his handicap (8 to 6) for the final two events but he won't grumble too much after his gross 72 (38-34) for a net 64 was six ahead of the next best score in Class 1.

This came from former Alliance secretary Robin Wilson (Brora) who has been out of the prize lists for the whole of last season and all of the current while his handicap was rising to seven. But he got back into the scene with a closing birdie 2 for a gross 77, net 70, and second place. The local member finished two ahead of Tain pair, Steve Holmes and Alec Gunn.
The overnight rain and strong wind that had even blown out several of the flag poles from the greens had abated by morning but Brora's winter tee positions toughens several holes and this was reflected with no player in the Class 2 section getting close to the net par.

Three net 72s were separated into order by inward half counts and it was local Peter Etheridge, who came home in net 34, who got first place ahead of Jim Johnstone (Thurso) and Tain's Ali Melville.
As mentioned above, the final fixture is at Reay on Sunday but Golspie are giving three hours of their members' times on Saturday morning - 8.30 to 11.30am - to get all ten fixtures completed. RESULTS
Scratch

70 L MacDonald-Macleod (Brora) 37-33, C Stewart (Brora) 35-35.

72 S R S Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay) 38-34.

73 M Ferries (Tain) 38-35.

74 J Sangster (Thurso) 37-37.

75 B Ferries (Tain) 39-36.

76 S Holmes (Tain) 40-36).

Handicap

Class 1 – S R S Sutherland (BBA) (8) 64; R J Wilson (Brora) (7) 70; S Holmes (Tain) (4) (bih), A Gunn (Tain) (6) 72.

Class 2 – P Etheridge (Brora) (12) (bih), J Johnstone) (Thurso) (16), A Melville (Tain) (11) 72; D A Matheson (Brora) (15) 75.

Windyhill Pro David Roger takes West Alliance

honours at Lanark Golf Club with two-under 68

By JOHN CARRELL
West of Scotland Golfers' Alliance secretary
A total of 60 amateurs and 15 professionals were put to the test in this week's West of Scotland Golfers' Alliance competition at a frosty Lanark Golf Club.
The start was delayed by an hour and a half while we waited for the sun to soften the ground. Play got underway at 9.30 with only one winter green. The course looked in great condition and the players enjoyed their time on this Open Qualifying course.
David Roger, the pro from Windyhill, took an early lead on 68 with five birdies and no bogies in the first nine. The second nine was looking good with par all the way till the 18th where he took a triple bogey 6 to leave him on two under par. The mistake on the 18th turned out to be okay though as no-one managed to overtake him for the rest of the day.
Previous winner Stevie Gray, the pro from Hayston, came equal second with two young amateurs, James Hendrick (+1) from Bonnyton and Conor O'Neill (+2) from Pollock, both on par 70.
The amateurs' prize went to Kevin McCann (7) who finished with a net 66. Kevin Caldwell (4) from Hayston and Brian Robertson (11) from Forrester Park shared second place on 69.
Seniors prize went to the last outing's amateur winner, John Greene (12), who carded a net 70.
PRIZEWINNERS
Scratch
68 David Roger (Windyhill) p £110.
70 Stevie Gray (Hayston)p £60, James Hendrick (+1) (Bonnyton) and Conor O'Neill (+2) (Pollock) £60 vouchers each.
Handicap
Prize Vouchers
66 Kevin McCann (Vale of Leven) (7) £80.
69 Kevin Caldwell (Hayston) (4), Brian Robertson (Forrester Park) (11) £42.50 each.
71 Andrew Sturton (Forrester Park) (9) £25.
Seniors
Prize Vouchers
70 John Greene (Cowglen) (12) £30.
72 John Mansfield (Troon Merchants) (15) £20.

Our top three handicap winners also shared the sweep money, while eight players who achieved 2s on the day shared our amateurs' 2s sweep money.

Lockhart and McKay tie with 69s at Burntisland Golf House

By LEE SUTHERLAND, Professional, Ballumbie Castle Golf Club.
This week the Midland Golfers Alliance held the Eddie Sherry pro-am at Burntisland Golf House Club in Fife.
There was a tie for first scratch between Ladybank assistant pro Alan Lockhart and Donald McKay, the Wellsgreen professional, both with scores of two-under-par 69.
Winners of the team competition by a margin of five shots were Guy Mathieson (Dunnikier Park), Jim Brown (Kirkcaldy), Jack Cree (Thornton) and Jim Muir (Scotscraig) with a score of 124.
LEADING SCRATCH
69 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap, D McKay (Wellsgreen) p.
71 R Stewart (Tulliallan).
72 R Ford (Scotscraig).
73 P Jamieson (Dunblane New) p, M Rae (Alyth) ap, A J Webster (Edzell) p.
LEADING TEAMS
124 G Mathieson (Dunnikier Park) (4), J Brown (Kirkcaldy) (9), J Cree (Thornton) (11), J Muir (Scotscraig) (10).
129 (better inward half) R Ford (Scotscraig) (4), R Redpath (Scotscraig) (4), J Rankin (Scotscraig) (9), R Beatt (Scotscraig) (12).
129 S O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap, C Wallace (Caird Park) (10), G Milne (Aberdour) (5), C Marr (Glenrothes) (13).

Next week's meeting: THURSDAY, MARCH 18 - CRIEFF GOLF CLUB (8.30am - 12.30)

Because of the current snow at Crieff there is a doubt if it will be playable next Thursday. If it is unplayable, then Drumoig is on standby.
Watch this space for on-off news.

EDINBURGH & EAST OF SCOTLAND ALLIANCE
-
Duddingston Golf Club

THORNTON CUP - Overall Winner: Ian Fraser (Duddingston) 65

SCRATCH PRIZEWINNERS
1st £100 Smith Stuart Duddingston 67
2nd equal £60 Erskine Andrew Ratho Park 69
2nd equal £60 Patrick David Elie 69
2nd equal £60 Thomson Mike Torwoodlee 69
5th £20 Catlin Scott Greenburn 71

HANDICAP PRIZEWINNERS
vouchers for amateurs
1st £100 Fraser Ian Duddingston (4) 65
2nd £80 Kemp Alex Duddingston (9) 67
3rd equal £40 Graham David Lochend (5) 68
3rd equal £40 Stewart Duncan Craigielaw (9) 68
3rd equal £40 Paterson Bryan Dunfermline (7) 68

TRAINEE PRIZEWINNER
£20 Mathieson Terry King's Acre 72

LEADING NET SCORES
1 Fraser Ian Duddingston Senior 69 4 65
2 Kemp Alex Duddingston Amateur 76 9 67
3 Graham David Lochend Amateur 73 5 68
4 Paterson Bryan Dunfermline Senior 75 7 68
5 Stewart Duncan Craigielaw Amateur 77 9 68
6 Denholm Robert Duddingston Amateur 74 5 69
7 Smith Stuart Duddingston Amateur 67 -2 69
8 Summers Alastair Musselburgh Amateur 76 7 69
9 Bootland Hinton Duddingston Senior 76 6 70
10 Brown Stuart Glencorse Amateur 75 5 70
11 Downing Stewart Craigmillar Park Amateur 78 8 70
12 Gilhooley Stephen Duddingston Senior 76 6 70
13 Johnston Richard Glenbervie Amateur 72 2 70
14 Miller William Falkirk Tryst Amateur 76 6 70
15 Sutherland Donald Linlithgow Senior 80 10 70
16 Thomson Mike Torwoodlee Amateur 69 -1 70
17 Laing William Prestonfield Amateur 77 6 71
18 McCluskey John Archerfield Amateur 84 13 71
19 Ritchie Peter Bathgate Senior 80 9 71
20 Rodaks George Dunfermline Amateur 72 1 71
21 Rothney Andrew Deer Park Amateur 72 1 71
22 Black George Torwoodlee Amateur 76 4 72
23 Clark Gavin Duddingston Amateur 79 7 72
24 Cowie Keith Newbattle Amateur 82 10 72
25 Jeffrey Peter Duddingston Amateur 85 13 72
26 Lewis Tom West Lothian Senior 85 13 72
27 Stevens Glyn King's Acre Amateur 80 8 72
28 Dickinson Graham Torwoodlee Senior 81 8 73
29 McLean John Bathgate Senior 77 4 73
30 Reid Kenneth West Lothian Amateur 75 2 73
31 White Justin Harrison Amateur 77 4 73
32 Wight Andrew Glencorse Senior 74 1 73
33 Cordery Thomas Musselburgh Amateur 78 4 74
34 Marr William West Lothian Senior 83 9 74
35 Taylor Ian Royal Burgess Amateur 75 1 74
36 Wilson Thomas Glenbervie Amateur 76 2 74
37 Young Alan Lochend Amateur 82 8 74
38 Doyle Steven Gifford Amateur 79 4 75
39 Fish Derek Glenbervie Amateur 76 1 75
40 Forsyth Walter Peebles Amateur 85 10 75
41 Murray Roy West Lothian Amateur 83 8 75
42 Wyse Ian Falkirk Tryst Amateur 86 11 75
43 Young Scott Turnhouse Amateur 76 1 75
44 Adams Thomas Aberdour Senior 86 10 76
45 Chaplin Mark Deer Park Amateur 76 0 76
46 Fyfe Ian Musselburgh Amateur 78 2 76
47 Knowles Scott Kingsknowe Amateur 78 2 76
48 Leggate Philip Musselburgh Amateur 85 9 76
49 Louden Michael Glencorse Amateur 79 3 76
50 Scott Jim Swanston New Senior 84 8 76
51 Sewell Peter West Linton Amateur 82 6 76
52 Skinner Grant Glencorse Amateur 79 3 76
53 Smith Brian Edinburgh Thistle Amateur 83 7 76
54 Smith William Harburn Senior 88 12 76
55 Wardlaw Stuart Harburn Senior 86 10 76
56 Watson Scott Leven Amateur 81 5 76

