Orkney juniors at the Wick Junior Open

Orkney juniors capture Wick silverware

The junior section of Orkney Golf Club has progressed spectacularly since beginning its clubgolf programme this year.  But it took a visit to the mainland by 17 juniors to discover just how far they had advanced.

This month, 17 of the Club’s juniors made the ferry trip to Wick to compete in the Club’s Junior Open.  Of the five trophies on offer, three went back home to Orkney. 

“This is the first time we’ve been to anything like this and it was a last minute decision when we realised they had opened the door for all by organising a three and six hole, as well as an 18 hole competition,” said Janette Mackie, Orkney’s Junior Administrator.

“We went over there wondering if the kids were ready for something like this and they were quite apprehensive.  Being a links course it looked so different from ours but we were pleasantly surprised that they did so well.” 

Orkney’s pleasant surprise can only have been a severe shock for the 60 or so other competitors who had travelled to the competition from clubs across the north.  

The three hole competition’s top three places fell to Orkney’s Craig Sutherland, Abbey Mackie and Morgan Reid respectively.  In the six hole event Owen Reid was first, ahead of Orkney team mate, Graham Christie.  Orkney’s Eddie Brown claimed third gross in the 18 hole competition with a score of 86.  Finishing a perfect day, Orkney’s Jack Tait emerged as the gross Wick Junior Open champion, a full five strokes ahead of his closest challenger with an impressive 80. 

Mrs Mackie, who accompanied the children on the dawn ‘til dusk ferry round trip, was as delighted by the children’s growing camaraderie as she was with their achievements.

“When we got on the ferry to go over all the kids were in small groups of twos and threes but when we got the ferry home we came back as a complete, happy group, which was lovely to see,” she said.

“Even though we got back late at night, the next day they were back at the Club still fired up and asking when they could do that again.

“I didn’t realise how beneficial it would be to take them to a different course. I’d recommend it to any other club to take the children on a trip.”

Orkney Golf Club first teamed up with clubgolf in 2006.  Mrs Mackie, a non- golfer who can empathise with the non-golfing parents of many of the junior newcomers, joined the clubgolf coaches this year to take on the bulk of administration work, leaving them with more time to coach and organise competitions.  She and the coaches have agreed a junior programme and the seven volunteer coaches are delighted to have someone to look after the time consuming but worthwhile tasks that all junior clubs undertake.  

Now, with the official season nearing its close, plans are underway to make the junior experience EVEN better next year.

“The courses on Orkney are completely open, it gets very windy and cold and we have horizontal rain,” said Mrs Mackie.  “The kids go out in all weathers but we need something we can do inside if the weather isn’t good.  So next season we are hoping to develop our coaching facilities and increase the number of coaches.

And a final word for the Wick event, “Orkney Juniors thank all involved and in particular John Harper, Wick Junior Convenor who set up the Open Day.  Now we’ve done the trip to Wick we will return again next year, hopefully with even more juniors, and we will invite Caithness juniors over here for our own competition.   

“We have heard from Willie MacKay, clubgolf’s regional manager for Highland that the four Caithness Golf Clubs, through their Junior Golf Partnership, are planning to have a Caithness Junior Team for 2008 and will maybe visit Orkney for a match.  They will all be assured of a great welcome just like we had from al at Wick Golf Club.”