Jillian is a chip off the
old block

From Robin Wilson, North golf correspondent

When I played my best scratch golf and won the Brora tourney (twice) and the Carnegie Shield at Royal Dornoch (1984), my caddie was always my brother- in-law, Donald Mackay. He was a prolific footballer for Brora Rangers and Ross County in the 1970s and 80s.

I myself never paid much attention and still do not bother about where my clubs are in my bag, they just get chucked in anywhere. Donald was the complete opposite. First thing he did when "on my bag" was to put the clubs in order.

Sadly Donald died very suddenly four years ago and was a great miss to all the family, his wife Karen and young daughter Jillian.
Jilllian, now aged 11, has taken up golf and last week I took her out to caddie for me in the first match play round of the Brora tournament.

Two holes into my first game I grabbed a seven iron for my second shot and after playing the shot shoved the club back into the bag ... when up came Jillian's voice, "That's not where it goes."

I looked in my bag and every club was in numerical order, just like her father used to do - "Scary".

It was like this every round, but it worked. I don' know whether it was the incentive to earn some pocket money for her Irish holiday or not, but with her encourargement and blackmail for a bigger tip, we lasted the distance. We won the Class 1 handicap cup - times have moved on since my scratch days!
That's Jillian and me with the cup above.

Robin Wilson