Banks on sparkling form for medal win
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THE second winter medal was held at Wick Golf Club last Sunday with 40 members entering the competition.
Scoring was generally good due to the fine autumn weather although a south-easterly breeze made things difficult over the last nine holes. Winner of the competition by three strokes was Gibby Banks (16) with a sparkling nett 64.
He played well below his handicap to go out in two-over-par 37, which included a birdie at the second hole.
It was a terrific effort, but in common with most competitors he struggled playing back into the wind, taking 43 strokes with double bogeys at the 10th and 15th holes.
Second with a nett 67 was Ian Coghill (8) beating veteran Allan Munro (7) on a better inward half.
Coghill has hit form in the winter competitions, having won the first winter Stableford, and continued this fine run. He went out in 37, which included seven pars and two bogeys, and played fine golf to come back in 38 despite running up a triple bogey at the 16th hole.
Munro was the model of consistency going to the turn in one-over-par 36, the best outward half of the day. His only dropped shot came at the ninth hole and he continued to play well to come back in 38.
Another veteran, Tony Wilson (11), was fourth with a nett 69. He has been playing well in recent weeks and continued this rich vein of form to go out in 37, but he struggled into the wind to limp back in 43 with a triple bogey at the 14th hole.
Next with nett 70s were David Walker (20) and Farquhar MacGregor (15) with Walker claiming fifth place by virtue of a better inward half.
Walker will be disappointed with his score as he played eight of the first nine holes well but on the par-four sixth hole he ran up a nine to go out in 46 and then played steady golf to come back in 44. MacGregor is playing well, having recently won a veterans’ competition, and continued this good form going out in 43 and back in 42 despite a triple bogey at the 15th hole.
Other scores worthy of note came from David Mowat (20) and veterans Harry Cormack (20), Gerry O’Brien (24) and Stewart Busby (17), all returning net 71s.
The next competition is a winter Stableford which is being played on Sunday.
