This match, the first at this age group, between the South Juniors and Cumbria Juniors took place at Dumfries & Galloway Golf Club on Thursday 7 August 2014. Five of the eight man South team were making their debuts and starting their representative golfing career – some at the tender age of 13! The course was in immaculate condition and the sun shone down from a cloudless sky as the boys set off to play the morning foursomes. The members of both teams were understandably nervous standing on the first tee but once each player had hit his tee shot down the middle the knocking of the knees stopped and their natural confidence returned for them to walk with renewed vigour up the fairway with a smile on their face. The South team had not played much foursomes golf before but they took to the new format with relish and at lunch were leading by 3 games to 1.

This gave them even more confidence for the singles matches in the afternoon. They also learned the Cumbria boys were not superhuman and could be beaten if they all played well. After nine holes the South were up in 3, down in 3 and two were halved. In the top game William Squires (Kirkcudbright) continued his good form by recording a good win but the next two Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright) and Angus Bendall (Castle Douglas) lost narrowly on the 17th green. Finlay Copland (D &G) and Iain Rae (Dalbeattie) played very steadily and showed maturity beyond their years to win their games. This gave the South team a slender lead in the singles by 3 games to 2 with three games still out on the course. All the pressure was now on the three youngest members to make sure the South recorded a victory in this inaugural fixture. All the three games went to the last hole, with the officials of both teams being the nervous ones as they could only stand and watch. After fighting back from 2 down Corey Brown (D & C) unfortunately lost his game but Cameron Gray (Kirkcudbright) and Jamie Marchbank (D & G) showed no nerves to win by one hole and give the South a deserved victory by 8 games to 4. All the South boys came off the course with wide grins on their faces. They had played well, showed great skill and commitment and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. The future of golf in the South of Scotland is in good hands and many of these boys will hopefully remember this day for a long time.
Results
Morning Foursomes
Finlay Copland (D & G) & Cameron Gray (Kirkcudbright) beat David Boardman & Liam Mason by 1 hole
Jamie Marchbank (D & G) & Corey Brown (D & C) lost to Byron Evans & Jordan Eland by 2 and 1
Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright) & Angus Bendall (Castle Douglas) beat Ryan Bracken & Tom McNeil by 1 hole
William Squires (Kirkcudbright) & Iain Rae (Dalbeattie) beat Thomas Dixon by 5 and 4
Foursomes Score South 3 Cumbria 1
Afternoon singles
William Squires beat David Boardman by 7 and 5
Nathan Watson lost to Liam Mason by 2 and 1
Angus Bendall (Castle Douglas) lost to Byron Evans by 2 and 1
Finlay Copland beat Jordan Eland by 4 and 2
Iain Rae beat Ryan Bracken by 6 and 5
Cameron Gray beat Tom McNeil by 1 hole
Coey Brown lost to Thomas Dixon by 1 hole
Jamie Marchbank beat Thomas Dixon by 1 hole
Singles Score South 5 Cumbria 3
Overall Result South 8 Cumbria 4