The weather forecast for Wednesday 5 August was for heavy rain and thunderstorms for the match against Durham at Dumfries & Galloway Golf Club but thankfully these did not materialise in Dumfries and the day turned out mild with sunny intervals. The course was in super condition with very receptive greens and the South team were confident of their third win in a row.
In the morning foursomes Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright) and Jamie Marchbank (D & G) led the team off; were one up after 7 holes, lost two of the next four, got three back to be two up after 16, and halved 17 to win 2 & 1. In the top match Angus Bendall (Castle Douglas) and Dylan Cairnie (D & C) played very well together winning five holes in a row from the 8th to win 7 & 6. The penultimate pairing of Fraser Hughes and Graeme Hoodless (both Newton Stewart) had a titanic struggle, being all square after 7 and 11 before their experience and relentless pressure told and they ran out 2 & 1 winners. Ross Whyte (D & G) and Alex Long (New Galloway) were level after 5, one down after 7, two down after 11 and three down after 14 before losing 4 & 2. “Too many loose shots” was their only comment. The South went into lunch with a good lead of 3 games to 1 but knew the afternoon singles would not be easy.
Nathan Watson played steadily and with great composure to be four up after 11 and eased to a 2 & 1 victory. Jamie Marchbank got off to a flying start and was two up after 7 holes, lost three holes to be one down after 11, had a birdie at 16 but ran out of holes and lost 2 & 1. The afternoon round was not as easy as the morning for Angus Bendall as his normally reliable putting stroke let him down. One down after 7 and 11 he got it back to all square after 14 but eventually lost by one hole. Dylan Cairnie continued his great season for the South with another fine victory. He fought back from two down after 11 to win by 2 holes.
Fraser Hughes, playing his last game for the League Team before taking up a golf scholarship in America, was totally focussed and determined to lead the team to victory. He got off to a flying start being four up after 7, six up after 11 and won 6 & 4. He was 5 under par for the fourteen holes played and his opponent 2 over. A great performance and memory to take to USA. In the next game Graeme Hoodless had a ding dong battle, being one down after 7, level after 11, two up after 14 and all square after 17. He then three putted the last to lose by 1 hole. The South only needed a half point to secure victory and Alex Long, making his debut for the League Team, kept the squad biting their finger nails till the last moment. Standing one up on the last tee Alex hit his tee shot down the left and finished behind a tree. His opponent was in the middle of the fairway with a considerable advantage. Alex duffed his approach shot but regained his composure and put the next to 3 feet and sank the putt. His opponent could also only get a four so Alex won his game by one hole and became the toast of his team mates. In the final game the usually reliable Ross Whyte was three down after 11 but fought back but lost 2 & 1. Only one of the eight singles games did not reach the seventeenth green. The singles games were halved 4 – 4 and South won the match by 7 games to 5.
The attached photograph is of a determined South team before play. Back row; Alex Long, Graeme Hoodless, Fraser Hughes, Dylan Cairnie, Nathan Watson. Front row; Jamie Marchbank, Angus Bendall, Ross Whyte