Happy 87th birthday to NE Alliance president Ian Smith

Third win by Kris Nicol

FROM ALAN GALL
First mention has to be very best wishes to the North-east Alliance Honorary President, former Hazlehead professional Ian Smith who celebrates his 87th birthday tomorrow.  Congratulations from everyone at the North-east Alliance.  No doubt Ian will be finding it fairly straightforward in beating his age these days!

Buckpool golf course on Wednesday was a green oasis amid swathes of snow-bound fields. A total of 68  players enjoyed brilliant sunshine, light winds and temperatures around 5 degrees Celsius. 
The course was closed two days previously so it was not surprising that winter greens were in play.  The remainder of the course played as normal and was in very good condition for the time of year. 
Thanks to Peter Fisk's efforts in presenting the course so well.

 

Tarland’s five-handicapper Richard Blackmore was in the first group out, completing his round in 2.5hrs, scoring a very respectable one-under-par 68, net 63. 
However the lowest scratch scores came from the fifth group including Paul Lawrie (66), son Craig Lawrie (67) and Kris Nicol,  best of all with a six-under round of 63. 
Kris had four birdies and his only bogey of the round at the seventh hole in his front nine, followed by a three-birdie second half of 31.  His victory follows on from last week’s success at Peterhead and is his third of the NE Alliance season.
Nicol also won at Strathlene on November 21.

SCRATCH SCORES
par 69 Winter Course

63 K Nicol (Dunes Golf Centre)

66 P Lawrie (Gleneagles)

67 C Lawrie (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre)

68 R Blackmore (Tarland), J Duff (Newmachar)

69 C Morrison (Inverurie)
 

70 G Somers (Bon-Accord), I Esslemont (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre)

71 Kimberley Beveridge (Aboyne), Keil Beveridge (Kippie Lodge), S Finnie (Northern)

72 B Ritchie (Inverallochy), C Gilbert Cruden Bay)

73 R Ruddiman (Royal Aberdeen), M Buchan (Cruden Bay), C Angus (Kemnay), D Buchan (Peterhead)

75 M Denholm (Deeside), S McWilliam (Royal Aberdeen)

76 G Gibson (Kemnay), S Allison (Bon-Accord), E Wheat (Montrose Golf Links)

77 G Allan (Newmachar), M Duncan (Murcar Links)

78 D Mclean (Kemnay), D Leslie (Bon-Accord), D Nelson (Aboyne)

79 R Davidson (Caledonian), D MacKay (Fort Augustus)
 

80 R Reid (Tarland), R Smith (Craibstone), D Wright (Auchmill), G Homer (Aboyne), L Buck (Peterculter)

81 I Birnie (Deeside), J Scott (Peterculter), M Fraser (Longside), L Fowler (Royal Aberdeen), A Sorley (Newmachar)

82 S Kidd (Longside), N Stewart (Northern), D Fleming (Portlethen)

83 D Cassie (Nigg Bay), T Boyle (Portlethen), D Lane (Deeside), W Skene (Deeside)

84 C Craig (Kintore)

85 M Brown (Kemnay), R Brown (Kemnay), N Chisholm (Kemnay), K Mathieson ((Kintore), N Hardie (Kintore)

86 C Cassie (Nigg Bay), R Bruce (Peterculter)

87 P Cheyne (Northern), R Denning (Inverurie)

88 B Lumsden (Northern), R Coupar (Duff House Royal)
 

91 D Booth (Tarland), D Townsley (Peterculter)

93 J Forrest (Northern)

94 G Travis (Auchmill), M Rogers (Kemnay)
 

NRs J Calder (Newmachar), J Borthwick (Craibstone), B Munro (Newmachar), S Shand (Kemnay), D Wilson (Paul Lawrie GC)
 

PRIZEWINNERS

SCRATCH

63 K Nicol (Dunes Golf Centre)

66 P Lawrie (Gleneagles)

67 C Lawrie (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre)

68 J Duff (Newmachar)

70 I Esslemont (Paul Lawrie Golf Centre)

HANDICAP
CLASS 1

63 R Blackmore (Tarland) (5)

65 R Ruddiman (Royal Aberdeen) (8)

66 C Morrison (Inverurie) (3)

67 G Somers (Bon-Accord) (3)

69 B Ritchie (Inverallochy) (3)

CLASS 2

65 A Sorley (Newmachar) (16)

66 G Allan (Newmachar) (11) bih, M Denholm (Deeside) (9)

67 D Wright (Auchmill) (13) bih, G Gibson (Kemnay) (9)