Golf, by TourMiss

In my early days starting out reporting on the European Tour there was one golfer who stood out as one of the characters of the game – Gordon Brand Jnr. It was only last fortnight ‘Brandy’, as he most-affectionately known, and myself were again taking the mickey out of each other at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush. It is why it has come as a huge shock to learn ‘Brandy’ has passed away and just 19 days shy of his 61st birthday. The Scottish-born golfer was due ...

It has been much like the No. 272 bus.  You wait ages for the bus to arrive and two come at once. That was the scenario today at Crail Golfing Society when Royal Troon’s very affable Michael Smyth equalled the Balcomie Links course record with a nine-under par 60. Smyth, 33 recorded 10 birdies and dropped just one shot on day two of the 2019 Scottish Men’s Amateur Championship here at golf’s seventh oldest club. Less than 24-year hours, Longniddry’s David Rudd lowered the record set ...

David Rudd admitted having played late last year in the company of legendary Tom Watson helped him smash the Balcomie Links course record with a nine-under par 60 on the opening day qualifier of the Scottish Men’s Amateur at Crail. The 19-year old Longniddry member broke the par-69 record by one shot and bizarrely on a day the Crail Golfing Society had the 15-year old prior record scorecard held by proud member, Ross Forgan returned from a fresh re-framing. Ross had been monitoring the progress ...

Nineteen-year old Liam Duncan smashed a 15-year Balcomie Links course record posting an eight-under par 61 on the opening day of the 2019 Scottish Men’s Amateur championship at Crail. Duncan lowered the course by a shot some two hours after Eric McIntosh had become the second golfer in the morning’s play to equal the existing course record of 62. Crail member Ross Forgan had set the course record in regular club competition. John Paterson, and out in the very first group of the day, matched ...

John Paterson confessed he was thinking of breaking 60 in eventually equalling the Balcomie Links course record with a seven-under par 62 early on day one of the 2019 Scottish Men’s Amateur at Crail Golfing Society. The New Club at St. Andrews golfer was out in the very first group at 7.30am and teeing-up in glorious conditions at the 7th oldest golf club managing two eagles and three birdies to lead the 164-strong field by four strokes. Paterson is no stranger to Crail having competed ...

Defending Scottish Men’s Amateur champion Euan McIntosh is no stranger to Crail Golfing Society having visited the club many times to contest the annual Battle Trophy. So, it came as a surprise when Euan arrived at Crail this past Sunday for a practice round on the Balcomie Links, and along with the Craighead Links, a qualifying course for this week’s Scottish Men’s Amateur. “You know, I’ve been here to Crail so many times but never once have I played the Balcomie,” he said. “The ...

Joint Open leader Shane Lowry singled out TV commentary from Jay Townsend as the cause for being distracted on the 17th tee late in second round at The Open here at Royal Portrush. Lowry was all set to lauch his drive down the 17th when Townsend’s American accent on a nearby TV screen forced Lowry to back off his tee shot. “There’s a little tented village with a TV screen about 80 yards from the tee box, and I could hear Jay Townsend commenting on my shot,” said Lowry. “Just ...