North Golf News Round-up from Robin Wilson

Braid Open at Brora

Prizewinning group from the Royal Marine Hotel Open at Brora. Left to right  – Peter Stanbrook (captain, James Braid Society), Iain Powell (James Braid Trophy), Ken Lorimer (captain, Brora GC), Alastair MacDonald (Royal Marine Hotel Trophy), William MacBeath (Golspie), Roddie Cameron( Kidd Cup), Fraser Oliver (Duke of Sutherland Cup).

Local five handicapper Alastair MacDonald had his first big break through in tournament golf when he won the Royal Marine Hotel Trophy in the James Braid 36-hole Open at Brora at the weekend. The scratch Braid Trophy was won for the first time by Inverness's David Joel.

MacDonald, who plays of five, held his own against the morning CSS of 72, a rise of two against the regulation 70. In an ever increasing wind and on slick putting greens his halves of 38 and 37, began with a bogey 5. He did not manage a birdie in his gross 75 but 5 was the highest figure on his card.

A change to his second-round card saw a 7 marked down for the third hole and his only birdie of the day came two holes later. That rescued an outward 40 with a 6 at the 8^th hole. Holding onto what he had, MacDonald got back to the clubhouse in 38 more blows to post a net 73 and a 36-hole nett 143.

The total was matched by two-handicapper and no stranger to trophies, clubmate and more experienced Roddie Cameron who had to cope with even tougher conditions, golf balls moving on the greens and almost calling for a halt in play during Cameron's inward 39 for 75, which was the deciding factor when the second round cards were scrutinised to find the overall nett winner. 

But Cameron did not end his day without silverware. His matching net aggregate was rewarded with the Kidd Cup in the low handicap category and from this section and with the handicap of plus two came scratch winner Joel.

With a 7am start and playing in the company of two greenkeepers, local James MacBeath and Wick's Dougie Thorburn, the Inverness member who was defending his Inverness club championship title at the beginning of the week. His defence was curtailed by the Inverness club secretary Ewan Forbes in Round 2, thus enabling him enter the Brora event.

Joel saw off the green keepers and the field behind him with an opening one under par 69 (33-36), finishing his round in reverse. Instead of par 4 and 3, he went birdie 3, bogey 4.  Thorburn lay second with 71 while MacBeath was still in the mix with 74.  Royal Dornoch's Chris Mailley, defending the Howey Cup ,was also 33 for his first nine holes but his second nine finished with three fives and 38 for his 71.

Although Joel's second round rose by six shots his gross aggregate of 144 held off Mailley who added a 74, for 145, and Thorburn a 75 for one more.  MacBeath a 75 for 149 and forth place and Royal Dornoch's Liam MacDonald-MacLeod 77/74 for the fifth place voucher.

In addition to the James Braid Society in attendance, there was also a bus group from Perthshire swelling the numbers. Iain Powell (Murcar Links) won the Society's confined James Braid Trophy with scores of 74 and 83 while, in the higher handicap section, Fraser Oliver (Dunblane) captured the Duke of Sutherland Cup with a net total of 148, playing off a 17 handicap.

Results
CSS Home 72 Away 73 (both rounds).
Scratch: 144 D Joel (Inverness) 69 75. 145 C Mailley (Royal Dornoch) 71 74. 146 D Thorburn (Wick) 71 75. 149 J G MacBeath (Brora) 74 75. 151 L MacDonald -MacLeod (Royal Dornoch) 77 74.

Class I:  Kidd Cup - R S Cameron (Brora) (2) 143. C Stewart (Brora) (3) 151W MacBeath (Golspie) (8) 145. R Woodside (Craigielaw) (6) 157. J D Sutherland (Brora) (6) 147.
Class 2 Duke of Sutherland Cup. F Oliver (Dunblane) (17) 148. S Grant Brora  (20) 154. M Windsor (Fortrose) (11) 155. A Fitzgerald (Dore and Totley) (11) 156. S C Buchan (Perth Artisans) (15) 157.   

Royal Marine Mixed Foursomes

In the following day's mixed open competition the entries were not as large as in previous years but a mixture of Dornoch and Brora couples posted the leading scratch and handicap scores.

The sponsors' Royal Marine Hotel Trophy was captured by Alex and Ann Gunn of Royal Dornoch with a net card of 66.5 while two couples shared the best gross card of 84. On countback it was won by Liam MacDonald-MacLeod and Angela Grant of Dornoch and Brora.

Results
Scratch – L MacDonald-MacLeod (Royal Dornoch) and A Grant (Brora) 84,J D Sutherland (Brora) and D MacAngus(Wick) 84. Low Handicap M MacKintosh and L MacKay (Brora) 70.5. R S Cameron and A Clark (Brora) 75.5. High Handicap F Aherne (St Andrews) and H Alderson (Golspie) 67. P Lee and  M Lee (Royal Dornoch) 69. Royal Marine Hotel Trophy – Alex and Anne Gunn (Royal Dornoch) 66.5.  

Golspie Club Championship.

A big first time win for Colin “Scooty” Sutherland in the final of the Golspie Golf Club championship last weekend while with her ninth win Sheila Robertson is just one away from double figures, her first win in 1982.

The four qualifiers for the men's championship paired the young Danny Doogan against the leading qualifier and former champion Alastair MacDougall and in the other semi final Sutherland came up against the father, Steve Doogan.

The Doogan household already with early season successes were lining up an all family final after Doogan junior beat McDougall 3 ans 2. But there was not to be a first time Doogan name on the Bell Cup when Colin Sutherland overcame Doogan senior in his semi-final then went on to complete the double with a 16th green win over young Danny in the final.

Sheila Robertson, for loyal service and lifetime achievements, was given life membership of the club last year, a year that saw her failing to qualify for the women's scratch championship but proceed to win the handicap title. Puting that to right she  regaining the title after her eighth success in 2016 with a comfortable ninth win in this year's scratch final.