Scottish Seniors Golfing Society

   

 

Scottish Seniors Golf 2008 Update May

Bob Stewart Heads the Elgin Marvels


Elgin course was set up brilliantly for the Scottish Seniors and several testing par fours ensured that level par was going to be at or near the peak of achievement. The gorse was in full bloom and was a real ball magnet. Nobody escaped without a tale of woe or two.

It was almost inevitable that there would be thrills and spills at the climax and so it proved to be. Fittingly our new champion, the Tulliallan Express, had the lowest last 36 aggregate (139) by four shots and was also the only player to match par on any of the three rounds.

Despite that excellence, the result was in doubt right to the end. Bob found himself in clear air after birdies at 2,5,8 and 11 put him three under par. The appropriately named Hardhillock course has a habit of biting back and bogeys at 14,16 and the tough 18th left him feeling that his aggregate was a bit vulnerable.

The challenge when it came was from Iain Stewart, the redoubtable Dublin based “Bankie.” Iain felt that the luck associated with his adopted homeland deserted him as his second at the 18th deflected off a distance marker and cost him a double bogey. That took the pair into sudden death playoff and Iain’s luck did not improve at the first extra hole as his pushed tee shot ended up in a poor lie in the trees leaving the way open for Bob to secure a winning par.

Overall a great advert for the growing power of the Society. We had 19 players in the top 22 from a field containing many notable raiders from beyond the borders. The Hutch made a strong defence of his title in joint third and picked up useful OOM points as well as the over 65s trophy. Many of the usual suspects, messrs Murphy, MacDonald, Watt, Grieve and Johnston all featured in the top ten.

And so to Stirling…………..
Bob Stewart, Scottish Seniors Champion,Receiving another of his trophies.

 

Donald’s Eagle finish tames Wildernesse


Donald McCart eagled the par five last and finished runner up to John Jermine (Wales) in a celtic nation one-two at the English Seniors in Kent. He proved the old adage about “beware the unwell golfer” as he came out of his sickbed to make the jouney to Kent and come oh so close to victory. Jermine had in fact to hack out of trees at the last before hitting a seven iron to a foot for a winning birdie. Donnie’s last round 71 was best of tournament and the only one under par- testament to the challenging set-up.

Donald was capped for Scotland in 1977 & 78 and was a prolific winner of 36 / 72 hole events in his earlier years at Cawder. He played on the pro Senior tour on turning 50 for a number of years and, following re-instatement to the amateur ranks, was a member of the Scottish Senior team which won the European Team Championship and the Senior Home Internationals 2006. He is also a great supporter of our SSGS events

Hot off the press we have Donald’s own diary of events at the English

“Went to Sevenoaks on Mon, feeling like something the cat dragged in, run down after traveling about, with chest infection, fever and extreme tiredness, but managed 9 holes at Knowle Park.

Walked gently round Wildernesse G C on Tuesday, and was happy to have two late tee times in tournament proper Wed, Thurs which gave me time to recover.

I scraped round in 74 at Knowle Park which was OK not great, putted poorly & left at least 4 shots out there but played last three solidly, long par 3 sixteen to 14 feet for par, two of my Sunday best woods on to long 17 but missed eagle from 6 paces (no one that I spoke to got near it in two) and settled for birdie, and solid drive and wedge to 15 foot for no sweat par on last.

Day two, Wildernesse G. C. The course is magnificent and reminds me of a mixture of Blairgowrie for it's tight tee shots and Sunningdale/ Berkshire surroundings. Set up is tough with barely accessible pins and right off the tips.

I scratch around all day grinding away, and birdie the toughest hole on course (no 9) which is about 450 yards with OOB left and serious rough and trees right, great drive and 4 iron to thirty foot and my lag for par drops in.

The finish at Wildernesse goes 43445 and par on this stretch is very good with danger lurking all around although the last was ok with no wind. I three putted 15 and wandered into trees for double bogey on 16, but great drive on 17 left me with eight iron when my partners were hitting rescue clubs and I made safe par.

No 18 doglegs right and I cut off too much and am 230 to middle coming out of right rough with a medium sized tree in front of me about 30 yards away, but I got a good lie and decide to hit rescue club high with cut and try to negotiate this tree. I have to wait ages for green to clear and am talking to member who was ball spotting on the right where I was, and he watches me play my shot.

It comes out perfect, with high fade, 15 feet behind hole, and this guy thinks I'm the new messiah , best shot he's ever seen and all that, anyway it's only a birdie ‘cos, the putt is downhill with six feet of break from right and 76 ( 150 total is actually respectable ) and I'm lying 8th at end of day.

I am 8 over par for tournament which sounds terrible, but 4 over is leading and I decide that I will try to get to 5 over now that I know the course, and another late start helps.

I played solid golf on front nine but drop shot on no 3 chasing a tight pin. Reached 6th in two for birdie and birdie next from 7 feet to stand 1 under, Par on 8 leaves me needing 4 on 9 for 35 out. The tough hole that I conquered only yesterday bites back, hook left OOB, my heart sinks, but I make par with provisional for 37 out and there's 3 par fives to come.

A par on 10 is followed by two of my Sunday best onto the uphill par 5 11th for birdie, and then hole thirty footer on next par five ( 12th ) for birdie and I now need two more birdies for my target of 5 over. Three solid no-sweat pars follow. Three to go but 16 and 17 are tough and I'm in the trees and bogey both.

Great drive down last leaves me rescue club and pin is way back on top tier of split green, and I rip it to 15 feet, and then hole it for an eagle 3. Best round of day, best round of week!

I have to sit it out and one by one they falter over the closing holes, Peter Hedges the home favourite takes 7 to my eagle 3, on the last, David Lane scrapes a par and it is down to John Jermine who has driven way right on last and hacks down fairway to seven iron range, then proceeds to knock it stiff for birdie and to edge me out by one. My target would have done it but my eagle finish eases pain of 16 and 17 and I'm ahead of the whole English team on their territory.

At photo shoot I shake hands and congratulate John Jermine and he is very magnanimous in victory and praises my finish, I say to him, great shot to win and he says to me...I might not have done it if I knew your score was posted, but he is a good champion.”

Donnie’s achievement is possibly the finest amongst many from our international travellers over the early season. Although mainstream focus will rightly remain on the young lions in this sport of ours there is a growing respect and acknowledgement of what’s happening at seniors level. Competition will only get more intense!

Donnie McCart