CLUB NOTES ONtheFAIRWAYS
GOLF
COURTOWN
Due to weather, the course was closed for the Wednesday sweep competition, so a putting competition was held in the clubhouse in conjunction with the Christmas party.
Paddy Stack and Tom Lynch organised a wonderful evening of entertainment. Referee of this putting competition was Tom Lynch who was a very strict timekeeper. The winner was Des Roche.
Sixty-plus sat down to wine and food with the President, George, and the Captain, John Fitzgerald.
The Wednesday sweep competition resumes on January 4. No doubt Pat McCarthy will be back to full fitness to guide us into 2017.
Tuesday, December 6, ladies’ nine-hole competition: 1, Catherine Lysaght (33), 21 points; 2, Helen Mundow (30), 18 points (countback).
Wednesday, December 7, men’s singles sweep: 1, Joe Turner (12), 26 points; 2, Tom Kitt (23), 24 points; 3, Des Roche (5), 23 points (countback).
Saturday, December 10, turkey fourball any combination: 1, Barry Symes (3), Pat Donnellan (13), 33 points (last nine); 2, Tom Kinsella (18), Diarmuid Kinsella (14), 33 points.
BUNCLODY
December 18, Christmas hampers: 1, Willie Harte (10), 30 points; 2, Michael O’Brien (16), 28 points; 3, Dan Byrne (15), 26 points.
December 26 and 27, open four-person scramble: 1, Martin Devlin (10), James Dowling (14), Jason Ryan (13), Eugene Ruane (14), all Rathdowney, 53.9; 2, Pat Comerford (13), Adam Comerford (14), Ken Holender (17), Michael Daly (14), 55.2; 3, Ray Moore (16), Seán Earley (6), Adrian Dunne (8), Declan Byrne (16), 56.4.
Winter league qualifier results: 1, Willie Doyle (8), 28 points; 2, Noel Frazer (13), 24 points; 3, James Bodels (12), 24 points.
ENNISCORTHY
Our Monday ladies’ and gents’ open singles is still going strong, attracting participants from near and far. The entry fee is €5 for members and €10 for visitors, open to all membership categories.
If you know of anyone who might be interested in this competition then please bring them along. Where else would you get such great golfing facilities for €10? The competition starts again on January 9, and the booking sheets opened January 1.
Two of the club A.G.M’s will be held on January 8. Men’s golf is at 2.15 p.m., and the club A.G.M. is at 3 p.m.
There is an ongoing problem with the telephone system which will soon be sorted out. For status of the course please dial 087-9695726. For everything else ring either 05392-37777 or 05392-34519. This is a temporary measure until the new telephone system is installed.
The Brittle Bones Society played twice in the run-up to Christmas. The former winners were Martin Collins, Matty Mernagh and Willie Dunne with a score of 52.3 points, while Willie Dunne, Tom Furlong, Des Jacob and Matty Mernagh came first with 53.2 in the latter.
Matty was in a generous mood on the Thursday game and was promoting a cash incentive for his co-players to make certain shots. He started at €300 and steadily rose as the game progressed but, alas, nobody could make the requested shot.
He thought his money was safe. Then, at the last hole, where a 50’ putt was required for a birdie, up stepped hustler Furlong who sank the required putt. Alas, he is still waiting for his €1,000.
Winter is setting in and along come the rules to go with it. To protect the course you must place your ball on the fairways within a six-inch semi-circle behind the ball and take a drop in the rough.
Some of the temporary tee-boxes are now in use as well. The course sanding has now been postponed until the spring of 2017.
I want to take this opportunity to wish all members and readers alike of my ramblings all year long, a very happy new year. I hope you have been kept abreast of the goings on within the club and been given sufficient notice of upcoming events.
These reports are only as good as the information fed to me, so if you want something mentioned then bring it to my attention instead of me having to chase it down. There are a lot of threads to pull together every week and by you doing your bit it makes my job so much easier.
BALLYMONEY
Three club 13-hole challenge, December 18: 1, Kevin Byrne (21), 26 points; 2, Robbie Kehoe (12), 26 points; 3, Joe Breen (6), 26 points.
St. Stephen’s Day nine-hole: 1, Tommy Dunne (10), 18 point; 2, Peter Byrne (21), 17 points; 3, Anthony P. Doyle (15), 17 points.
Wednesday, December 28, nine-hole: Fortune (16), 19 points.
The results of the singles stableford 18- and nine-hole played over the new year weekend will be in next week’s report.
All at Ballymoney Golf Club would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year.
NEWROSSLADIES
Unfortunately, the bad weather put paid to golf on the Wednesday prior to Christmas. However, spirits were far from damp at the ladies’ Christmas party on Wednesday evening!
Mulled wine and mince pies were enjoyed and the carol singing, led by Maeve Wilson, continued the festive theme. The Twelve Days of Christmas got everyone involved and some were more competitive than others!
