Gibson Cup winners Anne Brownie (centre left) and Mary Stark (centre right) flanked by the beaten finalists, Pam Townsend and Rosie Dennis (image by Anne Brownie).

Gibson Cup won by Lothianburn's
Mary Stark and

Anne Brownie
Following on from last year’s Centenary competition, 52 foursomes pairings contested the 2008 Gibson Cup, sponsored by The Ladies Golf Centre (www.golfing-lady.com). After 54 holes of golf (55 including the extra hole in the final!), the magnificent silver cup was presented to the Lothianburn combination of Mary Stark and Anne Brownie at a well attended prizegiving in the Thistle Lounge.Sunday afternoon’s final was closely contested and played in great spirit with Pam Townsend and Rosie Dennis (both Murayfield) staging a fighting comeback from three down with five to play. Pam’s 20ft par putt on the 18th green forced the final into sudden death with Mary and Anne prevailing at the first extra hole with a regulation par.
The beaten semi-finalists from Sunday morning caddied in the Final: Margaret Ritchie and Janet Hardie (both Harburn) and Hazel Carpenter and Elspeth Adair (both Lothianburn).Saturday’s medal round was played in a gusty wind over Braid Hills No 1 golf course which was already playing long after a summer of wet weather.This was reflected in the scoring with no couple breaking or even matching par.
The best net score was 73.5 against par of 72 and this came from Pam Townsend and Rosie Dennis (playing off 15.5). Scoring improved in both the match-play and Consolation Trophy (Stableford foursomes) played in Sunday’s more benign conditions with many excellent putts holed on the greens which were running very true.

A second flight of match-play saw Suzanne Ireland (Prestonfield) and Diane Moncrieff (Lochend) winners over another Lothianburn pairing of Ruth Brown and Christine Clements.

The Consolation Trophy winners, pictured above right, were Linda Wemyss and Sandra Hennessey (both Broomieknowe) who scored 36 points ahead of three pairs tied on 33 points.
GIBSON CUP RESULTS
Qualifying Round
1 R Dennis & P Townsend (15.5) 73.5.
2 A Brownie & M Stark (9) 78.
3 E Adair & H Carpenter (22.5) 78.5
4 J Hardie & M Ritchie (12.5) 79.5
MATCH-PLAY
Semi-finals
R Dennis & P Townsend bt J Hardie & M Ritchie 5 and 3.
A Brownie & M Stark bt E Adair & H Carpenter 2 and 1.
Final
A Brownie & M Stark bt R Dennis & P Townsend at 19th.
Flight 2 Match-play
Semi-finals
S Ireland & D Moncrieff bt G Glen & K Baillie 3 and 2.
R Brown & Clements bt B Biggart & J Heaney 2 and 1.
Final
S Ireland & D Moncrieff bt R Brown & Clements 2 and 1.
Consolation Trophy
1 S Hennessey & L Wemyss 36pts.
2 J Neville & S Simpson 33pts (better inward half).
3 A Leitch & O O’Sullivan 33 pts (best last 6).

Next year’s dates for this fun foursomes event are September 26 and 27.