Callum Cromar is aiming to take advantage of working from home and the chance to represent Lumphanan in the Evening Express Champion of Champions.
Data analyst Callum had been working for Aberdeen Standard Investments in Edinburgh until last March before returning to the north-east to work from home as Covid restrictions tightened.
However, the move also gave Callum a chance to repeat his impressive performances at Lumphanan of 11 years ago.
For scratch amateur Callum not only won the club championship again last season, but also equalled the course record that he last tied in 2009.
Callum, 28, who moved to Edinburgh six years ago, only rejoined last year to help the club during the difficult season.
He said: “I wanted to support Lumphanan Golf Club through the challenging circumstances we have all suffered.
“We are fortunate to have a committee and a core group of members who give a lot of their time both to the running of the club and ensuring its future.
“I was delighted to win the club championship with rounds of 70 and 69, beating Brian Marshall (71 and 73) by five shots.
“I also equalled the course record of three-under 59, which I also managed in 2009, in the Greenkeepers Trophy.
“It’s probably one of the higher course records relative to par as there are few birdie opportunities due to the narrow fairways and tricky greens.”
Callum opened with a bogey four, but consecutive birdie threes at the next two holes took him into red figures.
He dropped another shot at the sixth, but a further birdie followed at the seventh to be out in 30 strokes.
Callum exchanged a bogey four at the 10th with a birdie three at the 11th, ahead of picking up further birdie threes at the 12th and 16th.
“It was fun to come back,” added Callum.
“It reminded me of when I left school and had more time to practise and compete around the north-east.
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“Hopefully, if we all adhere to the guidance we’ll get back to some sort of normality before too long and be able to reopen clubhouses and give clubs a much-needed boost.
“I’m just trying to keep fit while working from home. I’ll be trying to have another attempt at the course record and progress to the latter rounds of the Champion of Champions.
“But honestly, it would just be great to be able to travel to some courses I’ve not played before.”
John Massie, who plays off 17, won the handicap prize with an aggregate of 123, with Graham White three shots adrift in second.
The Evening Express Champion of Champions is being sponsored by Aberdein Considine.
The property, legal and financial law firm is providing £1,600 in vouchers for the four competitions.
Competitors and secretaries are urged to return their entries as soon as possible ahead of March 12, the closing date for the women’s and men’s scratch and handicap tournaments. The winners of the competitions will receive £200 of vouchers with the runners-up £100 and semi-finalists £50.
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