ELAINE Allison, of Stirling, has posted the first red-figure score of the season in the women's scratch section of Parbusters, a 73 against a standard scratch score of 74.

In windy conditions, the county player and nine-times club champion amassed four birdies and an eagle in a round which contained just 29 putts, or two fewer discounting the ones where the putter was used from just off the green.

The 41-year-old who specialises in making wedding cakes, credited her top-tier performance on the greens to a new putter, a balata-faced Ping model which she used to provide a softer connection with a hard-covered ball, specially selected for the conditions.

Her birdies came at the par-4 fourth, par-5 seventh - despite being in a bunker - and the par-3 fourteenth. Her eagle, at the par-5 thirteenth, arrived courtesy of a drive, a down-the-shaft No.5 wood, and a putt.

Unusually for players featured in this column, Elaine, a past Parbusters finalist and leading qualifier two years ago, does not expect her playing handicap of four to be adjusted at the next revision, though it may show a decimal reduction from 4.3 to 3.9.

Her round is likely to qualify her for this season's Parbusters final and definitely qualifies as one of the Stirling players for the next phase of the Scottish Association of Local Sports Councils competition. This week's leading scores

Men: Handicap: -11 - J Barr, Cambuslang (27). -10 - M Thomson, Dumbarton (15); G Stewart, Millport (18). -9 - J G Turner, Cowglen (24); G McCarthy, Kirkintilloch (24).

Scratch: -4 - P W Jamieson, Western Gailes. -3 - J McMurdo, Ballochmyle; I A Carslaw, Western Gailes.

Women: Handicap: -11 - J Drennan, Ralston (29). -8 - M Rennie, Douglas Park (20). -7 - M Ramsay, Elderslie (23).

Scratch: -1 - E Allison, Stirling. +1 - M Hughes, Wishaw. +4 - G Speedie, Douglas Park.

Scores based on CSS (men) and SSS (women).