Golf: Silverknowes revelling in their unique bond with the Dispatch Trophy

The Braids tournament was already more than 50 years old before Silverknowes was formed in 1947 and it took almost four decades for the club to lift the trophy for the first time in 1984. It was another 14 years before that success was repeated but now Silverknowes are the proud owners of one of the best records in the event in recent times.

Including that win in 1998, they've been the best at Braids four times in 14 years, making a successful defence of the trophy for the first time in the Edinburgh Leisure-supported event as they beat Barnton Hotel in last weekend's final. "I still remember Silverknowes as a fledging golf club and it took a long time for us to make the breakthrough in the Dispatch Trophy," said four-time gold medallist Tam Caldwell.

"Stevie Hunter, Alan Hogg, Ian Randall and Kenny Cooper were in the first winning team in 1984. I was 19 at the time and remember that well. For the next 14 years we tried everything to win it again but, despite having some good players, we had to wait until 1998 for that to happen."

Caldwell, Keith Reilly, Iain Doig and Mark Whitton were the winners on that occasion, with Graham Robertson coming in for Whitton when the treble was completed in 2006.

Last year, Caldwell, Reilly, Robertson and Paul Ross won it and now Paul Heggie, a replacement for Ross, has experienced Dispatch delight for the first time. "Everyone knows what the Dispatch Trophy means to Silverknowes - and not just the players," said Caldwell.

Reilly added: "We're not just playing for ourselves when we're up at The Braids - you can see that from the number of people who come out and support us."