Popular winner at the Kyle Hardie Open

Kyle Hardie Open 2018

Friday 7thSeptember saw Marketing Society members and guests contest the inaugural Kyle Hardie Open in memory of our much missed colleague and friend, who passed away earlier this year.  I was privileged to play a couple of rounds of golf with Kyle in recent years and he both loved the game, and was pretty handy (beating me comfortably both times).  Kyle’s family, friends and Union colleagues will ensure his legacy lives on, but this event is a nice way for the Marketing Society to remember one of its Fellows, taken far too soon.

The Marketing Society was delighted to welcome Kyle’s wife, Alison, and daughter, Ailsa, to join the event at Lundin Golf Club in Fife, and Kyle’s brother Blair, even flew in from San Diego to play.  

The format for the day saw 22 golfers contest a stableford stroke play competition while novices and non-golfers had a lesson from Lundin’s teaching pro, Ron Walker, followed by a putting contest over the Lundin putting green.

Lundin is undoubtedly one of Scotland’s hidden gems - a classic links course often used for Open Championship qualifying - and it was a treat to play it. The weather was kind with the sun coming out as the round progressed and only a little wind (although locals will deny anything under gale force qualifies as wind).  

Spot prizes were split by ability with bottles of wine for Nearest the Pin and Longest Drive for both the under 12, and 12 & over handicaps. Nearest the Pins (on the par 3s) went to Tony Harding, Chris Bruce and Alastair Imrie; with longest drives going to Graeme Clark, Ross Aitken and Matthew Mitchell. Unfortunately the longest drive for the low handicap golfers on hole 11 went unclaimed as none of the finest golfers that Scottish Marketing has to offer managed to find the fairway! 

Over at the clubhouse, the lesson with Ron Walker was in full swing, with natural talent evident in some, if not in all. Alison and Ailsa enjoyed the lesson but Ailsa was unsure if she fancied giving up her weekends to the frustrating pleasures of the game her dad loved. The putting contest followed the lesson and was a competitive affair. A ding dong battle between Katherine Goodwin and Gregor Urquhart was soon under way with the two competitors trading holes in one. In the end, Katherine had to settle for the runner up prize, while Gregor took home the bottle of Caorunn Gin for the winner.

As the golfers made their way back to the clubhouse in the evening sunshine, scorecards were totted up to see who would be crowned the first ever champion of the Kyle Hardie Open, taking home the Claret Jug (and bottle of claret to enjoy with it of course). It became clear that one group had produced two strong performances with a pair of golfers scoring 38 points (2 shots better than their playing handicaps). As the tension built and Alison and Ailsa waited patiently to award the Claret Jug, a count-back was taking place to determine the winner.

I know the runner up, Matthew Mitchell, was as happy as the rest of us when the announcement was finally made. On a beautiful day, in a beautiful corner of the home of golf, it felt entirely fitting that the winner of the inaugural Kyle Hardie Open, was Kyle’s brother, Blair Hardie. Blair, struggling with emotion, was nonetheless delighted to have done his brother proud.  

We hope to welcome Blair back next year to defend his trophy and continue this new tradition in memory of one of the industry’s true gentleman.

 


Written by Simon Crunden, Managing Director, Republic of Media

Check out all the photos from the day over on Facebook.

 

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