Super Sunday started with Forres hoping to successfuly defend their title especially as they had “host course advantage” over their opponents Nairn. However, Moray were slight favourites as, although level on points, they had a better games won total if they beat Hopeman and it went to a countback.

On a day where rain was forecast, the weather just got better and better as the afternoon progressed leaving clear blue skies and golf being played in shirt sleeves.

All three matches were tight early on but by the turn Moray were up against Hopeman in most games and although three of them resulted in halved matches, Moray came out clear winners to set the target for Forres.

Forres meanwhile were having a tough battle with Nairn and whilst Peter McKenzie got them off to a great start winning the opening 6 holes in his game before completing a 6/5 win, Nairn’s Alistair Adam was in equally good form to level the match. The remaining games were evenly split and it finished in a 4-4 tie, so Forres had to settle for the runners’ up spot.

In the remaining game to decide the ‘wooden spoon’ Elgin prevailed against Nairn Dunbar by the narrowest of margins.

The final matches before Super Sunday resulted in a home win for Hopeman over Nairn but Moray, despite forfeiting one game as they were a player short, still managed to gain a 4-4 draw at Nairn Dunbar and with it go top of the table on countback of games.

For Super Sunday the top four teams can still aspire to winning the League, leaving Nairn Dunbar and Elgin out of the running for this season but, as they face each other, they have the incentive of a win to leave the other club with the ‘wooden spoon’.

Nairn maintained the pattern so far this season of the home team winning when in the local derby they beat Nairn Dunbar to go top of the table. Forres also won at home by the same 5-3 scoreline, so almost halfway through the season it is looking like if any team can take even one away point they will head into Super Sunday as favourites.

The next games on 24th were with Moray and Nairn Dunbar entertaining Elgin and Hopeman respectively. Nairn Dunbar opened their account with a convincing 6-2 victory which keeps them in the hunt for the title with another home game to follow next month before Super Sunday. Moray had to concede one game but still did just enough to get by their local rivals.

Forres achieved which no one else has done this season, winning a point away from home. Two games were halved but it was their top order who brought home the share of the points and with it an advantage to take into Super Sunday at the end of this month.

Moray opened this year’s league with a comprehensive win over Nairn at home but the final score does not reflect how close some of the games were with all the top four matches finishing on either the 17th or 18th greens.

Hopeman were almost as impressive as Moray when they took on the defending champions, Forres, at home and came away with an emphatic victory with the only Forres successes coming from the top and bottom of the order. Hopeman next travel to Elgin with Forres entertaining Nairn Dunbar in their opening game at the end of June.

Nairn recovered after their Moray defeat with a close win over Elgin, so maintaining the winning sequence for the home team this season. The highlight of the day though was Eric MacCaskill’s ace at the par 3 6th but it as not enough to prevent his opponent, John Ovens winning on the 17th green.

Forres also won at home, reversing the 6½-1½ scoreline of their first match to go top of the table on indivdual games won at this early stage of the competiton.

Elgin opened their account with a comfortable home win over Hopeman who have a history of doing well at Hardhillock.

After their success last year, Forres will be hoping to repeat that when they host Super Sunday on 28th August. However before then all teams will have the usual very competitive two home and two away matches with the premium on not slipping up at home whilst finding a point or two in one of the away fixtures. For Forres it was getting a draw at Nairn Dunbar before a Super Sunday victory over Nairn that made the difference.