Alliance ace by Ferries after switch to Wick course
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The highlight of the winter Alliance on Sunday at Wick was a hole in one on the 14th from regular member Billy Ferries of Tain.
To negotiate the 151-yard obstacle Billy used an 8 iron but, such is the nature of the hole, the result was not known until he reached the green.
Wick Golf Club had stepped in to help when the Thurso course was declared unplayable. The committee at the club prepared all the necessary paperwork and catering, and greenkeeper Dougie Thorburn got the course ready.
Along with another familiar Alliance name, that of John Hunter, Dougie led the field of 31 players out and set the target at 73. Starting with a birdie then a string of pars he let shots go into the strong wind on six, seven and eight before notching another birdie for an outward 37, followed by a steady 36 on the way home.
However, his lead was short-lived as in the group behind was clubmate Gordon Steven whose only blemish on the way out was a bogey at “Hunter’s Joy” to be out in 36. A superb birdie at the 10th helped him home in 34 to go three shots ahead.
Visitor Billy Ferries, with the help of his ace at 14, split Thorburn and Steven, finishing on 71 with halves of 38 and 33.
With the big geographical swing from the last fixture at Durness to Wick there was variation in the entry list and membership of the Alliance already stands at 45, the ultimate goal being around 70.
The aforementioned Hunter was not going to be outshone by his playing partner, shooting a 79 (which included a nine at the eighth) for nett 72, claiming third place in Category 1 behind Ferries and Graeme Henderson of Thurso, who struggled out in 42 but flew home in 35.
However, the score of the day belonged to Rodney Grant of Reay with a nett 58 playing off 23. Rodney made his Alliance debut at Durness, finishing there on nett 71, and also winning the “nearest the pin”. On Sunday a very steady outward half saw him turn in 42 but five straight pars from the 10th helped him home in 39, meaning this young man with a decent Sutherland score and a remarkable Caithness number under his belt might already be the one to catch.
Alliance secretary Ally Melville of Tain was some way back on nett 74.
The next fixture is at Royal Dornoch on Sunday, November 3, followed by a trip to Ross-shire on November 17 when the venue is Invergordon.
Results from Wick:
Scratch: G Steven, Wick, 70; B Ferries, Tain, 71; D Thorburn, Wick, 73; E Larnach, Wick, 77; G Henderson, Thurso, 77.
Category 1: B Ferries, 71 (68); G Steven, 70 (69); G Henderson, 77 (71); J Hunter, Wick, 79 (72); N Docherty, Thurso, 79 (73); K Cameron, Lybster, 82 (73); D Mackay, Tarbat, 81 (73); R Lockie, Tain, 79 (73); E Larnach, Wick, 77 (73).
Category 2: R Grant, Reay, 81 (58); A Melville, Tain, 89 (74); A Morrison, Durness, 86 (75); J Begg, Thurso, 86 (76); S Sandecki, Lybster, 100 (76).
Ladies: A Mackenzie, Durness, 77; L Mackay, Durness, 79.
Team points: Reay 5; Wick 4; Tain 4; Thurso 2.
