Scottish Universities Golfing Society (est 1906)

Spring Meeting – Prestwick Golf Club – 21 May 2021
Due to the rules surrounding the COVID pandemic our Spring Meeting was curtailed to a single round;  but we were very grateful to Prestwick GC for hosting our first fixture after Lockdown restrictions were relaxed.  It was good to meet as SUGS after the months of uncertainty and everyone was pleased to be back to something akin to normal.
 
Ken Goodwin somehow managed to accommodate us within the guidelines and we enjoyed a lovely lunch in the upstairs dining room followed by 30 members playing – unusually in four balls - in dry but blustery conditions.
 

New members Daniel Pilley and Christopher Black were presented with their Society ties by Captain Watson. Andrew Jessop drove from West London and was at PGC earlier than many of the locals. He played and then drove see family in Montrose. 
 

The  golf was good and the prize-winners on the day were:
Baird / Purdie Trophy (Scratch)

1) Callum Connacher    72
2) Mark Kernaghan    76
 

Thomson Quaich (Net)

1) Tim Pakenham (76-9) = 67
2) Bobby Watson  (77-3) = 74
 

Perthshire Pinehurst -  23  May 2021 - Comrie GC
Having been cancelled due to COVID restrictions in 2020, and insufficient numbers in the 2 years prior to that, the inaugural Perthshire Pinehurst finally found its feet in 2021 with a stellar line up, aided by 2 guests to make up the foursomes - Craig Cameron (QUGS) and Colin Christy, a familiar face on the Scottish golfing scene. For many, this was a first trip to Comrie, for potentially the first ever SUGS fixture played over a 9 hole course. Alas Strathearn was cloudy and all matches had to contend with some showers, but it did nothing to dampen the enthusiasm of the day. The Comrie caterers, Bill and Lilias McGuigan, looked after our needs before play, and provided an excellent BBQ afterwards.

The teams were nominally split on a Perthshire v Rest of Scotland basis, but there is every likelihood that future "Perthshire Pinehurst’s" will be played on another arbitrary basis - "young v old" / university attended / etc. The primary objective was an opportunity to meet and greet (within COVID restrictions of course), and enjoy some friendly and mildly competitive golf, and by these measures the day was a resounding success - proof that small 9 hole courses can play their part in the same way as the bigger links courses which are frequently the home of SUGS fixtures.

 

For the undersigned, it was a delight to have a group of golfing friends at the course where he learned to play the game almost 40 years ago. As for the final result, scores were kept but AT did suggest that sums were not his strong point (with a BEng, this was not strictly true!), and the "official" result as announced at the end of the day was a draw. Quelle surprise!
 

Matches played were as follows -
1) Robin Duncan & Richard Inglis v Charles Hammond & Richard Muckart
2) Colin Christy & Mike Mullins v Bobby Watson & Nigel Watt
3) Andrew Biggart & Craig Cameron v Michael Choong & Dave Greenshields
4) James Haggart & Andrew Thomson v John Hall & Phil Pritchett

 

SUGS vs Midlothian Ladies – 28th May – Gullane No.2
With WHS handicaps now in force, the match presented a chance to use the excellent CONGU "Mixed Tee" Handicap Calculator spreadsheet to determine the foursomes shot allowances. However, old habits prevailed, and whilst bona fida WHS course handicaps were calculated, the balance was determined based on the pre WHS "6 shots SSS difference", with both sides playing from the Yellow Tees to keep things sociable.

 

Captain Watson arrived to find an empty car boot - his golf clubs were back in Dollar! He hastily procured a hire set, which was perhaps a contributing factor in going down to a strong opening ML pairing by a dog licence. On this occasion his 4 legged companion, "Rio", was not present to collect the aforesaid DL! In match 2, Dilks and McKay scored a value point to level things up. The last 2 matches were both close, but ML did enough to pip SUGS and achieve a comfortable win, although a couple of putts either way could have made for a different result.
 

