Port Golf Club’s season starts o with a splash
WEATHER IS GIVING GROUNDKEEPERSnd HEADACHE
PORT Glasgow Golf Club’s ‘summer’ season has well and truly started despite some of the worst March and April weather we have seen in years that has left all the greenkeepers in Inverclyde and beyond tearing their hair out.
The season kicked off with a new doubles format called a Russian Stableford, earning a convincing win for Billy Whiteside and Ian McPherson with an excellent 71 points and well clear of Kenny McNeil and Brian Smith in second place.
Next up was the 2023 prize-giving shotgun scramble which saw nearly 100 players teeing it up and then enjoying the prize-giving in the evening. The club sends a big thanks to Devol Engineering and R.E.L for sending up a team and donating prizes, as well as other club sponsors, in particular club legends Dennis Greer and Ross Nugent, who made guest appearances in the evening.
The scramble saw a very close contest with three teams separated by 0.4 shots but with a back nine of 28 the team of Sammy McPherson, Frank Mulgrew, Colin Campbell and John Anderson prevailed, ahead of the team of George Fleming, Thomas Kirkwood, David McDade and Alex McArthur with both team’s scoring an impressive 14 under par nett.
The team captained by Paul Logan Snr took the scratch prize with a seven-under par score.
Port’s first regular competition of the season, the Birkmyre Bowl, was another played in what was described as biblical weather conditions.
To those who managed to complete the 18 hole - well done!
The winner was the club’s handicap champion from last year, Gary Watt, with a 70 Nett.
Section winners were Frazer MacLennan (71) and Martin Gill (75).
The best scratch score of 76 was posted by Stephen O’Kane.
The first winner of the nearestthe-pin competition was club champion Ryan Gallagher with an excellent shot to 3ft. Unfortunately for Ryan he missed the putt!
The club has also managed to squeeze in two Wednesday competitions which resulted in wins for James McCleary, who won the monthly stroke play competition with an excellent 66 net, and Bernard Eardley who took first place in the REL Merit Stableford competition with 34 points.
Last by no means least the club held its annual Over 50’s vs Under 50’s Ryder Cup-style match which took place on Masters Sunday. The old team won the morning four-ball session. However, the youngsters edged the singles 9 to 7 to win a classic match by a single point.
Congratulations to captain Don Galli and his young team. Back to the drawing board for the old team and their captain Alan Leonard.
The club has started taking bookings for the Seniors Open on Friday June 7 and the Baxter Open on July 21.