TITLE-HOLDER McLEAN DISQUALIFIED
-
IN N-E ALLIANCE CHAMPIONSHIP

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Defending champion Philip McLean disqualified himself after returning a three-under-par 65 which would have made him the first-round leader by two strokes of the 36-hole North-east Golfers’ championship at Duff House Royal Golf Club, Banff today.
After driving home to Peterhead and discussing the day’s play with a fellow competitor, McLean realised that he had taken a lift and drop without penalty from an out of bounds area on the bank of the River Deveron at the seventh hole, believing it to be ground under repair.
Alliance secretary Ron Menzies said: “Philip phoned me at the clubhouse and I had to confirm that the club had declared the semi-rough area in question out of bounds on health and safety grounds because the river bank is crumbling at that point and there is a risk that if competitors go too close to the bank, they will fall into the river.
“There was a message about it on the clubhouse noticeboard and also on display at the first tee but I do have some sympathy for the player.”
Three players share the lead on one-under-par 67 at the head of a field of 98 at the halfway stage of the championship - Fraserburgh’s Kris Nicol, one of only two Scots to qualify for the match-play stages of last week’s Spanish amateur championship, Inchmarlo tour pro Paul Cormack , and last man in, Newburgh club pro Ian Bratton.
Nicol recovered from a double-bogey 6 at the first with birdies at the fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth to reach the turn in two-under-par 32. Eight pars and a bogey 6 at the 12th made up an inward half of one-over 35.
Cormack also had a double bogey 6, at the fourth, but birdies at the third, sixth, 12th, 13th and 18th helped him round in halves of 34 and 33.
Bratton, out in 33 with birdies at the second and fifth, added the 10th and 12th to his bag of sub-par figures but faltered with bogeys at the 16th and 17th when set to take a clear lead.
Tongue in cheek, Ian blamed a passing motorist for putting him off his putting stroke by tooting his horn while he was on the 17th green!
Scottish boys’ and men’s match-play champion David Law (Hazlehead) is in fourth position, one shot off the pace with a level par 68 in which he birdied the first, second and fifth in 33 to the turn. He had one birdie, at the short 11th and two bogeys for 35 home.
Banchory's Scott Larkin, the man in form in recent weeks, had to settle for a 72 after driving his first ball out of bounds on to the practice area. His second ball off the tee landed on the green ... but Scott three-putted!
The second and final round of the championship is at Cruden Bay next Wednesday.

+Philip McLean could not have played in the second round anyway. Same goes for David Law. They are in the Scotland squad for next week's European Nations Cup at Sotogrande. But McLean's blunder did cost him the first prize voucher of around £100 for leading the first round scratch scores. Later news: Joint leader Kris Nicol will not be available for next week's fixture either, as he's off to South Africa for warm weather training with the Scottish Golf Union tomorrow for 11 days.
+Two other first-round contestants who are "otherwise engaged" instead of playing in next week's second round are former Press and Journal editor (and Scotland tennis international) Harry Roulston (Stonehaven) and Golf Monthly writer Fergus Bisset (Banchory). Harry is going on a Caribbean cruise while Fergus is playing with D Ford (Royal North Devon) in the Sunningdale foursomes, starting on Tuesday. Their first-round opponents are well-known tennis player of recent Wimbledon history, Tim Henman, apparently a quite useful golfer, and T Crawley, an all-Sunningdale partnership. Both pairings are playing off scratch.
+Roy Pirie (Caledonian), who had returned a 73, also phoned secretary Ron Menzies later to disqualify himself for not observing the seventh hole local rule. Are golfers more honest than any other sportsmen or women? I think so.

CHAMPIONSHIP - FIRST ROUND
Par 68
67 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), Paul Cormack (Inchmarlo), Ian Bratton (Newburgh) p.
68 David Law (Hazlehead).
69 Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon).
70 Anthony Bews (Murcar Links).
71 Patrick Lovie (P1 Corporate) p, Brian Nicholson (Auchmill), Mike Jenkins (Duff House Royal), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Inchmarlo) p, Kyle Nelson (Murcar Links).
72 Craig Carnegie (Kemnay), Scott Larkin (Banchory), Duncan Clark (Duff House Royal), Fergus Bisset (Banchory), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian).
73 Justin Duff (Fraserburgh), John Nicolson (Auchmill), Laura Murray (Alford), Richard Hyland (Craibstone).
74 Jim Emslie (Royal Aberdeen).
75 Barry Brooks (Meldrum House), David Naylor (Banchory) p, David Corkey (Royal Aberdeen).
76 Paul McIntosh (Newburgh).
77 Billy Main (Murcar Links), Alistair Fiddes (Deeside), Steven Kennedy (Craibstone), Stewart Pert (Huntly), George Paterson (Northern), Craig Stewart (Kippie Lodge).
78 John Hamilton (Murcar Links), Sandy Elrick (Kemnay), Mark Lawrie (Kemnay), David Wilson (Duff House Royal), Keil Beveridge (Aboyne) p, David McKay (Caledonian).
79 John Mitchell (Fraserburgh), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), James Moodie (Kingsliffe) p.
80 Brian Harper (Newburgh), Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum), Neish Chisholm (Kemnay), Nigel Parker (Murcar Links).
81 John Borthwick (Craibstone), Harry Roulston (Stonehaven), Dave MacKay (Newmachar), Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen). Mike Booth (Kemnay), Dave Nelson (Aboyne).

HANDICAP
Class 1 – C Carnegie (Kemnay) (4) 68; D Law (Hazlehead) (+1), K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) (scr), B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4), Laura Murray (Alford) (4), K Nelson (Murcar Links) (2) 69; K Nicol (Fraserburgh (+3), M Jenkins (Duff House Royal) (1), F Bisset (Banchory) (1) 70.

Class 2 – S Kennedy (Craibstone) (11) 69; A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10), G Kelly (Peterculter) (14) 70; N Chisholm (Kemnay) (9), N Parker (Murcar Links) (8), M Booth (Kemnay) (10), N Stewart (Northern) (12) 71; H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) (11) 72; I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11) 73; J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (14) 74.

DUFF HOUSE ROYAL SCORECARD: Par 68
OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-3--34. IN: 4-3-5-3-4-4-3-4-4--34.

KRIS NICOL 67
OUT: 6-4-4-4-3-3-3-3-2--32. IN: 3-3-6-3-4-4-3-4-4--35.
PAUL CORMACK 67
OUT: 4-4-3-6-4-2-4-4-3--34. IN: 4-4-4-2-4-4-4-4-3--33
IAN BRATTON 67
OUT: 4-3-4-4-3-3-5-4-3--33. IN: 3-3-4-3-4-4-4-5-4--34

DAVID LAW 68
OUT: 3-3-4-4-3-3-5-4-4--33. IN: 5-2-5-3-4-4-3-4-5--35

KEVIN DUNCAN 69
OUT: 4-4-4-4-5-2-5-4-3--35. IN: 4-3-4-3-4-5-3-4-4--34

ANTHONY BEWS 70
OUT: 4-4-4-4-5-4-5-4-2--36. IN: 4-3-4-3-5-4-4-3-4--34
+In case you are interested in the scorecard of the disqualified Philip McLean (65), here is is:
OUT: 4-4-3-4-3-3-4-4-3--32. IN: 4-3-4-3-4-4-3-5--3--33

North Alliance report and scores

Munro Ferries wins at Tarbat with a 66

By ROBIN WILSON
After weeks of missed fixtures and inclement weather, Tain's Munro Ferries hit the front for the fourth time this season when the North Alliance visited Tarbat on Sunday.
There was no sign of the snow and frosts that have plagued the January and February fixture calendar when the +2 handicapper returned a stunning gross 66 by matching par on his first nine holes and scoring 32 on his second time around the nine-hole course.

Ferries had three second-round birdies - the 11th, 15th and 17th holes - and just the one bogey at the 12th. The 66, his best winning score out of his three previous wins, lifts the “lefty“ into a strong position to retain the Scratch Quaich by returning the season's “best of four” gross aggregate score.
The Tain club champion won by two strokes from Thurso's Alan Swanson (pictured left on first tee by Robin Wilson) who matched the par of 68 (35-33) in a six-birdie round that began with the weight of a two-shot penalty on his card for playing a wrong ball at the opening hole. Thurso's Jim Sangster had a gross 70 for third place.
Local member Hamish Skinner was first out on the course and when he returned with his gross card of 74 (35-39), his net 65 in Class 1 was still the winning score at the end of play.

Tain's Andrew Watt has been a consistent scorer all season but his consistency left him at one hole during his first round. A triple bogey 6 at the par-3 fifth hole was included in his first nine of 39 but, back to normal,his second nine was 35 for a gross 74, which gave him second place with a net 66.

MacKintosh Salver holder, Seann Sutherland (Bonar- Bridge) shared a net 68 with a former salver winner, Alec Gunn (Tain) with Gunn getting the third place on the better last nine hole card play-off.
Durness club members provided the two leading scores in Class 2. Both were 65s and Billy McBain after a first place at Royal Dornoch claimed a second success in this section and put himself in the frame for a trophy when he beat clubmate Alister Corbett on the count back. Third place went to Ian Ross (Reay) with net 66.
The fixtures stay on track this weekend at Brora and on the weekend of March 20-21 there will be two fixtures played to catch up on lost dates - Golspie on Saturday the 20th with limited tee times available up until 11.30am, and the next day the scheduled final fixture and presentation of prizes at Reay.
Results

Scratch

66 M Ferries (Tain).

68 A Swanson (Thurso).

70 J Sangster (Thurso).

74 B Ronald (Thurso), A Gunn (Tain), A Watt (Tain), H Skinner (Tarbat).

76 S Holmes (Tain), M MacKintosh (Brora).

Handicap

Class 1 – H Skinner (Tarbat) (9) 65; A Watt (Tain) (7) 67; A Gunn (Tain) (6) 68; S R Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge) (8) 68.

Class 2 – B McBain (Durness) (19) 65; A Corbett ((Durness) (16) 65; I Ross (Reay) (11) 66.

