CELTIC NATIONS TROPHY 2007
TOURNAMENT FINAL TO BE
HELD AT LOCH NESS COURSE

This year saw the very first golf inspired Celtic Nations Trophy held in the Highlands.
Next year as part of Highland 2007 – the year Scotland celebrates highland culture - the event will see golfers from all over Scotland and the Celtic nations of Ireland, Wales, France & Nova Scotia join with the people of the Highlands to mark 2007 down in history.
The Celtic Nations Trophy 2007 tournament finals will take place on Sunday, September 9 at Loch Ness Golf Course, Fairways, Castle Heather, Inverness IV2 6AA.
Entry to the event will be by a club stableford league table with the top 40 clubs being invited to participate on September 9.
Clubs will hold qualifying competitions throughout 2007 and submit scores for inclusion in the league table. All teams must consist of, and scores must be submitted from, one man, one woman, one boy and one girl. Exceptions will be made where clubs do not have any members in a particular group.
The aim of the event is to draw together teams of golfers from clubs in these countries so that they can represent their home clubs as well as their countries in a golf competition held in the Highlands.
This will give the competitors not only the opportunity to sample golf in the highlands but also take time to explore and discover the many other delights the area has to offer.
HIGHLAND BACKERS
The event is being backed by local Highland construction and development company UBC Group Ltd, golf and leisure business Fairways. Grant aid support has been given by Highland 2007.
This year’s tournament was run with clubs from within the Highlands so they could understand both the event and what Highland 2007 will mean for them. Eleven clubs from as far afield as Skye, Lochcarron, Brora, Nairn and Boat of Garten sent teams consisting of one man, one woman, one boy and one girl to play over Loch Ness Golf Course at Fairways in Inverness.
The resulting stableford scores were added together to provide the winning club and the first recipient of the Celtic Nations Quaich. Home advantage was used to the full as Castle Heather Golf Club, who use Loch Ness as their home course, were the runaway winners with a very impressive 146 stableford points.
Their team consister of Moyra Low, Stephen Chalmers Douglas Johnstone and Jamie Treasurer. Local rival Inverness Golf Club slipped into second place with a combined total of 117 points.
CARD COUNTBACK
Three teams tied for third place on 114 points with Tarbat golf club successful over Nairn Dunbar and Tain in a card countback.
Next year it is planned to have over 40 clubs from all of the Celtic Nations competing for the Fairways/UBC Quaich.
James Pedrana, managing director of UBC Group Ltd, said: “As a building, civil engineering and development company working throughout the Highlands and Islands we are delighted to be involved with Fairways in promoting the Celtic Nations Trophy.
“This is an event that does an excellent job in promoting the Highlands and Islands locally and overseas and an opportunity to show what our area has to offer. Golf is one of the Highlands biggest sports and it seemed only fitting that we used it to be part of Highland 2007.”
Mike MacKenzie of Fairways agreed: “Fairways promotes golf as a game for all and we are proud that we have introduced so many people to this great game. By being part of Highland 2007 we can extend this to golfers throughout the Celtic nations and introduce them to the myriad of things that the Highlands have to offer.
“Normally we are quiet people but 2007 is our chance to shout from the rooftops and we are very much looking forward to all the events, not just our own.”
*** Fairways was opened in 1989 as a driving range, bar, restaurant and function room by Sam Torrance, former Ryder Cup captain. The facilities have grown with the addition of larger bars and restaurant, opening of the 18 golf course in 1996, business suites in 2001, Travel Lodge and business park in 2005. The nine- hole family course was opened in September 2005 by Ronan Rafferty, former European Order of Merit winner.
CAPTION TO ABOVE PICTURE: Castle Heather Golf Club's winning team with the trophy. Back row (left to right): Douglas Johnstone, Stephen Chalmers. Front: Moyra Low, Jamie Treasurer.