Serene team overcomes challenging conditions for Shetland Fish Trades Golf Cup

Competitors for the annual Fishermen’s Mission Fish Trades Golf Cup faced difficult conditions when a morning that dawned grey and damp quickly turned windy and cold, making for challenging conditions for players who came from all parts of Shetland to participate in the 23rd competition held at Skaw, Whalsay.

The event was very generously sponsored by Pelagia Shetland Ltd, which provided the trophies, substantial prizes and transport costs, as well as T-shirts, tees and balls for all participants.

A great deal of hard work had been put in by the hosts, Whalsay Golf Club, in the weeks leading up to the event to ensure that the course was in the best possible condition, and also in arranging and administering the competition.

Nineteen teams participated – a total of 57 players, who teed off at regular intervals from before 9am. On completing their round, players were served with a very fine fish and chip lunch as they arrived back at the clubhouse during the early afternoon.

Main image: The winning Serene team of Tom Shearer, George William Polson and Robert J Polson (individual champion), with Aubrey Jamieson (Fishermen’s Mission) and Graeme Davie (general manager, Pelagia Shetland Ltd).

A fantastic total of £4,705 was raised for local mission funds, including £1,205 in the raffle, for which the first prize was a return trip to Kirkwall or Aberdeen for two people, with a car and a cabin, generously donated by Serco Northlink Ferries.

A number of high-quality prizes were kindly supplied by the local pelagic organisation, and many other prizes were also donated by participating individuals and teams, as well as their associated companies and vessels.

Representing the Fishermen’s Mission on the day were local superintendent Aubrey Jamieson, office administrator Sylvia Taylor, and Orkney superintendent David Sinclair along with his wife Kirsty.

On behalf of Whalsay Golf Club, Graeme Sandison thanked everyone for coming, and those who had helped in so many ways before and during the event. He then introduced Mr Jamieson, who went on to thank Pelagia Shetland Ltd for its generous help and sponsorship of the event. He thanked members of Whalsay Golf Club for their tremendous hospitality and for all the hard work they had put in beforehand and throughout the day itself, making special mention of the boys who had worked very hard in the kitchen and serving at the bar.

He showed his appreciation to those who had provided raffle prizes, and to everyone who had supported the event by their participation. He went on to speak briefly of the mission’s work, saying that during the previous week, in the space of a few days, three fishermen had been airlifted to Lerwick, after being taken ill or suffering an accident while onboard their vessel, and needing help and support in various ways.

He welcomed special guests for the weekend, David and Kirsty Sinclair. Having only taken up the post in January, this was Mr Sinclair’s first visit to Shetland in his Fishermen’s Mission capacity.

Mr Jamieson then handed over to Graeme Davie, general manager of Pelagia Shetland Ltd, who presented the prizes, with the Golf Cup going to this year’s winning team from Serene, consisting of Robert J Polson, Tom Shearer and George William Polson. They were followed in close second and third places by teams Charisma and Adenia. The Robert P Irvine Cup for the individual champion was won by Robert J Polson, with a score of 35.

Despite the fairly unpredictable weather conditions, everyone agreed that it had been a most enjoyable day. Before leaving for the ferry, superintendent Aubrey Jamieson thanked all the players individually for their enthusiastic participation and generous support.