Golf: Son follows father to help Baberton chalk up a victory

FATHER and son Grant and Finlay McCall both won their matches as Baberton chalked up a fine victory at Swanston New in the West Edinburgh Winter League.

Grant, a former Lothians Championship runner-up, joined forces with Mark Riddell to beat Darren Baird and Ross Muir in the anchor match. Not to be outdone, Finlay linked up with Dougie Waugh to record a 2 and 1 success in the second game. With Andy Laurence and Kevin Messer also chipping in with a point at the top of the order, Baberton recorded a 3-1 win.

“It was the first time most of the team had played the new course,” said Baberton team manager Norrie Robertson.

Royal Burgess also won on the road, 3-1 at Dalmahoy in what was a second successive defeat on home turf for the Marriott men. Brunstfield Links made the most of home advantage to squeeze out a hard-earned win over Turnhouse. In one of the pivotal matches, Kevin Cattanach played some superb golf aided by an extremely hot putter to win with Murray Paterson in the third match. And, at the bottom of the order, Keith Mackenzie and Bruce Scott won the 15th, 16th and 17th to square the match before Michael Watt’s 12ft putt to earn Turnhouse a draw came up inches short.

In the other game, the spoils were shared at Ratho Park, where Kingsknowe were the visitors. It all came down to the last match, with Alan Crabbe rolling in a 40ft birdie putt on the last to earn a two-hole success and secure the draw.

Results:

Ratho Park 2, Kingsknowe 2: R Dobbie and C McGinley lost to G Muir and B Buchan 3 and 2; G Binnie and J Thomson bt D Weir and A Rowe 2 and 1; A MacPhail and J Cullerton bt L Burnett and A Day 6 and 5; S Imrie and T Gorman lost to D McCann and A Crabbe two holes.

Dalmahoy 1, Royal Burgess 3: R Carson and D Hunter bt S MacDonald and S Collings 5 and 4; S Phillips and P Phillips lost to J Yuille and R Paterson 3 and 2; S Murray and J Rooney lost to G Pollock and I Park 2 and 1; G Lovie and C Cochrane lost to J Fraser and R Hughes 4 and 3.

Swanston New 1, Baberton 3: Grant Skinner and Ross Fergus lost to Andy Laurence and Kevin Messer 3 and 1; Michael Allen and Scott Fergus lost to Dougie Waugh and Finlay McCall 2 and 1; James Muir and Kyle Brown bt Ron Bradly and Fergus Lockhart 2 and 1; Darren Baird and Ross Muir lost to Grant McCall and Mark Riddell 3 and 2.

Bruntsfield Links 2½, Turnhouse 1½: John Liddle and Mark Kernaghan bt Tommy Cadger and Steve Robb 2 and 1; Ally Ritchie and Scott Foster lost to Lee McCathie and Ollie McCrone 2 and 1; Kevin Cattanach and Murray Paterson bt Steve Armstrong and Leigh Lawson 4 and 3; Keith Mackenzie and Bruce Scott halved with Neil Anderson and Michael Watt.