John Sutherland, was destined to become a major influencer of the game at local and national levels. He was a top amateur golfer, travelled widely and won many trophies including the Annual Medal at Wick Golf Club in 1891. John would go on to design and modify several golf courses in the region, and in early November 1906, John Sutherland took two days walking Reiss Links assessing the design options for the Reiss Links extension. In late November 1906, he submitted his report to Wick Golf Club committee confirming the suitability of the ground for the proposed extension, a plan for the new holes and proposed modifications to the original holes. His final paragraph explained how he had used his clubs and his expert knowledge of how far he could hit a golf ball with each club to measure the approximate length of each hole. His proposal was accepted with minor alterations and work proceeded over the winter months with the course ready for the start of the 1907 season.