Golf: The Duke's no hazard for city clubs

AFTER Carrickvale's success in the scratch event last weekend, Harrison and Portobello will both be bidding to complete a remarkable double for the Capital's municipal clubs tomorrow.

They're among the 40 teams in the line-up for the tomorrow's Belhaven Best Scottish Club Handicap Championship at The Duke's on the outskirts of St Andrews.

Reuben Kramer and Kenny Craigie are flying the flag for Portobello, with Braids club Harrison being represented by Cameron Bruce and Alan Stewart.

Harrison are hoping to etch their name on the trophy for a second time, having already lifted the title in 2007.

Also in the field this time around are two other Lothians clubs - Baberton, who are being represented by Andrew Cargill and Colin Flockhart, and Royal Musselburgh, who have Niall Livie and Ian Wyper on duty.

The competition is Scotland's biggest participation golf event, with more than 25,000 golfers taking part in local qualifying competitions earlier this season, with the top two players from each club based on handicap scores being given the opportunity to represent their clubs.

That number was whittled down to the 500 who qualified for the four Regional Finals, with the leading ten club pairings in each winning their way through to the prestigious final.

Clubs the length and breadth of the country will be making their way to the final, from Tain in the Highlands - represented by Michael Sangster and Graeme Ross - to Jedburgh in the Borders, who have Gary Hughes and Ross Goodfellow flying their club colours.

Also among the finalists are defending champions Graeme Kilpatrick and Paul Bradley, who stormed to victory last year courtesy of a superb five-under par better ball score of 66 at The Dukes.

Other former winners in the field include Downfield GC, who took the title at Marriot Dalmahoy back in 2005.

Euan Venters, Belhaven Group Managing Director, said: "This is the 11th consecutive year that Belhaven has sponsored the Scottish Club Handicap Championship and our association with the Scottish Golf Union stretches back to 1999.

"We are very proud to support this event and give club golfers the chance to become national champions.

"Golf is very much part of Belhaven's heritage and we are delighted to continue our involvement in the sport at grass-roots level."