The winter league will commence soon so be sure to get your name down - the sheet is up in the locker room.
ROSSLARELADIES
The run-up to Christmas was a time when the lady dignitaries of the club featured in the prizes.
On Tuesday, December 20, our outgoing lady Captain, Catherine Howard, came second with 24 points (back six) and was beaten by our incoming lady Captain, Doreen McGovern, coming first with 27 points.
The Friday morning ladies had their Christmas lunch on December 16, and the incoming Captain’s wife, Carmel Lonergan, won their competition with 25 points. The Friday morning ladies’ golf was set up by Girlie Martin (with the help of her pals, Pat Hayes and Eileen Kelly).
The Christmas lunch is always fun and everyone gets a prize at the event. However, this time around the club’s best/ most prestigious prize to any member has been awarded to Girlie herself! She was made an honorary life member.
This is most deserved and long overdue. Girlie has introduced so many ladies to golf through the Friday morning competition where they learn to play, learn the rules, and meet new people. Congratulations Girlie! The competition will resume on Friday, January 13.
Please note the use of mats on the fairways comes into effect from January 3 to protect the course, and mats are available in the Pro Shop.
Anyone wishing to play in the winter league, please register A.S.A.P. with the final entry date on January 14. The draw for teams will take place on Sunday, January 15, at 7.30 p.m.
We would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and peaceful new year with lots of good golf.
Tuesday, January 10, will be a ladies’ single stableford competition over twelve holes with prizes of lambs.
Saturday, December 17, ladies’ fourball, 14 holes: 1, Mary O’Shaughnessy (15/11–1=10) and Geraldine Roche (20/14), 30 points.
Tuesday, December 20, twelve-hole turkey singles: 1, Doreen McGovern (12/8), 27 points; 2, Catherine Howard (15/10), 24 points (back six).
Monday, December 26, twelve-hole bottle competition: 1, Niamh Byrne (9/6), 26 points.
Wednesday, December 28, ‘Beat The Hangover’: 1, Susan Evans (13/9), 25 points.
TAGHMONSOCIETY
1, Anthony
The Society returned to Faithlegg Golf Club on December 17 after an absence of almost three years, and 35 players participated. We had a 10 a.m. start and, with the course shrouded in fog, visibility was 50m at most.
It really was a case of shooting into the unknown and hoping to find your ball. By the time the last group went out it was just starting to clear which meant that some groups had to play eight or nine holes in a cloud.
As a result, all rounds took in excess of five hours on what was already going to be a long day for us. We considered sending up flares as we finished each hole to let the following group know that they could play on. Cigarette lighters were held up to no avail, and in the end we just shouted back down the course!
‘Loughy’ was heard to do his own rendition of the Johnny Nash classic, ‘I Can See Clearly Now’. That was painful to listen to; singing is not his forte.
The whole year and this report was all about one man, Noel Kendrick. Count how many times his name is mentioned, and he even managed to win a raffle prize too. But when you are that good consistently over the year then you deserve the plaudits.
No matter how many times we cut his handicap, he kept on winning. A van was required to bring home all his prizes. Well done Noel on a stellar year.
Results: 1, Noel Kendrick (16), 40; 2, Declan Clarke (16), 39; 3, Donie O’Brien (21), 38; Cat. 1 (0-13), Joe Kelly (9), 36; Cat. 2 (14-20), Ryan Cashin (20), 37; Cat. 3 (The Ballorr category, 21-28), Seamus McLoughlin (23), 35; front nine, Ted Mangan (16), 21; back nine, Anthony Wadding (14), 20; nearest the pin, Tom McGrath (T, 16th), 7’1”.
There were three winners of the twos club and €15 each goes to Tom Furlong x 2 (apparently one was an eagle as shouted all around the course for everyone to hear; well, it felt that good anyway chipping in from off the green!), Ted Mangan and Rory Murphy.
The visitor’s prize went to the Tiger’s brother, another bandit, P.J. McGrath (19), with 36 points. Congratulations to all our winners, and welcome back to Joe Kelly and Rory Murphy who have returned to the fold after a long absence.
We held our annual Christmas draw, our main fundraiser for the year, on a busy night of presentations and speeches, and the winners are listed first with the ticket seller second: 1, Pat Cashin (Joe Cashin); 2, Noel Kendrick (Noel Kendrick); 3, Kevin Murphy (Tom O’Gorman); 4, Ger Kelly/Eamon Roche (Eamon Roche); 5, Matt Banville (Seamus McLoughlin); 6, Tommy Hynes (Joe Cashin); 7, Donie O’Brien (Donie O’Brien); 8, James Colclough (Nicky Murphy); 9, Laura Benson (Joe Kelly); 10, Audrey Pettitt (Daragh Kelly); 11, Tony Roche (Noel Kendrick); 12, Tom Furlong (Tom Furlong); 13, Joe Doyle (Joe Doyle); 14, Nigel Doyle (Tom McGrath, T); 15, Ger Kelly/Eamon Roche (Eamon Roche); 16, Pat Daly (Tom O’Gorman); 17, Eamon Roche (Eamon Roche).
