Former pro Craig Gordon set for Dispatch Trophy debut as Hailes chase centenary success

Heriot's Quad are back defending the Dispatch Trophy with the same quartet that finished off the job at the Braids last year, namely an experienced line up of David Campbell, Innes Christie, John Archibald and Scott Johnston. Picture: Scott Louden/National World.

Gordon, who has been reinstated as an amateur, will be in action at the Braids for Kingsknowe club Hailes, which is being represented by three teams in its centenary year.

Hailes won the historic team event in 1975 and 2015, with three members from the latter triumph back in action for the 123rd staging, which gets underway on Saturday morning.

Alan Mackay is joining forces with Gordon, Andy Rowe and Danny Crolla in the A team while Marc Cairnie and Gary Malone are representing the B team along with Andy Sanderson jnr and Gavin James.

Craog Gordon, pictured playing in the 2016 PGA Four ball at Musselburgh when he was attached to Edinburgh Golf Centre, is making his Dispatch Trophy debut this weekend for Kingsknowe club Hailes. Picture: Mark Runnacles/Getty Images.

“Due to it being our centenary this year, the whole club are hoping that we can mark it in style by winning the Dispatch trophy for the third time,” said Hailes secretary Hamish Hamilton.

“We still have members who were part of both winning teams in the past and those players, along with everyone else connected to the club, look back on those achievements fondly.”

Rowe will be hoping to produce the sort of form that saw him equal the Kingsknowe course record with a 62 late last year while Crolla is the 2020 Hailes champion.

Like Gordon, Robbie Sanderson, the Kingsknowe junior champion and son of current Hailes captain Scott, will be making his Dispatch debut in a C team alongside Graham Muir, Andrew Law andFraser Sutherland.

“Hailes have always been loyal supporters of the trophy and are delighted to be able to enter three teams again in our centenary year,” added Hamilton.

Defending champions Heriot’s Quad will have John Archibald, Dave Campbell, Scott Johnston and Innes Christie back on duty after they finished off the job 12 months ago.

“It’s a great feeling going back as winners from the previous year,” said Archibald, a gold medallist on four occasions in the Edinburgh Evening News event, which is now staged in association with Edinburgh Leisure. “I remember that the course at the Braids was in very good condition last year and hopefully it will be similar this year.”

For a tasty first-round tie against Duddingston, Turnhouse will be represented by Connor Currie (+1), Keith Watt (scratch), Craig Docherty (one) and Calum Robinson (two).

“We have gone with youth (mostly) this year as I feel, for our club, they need to play in events such as the Dispatch to learn and experience this great event,” said club captain Olly McCrone, a participant himself in the past.

“Connor Currieis a powerful long hitter, Calum is another whipper snapper with long limbs who bombs it and Calum, who has a great all-round game is a powerful player with an old head on young shoulders.“Keith, meanwhile, has been reborn over the last few years. He always has been one of the very best putters in the Lothians and has recently found a long game that compliments his short game.”

Two-time winners Edinburgh Thistle are being represented by the Anderson brothers - Donald and Barrie - alongside Steve Cameron and Ian Cropley, while Edinburgh Westen’s Andy Rennie, Kevin MacDonald, Danny Cameron and Jim Robertson will also be aiming to make their Braids knowledge count.

It wasn’t long ago that Stuart McLaren was playing for Stewart’s Melville FP in the event and now he’s competing as a pro on the Challenge Tour in the Netherlands this week.

However, he’ll no doubt be keeping an eye on how a Stew Mel side comprising Drew McIntosh, Graeme Nisebet, David Donaldson and Scott Simpson fare in their opener against Kilgour Wealth Management.

McIntosh was part of the triumphant Bruntsfield Links GS team in last year’s Edinburgh Inter Club, with Simpson making his Dispatch debut for the school side.

Double winners Westermont, back in business after re-forming in 2021, will be led into battle by club captain Calum Hill and teaming up with him last year's Merchant's Championship runner up Ross Hannah and the two most recent Westermont champions, David Meek and Kenny Roy.

Silverknowes will have some well-kent faces in action as Keith Reilly, Graham Robertson, Chris Milligan and Conor McWatt fly the flag for the six-time winners.

Second sting Cramond, meanwhile, are being represented by Jimmy Keggie, Stevie Garioch, Keith Tulloch, Callum McKinstry.

With five teams in total, which shows what the event means to the club, gold medallists Ian Doig and Ian Randall are in a Silverknowes Seniors’ side along with Ian Connolly and Gary Cheyene.

Granton have Kenny Alexander, Kala Renton, John Macrae, Billy Cadona on duty while Renton’s son, Aidan, is joining forces with Jack Carlin, Liam Wilson and Craig Halcrow for Silverknowes Generations.

DRAW

First round

7.00am Turnhouse v Duddingston7.15am Hailes B v Silverknowes7.30am Edinburgh Leisure v Hailes7.45am Harrison 21 v Braids United8.00am Silverknowes Over-50s v Craigmillar Park8.15am Lochend v Bass Rock

Second round

8.30am Dalmahoy v Hailes C8.45am Kilgour Wealth Management v Stewart’s/Melville9.00am Merchants v Riccarton9.15am Granton Golfing Society v British Rugby Club of Paris9.30am Harrison B v Donuts@9th, Newbattle9.45am Harrison v Murrayfield10.00am Caermount v Heriot’s Quad10.15am Royal Burgess v Dirleton Castle10.30am Bank of Scotland v Mortonhall10.45am Silverknowes Generations v Colinton Mains11.00am Edinburgh Thistle v Cramond11.15am Heriot’s v Edinburgh Western11.30am Turnhouse/Duddingston v Hailes B/Silverknowes11.45am Edinburgh Leisure/Hailes v WestermontNoon Watsonians v Harrison 21/Braids United12.15am Silverknowes Over-50s/Craigmillar Park v Lochend/Bass Rock