Braids course condition hailed as 'phenomenal' for 124th Dispatch Trophy

Big build ups often don’t deliver, but this one definitely did and it was no surprise whatsoever that the condition of the Braids course proved the main talking point on the opening day of the 124th Dispatch Trophy.

New head greenkeeper Gary Rodger and his team had put in a power of work in preparation for the Edinburgh Leisure-supported event and, after early-morning fog soon burned off, their efforts were there for all to see.

“It’s the best I’ve seen it for years,” declared one seasoned campaigner in the historic team tournament and a recent gold medallist. “In fact, it puts most private clubs to shame!”

It would have been unfair to name him just in case someone might be offended, but, nonetheless, it was an illustration of how the Capital course is not only looking but also playing for its week in the spotlight.

“I played up here over the winter and the difference over the past four or five weeks in weather that hasn’t exactly been favourable is phenomenal,” said Duddingston’s Allyn Dick.

“The course is as good as it’s been since I started playing up here in 2007 and, though there’s scope for the greens to be faster, credit to Edinburgh Leisure as it’s a first-class job.”

Graeme Millar, who played in his first Dispatch Trophy in 1975, added his voice to a chorus of praise. “It’s right up there with any course I’ve played this year,” said the Swanston club captain and representing Colinton Mains in this outing.

Other factors contributed to it being a brilliant start once again for one of the best events in golf, one being the fact there are few better places to play golf than high above Scotland’s Capital city on a sun-kissed day. “Probably one of the prettiest places you will ever play,” observed Andy Hall, an Englshman representing Bass Rock.

As always, Graham Ewart, a legendary figure in the Lothians and beyond, was in his chair at the side of the first tee to see some of the matches tee off and there’s good reason why the widespread warmth constantly shown to him was like the lovely temperature on this particular day.

For the vast majority of those who stepped on to the first tee, with a number doing so twice over the course of the day, playing in the Dispatch Trophy has long been one of the highlights of their golfing year and now others are being bitten by the Braids bug in this double foursomes event.

Scottish Under-16 international Jake Johnston, for instance, is through to the last 16 with Royal Burgess and, boy, would his late grandad Bobby would be proud to see that after serving on the Dispatch Trophy committee.

On his debut, 15-year-old Eddie Jackson was also a double winner with Turnhouse, as was Calum Robinson, another relative newcomer to the tournament, for Turnhouse team BBT. “It’s been a great day - apart from forgetting sunscreen,” he admitted, smiling.

Defending champions Duddingston, six-time winners Silverknowes and Heriot’s FP, last year’s beaten finalists, are also among the teams still standing heading into the third round on Tuesday night.

First round

Duddingston (Jamie Duguid and Allyn Dick 0; Ben Alexander and Connor Scott 6); Stewart’s Melville FP (Scott Simpson and Drew McIntosh 2; Kevin Cattanach and Graeme Nisbet 0).

Duddingtston won 4&3

Musselburgh Old Course bt RBS by walkover

Bank of Scotland (Graeme Stevenson and Andy Stevenson 3; Neil Sutherland and Ken McKinlay 0); Granton Golfing Society (Aiden Renton and Kenny Alexander 0; Jack Carlin and John MacRae 2).

Bank of Scotland won by one hole

Royal Burgess (Duncan Johnston and Jake Johnston 6; Graeme Boyd and Louis Murray 0); Watsonians (Harry Carruthers and Calum Murray 0; Greg Nicolson and Andrew Hogg 2).

Royal Burgess won 3&2

Bass Rock (Justin Ross and Andy Hall 1; Chris Brown and Gareth Pugh 5); Harrison A (Kiron Gribble and Kai Laing 0; Donny Muno and Dougie Waugh 0),

Bass Rock won 6&5

Edinburgh Leisure (Scott Findlay and Norman Horsburgh 0; Matty Harper and Robert Brown 1); Donuts@9th Newbattle (Craig Surgeon and Graeme Reid 3; Fraser Jervis and Paul Hares 0).

Donuts@9th Newbattle won 3&1

Dalmahoy A (Stuart Wardle and Steven Lees 0; Ross Neilson and Mark Boggie 0); Hailes B (Scott Finlayson and Marc Cairnie 3; Andy Sanderson and Fraser Sutherland 2).

Hailes B won 5&4

Edinburgh Academicals (Hugo Rintoul and Paul Loudon 0; Jamie Simpson and Nick People 0); BBT (Kyle Wilson and Calum Robinson 5; Eddie McVey and Jack McVey 1).

