Weather thwarts play
Unfortunately, our St Patrick’s Day scramble was thwarted this year due to heavy rain during the preceding week. The parade however ran successfully and it was great to see MGC well represented amidst many other local sporting organisations. The social get-together in the clubhouse afterwards was testament to the social aspect of our club - a factor which is never to be ignored. Many thanks (as ever) are due to Bernie for providing a deliciously welcome hot stew on a cold day.
The dry spell we experienced earlier in the year has halted but we can be grateful for the good run we had, and with increasing temperatures, we anticipate increased growth and further improvement in our fairways and greens which have served us so well thus far in 2023. With the men’s Spring League completed and the ladies due to finish this week we can be truly confident that our golfing year is well under way.
MICHAEL GOES ‘DOWN UNDER’
We would like to wish all the best to our club member, Michael Kiely, who travels to Perth, Australia next month as a member of the Irish World Transplant Games team. Michael, who is a kidney transplant recipient, is preparing to compete in the 50 – 59 age category across 3 events – Golf Singles, Team Golf and Petanque Singles. (It has yet to be clarified whether or not there will be any “45” or Poker competitions).
Michael previously participated in the World Transplant Games in Spain in 2017 and looks forward to this year’s event and hopes to raise the profile of organ donation and transplantation. We also extend our best wishes to Hugh Nolan from our neighbouring Doneraile Golf CC who competes in 40- 49 age category Golf Singles and Golf Pairs.
MEN’S CLUB NEWS
Results - 18th and 19th March - 12 holes Open Singles. 1st Anthony O’Brien (12.1) 31pts, 2nd Declan Herlihy (27.6) 29pts. Cat A <10 Adrian Gamble 28pts, Cat B 11-14 Jerry Quinn 28pts, Cat C 15+ Conal Gillard (Mahon G.C.) 29pts. Next weekend - 24th, 25th & 26th March - 15 Holes Open Singles.
LADIES NOTES
Next week’s ladies golf competition is a Champagne Scramble and is sponsored by Niamh’s Beauty Salon. It will be played on Saturday 25th, Sunday 26th and Wednesday 29th. There are no results available at time of going to press for last week’s competition. Results will be reported next week.
SEANÓIRÍ
Results of 12 hole scramble held on Thursday 16th as follows - winners were Pat Biggane, Pat Cleary and Tom Twomey - 36.4 nett. 2nd were Eamon McGrath, Peter Darrer and Tim Doody 38.8nett. On the table for next Thursday are Tom Nugent, John McCarthy and Billy Murphy.
INTERCLUB COMPETITION
We come to that time of year again when we begin to look forward to inter-club competition. Many draws have already been made but no fixture dates have been arranged yet. Please check the club noticeboard for up-todate details. If any members are interested in playing at interclub level but have not yet been approached we ask that you make yourself known to the relevant team captain. We hope to print fixture dates as they become available.
This year, as ever, we would like to encourage members to attend matches and give our teams some support. Watching live golf is good entertainment as we all know and as weather improves try to use the opportunity to get some exercise and support our teams please.
45 CARDS
Friendly (but highly competitive) 45 card games continue weekly in the cosy clubhouse on Sunday evenings from 5pm and on Thursdays after the Seanóirí golf scramble. Any club members who wish to play are welcome to call in and join in.
INTERESTED IN TAKING UP GOLF?
We are now ready to embark on our more active time of the golfing year and we are keen to hear from anyone interested in taking up the sport. We regard golf as a sport for all ages and all abilities. We pride ourselves as a friendly, warm, welcoming club with a superb 18-hole parkland course at our disposal. We regard golf as an all-year sport even though winter imposes some limitations on our activity with shorter daylight hours, intermittent wet conditions and occasional frost.
We look forward to hearing from anyone interested in taking up the sport whether joining for the first time or re-joining after a period of absence. We have attractive and affordable options for all. Enquiries please to Dolores on 02524072 (9am-1pm) or see details on our website – www.mitchelstown-golf.com.