2008 has started very quietly with very little action taking place on the indoor carpets, in fact more players have been scored out of their ties than those that have played. Match secretary John McLean has proved to be a very strict convenor and we hope that his actions do not have a knock on effect for next winter.
On a brighter note the Club is delighted to have received another part of its history in the shape of a championship trophy won by J A Forbes in 1928. Many thanks to his granddaughter Fiona McHugh for contacting me and returning it. The following article has been submitted to the "Courier".
" Last week Campbeltown Bowling Club received the gift of a championship trophy that was won almost eighty years ago by John Alexander Forbes who was a member of both Stronvaar and Machrihanish Golf Club in the 1920's and early 1930's. The trophy, a beautiful silver serving tureen, was won in 1928 by Mr Forbes who was a bank manager in the town, either the Royal Bank or the Commercial, who came here from Kirkcaldy and remained for some years before moving on to Lenzie.
The trophy was returned by Mr Forbes granddaughter Fiona McHugh from Dufftown, who has advised the club that her sister has a clock that is still in perfect working order that he took as his prize for one of the three Presidents' Prizes that he also won. This is the second time that a member of the Forbes family has donated one of his trophies as a silver rose bowl that is used for the President's Prize was returned by his daughter in 1999. The tureen now takes pride of place in the Centenary memorabilia cabinet.
Fiona has also told me that her grandfather drove one of the very few motor cars that were in the town at the time and that she has also returned some of his golf clubs to the family of the maker. I would imagine that this would be to either the family of Hector Thomson or Hugh Sinclair who would have been making clubs around that time."
The season well and truly got under way on 5th May when we held the Derek Goode Memorial Pairs on a day that will be hard to equal over the course of the season. Twenty pairs took part in the round robin and pleased as I am to say that yours truly reached the final with Betty McNaughton as an excellent partner, Mrs. yours truly won the event in partnership with David McMillan. The final was no great spectacle of bowls but the two semis were superb matches that saw Jimmy C Anderson and Jean Millar and Gavin Muir and Rena Cleugh lose by single shots to the last bowl.
From left: President Leslie, Jean Millar, David McMillan, Mairi MacDonald, Hugh MacDonald, Betty McNaughton, Rena Cleugh and Gavin Muir
Vice President McLean, your photography is shocking!
The Top Ten team travelled to Yoker BC in Glasgow for their national tie on Sunday 11th May and they gave a very good account of themselves winning two matches in the pairs and triples but losing out to their hosts on accumulated shots.
Most of them were back in action in the Archie and May Graham Memorial Pairs on Sunday 18th May and once again we were blessed with glorious sunshine and a fast running green. Unfortunately, due to slow play, the round robin descended in to a shambles and a competition that should have ended at 6.00pm lasted almost until 8.00pm. What might have happened if it had rained is anyone's guess! The worthy winners, well they had to be after eliminating yours truly and Mrs yours truly, were Archie Johnston and Gary Anderson who took the trophy from the holders for the past two years, John McLean, the duff photographer, and Alec Black.
The two happy chappies in the centre are Archie and Gary with May's sister Kathleen Lafferty and Les the boss and the motley crew of John McLean, Alec Black, Hugh Newlands, Robert ( I want three in a row) Hendrie and Neil Maguire.
The tortuous road to Northfield has begun for the Club's representatives with the men travelling throughout Argyll and the ladies much further afield in Dunbartonshire in search of the Holy Grail of an appearance in Ayr. Best of luck to them all, rather them than me! Why can the mountain never come to Mohammed, SBA and SWBA? We really do have roads in Argyll and gave up the pony and trap before Victoria died!!!
On Saturday 24th May we hosted the Scottish Counties match between Argyll & Bute and West Stirlingshire, a match in which we had no representation although the local Argyll club could boast four players in John and Gavin McLachlan, Ian McMillan and Kenny Kerr. With the recent dry weather the green was in pristine condition for the match and running at a very fast pace that obviously suited the Stirlingshire players, who, once they found their weight, coasted to a comprehensive win. It was good to see a break away from the traditional whites with the vistors dressed in navy polo shirts that made identification much easier for the large number of spectators.
I don't know who took the photo but with some cropping and manipulation it came out quite well.
Bank Holiday Monday continued the glorious weather from the weekend as the Famous Grouse Pairs was contested and although the grass was wilting, some of our more senior players came to the fore in the almost Meditteranean conditions while their younger counterparts, like the grass, wilted. Bar convener Hugh Newlands in partnership with John Bannatyne saw off the challenge of Alistair Munro and Jim Stewart to claim the trophy and the sponsor's glorious amber nectar. I know for a fact that at least one of them enjoys a good wee grouse now and then!
President Leslie with Ria Johnston, Alec Black, Jean Millar, Hugh Newlands (is that bottle too heavy?), John Bannatyne, Jim Stewart, Rena Cleugh, Rab MacCallum (that's one for the bottle stall) and Alistair Munro.
Thanks to Betty McNaughton for the photo.
Saturday 31st May was the warmest day of the season so far and after our morning match one or two of us partook in one or two refreshing brews. Later in the evening, we thought that the combination of heat and alcohol had really taken its toll when we were invaded by a multicoulored explosion of women. It was no hallucination however but the kick off of Susan Andrew's hen night. Susan is one of our lady members and is marrying Andy Gilchrist, also a member, on 14th June. Our best wishes to both of them.
Here is the apparition, proof that it was not hallucinating!
Susan is the one in the outlandish green jacket with pink trims.