Win is certainly bonnie for Lundin golf pairing

And the title made it back to the Kingdom, with Lundin duo Gary Stein and Stuart Fowler the run away winners.

The Carrick at Cameron House Golf Club played host to the Scottish Club Handicap Championship Grand Final for the first time, as the renowned tournament venue welcomed 40 club pairings from Cruden Bay to Cardrona in search of the prized title.

Gary and Stuart took the crown across to the east after firing a superb winning score of seven-under-par 64.

The best nett score recorded by any one of the two players in the team at each hole formed their aggregate, with the four and 13-handicapper gelling for a three-stroke success.Stein, who works for the police, said: “We came through Lundin qualifying back in June, then went on to Pitlochry for the Regional Final. To come here and beat all the other competitors is just fantastic, and we’re all ready thinking about trying to defend the trophy next year.

“It’s nice to be crowned national champions, especially after our poor tee shots to start with on the 10th, where the TrackMan was set up. Stuart hit it about 50 yards and I snapped hooked it onto the 11th! We played well after that and Stuart finished with three birdies. It’ll be nice to try and keep it going over the winter, as we’re partnered in the winter league, and then into next season.

“Stuart is an apprentice electrician and I hadn’t really come across him before until we were partnered at Pitlochry. This was just our second time playing together so it’s a great team achievement for us.”

The Scottish Club Handicap Championship has been the country’s biggest participation event since its launch in 1999, with around 20,000 club members taking part in local qualifying each year.

Each club in Scotland was invited to host a free-to-enter local qualifying event for its members through an existing competition, with the two players topping the leaderboard (nett scores) going onto represent their club at one of four regional finals earlier this year.

The Scottish Club Handicap Grand Final was this year generously supported by partners TaylorMade, Taste of Arran and Royal & Awesome, as well as host venue The Carrick.

Royal & Awesome prize vouchers for the nearest pin competitions went to Kerr Middleton (West Linton) and Sandy Roberts (Cruden Bay), while Robbie Murdoch from Porlethen proved the biggest hitter for the TrackMan-recorded scores on the 10th, winning the long drive prize.

In the female section, the longest drive for a Taste of Arran hamper went to Susan Cowie who also won a TaylorMade putter.