CA v SCA 2018

1-2 September 2018, Middlesbrough

The CA retained the Glasgow Quaich, with a 17-7 win over the Scottish CA.

When the Scots came to Albert Park two years ago (winning 16-8) their team, including two minus players, was nominally the stronger; this time round the comparison was more in favour of the CA's - as it turned out. We were fortunate this year to have wonderfully warm and sunny conditions over the whole weekend.

Most competitors were able to join in a convivial supper at a local restaurant after play on the Saturday. Thanks are owed to Glynis & John Parks and to Barbara & Peter McDermott for helping in the pavilion over lunchtimes.

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West of Scotland Championship 2018

29-30 September 2018, Knightswood

Unlike the terrible weather throughout 2017 the Knightswood lawns were in much better condition and despite some intermittent showers remained medium-paced throughout the weekend.  The tournament was played using the Egyptian format with games lasting three hours.  With six players on the Saturday increasing to eight on Sunday it was possible for each player to complete three games on each day.

On the Saturday George Plant attempted a bisque-assisted triple against Alan Wilson which unfortunately came adrift at hoop 4 while attempting to regain position for the second peel.  Well done George for playing positively with bisques.  Two players were in contention for winning the event: James Thomson and Kevin Russell (Stefan Colling would have been added to this list if he had been able to play on both days).  Game 5 on Sunday was effectively a final with James beating Kevin in a closely fought match with the score 25-19T. 

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Spalding Trophy 2018

25-26 August, Knightswood

Eight pairs contested the Spalding trophy at Knightswood this year, teams largely consisting of one low handicap and one high handicap player.  Favourites, inasmuch as they had won the first two playings of the trophy and were the lowest of the low bisquers and the lowest of the high bisquers, were John Surgener and Bill Strachan.  However the manager had introduced a complication by giving all the other teams a small number of bisques.  He intended these to be used to allow promising breaks, particularly peeling ones, to continue after errors.  In the event quite a few were used to pick up breaks. The competition was as usual played as alternate stroke doubles to the laws of advanced play.

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