NEW ROSS SENIORS
The good people at Ballykisteen Hotel and Golf Resort at Limerick Junction in Co. Tipperary graciously gave our group who travelled up there in September a ‘welcome back-thank you’ offer last week.
It was such an excellent deal we could not refuse both for accommodation and golf, showing how much they appreciated our custom. We will certainly keep this outstanding venue in our curriculum for next year.
Out on the course on day one in almost perfect golfing conditions with little or no breeze, a champagne scramble format saw the three-person team of Jimmy ‘Ross’ Ryan (18), Jamesie Murphy (23) and Tony Sexton (24) romp away to victory, scoring a terrific team total of 101 points (95 plus the six-point bonus) to finish clear winners and scoop the jackpot.
Second place on 94 points came John Murphy (17), Pat Traynor (17), Dick Cahill (19) and Tom Kent (26). Third place went to Denis Kirwan (11), Willie Whitty (18) and Tom O’Shea (24) with 93 points.
Day two again in a champagne scramble saw a change in personnel in the make-up of the teams and with a change in the weather also. More winter-like conditions accompanied by a strong wind sweeping in from the Galtee Mountains meant that the scoring was way down this time.
The four-person team of John Murphy (17), Dick Cahill (19), Jamesie Murphy (23) and Tom Kent (26) took the spoils and the bragging rights plus the pool with a finishing total of 89 points.
A point behind in second place on 88 points were Pat Traynor (17), Jimmy ‘Ross’ Ryan (18), Willie Whitty (18) and Tony Sexton (24), while Denis Kirwan (11), John Joe Murray (20) and Tom O’Shea (24) took third spot a further point behind on 87 points.
Back on home territory last Thursday, 13 teams faced out into a howling north-west wind coming down from the Arctic regions.
It was obvious that scoring was going to be low as the wind was of no assistance on any of the 18 holes. Any team bringing in an 80-point plus score would surely be in the shake-up as the points were hard to come by.
John Shalloe (5), Michael Gannon (16), Martin Burke (25) and Ollie Brennan (27) were declared the winners with a total of 82 points. By virtue of a better back nine (38/37) and a score of 79 points, Andy Ronan (14), Aidan O’Connor (19), Martin Forristal (20) and Tom O’Neill (20) were placed second.
On the same total (79 points), John Kennedy (16), John Joe Murray (20), Kenny Irwin (21) and Tony Sexton (24) took third place.
Would all players please note that for the winter months we will play off the forward (green stakes) each week in order to make our game more enjoyable.
Our very best wishes go to George Peters who was recently hospitalised and we hope to see him back very soon.
Our A.G.M. is fixed for Thursday, December 1, at 9.30 a.m. sharp, and our Christmas outing and dinner is on the following Thursday, December 8. We will collect the fee (€20) for that on December 1.
Your kind co-operation on this is requested as the restaurant will need to quantify in advance the numbers dining on the day of the Christmas outing.