CLUB NOTES ONtheFAIRWAYS
GOLF
WEXFORDLADIES
Congratulations to the winners of last week’s competitions -
Seniors, Monday, January 16: 1, Marie Kehoe (35), 31 points; 2, Sally O’Neill (20), 30 points; 3, Ena O’Donoghue (31), 28 points.
A three-person team choker format was held on Saturday and Thursday, January 14 and 19. This was a fun if sometimes pressurised format.
The teams to hold their nerve were: 1, Anna Sullivan (20), Sally O’Neill (20), Therese Glasheen (20), 59 points; 2, Margaret Atkinson (9), Theresa Kehoe (15), Margaret Hearne (15), 58 points (back seven); nearest the pin, Cathríona Walsh, 52 cm.
Thursday, January 19, ten-hole competition: 1, Mary Hatton (36), 13 points.
This year’s drive-in is on Sunday, March 5: mark it in your diaries.
The next Bridge session is on Wednesday, February 5. Friends and playing partners are all very welcome.
Don’t forget there is a cards (45) night in the bar every Friday at 8.30 p.m. Bring along your friends.
Thursday’s competition is a 14-hole singles stableford competition.
ROSSLARE
Saturday, January 14, fourball, lambs: 1, Tom Connon (21), Declan Curran (27), 42 points.
Men’s singles, three-man team, two to count, lamb stableford: 1, Martin Buggy (18), Bobby O’Dowd (20), Rich Howlin (19), 77 points; 2, Peter Cafferkey (18), Donal Brohan (28), Eddie Fortune (13), 74 points.
ROSSLARELADIES
Last Tuesday was a fun event - a team of three with two scores to count on each hole. Our lady Vice-Captain, Norrie Goff, with her team-mates Berni Riordan and Paula Stafford, came first with 57 points.
Competition was very tight with the runners-up - Karen O’Keeffe, Máire Farrell and Carmel Lonergan - getting 56 points with a whopping score of nine points on the 13th hole! It was not an unlucky number for them.
The winter league started on Saturday, and 16 mixed teams with six players on each have entered. Let the rivalry begin.
Each player enters a singles card over three weekends, then a fourball card over two weekends and a final scramble on Sunday, March 5, with two three-person teams.
Tuesday, January 31, is a singles stableford competition over twelve holes for lambs.
Saturday, January 14, 14-hole fourball: 1, Susan Evans (13/9-1) and Val Mernagh (15/11-1), 37 points; 2, Sheila Crosbie (13/9) and Ann Kelly (17/12), 36 points.
Tuesday, January 17, team of three: 1, Bernie Riordan (29/19), Paula Stafford (15/10), Norrie Goff (20/13), 57 points; 2, Karen O’Keeffe (26/17), Máire Farrell (18/12), Carmel Lonergan (27/18), 56 points.
WEXFORD
Another full programme of competitions was run last week, with the greens in top-class condition.
The Seniors’ scramble on Tuesday, January 10, was won by Liam Ruttledge, Kevin Cousins and Niall McGuigan with 42½. Second were Pat Kavanagh, Brendan Long, Seamus Sills and Seán O’Keeffe with 43 5/6. Third were Peter Firman, Con Pierce and Richard Pierce with 44 ¾.
On Tuesday, January 17, the Seniors’ singles was won by Brendan Long with 35 points on the back seven from Pat Furlong. Paddy O’Reilly, also with 35 points, came third, losing out on the back seven.
Wednesday’s fourball winners were Pat Murphy (10) and Liam Morris (14) with 36 points on the back seven from second-placed Tom Connon (20) and Declan Curran (27).
Friday’s team event was won by Peadar Dempsey (11), Derek Murphy (8) and Allen O’Donnell (27) with 70 points. Second place went to Roy (11), Patch (19) and Jimmy Doyle (20) with 66 points on the back seven.
Saturday’s fourball was won by James Kelly (21) and Tony Kelly (13) with 36 points. David Durack (10) and Neil Roche (18) were second with 35 points on the back six.
