FAIRWAYS AND FOUL

1991 With the prospect of Dave’s mum’s house in the Spey area, we moved up there to try some quieter courses. Fife was being “discovered” by all sorts of strange people – Japanese, American, Dutch and German tourists complete with courtesy buses and block bookings. Bags and beer guts big enough to block a fairway so that was it- time for pastures new and a return to golf as it should be played, over quiet links where there was time to go a looking for Tommo’s wild drives. We also took advantage of the Moray ‘Golf Ticket’ and played Spey Bay, Hopeman, Buckie East and West, Strathlene, Buckpool, Cullen, Garmouth, Keith (a huge field!), Forres and Lossiemouth New.

Spey Bay was in pretty good nick and so we played there, Forres (x2) and Lossie. Quite testing. We played quite well at Spey Bay. Dave 66, Duncan 69, Tommo 71, Robbo 77. Duncan could have had a very good score but took a 9 on the 17th, Tugnet.

Forres was played in glorious sunshine – a memorable Bears day. Two rounds of stroke play was hard going and we had little time in-between rounds – 30 minutes maximum. The female starter showed no pity as we begged for more time and so that was it - off again in the sun with only a glass of iced orange and a sandwich to keep us going.

The closest competition for a while, with only 9 shots separating the Bears after three rounds (often there is a nine shot gap after nine holes!).

All to play for, then on the last day at Lossiemouth. Very gorsy – like a flat ‘braids’ with good quick greens. Despite a 10 on the Par 5 14th (‘Dinna Top’). Duncan played a very steady round otherwise and won comfortably with a 66.

Final round: Duncan 66, Dave 80, Tommo 72, John 81. Overall: Duncan 275, Gordon 289, John 296 and Dave 298. still close but a well deserved win for Duncan for the first time ever! Celebration in the streets of Viewforth. Duncan was the only Bear not to have previously won, proving that if you knock hard enough on the door, it will open….

1992 Spey Bay, Garmouth, Strathlene, Lossie.

Tommo got off to a bad start this year, with an 80 at Spey Bay. This included an 11 on the 2nd hole. Must have been a few drives into the gorse on that one. Scores: JR 68, Dave 75, Duncan 62, Gordon 80. John did well and Duncan had a brilliant round of gross 88. Handicap cut there, Mr. Secretary! Off to Garmouth for round 2 – more open parkland here, but a few traps for the unwary. Duncan again did well (63) leaving the rest in his wake (John 74, Gordon 79, Dave 84). At Strathlene, Duncan had another sub 70 total. (Handicap urgently needing checked!)


With one round left, Duncan was 20 shots clear. Unassailable? So it proved, with another sub 70 score of 68. Duncan 68 (260), Robbo 73 (285), Tommo (74) 308 and Dave 74 (310). He really had gotten a taste for that lil’ ol’ trophy, with what is the lowest net score in the Bears, beating Tommo’s outrageous 264 with a net of 42!

I think we repaired to a Chinese in Elgin to celebrate.....