Gairloch win Ross Singles for first time.
Gairloch team left to right, back Mark Dodd, Neil MacLeod
and Brian Grant. Front - kneeling Peter Mitchell (left) and Peter Saggers. Picture by Robin Wilson
By ROBIN WILSON
The words of the traditional air “There will be dancing in
Kyle” would also fit “Gairloch” when, on a
memorable day for the local golf club at Muir of Ord, their five-star team brought home the
Highland Fabricators Cup for the first time after the final of the 2015
Ross-shire Singles Golf League competition.
In the early years of this men's inter=club team competition, which
was started in 1980, Gairloch took part without much success, their small
club with a nine-hole course unable to field a team to match the strength of the
East coast clubs.
Subsequently withdrawing for a number of years, Gairloch, after
getting a representation on the North District Executive through club member
Martin Robertson in the 1990s, the club rose in stature.
Mr Robertson then
served as President of the North District for two years, 2006 and 2007, and
with his persuasion brought Gairloch back into the league although it took another
ten years before they made an impact.
Golfers from outside the village became members. Peter
Saggers, better known on the East Coast as a member of Nairn Golf Club, raised
the standard and locals aimed higher to a position that the club now has
several Category 1 handicap holders.
A
new greenkeeper from Newcastle was appointed three years ago and he now plays
off two handicap. Local lads, both with single figure handicaps, Neil MacLeod
(5), Brian Grant (8), and club
Captain Peter Mitchell (11) completed
the team for Muir of Ord.
Gairloch had not played a league game this season. In the May preliminary round at Strathpeffer their opponents, Tarbat, did not turn
up and they went straight into the Muir of Ord semi-finals where they should
have met Strathpeffer Spa.
But Strathpeffer were unable to raise a team so
Gairloch only had the final to look forward to, against either the hosts Muir of Ord
or Tain.
Tain were a team desperate to overcome defeats in the
previous two season's finals and despatched to Muir of Ord's strong squad of
low handicappers featuring club champion Alan Everett, immediate past North
District champion Dougie Thorburn, the Ferries brothers, Munro and Billy and
David Vass.
In a very close match they beat the hosts, Muir of Ord 3-2, with
wins from Everett, Vass and Billy Ferries.
But in the final when Mark Dodd and Peter Saggers put
Gairloch two games in front, Dodd beat Thorburn and Saggers beat Everett,
Gairloch's tail was up. It drooped a little in the third game where Peter Mitchell
lost to Munro Ferries but hero Brian Grant beat Vass 4&3 to swing the tie
Gairloch's way and Neil MacLeod gave them a resounding 4-1 result to celebrate
the length of Loch Maree on the return journey.
Results
SEMI-FINALS
GAIRLOCH w.o. STRATHPEFFER SPA scr
TAIN 3, MUIR OF ORD 2
D Thorburn lost to J Forbes 1 hole, A Everett
bt B Nicholson 5 and 4, M Ferries lost to S Forbes 3 and 2, D Vass bt R Moir 2 and 1, B
Ferries bt D Hexley 5 and 4
FINAL
GAIRLOCH 4, TAIN 1
M Dodd bt Thorburn 2 holes, Saggers bt Everett 5 and 4,
Mitchell lost to M Ferries 5 and 4, Grant bt Vass 4 and 3, MacLeod bt B Ferries 1 hole
Labels: Amateur Men
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