The weather? Not as summery as in previous years - an easterly wind brought some mist and haar, and visibility was down to 100 yards on the 17th tee. There was to be no post match catering this year as the Gullane Links Clubhouse (formerly the Gullane Visitors' Clubhouse) was closed due to a major refurbishment. However, a brief presentation ceremony at the side of the 18th green was held, and the Stags Trophy returned to Edinburgh with the victorious ladies.
Matches played were as follows (SUGS names first)

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1) Bobby Watson & Colin Steele lost to Louise Fraser & Maura Diamond by 7&6
2) Joe Dilks & Kenny McKay beat Karen Ferguson-Sneddon & Caroline Steedman by 3&2
3) Phil Pritchett & Mike Reid lost to Karina Matson & Nicki Graham by 2 holes
4) Andrew Thomson & David Anderson lost to Karen Marshall & Hilary Laughland by 2&1

 

Result: SUGS 1 - 3 MCLGA

 

Tantallon GC vs SUGS – 12th June 2021 – North Berwick Links
Results (Tantallon GC names first)
1) D Forbes & G Puch beat C Connacher & A Cunningham by 3&2    
2) R Foulner & N Brown halved with N Crilley & S Hindmarsh
3) S Holt & S McMohan beat S McCaffrey & Bobby Watson by 5&4
4) J Lee & R Shepherd lost to John Hall & Phil Pritchett by 1 hole
5) I Gardner & A Edwards lost to Tim Pakenham & Robin Duncan by 2&1
6) A Whitelaw & R MacPherson lost to Iain Crawford & Fraser McCluskey by 1 hole

 

Result: Tantallon GC 2½ - 3½ SUGS

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St Andrews SUGS v SUGS - New Course - Sunday 15 August 2021

Following a convivial dinner on Saturday evening at the Dolls House (attended by 14 players), the match was played the following day on the New Course (rather than the Jubilee) in fine weather. SUGS were in fine form and regained the fabled GUR Trophy.
 

Results (St Andrews SUGS names first)
1) David Jubb & David Murray lost to Tim Pakenham & Peter McCallum by 4&3
2) Hamish McNaughtan & Graham Murray lost to Mike Morrison & Alastair Morgan by 2&1
3) Alastair Russell & John Hall beat Bobby Watson & Mike Reid by 6&5
4) Ian Kerr & Murray Drummond beat Fraser McCluskey & Keith Macintosh by 5&4
5) Hamish Phillips & Sandy Reid lost to Iain Crawford & Phil Pritchett by 2&1
 

Results: St Andrews SUGS 2 - 3 SUGS

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Rye GC vs. SUGS – 31st August 2021 – Rye GC                

Morning Matches (Rye GC names first)                
1) Rob Kendrick & Michael Grint lost to James Hendry & Rory Lindsay Brown
2) Jonathan Brewer & Huw Phillips lost to James White & Stuart Pace
3) Rob Mann & Rosie Jenner lost to Patrick Mulcahy & Calum Moultrie
4) Clive Pickerill & Fred Edmond    beat Robert Hutton & Peter Grant
5) Barry Flanigan & Jamie Richards beat Michael Choong & Jak Muir
6) Jeremy Gill & Robert Fergusson lost to Samir Nanji & Jonathan Palmer

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AM Result: Rye GC 2 - 4 SUGS
               
Afternoon Matches                
1) R Kendrick & C Pickerill v J Hendry & S Pace (result not recorded)    
2) G Woolley & J Gill beat J White & J Muir
3) J Brewer & R Jenner beat P Mulcahy & R Lindsey Brown
4) B Flanigan & H Phillips    lost to M Choong & P Grant
5) Ric Hardsell & M Grint halved with R Hutton & J Palmer
6) F Edmond & J Richards beat S Nanji & C Moultrie

 

PM Result: Rye GC 3½ - 1½ SUGS

 

Overal Result: Rye GC 5½ - 5½ SUGS

 

