Strange things happen in golf. But Munster Branch member Paddy O'Connor had a new experience when members of Frankfield and East Cork, playing in the Pierce Purcell Shield at Kinsale golf club, called for a ruling.
A swarm of bees had taken over the eighth green and being oblivious to the etiquette of the game they refused to move despite the best efforts of the players and the spectators. So what happened next? Well, after some discussion, it was agreed to call the hole a half and move on. Three matches, however, passed the eighth before the bees decided to leave the course.
Castletroy's Sean Meaney will remember last week for a while as he picked up three prizes in different competitions. His run of success began on the Wednesday when his 19 points was sufficient to win the nine-hole singles competition. The following day he joined up with Liam Minihan to finish second, just beaten on the back five, in a nine-hole fourball, and he finished second again on Friday when his 40 points was just two less than the winner, Jim Lyons.
There was plenty of excitement at the Lady Captain's (Frances Mahon) prize at Kilternan last week. Sarah Cleary set a new course record and Margaret Redahan won her first major competition. Cleary, a 10handicapper, set a new women's course record of 74 at the picturesque club at the foot of the Wicklow mountains.
Born in England, Cleary started playing golf in Bermuda before coming to Ireland seven years ago when she joined Kilternan. Birdies at the second and third helped her to reach the turn in three over par and another birdie at the 12th brought her home in one over par for a 74. Cleary is also a member of the Kilternan Dunhill Mixed team and has won all her matches in the competition so far in partnership with Gerry Browne, a former captain of the club.
Youghal golf club are celebrating their centenary this year and to mark the occasion they have commissioned special gold medals for the Captain's and President's prizes and the Golfer of the Year competitions. James Bryan won the first of these last week with a magnificent score of 46 points off a handicap of 16. Bryan, who has only been playing the game for three years, scorched around the County Cork club in six over par to win by three points from Aidan O'Mahoney and Dermot Drumgoole. Bryan's gross score was only one off the winner, Wille Jones, who had 31 points.
Local six handicapper Roger Healy won the Hamills Mullingar Junior Scratch Cup at the weekend. Healy won by two shots from another local, Des Morgan. The pair were tied on level par 72 after the first round, but Healy shot a 75 in the afternoon to Morgan's 77.
The Millennium Pairs Trophy will be shown on Sky Sports 2 tomorrow evening. The tournament, which is run by Worldwide Leisure Marketing, will open out into the biggest ever golf event to be played throughout Ireland, France, England, Scotland and Wales.
The semi-finals and finals will be staged in St Helen's Bay and Druids Glen where shooting for the launch took place last week. The preliminary rounds will take place in the 37 courses of Golfing Ireland throughout the country.
Greystones golf club, which will open its newly-designed course at the end of the month, is offering package deals for anyone wishing to play golf, have a meal or do both during the Irish Open at Druids Glen.
Package A, which costs £80 per head, includes 1) Golf at Greystones GC, light lunch, return coach and admission to Druids Glen, dinner at Greystones GC or 2) Refreshments on arrival at Greystones GC, return coach and admission to Druids Glen, return to Greystones GC for golf and dinner (available on Thursday, July 2nd and Friday, July 3rd).
Package B, which costs £65 per head, includes light lunch at Greystones GC, return coach and admission to Druids Glen, dinner at Greystones GC (available July 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th). For further details contact Secretary/Manager Oliver Walsh at 01-2874136.
Imagine losing six shots off your handicap in one day, well that's what happened to Howth member Mary Goode. Playing off a handicap of 32 in the monthly medal she shot a magnificent 60 in cold and blustery conditions. Her score was 12 shots better than the par of the course and seven better than her nearest rival.
It was only Goode's second competition - had her exceptional score been one better, the new Ladies Handicap Chart would not have been able to cater for her score.
Jimmy Arnold was another Howth member in form. Playing off eight, he won the gross prize in the monthly medal. Later that day he was called up at the 11th hour as a substitution in an Inter-Club Mixed Foursomes match. He partnered Gillian Blake to victory over St Anne's. Then, two days later, he partnered another eight handicappper, Marie Stanley, to success in the Ivy Hadden Trophy.
Ben Whelan, a new member at West Waterford golf club showed the field the way home in last weekend's Minor Scratch Cup. Whelan shot 37 points off an 18 handicap to win by one point from another local, John Keane, who had 36.
