Dalhousie Seniors were narrowly beaten at Panmure on July 31st in the return fixture between the clubs ( Panmure having also collected the spoils at Carnoustie in June). While captain for the day, Graeme Paton, blamed neither the lavish pre-match hospitality offered by the hosts nor the serious deterioration in the weather for the defeat by four matches to three, he WAS quick to lay much of the responsibility on his own partner ( no names, no pack drill!). Observing that the latter had perhaps arrived a week early for the Girls' Championship and, by inference therefore, performed like one for much of their match against a determined Roger Leslie and Jim Brown, Graeme was probably spot-on with his assessment of that particular encounter!
There were, nevertheless, sterling performances from Norman Howie and John McDougall, Lindsay Hood and Gordon Ellis as well as Ian Whyte and Ron Fawkes. The course was in excellent condition with the greens fast and true - as was to be expected, with the Girls' Championship now imminent. Panmure captain Sinclair Aitken's sporting pre-match advice for Dalhousie members to keep out of the VERY difficult rough ( in places much too adjacent to fairways!) was a warning which a few visitors and, in particular, the writer, ignored at great cost......
It was, nevertheless, a hugely enjoyable outing, played - as always - in the true spirit of the game. Graeme Paton's words of thanks and appreciation to the hosts for their splendid welcome, lavish hospitality and the stern competition which followed were echoed by the entire Dalhousie team before it headed for home. Thoughts must now turn to vengeance in 2009!