Result - Autumn Meeting & Monthly Medal. King’s. Sat 20th Sept.
Autumn Meeting Report – King’s Course
If the summer winds had tested patience, then Saturday’s Autumn Meeting on the King’s Course tested creativity, nerve, and, occasionally, entomological compassion. In a field rich with storylines, two names rose above the fray: Neil Coulson and David Frame – the former capturing the Gross honours in a crowded logjam at 78, the latter storming home with a nett 68 to seize the Net Medal in style.
Gross – Four Men on 78, One Cup to Lift
Never have the silver balls of Lord Rollo’s inkstand seemed so precariously fought over. Four players – Coulson, Stubbs, Logie and McColgan – all returned with matching 78s in a remarkable dead-heat. Countback conferred the laurels on Neil Coulson, whose steady hand and tidy finish edged him clear. It was a day of near-misses elsewhere:
David McColgan sparkled with a level-par outward half, only to unravel with a lost ball at the 10th and limp home in 43. Rumour has it the Duncrub Trophy engraver looked up from his work just as McColgan’s tee shot vanished into the heather.
Mark Nicolson provided perhaps the most touching moment of the day, pausing on the first tee to move his ball gently aside from a stray worm, before compassionately bludgeoning the course to the tune of 84.
Colin Campbell, meanwhile, was seen beaming in disbelief: not because of his 84, but because Billy Z McNeill actually bought the coffees at the halfway hut. Some moments live longer in memory than birdies.
Net – Frame Manufactures Glory
If Coulson’s win was precise, then David Frame’s nett 68 was positively… inventive. On the par-three 8th, in deep trouble and facing the narrow gauntlet between bunkers, he chose to conjure what he later christened a "manufactured" shot: an audacious skimmer down the path, threading the bunkers, finishing twenty feet shy of the pin. Naturally, he rolled in the par. This moment of cunning underpinned a round that not only won the meeting but also sealed the attention of all who witnessed it.
Kevin Beattie, ever the metronome, posted a polished 69 to finish runner-up – ensuring his season-long claim to the Club Championship trophy is virtually unassailable.
Ken Marshall polished off a 70, keeping himself on both gross and net leaderboards once more, though his dual chase ultimately fell short of the headline.
Elsewhere, the best-laid plans turned comedic. Alistair Shand, inspired by Frame’s path-roller, attempted his own masterpiece on the 8th – only to produce a fresh air shot, followed by sheepish admissions and rueful grins.
A Day to Remember
For this correspondent, there was at least some personal solace: I didn’t finish last in my group for a change. Golf is a humbling game, but occasionally, mercy flutters its wings above one’s scorecard.
And so the Autumn Meeting shall be remembered: for Coulson’s steady triumph in a field tied tight as twine; for Frame’s shotmaking wizardry on the 8th; for Nicolson’s worm-saving humanity; for McColgan’s cruel lost ball; and yes, for the sight of Billy Z McNeill reaching for his wallet. Truly, golf’s theatre is played not only in swings and strokes, but also in small mercies, errant worms, and unexpected coffee.
Taz
