A SPECIAL golf competition held in honour of an 'icon' of Auchterderran Golf Club was incredibly won by the man himself.

The nine-hole Dundonald Bluebell Stableford Trophy was put together for William 'Hammy' Hamilton as his days on the course begin to ease up.

The club's committee spent several weeks planning the swansong for Hammy, now in his mid-80's.

With no knowledge of why the event was being held, he stepped up to the tees and delivered a tournament-winning points total over the course of a recent Sunday morning.

It was only after the prizegiving that the motives behind the competition were revealed to him.

Johnnie, one of Hammy's sons, told the Times: "He was gobsmacked.

"He was emotional, and after thanking everyone he said, 'I'm going to start greetin'.

"He's a very humble man and he would have felt uncomfortable had he known why the day was being put together.

"Throughout the day, he never twigged.

"I have to thank Ian Murray and all the committee for going to the lengths to arrange this."

The competition was sponsored by Dundonald Bluebell and an engraved tankard was present to Bowhill stalwart Hammy, as well as a signed Bluebell shirt and the £25 winnings.

Johnnie continued: "Hammy is an icon in the village. Everyone knows him.

"He used to cycle to the club every day, but now he walks there twice a day.

"The whole day on Sunday for him was a great success.

"The icing on the cake was him winning it!

"I think he was more excited about that rather than why the competition was going ahead, actually!

"There was a strong Hamilton contingent there and it's the busiest the golf club has been in some time.

"He didn't have a clue that any of it was for him. It was advertised as being a fun day so that's why he thought his grandkids and great grandkids were there.

"The true nature of it all was revealed after the presentation and it did take a while for it to sink in, I think.

"He got a little teary, as he does with anything like this. The club is so close to his heart, so it meant a lot to him."

Johnnie says Hammy - one of the club's longest-serving members - will be 85 this October, but a knee operation means the stableford "could well be his last tournament at the club".