Sunday’s fourball was won by Paddy McGuire (18) and Brian Judd (19) with 38 points on the back six from Michael Goggin (7) and Michael Leniston (14), also on 38 points. Lar Kenny (27) continued his winning form to take third place with Eamon McGuire (7) on 37 points.
Every Friday at 8.30 p.m. there is a 45 card drive, open to all members over 18 years and by all means bring a friend.
Congratulations to Jim Doyle who won €50 in this week’s Joker draw. The number drawn was 21. If you are not in you cannot win, and entry is only €2.
Best wishes are sent to our Hon. Secretary, Pat Geoghegan, after his recent surgery.
ST. HELEN’S
The race for the top six qualifying spots in the winter league is on in earnest. There’s three rounds to go and it’s all to play for with a handful of points separating the top seven contenders.
Spare a thought for our greenkeepers, Kevin and Davy; Mother Nature is keeping them busier than ever controlling the unseasonal growth. With the course looking great and all 18 in play, it’s full steam ahead for 2017.
Saturday, January 7, winter league round six: 1, Kieran Whelan (17), 27 points; 2, John Sinnott (4), 26 points; 3, Joe Kelly (6), 25 points.
Saturday, January 14, winter league round seven: 1, Aidan Furlong (9), 27 points; 2, Stephen Kearns (7), 26 points (countback); 3, Jim Brauneisen (10), 26 points.
Saturday, January 21, singles stableford: 1, Pádraig Bail (11), 30 points; 2, Stephen Kearns (9), 29 points.
Fixtures: Wednesday, January 25, Wednesday club; Saturday, January 28, winter league round eight; Sunday, January 29, singles stableford; Wednesday, February 1, Wednesday club; Saturday, February 4, winter league round nine.
NEWROSSSENIORS
They say a week is a long time in politics, but a week is certainly a long time as far as the Irish weather is concerned.
From a biting cold wintry day the previous week with temperatures almost on freezing point, we went out in a benign scene last Thursday with no wind and a bright day more akin to what one would experience in late autumn.
The suitability of a champagne scramble for us Seniors every second week was never more emphasised than on Thursday when 13 of the 15 competing teams brought in scores of 92 points or better (what kind of misfortune fell on the other two teams?).
The brainchild of John Murphy and Denis Kirwan (two of the longest hitters in the club), it was designed to help the short hitters and those with an ageing profile to get more enjoyment out of their weekly game. One need only look at the above statistics to see that this format agreed at the A.G.M. is an outstanding success.
Consistency reaps its own rewards and so it was with the winning team of Eddie Morrissey (16), Jim ‘Ross’ Ryan (18), Martin Forristal (19) and Brian Dolan (22) when they brought in 100 points comprised of 51 on the outward nine and 49 on the homeward run.
By virtue of a better back nine (48/46), the three-person team of Eddie Keher (9), Larry Doyle (19) and Billy Redmond (20) took the runners-up spot with 97 points.
On the same score and in third place came Peter Goggin (16), P.J. McGrath (19), Frank Boyle (20) and Fr. Jim Curtis (21).
What a week it was for the genial ‘Dub’, Brian Dolan, for not alone did he figure on the winning team but himself and Anita won the ‘Find The Joker’ draw in the club as well. Well done Brian - it couldn’t happen to a nicer fellow.
Next Thursday continuing our rota system, the format is stableford with the two best scores counting on holes 1-18.
The Seniors group send their best wishes for a speedy recovery to our friend and long-time colleague Dick Cuddihy following his recent operation.
NEWROSSLADIES
Another lovely day on Wednesday, January 18, was a great opportunity for the ladies’ competition.
The forecast is good for this week so hopefully we will see a good field for another 14-hole competition. Booking is online as usual.
The draw has been made for the winter league and is posted in the locker room. This is a great chance to sharpen your game ladies, especially before the selection of teams starts.
The €5 entry should go into the box with your name before play begins. The first round must be played in the next two weeks, with details on the poster.
