Draw - J.D. Penny Shield. Queen’s. Sat 28th March.
J.D. Penny Shield 2026 – A Trophy Worth Winning… Apparently
The 2026 season gets properly underway this Saturday on the Queen’s course with the first silverware of the year up for grabs—the magnificent, imposing, and logistically challenging J.D. Penny Shield.
For those unfamiliar (or trying to forget), this is no ordinary trophy. A grand slab of beaten copper mounted on hardwood, it carries significant history dating back to 1981 and the Club’s ties with Churchill Park in Australia. It commemorates the late James D. Penny, a stalwart of Dun Whinny for over 40 years. It is a piece of heritage, prestige… and something that may or may not fit through your front door. Last year’s winner, Neil Lock, no doubt gave it pride of place—either above the fireplace or carefully wedged between the lawnmower and the Christmas decorations in the garage.
The Format & The Warning
This is a best net score competition from the front tees on the Queen’s course—a format that rewards precision, patience, and the ability to avoid double bogeys at all costs.
And a reminder to all:
There are no gimmes. None. Not even the ones “inside the leather.” If you want it on the card, you’ll need to hole it.
The Draw – Ones to Watch
A glance down the draw sheet suggests we’re in for a fiercely contested opener:
8:00 – McCulloch / Collier / MacNish / Williamson
Fresh from Pinehurst success, Thomas McCulloch will fancy his chances of going back-to-back. Collier alongside adds further steel to the group, but don’t discount Scott Williamson, who is quietly building a reputation for turning up when it matters.8:40 – Logie / Marshall / Lock
This has “heavyweight bout” written all over it. David Logie, fresh off his eclectic heroics, tees it up alongside Ken Marshall, who has been hovering ominously near the top of leaderboards all season. And then there’s defending champion Neil Lock, who knows exactly what it takes to win… and more importantly, where to store the trophy afterwards.9:00 – Simpson / Stewart / Dickson
Dr. Jonnie Dickson returns to competitive action, still carrying the aura of that infamous “58-point” episode. If he can keep both his scoring—and the app—under control, he’s a serious contender.9:10 – Smith / Page / Black
A fascinating trio. Captain Daley Smith will be keen to lead from the front, but he’ll have his work cut out containing the mercurial Alan Black, who is as capable of brilliance as he is of chaos—sometimes on the same hole.9:20 – Hamilton / Fletcher / Laing
Professor Fletcher brings form and finesse, and on a course that rewards thinking as much as hitting, he could quietly plot his way to a winning score.9:40 – Penman / Sexton / Abercrombie
Bill Sexton—the man, the myth, the 48-pointer—steps onto the tee with expectation once again. If he gets going early, others may find themselves playing for second.9:50 – Aitchison / Beattie / Watt
A lively group featuring David “Lord” Watt, who will be hoping to avoid any further wildlife-related incidents this week and focus instead on the small matter of scoring.
Final Thoughts
With the Queen’s in fine condition and the greens sure to be running true, this promises to be a proper test to start the season. Precision will be rewarded, lapses punished, and every short putt… nervously negotiated.
Winning the J.D. Penny Shield may come with practical storage challenges, but make no mistake—come Saturday afternoon, there will be 40 players who would happily rearrange their entire house to make room for it.
Play well, and remember: hole everything.
