The Way They Were

1996 Scottish schools individual champions Claire Hunter and Laurie Phillips at Lossiemouth.

THE LAST TIME THE SCOTTISH SCHOOLS CHAMPIONSHIPS
WERE PLAYED IN THE NORTH OR NORTH-EAST ...

It's 1996 at Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth - the last time the Scottish schools championships were played in the North or North-east.
It was the North-east that scored a double whammy with Claire Hunter (Deeside) and Laurie Phillips (Cruden Bay) winning the individual titles. It doesn't look as if there was a schoolboys' trophy in those days.
Claire Hunter, who went to college in the States and later turned professional, has worked at a driving range in New Zealand for the past few years.
Laurie matured into one of the leading players on the North-east District men's scene and has helped Cruden Bay win the Scottish club title twice over the past few years. He works in the North Sea oil industry.
Scottish Schools Golf Association secretary Dorothy Scott reminds me that the annual Scotland v England schools international was held at Newmachar Golf Club in 1997 but she confirmed that, for some reason, the schoolboys and schoolgirls championship has not been back in the North or North-east for 11 years past.
That will all change in Monday, June 16 next year (2008) when Inchmarlo Golf Resort will house the Scottish schoolboys 36-hole championship and a mile or two away Banchory Golf Club will stage the Scottish schoolgirls' two-round championship on the same day.