A Brief History of the Moray & Nairn Golf League
|
1947
|
A meeting was held at Forres Golf Club on 26th November to discuss establishing a”Golf League” between Clubs of Morayshire and Nairnshire. It was decided to hold matches to be played both Home and Away with 10 Man Teams.
|
|
|---|---|---|
|
|
||
| 1948 | First ever match in the League played on 1st May 1948 at Nairn Dunbar GC with Elgin GC as the visitors. The result was a 5-5 draw. | |
|
|
||
| 1948 |
Elgin Golf Club first winners of G R Thomson Shield presented by Horace Thomson in memory of his father.
|
|
|
|
||
| 1954 |
Original Minute Book destroyed in a fire.
|
|
|
|
||
| 1957 |
Playing of Competition in 1957 “The Meeting agreed that despite petrol rationing the Competition should be played”
|
|
|
|
||
| 1961 |
AGM – “It was suggested that when clubs nominate players for matches (v Banffshire, Carnoustie Winter League) they show which of them have cars”
|
|
|
|
||
| 1963 |
Only three teams played (Elgin, Moray and Nairn)
|
|
|
|
||
| 1964 |
Knock out competition format – Two teams from Elgin, Moray and Nairn with one from each of Forres and Nairn Dunbar.
RESULT: Elgin Blue beat Elgin Red in final. VERDICT:”Competition satisfactory but cold blooded” |
|
|
|
||
| 1965 |
Format – 2 mini-leagues (6 man teams) of 4 teams with winners playing a final.
|
|
|
|
||
| 1966 |
Format – Home & Away 6 man teams.
|
|
|
|
||
| 1970 |
Format – Home & Away 7 man teams introduced.
|
|
|
|
||
| 1976 |
Current format introduced for first time – 8 man teams playing at one venue over one weekend. Forres Golf Club first hosts. Five Year rotation:- Forres, Nairn, Elgin, Nairn Dunbar, Moray.
|
|
|
|
||
| 1995 |
Moray & Nairn Golf League medal designed by Alec Webster. Presented to winning players for first time (Elgin).
|
|
|
|
||
| 1996 |
First playing of Moray & Nairn Handicap Golf League – won by Nairn with Forres runners-up (tied on points – decided by number of individual games won). The first ever match in the competition was played at Moray on Tuesday 11th June with Nairn the visitors. Click on TEAMS for photograph of the players and officials from that game. (Photograph courtesy of Farquhar Thomson, Past Chairman of the League)
|
|
|
|
||
| 1997 |
50th playing of League (22nd time in the current format). Re-union of past and present players at Nairn Golf Club.
|
|
|
|
||
| 2000 |
First sudden death play-off in history of League. Won by Nairn with Pat Tomisson beating Robbie Sheils (Moray) by virtue of a birdie 3 at the 1st hole of the play-off.
|
|
|
|
||
| 2001 |
The League on the Internet for the first time with a hosted web site.
|
|
|
|
||
| 2003 |
The Moray & Nairn League develop its own web site which includes a more detailed results service as well as new Archive,Constitution, Links and Contact sections. |
|
|
|
||
| 2004 |
Hopeman Golf Club join the Moray and Nairn Golf League as an Associate Member and play in the Handicap League for the first time in the 2004 season. Hopeman win Handicap League in debut year. |
|
|
|
||
| 2006 |
The Handicap League holds its inaugural “Super Sunday” when the final series of matches are played at Elgin Golf Club, in the Club’s Centenary Year. The League Trophy is shared for the first time as both Elgin and Hopeman finish level on points and individual games won. |
|
|
|
||
| 2009 |
Scratch League “Records”: Bryce Milne, 50 years after his first game for Elgin as a 19 year old on 4th July 1959 v. Moray GC, played v. Nairn GC on 10th May. Michael Howitt (Nairn Dunbar) and Neil Howitt (Nairn) became the first twin brothers drawn to play against each other in the League: the result was a halved match! Colin Taylor (Forres) and Kevin Taylor (Elgin) in 1999 and again in 2001 are the only other brothers to have played against each other in the League.
|
|
| 2010 |
Bryce Milne’s appearance, together with son Stevie and Steve G. Milne raised the number of consecutive matches in which at least one member of the Elgin team’s surname was “Milne” to 257. The last time there was not a”Milne” in the team was 25th June 1959!
|
|
| 2012 | Live on-course scoring tried for first time at Super Sunday held at Elgin Golf Club. Very successful and extended to the final day of the Scratch League the following season. | |
The League Clubs
Elgin Golf
Club
Forres Golf
Club
Hopeman Golf Club
Moray Golf
Club
Nairn Golf
Club
