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Monday
3rd June: Ladybank GC
 Ladybank
is proof, if ever proof was required, that golf in Fife is so much
more than just St Andrews Links. Even as the rain started to fall
on the A92 driving towards the course there was an expectation of
arriving in the long narrow driveway and being welcomed by the gorse
in bloom and those perfectly manicured greens.
And those golfers who made there way to the first day of the inaugural
Fife Golf Classic were not to be disappointed. The rain may have
been drizzling down but it really couldn't dampen in any way the
experience that is Ladybank. The natural thought processes when
imagining Scottish golf is to think links - and indeed that's what
the subsequent days will be all about but there are some magical
inland courses to be encountered and in my humble opinion Ladybank
is in the must play category alongside (and above the Gleneagles
and Blairgowrie's of this world and on the more affordable side
of the equation.
 The
course at Par 71 is an undoubted challenge - as many unsuccessful
pros would tell you immediately after the Open Qualifying for a
St Andrews Open - and blends tight drives on tree lined fairways
with well placed bunkers and a pleasant sprinkling of gorse throughout
the course. The course is not only delightful to play it is quite
inspiring to look at.
But
anyway….
This was about the first Fife Golf Classic, one of a series of six
being played in Scotland this year all with the same format. 72
holes of stableford play over four different courses between Monday
and Thursday. Open to club golfers of all abilities and both sexes
they've been touted as 60% social and 40% competitive golf. The
Fife event is new for 2002 and the numbers entering were not only
affected by the World Cup but by some Jubilee Bank Holiday that
appeared somewhere between planning the event and playing it.
The traditional welcome reception was hosted on the Sunday evening
in the St Andrews Links Clubhouse and if there is a better place
to focus the min then we really should be told. A wee Drambuie to
warm the soul and perhaps just a few thoughts of the perfect tee
shot over the "O" of the Old Course Hotel onto the treacherous
fairway of the Road Hole. If only….
 However
those who braved missing the Buckingham Palace pop concert were
being promised a golden celebration of their own and majestic Ladybank
kicked it all off with six holes of pretty awful rain (no wind mind
you) and the rest in glorious early summer sunshine. Waterproofs
and Wilson sponsored brollies to start with and shirt sleeves for
putting out at the eighteenth.
As a result the later starters benefitted with the four scores in
the thirties all coming in from the last three games. The top three
positions were all held by the boys from Airdrie Golf Club with
Bill Ferguson leading the way with 33 points, second place with
32 points Glen Cook and only one point behind were David Foster
and George Gibb.
 As
if the Lanarkshire Mafia weren't tying up the leaderboard enough
Ian Wales from Dullatur who was first through the eighth in the
morning placed his tee shot nearest the pin at the Par Three. George
Gibb launched an enormous drive down the right hand side of the
fairway in the last game of the day to tie up the Longest Drive.
The Pairs event which is a cumulative stableford over the four days
and run alongside the main singles event is being lead by Gibb &
Ferguson with a total of 62 points but with three or four Pairs
within easy striking distance.
 As
usual the focus was not so much on the scoring but the course and
the way it was set up and the sheer enjoyment of being here. As
you come to expect from layouts like Ladybank, "the greens
were superb", "fairways were like carpets" and the
bunkers "too damned difficult". Lost balls and dropped
putts were in vogue; dropped points were balanced up by the pints
lifted in the clubhouse but that's what it's all about after all.
Great golf in new company.
North to Scotscraig on Tuesday and more of the same….
Tuesday
4th June: Scotscraig
 Sunshine
on the Tay. It's strange how often the weather forecast dominates
the discussion on the first tee at the Scottish Golf Classics -
surprise being the main reaction today as the play got under way
in warm Tayport sunshine.
As is the way with the Classics, a new day meant new playing partners
and another new golfing experience for the majority.
 Like
Ladybank, Scotscraig is on the list of Final qualifying Courses
for the Open championships and is well placed not only for those
in Fife but also for anyone staying over the nearby Tay Bridge.
There can be worse things to do if playing Carnoustie than to pop
over to Fife to play this excellent links course established in
1817.
The club is the thirteenth oldest golf club in the world, having
began its existence in 1817 after a meeting called by its soon to
be first captain, William Dalgleish. It is said that golf was played
over six holes on the present land long before this, being extended
to first nine and then 18 holes. Although close to the sea, there
is something of a heathland nature to the course with many more
trees in evidence than most links. Combined with the whin bushes
and the rolling nature of the fairways, the course is both demanding
and interesting.
 At
6550 yards off the white tees (and 6310 of the Visitors pegs) it
offers a challenge and with a slight breeze coming of the Tay scores
were again on the whole kept on the respectable side of 36!
The course like Ladybank before it attracted positive comment from
all and once again it exemplifies what the Classics are all about
- great value quality golf.
 The
overnight leader was Bill Ferguson who followed his first day 33
points with a second day 35 keeping him joint first overall. His
pair's partner, George Gibb however, scored an excellent 37 points
beating Roy Burnett from Deeside Golf Club on the better inward
half. Ferguson and Gibbs 68 point total is being closely tailed
by Gary Smith from Telford whose gross 76 gave him a 36-point tally
for day two. Roy Burnett is one further back on 64 points; Glen
Cook 63 and David Foster from Kilmacolm has 62 points.
Bill Lucas (Manchester), Steve Coffey (Fulford Heath) and Andy heron
(Airdrie) make up the remainder of the 60+ points group.
