HARBURN AT THE DOUBLE IN GIBSON CUP

 HOORAY FOR HARBURN! Left to right: Aileen Kennedy, Janet Hardie, Margaret Ritchie,  Fiona Smith.

 By ANNE BROWNIE

Day 2 of the 2011 Gibson Cup took place in beautiful sunshine over the Braids golf course on Sunday 15^th April – in sharp contrast to the fog and rain that forced its postponement at the end of last season. 

Harburn Golf Club have double reason to celebrate with a clean sweep of the match-play as Margaret Ritchie and Janet Hardie won the Gibson Cup whilst Aileen Kennedy and Fiona Smith won the second flight final. 

The Braids golf course was in great condition which the competitors clearly enjoyed at this early stage of the season (but key to success was keeping out of the gorse in full bloom!). Both semi-finals in the Gibson Cup match-play were keenly contested – going up the 19^th.  

The eventual winners of the Gibson Cup, Margaret Ritchie and Janet Hardie, won through to the Final with a birdie at the 19^th, edging out the holders – Ruth Brown and Viv Curran of Lothianburn.

 In the other top flight semi-final, a very even match was finally settled at the first extra hole with Jacky Burnett and Claire Barnish of Broomieknowe winning over Vivien Mitchell and Louise Wells of Prestonfield.  In the Gibson Cup Final the consistent, accurate play of the more experienced Harburn pair led to an emphatic 7 and 6 win for Margaret and Janet.

In the second flight  match-play Aileen Kennedy and Fiona Smith put out Sandra Kempston (Craigmillar Park) and Zandra Mathieson (Broomieknowe) on their path to the final. 

Their opponents in the final were Anne Henderson and Gail McKill of Gullane Ladies, who had had a narrow one-hole win in the morning over Sal Shepherd (Craigmillar Park) and Kay Baillie (Musselburgh).  Aileen and Fiona won their final by the margin of 4 and 3 to complete the double for Harburn.

The Consolation Salver  was won by Diane Moncrieff and Eileen Gillespie (both Lochend), pictured right, with 34 points. Four pairs tied on 32 points and the prizewinners on card countback were Adrienne Turner and Laura Reekie (both Baberton) in second place; in third were Mandy McBain (Turnhouse) and Susan Randall  (Carrickvale).

Entries are already being taken for the 2012 Gibson Cup, sponsored by the Edinburgh Ladies Golf Centre (www.golfing-lady.com); this year’s competition is now less than 6 months away – on 6^th and 7^th October.

Report and photos submitted  by Anne Brownie, Chair of the Gibson Cup Committee.