North Scottish Alliance fixture

Chris Campbell wins with 65 at Spey Bay

By ALAN COWIE
Secretary, North Scottish Golfers' Alliance
Chris Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) shot a 65 to win Saturday's North Scottish Golfers' Alliance fixture at Spey Bay and also has one hand on the aggregate trophy (see totals at end of this report), played for over the winter.
He won at Spey Bay by one shot from Bryan Fotheringham (Forres) whose 7 at the 16th proved costly.
LEADING SCRATCH
65 C Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) p.
66 B Fotheringham (Forres).
68 M L Macleman (Moray).
69 A Cameron (Inverness), G Murray (Spey Bay), R McKerron (Forres).
70 G Donaldson (Elgin), K Thomson (Moray).
71 N McWilliam (Elgin)
72 A W Mair (Moray), J S D Campbell (Grantown)
73 J A Grant (Grantown), J R Ingram (Boat of Garten)
74 H McMillan (Elgin), S Wilson (Inverness), S Aird (Forres) p.
75 G McKenzie (Hopeman), J Simpson (Forres)
76 G Hay (Grantown), J Wright (Forres), A Henry (Inverness)
77 S Chisholm (Nairn), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), S Duncan (Moray);
78 D F Sharp (Boat of Garten), J C Milne (Moray), L Stewart (Grantown), L Duncan (Elgin)
79 D Joel (Loch Ness)
LEADING HANDICAP
Class 1 (8 and under)
64 G Donaldson (Elgin) (6)
67 H McMillan (Elgin) (7)
68 J R Ingram (Boat of Garten) (5)
69 S Duncan (Moray) (8), A W Mair (Moray) (3)
Class 2 (9 to 14)
68 T Loynes (Boat of Garten)
69 L Duncan (Elgin) (9)
72 R Laing (Grantown) (10);
73 D Spence (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (13)
74 R G Macpherson (Moray) (9), C. Small (Nairn) (11)

North Scottish Golfers' Alliance aggregate leaders are shown below.
The Aggregate trophies are decided by the best five scores in the Section over all the medal play winter fixtures.
SCRATCH SECTION
340 C Campbell (Pro)(Nairn Dunbar) 72,69,66,68,65.
343 B Fotheringham (Forres) 70,69,69,69,66.
343 A Cameron (Inverness) 68,66,70,70,69.
346 K. Thomson (Moray) 70,69,69,68,70.
349 J S D Campbell (Grantown) 74,63,73,67,72.
351 M L Macleman (Moray) 71,69,69,74,68.
HANDICAP SECTION
Class 1 (eight and under)
343 A Cameron (Inverness) 68,66,70,70,69.
345 S Johnston (Elgin) 72,69,65,67,72.
347 J C Milne (Moray) 72,66,67,71,71.
347 J A Grant (Grantown) 69,66,71,70,71.
348 K Williamson (Torvean) 71,67,62,74,74.
351 R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar) 70,70,71,68,72.
352 A Cowie (Moray) 64,73,73,69,73.

Class 2 (nine to 14)
350 C Small (Nairn) 69,69,74,64,74.
352 RG Macpherson (Moray) 68,69,70,71,74.
354 L Duncan (Elgin) 69,69,74,73,69.
355 L Macbean (Boat of Garten) 72,71,71,74,67.
360 A Grigor (Boat of Garten) 75,73,71,71,70.
363 W B Johnston (Moray) 73,74,68,75,73.
363 A A Lees (Moray) 72,73,70,71,77.

The last counting event for the Aggregate is at Muir of Ord this Saturday.

Duff House Royal will stage first round of NE Alliance championship

The first round of the North-east Golfers' Alliance championship will be played at Duff House Royal next Wednesday after all. Secretary Ron Menzies had been looking for an alternative venue but the condition of the Banff course has improved considerably over the past 48 hours with the fairways and most of the bunkers back in play.
The tee will be reserved from 8.15am to 1pm.
The second round of the championship is at Cruden Bay on Wednesday, March 17.
Philip McLean (Peterhead) is the defending champion.

Paul Brookes (66) wins Midland Alliance at Arbroath Links

By LEE SUTHERLAND
The individual scratch prize in this week's Midland Golfers Alliance J B Motor Company Team competition at a sunny Arbroath Links was won by Pitreavie professional Paul Brookes.
He won by four shots with a two-under-par score of 66. There was a three-way tie at the top of the handicap leaderboard, captain of the Midlands, Ron Beatt (Scotscraig), playing off 12, Chris Westland (Alloa) (11) and Hugh Hunter (Alloa) (10) all scoring net 68s.
Ron also led his team - Bob Redpath (Scotscraig) (4) and Alistair Cameron (Blairgowrie) (13) to victory in the team competition with a score of 58.
LEADING SCRATCH
66 P Brookes (Pitreavie) p.
70 G Brown (Montrose) ap, C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap.
71 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap, S O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap.
72 S Cargill (Arbroath), A J Webster (Edzell) p.
73 M Rae (Alyth) ap, M Finlayson (Edzell) ap.
74 E Rae (Arbroath).
75 G Jenkins (Crieff), K Bruce (Edzell), J Craig (Carnoustie).
LEADING HANDICAP
68 R Beatt (Scotscraig) (12), C Westland (Alloa) (11), H Hunter (Alloa) (10).
69 E Starrett (Crieff) (14), D Black (Dunfermline) (12).
70 J Irwin (Muckhart) (8), P Rhind (Grange) (9).
71 S Cargill (Arbroath) (1), E Rae (Arbroath) (3), D Mason (Lundin) (8), R Pennycook (Dunfermline) (7).
72 S Mitchell (St Andrews New) (12), G Jenkins (Crieff) (3), R Barton (Alloa) (8), A Aitken (Ladybank) (12), C Wallace (Caird Park) (10), K Bruce (Edzell) (3), M Watkin (Panmure) (12), J Rennie (Dunfermline) (13).
LEADING TEAMS
58 R Beatt (Scotscraig) (12), B Redpath (Scotscraig) (4), A Cameron (Blairgowrie) (13).
59 G Brown (Montrose) ap, P Rhind (Grange) (9), R Liddle (Grange) (14).
60 P Brookes (Pitreavie) p, C Westland (Alloa) (11), D Mitchell (Monifieth) (5).

Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Montrose Links
K Bruce (Edzell)
J Craig (Carnoustie)
S Graham (Arbroath)
N Cameron (King James VI)

Next Meeting: Wednesday, March 10
Burntisland Pro Am (sponsored by E Sherry).
Tee reserved: 8.30am - 1.30pm

Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance
PATERSON MEDAL COMPETITION
Winterfield Golf Club

Overall Winner
Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe) (2) 64 (better inward half)

SCRATCH
1st equal £90 voucher: Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe) 66.
1st equal £90: David Patrick (Elie) 66.
3rd equal £50: Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) 67.
3rd equal £50: James Dick (Duddingston) 67.
5th equal £10 voucher: Stuart Smith (Duddingston) 68.
5th equal £10 voucher; Scott Grieve (Turnhouse) 68.
Other leading scratch scores:
68 Grant Skinner (Glencorse) am.
69 Andrew Erskine (Ratho Park) pro, David Graham (Lochend) am, Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) trainee pro, Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) pro, George Wither (Lothianburn) am.
70 Scott Caitlin (Greenburn) pro, Neil Colquhoun (Merchants) pro, Ian Fraser (Duddingston) senior amateur.

HANDICAP
prizes in vouchers
1st £100: David Graham (Lochend) (5) 64.
2nd £80: Grant Skinner (Glencorse) (3) 65.
3rd equal £30: Neil Bain (Haddington) (5) 66.
3rd equal £30: William Laing (Prestonfield) (6) 66.
3rd equal £30: Alex Kemp (Duddingston) 66.
3rd equal £30: Ian Fraser (Duddingston) (4) 66.

Trainee professional
£20: Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) 69.












Senior
Prize
Surname
Forename
Club
Net
£10
Jeffrey
David
Whitekirk
67
£10
Lewis
Tom
West Lothian
67

North-east Alliance at Newburgh report, scores

Scott Larkin completes
-
hat-trick of victories

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Banchory's Scott Larkin became the first player for a few years to win three North-east Golfers' Alliance competitions in a row when he claimed today's top prize at Newburgh-on-Ythan with a two-under-par round of 62 over the short winter course at the Aberdeenshire venue.
Larkin, pictured by Cal Carson Golf Agency, a former American college circuit player as a student at the College of Charleston, has worked in a Banchory hotel since his return from the States. Today he was following up victories at Murcar Links and Montrose Links on the preceding Wednesdays.
He did not make the best of starts, bogeying the first and fourth, although he did birdie the second but a run of six pars in a row steadied him up before he birdied the 11th, 12th, 16th and 17th.
A bogey at the short last hole still got him home in three-under-par 29.
Runner-up, three strokes behind in a field of 85 players, was Roy Pirie (Caledonian) with birdies at the sixth and 15th but bogeys at the seventh, 16th and 17th in halves of 32 and 33.
Joint third on 66 were Scottish seniors match-play champion George Paterson (Northern) 35-31, Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh) 32-34, home course pro Ian Bratton (Newburgh) 32-34 and Alexander Wiseman (Fraserburgh) 33-33.
Secretary Ron Menzies is looking for an alternative venue for next Wednesday's first round of the NE Alliance championship, scheduled for Duff House Royal. The Banff course has been affected by the severe winter. We'll keep you posted of Ron's success in this direction on this website.

Leading scores (Par 64)
SCRATCH
62 Scott Larkin (Banchory).
65 Roy Pirie (Caledonian).
66 George Paterson (Northern), Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), Ian Bratton (Newburgh), Alexander Wiseman (Fraserburgh).
67 Colin Duffus (Kemnay), Mark Lawrie (Kemnay), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon).
68 Manson Merchant (Newmachar), Steven Chalmers (Banchory), Craig Stewart (Kippie Lodge), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian).
69 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), Bill Shaw (Banchory).
70 Steven Sharp (Newburgh), Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead), Paul McIntosh (Newburgh), Brian Nicolson (Auchmill), Fraser Milne (Fraserburgh), Dave McKay (Caledonian), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon).
HANDICAP
Class 1 - C Duggus (Kemnay) (6) 61; M Lawrie (Kemnay) (5), R Pirie (Caledonian) (3) 62; M Merchant (Newmachar) (5), B Shaw (Banchory) (6) 63.
Class 2 - D Townsley (Peterculter) (12), Michael Rendall (Stonehaven) (12), Sandy Davidson (Northern) (13), Norman Stewart (Northern) (12) 62; W Forbes (Murcar Links) (13) 63; R Brown (Craibstone) (122), I Grant (Huntly) (18) 64.

