MORE than £3,500 has been raised for local good causes at the Helensburgh Lions Club’s annual golf day.

A field of more than 150 players from across the west of Scotland took up the challenge of winning prizes and raising cash during the event at Helensburgh Golf Club, with teams from the ladies’ section stepping up to the mark and securing the major prizes.

Denise Donald, Shona Bulloch and Alison Ram, who gave themselves the team name ‘The Beautiful Ladies’, took first place with 48 points, beating Dominic Taylor, Nial Nowrocki and Patrick Scullion, collectively known as ‘El Toros’, into top spot thanks to the better inward half.

Completing the podium were ‘2 Jambos Plus 1’, Bill Lawler, Chris Lawler and Andrew Murray, on 47 points.

Their better inward half earned them third place ahead of ‘The Chicks With Sticks’ in fourth, though Carol Bell, Dorothy Mickel and Rona Marshall did have the consolation of winning the Geoff Brewster Quaich, for the best team comprising members solely from Helensburgh Golf Club.

‘The Donald Boys’, Andy, Shey and Stephen Donald, took fifth place, while ‘BaJuSh’ – June Haggarty, Babs Robinson and Shirley Monaghan – were the best of a number of teams on 46 points, taking sixth overall ahead of Phil English, Jim McKenzie and Alex Haggarty, the ‘Golf Buddies’, on the same points tally.

Declan Baxter won the prize for the longest drive on the eighth hole, and Dominic Taylor the equivalent on the 18th.

Some fantastic iron play earned Michael McKechnie the ‘nearest the pin’ prize at the third hole, with Chris Lawler capturing the same prize at the ninth, George Ather on the 11th, and Hammy Parker playing a superb stroke to reach within six inches of the pin at the 16th.

Mel Newton, secretary of the Helensburgh Lions Club, thanked Helensburgh Golf Club for generously making the course available for the fundraiser, which this year raised £3,556, to be spent within the local community.  

He also thanked the sponsors for their donations and the players for their generosity throughout the day, the ladies section who manned the check in desks and 11th tee hospitality, Jonny Cleland and his team for presenting the course in such great condition, Sandra and Justine for providing the hospitality, and club professional Fraser Hall for his continued support and advice.