It is worth noting that Captain Eamon Roche sold no less than ten books of tickets, a herculean effort by any stretch. It just goes to show what a bit of effort can do, and our society is all the better for it.
We would like to thank all of our sponsors for the donation of their prizes to our cause, and the ticket sellers. We are very grateful to you all.
We ran a competition all year long where a person’s score on two pre-determined holes on nine courses were added together to form a virtual score across the nine courses, and Noel Kendrick was the winner with 32 points.
Our golfer of the year also came to a conclusion and, yes, it was that man yet again, Noel Kendrick, in first place with 55 points. Second was 14-year-old Ryan Cashin with 52 points (if only you had joined us earlier in the year, huh?), and third was Wexfordman Philip Wadding with 48 points.
Then came the big announcement and, even though it was a well-kept secret, it was no great surprise when Captain Eamon Roche handed over the captaincy to his good friend, Seamus McLoughlin, for 2017.
We had two young teenagers join us this year and basically they made a show of us more mature players all year long. Nearly always in the winners’ enclosure every outing, special awards were given to Ryan Cashin and Martin Roche. If this is the future calibre of our society, then we have great times ahead.
We would also like to thank Dolores Sidney, proprietor of our home base, Alice Brady’s pub in Taghmon, for putting up with us all year long and sponsoring us on various occasions. We couldn’t ask for better.
Ryan Cashin was the winner of our lotto bonus ball draw.
Our next event will be the A.G.M. but as yet no date has been set and every member should make an effort to attend instead of the same old reliable few. There is so much work involved in running a successful society such as ours that unless you have been a part of it then you wouldn’t realise just how much organisation is involved throughout the year. Every bit of help would be appreciated.
Rumour has it that ‘Loughy’ is organising a 52-seater bus, maybe two, for January 14 when he receives his trophy at Enniscorthy G.C. for winning the singles section of the inter-society tournament that was recently held there covering all of south Leinster.
We cannot let him go on his own, and tee-times have been reserved for those who wish to play, with presentations after the game. Book in quickly.
ROSSLARE
The A.G.M. of Rosslare Golf Club was held in the clubhouse recently, with Jim Hennessy presiding.
The following were elected for 2017: President, John Furlong; Captain, Paddy Lonergan; Vice-Captain, Jim Cullimore; lady Captain, Doreen McGovern; lady Vice-Captain, Norrie Goff; Hon. Secretary, Carol O’Brien; Hon. Treasurer, Seán Mernagh; Committee: Michael Dempsey, Colman Doyle, John Galvin, Jim Hennessy, Ken Maher, Mary McDonald, Niall McGuinness, Tony Wright.
Tim Quinlivan was elected as a trustee of the club to replace the late Edmund Wheeler.
Singles (14 holes): 1, Donal O’Keeffe (13), 33 points; 2, P.J. Doyle (5), 33 points; 3, Eugene Daly (25), 30 points; 4, George O’Connor (11), 30 points; 5, Jason Walsh (10), 30 points; 6, Tom Kennedy (9), 20 points; 7, Paul Murphy (+2), 29 points; 8, John Forde (15), 28 points.
Fourball (14 holes): 1, Boyd Scott (16) and Derek Evans (10), 35 points; 2, Derek Wickham (6) and Dermot Walsh (6), 33 points.
The Captain, lady Captain and committee would like to wish members, visitors, staff and everyone associated with the club a very happy new year.
WEXFORD
With good weather prevailing last week, competitions were held on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
Wexford Golf Club would like to wish all our sponsors, friends and supporters a prosperous and healthy 2017.
St. Stephen’s Day four-person team event: 1, Aiden Quilligan, David Currid, John and Joe Sinnott, 80 points.
Wednesday, December 28, 14-hole open fourball: 1, Frankie Morrissey (Enniscorthy) and Lee Walsh (Ballymoney), 39 points; 2, Billy Meyler and Michael Moran, 36 points; 3, Des Nash and Patrick Moorehouse, 35 points (back seven).
Friday, December 30, three-person team event: 1, Jimmy Thomas, Mark O’Leary, Thomas Bent, 62 points.
Saturday, December 31, 14-hole fourball: 1, Jason Kehoe and Nicky Cullen, 37 points; 2, Lar Rossiter and Patrick Moorehouse, 35 points (back seven).
Sunday, January 1, 14-hole v. par fourball: 1, Roy Murphy and John Hammond, nine up; 2, Liam Flood and Seán Flood, six up.