NEWBURGH WINTER COURSE SCORECARD
OUT: 4-3-4-4-3-4-3-3-4--32. IN: 4-4-4-3-3-4-4-3-3--32



SCOTT LARKIN 62
OUT: 5-2-4-5-3-4-3-3-4--33. IN: 4-3-3-3-3-4-3-2-4--29



ROY PIRIE 65
OUT: 4-3-4-4-3-3-4-3-4--32. IN: 4-4-4-3-3-3-5-4-3--33


GEORGE PATERSON 66
OUT: 35. IN: 31.



JORDAN FINDLAY 66
OUT: 32. IN: 34.



IAN BRATTON 66
OUT: 32. IN: 34



ALEXANDER WISEMAN 66
OUT: 33. IN: 33

Fotheringham (69) wins at Kinloss Country Club

By ALAN COWIE
Secretary, North Scottish Golfers' Alliance
The North Scottish Golfers' Alliance broke new ground in Saturday's fixture in playing Kinloss Country Golf Club for the first time. Conditions only became playable after the snow cleared away on Thursday night, leaving the course wet and playing all its length.
Bryan Fotheringham shot a one-over-par 69 to register his first win of the Alliance season by one shot from playing partner Robert Mckerron and Allan Cameron.
Handicap section winners were Graham Mellis, playing off 2, and George Mccoll, off 14, both with net 70s.
Several members from the Grantown/Boat of Garten area were unable to make it to the venue due to being snowed in at home.
LEADING SCORES (par 70)
SCRATCH
69 B Fotheringham (Forres)
70 R Mckerron (Forres), A Cameron (Inverness)
72 G Mellis (Muir of Ord)
73 R Proctor (Forres), J Simpson (Forres), J D Forbes (Inverness), S Wilson (Inverness)
74 D Hexley (Inverness), K Thomson (Moray), M L Macleman (Moray), J C Milne (Moray), G Murray (Spey Bay)
75 B Cruickshank (Garmouth & Kingston), J R Mackay (Muir of Ord), S Johnston (Elgin), J Treasurer (Inverness)
76 N. McWilliam (Elgin)
77 J S D Campbell (Grantown), R. Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), B. Inch (Elgin)
78 R R Adams (Moray)
79 D Johnston (Moray)
80 B Moir (Spey Bay)

HANDICAP
Class 1 (eight and under)
70 G Mellis (Muir of Ord) (2)
71 J C Milne (Moray) (3), S Wilson (Inverness)(2), R R Adams (Moray)(7)
72 R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar) (5), S Johnston (Elgin) (3), B H Inch (Elgin) (5)
Class 2 (nine to 14)
70 G A McColl (Moray) (14)
71 G Knapp (Muir of Ord)(11), S Taylor (Boat of Garten) (11)
73 P McMillan (Kinloss) (11), L Duncan (Elgin) (9)

Midland Alliance switch to Arbroath on Thursday

Thursday’s Midland Golfers Alliance meeting, sponsored by J B Motor Co, has been moved from Kirkcaldy Golf Club to Arbroath Links due to course conditions. Tee times reserved from 8.30am to 12.30pm. Spaces still available for Burntisland Pro-Am, please contact Eddie.
Lee Sutherland
Head professional, Ballumbie Castle GC
Secretary, Midland Golfers Alliance

Report and scores from North-east Alliance competition

NO LARKIN ABOUT BY GREAT SCOTT

AS HE WINS AGAIN AT MONTROSE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Banchory’s Scott Larkin achieved back-to-back wins on the North-east Golfers’ Alliance today with an excellent score of six-under-par 58 for the 16-hole winter course at Montrose Links.
Larkin, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, who has a +2 handicap, has come home from four years on the competitive American college golf circuit as a better player than when he left. He could make an impact on the domestic amateur scene once the season.
With the par-3 third and 12th not used because winter greens were not available at these holes, Larkin had an eagle 3 (at the 15th) and seven birdies in halves of 31 (one under par) and 27 (five under par). Most very good rounds still can be bettered and Larkin did have bogeys at the seventh, ninth and 16th.
Runner-up, beaten by seven shots, was Deeside’s Andrew Campbell who did very well to salvage a 65 after running up a triple-bogey 7 at the sixth, in the middle of a run of four successive birdies.
There was no snow on the course but the conditions were still very wintry with a bitterly cold wind and sleet showers, all of which reduced a “normal” field of around 80 to only 54 players, the second lowest turn-out of the season. There were more than 20 No Returns, and I don't blame any of them! It was a bad enough day down at Montrose to get a soaking and a chill just walking from the Montrose Mercantile clubhouse to the car park at the early finish.
Leading scores (par 64)
SCRATCH
58 Scott Larkin (Banchory).
65 Andrew Campbell (Deeside).
66 Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead), Steven Chalmers (Banchory).
67 Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian).
68 Bill Shaw (Banchory), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon).
69 Craig Stewart (Kippie Lodge).
70 John Hamilton (Murcar Links), Stephen Cooper (Banchory), John Nicolson (Auchmill).
72 John Dalgarno (Hazlehead), Keil Beveridge (Aboyne), Fergus Bisset (Banchory).
73 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), Manson Merchant (Newmachar), Raymond Brown (Craibstone), Mike Booth (Kemnay).
74 Alistair Fiddes (Deeside), Kenny Minty (Turriff).
75 Craig Graham (Newmachar), David Philip (Newburgh), Alister Petrie (Oldmeldrum).
76 Roy Pirie (Caledonian).
77 Mike Brown (Craibstone).
78 Sandy Davidson (Northern).
79 Don Lawrie (Inchmarlo).
80 Jackie Forrest (Northern).
81 Robert Lamb (Newmachar), John Jessiman (Oldmeldrum), Ian Grant (Huntly).
82 Ron Alison (Deeside), Benny Lumsden (Northern).
83 Derek Townsley (Peterculter), Mike Smith (Turriff).

HANDICAP
Class 1 – S Larkin (Banchory) (+2) 60; L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) (5) 62; B Shaw (Banchory) (5) 63; J M Hamilton (Murcar Links) (6), A K Pirie (Hazlehead) (2) 64; A Campbell (Deeside), S Cooper (Banchory) (5) 65; J Dalgarno (Hazlehead) (6), J Nicolson (Auchmill) (4) 66; K Minty (Turriff) (7) 67.
Class 2 – M Brown (Craibstone) (16) 61; R Brown (Craibstone) (11) 62; M Booth (Kemnay) (9) 64; I Grant (Huntly) (16) 65, S Davidson Northern) (12), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (9) 66; D Lawrie (Inchmarlo) (12), M K Smith (Turriff) (16) 67; R Alison (Deeside) (13), J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (12) 69; B Lumsden (Northern) (12) 70.

MONTROSE LINKS WINTER SCORECARD 64

(16 HOLES: no Par-3 3rd nor Par-3 12th)

OUT: 4-4-x-4-4-4-4-4-4--32. IN: 4-4-x-4-4-5-3-4-4--32.

SCOTT LARKIN 58

OUT: 4-3-x-3-4-4-5-3-5--31. IN: 3-3-x-3-3-3-4-4-4--27.

ANDREW CAMPBELL 65

OUT: 4-5-x-3-3-7-3-3-4--32. IN: 4-5-x-4-5-5-3-3-4--33.

SANDY PIRIE 66

OUT: 5-4-x-3-4-5-4-3-4--31. IN: 3-4-x-5-5-6-4-4-4--35.

STEVEN CHALMERS 66

OUT: 5-4-x-3-3-4-6-4-4--33. IN: 3-4-x- 5-5-5-4-4-3--33

+Next Wednesday's competition is at Newburgh-on-Ythan Golf Club.

Edinburgh & East of Scotland at Winterfield postponed

Tomorrow's Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance competition at Winterfield Golf Club has been postponed due to the frost and snow.
It has been re-scheduled for Wednesday, March 3.

Midland Alliance at Scotscraig postponed until April 19

This week's Midland Golfers Alliance Scotscraig pro-am, sponsored by Hi-Tech Acoustic Services Ltd, due to be played on Thursday, has been postponed because of snow on seven of the greens at the Fife course.
The new date for this competition is Monday, April 19. The entry-forms will be re-issed at a later date.

North-east Alliance switch from Buckpool to Montrose.

Wednesday's North-east Golfers' Alliance competition has been switched from Buckpool to Montrose where there is no snow on the course.

Sean O'Donnell wins Midlands Alliance at Drumoig

By LEE SUTHERLAND (Ballumbie Castle GC head pro)
The Midlands Golfers Alliance was played at Drumoig Golf Course, Fife yesterday. The weather was very kind and the scoring was good also.
Leading the way in the scratch was Balbirnie Park assistant pro Sean O’Donnell with a two-under-par 71. James Gray (Craigie Hill), playing off 12, won the handicap section with a net score of 67.
LEADING SCRATCH
69 S O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap.
70 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap, C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap.
71 G Brown (Montrose) ap.
72 K Harper (Carnoustie), M Brown (Monifieth), G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle).
73 M Rae (Alyth) ap.
75 G Jenkins (Crieff).
76 G Milne (Aberdour).
77 D Hutchieson (Murrayshall), I Henderson (Craigie Hill).
LEADING HANDICAP
67 J Gray (Craigie Hill) (12).
68 I McMurray (Downfield) (12).
71 G Milne (Aberdour) (5), D Hutchieson (Murrayshall) (6), D Ritchie (Crieff) (9), I Henderson (Craigie Hill) (6), J Wilson (Dunfermline) (12), A Herd (Scotscraig) (11).
72 G Jenkins (Crieff) (3), K Harper (Carnoustie) (scr).
73 J Milne junior (Blairgowrie) (9), J Milne senior (Blairgowrie) (14), K Thomson (Alloa) (14), G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) (+1).
74 G Wilkie (Tulliallan) (10).

Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Montrose Links
G Jenkins (Crieff) (3)
D Ritchie (Crieff) (9)
I McMurray (Downfield) (12)

Next Weeks Meeting: Thursday, February 25
Scotscraig pro-am, sponsored by Hi-Tech Acoustic Services Ltd.
Tee reserved 8.30am to 1.30pm

Stevie Gray Wins West Alliance at Irvine Bogside

A total of 63 amateurs and 17 professionals competed over a frosty Irvine Bogside Golf Club course in yesterday's West of Scotland Alliance competition.
The start was delayed initially by an hour. However,play got underway half an hour after our original start time. The frost eventually lifted and the sunshine came out.
All players were impressed by the James Braid-designed and one time Open Qualifying course.
James Smallwood, on two under par, took an early lead with a 69. However he was pushed into second place by a creditable 68 by Stevie Gray, which included four birdies and one bogey.
Despite finishing with two birdies, recent winner Barry Hume could not overtake the leaders and he had to settle for third place later in the day.
The amatuer prize went to senior John Greene (12) who finished with a net 67, including a hole in one at the par-3 16th (156yd).
Many players found the conditions difficult and there was a record number of No Returns. The only other under par score came from Brian Robertson (11) with a score of 70.
The Seniors' prize went to Brian Byrne with a net 76 off five.
PRIZEWINNERS
SCRATCH
68 Stephen Gray (Hayston) p £110.
69 James Smallwood (Fereneze) p £80.
71 Barry Hume (Haggs Castle) p £60.
73 Stewart savage (Dalmuir) p, Ewan Grimes (Cardross) p £20.00 each
HANDICAP
Prize Vouchers
67 John Greene (Cowglen) (12) £80.
70 Brian Robertson (Forrester Park Resort) (11) £50.
72 Shahid Majid (Forrester Park Resort) (6) £35.
73 John Carrell (Torrance House) (12), David Ferguson (Paisley) £12.50 Each
SENIORS
Prize Vouchers
76 Brian Byrne (Bonnyton) (5)
78 William McCallum (Kirkhill) (9), John Mansfield (Troon Merchants) (15), Bob Cherry (Caldwell) (9) £7 each
Our top three handicap winners also shared the sweep money.
With only two par 3s on the course, no 2's were returned on the day. However John Greene's hole in one earned him the total amount of the 2s' money. A great day for John indeed, winning the handicap, sweep and all the 2s' money.

Scott Larkin (Banchory) and Laura Murray (Alford), leading scorers at Murcar Links today (new images by Cal Carson Golf Agency).

Late Larkin 65 pips Laura for a place in

North-east Alliance winners' history

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Former US college circuit player Scott Larkin came in late in a field of 83 to deny Scottish amateur international Laura Murray an historic win in today’s North-east Golfers’ Alliance competition at Murcar Links.
The 23-year-old Banchory hotel worker, who spent four years at the College of Charleston, recovered from a four-putt double bogey 6 at the second to shoot seven birdies in a four-under-par 65 (33-32) over the shorter winter course with temporary greens.
Driving the ball particularly soundly, it was Larkin's third win of the NE Alliance 2009-2010 season, having already won at Peterhead and finished joint first at Inverallochy.
Until then, Laura Murray’s score of 66 (34-32), in which she three times holed from off the green, had looked like making the Alford player the first female to win the top scratch prize in the long history of the organisation.
Laura’s five birdies came at the seventh, eighth, 11th, 13th and 16th in halves of 34 (one under par) and 32 (two under par). She had a three-putt bogey at the second and a second bogey at the par-4 15th where she had to take a penalty drop out of a gorse bush at but single-putted to escape with a 5.
"I hit the ball well off the tee and my short game was very tidy which was very important on winter greens like these," said Laura who changed her mind about turning pro this year to have one more go at the amateur circuit. She sets off on Sunday for next week's Spanish women's amateur championship, having made the cut in the Portguese version two or three weeks ago.
Laura has an LGU handicap of +1 but she plays off the men's tees in Alliance competitions so secretary Ron Menzie, using a mathematical equation of his own, gives her an Alliance handicap of 4 so that she can compete on a level playing surface in the handicap prizelists.
Ron will probably have to cut her Alliance handicap because her net 62 won her first place in Class 1 by four strokes today!
Joint third scratch on 67 were former British boys champion Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), a full-time amateur since his US college days, Newburgh-on-Ythan pro Ian Bratton and Hazlehead amateur Chris Law, whose brother David won the Scottish boys’ and men’s championships last year.
Findlay, who felt it was "hit or a miss" winter conditions, particularly on the the temporary greens, had four birdies in an outward half of 31 while Bratton drove the green at the par-4 18th for a fifth birdie.

It was the first time the Newburgh pro had used his driver all day.

"I drove with a three-iron all the way before that. Why? Because I was hitting it well and it was all that was required on the shorter winter course. That's what course management is all about but some of the younger guys find it difficult to adjust to different courses, different conditions."
Law covered the last five holes in two under par, thanks to birdies at the 14th and 15th in an inward 33.
Former Walker Cup player Sandy Pirie finished joint seventh on one-over-par 70 after being out in two-under 33 and still being two under the card with four holes to play. But the Hazlehead veteran ran up a double bogey 6 at the 15th and dropped another shot at the last for 37 home.

You can say what you like but golf is still just about the most honest of sports. Secretary Ron Menzies received a call on his mobile phone late on in today's competition from a player who had been playing his round over in his mind on the way home by car - now is that an offence? - and realised that he had put down an 8 at one hole when it should have been a 9.

"The player shall remain nameless but he had a score in the mid-70s," said Ron. "I had to tell him he was disqualified for signing for a lower figure but he knew that. He just wanted to keep the record straight."
Leading scores (par 69)
SCRATCH
65 Scott Larkin (Banchory).
66 Laura Murray (Alford).
67 Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), Ian Bratton (Newburgh), Chris Law (Hazlehead).
69 Anthony Bews (Murcar Links).
70 Chris Lamb (Newmachar), Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead).
71 Steven Sharp (Newburgh), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian), Adam Lindsay (Banchory).
72 Billy Main (Murcar Links), Brian Nicolson (Auchmill), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon), Fergus Bisset (Banchory), Kyle Nelson (Murcar Links).
73 David Naylor (Banchory), Scott Mackie (Kemnay), Fraser Milne (Fraserburgh), Les Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), Mark Lawrie (Kemnay), Steven Chalmers (Banchory).
74 Brian Harper (Newburgh), Paul McIntosh (Newburgh), Jim Murray (Banchory).
75 George Paterson (Northern), Mike Jenkins (Duff House Royal), Richard Hyland (Craibstone), Clark Alexander (Murcar Links).
76 Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), Jim Scott (Peterculter), Robert Lamb (Newmachar), Joe Hopwood (Carnegie).
77 Andrew Campbell (Deeside), Craig Carnegie (Kemnay).
78 Albert Smith (Turriff), John Hamilton (Murcar Links), Hamish McNaughton (Cruden Bay), Norman Stewart (Northern), David McKay (Caledonian).
79 Steven Kennedy (Craibstone), Martin Forster (Cruden Bay), John Mitchell (Fraserburgh), Jackie Forrest (Northern), Willie Skene (Deeside).
80 Philip Morrison (Oldmeldrum), Chris Brindley (Banchory), Alistair Petrie (Oldmeldrum).

HANDICAP
Class 1 – Laura Murray (Alford) (4) 62; C Law (Hazlehead) (1) 66; S Sharp (Newburgh) (4), L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen) (6), S Larkin (Banchory) (+2), J Murray (Banchory) (7) 67; B Harper (Newburgh) (6), A K Pirie (Hazlehead) (2), M Lawrie (Kemnay) (5) 68; J Findlay (Fraserburgh) (+2), S Mackie (Kemnay) (4) 69; B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2), F Bisset (Banchory) (2), K Nelson (Murcar Links) (2), P McIntosh (Newburgh) (4), C Alexander (Murcar Links) (5) 70.

Class 2 – J Scott (Peterculter) (10), N Stewart (Northern) (12) 66; H McNaughton (Cruden Bay) (11) 67; S Kennedy (Craibstone) (11), J Kelly (Peterculter) (14) 68; M Rendall (Stonehaven) (13), B Lumsden (Northern) (14), M Rogers (Kemnay) (13) 69; C Brindley (Banchory) (10), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10) 70; J Penny (Huntly) (13), J Jessiman (Oldmeldrum) (14), R Alison (Deeside) (15), M Brown (Craibstone) (18) 71.

SCORECARD FOR MURCAR LINKS WINTER COURSE: Par 69
OUT: 4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4-4--35. IN: 4-4-3-4-5-4-3-4-5--34

SCOTT LARKIN 65
OUT: 3-6-3-4-3-5-4-3-3--33. IN: 3-3-3-4-4-5-3-4-3--32.

LAURA MURRAY 66
OUT: 4-5-4-4-3-4-3-3-4--34. IN: 4-3-3-3-4-5-2-4-4--32.

JORDAN FINDLAY 67
OUT: 3-4-4-3-3-4-4-3-3--31. IN: 5-3-3-4-4-5-4-4-4--36.

IAN BRATTON 67
OUT: 4-4-4-4-3-5-4-3-3--34. IN: 5-4-2-3-4-4-4-4-3--33.

CHRIS LAW 67
OUT: 4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4-3--34. IN: 5-3-3-5-3-3-3-4-4--33.

Remember, next Wednesday's NE Alliance fixture has been transferred from Turriff to Buckpool.

