A fine late summer day brought a good field of 25 and some fine scoring for the 2024 Bannatyne. Nicol Auld posted a superb gross one under par to pip Ryan Armstrong to first place
1st Nicol Auld (5) – 57 and lowest gross
2nd Ryan Armstrong (6) – 59
3rd Neil McKechnie (11) – 62 acb
4th David Brookens (14) – 62 acb
2s
Nicol Auld and Liam Bremner @ 2. Neil McKechnie @ 4. Nicol Auld & Jamie Stewart @ 16. Nicol Auld & Liam Bremner @ 17
17 played
1st John Mulholland (30) – 61
2nd Sandy Pringle (13) – 62 acb
3rd Neil Lucas (14) – 62
4th Stan Rainey (12) – 63
Lowest Gross – Jamie Stewart – 65
2s
Danny Head @ 6 & 17. Stan Rainey @ 17
Saturday 24th August saw the 2024 club championship final take place between two time winner Jamie Stewart and last years runner-up Gavin Mainds. Conditions were wet under foot but the game remained relatively dry with a couple of showers.
Gavin started strong winning the 2nd and then hitting the green with his tee shot at the 3rd to go 2up. Jamie pulled it back to 1 winning the 7th but Gavin then produced 2 stunning birdies at the 8th and 9th to end the front nine with a 1 under par score of 30. Gavin extended his lead winning the 10th to go 4up. The next few holes were halved until Jamie birdied the 14th but Gavin responded immediately driving the par 4 15th and birdieing aswell.
The 18th was won by Jamie to make the game 3up to Gavin at the halfway stage. Both players were playing great golf but Gavin’s flawless putting was the difference.
Jamie won the 1st hole of the second round with a birdie and Gavin then won the 2nd with a great putt for par. It was Jamie’s turn to knock it onto the 3rd green with his tee shot and secured his par to get it back to 2 down.
The next 4 holes were halved with the 6th being the highlight as the pair both got birdies as Jamie pitch to gimme range and Gavin answered with a 12 foot putt straight into the hole.
Gavin then won the 8th with a solid par and he then went 4up at the 9th when he flopped a pitch over the banking to within a couple of feet of the hole to set up another birdie. The 10th and 11th were halved in fours. Jamie produced a great recovery shot through the trees at the 12th after his tee shot went right. Looking like he might scramble a half Gavin replied with yet another long putt to put him 5 up. On the 13th Jamie went too bold with a putt for par as he looked to win the hole but it set up an eight footer on the way back that just shaved the hole. Gavin was left with a 4 foot putt for the title and dispatched it confidently to claim his first championship.
The standard of golf throughout the day was exceptional and there was no searching for balls in 30 holes which shows how consistent both golfers were off the tee.
Congratulations to Gavin on his win; it won’t be his last! Commiserations to Jamie who was up against it from the word go but battled hard.
In the JC Reid final Stan Rainey was victorious over Neilly McKechnie claiming victory at the 16th hole. Congratulations to our former captain on his win!
All always, competitors and spectators were fulsome in their praise for the state of the course. Conditions this year have been far from ideal, but Stewart has done a splendid job in presenting the course in fabulous condition throughout the season. Huge thanks to him and Robbie for their efforts. Thanks also to Dave and Mhairi in the clubhouse fror keeping everyone fed and watered (watered?) once the golf was over.
25 played on a another fine morning for golf. With damp greens drying under a stiff breeze as the morning wore on, those with a deftness of touch with the putter were the fortunate ones; scoring was decidedly tricky although the top 14 placings all came in with net scores in the 60s.
1st Kenneth Sillars (16) – 62
2nd David Brookens (14) – 63 acb
3rd Liam Bremner (9) – 63 acb
4th John Parker-Jones (21) – 63
Best scratch score, Ryan Armstrong – 71
2s – Graeme Crichton and Kenneth Sillars at the 4th. David Brookens and John Parker-Jones at the 17th.
Overall result over 2 rounds
1st John Parker-Jones 64 + 63 – 127
2nd Ryan Armstrong 63 + 65 – 128
3rd Mark West 65 + 65 – 130 acb
4th John Pennycott 64 + 66 – 130
24 played
1st Mark West (11) – 59
2nd John Parker-Jones (21) – 63 acb
3rd Neil McKechnie (10) – 63 acb
4th Liam Bremner (9) – 63
No2s returned
*** Mark West, Hole-in-one at the 17th ***