ONtheFAIRWAYS
BUNCLODY
March 1, men’s singles: 1, Jack Doyle (11), 27 points; 2, Aidan Lyons (6), 27 points; 3, Martin Guidera (9), 27 points.
Race to Paddy’s Day 2020, week four: 1, Conor Sinnott (13), 33 points; 2, Stephen Gahan (13), 31 points; gross, James Morrissey (5), 24 points; 3, Aidan Lyons (6) and Martin Guidera (9), both 27 points.
ROSSLARE
Matters have taken a different turn after four rounds of the winter league, with one team jumping four spots to take a seven-point lead.
The team is John Morris (+1), Robert Redmond (11), Vandra Deacon (17), Gerry White (20), Mary Barry (27) and Declan Curran (31).
In second position on 326 is the team of Liam McNamara (5), Paul Boggan (11), Diarmuid O Raghnaigh (14), Máire Farrell (18), Jean Cullinane (28) and Mary Kavanagh (36), with Joan Bowe (10), Jim Hore (12), Pádraig Power (15), Dorcas Maher (18) and Joan Radford (38) in third position on 323.
The final takes place on Sunday, March 22. Fourteen-hole singles (lamb): 1, Robert Quilty (15), 38 points; 2, Anthony Duggan (6 - 2), 28 points; 3, John Bolger (17 – 2), 28 points.
Fourteen-hole fourball (lamb): 1, Stan Jackson (15), Colman Doyle (20), 42 points; 2, Rory Deane (5), Stuart Ryan (23), 40 points; 3, Graham Doyle (24), John Saunders (30), 39 points.
COURTOWN
The Wednesday sweep held on March 4 was won by Jim Peppard (20) with 29 points (30 - 1). Declan O’Rourke (22) was second on 28 points.
Pat Kenny (12) was third with 27 points (last six), and Tony Kinsella (1) was fourth, also on 27 points.
The monthly open Seniors’ competition was held on Thursday, March 5, with Jim Peppard (20) emerging as the overall winner on 34 points.
Category A winner was Keith Reid (11) with 29 points, while Category B was won by John O’Riordan (17) with 27 points, and Category C by Pat Carthy (16) with 30 points.
Saturday, March 7, saw the finals of the EBS/Colman Doyle Finance Limited-sponsored winter league and plate.
The plate competition over 13 holes was won by Michael Quinlan (17) and Brendan Fagan (21) with 32 points.
In second place were David Kennedy (13) and Brian Kennedy (12) with 31 points, and third were Captain Keith Reid (11) and Alex Reid (6) with 29 points.
The winter league final itself was played over the full course and was won by the father and son combination of Colman Doyle (23) and Ciarán Doyle (15) with a very impressive score of 46 points (43 + 3).
In second place were Pádraic Flood (11) and Stephen Ryan (9) with 42 points (39 + 3), while Karl Caulfield (9) and Cathal O’Donohoe (15) were third on a countback with 41 points (40 + 1).
The longest drive competition was won by Mark Morris, whilst the nearest the pin competition was won by Colman Doyle.
Following the day’s play, the annual winter league dinner was held and this in turn was followed by the presentation of prizes for the league itself and also all outstanding prizes up to date.
The evening was rounded off by a very entertaining question and answer session with Greg Allen, RTE’s golf and athletics correspondent, who entertained the audience with his deep insights into both sports and astounded them with the range and breadth of his recollection of the smallest details of past events in both codes.
There was also an any combination fourball competition held over the weekend. Winners were Colman Doyle (23) and Ciarán Doyle (13) with 34 points.
Second were Joe Kenny (14) and Michael Henderson (23) with 31 points (countback), and third were Ryan Nolan (1) and Matt O’Dowd (20), also on 31 points.
Next Saturday sees the official start of the new year in golf with the Captains’ drive-in. The new Captains will arrive at the clubhouse shortly before 1 p.m. to be in time for their drive-in which is scheduled for 1 p.m. sharp.
The drive-in will be followed by a nine-hole mixed scramble, having a shotgun start at 1.30 p.m. to get the new year of golf off to a good start. Following the golf, food will be served in the clubhouse. All are welcome to attend.
Don’t forget also that the club is holding a rules night with Lucy Healy in the clubhouse on Friday, March 27, commencing at 7.30 p.m.
This is sure to be an interesting and informative evening, and all are urged to attend to bring themselves up to speed on the new rules.