Ross-shire golfers score in North Alliance at Wick

By ROBIN WILSON
Members of the North Golf Alliance were a bit lethargic about facing their first fixture of 2010 at Wick last Sunday, just six home club members present in the overall entry of 43, and only home club champion Ronnie Taylor able to break into the fixture's prize list.
Without a fixture since November 29, due to two months of unplayable weather, last Sunday's was favourable and the Wick course in surprisingly good order but when it came to getting swings back into shape Ross-shire golfers, with perhaps fewer days snowed off, were quicker off the mark.
Tain's Alec Gunn led a clean sweep of handicap prize winners in Class 1. With halves of 38 and 36, Gunn's outward 38 was recovered by seven par figures and an opening birdie after he took a triple bogey 8 at the par-5 third hole.
He had two inward half bogeys - at the 10th and 15th - for an equal fourth gross score of 74 but a winning nett 68 in Class 1.
In his section, the south of the Ord golfers revelled. Tarbat's Dave Mackay came second with nett 69, off 6, followed by Seann Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay), also net 69, but relegated to third place on countback.
In fourth place was Andrew Watt (Tain), who went looking for a fourth score to complete his MacKintosh Salver requirement and found it with a net 71, off 7.
Scratch winner by one stroke was Thurso's course record holder, Jim Sangster, who after beginning his round with a birdie 3, proceeded to match the Wick par of 69 with par halves of 35 and 34.
Sangster let slip his early birdie advantage for an even lower score with a bogey at the fifth hole, then, heading home, went two under par with birdies at the the 13th and 15th holes, only to return them to the course by taking two bogeys over the last three holes.
Local master of the course Ronnie Taylor birdied the par-3 ninth hole for 35, then immediately went over par with a bogey on the 10th. His second inward half bogey for a closing one over par 35 and 70 came at the penultimate hole to finish in second scratch place.
With current scratch aggregate leader Bryan Ronald (Thurso) not in the field, Quaich Trophy holder Munro Ferries (Tain) did nothing to make up ground with a gross 77.
But Ferries's travelling clubmate Ally Melville became Tain's second winner when he topped the Class 2 returns by matching Gunn's net 68 from the higher handicap of 11. Melville fell into trouble at the second par-5 hole on the outward half, a double bogey 7 at the eighth, but he also birdied the opening hole for his first half 36.
Slipping back to take 43 for the next nine holes, his net 68 brought him a season's first place after a previous second at Thurso last October.
Weather permitting the fixture list takes the members to Brora this weekend where local professional Brian Anderson is offering a free “Spring Swing Check” to Alliance and other club golfers throughout the remaining days of February and all of March.
Book a check time at 01408 621473 or E-mail broragolfpro@tiscali.co.uk to get your swing and equipment checked over for the coming season by one of the North's leading teachers.
Alliance results:
SCRATCH
69 J Sangster (Thurso).
70 R W Taylor (Wick).
74 A Swanson (Thurso).
75 D Mackay (Tarbat), J Harper (Wick).
76 J Maciver (Invergordon), A Gunn (Tain).
77 S R Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay)
HANDICAP
Class 1 – A Gunn (Tain) (6) 68; D Mackay (Tarbat) (6), S R Sutherland (Bonar-Bridge/Ardgay) (8) 69; J MacKenzie (Invergordon) (7) 71.
Class 2 – A Melville (Tain) (11) 68; I Ross (Reay) (11) 70; C Mackay (Thurso) (13) 71.

Midland Alliance switched to Drumoig on Thursday

The Midland Golfers Alliance meeting scheduled for Aberdour Golf Club meeting tomorrow (Wednesday) has been moved to Drumoig Golf Course and put back a day to Thursday, February 18 (tee reserved 8.30am to 12.30).

North-east Alliance definitely on at Murcar Links tomorrow

North-east Golfers' Alliance secretary Ron Menzies reports that tomorrow's competition at Murcar Links is not in doubt. Any snow that has fallen in the Aberdeen area has not affected Murcar Links.

John Campbell wins North Alliance at Lossiemouth

By ALAN COWIE
An outward half of four under par 30 was the platform to success for John Campbell (Grantown) in Saturday's North Scottish Golfers' Alliance fixture at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth.
The third hole played as a par 3 due to recent flooding on the fairway.
His 67, which included a last-hole birdie, gave him a two-stroke victory from three players at the head of a field of 100.
Leading handicap winners were Ray Stewart (Nairn Dunbar) in Class 1 with a net 68 off five and Louis MacBean (Boat of Garten) in Class with a net 67 off nine.
LEADING SCRATCH
67 J S D Campbell (Grantown)
69 B Fotheringham (Forres), J Simpson (Forres), M L Macleman (Moray)
72 M Macdonald (Fortrose & Rosemarkie), A Cameron (Inverness), J R Mackay (Muir of Ord);
73 N McWilliam (Elgin), S G Milne (Elgin), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), S Wilson (Inverness), G Hay (Grantown), D Hexley (Inverness)
74 K Thomson (Moray), G McKenzie (Hopeman), J C Milne (Moray), J D Forbes (Inverness)
75 S Chisholm (Nairn), R McKerron (Forres)
76 S Mitchell (Moray), C. Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) p, L MacBean (Boat of Garten)
77 B Cruickshank (Garmouth & Kingston), J A Grant (Grantown), D F Sharp (Boat of Garten), A Cowie (Moray), W Hutchison (Inverness)
78 N D Hampton (Loch Ness), W R Duncan (Moray), J R Ingram (Boat of Garten)
79 B. Inch (Elgin), J Murdoch (Elgin), M. Mcdonald (Grantown)
80 A Imrie (Muir of Ord), R Crane (Moray), S Johnston (Elgin), R Proctor (Forres), M C Page (Moray), I Findlay (Grantown), S Duncan (Moray), R G MacPherson (Moray)
HANDICAP
Class 1 (eight and under)
68 R Stewart (Grantown) (5)
69 A Cowie (Moray) (8), G McKenzie (Hopeman) (5)
71 S Wilson (Inverness) (2), J C Milne (Moray) (3), S Mitchell (Moray) (5), W Hutchison (Inverness) (6)
Class 2 (nine to 14)
67 L MacBean (Boat of Garten) (9)
70 A Grigor (Boat of Garten) (14)
71 A Imrie (Muir of Ord) (9), R G MacPherson (Moray) (9), D M Macleod (Loch Ness) (11), A A Lees (Moray) 10)

Alyth assistant Michael Rae wins Midland Alliance

at Carnoustie Buddon with a three-under-par 63

By LEE SUTHERLAND
This week’s Midland Golfers Alliance meeting was the William Hill Bookmakers Team competition over the Buddon Course at Carnoustie Golf Links.
Competitors took advantage of the calm but sometimes cold conditions and the scoring was excellent. Leading the way in the scratch was Alyth assistant professional Michael Rae with a three-under-par score of 63.
Ally Douglas (Caird Park) beat his age by a couple of shots scratch on the way the winning the handicap with a net score of 61 off 11.
Winners of the team competition were Montrose assistant professional Graham Brown, John Gray (Ladybank) (9) and Sandy Mitchell (St Andrews New) (12).
LEADING SCRATCH
63 M Rae (Alyth) ap.
65 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap.
66 K Harper (Carnoustie), S O'Donnell (Balbirnie Park) ap, M Brown (Monifieth), A J Webster (Edzell) p.
67 G Milne (Aberdour), C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap.
68 G Brown (Montrose) ap.
69 I Henderson (Craigie Hill).
70 C Brunton (Monifieth), W Crosbie (Blairgowrie), R Stewart (Tulliallan).
LEADING HANDICAP
61 A Douglas (Caird Park) (11).
62 D Vicary (Bathgate) (11), G Milne (Aberdour) (5).
63 I Henderson (Craigie Hill) (6).
65 R Beatt (Scotscraig) (12), C Wallace (Caird Park) (10), W Crosbie (Blairgowrie) (5), G Paton (Dalhousie) (8), J Gray (Ladybank) (9), A McDiarmid (Crieff) (11), J Crawford (Dunblane) (6), C Brunton (Monifieth) (5).
LEADING TEAM SCORES
53 G Brown (Montrose) ap, J Gray (Ladybank) (9), S Mitchell (St Andrews New) (12).
54 I Butchart (Strathmore) (6), S Graham (Arbroath) (4), J Strathie (Milnathort) (10).
54 A Aitken (Ladybank) (12), A Douglas (Caird Park) (11), J Leddy (Bathgate) (9).
Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Montrose Links
M Rae (Alyth) ap.
I Henderson (Cragie Hill) (6)
C Brunton (Monifieth) (5)

Next meeting: Wednesday, February 17 - Aberdour. Tee reserved: 9.30am to 1pm.

Edinburgh & East of Scotland Alliance

CRAIGIELAW MEETING
Today.
TOM GALLOWAY TROPHY ... Overall winner ... Richard Johnston (Glenbervie) (2) 69.

SCRATCH PRIZES
1 (£100) Scott Catlin (Greenburn) 70.
2 (£60) Paul Wardell (Whitekirk) 71.
2 (£60) Stevie Lamb (Broomieknowe) 71.
2 (£60) Tom Buchanan (Duddingston) 71.
5 (£20) Alan Reid (West Lothian) 72.
Other leading scratch scores:
73 Scott Grieve (Turnhouse) p, Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) t, Andrew Oldcorn (King's Acre) p.
74 Andrew Erskine (Ratho Park) p, Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe), Wilson Morton (Dunbar).
75 Ross Ewen (West Lothian) t, Neil Fenwick (Dunbar) t, Hugh Fraser (Niddry Castle), Craig Imlah (Peebles) p, Andrew Marshall (Houston Golf Range) p, Kenneth Reid (West Lothian, Start Smith (Duddingston), Mike Thomson (Torwoodlee).
76 Ian A Fraser (Duddingston), Ian Jeavons (Dunbar), Michael McAllan (Murrayfield) p, Ian Taylor (Royal Burgess).
HANDICAP PRIZES
(vouchers)
1 (£100) Richard Johnston (Glenbervie) (2) 69.
2 (£70) Wilson Morton (Dunbar) (4) 70.
2 (£7o) Alan Devlin (Pumpherson) (13) 70.
4 (£40) Ian Jeavons (Dunbar) (5) 71.
5 (£20) Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe) (2) 72.
Other leading net scores:
73 Stuart Brown (Glencorse) (5), Alex Kemp (Duddingston) (9), Alexander McMillan (Bathgate) (6), Kenneth Reid (West Lothian) (2), Peter Ritchie (Bathgate) (9) s, Justin White (Harrison (4).
74 Hugh Fraser (Niddry Castle) (1), David Jeffrey (Whitekirk) (8) s.
75 Neil Bain (Haddington) (5), Kenny Bisset (Prestonfield) (5), Brian Chrystal (Baberton) (10) s, David Graham (Lochend) (5), Peter Jeffrey (Duddingston) (13), Andrew McLennan (Deer Park) (6), Colin Rae (Pumpherston) (8) s, James Rankeillor (Baberton) (9) s, Duncan Stewart (Craigielaw) (9), Donald Sutherland (Linlithgow) (10) s, Ian Taylor (Royal Burgess) (1), Ian Wilson (Craigielaw) (14).

