NEW CAPTAIN LOOKING FORWARD TO MILESTONE EVENTS
COLIN MacKay has taken over the captaincy reins at Royal Dornoch.
And with the club celebrating its 150th anniversary next year, and hosting the Curtis Cup in 2028, the 61-year-old Tain-based financial advisor will have plenty on his plate.
“Both these events will be major landmarks in the history of the club and plans have been progressing to celebrate the 150th in style for some time now,” said father-of-two Colin, who plans to wind down on the working front to handle the demands of the captaincy role after taking over from close friend Gary Bethune at the recent annual general meeting.
“They are going to be big occasions for the town, with all manner of businesses benefiting from the members and guests who will be attracted from all over the world.
“This is all coming hard on the heels of the opening of the new clubhouse, which has been incredibly busy since its opening at the end of last year.
“Our old clubhouse served us well but it had had its day and the reaction from everyone to the new building has been phenomenal.
“It will be perfect for hosting the 150th events and the Curtis Cup, which will be the most prestigious tournament we have ever welcomed to Royal Dornoch.”
Like Gary and others before him, Colin enjoys strong emotional ties to the town and the golf club.
His father, who served with the police in Glasgow, and grandfather both hailed from the area.
After spells in the Western Isles, Dingwall and North Kessock in the line of duty, the family settled in Dornoch in 1976.
“The golf club has been a huge part of my life,” admitted Colin, whose name features among the winners of the high handicap section of the Carnegie Shield.
“It was only when we came here that I picked up a golf club. Football was my first love. I played for Dornoch and was a league winner with Golspie before an injury in my early thirties.
“But on coming to Dornoch, I quickly discovered that everyone was going to the golf club after school on a Friday for the juniors’ night.
“I was pretty much self-taught and the lowest I got down to was five. There weren’t the same coaching opportunities the youngsters enjoy nowadays.
“It’s been great to see the Junior Section going from strength to strength.”
Colin, who lives locally with partner Lynn, has been chums with Gary since their school days at the local Academy.
“Being appointed captain of Royal Dornoch is an absolute honour and a huge privilege. It didn’t take long to say yes when Gary asked me to be his vice-captain.
“I am a year younger, but we have always shared a love of sport.
“When we were kids, there was a bunch of us who would play regular mini–Ryder Cup competitions among ourselves.
“The police house was at Camore back then. Myself, my brother Angus, Brian MacAskill and Jimmy Anderson would play the lads from Dornoch, Gary, Neil Simpson, Callum Sutherland and Robert Patterson.
“It could get pretty serious! There were times when we were out on the links at all hours playing extra holes to decide the winner.
“Of course, it’s all very different nowadays to when we were growing up.
“I remember the days when you could turn up on the first tee and get on the course. You didn’t have to book tee times.
“There was a ball chute to secure your place if it was busy. It would have to be a rather big one now!
“In the late 70s you could even enter the Carnegie Shield on the Thursday before it began. It was never oversubscribed.
“This year we had nearly 300 players and once again we required a ballot.
“Presenting the Shleld was one of my first duties in the role of captain and I am certainly looking forward to the next two years.”
Colin’s vice-captain is locally-based, long-time member Sandy Fraser, who was a well-known food safety officer with Highland Council before his retirement four years ago.