Super Sunday dawned with wind and rain to greet the teams. Added to that with earlier results over the season it was all over before a ball was struck……or was it?

Moray was firm favourites to win for only the second time in the 16 years of the event. They just had to avoid defeat to Forres who had only won one of the previous five encounters on Super Sunday between the clubs. Even if they lost they would have to do so heavily for Elgin to pip them but they themselves would need to win well against Hopeman, last year’s champions.

Moray shared their first two games with Forres but then the next four all went to Forres which opened the door for Elgin. It did not look as though Elgin were going to take advantage when the first two games of their own match went Hopeman’s way but in a reversal of fortunes they won the next four.

Roy Crane, Moray team captain on the day came in with a much needed win but even at that if Elgin could take both their final games and Moray were to lose their last, then the title would be going back to Elgin. 1½ out of 2 for Elgin plus a Moray loss would mean a tie both on points and individual games won necessitating a sudden death play-off!

However, Moray breathed a collective sigh of relief when Hopeman captain, Kevin McLaughlin beat Raymond Spence to put an end to the Elgin challenge. That became even more critical for Moray as the final two games were won by Forres and Elgin respectively so the league was tied between Moray and Elgin on 7 points each but Moray won on a countback of individual games won 22 to 21½ ! It could not have been closer.

Forres took third place from Super Sunday hosts Nairn Dunbar, who had the satisfaction of finishing with a win over local rivals Nairn.

On the course Moray were worthy winners of the trophy for 2011 but the spirit in which all matches were played added to the competitiveness of all the teams only strengthened the place of the Handicap League in the golfing calendar.

See SUPER SUNDAY for a report on what happened at Nairn Dunbar on the last day of the season.

Although not playing in either of the last matches before Super Sunday, Moray find themselves strong favourites to take the League Trophy for only the second time. Avoiding defeat against Forres will see them out of reach although, even if they lose, Elgin will require a large win over Hopeman to pip them on a countback…but in sport stranger things have happened!

Nairn Dunbar, the hosts for Super Sunday will hope to get the better of local rivals Nairn to finish in the top three.

In a season when wins away from home are almost matching the number of home wins, it is Moray who are the team to beat after going to Nairn and coming through, again with a strong performance by the lower order who took all the last three games on the course. Meanwhile Elgin put a severe dent in the Forres ambitions who must now look to get something from their visit to Nairn Dunbar before meeting Moray on Super Sunday.

Moray after another strong performance are on the verge of succeeding Hopeman, their latest opponents, as League Champions following a 6-2 win. Only Elgin and Forress can catch them and even that depends on them winning their respective penultimate fixtures for it all then to rest on Super Sunday.

Moray built on their good start with a strong performance at home against Nairn Dunbar. The match was close being level after the first five games but the Moray lower order all took the points to record a 5½-2½ win and move to the top.

Forres went to Hopeman to face the League champions and came away with both points to get their challenge off to the best possible start. Hopeman looked on course for the win by taking 3 of the first 4 games but could only gain one further half point as the Forres tail proved too strong for their hosts.

The following weekend Forres continued their bid to take their first handicap league trophy since 2005 with a stromg performance at home against Nairn as Club Captain Allan Martin led by example at the top of the order with a 17th green win over James Walton.

Moray visited Elgin in the first match in this years’ league and shared the points with their hosts. Elgin took three of the first four games but Moray’s lower order reversed that so gaining a valuable away point. The following week Elgin headed for Nairn Dunbar but the home side were in good form and ran out 6-2 winners. Nairn took on the defending champions and like their neighbours across town made home advantage count to join them at the top of the early season league table.