snorbens_caleyman

Oh dear, it's like when you used to catch me coming in late. My name is Garry Smith and I did play golf quite a bit with Laurie, including in the IRA team. I last met Laurie, and his wife Tina who was also a classmate, at the IGC Xmas Eve dinner back in December. I was in the same year as Laurie, Billy Urquhart, Dave Milroy, et al - and also one IHE, who I'm pretty sure won't remember me.

Those trees have had a chequered past! The IGC centenary booklet doesn't contain many pictures, but it does contain three of approximately the same area, around the 6th, 7th and 8th. (I acknowledge the violation of copyright – IGC please forgive me.) The first picture below, from 1912, shows the 6th green and the burn. In the distance, on the left, is Old Mill Lane and what is now the 8th tee, featured in the pictures earlier in this thread. In 1912, IGC did not own the land on the other side of the burn, hence the reference to the “original course boundary wall”. The 1920 picture below is from near the 7th green, above and to the right of the women teeing off in TBB's original picture. The trees are still there. Chronologically, the next picture is TBB's original picture of the women teeing off. I am not a fashion expert, but guess that it is from the 1930s. In that picture, the trees are gone. Now fast forward to 1983. Young trees are growing along the burn, and presumably these are now the mature trees in TBB's colour picture. I played at Culcabock mostly during my secondary school years, 1968-74. During that time, the club planted lots of trees around the course – including between the 1st and 18th, on the 3rd, 4th and 5th, and in the angle between the 6th and the 7th. At the time, they were in fenced-off plantations from which you got a free drop, but nowadays you'd just have to play out. Frankly, the course now looks terrifying compared to the one that I used to hack around!

1895 is correct but I think that may be at Culcabock. I have the centenary booklet that Inverness Golf Club produced in 1983, and here's what I have found. The club had originally started at Culcabock, but they set up the Longman course because they didn't have enough land at Culcabock. The Longman course was opened on 15th April 1893, and a clubhouse at the Longman was opened on 16th March 1895. However, "the end of this year [1895] also saw a clubhouse built and formally opened at Culcabock." The booklet contains a much poorer reproduction of the Am Baile picture above, labelled "Opening of first Clubhouse Culcabock 1895". So it looks as though by the end of 1895 they had two clubhouses, one at the Longman and one at Culcabock. The booklet later refers to "expenditure on the clubhouses at Culcabock and the Longman", so whoever wrote it definitely believed that they had two. The club later acquired more land at Culcabock, building a new clubhouse there in 1908 to replace the clubhouse which had existed for only 13 years.

Yup - that's the 8th tee, in the south-west corner of the course. The photographer was standing on Old Mill Lane. That's the clubhouse on Culcabock Road above the seated woman.

It was indeed a massive result, and a much needed three points. But everyone has been saying "Beat Killie and we are safe!". Unless I am missing something, we still need one more point to be absolutely sure. If Killie won their last four games they would have 44 - but our goal difference is much better. Unlikely, I know, but so are Leicester City... Am I missing something?

"There is a monster in Loch Ness, A fact ye cannae hide, It's got mair curves than a movie star, An a wiggle three miles wide An a wiggle three miles wide"

Carried the graffiti "Here lies Hector, belted by the Rector". Room 36 or 37 ?? - next to the Rector's office. Mr Dougherty - who drove a Borgward Isabella, IIRC - tried to teach me English there. We had a mutual loathing, so fortunately it was for only one year.

To put him in the shop window?

Not even Liam's Frankenstein impersonation could cheer up the Staggies' fans on Saturday.

Benzies summer sale - and just look at the weather! Plus you could help yourself to a baby from the selection parked outside in prams. My wife - not in Inverness - was once left like that. Shortly after she was born, her Mum was out shopping - arrived home thinking "I know I've forgotten something", and then remembered "****! I've got a baby!".

Was there nearly 30 years ago! Unfortunately it was a Wednesday, and most of the place was shut - and we were going home the next day. I remember that parts of it did remind me of Sneck - I remember an Argyle Street. The only souvenirs we got were a couple of baseball caps from the local store. I'll let other folks figure out where it is.

Another reason why it's not going to happen is that Hughes and Rice are signed until the end of the 2017-18 season. Sack them now and we wouldn't be able to afford a new manager or any new players.

I don't recognise anyone as Butch. Which one do you think he is? But I do see - rightmost standing gentleman, with collar and tie - Jags player and trainer George Pyke. I don't know anyone else.

One of the houses of the unholy...

Now I do believe that is the Royal Academy cricket team from IHE's year - possibly the 1st year one of 1968-69? Correct me if I am wrong, but I think I can identify some of them. Back row - left - Neil Spence (later father of former World Modern Pentathlon champion Mhairi), 3rd left Andy Smith (brother of author Ali Smith), 4th Billy Urquhart, 7th Fraser Kennedy. Front row - left Robert Milne (?) (councillor Alastair Milne's son) 2nd left Davie Milroy, 4th Willie Graham, centre (captain) Hamish MacIntyre (the Dalneigh minister's son who died at an early age in a mountaineering accident), 2 along from Hamish - Jeff MacDonald (Kevin's "big" brother). I have this ominous feeling that IHE is in there somewhere but can't spot the face. that's because when we pulled him into the prefects' room for "discipline", it was usually one of his far more commendable features that was in evidence as we set about it with a training shoe. Back row - second left, Neil Buchan (died some years ago), 7th possibly David Scrimgeour (who was a great mate of Fraser Kennedy), far right looks like Jimmy Chisholm. Front - first left, I think that could be Bryan MacGregor (later head boy and football captain), between Hamish and Jeff is Michael ("Suds") Sutherland, on Jeff's left I think that's Laurie Chancellor, far right Gavin Meldrum. Gavin's father was something like County Architect for Inverness-shire. Telephone callers to the Meldrum residence were sometimes bemused by Gavin answering the phone with the announcement "Ballachulish Dog Mortuary", or with the question "Do you want to buy some dirty postcards?".

That's excellent - it's exactly what I would have suggested if I was involved. Pleased and proud to be part of it. Thank you - and all your bus volunteers - once more for your all your work and organisation. Never was the phrase "herding cats" more appropriate!

Many thanks for organising this, DalgetyBayJaggy. Have pm'd you to introduce myself - and will do so publicly when I get a chance!