With the wind which has been proving so troublesome latterly gusting to Royal Birkdale like severity on occasion, mastery of shot making and ball flight control is essential when attempting to score low around a course which at the "top" can be very testing indeed.

With several holes on our layout particularly influenced when the wind blows to any degree, the choice of shot and ability to think your way around the more problematic routes to the green are more important than length and sheer power.

Better to be in play and finish the hole with the ball you started, than to spend time in the rough searching for a hopelessly lost cause, and having to finish with your "provisional" ball, or heaven forbid, not finish the hole at all.

A "no return" (NR) is never a pleasant thing to write on a scorecard, and anyone who doesn't take the conditions, especially wind, into consideration when playing golf will surely flirt with this inevitable outcome.

Some more than most.

Mastery of the conditions in recent weeks has not been a problem for Donald "Sweeney" MacSween.

Following up his recent win in the One-day open at the end of golf week, with his best ever score around the course on Wednesday; he comfortably won the Centenary Medal qualifier.

We all attempt to beat our best scores on a regular basis, but to do so in consecutive competitions shows a degree of form and awareness of how to score around the course which ,when combined ,will always give you a chance of winning.

The ability to minimise ones mistakes is every bit as important consolidating good play and with Mr MacSween now showing a degree of "canny" to compliment his already competitive nature, his continued presence in Match-Play competition is a threat to everyone remaining.

Shaving three shots off his handicap should not thwart his ambitions too greatly, but his target must now be a further reduction and hopefully "teen" allowance by the end of the season.

Winning in golf is about beating the course, not silverware; very often our very best players struggle to win competitions but regularly shoot low scores.

Ask any golfer what their ambitions are and if they say "winning cups", not lowering their handicap, then they are setting themselves the wrong goals.

Any golfers who manage to combine both (generally golfers whose game is improving gradually, as they hone their skills) are on their way to true success as we know it.

Before you ask, I don't manage much of either.

My mantelpiece is fairly sparse, and I cannot claim too many scores which threaten to break par.

But I do play off a (just) single figure handicap, and this is my benchmark; the "number" against which I measure myself as a golfer.

It is great to see a golfer on the up, someone who is setting themselves new targets and winning trophies along the way.

The biggest satisfaction however is seeing somebody shave shots of their handicap. This is the real measure of improvement.

Another golfer who has been steadily reducing his handicap since taking up the game is Allan "Biddley" MacLeod.

One of the most dedicated golfers we have in the club, Allan can be seen practising on the course in hail, rain and (very occasionally) shine.

He plays every competition work permits, participates in every match against other clubs he can, and, as the current greens convenor, spends a huge amount of energy ensuring the course is maintained and presented to the highest standard possible.

It has been rumoured that he is married, has a family, and holds down a responsible position with a multi-national company.

It cannot be the same fellow surely?
On Saturday last, he completely dominated the field in the Leukaemia Research Trophy, shooting a career best 75 (less 13) to comprehensively win by a comfortable three shots.

If hard work and practise are the keys to success, then no golfer in the club is more deserving than Allan.

He has improved his handicap yearly, lowering then consolidating his allowance, and consistently looks to see where he can improve his game and save shots around the course.
Single figures must be his next target, and given the strides he has made since taking up the game, no-one would dare bet against him achieving this.

Well done to both he and Sweeney for consistently proving themselves against the course, and for reducing their handicaps.

Oh…..well done on the trophies too!

Last years' Western Isles Open winner, Neil Rowlands, made a welcome, and impressive, return to golf last Wednesday with a fine 41 pts in the centenary qualifier.

With only three competitive rounds under his belt this season to date due to work/football commitments and unable to defend his title due to attending a friends' wedding, Neil will be looking to consolidate his position as one of the Islands top players by re-establishing himself amongst the elite.

Intending to defend his Harris Open title next month, he will be determined to show decent form on both sides of the Clisham before the end of the summer.

Graham Morrison was another golfer making a welcome return to competition last Wednesday, finishing in third spot in the qualifier.

Having taken time out to marry and further develop his skills as a purveyor of liquid gold (not Heineken), he is returning to the sedate environment of the golf course to find his "inner man".

Reducing his handicap in only his second competition of the year, we can only hope that this man bears a resemblance to Tiger Woods and not Tony from the Frosties packet.

The Ladies Quaich was won by Ann Galbraith at the weekend, winning by a clear two shots from Jane Nicolson.

With her fourth win of the year under her belt she has firmly cast last years tag of "nearly woman" aside, and is amongst the players of the year in the ladies section.


Centenary Medal Stableford 16th July
1. Donald "Sweeney" MacSween 44
2. Neil Rowlands 41
3. Graham Morrison 38

Leukaemia Research Trophy 19th July
1. Allan MacLeod 62
2.Alasdair MacLean 65
3.Jordan MacLean 66

Ladies Quaich
1. Ann Galbraith 71
2. Jane Nicolson 73
3. Gill Chadwick 77