TRAINEE PROFESSIONAL
(£20) Terry Mathieson (King's Acre) 73.

SENIOR AMATEUR
(£20 voucher) Ian A Fraser (Duddingston) (4) 72.

David Law's six-birdie
comeback in Alliance
at Fraserburgh

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Fears that a fractured knuckle on his left hand might have a detrimental effect on his future golfing career were dispelled by a six-birdie performance by Hazlehead's David Law, the Scottish boys' and men's amateur champion, at Fraserburgh today.
Making his competitive comeback after being out of action since the injury in mid-November, the result of an unprovoked, late-night assault in an Aberdeen city centre street, teenager Law, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency at Royal Troon, shot six birdies and four bogeys in returning a two-under-par round of 61 over a 16-hole winter course at the Buchan venue.
In a field of 77, that gave him a joint second finish with Robert Lamb (Newmachar) and Fraserburgh's John Mitchell behind the home course head greenkeeper, Kris Nicol, who had a bogey-free round of four-under-par 59. Nicol also won at Edzell last week.
Nicol did not have as many birdies as Law but he had nothing worse than a par on his card on a lovely sunny day when there were many favourable comments by the players about the course.
Nobody complained about playing "only" 16 holes and everyone appreciated being able to play on 13 "proper" greens.
Barring any adverse reaction, which is unlikely, Law will play in next week's Portuguese amateur international championship.
SCORES
LEADING SCRATCH
Par 63 (16 holes).
59 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh).
61 David Law (Hazlehead), John Mitchell (Fraserburgh), Robert Lamb (Newmachar).
62 Chris Campbell (Nairn Dunbar), Billy Main (Murcar Links), Brian Nicolson (Auchmill), Ian Bratton (Newburgh), George Paterson (Northern), Scott Mackie (Kemnay), Sandy Pirie (Hazlehead).]
63 Adam Lindsay (Banchory), Anthony bews (Murcar Links).
64 Paul McIntosh (Newburgh), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Scott Larkin (Banchory).
65 David Corkey (Murcar Links), James Mark (Fraserburgh), Stewart Finnie (Caledonian), Fergus Bisset (Banchory).
66 Laura Murray (Alford).
HANDICAP
Class 1 - R Lamb (Newmachar) (4) 57; S Mackie (Kemnay) (4) 58; B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2), A K Pirie (Hazlehead) (2), P McIntosh (Newburgh) (4), J Mark (Fraserburgh) (5) 60.
Class 2 - I Strachan (Royal Aberdeen) (11), D Townsley (Peterculter) (13), J Jessieman (Oldmeldrum) (13) 59; G Homer (Lumphanan (9) 60; N Stewart (Northern) (11) 61.
===============================================================
+Next week's Alliance will be held at Murcar Links. On Wednesday, February 24, Buckpool will be the rearranged venue in place of Turriff.
=========================================================

FRASERBURGH WINTER COURSE CARD: Par 63 (16 holes).
OUT: 4-4-4-3-5-4-4--28. IN: 4-4-4-4-3-5-4-3-4--35

KRIS NICOL 59
OUT: 4-4-3-3-5-4-4--27. IN: 3-4-4-3-3-5-3-3-4--32

DAVID LAW 61
OUT: 5-4-3-3-5-3-4--27. IN: 3-3-4-5-3-4-5-4-3--34

JOHN MITCHELL 61
OUT: 5-4-5-3-5-3-4--29. IN: 3-4-4-3-2-5-5-3-3--32

ROBERT LAMB 61
OUT: 5-4-3-4-5-3-4--28. IN: 4-3-5-3-3-5-4-3-3--33

North of Scotland Golfers' Alliance Scoreboard
SPEY BAY COMPETITION
Leading scores:
SCRATCH
70 D Hector (Elgin), G Hay (Grantown), J C Milne (Moray)
71 J Simpson (Forres)
72 C Campbell (Nairn Dunbar) p, S Johnston (Elgin)
73 J Wright (Forres), B Fotheringham (Forres)
74 N McWilliam (Elgin)
75 K Thomson (Moray)
76 R McKerron (Forres), G McKenzie (Hopeman)
77 J S D Campbell (Grantown)
78 J R Ingram (Boat of Garten), M L MacLeman (Moray), K Willliamson (Torvean), S Chisholm (Nairn)
79 R G Macpherson (Moray), R Stewart (Nairn Dunbar), B Inch (Elgin)
HANDICAP
Class 1 (eight & under)
66 D Hector (Elgin) (4)
69 S Johnston (Elgin) (3)
71 G Mckenzie (Hopeman) (5)
72 S Duncan (Moray) (8)
73 J R Ingram (Boat of Garten) (5)
Class 2 (9 to 14)
70 A A Lees (Moray) (10), R G Macpherson (Moray) (9)
72 D Spence (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (13)
74 V Ralph (Moray) (14)
75 W B Johnston (Moray) (9), L Macbean (Boat of Garten) (9), C Small (Fortrose & Rosemarkie) (11)

North-east Alliance report and scores

Kris Nicol back in 29 for

a 62 at frosty Edzell

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Fraserburgh greenkeeper Kris Nicol is used to working on a golf course in all sorts of conditions - so, perhaps no surprise, that in very frosty conditions for today's North-east Alliance at Edzell Golf Club, the +3 handicapper headed a field of 61 brave souls with an excellent score, even over a shorteneded winter course, of seven-under-par 62.

Nicol reached the turn in two-under-par 35 with birdies at the first, fifth and eighth and one shot dropped, a bogey at the sixth.

Everyone, well, almost everyone, seemed to find the inward nine a lot easier and Nicol was no exception. He went into over-drive with only 29 shots required, made up of eight 3s (six of them birdies and two of them pars) and a bogey 5 at the 13th.

You can have a look at Kris's scorecard below.

Golf magazine writer Fergus Bisset (Banchory) was runner-up with a 64. He came home in 30 with the highlight an eagle 2 at the 12th.
Third-placed Brian Nicolson (Auchmill) had two eagle 2s - at the third and eighth - as well as four bogeys in an outward 35 on his way to a 65.
Leading scores (par 69)
SCRATCH
62 Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh).
64 Fergus Bisset (Banchory).
65 Brian Nicolson (Auchmill).
66 Stewart Pert (Huntly).
69 Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh), Martin Foser (Cruden Bay).
70 George Paterson (Northern), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon).
71 Ian Bratton (Newburgh).
72 David Naylor (Banchory), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Mar Lawrie (Kemnay), Jim Murray (Banchory).
73 Brian Harper (Newburgh), Harry Roulston (Stonehaven), Bill Urquhart (Murcar Links).
HANDICAP
Class 1 - F Bisset (Banchory) (2) 62; B Nicolson (Auchmill) (2) 63; S Pert (Huntly) (2), M Foster (Cruden Bay) (5), J Murray (Banchory) (8) 64; K Nicol (Fraserburgh) (+3) 65.
Class 2 - S Kennedy (Craibstone) (13), M Rogers (Kemnay) (15) 63; A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10) 64; D Townsley (Peterculter) (15), I Grant (Huntly) (18) 66; D Wood (Newburgh) (13) 68.

EDZELL WINTER SCORECARD

OUT: 4-4-4-4-4-3-4-4-4--35. IN: 4-4-4-4-3-4-4-3-4--34.

KRIS NICOL 62

OUT: 3-4-4-4-3-4-4-3-4--33. IN: 3-3-3-5-3-3-3-3-3-- 29.

FERGUS BISSET 64

OUT: 3-5-4-4-4-3-3-4-4--34. IN: 4-4-2-4-3-3-3-3-4--30.

BRIAN NICOLSON 65

OUT: 5-5-2-4-4-4-5-2-4--35. IN: 4-3-3-4-2-3-4-3-4--30.

STEWART PERT 66

OUT: 4-5-4-4-4-3-4-4-4--36. IN: 3-4-4-3-3-3-4-2-4--30

Barry Hume wins West Alliance at Prestwick St Nicholas

A total of 65 amateurs and 22 professionals contested yesterday's West of Scotland Alliance competition at Prestwick St Nicholas Golf Club.
Conditions started poorly with snow covering half the country and many players phoning to see if the event was on. However, the micro-climate in Prestwick only managed a trickle of rain which later cleared to lovely sunshine.
The course, in brilliant condition and the favourable weather, helped to produce some fantastic golf.
Stewart Savage, starting in the second group of the day, took an early lead on 66 which included four birdies and two bogeys. Stevie Gray equalled that score later in the day with three birdies.
However, Barry Hume, in the second last group of the day, took advantage of the later favourable conditions and carded a bogey-free, five-birdie round of 64.
New member this year, Jonathan D'Aguillar carded a nett 64 playing off 11 to win the handicap prize. Billy Campbell (5) and Andrew Kent (4) tied for the second place position on 66.
Seniors prize went to another new member, John Mansfield (15), with a net 70.
PRIZEWINNERS
Scratch
64 Barry Hume (Haggs Castle) p (£110).
66 Stephen Gray (pro) (Hayston) p, Stewart Savage (Dalmuir) p (£70 each).
68 Robert Jenkins (Crow Wood) (£40 voucher).
Handicap
(prize vouchers)
64 Jonathan D'Aguillar (Glasgow G) (11) (£80).
66 Billy Campbell (Loudon Gowf Club) (5), Andrew Kent (Troon Wellbeck) (4) (£42.50 each).
69 John Carrell (Torrance House) (12), Gordon Cree (Troon Wellbeck) (3) (£12.50 each).

Senior Prizes
Vouchers
70 John Mansfield (Troon Merchants) (15) (£30).
71 Hugh Smith (Cathkin Braes) (8) (£20).

Top handicap winner Jonathan D'Aguillar also took the sweep money, with Billy Campbell and a visitor on the day James Halpin sharing second place with a net 66.
Only three amateurs on the day managed to share out the 2s' sweep money

Midland Alliance at Arbroath frosted off this week

Tomorrow's Midland Golfers Alliance competition at Arbroath has been cancelled due to the frosty conditions. The William Hill team competition will be moved to next week's meeting at Carnoustie Buddon (Thursday, February 11 - check in at Caledonia G C, tee reserved from 8.30 - 12.30).

