Published: Tuesday, 18th November, 2008 12:30
Golfers celebrate special birthday
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Top table: Left to right, Iain White, Brian Fitzpatrick, Alex Roy, Roy Brabender, Iain Gordon, Charles Paul and Sir Craig Reedie.
GREENOCK Golf Club captain Alex Roy presided over the club’s 50th annual dinner in a packed clubhouse recently.
In welcoming all the members and the top table guests, Alex had a particularly warm greeting for past captain Tommy Dean, who had attended the first annual dinner in 1958, and past captain Roy Brabender who, while not at the first dinner, had been at 47 of the 50.
The game of golf was toasted by Sir Craig Reedie, former Chair of the British Olympic Association and member of the International Olympic Committee, former Scottish badminton doubles champion, past captain of Ranfurly Castle Golf Club and member of the R & A.
In a most fluent and very amusing toast, Sir Craig drew on all of these experiences, including his role in bringing the Olympic Games to London. He did not miss the opportunity to recall happy days playing badminton and golf in Greenock, in both cases against a number of the members present in the room.
By his way of it at least, these days all seemed to be successes for him!
The Toast to the Greenock Golf Club was given by Iain Gordon, Chief Superintendent with Strathclyde Police and vice-captain of Ralston Golf Club.
Iain had obviously used some of his professional skills in detective work as he linked his hilarious toast with many of the members, the club’s history and the other Greenock Golf Club, in the Berkshire Hills in Massachusetts, USA.
No such detective work was required by Greenock member, and IBM HR partner, Brian Fitzpatrick, who belied the fact that it was his debut on the after-dinner circuit by delivering an equally entertaining reply, using his local knowledge to great effect as he poked fun at the members.
The rest of the programme was provided by club members. Past captain Iain White piped in the top table, vice-captain Charlie Paul gave grace, Kenny Roy and Joe Gatherer sang, and piano accompaniment was provided by Derek Fry.
The special nature of the evening was reflected in Kenny and Joe both singing songs they had specially written, and Iain playing a march in 4/4 time that he had composed for the occasion.
The evening was rounded off by a sparkling vote of thanks from match and handicap convener George Deveney after which the company raised the roof with a rendering of Auld Lang Syne.
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