Divison Winners
Open - Liam Young
Amateur - Gwyn Wilden
Women – Edna Webster
Junior - Gordon McCallum
Junior Junior Fraser Galloway

Report by Jester Wilson
A fine weekend of weather and golf awaited all those who travelled to Ullapool in the beautiful Scottish Highlands. For the geographically challenged among you, Ullapool is located on the north-west coast on Scotland, west of Inverness. Amongst other things it’s where you can spot dolphins in the sea, eat the best fish and chips in the world and catch the ferry to the Outer Hebrides. It’s also a lot more accessible than some may think, only 4-4.5hrs drive from Edinburgh or Glasgow, not more than it takes to get to Mull from Glasgow, and only an hour from Inverness.

The course itself, a brand new development, is just south of Ullapool at Leckmelm on part of a 3000 acre estate owned by the very friendly Lucy. Players were extremely impressed by how much work had been done to prepare the land for the tournament. The bracken, up to waist height in places, had been ferociously removed with strimmers to enlarge greens and fairways. Maps were not needed as the course signage was excellent. Baskets were set in some of the most entertaining places, including one on top of a ruined wall (hole 3, Balboa) and one suspended from a tree (hole 7, named by players as ‘The Hanging Tree’)

The course, estimated par 56, was in two distinct parts. Holes 1-10 were played in the lower rolling fields where baskets were protected by rocks, Rhododendrons, and good use of the land’s shape. Holes 11-18 were played through narrow corridors in the tall fir forest stretching up and down the steep hill at the back of the land. These include the tricky up-a-firebreak 13th, ‘Shane’s Elevator’ (designed by Shane Stewart) and the thoroughly mind boggling 14th ‘Pinball’, a long downhill par 4 around 130 yards requiring an S curve drive down an incredibly tight tree-lined fairway.

The weather throughout the tournament was superb. Only once did a few spots of rain threaten the almost unbroken Sunshine which as if by magic held out until the end of the prize giving. Catering was also excellent with plenty of sandwiches, salad and jelly(!) on Saturday and venison stew (stag or hine, you choose!) and more jelly on Sunday. Unfortunately Saturday night’s planned boat trip could not go ahead as planned, but a night in the bar of the Four Seasons hotel where players were very well looked after at the bar more than made up for that.

In the tournament Liam Young was unstoppable setting a first round course record of 46 (seven 2s in the first nine holes, eleven 2s overall and three 4s). His best ever round, according to the Big Man, made a gap too big for the chasing pack to close and he took the title comfortably.

Other notable performances included Gwyn (honest I’m an Am) Wilden’s third round 49 putting him in second going into the final, and Jester Wilson’s six 2s in the final 9 which was enough to catch and go past Gwyn by 2 shots. However Tour rules state Open and Am players cannot switch places during the final so Gwyn retained second place.

Albrecht (Ali) Tiefenbacher was a surprise to everyone. A Team 42 ultimate player from Germany on holiday in Ulapool, he happened to bump into Liam, Fraser, Gwyn and Jester who told him about the tourney. He turned up, played all three rounds with an Ultrastar and a putter and made the Am final! There is a course near his home in Germany which he says he will now pay a visit or two! Other first time tourists were holidaying friends Wilma Tolmeijer and Brigit Trooser from The Netherlands. They both enjoyed the experience and it was great to have them there.

Competition was tight in the Junior division. Going in to the final Gordon McCallum (representing GB at this years European Championships in Beaminster) was 4 shots down on Ben Bolton, but he pulled them all back to force a play-off. Hole 3 (Balboa) was chosen as it did not give an advantage to either player’s drive (Ben’s a leftie). Gordon’s drive was good and his second was under the basket for a three. Ben had a tough putt to make his three and he gave it a great chance, but it hit the outside of the bucket and the title was Gordon’s.

In the Junior Junior division Fraser Galloway and Seamus Charity both showed great stamina to complete all three rounds, with Fraser edging out Seamus in the end to win. Edna Webster retained her Women’s Division title from last year with typically spirited performance that she’s becoming known for. The Boltons (Sophie, Guy, Ben and Jonnie) won a special Family Prize for demonstrating how Discgolf can be enjoyed by all, and finally Shane Stewart won Spirit of the Tournament for his robust approach to the game and his magnificent help in the course preparation.

As the players departed thoughts were already of next year’s tournament. It is possible that there may be on-site cottage accommodation but we will have to wait and see. I know whatever happens I’ll be looking forward to it.

Jester
BDGA 128