Super Sunday dawned with the weather dry and a light breeze- perfect for golf!

At the start of the day any one of four clubs were in a position to win added to which a new innovation was there was on-course scoring with Nigel MacKintosh and Sandy Whyte relaying scores back from the 6th,9th,12th and 15th to the clubhouse! They were updated on the monitor every 60 seconds along with the projected final league table, courtesy of Doug Stewart‘s IT expertise. This kept everyone informed of what was happening on the course but only added to the pressure on the players!

So to the golf itself…….

Forres won the Moray and Nairn Handicap League at Super Sunday which was hosted this year by Elgin.This was only their second success in the 17 years it has been played, the other being in 2005.

Over the home and away matches Forres went into Super Sunday lying a point behind leaders Nairn Dunbar following home successes against the league leaders as well as Moray. Added to a vital halved match against Elgin they had five points out of a possible eight.

Their Super Sunday opponents were Nairn, whilst Hopeman and Moray played each other and Nairn Dunbar took on hosts Elgin. Home advantage was to prove crucial and Elgin ran out comfortable 6-2 winners to open the door for Forres but should they falter then both Hopeman and Moray had a chance to lift the trophy.

The early exchanges were tight and with live on-course scoring for the first time in the clubhouse five games were square at the turn or beyond. However, the first three games all went Forres’ way over the back nine. The next two games were shared before word came in that team captain Neil Andersen had won 4/3 over Sid Brown to clinch victory. Calum Stuart added to that total to give a 6-2 final score and leave Forres a point clear of Nairn Dunbar and Moray, who had beaten Hopeman 6 ½ -1 ½.

In accepting the trophy the win was extra special for Neil Andersen as he and Wayne McKerrell were the only two Forres players to have been members of the 2005 team as well.

Hopeman had a convincing win at home over Nairn to keep alive their chances of taking the trophy whilst at the same time they extinguished Nairn ambitions for another year. However, Nairn may well still have significant part to play at Super Sunday as they take on title contenders Forres. Moray also ended Super Sunday hosts, Elgin’s chances with a strong home performance.

It all now rests on Super Sunday with Nairn Dunbar in pole position but perhaps facing the hardest task as they meet hosts, Elgin. Forres will be hoping Elgin take the points which opens the door for them if they can beat Nairn. In the third match Hopeman play Moray and win for either could see them take the trophy but they would need the other results to go in their favour. However, stranger things have happened in the 6 year history of Super Sunday!

Forres continued their good start to the season with a convincing win on their home soil over champions, Moray to open a three point gap over their nearest pursuers as well as boost their ‘games won column’. However,the others all have at least one game in hand so with an away win for any of them and it will suddenly get a lot closer.

Home wins for Hopeman, over the league leaders Forres and Nairn Dunbar beating champions Moray opens the whole competition up with some important games ahead of Super Sunday. If Forres had taken the points at Hopeman they would have been almost uncatchable but a 5½-2½ victory was secured with the lower order in control. Every team still is in with a chance to lift the trophy.

The month finished with Nairn Dunbar going top over Forres and are now favourites to lift their first title for nine years after winning at local neighbours Nairn. The other teams are not out of it but will require to win both their remaining games to overtake the leading two.

The first four matches all resulted in victories for the home teams. However, the margins of victory may prove to be significant come the end of the season as, in the last five out of six years, games won differential has proven to be the deciding factor in the destination of the trophy. However, Forres finally broke that sequence at Elgin when they won the final two games to secure a point which may well prove pivotal when they return with the other clubs to Elgin for Super Sunday in August.