Left to right: Ann Ryan, Mary Smith and Sammy Vass.

Tain make it nine in a row at Ross-Sutherland competition

By ROBIN WILSON
Cara Gruber and clubmate Claire Riddell returned to their childhood course (Strathpeffer) on Saturday with the Royal Dornoch women's team of Alison Bartlet and Liz Coghill in an attempt to prevent a nine-in-a-row scratch win by Tain in the Ross -Sutherland women's inter-club competition.
But despite their “local” knowledge Gruber and Riddell could not halt the Tain domination of this event who with three Northern Counties women's team members in the line up, Mary Smith, Anne Ryan and Sammy Vass, won by eight shots.
In the best of three from four scores format, Smith shot 71, her sister Ryan 70 and their niece Vass 73 for a total of 214. The fourth score discarded was 76 from Claire Ross.
Runners-up Royal Dornoch had scores from Gruber 67, Bartlet 76 and Riddell 79 for 222. Non-counting was Coghill 85.
Celebrating winning the handicap trophy for the first time were Gairloch with a net total of 202 from Margot Barr (11) 69, Susan MacIvor (10) 64, Jo Powell (30) 69 and non-counter Irene Croal (19) 75.
Golspie, the handicap trophy holders, finished runners up with 207 – Anne Macrae (10) 68, Sheila Robertson (11) 71, Judith MacLeod (20) 68 and non-counter Fiona More (20) 87.

Gairloch's trophy-winning team (left to right): Margo Marr, Susan McIver, Irene Croal and Jo Powell.