NORTH-EAST ALLIANCE SWITCH TO EDZELL

Wednesday's North-east Golfers' Alliance meeting has been switched from Buckpool to Edzell where there is no snow on the course
Tee times arranged for Buckpool will be carried over to Edzell although they will be flexible to accommodate Edzell members playing the course. First tee time is 8.15am.

Alan Lockhart wins Midland Alliance meeting at Lundin Links

By LEE SUTHERLAND
leesuds@blueyonder.co.uk
The Midland Golfers' Alliance season restarted after the winter break at Lundin Links Golf Club. The Fife course was in fine condition and Ladybank assistant professional Alan Lockhart led the way in the scratch with a superb, four-under-par score of 67.
John Leddy, a nine-handicapper at Bathgate, won the handicap with a net 65 and the team of Paul Brookes (Pitreave), Dennis Redford (Murrayshall), Chris Westland (Alloa) and Davie Huchieson (Murrayshall) won the team competition with a score of 57.
Leading Scratch Scores
67 A Lockhart (Ladybank) ap.
68 G Brown (Montrose) ap.
71 M Brown (Monifieth).
72 M Pirie (Pitlochry) p, C Donnelly (Balbirnie Park) p, G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle), C Mathieson (Falkirk Tryst) ap.
73 R Walker (Lundin) p), R Redpath (Scotscraig), K Harper (Carnoustie), A Mason (Thornton).
74 S Cargill (Arbroath), J Leddy (Bathgate).
75 S Graham (Arbroath).
Leading Handicap Scores
65 J Leddy (Bathgate) (9).
66 A Mason (Thornton) (7).
69 R Redpath (Scotscraig) (4).
71 S Graham (Arbroath) 4), J Rennie (Dunfermline) (13). D Redford (Murrayshall) (8), N Ballingall (Lundin) (6).
73 M Niven (Alloa) (5), S Cargill (Arbroath) (1), G Milne (Aberdour) (5), D Hutchison (Murrayshall) (6), S Mitchell (St Andrews) (12), D Herd (Scotscraig) (11), M Bropwn (Monifieth) (+2), K Harper (Carnoustie (scr), G Finlay (Ballumbie Castle) (+1), M Watkin (Panmure) (12).
Leading Team Scores
57 P Brookes (Pitreavie) p, D Redford (Murrayshall) (8), C Westland (Alloa) (11), D Hutchison (Murrayshall) (6).
58 R Stewart (Tulliallan) (1), G Milne (Aberdour) (5), R Barton (Alloa) (8), J Rennie (Dunfermline) (13) (better inward half).
58 A J Webster (Edzell) p, J Leddy (Bathgate) (9), R Lamont (Bathgate) (8), J Irwin (Muckhart) (8).
Qualifiers for the JTC Interiors Express Championship in April at Montrose Links
D Herd (Alloa) p, N Ballingall (Lundin) (6), J Leddy (Bathgate) (9).

Next Meeting (sponsored by William Hill DRG)
Thursday, February 4
Arbroath
Tee reserved:8.30 - 12.30

Edinburgh & East of Scotland Golfers' Alliance

BERKSHIRE TROPHY MEETING
The Glen Golf Club, North Berwick

Overall winner: David Graham (Lochend) (5) 69.

LEADING SCRATCH
72 Colin Fraser (Peebles), David Patrick (Elie) £90 each.
74 Andrew Erskine (Ratho Park), Craig Imlah (Peebles), Gordon Law (Uphall) £40 each, David Graham (Lochend), Andrew Rothney (Deer Park).
75 Scott Catlin (Greenburn), Mark Chaplin (Deer Park).
76 Steven Doyle (Gifford), Stevie Lamb (Broomieknowe), Alan Reid (West Lothian).
77 Neil Colquhoun (Merchants), Richard Fyvie (Pumpherston).
78 Richard Johnston (Glenbervie), Scott Knowles (Kingsknowe), Andrew Oldcorn (King's Acre), Mike Thomson(Torwoodlee).
79 Neil Bain (Haddington).
80 Stuart Callan (Bathgate), Ian Jeavons (Dunbar), Wilson Morton (Dunbar), Peter Ritchie (Bathgate).
LEADING HANDICAP
69 David Graham (Lochend) (5) £100 voucher.
71 Peter Ritchie (Bathgate) (9) £80 voucher.
72 Steven Doyle (Gifford) (4) £60 voucher.
73 Andrew Rothney (Deer Park) (1), Philip Leggate (Musselburgh) (9) £30 voucher each.

TRAINEE PROFESSIONAL
76 Stevie Lamb (Broomieknowe) £20.

SENIOR AMATEUR (net)
76 Jim Scott (Swanston New) £20 voucher.

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE:
Turnhouse pro Scott Grieve still tops the East Alliance order of merit, but his lead has been cut by amateur ace Mike Thomson.
In finishing ahead of Grieve in the last two events, Torwoodlee's Thomson has moved within six points of the leader.Merchants pro Neil Colquhoun is also still very much in the title race, trailing Thomson, the former Scottish Mid-Amateur champion, by six points.
Lochend's David Graham leads the handicap order of merit after winning the latest event, the Berwickshire Trophy at The Glen.The five-handicapper shot a net 69 for a two-shot triumph over Bathgate's Peter Ritchie, with Steven Doyle (Gifford) and Colin Fraser (Peebles), off scratch, a further shot adrift on 72.
Fraser shared top spot in the scratch event with David Patrick (Elie).

LEADERBOARD LOGJAM AT INVERALLOCHY By COLIN FARQUHARSON In one of the tightest finishes in recent North-east Golfers' Alliance history, no fewer than five players tied for first place on level par 67 in today's competition at Inverallochy Golf Club. First man out John Mitchell (Fraserburgh) set the early clubhouse target of 67 (35-32), which included four successive threes from the 10th (birdies at the 11th and 12th), and it was not beaten by anyone else in the field of 83 competitors. It was equalled at irregular intervals by Scottish seniors match-play champion George Paterson (Northern) 36-31, Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon) 34-33, former US college circuit player Scott Larkin (Banchory) 34-33 and Oldmeldrum club professional Hamish Love, 33-34 Mike Booth, a 12-handicapper at Kemnay, had the lowest net score of 60. He won Class 2 by seven strokes! Leading scores (par 67) SCRATCH 67 John Mitchell (Fraserburgh), George Paterson (Northern), Kevin Duncan (McDonald Ellon), Scott Larkin (Banchory), Hamish Love (Oldmeldrum). 68 Justin Duff (Fraserburgh). 69 Stewart Pert (Huntly), Jordan Findlay (Fraserburgh). 70 Andrew Campbell (Deeside), Robert Lamb (Newmachar), Craig Carnegie (Kemnay), Patrick Lovie (P1 Corporate). 71 Stewart Finnie (Caledonian), Adam Dunton (McDonald Ellon). 72 Paul McIntosh (Newburgh), Mike Booth (Kemnay), Fergus Bisset (Banchory). 73 Ian Bratton (Newburgh), Harry Roulston (Stonehaven), James Duncan (Newburgh), Mark Lawrie (Kemnay), Brian Nicholson (Auchmill). 74 David Corkey (Murcar Links), Jim Forbes (Aboyne), Don Garrett (Turriff), Kris Nicol (Fraserburgh), Jackie Forrest (Northern), Graham Munro (Fraserburgh). 76 Leslie Roger (Royal Aberdeen), Sandy Elrick (Kemnay), Justin Thomas (Craibstone), John Nicolson (Auchmill). 77 Barry Brooks (Meldrum House), Brian Harper (Newburgh), Charles Cassie (Nigg Bay), John Hamilton (Murcar Links), John Borthwick (Craibstone), David McKay (Caledonian), Gordon Gray (Newmachar), Robert Bruce (Aboyne), Adam Lindsay (Banchory). HANDICAP Class 1 - R Lamb (Newmachar) (4), C Carnegie (Kemnay) (4) 66; J Mitchell (Fraserburgh) (scr), H Roulston (Stonehaven) (6), G H Paterson (Northern) (scr), S Pert (Huntly) (2), J Forrest (Northern) (7), K Duncan (McDonald Ellon) (scr) 67; P McIntosh (Newburgh) (4), M Lawrie (Kemnay) (5) 68; J B orhtwick (Craibstone) (8), J Duncan Newburgh) (4), J Duff (Fraserburgh) (+1), S Larkin (Banchory) (+2) 69; A Campbell (Deeside) (scr), J M Hamilton (Murcar Links) (7), S Elrick (Kemnay) (6), J Forbes (Aboyne) (4), F Bisset (Banchory) (2) 70. Class 2 - M Booth (Kemnay) (12) 60; L Roger (Royal Aberdeen) (9), S Kennedy (Craibstone) (13), M F R Rogers (Kemnay) (15) 67; M Brown (Craibstone) (18), A Petrie (Oldmeldrum) (10) 69; D Wood (Newburgh) (13), R Brown (Craibstone) (12), S Davidson (Northern) (13), J Scott (Peterculter) (10), I Grant (Huntly) (18) 70; B Lumsden (Northern) (14); D Randall (Banchory) (14) 72. INVERALLOCHY WINTER COURSE PAR 67 OUT: 4-3-4-4-4-5-4-4-3--35. IN: 3-4-4-3-4-4-4-3-3--32 KEVIN DUNCAN 67 OUT: 4-3-4-4-4-4-4-4-3--34. IN: 3-4-4-2-4-4-4-4-4--33 HAMISH LOVE 67 OUT: 3-4-5-3-3-4-4-3-4--33. IN: 3-4-4-3-5-4-4-4-3--34 JOHN MITCHELL 67 OUT: 4-3-5-4-4-4-4-4-3--35. IN: 3-3-3-3-4-5-4-4-3--32 GEORGE PATERSON 67 OUT: 4-3-4-4-3-4-6-5-3--36. IN: 2-3-4-3-4-4-4-3-3--31 SCOTT LARKIN 67 OUT: 4-3-4-5-3-3-5-4-3--34. IN: 2-4-4-3-5-5-4-3-3--33