BALLYMONEY
Wednesday nine-hole competition: 1, Mark Read (17), 25 points; 2, Tom Doolan (12), 22 points.
Weekend singles stableford, 15-hole competition (mixed), holes 13, 14 and 17 excluded: 1, Neil McDonald, 35 points; 2, Kevin Byrne, 34 points; 3, Paul Forde, 31 points, holding off Stephen Greene on countback.
DONOHOE’S SOCIETY
Donohoe’s Golf society played Quinnagh House on Sunday, with 15 players taking part.
The winner was ‘Prof’ Nolan (12), who has been in the prizes in the first two weeks of the new year, with 35 points.
Second was Nicky Cahill (6) with 33 points, and third was Lar Morrissey (15), beaten on a countback, also with 33 points. Willie Nolan just about got off his death bed to win the birdie money.
Next Sunday we play The Burrow in Rosslare. Please be there by 9 a.m. at the latest. If there’s any change, we will let you know.
NEW ROSS LADIES
Wednesday, March 4: 1, Helen Turner (29), 28 points (30 – 2); 2, Liz Roberts (21), 27 points; 3, Adeline Foxe (14), 26 points.
Wednesday, March 11, is a 14-hole stableford, sponsored by McCauley’s Pharmacy.
NEW ROSS SENIORS
We welcomed an old and long absent friend to Tinneranny on Thursday, and he got such a great welcome that he stayed with us the whole day through.
He was, of course, ‘Old King Sol’ whose brilliant rays of spring sunshine shone down on what was a perfect day for golf. Dry underfoot, greens running fast and true, and the temperature rising as well, meant we had a most enjoyable outing.
Scoring wise, the temperature was rising too with 13 of the 14 competing teams clocking up 90 points or more. However, the majority of these did not even feature in the prizes despite some great scores.
The ton-up brigade with one hundred points or more took pride of place, with a battle royal to finally decide the placings.
Taking the day’s honours, albeit by only one point, were Tony Harford (16), Michael Kavanagh (17 - that man again), Willie Wallace (20) and Aidan Wallace (28) with 103 points.
Pipped at the post on 102 points were Michael Gannon (18), Hughie O’Connor (20), John F. Roche (22) and Jamesie Murphy (26).
We had a right scramble to decide third place, with two teams finishing on 100 points. A better back nine (49/48) gave the third prize to Billy Redmond (17), Willie Kelly (21) and Frank Boyle (23).
Nearest the pin prizes went to Tony Sexton on the ninth hole and Les Jastrebski on the eleventh.
Just to clear up any confusion: in future when a three-person team with their normal bonus of six points figure in the prizes with the better back nine holes score coming in to decide the issue, three points will be added to their final score over the back nine.
NEW ROSS
Spring has sprung and there is certainly a noticeable stretch in the evenings along with brighter mornings - music to the ears of golfers.
The course was busy again during the week between casual golf, society golf, competitions and team practice sessions. Hopefully we have seen the last of the wintery weather for a while and we can start to enjoy sunshine instead of showers.
Last weekend we had an open fourball played off nine-tenths of the individual handicaps. There were some blustery conditions, particularly on Saturday, but this didn’t stop golfers from playing to a high standard with some impressive returns. Congratulations to the prize-winners.
Results: 1, Martin McGrath (12) and Bernard Connolly (16), 48 points; 2, Dick Cuddihy (13) and Brian Dolan (21), 47 points; 3, Derek Ronan (2) and Rory Hussey (8), 45 points.
Next Saturday there will be a singles stableford competition.
Next Sunday we will have our Captains’ drive-in. Members wishing to take part should enter their names in the Pro Shop by Thursday, March 12, to facilitate the draw for partners that evening.
The drive-in will commence at 11 a.m. with a shotgun start so that all teams will finish together. This will be followed by a meal in the clubhouse and the presentation of prizes.
The total cost of entry is €15. We look forward to an enjoyable day and hopefully some fine weather.
WEXFORD LADIES
Monday, March 2, 14 holes single stableford (30 played): 1, Marguerite Murphy (25), 32 points; 2, Margaret Atkinson (5), 27 points; 3, Yvonne McSweeney (10), 26 points; 4, Geraldine Draper (17), 25 points.