BBT won 6&5

Edinburgh Western (Kevin McDonald and Keith McFarlane 0; David Wilson and Andrew Rennie 2); Caermount (Gary Henshaw and Calum Robertson 2; Alan Thomson and Iain Dickson 0).

Caermount won at 19th

Silverknowes B (Keith Tulloch and Gary Cheyne 0; Anthony Howden and Steve Garioch 0); Turnhouse (Steven Arnstrong and Keith Watt 6; Eddie Jackson and Craig Docherty 2).

Turnhouse won 8&7

Silverknowes Generations (Stevie Adamson and Steve Reilly 4; Iain Connolly and John Connolly 4); Westermont (Ross Tuddenham and Matthew Mackay 0; Thomas Hinds and Stuart Davidson 0).

Silverknowes Generations won 8&6

Kilgour Wealth beat Tantallon by a walkover

Second round

Duddingston (Jamie Duguid and Allyn Dick 5; Ben Alexander and Connor Scott 7); Musselburgh Old Course (Euan Glen and Colin Whoriskey 0; Calum Livingston and Kevin Wylie) 0.

Duddingston won 12&11

Bank of Scotland (Graeme Stevenson and Andy Stevenson 0; Neil Sutherland and Billy Horan 0); Royal Burgess (Duncan Johnston and Jake Johnston 4; Graeme Boyd and Louis Murray 5).

Royal Burgess won 9&8

Bass Rock (Justin Ross and Andy Hall 2; Chris Brown and Gareth Pugh 0); Donuts@9th Newbattle (Craig Surgeon and Graeme Reid 0; Fraser Jervis and John Nisbet 1).

Bass Rock won by one hole

Lochend B (Graeme Markey and Thomas Burnett 0; David Dalglish and Jamie Crisp 5); Merchants (Ross Hannah and Richard Craig 3; Adam George and Fraser Smith 0).

Lochend B by two holes

Hailes A (Craig Gordon and Danny Crolla 5; Alan Mackay and Gary Malone 3); Dalmahoy B (Richard Fyvie and James Devlin 0; Scott McClory and Sean Sutherland 0).

Hailes A won 8&6

Lochend A (Alan Thompson and David Graham 1; Scott Cross and Gary Reilly 0); Swanston (Paul Stewart and Malcolm Campbell 0; Calum Mackinnon and Struan Reinink 9).

Swanston won 8&7

Lothians GA Executive (John Hall and David Doig 0; Neil Anderson and Joe McManus 0); Murrayfield (Bobby Gibson and Carl Johnstone 0; Stuart Thurlow and Adam Hawthorn 7).

Murrayfield won 7&6

Kilgour Property (Mark Roberts and John Shepherd 1; James Howie and Max Gordon 0); Heriot’s FP (Sam Hall and Steven Sinclair 0; Stuart Langlands and Scott Dickson 5).

Heriot’s FP won 4&3

Harrison 21 (Scott Knowles and John Cafferty 3; Stuart More and Ian Ashley 1); Braids United (Gordon Brown and Martin Rutherford 0; Andy White and Andy Chalmers 0).

Harrison 21 won 4&3

Carrickvale (James Kerr and Gregor Maiden 0; Josh Cullerton and Paul Cunningham 1); Colinton Mains (Ross Fergus and Scott Fergus 4; Calum Burgess and Graeme Millar 0).

Colinton Mains won 3&1

Riccarton beat Dirleton Castle by a walkover

Edinburgh Thistle (Donald Anderson and Steve Robinson 5; Barrie Anderson and Ian Cropley 0); Harrison B (Brian Byers and Simon Moggie 0; Fraser Murray and Richard Thomas 4).

Edinburgh Thistle won by one hole

Silverknowes (Keith Reilly and Graham Robertson 0; Chris Milligan and Conor McWatt 5); Heriot’s Quad (Innes Christie and Dave Campbell 0; Ewan Gordon and Scott Johnston 0).

Silverknowes won 5&4

Hailes B (Scott Finlayson and Marc Cairnie 0; Andy Sanderson and Fraser Sutherland 0); BBT (Kyle Wilson and Calum Robinson 2; Mark Scoular and Jack McVey 3).

BBT won 5&4

Caermount (Gary Henshaw and Calum Robertson 0; Alan Thomson and Iain Dickson 0); Turnhouse (Steven Arnstrong and Keith Watt 9; Eddie Jackson and Craig Docherty 2).

Turnhouse won 11&10

Silverknowes Generations (Stevie Adamson and Steve Reilly 1; Iain Connolly and John Connolly 3); Kilgour Wealth Management (Mark McLeod and Scott Whigham 0; Jim Keggie and Stuart Turner 0).

Silverknowes Generations won 4&3