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Billy and I arrived so early that we could have chosen to either cut the greens or hoover the locker rooms. No food however and the coffee was out a machine. The weather was slightly better than we have been used to and the course was in excellent condition. My playing partners were Alistair Clark from Dunblane New, and John Farrell from Ratho Park.

Alistair unfortunately hit a high percentage of the tree population while John and myself both returned net scores of 70 which should make the buffer zone. The greens were very quick and I was caught out more than once by being past the hole, making a two putt all but impossible. The windy conditions did not detract from the enjoyability of the round and we all enjoyed the day. Service in the clubhouse was efficient and with a smile. You just have to play here, it is almost flat, has no rough to speak off and if you stay out of the trees, should play to your handicap or better every time. Currently Twilight Golf is available from 4pm-6pm on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday and you can take advantage of this superb offer at a reduced green fee of £20 per Golfer or a fantastic £60 for a Fourball. Now that’s what I call a good deal, and I will be back sometime soon. For all bookings please contact the Pro Shop on 0131 335 0068 (option 3) and quote TWILIGHT GOLF or e-mail: secretary@rathoparkgolfclub.co.uk or visit www.rathoparkgolfclub.co.uk

Myself and John Docherty, also a member of Stirling Golf Club, arrived at Lundin Golf Club to be welcomed by very windy conditions.

My playing partner, Colin Ramsay from Musselburgh Golf Club, were about to tee-off when we were informed that a late arrival would be joining us. Unfortunately we already had our picture taken and had no time to take another before teeing off. All I can say about my round is that I will be glad when the month of May(hem) is over and we can look forward to a calmer and warmer June. I think over the past five years this has got to be my worst score yet, with only ten points on the way out and fourteen on the way in, up another point one (silent scream).  My thanks go to Colin and Ross who made a very difficult round bearable. Like many golf clubs we were made to feel welcome and the filled rolls were served within a few minutes. Coffee was from a machine but actually okay. Following the round I had a burger with chips which was quite filling and just what I needed. This is another course you just have to play, and all the golfers I know, have got the t-shirt. Contact details – Tel: 01333 320202 or Web: www.lundingolfclub.co.uk

The weather was windy but dry and the course was in excellent condition. I struck the ball as good as I have ever done, but still managed to lose by two holes. My nephews Craig and Billy, combined well together and used their strokes to great effect while I did not score well and put my partner Stewart, Craig’s father-in-law, under tremendous pressure. There were rumours that Stewart wanted his son-in-law to win, which in effect meant I had three opponents instead of two. I remembered my camera on this occasion but unfortunately it had been left switched on and the batteries were done. Unfounded rumours spread quickly that it was simply not the case and that the reason for the camera developing a fault was because I did not want to have my photograph taken with a sour face. Wait till the next time. The Roxburghe’s only fault is the travelling, twenty minutes outside my comfort zone of ninety minutes. However, the course was in very good condition and we were made to feel welcome from our arrival. We were made to feel welcome, served promptly with our filled rolls and freshly ground coffee. Despite the distance you may have to drive it is worth a visit and well worth the cost.

Arrived nice and early only to discover that I had forgotten both my camera and my Power Caddy battery. So no photo this time. Still, us golfers can overcome these small setbacks. My playing partners were my nephew Billy Scott / Glenbervie and Ian Page / Kingsknowe and preferred lies were in operation on the day. At the first hole I two putted for a solid par and thought I was off to a good start, that was until I slipped and fell as I left the green and somehow broke my putter, oops. This was more than a small setback and I was required to use my 3 iron for the rest of the round. Out in 41 with 20 putts, not too bad considering. However, a lost ball at the 10th, after my drive flew the marker with a slight draw and was never seen again. At this point I felt that the writing was on the wall and an N/R was recorded. Both Billy and Ian struggled in the gusting wind which was reflected in their scores, Billy was also an N/R. A macaroni and chip lunch following completion of the round and we were soon heading back to Stirling. Then to make my day I arrived back home to discover that I had left my golf shoes hanging up in the locker room. Friday the “thirteenth” indeed. Although both Leven and Leven Thistle play over the same course there is a definite down to earth feeling at the Thistle Club (founded in 1867) while Leven Golfing Society (founded in 1862) is slightly more up-market.  If it is possible that someone out there hasn’t played Leven, then you can’t be a real golfer.

Contact details for Leven Thistle Golf Club are – Tel: 01333 426333  or Email: secretary@leventhistlegolf.org.uk    Web: www.leventhistlegolf.org.uk   for Leven Golfing Society – Tel:  01333 424229  or Email: secretary@levengolfingsociety.co.uk    Web: www.levengolfingsociety.co.uk

Another fine sunny day awaited our return to Scoonie Golf Club for the Senior Open. Our start time of 09.00am was perfect as my nephew and I teed off along with Jock Page, a local member.

That’s Jock in the centre of the picture. We had a very enjoyable round and Jock kept us going in the right direction as we nearly got lost after the third green. I played well the front nine with six pars two bogeys and a birdie at the ninth for a one over par 36. I didn’t fair so well over the back nine and struggled continually with club selection due to the firm ground. My downfall was the par three 13th (lucky for some) where I made six, and although I birdied the par three 14th I was on the downward slide, eventually ending with a net 69. The SSS is 66, but I have still to find out the CSS. Meanwhile my nephew Billy was going along with the odd par, double bogey and even a quadruple bogey at that lucky for some 13th where he took seven. The bottom line however was a net score of 60 yes that’s right SIXTY. Bandit I hear you say, well not the case, my nephew has crippling arthritis in his hands and is in constant pain when he plays. He recently joined Glenbervie Golf Club, mainly due to the fact that any wild shot at his former club was a lost ball, and subsequently a high score. He only played at Scoonie today because I dragged him along with me. I am personally really pleased for him, as I know he would love to reduce his handicap to eighteen if possible. I would like to thank Jock for his company and wish him well for the future, also Fay for finding me a trolley. I stand by my previous comments i.e. A working mans club but a golfers course. Green Fees: £15 weekdays and £20 at weekends.

