Club Championship 2011

12th September 2011

The Askernish golfers are about as hardy as they come as was proved as with the incoming 'Tropical' Storm Katia, the weather took the Askernish Club Championship - a two round affair - from "a good walk spoiled" into the realm of an extreme sport.

On the Saturday, there was an early turnout with a good number of players thinking tactically and trying to get a round ahead of a worsening weather front. This didn't work as they were battered with rain over the opening 6 holes that ensured they would take the remainer of the round to dry-out aided by serious gusting winds.

The weather meant scoring was high, but greenkeeer Nollie Mackinnon - who has been eyeing this event - shot out to an early lead in the nett section with a round of 79.

In the gross section - well, normally you would expect a round over 80 to see you well out of contention but such was the severity of the conditions that John Kemp led the way with a round of 18-over - 90! John was left ruing the par-5s that he played in a shocking 11-over par, but the rest of his golf was nearly flawless which says something of the conditions faced by all.

The championship was poised on a knife-edge as John was tailed by just 1-shot from multiple past-winner and defending champion Donald MacInnes, and 2009 Champion Allan Louis MacDonald both who had rounds of 91.

If anything, the Sunday conditions were worse for scoring; the rain showers more heavy & frequent and the unrelenting wind shifted slightly to make many of Askernish's harder holes a greater challenge. The players ventured out nevertheless and there were high scores abound. Excitingly this meant nearly anyone was in with a shout for the silverware provided they could keep their heads.

In the nett section, even Brian "Mr Consistency" Smith couldn't play to his handicap but he still managed to nab yet another top-3 finish. Allan Louis MacDonald was one shot ahead of him, and only just missed out on the top spot. However, Nollie Mackinnon improved on his Saturday round by 1-stoke; his Sunday 78 was enough to win the Nett Club Championship…. by one stroke!

Nollie, is obviously a born 'major' winner - he recently won the nett trophy at the Askernish Open, has now claimed the club's nett championship and is lying in wait in the final of the Dr Robertson Trophy - the club's Matchplay knockout.

In the gross section, things were slightly less close; Donald MacInnes came to rue the Askernish rough as, despite some of his best ball-striking this year, the wind pushed him from the fairways and into challenging lies that cost him valuable shots. John Kemp, who has suffered a pretty miserable drop in form recently, enjoyed the challenge poised by the weather and made his ugly golf work for him; battling out a second round of 77. This second round - a 13-shot improvement on his Satudray score in more challenging conditions - meant his final total of 167 was enough to claim the title of Askernish Club Champion 2011.

A quick mention for Paddy Forbes. His score may have been forgettable over the weekend but he played the shot of the championship on the par-5 12th hole. A difficult stance meant the the right-hander had no option but to play his 1-iron left-handed- a shot that finished just feet from the hole much to the delight of onlookers. Rumours are now abound that the Eriskay man will be investing in a set of ‘backwards’ clubs in a bid for next year’s Club Championship.

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