January 18, 14-hole stableford: 1, Ann Curtis (Adm., 29), -1 penalty, 26 points; 2, Pat Purcell (18), 24 points (last seven); 3, Teresa Foley (19), 24 points (last seven).
COURTOWNLADIES
The competition was over nine holes on ladies’ day, Tuesday, January 17.
Even though there was maintenance work ongoing on the greens, it was a lovely spring day and perfect for golf.
With the weather being so good the ladies, a few who had not been seen since late last year, turned out in big numbers. The scoring reflected the ideal conditions.
Results: 1, Frances Sinnott (27), 20 points (countback); 2, Mairéad Carty (20), 20 points; 3, Eleanor Shanley (27), 18 points.
Well done ladies. Tuesday, January 24, will also be a nine-hole competition. The forecast looks good so we look forward to seeing even more faces returning to the golf course.
BUNCLODY
January 9 to 15, nine-hole re-entry: 1, Seán Earley (6), 20 points.
January 14 and 15, men’s twelve-hole singles: 1, Aidan Lyons (8), 28 points; 2, Willie Fitzpatrick (21), 27 points; 3, James Doyle (8), 27 points.
January 18, Wednesday open singles: 1, Pat Moore (11), 39 points; 2, Leslie Duffy (22, Corragh), 37 points.
BALLYMONEY
Winter league fourth round - Group 1: Ken and Frank Layton drew with Donal Byrne and Michael Byrne.
Group 3: Ger McNally and John Reville w.o., Rudi Wortmann and Brian Brooking scr.; Billy and Patrick Larkin beat Richard Temple and Tom Keogh.
Group 4: Philip Moore and Paul Hayden w.o., David Glynn and Shane Fox scr.; Eugene and Paul O’Brien beat Ron Breen and Charlie Logan; Derek Robinson and Brian Delaney beat Paul and Anthony Doyle.
Wednesday nine-hole: 1, Anthony Doyle (20), 20 points; 2, Donal Byrne (4), 19 points; 3, Derek Robinson (8), 19 points.
Weekend singles stableford: 1, Martin Conroy (18), 44 points; 2, Richard Temple (16), 41 points; 3, Anthony Byrne (18), 40 points, holding off Dermot Noctor (18) on countback.
The A.G.M. was held on Saturday. Outgoing Captain Anthony Doyle thanked everyone in his speech and welcomed incoming Captain John Fitzgerald from Tara Hill. John nominated Marty Lawlor as his Vice-Captain.
President Ron Breen, Secretary Charlie Logan and Treasurer Anthony Fortune all reported on a healthy state of affairs at the club, with membership increasing steadily. The outgoing committee members were returned for another year.
ENNISCORTHY
Somebody was on the receiving end of a big surprise recently when he thought he was being brought to the clubhouse for a cup of afternoon tea by his daughters before going on somewhere else for a birthday meal.
The ever-genial and long-time member John Thorpe was 85. I liken John to the ‘Elder Member’, and anyone who has read P.G. Wodehouse will know what I mean.
He was greeted by the rest of his family, grandchildren, great grandchildren, friends and neighbours when he walked into a packed clubhouse of 150 invited guests. To say he was overwhelmed and shocked would be an understatement.
Happy belated birthday John from all at the club. Musical entertainment was provided by John Furlong, Jim Mackey, Joe Murphy and Tommy O’Rourke.
The winter series continues with the final round on February 4 and 5. The grand final for the top 30 competitors will be on Sunday, February 19.
The gents’ open Seniors will be returning as ever on the second Thursday of every month, starting on February 9 at 9 a.m. and again on March 9 at 8 a.m. There are changes to the age groups and they are: 50 to 65, 66 to 75, and 75+.
The ladies’ equivalent starts on April 20 at 9 a.m. and thereafter on the third Thursday of every month. The Captains’ drive-in will be on February 26. The ever-popular ladies’ and gents’ open singles will be making a welcome return after the winter break on March 6 at 8.30 a.m.