Dun Whinny GC vs Tantallon GC
Dun Whinny Edge Out Tantallon in Closely Fought Gleneagles Encounter
Sunday 24th May
Our inaugural fixture against Tantallon took place at Gleneagles on Sunday 24 May, with six fourball better-ball matches split between the Kings and Queens courses. As always, it was a competitive affair played in excellent spirit, and I'm pleased to report that Dun Whinny came out on top by 3½ matches to 2½.
With three matches on each course, the afternoon developed on two fronts and the overall position was far from clear for much of the day.
The first point on the board came from the Kings Course, where Ewan Kinnear and I were fortunate enough to find some early form. Up against Tantallon captain Duncan Forbes and Liam Brown, we managed to keep the pressure on throughout and eventually secured a 6&5 victory to give Dun Whinny the perfect start. I’m sure Duncan and Liam thought that Ewan and I should have been wearing some sombreros when they saw how well we played…
Encouraging news soon followed from the Queens Course, where Aidan O'Carroll and Keith Stirling produced an excellent performance to defeat A. MacLennan and J. Montgomery 4&3. With two points secured, Dun Whinny had established an early advantage, but there was still plenty of golf to be played.
Tantallon responded in the second Kings match as Alan Herd and Allan Wright got the better of Tony Moran and Dave Bruce by 2&1, reducing our lead and reminding everyone that the match was far from over.
A third Dun Whinny point arrived courtesy of Ian Fisher and Gordon Colborn, whose 4&2 victory over Iain Corstorphine and David Miller moved us to three points overall and within touching distance of the match win.
The widest margin of the day came in the final Queens match. Unfortunately for Dun Whinny, Craig Scott and Eric Lambert found themselves on the wrong end of what can only be described as a proper "dog licence", with Allan MacKinnon and Tommy Todd recording a comprehensive 7&6 win for Tantallon.
That left the overall result resting on the final match still out on the course. Kevin Beattie and Iain Aitchison had been involved in a tight battle throughout against Gareth Pugh and G. Harvey, with neither side able to gain a decisive advantage. As the last match to finish, it carried real significance. A Tantallon victory would have tied the overall fixture, while a Dun Whinny win would have provided a more comfortable margin.
In the end, honours were shared, with Kevin and Iain securing a hard-earned half point to seal a narrow but deserved 3½-2½ victory for Dun Whinny.
As this was the first match between the two clubs, it was particularly pleasing to see the fixture get off to such a competitive and enjoyable start. With the home side narrowly prevailing this year, we are already looking forward to our first trip to North Berwick next season, where I'm sure Tantallon will be eager to seek revenge on home turf.
My thanks go to everyone who played and contributed to a superb day. Special thanks are due to the Gleneagles Golf Operations team for accommodating the fixture after the 2026 diary had already been finalised, and to Tantallon captain Duncan Forbes for reaching out and working alongside the Dun Whinny committee to ensure this match became part of both clubs' fixture rotations going forward.
If this year's contest is anything to go by, the fixture has all the ingredients to become a highlight of the calendar for many years to come.
Daley Smith
Captain, Dun Whinny Golf Club
Daley & Duncan Forbes (Captain of Tantallon GC)