The entry was down on last year but the standard of golf rose with the attendance of Durness Golf Club secretary, and Northern Times correspondant, Lucy Mackay. In what proved to be the decisive tap in birdie two at the 13th hole for three points, Lucy won the card play off over the last six holes to beat 13-year-old Greta Gauch from Germany now enjoying her summer vacation in the family holiday home close to the golf course. The pair had tied with totals of 39 points.

In attendance at the prize giving and praising the Brora clubs for their assistance was Ron Munro (Brora) (director of Sutherland Crossroads Care ) and East Sutherland Branch Co-ordinator Karen Phipps (Lairg).

Results: Silver Division and Trophy – L. Mackay (Durness) (14) 39pts. G. Gauch (Germany) (14) 39pts. P. Ashe (Brora) 915) 37pts. Bronze Division- A. Grant (Brora) (22) 38pts. F. Kelly (Inverness) (22) 38pts.

Golspie – The ladies Open tournament was also plagued by the strong wind last Saturday but not enough to deny Tain's Anne Ryan making a successful defence of the Golspie Bowl with a score of 80. Her sister and previous winner Mary Smith was the only other player to break 90 and came second with an 88.

Mairi Orr made it a Tain double when she won the Simpson Quaich for the overall best nett and Brora's Lyn Moore grabbed the Pearl Mackay Trophy as the winner of the Bronze Section. The home club's only success came from Sheila Robertson whose second place in the Silver Division won the Matheson Trophy confined to local members.

Results: Silver Division – Scratch – A. Ryan (Tain) 80, M. Smith (Tain) 88. Handicap – M. Orr (Tain) (14) 74. S. Robertson (Golspie) (12) 80. J. Casper (Thurso) (20) 80. E. Morrison (Fortrose) (21) 81.

Bronze Division. Scratch - I. Hart (RDGC) 103. Handicap – L. Moore (Brora) (22) 78. A. Pryde (Golspie) (24) 80. I. MacLean (Inverness) (31) 81. M. MacBeath (Thurso) (28) 84.

In the gent's section The Niall Chaplin Trophy was competed for over the last two weekends and holder Thomas Mackay successfully defended his win of last year by ten shots.

Results: Thomas Mackay (9 ) 68 & 67, 135. John Davies (13) 71 & 74, 145. Craig Mackay Jnr (5) 74 &72, 146. Colin Ritchie (11) 73 &74, 147.

Crossroads Care competition winners with East Sutherland Co-Ordinator Karen Phipps presenting Lucy Mackay (Durness) with the trophy. Left to right, Pat Ashe, Karen Phipps, Greta Gauch, Lucy Mackay, Angela Grant and Fiona Kelly.

After their 36 hole tie in the Millicent Bowl open competition new green keeping staff member Craig J. Mackay beat last year's winner Sam Somerville.

Royal Dornoch – Played the day after the Sinclair Cup Open, club captain Gordon Lawson and his playing partner, the 2007 North District Champion Paul York, combined to win the G. K. MacKay Foursomes open competition with a score of 79 that converted to two under par 68.

Full Results: G. K. Mackay Trophy ( home members unless stated) – Gordon Lawson & Paul York, Royal Dornoch (11) 68. Billy Mackay & Colin Murray, Royal Dornoch (11½) 68½. T.J Edwards & R.L Edwards, Peterborough Milton (5) 73. Cameron Sutherland & Gordon Sutherland (8½) 74½ bih S. Mortimer & S. Mortimer, Ghyll(8½) 74½. Scratch – D Joel & S. McCallum (Loch Ness) 75. N. McWilliam & S Baillie (Garmouth & Kingston)76.

Tain – From the 55 member clubs within the North District only nine have entered teams to play in the North District Team Championship being hosted by Tain for the first time on Sunday.

All the more disappointing is the absence of any teams from Sutherland clubs considering the close proximity of the event and the number of Category One players available for selection. The stay at home syndrome seems to be broadening?

The first time hosts of this event have two teams on show, one of them hoping to win the qualification ticket to the Scottish Club Team Championship finals at Windy Hill Golf Club where the Scottish winners, Cruden Bay Golf Club last year progressed to represent Scotland in European Club Championship finals, this year to be hosted by Turkey.

The Tain first team consists of Alan Everett and brothers James and Ross Macleod and making up the second team are Craig Smith, Mike Sangster and Billy Ferries. Club Champion Munro Ferries is not available as he is on his way to Carnoustie to compete in the Scottish Amateur Championship which begins on Monday.

Most of the Ross-shire clubs have also give the event a bye. Other than the hosts, Muir of Ord are the only other club to have entered a team into the 36 hole event and their trio are Ian Cameron, John MacKay and Graham Mellis who join nine other clubs providing a total entry of 13 teams.

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