Two hours driving, but it was worth it. The course was in very good condition although my nephew and I, once again, did not make the prize list.

Our playing partners were Murray, that’s him with the moustache, and Ken on the right. Unfortunately when I checked the web-site for their surnames it had been deleted. However, both Murray and Ken made the whole day enjoyable, thanks guys. The course was good with the greens tricky to read, that’s our excuse anyway. Having began with a par at the first we gradually fell away. Murray on the day played the better of us all, using his local knowledge to good effect, while my nephew struggled with consistency and was unable to put his strokes to good use. To be fair, I hit the ball well but did not use any of my strokes, and failed to hole any sizeable putts. Perhaps when I visit again in September to compete in the Gents’ Open I will do better. A good course for a days outing.

Stirlingshire Association of Past Captains Spring Outing at Dunblane New Golf Club. A better-ball format, my partner was Arthur Denholm (Aberfoyle) and our playing partners were Gary McSorley (Falkirk Tryst) and Jim White (Falkirk).

While my partner played well, I missed several good opportunities and our net 70 missed out on the prize list by two strokes. Meanwhile Gary and Jim, after a poor front nine, combined well over the inward half to return a net 69 which missed out by one stroke. The course overall was tidy and in good condition, although the greens were well sanded and a bit slow, but will improve, I’m sure, over the next few weeks. The food was excellent, I had steak pie again, and my only criticism, small as it is, was the flaky pastry which almost exploded when touched. The steak pie however was delicious and Arthur, who had the salmon, looked like he was going to lick the plate. Worth a visit.

Another Texas Scramble, this time a four man team, which will include myself, my nephew, his friend Billy and David Walker. Forecast is good so we should have a laugh. We arrived nice and early, weather as predicted, blue skies, sunshine and a light breeze. The course was in excellent condition, although we were unable to take advantage of the birdie chances, until Dave’s fine three wood second shot at the par five fourth gave us two putts for our first birdie. Unfortunately my playing partners all missed the par three fifth and we made a bogey four. (As we used my tee shot at the par three second, my tee shot at this par three did not count.) Pars at the next four holes saw us out in 36, level par. The inward half improved after a two putt par at the tenth with a tap in birdie four at the eleventh after my pitch hit the pin but failed to drop. The twelfth, a short par four guarded by water, saw us make another birdie here. At the thirteenth, only my nephew Billy and Dave’s tee shots counted, but we scrambled a par three from a difficult lie. We parred the next five holes with the only excitement being at the par three fifteenth when my nephew’s tee shot would count. Only one hundred and twenty five yards, but with a ditch, overhanging trees and a twenty two handicap, it was not going to be easy. He did however make good use of at least two trees before landing his ball on the green. Two putts later and we had an easy par. The final hole was also my final tee shot and I hit it, thankfully, straight down the middle. My shot to the green was the nearest and Billy Forsyth rolled it in for a final birdie three and an inward 32, three under par. Once again our final score of 62.8 never looked like making the prize list but it was a most enjoyable day. The food was reasonable with a varied selection and the clubhouse was clean and well presented.

If you haven’t played Harburn then you are missing out. This is another course that will please all ranges of handicaps, with a good mix of long and short par three’s and par four’s. The course is fairly flat with water and trees coming into play depending on the line of your tee shot. The greens were good with lots of subtle breaks, and they will become even better, so get on the web site and book your game a.s.a.p. you will not regret it.

I have never played Scoonie before, although I have played on its illustrious neighbour Leven Links many times. I am, however, looking forward to my first visit when I will compete in a Texas Scramble with my nephew and a friend, should be fun.

Sunday 10th April and here we are at Scoonie Golf Club, me with my sun glasses and sun hat, my nephew Billy Scott, that’s him on the right, and his friend Billy Forsyth prepare to  participate in the club’s Texas Scramble. A nicer day we couldn’t have picked, hot and sunny with a light breeze. Although not the most affluent golf club in the world, Scoonie is a friendly club with all the necessary amenities. Our cups of coffee did not appear to come from a machine, which I personally think is a good thing, and our rolls arrived with the coffee, another box ticked. Soon we were given our card and we set off down the first where we scrambled a bogey five. This I may add was not because of the condition of the course which we each agreed was in remarkable condition with copious amounts of grass on the greens, something we could do with at Stirling just now. The second, third and fourth holes produced solid pars, with our only birdie of the day coming at the short par four fifth. Our inward half was almost a repeat of the front nine except that we had no birdies but made eight straight pars before finishing with a bogey five for 33. Our net score of 59.2 however, never threatened the leaders and we ended our day with a nice meal of home made soup, followed by steak pie and chips, delicious. Overall, this is a golf course worth a visit, some ups and downs but not hilly, three long par fours at four hundred and thirty yards, five par threes, one of which is over two hundred and twenty five yards, you will do well to play to your handicap on your first visit. A good enough golf course but definitely a working man’s clubhouse.

4th May – Niddry Castle – Senior Open (Cancelled)

28th May – Paisley Golf Club – Senior Open (Cancelled)

15th August – Stirling Golf Club – Match V Fife

16th August – East Kilbride Senior Open