Two septuagenarians record incredible Scottish golfing feat - one for the 22nd time!

They say golf is a young person’s game, but two septuagenarians are continuing to prove otherwise on the Scottish scene.

Step forward Bob Humble and John Fraser, who, at the ages of 75 and 72 respectively, have just landed their latest title triumphs in club championships.

In Humble’s case, it was a remarkable 22nd victory at Kilspindie in East Lothian while Fraser landed his fourth success at Royal Burgess on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

Bob Humble, flanked by ladies' captain Lorraine Tilbrook and club captain Martin Hay, shows off the trophy after winning the Kilspindie club championship for a 22nd time.

“It feels incredible actually as it’s ridiculous really to be winning a competition at this age,” admitted Humble, who beat Donald MacKinnon on the final green in the 36-hole title decider on this occasion.

“I won my matches 5&4, 6&5 and 5&4 in the first three rounds, all of them against good players. I was probably out-golfed by most of them, but my short game is not that bad for around Kilspindie.

“Then, in the final, I was one down after 18 holes and lost the first three holes in the afternoon and I was thinking at that stage that it would be a result to keep it respectable (laughing).

“My opponent made a mess of 16, where a par was good enough then, after we’d both parred 17, I was in quite close with my second at 18 and it was conceded for a birdie.”

John Fraser, right, is presented with the trophy by Royal Burgess Golfing Society captain Martin Blencowe after his latest title triumph at the Barnton club.

Humble landed his first triumph back in 1971 and was achieving the feat across six decades when he won it three years ago. “It’s an incredible game,” he said. “Last year I lost interest in the game a bit, but this year I went back to see Kurt Mungall. I had a couple of lessons with him at Kings Acre and he helped reinstate my interest.”

Can he win another one? “I don’t think so - I’m just lucky to be alive,” he declared, laughing.

Fraser won his first Royal Burgess title in 2002 before repeating the feat the following year again then again in 2015. To be champion once more in his 70s at one of the oldest clubs in the world is a terrific achievement.

“I stopped counting a few years ago,” he said, laughing, of his age. “I didn’t expect it. I entered it thinking ‘right, I’ll give this one last go’, so I was more surprised than anybody, to be honest, and it does feel special.

Andrew Fairnie, left, receives the trophy from club captain Graeme Taylor after completing a hat-trick of straight victories at Bruntsfield Links Golfing Society in Edinburgh.

“The three guys I beat to make it to the final were all past champions - Gregor Drummond in the first round, Varun Varadharajan in the second round then John Yuille in the semi-final - and to do that was particularly pleasing. I then beat David Arbuckle, who is a relatively new member in the final. I had six before that at Murcar and one before at Newtonmore, so that’s my 11th club championship win.”

After his win in the French Senior Men’s Open earlier in the year, Erskine’s Ronnie Clark spoke about how it felt “awesome” for older golfers to getting a reward from not only hitting balls and still seeing coaches but also being in the gym.

“Those of us who try and keep ourselves fit and do what we can, it just shows what can be done,” added Fraser. “I know it’s difficult when you are up against young guys with their mobility and flexibility and hit it a long way. But, as long as you can keep yourself fit, you can still do it. I’m up at Lossiemouth this week for the Scottish Seniors, so we’ll see how it goes in that.”

Lynne Fortune, another Kilspndie stalwart, landed her 24th ladies’ championship as she beat Sharon Lynch over 18 holes while it was title triumph number five for past captain Andrew Helm, who turns 65 on Friday, at the Merchants in Edinburgh.

Mike Gray, third from the right, and Louise Martin, centre, show off their trophies along with the other championship winners at North Berwick.

Andrew Fairnie completed an impressive straight hat-trick of victories at Bruntsfield Links, where he beat Michael Rolland 5&4 in the final on this occasion, while it was a third win as well for Mike Gray at North Berwick as he overcame Andy Hall 8&7 to add to victories in both 2011 and 2016.

Graeme Reid, meanwhile, defeated Dean Brock 5&4 in a high-quality title decider - the winner was seven under for the opening 18 holes to be six up and only made one bogey the entire day - to land his second crown at Newbattle, adding to a win at Dunbar in 2011.

Elsewhere, though, there have been a number of first-time winners in and around Edinburgh. James Kempster, for instance, landed the prize at Ratho Park with a 9&8 win over Scott Murray in the final while Marc Reid got his hands on the trophy at Craigielaw after beating Colin Fleming 9&7.

A new name was also added to the winners’ board at Duddingston, where Scott Speakman beat three-time champion Gary Thomson 2&1 in the final and, at Gullane in a similar scenario, Sam Hall defeated Alan Smith, a three-time winner, 2&1 to add the main prize to his junior triumph in 2021.

It was a first win as well there for Abercrombie Niset in the ladies’ championship as he foiled Jill McNicoll’s bid to make it three in a row whereas Louise Martin successfully defended her title at North Berwick as the youngster beat Dawn Young, mother of former Scottish Women’s champion and now LET Access player Clara.