Club championship news - meet the prolific women's title winner

She’s only 27 but Carinne Taylor has already racked up an array of club championships that most people would dream of in a lifetime playing the game.

A weekend win saw her crowned as the Nairn champion for an eighth time, matching her feat at Elgin while she has also been the club champion at both Forres and Moray.

On top of all of that, Taylor is also a three-time North country champion and has won the North of Scotland Championship as well.

Carrine Taylor shows off the trophy after landing her eighth win in the Nairn ladies' club championship. Picture: Nairn Golf Club

Playing golf in the Highlands clearly brings out the best in her because, in last month’s Scottish Women’s Championship at Nairn Dunbar, Taylor made it to the semi-finals before seeing her title bid ended by eventual winner Lorna McClymont.

“I think Nairn is always quite a special one as it’s match play and there are so many good players at the club, so it’s never an easy one to win,” said Taylor, who lives in Forres and works for DYW (Developing the Young Workforce) Moray. “None of them are easy, but that one in particular is quite difficult.

“It’s hard to describe how I’ve done so well in all these events. But I think Nairn especially brings out the best in me in match play. I’ve been in nine finals now at Nairn and you’ve always got to try and be one step ahead.

“I definitely got confidence from the Scottish Women’s as I played really well at Nairn Dunbar. It’s always an event I’ve aspired to do well in and it was nice to get a good run this time. You also can’t be too disappointed getting beat by the eventual winner.”

Malcolm Macleman shows off the trophy after his first title triumph in the Nairn men's championship. Picture: Nairn Golf Club

The men’s title at Nairn this year fell for the first time to Malcolm Macleman as the 43-year-old added to his brace of club championships at Moray in 2014 and 2021.

It was also a first victory at Kingsknowe in Edinburgh for Craig Gordon, who played on the same team as 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell at the University of Alabama.

Gordon, who followed McDowell into the professional ranks before being reinstated as an amateur, beat Gary Malone by one hole in a tightly-contested title decider.

“Delighted and fortunate in equal measure,” said Gordon, a former Scottish Mid-Amaeur champion, of his success. “It was hard work in the final and Gary is also my best pal at the club and a huge reason I joined the club.”

Reinstated amateur Craig Gordon landed his first club championship win at Kingsknowe. Picture: Alan Rennie/Kingsknowe Golf Club

Gordon’s name is also up on the champions’ board at another Edinburgh club. “I won the championship at Ratho Park twice, once as a junior, and only played in it three times actually due to other commitments,” he added. “I won the junior championship twice at Ratho as well.”

When they were starting out in the game, brothers Steven and Richard Brian both won the Kingsknowe junior championship and now another Brian has become a winner there.

Will, son of Royal Burgess head professional Steven, is the new junior B champion and both dad and uncle Richard, who is general manager at Kingsknowe, were out watching him in the final.

Elsewhere, Steven Armstrong, another reinstated amateur, racked up his tenth title triumph at Turnhouse, where he’s also picked up 14 salvers as leading qualifier.

Kingsknowe junior B championship winner Will Brian celebrates with his family, including dad Steven, the head pro at Royal Burgess, and uncle Richard, the general manager at Kingsknowe. Picture: Alan Rennie/Kingsknowe Golf Club

He came out on top against Colin Davidson on this occasion and said: “I won on the 17th (35th hole) green, which is in front of the bench my brother Gary and I put there in our dad Ross’s honour. It was also on Father’s Day, so it was quite special.

“Lindsay Gordon won our Seniors’ Championship, picking up a trophy named after my dad and he paid a wonderful tribute at the prize-giving.”

Familiar faces also emerged victorious at Glenbervie, where Linda Robertson won her seventh ladies’ title and Mark Cox claimed win No 3 in the men’s event.

Robertson, who beat Lyn Fleming on this occasion, had previously triumphed in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024 while Mark Cox added to successes in 2019 and 2022 as he beat five-time champion Mark Hislop.

It was a fifth victory for Stephen Lamb at Glencorse on the outskirts of Edinburgh as he beat Derek Thomson by 4&2 in the final while Graham Robertson landed a fourth success at Silverknowes.

In a match that produced no less than 16 birdies, former Edward Trophy winner Robertson beat Connor McWatt, the club’s rising star, 2&1.