Golf: Vale threat from the '3 Amigos' plus Ross

The "Three Amigos" – Tam Caldwell, Keith Reilly and Graham Robertson – have all retained their places for the three-times winners in Capital golf's top team tournament, the 111th staging of which is taking place in association with Edinburgh Leisure.

But, for the second time in recent years, the identity of the fourth and final team member is changing. Paul Heggie, who took over from Ian Doig in 2008 and retained his place 12 months ago, has lost his place to the club's rising star, Paul Ross.

"Paul has shot four 66s at Silverknowes this year and is down to scratch," said Reilly. "He stopped playing for a spell but then came back a couple of years ago and is a cracking player."

Since their most recent success in 2006, Silverknowes haven't been the feared force they'd become in the event. Granted, they lost to Carrickvale in the 2007 final but, in the last two years, they've crashed out as early as the third round.

"We're hoping we can do a bit better this time," added Reilly, who is full of admiration for Carrickvale after seeing them lift the trophy three years in a row – the first time that feat has been achieved in the historic event.

"Winning any golf event three years in a row takes a fair bit of doing but it's an even better achievement in foursomes golf," said the Lothians team member.

"It only takes one mistake up at the Braids and you've lost the hole and the fact Carrickvale have won three years in a row at a time when there are so many good teams taking part makes their achievement quite amazing."

Not surprisingly, Carrickvale are back with the same team, which means that Allyn Dick, the newly-crowned Lothians champion, will be joining forces again with David Ewen, Craig Elliot and Darren Coyle.

"The fact Allyn and Craig played each other in the final of the Lothians shows they are quality players and you'd have to say that Carrickvale are the strong favourites once again," admitted Reilly.

"They beat us in the final of the Edinburgh Municipal Clubs Winter League this year but it was close, going to the final green. There's a friendly rivalry between the two clubs and they'll know that we are heading up the Braids hoping to end their run in the Dispatch."

Two years ago, Cramond, a club within Silverknowes, eclipsed their clubmates by reaching the semi-finals. They also gave Carrickvale a run for their money in the last eight 12 months ago and will again be represented by a strong-looking side that includes both Doig and Heggie.

"Silverknowes have also got an over-50s side in this year," noted Reilly. "David Fraser, Ricky Scott, Ronnie Hogg and Ian Muirhead are playing in that, the latter having won a bronze medal with Silverknowes more than 30 years ago."

Having been among nine teams to receive a bye, Silverknowes aren't in action until Sunday morning, when they face Morningside, with the winners of that one taking on either Aegon or Longniddry 918 in next Tuesday's third round.

Carrickvale launch their latest defence of the trophy tomorrow against Rhodes, the 2003 winners, and Dick knows it certainly won't be easy to extend that winning run to four years.

"We are confident but it will get harder and harder with every game as we know the team that eventually beats us are going to be heroes, so to speak," said the former Scottish Mid-Amateur champion.

"David Ewen has said he'll retire if we can win it five years in a row, but you can't afford to get ahead of yourself in an event like this and anything could happen if we head up to the Braids and find it's blowing a gale."

The Braids clubs wouldn't mind that in the slightest and, while Harrison – represented by Scott Knowles, Andy Laurence, Graeme Millar and Mike Robson – look to have the strongest chance, host club Edinburgh Thistle as well as Braids United and Edinburgh Western will all be hoping they can at least make their presence felt.

Lothians & Borders Police, beaten finalists last year, are back trying to go one better and are likely to have Fraser Jervis, John Hunter, David Black and Scott Reid in their ranks, while the Hunter brothers – Stevie and Brian – are linking up with Colin Moor and Craig Maiden in a bid to repeat Barnton Hotel's success in 2001.

BBT, beaten by Silverknowes in the opening round last year but a growing force in the event, have listed Steven Armstrong, Olly McCrone, David Marshall and Kevin Messer in their line-up, the latter two having helped Third reach the final two years ago.

Mark Timmins, still one of the top players in the Lothians, as he showed when producing a solid all-round performance in last weekend's Scottish Area Team Championship at Kinross, is due to play for Fore, while a Stewart's-Melville team likely to comprise of Kevin Cattanach, David Donaldson, Alan Anderson and Grant Pollock can certainly be in the shake-up for medals.

Watsonian will be double- fisted once again, with Andrew Hogg, John Nisbet, Richard Craig and Greg Nicolson on duty for the top team and Neil Hamilton, Andrew Helm, Dougie Millar and Lawrie Main in the line up for Caritas, described by secretary David McMurray as a "more social team".