The West Kilbride pairing of John Campbell and Robin Paton - pictured above - are the 2008 Ayrshire Fourball Champions after beating father and son duo Chris and Alan Bone (Loudoun)in the final at a windswept Prestwick St. Nicholas on Tuesday 21st October.In a match which started in sunshine but with a strong westerly breeze, the QWest Kilbride pairing, both five handicappers, got the best of the opening exchanges against Chris (4) and Alan (9).
In a feature of the opening holes, Alan lipped out at the first to match Robin's par four and West Kilbride went into a lead they were never to relinquish during the match.
An excellent tee shot at the par three second set up a inning par for John campbell, with Chris Bone the victim this time as his putt for a half hit the hole and spun out.
The Loudoun team steadied their position with halves at the third and fourth, and could indeed have reduced the defecit but for another putt which hit the hole but remained above ground.
At the 5th hole the West Kilbride lead was extended to three holes, courtesy of a winning par from Robin, but the thre hole advantage was short lived, the Loudoun pair winning their first hole of the day with a par at the sixth, after both the West Kilbride players found trouble with their approach shots.
The players were subject to a mini storm at the 7th tee, with strengthening winds and driving hail making standing difficult let alone golf, but to the credit of all four players, they produced fine tee shots in the worst of the conditions. The seventh as halved and a fine par four at the 8th, from a seemingly impossible lie from the tee, alowed Chris Bone to reduce thedefecit to one hole. This however was to prove to be the closest Loudoun got to getting back on terms with their opponents as a par 4 at the ninth by Robin was good enough to win the hole and give West Kilbride a two hole lead at the turn.
With both Loudoun players in trouble from the tee at the short 10th, West Kilbride went thre up once more, but Loudoun came back once again, Chris winning the 11th with a five to return to two down.
At the 206 yard par three 12th, into the teeth of the wind, all four players missed the green to the left but, in what was a crushing blow at a pivotal stage in the match, Robin Paton played a wonderful 30 yard shot from heavy rough which ran into the hole for a winning birdie two and which restored West Kilbride's thre hole advantage.
The next three holes were halved in pars and the players proceeded to the 16th tee with the West Kilbride duo Dormie three.
At the 16th, Alan Bone was 10 feet behind the hole in nett two, whilst John campbell had a difficult downhill putt from the fringe for his birdie. John rolled his putt to within a few inches and a par four was conceded, leaving Alan Bone with a 10 foot putt to aviod defeat. Despite his best efforts, the putt slipped past and West Kilbride were the champions with a 3 & 2 winning margin.
As the players shook hands at the conclusion of match played in the most sporting and friendly manner, the strong winds and driving hail returned briefly and players and officials alike retired quickly to the shelter of the clubhouse, where prizes were presented to the finalists (pictured below) and medals presented to the championship winners, by Ayrshire Golf Association Vice President Alasdair Malcolm of the host club.
Brown, who took both the Ayrshire Boys and Ayrshire Boys matchplay titles during the year, as well as winning the Junior Order Of merit underlined, his playing ability, committment and alround mannerly demeanour by securing the Macrobert Thistle Junior Golfer Of The Year Trophy, which was presented by David Reynolds of Fields In Trust (formerly The National Playing Fields Association).
