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3rd-4th - Golf Weekend

Another year has disappeared out of the life of Bellshill Salvation Army Golfers, since we last went away for our annual golf weekend. Summer holidays, concerts for the Band members, Christmas Carolling , practises, Meetings, reviews, Alpha Course, Red Shield Appeal collecting. Slip into the equation work and some family life and it is a normal busy year. Bill Stewart also had the extra task of organising our annual Golf outing, and did another great job. Many thanks Bill.

This in itself is no mean feat. We have had to try and restrict the numbers to about 20, although if we let it the numbers could really snowball. Trying to get a good quality course to take a party of 20 golfers looking for two rounds on a Saturday and one round on a Sunday is not easy. Also, trying to get accommodation for an all male party (not a sexist choice here by the way !!) of 20 can also be tricky task since they often expect golfers to be a riotous hard-drinking group. (They get the riotous on occasions, but it is always amusing to see their faces as the drinks orders of Iron Bru and Diet Cokes roll in!!) 

This year we revisited some old ground by going back to the Strathmore area of Perthshire. This was a popular choice as we have had some great golfing in this area over the past few years. We stay in The Angus Hotel in Blairgowrie, which is a lovely hotel with good facilities within ten minutes driving of the three courses we were to play at. And for our more down-to-earth golfing friends good quality food, good portions and definitely no A La Carte. 

Our normal group of golfers were extended this year with a few very welcome additions. From our Corps family we had Bobby Roberts, and we were also delighted that Harry Clark from Glenrothes was able to join us.

Our tried and tested format stayed the same - A team Texas Scramble on the Saturday morning, followed by two individual competitions over the Saturday afternoon and Sunday rounds. There are three main trophies being played for, the two memorial trophies (The Dale Ferguson Trophy and The Jackie Dickie Trophy) are won by the winners of the Saturday afternoon and Sunday rounds. The overall Champion (or Bandit) wins the Bellshill SA Crystal Trophy.

Our Golfers travel from as far a field as Fife, Inverness and Glasgow to this event. This years outing started at the Strathmore Golf Club in Perthshire, which meant a very early start for most of us. It was great to meet and catch up with everyone again (and the bacon rolls and coffee were also most welcome). Like any organiser worth his salt, Bill had organised some great weather for the weekend (obviously he has a friend in high places!)

The course was quite busy however, and the final group had to wolf down their lunch prior to piling into their cars and tanking it up the road for the start of the afternoon round. (…”tanking it” … is code for “driving within all legal speed limits”, with all “due care and attention” …..but "maximising the use of minimal time allowed")

The Handicap Committee (I personally don’t know how they sleep at night!!) got the team balance just right, and as a result the team event was very closely fought. The winning team was captained by Ian Simpson, with his merry band comprising Bobby Roberts, Alan Crombie and Ross Pentney (see photo below)

The Saturday afternoon round was played at the Alyth Golf Club, which was my personal favourite. It is not a long course by today's standards (only 6259 yards long), but is a beautiful tight tree lined course with superbly laid out holes and lightning fast small greens. It demanded accurate shots and a good putting touch……hence the reason I did not win. It is also a course with excellent pedigree having had the original 9 holes designed by Old Tom Morris back in 1894, and the course being extended in 1934 by James Braid. (some info for all you golf “anoraks” out there!!) 

The Sunday round was played over the Glenisla Golf Course, which is literally straight across the road from the Alyth Golf Course. This is a more modern course, which is not as tight and controlling as Alyth and at 6402 yards longer. It offers a different challenge with some very well placed bunkers, long Par 3`s, water hazards and wildlife. (Sorry Bandmaster, but the sight of you fending off a nesting bird on the fourth hole the last time we played here is a sight not easily forgotten. Still you have got to laugh….We still are!)

The prize for brawn over skill, or to give it its correct title, The Longest Drive went to Bill Stewart and Drew Davidson. On a designated long hole the idea is simply to see who can hit the longest drive from the tee while staying on the same hole/golf course/county. They gripped and ripped and left the rest behind on the Saturday afternoon and Sunday competition. 

The prizes for skill over brawn, or Nearest-The-Pin, went to Harry Clark and Melvyn Shanks. Although the winner is the person to get his ball closest to the flag on a designated short hole, thus showing finesse and accuracy……,for a while the overall skills on show made us rethink that Nearest The Green might be more apt. That is until our winners shone through.

This year The Dale Ferguson Trophy for the winner of the Saturday afternoon competition was won by our Band Secretary, Mr Jim Pentney. Jim stuck in superbly well over a very difficult course, and was a worthy winner. The frightening news for the rest of us is that before the golf weekend next year, Jim will have retired and will be focusing on going one better and winning the Crystal. Hopefully this is not going to put him under too much pressure…,if it doesn’t we will just have to knobble his handicap allowance. Jim is pictured below with Bill Stewart.

The Jack Dickie Trophy for the winner of the Sunday competition was won by our beloved Bandmaster and Golfing Champion, Mr Ian Dickie. Ian is a superb golfer and is always the man we have to beat. Although he didn’t win the Crystal this year he was delighted to win the trophy that was given in memory of his father. Ian is pictured below with Bill Stewart.

Our overall winner this year was our Assistant YP Band Leader, Mr Chris Shanks. As our Champion over the two competition days, he becomes the proud holder of the Bellshill SA Crystal. Chris played very steadily and very well over the two days, and being my nephew made me feel old. Watching him attach the ball hurt MY back…..the new kid on the block has arrived. Chris is pictured below with Bill Stewart.

Chris was well ahead on the scoring chart after the Saturday afternoon round, and it was going to take a monumental effort for us to catch him…..or to put him off. And being good Christian Golfers……,boy did we try! Short of holding an Open Air outside his room at 3 in the morning (aka music school), we did our best gamesmanship but he held his nerve. A worthy Champion. 

A great weekend of fellowship, banter and golf was had by all . Next years preparations are under way and will be at another venue, but hopefully we will all be able to attend and take part again. It is a special fellowship and one we cherish.

I didn`t win a trophy this year, and the gap on top of the piano is rather obvious. Between Ian Dickie and Chris Shanks playing so well, Ian`s  youngest son Craig about to inflict his golfing talent on us in the next year or so, and the regular contenders for trophies……, it is going to cost me a fortune for flowers for my wife to plug this gap on top of our piano! 

Maybe the Handicap Committee will take pity on me next year ??!!

by David Ferguson

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