Miserable season draws to a close with Winter Alliance

Oct 2 2008 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

A SURE sign that the season is closing arrives when the Winter Alliance is mentioned for the first time in these jottings, and there were 90 of the lads out at Uphall last Wednesday for the first of the season’s Edinburgh and East of Scotland group’s events.

And what a miserable season it’s been with countless puddles, postponements, clagging and wet rough from which it’s almost impossible to escape.

Anyway, they are about to start digging up greens for winter improvement programmes so if you’ve not enjoyed your course lately there is little chance you’ll have the chance from here on in.

Bathgate called a halt to its season on Sunday and there was a good turnout for the closing day event, won eventually on a countback by James Hamill (16) from Tom McAllen (6).

Both had 68 net, one ahead of Graham Menzies (19).

As far as aggregate events are concerned, the handicap version of the Millennium Trophy has gone to former Club Captain Paul Brittain for his 283, while the scratch one fell to current Club Champion Stuart Crookston for a 297 total.

Crookston also took the overall scratch aggregate prize for the long-established Millar Mackay Trophy, while the Harkins Trophy for the handicap equivalent went to John E Miller.

Niddry Castle players have had a busy competitive time in the last week or so, in rounding up their season.

It was Grant Brown who took the Millar Autumn Cup with his 77-11=66 by a shot from both Stephen Rafferty (8) and Ian Leslie (11). Former Club Champion Jack Norris was best scratch with 72.

Then in the Taggart Shield, last midweek, Drew McErlean was top man with 80-14=66, but only by a single shot from runner up Martin Brown (5). Here it was John Pryde with best scratch on 75.

The Handicap One and Two event on Saturday had John Sullivan (11) at the head of matters amongst the lower men with a return of 79-11=68, while Club Champ Hugh Fraser was best scratch with 74.

The higher handicappers were led home by John Little with 81-14=67, with match secretary Paul Towers taking best scratch for his 84.

Strangely enough, these two last named golfers were at the top the next day when the action was moved to Carnwath for the club’s Autumn Outing. Here it was Paul as winner with 41 stableford points off his 16 mark, with John Little runner up on 38.

Meanwhile, Uphall’s long-standing matchplay event for the Cumming Cup has been settled with 12-handicap Jamie Culpan just too strong on the day for his opponent, the experienced Sandy Calder (3), who was part of the club’s winning Courier Trophy pool this season. There were just too many strokes for the older man to concede.

Big Jamie took control from the outset, three ahead after five, which was maintained until Sandy took the 15th.

But the lower handicap man immediately knocked his tee shot out of bounds at the next and it was all over at 3/2.

At Uphall too the Medal Final produced some fairly inauspicious scoring.

A triple tie in the end on 73 with K Wood getting the nod from A McGowan and W Carlyon after the arithmetic had been done on their back nine scores.

Up at West Calder the McInally Singles knockout at Harburn has been won by James Murphy who accounted for Kenny Saunders in their final, while the foursomes title went to K Brown and G Money, who beat the pairing of N Henderson and C Brown.

It was hard on former Champion Nicky Henderson because there was another second place to hole in Sunday’s Scott Medal Final.

His 69 net off two was the same as joint runner-up Alan Fulton (22) but this was a shot too much.

Top man was Brian Rooney with 77-9=68.

Low scoring was registered in the Invitational Texas Scramble recently.

D and RG Stuart partnered J Tobin and R Cockburn to come up with a winning total of 55.3 in the end.

At Greenburn on Sunday it proved a fairly difficult proposition for a good field — CSS was up to 72 on the day. Winner was Eddie Boyle with his 76-8=68. This was a shot better than joint runners up Christopher Rajek(12) and John B Hoban (19).

In the Alliance it was not a good day for local players despite the venue in their backyard.

Best scratch was the 64 of Glenbervie amateur Richard Johnstone while leading net was the 65 of Baberton’s Jimmy Rankeillor.

It was to be another local course — this time Bathgate — for the lads on Wednesday of this week so I’ll have that result next time.

The Merit Cup for handicap aggregate went to Alan Fleming though only by a single shot from Cameron Adam after a season’s endeavours.