Gullane GC vs SUGS – 5 September 2021 - Gullane No.1
Results (GGC names first)
1) Barry Templeton & John Garden beat Ross Finlay & Callum Connacher    
2) Andrew Doctor & Roddy Stevenson halved with Bobby Watson & Stuart Farmer
3) Colin Renton & Ewan Gordon halved with Iain Crawford & Ewan Cameron
4) Gabriele Salucci & Don Francis beat Phil Pritchett & Joe Dilks    
5) Simon Cunningham & Philip Eves beat Sarinder Singh & Nigel Watt    

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Result: Gullane GC 4 - 1 SUGS

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SUGS vs QUGS - 24th (Gullane GC) & 25th (HCEG) September 2021

Special thanks to GGC and HCEG for hosting and offering such affordable green fees…….although I am delighted to report that the food and beverage bill was substantial. It is certainly worth recording that past captain Charles Hammond had a hole in one at the 7th at Muirfield.  A notable location for your first ever hole in one.

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Day 1 - AM (SUGS names first)
1) Simon Holt & Elliott Smith lost to Phil O'Sullivan & Ben Brennan by 2&1
2) Colin Steele & Ewan Cameron beat Peter Greene & Declan O'Hara by 2&1
3) Matt Bentley & Conor Rankin lost to Gregg Skerrit & Mickey Curran by 1up
4) Colin Dempster & Gordon Simmonds lost to Paul Eastwood  & Eddie Bill by 2&1
5) Bobby Watson & David Simpson lost to Keith McGarry & Johnny McNeil by 5&4
6) Kenny McKay & Paddy Robinson beat Andy Dick & Alan Irwin by 2&1

 

AM Result: SUGS 2 - 4 QUGS

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Day 1 - PM (SUGS names first)
1) Elliott Smith & Ewan Cameron lost to Keith McGarry & Declan O'Hara by 3&2
2) Conor Rankin & Simon Holt beat Andy Dick & Mickey Curran by 4&3
3) David Simpson & Gordon Simmonds lost to Peter Greene & Ben Brennan by 4&3
4) Paddy Robinson & Matt Bentley beat Phil O'Sullivan & Paul Eastwood by 3&2
5) Bobby Watson & Colin Dempster lost to Gregg Skerrit & Johnny McNeil by 3&2
6) Kenny McKay & Colin Steele halved with Alan Irwin & Eddie Bill by 

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PM Result: SUGS 2½ - 3½ QUGS

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Day 1 Result: SUGS 4½ - 7½ QUGS

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Day 2 - AM (SUGS names first)

1) Elliott Smith & David Hutchison beat Ben Brennan & Declan O'Hara by 3&2
2) David Simpson & Duncan Low beat Keith McGarry & Jonny McNeil by 6&5
3) Colin Dempster & Ewan Cameron halved with Eddie Bill & Phil O'Sullivan
4) Charles Hammond & Mike Beamish lost to Peter Greene & Mickey Curran by 3&2
5) Colin Steele & Tim Edward lost to Alan Irwin & Paul Eastwood by 2&1
6) Bobby Watson & Robert Dick beat Gregg Skeritt & Andy Dick by 2&1

 

AM Result: SUGS 3½ - 2½ QUGS

 

Day 2 - PM (SUGS names first)
1) Duncan Low & Ewan Cameron halved with Declan O'Hara & Jonny McNeil
2) Colin Dempster & Elliott Smith beat Ben Brennan & Phil O'Sullivan by 5&4
3) David Hutchison & David Simpson beat Peter Greene & Keith McGarry by 4&3
4) Robert Dick & Colin Steele lost to Andy Dick & Eddie Bill by 2&1
5) Mike Beamish & Bobby Watson lost to Gregg Skeritt & Paul Eastwood by 3&2
6) Tim Edward & Charles Hammond beat Alan Irwin by 5&4

 

PM Result: SUGS 3½ - 2½ QUGS
 

Day 2 Result: SUGS 7 - 5 QUGS

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Overall Result: SUGS 11½ - 12½ QUGS

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SUGS Seniors v QUGS Seniors

SUGS Seniors lost by 2½ to 3½. Photos below from the match