Saturday and Thursday, February 29 and March 5, 18 holes stableford, sponsored by Westgate Design, Wexford (51 played): 1, Mary Burke (35), 35; 2, Mary Cashe (20), 34 (back nine); gross, Margaret Atkinson (10), 25; 3, Patricia Boyd (19), 34 (back nine); Senior, Bridget O’Neill (31), 32; nine-hole, Michelle Winters (36/17), 16 (back six); nearest the pin, Sally O’Neill, 83cm.
Congratulations to all our prize-winners on the first 18 holes competition. Many thanks to our sponsors, Westgate Design, for their continued support.
This week’s competition is a three-lady team champagne scramble over ten homes, sponsored by Sam McCauley Pharmacy.
A quick reminder about the monthly ten-hole competition that started this month. It can be played any day and the cost is €2.
The sign-in book will be left in the locker room, and cards marked ‘10 Hole Competition’ can be placed in the competition card box. Please note that you can only play one competition per day.
WEXFORD
Sunday was the final round of our first winter league, and it was an outstanding success considering the very inclement weather that we had throughout this winter.
All participants are to be congratulated on both their turn-out each week and in particular on their pace of play throughout the league.
The winner of the 14-hole singles competition (four of the best cards from seven competitions) was the long-time leader, Richard O’Rourke.
Richard was a deserving winner by a clear two points from the field with a total of 129. In second place was Jimmy ‘Tiger’ Thomas who came from 22nd in the penultimate round to move up 20 places by virtue of his 34 points in Sunday’s competition.
This enabled him to discard a nil score for a day that he was unable to compete. Jimmy finished on 127 points.
We then had three players finishing on 125 points, and the committee decided to award third place to each player rather than to do a countback. These three players were Davy Farrell, Jason Kehoe and Emmanuel Quigley.
The winners of the winter league team competition were the long-time leaders, the Adare Manor team of Richie Browne, Ollie Dempsey Jnr., Jim Doyle, Paul Kelly, Pascal Kavanagh, Ray Cullinane and John Bergin who had a total of 689 points.
They were seriously challenged on the final day by the Druids Glen team of Jim Turner, John Fenlon, Jimmy ‘Tiger’ Thomas (second in the singles), Tom
Connon, Mick Creane, Nigel Morrissey and Tom Foran who in racing terms were fast finishers, coming up from sixth place 17 points adrift of the winners after round four to finish just two points behind them on 687.
In third place was the Portmarnock team of Andrew Farrell, Jonathan Walsh, Mick Whelan, Tom Butler, Davy Farrell, Alan Keeling and Ian Murphy on 689 points.
In fourth place were Royal Portrush (Philip Rochford, Conor Morris, John McGarrigle, Richard O’Rourke, Pat ‘Kenny’ Walsh, John Byrne and Nigel Byrne) on 687 points.
Tuesday, March 3, club Seniors: 1, Bernard Ruttledge (23), 36 points; 2, Paul Lauhoff (21), 34 points; 3, Ray Murphy (15), 33 points.
Wednesday, March 4, 14-hole open singles: 1, Seán Nolan (18), 34 points (back six); 2, Gary Lynch (5), 34 points (back seven).
Friday, March 6, 14-hole open three-person team rumble: 1, Frank Murphy (16), Tom O’Sullivan (21), Dermot Greer (16), 66 points (back seven); 2, Maurice Delaney (11), Peter Byrne (5), Tom Foran (13), 66 points.
Saturday, March 7, 14-hole fourball: 1, Pat Mahon (10) and David Fenlon (15), 36 points (back seven); 2, John Furlong (13) and Jason ‘Spot’ Murphy (13), 36 points (back seven).
Sunday, March 8, 14-hole stableford singles: 1, Peter Mythen (22), 36 points; 2, Jimmy Thomas (21), 34 points; gross, Andrew Farrell, 28 points; 3, Alan Keeling (11), 33 points (back seven); 4, Peadar Dempsey (11), 33 points; 5, Alan Geraghty (21), 32 points (back seven). ‘Kenny’ Walsh (11) proved that he is one of the better Senior golfers again, winning the vets.’ prize with 29 points.
The modern jive classes will continue next Friday at the clubhouse at 8 p.m.
The Joker was not won last weekend, and the winner of the weekly draw was Leonie Furlong The jackpot neat week will be €1,091.
COOLLATTIN
Wednesday, March 4, 18-hole open men’s singles: 1, Tom Ryan (16), 38 points (countback); 2, Joe Hillard (12), 38 points.