Auld Enemy puts Cotter’s credentials to the test

Published on 21/08/2012 01:45

ANDREW Cotter is swapping his microphone for golf clubs later this week to take part in the Glengoyne Auld Enemy Diamond Jubilee golf day, a fund-raising event at Fairmont St Andrews for Help for Heroes.

The Scotland versus England clash high above the Auld Grey Toun on Friday will bring back fond memories for Cotter, who has commentated on a variety of sports for the BBC in recent years, including golf, his first love.

“I occasionally bang on about it to reinforce my golfing credentials, but my one representative match was for Scottish Schools against English Schools at North Berwick in 1990,” the Troon man told The Scotsman.

“I remember getting our Scottish Schoolboy ties and it was an amazing experience. If it had been against Wales or Ireland it wouldn’t have been the same.

“Neil Archibald, Ben Collier, Graham McDougall, David Downie all played in that. I played with Graham McDougall and remember putting him in some bad positions. He had a bad wrist, and I don’t think he talked to me after that. We lost our foursomes. At the last at North Berwick, I had the drive and remember driving it out of bounds and hitting one of the Scottish selector’s car. But I won my singles. I was playing against a lad called Neil Reilly, who I think is still playing on the EuroPro Tour. We had a good team that year but lost the match, which was painful.”

Cotter, who is still pretty useful off three, is delighted to be playing in the inaugural Auld Enemy day, the brainchild of former Scotland rugby player Stuart Reid.

Dan Walker, a BBC Sports colleague, is playing for England, while Cotter’s team-mates will include Gavin Hastings, who also plays off single figures.

“No matter what level, the rivalry between Scotland and England is fierce and I’ve managed to rope Dan Walker into playing,” added Cotter. “Dan is a good player. He hits it a long way. But hopefully I’ll get to play against him in the Glengoyne event and manage to take him down. I’m off three these days, playing three medals a year to keep that active. One day I can knock it round in level but the next it can be in the 80s.

“There will be a friendly, humorous edge at Fairmont St
Andrews. It’s a great idea and a great venue. It will be fantastic. A lot of people will be taking it quite seriously – and why not?”