 The
team event is being dominated by the two singles leaders Gibb and
Ferguson who have a commanding 13 point lead over their fellow Airdrieonians
Cook and Heron. Burnett and Milne are a further point behind.
There were some notable improvements on day one - Malcolm Green
having almost doubled his day one total with an excellent 33; Steve
Coffey similarly produced a ten-point improvement with his second
round 35.
Once again, thanks in part to the weather but on the whole because
of the course, Day Two has to go down as a memorable one for those
involved.
Onto Day Three and south down the coast back through St Andrews
to an even older golf club - Crail and the wonderful old Balcomie
Links.
Wednesday
5th June: Crail Balcomie
 Well
a wee bit of rain never harmed anyone. Well okay it didn't do the
overnight leader too much good Bill Ferguson slipped back a bit
with some problems on the back nine but all in all in spite of the
"testing" conditions it was pretty much smiles all round
and compliments on the course. At a par of 67 off the Yellow Tees
Balcomie is a lot shorter than the other three courses this week
but quantity doesn't impact on quality and Crail Golfing Society's
Balcomie Links is a perfect example. Even in the wind and rain coming
off the sea the course rose above it highlighting why so many visitors
make the pilgrimage to Crail every year.
 The
course is located about ten miles south of St Andrews a couple of
miles from Kingsbarns and is naturally proud of being the third
oldest club in the world. The Balcomie is partnered by the longer
Craighead Links course. The course starts off high dropping down
to sea level and back up again finishing with a par three underneath
the clubhouse windows. It is a magnificently natural links challenge
and the white horses crashing on the rocks only leant further gravitas
to the location.
 As
attractive as it is, Balcomie is still no pushover and while a number
of 30 plus points were recorded the top points tally was still "over
par". The daily winner was once again from Airdrie - George
Gibb beat the younger Mr Foster, David, on a countback over the
last three holes having been tied on 34 points. This lifted George
to the top of the overall leaderboard with 102 points over the three
days and put him into the final three ball on Thursday alongside
Gary Smith and Roy Burnett.
Gibb and Hamilton have combined extremely well throughout the week
and with a twelve point lead they do look as though they're going
to win the pairs event with something to spare. Still tight in second
with previous classic players Burnett and Milne and Smith and Turner
battling it out for the runners up, but who knows what a great score
could do….
There are half a dozen players within striking distance and for
the first time in the Classics the leaders will be going out last
perhaps adding to the pressure. The challenge of St Andrews Bay
is lurking and the final 18 holes to sort out the leaders and determine
whose name is going to be first on the beautiful Edinburgh Crystal
trophy. No rain forecast!
Thursday
6th June: St. Andrews Bay
 Sunshine
on St Andrews - that famous Proclaimers song, paraphrased. All the
east coast clouds were dispelled overnight and shirtsleeve golf
was the order of the day along with some Factor 30 and the golf
course looked magnificent.
Situated a few miles south of the auld grey toon, St Andrews Bay
has some superb views looking down towards the town and its many
landmarks. The course is perched, precariously in places, on the
cliffs and on a rougher day than today it can be daunting. Even
to the point of adding a new out of bounds behind the fourteenth
to prevent the Saturday fourball being reduced instantly to a three.
The decision was made to play off the White Tees, which was around
400 yards shorter than the blue but still measured in at 6677 yards.
The par of 72 (SSS 73) sets the picture for the day and lays out
the challenge.
 For
the first time in any of the Classic events the players went out
in true competitive style with the leaders out last. It was quite
clear from the last two or three games out that it meant something
and the pressure was on. The Classics pride itself in being social
golf events - "60% socialising and 40% competitive golf"
the advertising said. Well the last five out were the 40%!
George Gibb was last off the tee with a four point lead but having
not gone to bed until half way through the night - nerves may have
been one of the reasons; we suspect it was actually the beer - no-one
was counting their chickens.
 As
it turned out Bill Ferguson who lead for the first two days compiled
an unbeatable lead over the front nine with a gross three under
par and a points tally of 25! His back nine dropped to a more human
14 but the overall total of 39 point gave him a two-stroke victory
over Gary Smith from Telford.
Gary put together three excellent rounds of 33,36 and 34 points
but his first day 29 at Ladybank was the difference between first
and second.
Overnight leader George Gibb came in with a disappointing 29 points
finishing four off the pace set by his pairs partner and individual
winner. The combined results of the Lanarkshire pairing allowed
them to win the Pairs by a street and give them enough prizes to
fund Airdrie Football Clubs re-emergence into full time football
again!
 Roy
Burnett put together a brave 31 points on the final day sealing
his fourth place finish. David Foster from Kilmacolm and Bill Lucas
from Manchester tied on fifth with 121 points.
The best round of the day and indeed week was Bill Ferguson's 39
points which will probably see him cut by his home club, Gary Smith's
35 was good enough for second and Roger Tuohy and Mike Cleaver tied
for third on the day with excellent 34's.The course? Well voted
a winner by all. The new clubhouse is close to completion the Devlin
course is on target for its opening date and the hotel offers a
magnificence matched by very few venues. This is truly a golf resort
for Scotland to be proud of and an asset not only to Fife but the
wider business and leisure communities.
It was fitting that the prize giving dinner was hosted in the magnificent
hotel and thanks go to not only the hotel but also the four courses,
their staff and members for their support and assistance. Without
them the efforts of Scottish Enterprise Fife and VisitScotland would
be worthless. Their support has been superb and the future of the
Fife Golf Classic in the first week of June (Jubilee Celebrations
excepted) we feel is assured.
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