Drambuie Fife Golf Classic 2004

Two stroke penalty drama costs victory

The climax of the third Drambuie Golf Classic brought perhaps the most bizarre two-stroke penalty applicable to any unfortunate golfer, a penalty that cost the player concerned the overall victory in the event.

Having asked his partner to attend the pin at the 18th at Kingsbarns (his 72nd and final hole) Longniddry club member Ronnie Nisbet, watched as his ball rolled past the hole and struck the pin being held behind the back of one of his group. Following a confab in the clubhouse it was confirmed that his excellent 37-point total had been reduced to 35, a reduction that dropped him into second place one behind the final winner Averil Sutcliffe.

So what was the ruling? Well the rule was clear enough and never in dispute, the big debate afterwards was how fair was it for a player to lose an event due to the error of an opponent? Well technically by asking player two to hold the pin player one had handed him his responsibility and that is ultimately what the penalty is applied for. Fair? Well the rules are there and are fairly applied. It was certainly a tough way to lose an event that had been lead from start almost to finish but we reckon that Ronnie Nisbet may in future be able to explain the rules regarding flags and greens.

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The social side of the classics

As the golf classics mature and more players return year after year the social side of the vents come to the fore.

This year the Fife Golf Classic teed up with an informal drinks reception on the Sunday afternoon at the wonderful clubhouse at St Andrews Bay. Auld acquaintances were reintroduced - "Did I not play with you in the Ayrshire event in 2001?" - and new friendships forged. The Dutch, English, Scots, Irish, Canadians, Germans all enjoyed a little Drambuie on Ice and readied themselves for some wonderful golf.

The Tuesday night was something new for the Fife event - a whisky tasting night and gourmet dinner at the superb Inn at Lathones. The Inn is situated just outside St Andrews. Mein host Nick White always provides an amusing and informative history of the selected whiskies and the narrative was accompanied by tastings and a superb meal. If you're ever in St Andrews put The Inn at Lathones high on the must dine here list. See www.theinn.co.uk for accommodation offers throughout the year.

The prizegiving dinner this year took place at The Old Manor Hote in Lundin Links. The guests were escorted in to the restaurant to the sound of the bagpipes, were subjected to the organiser's version of Robert Burns' "Address to a Haggis" and then enjoyed a wee hoolie to the Ceilidh sounds of a local Fife quartet. All helped out with a few glasses of Drambuie on Ice.

The social side of the Classic has come almost as important as the golf itself with many friendships cemented off the course as well as on.

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The Event

With regards to the golf, well the talk after the event was of the excellence of Kingsbarns. It was truly everything everyone had expected and has undoubtedly made the Fife Golf Classic an event worth returning to. But of course it was about four courses and the quality of the courses and their condition was best summed up by the wonderful scoring of so many of the players. The courses were dry and perhaps in some cases playing at their most benign but the high average stableford points was something never witnessed in any of the previous golf classics. All in all there were fourteen cards posted with scores in excess of forty points! More than the total number of such high scores in the previous four years!

The winning total of 150 points was a good six points more than the previous highest; the average scores per day was two more than at any other event; the team score of 295 was nearly fifteen points more than the previous winners. And with 45 points at Kingsbrans and Ladybank Graham Langley and Mike Elwood secured the highest ever stableford scores!

So the golf was great, the scoring magnificent and the weather typically balmy Scottish early summer sunshine! What more could you ask for on a visit to Scotland's East Coast...

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Day 1 - St Andrews Bay Devlin Course
St Andrews Bay has in its short time in existence become one of the country's finest golf resorts featuring two character courses overlooking the old town of St Andrews. The Devlin course was set up perfectly for scoring and the winds were light. The scoring was quite high with an excellent 40 from Longniddry's Ronnie Nisbet with the leading lady Marlene Roy carding 38 points.

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Day 2 - Ladybank & Crail
Balcomie Links, Crail is steeped in history, the club being one of the oldest in the world. With only light winds and perfect conditions on the course it was expected that some high points totals would be carded. The scoring was very high with an excellent 44 from Airdrie's Glen Cook with the ladies also scoring well, the highest being Norrie Earl carding 43 points.

On to the wonderful parkland course at Ladybank. For many Fife is about St. Andrews, the Old Course, links golf. However visit Fife without giving consideration to the joys of Ladybank. Ronnie Nisbet again carded a wonderful 42 points with Carol Tyler just 1 point back on 43 points.

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Day 3 - Kingsbarns & Crail
Ladies Day! Six of the top ten scores on day three belonged to Ladies including the leading scores on each course. The third day scores brought overnight leader Ronnie Nisbett back to the pack and ensured that day four would remain competitive. Janet Bela's forty points at Kingsbarns was undoubtedly the high point of the day and Canadian Lorrie Owen Turner was more than happy with his 39 points.

"Local" Carol Tyler from Scotscraig used her knowledge of east coast links to produce a superb 39 point total at Crail tying with Dermot Hawkins from Balfron. Special mention must go to Nina Croft playing in her fourth golf classic producing her best score of 36 points.

Time to look at ladies handicapping for 2005!

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Day 4 - Kingsbarns & Ladybank
The final day was dominated in many ways by the bizarre two stroke penalty picked up on the seventy second hole by Ronnie Nisbet. It however did not detract from the superb four round total carded by the overall winner, Averil Sutcliffe from Overstone Park.. By her own admission she played the best golf of her life off of her handicap of 14. To finish with 43 points when in with a chance of winning was quite excellent golf and regardless of the penalties accrued elsewhere she was clearly a deserved winner.

But a mention must be made of the two 45 pits carded one at Kingsbarns and the other at Ladybank by Graham Langley and Mike Elwood respectively.

The team event was no surprise either with Averil being partnered by her club mate Marlene Roy who in herself carded 145 and finished in fifth overall.

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Fife	Classics
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