Top courses:Royal Co Down and Mount Juliet came out on top in a new survey on Irish golf courses. Backspin golf magazine has broken fresh ground by becoming the first to treat Ireland's links and parkland courses separately in a rankings survey.
This unique survey portrays Irish golf in a new light and showcases the quality and variety of two distinctly different golf products in Ireland.
The panel of 52 voters included Ryder Cup, Walker Cup and Curtis Cup players, championship winners, PGA Irish region competitors, members of the Irish golfing media and other Irish golf personalities voted Royal Co Down as the top links course and Mount Juliet top in the parkland list.
The top-10 Links courses are: 1 Royal Co Down, 2 Portmarnock (old), 3 Royal Portrush, 4 The European, 5 Co Louth, 6 Ballybunion, 7 Waterville, 8 Lahinch, 9 Co Sligo, 10 The Island. Parkland: 1 Mount Juliet, 2 The K Club (Palmer), 3 Adare Manor, 4 Druids Glen, 5 The Heritage, 6 PGA National, 7 Killarney (Killeen), 8 Headfort (new), 9 Fota Island, 10 Caton House (Montgomerie). A full list appears in this month's Backspin golf magazine.
Phelan on form
Kevin Phelan from Waterford, and now living in St Augustine US, added to his impressive CV at the weekend by winning the Florida Junior Tour (FJT) event at Amelia Island Plantation. Phelan shot level par on the Oak Marsh course to win the boys 16-18 age division.
Phelan, 17, came back from two strokes back to claim his first FJT title. Phelan made two birdies in the first round to card a one-under-par 71 and trail Carson Weinand by two. In the final round, Phelan missed only three greens to record a 73 and win by two strokes. First-round leader Weinand, 17, of Naples, led the field with a three-under par 69 in the first round but slipped to second place with a 77 in the final round. In a tie for third place, Max McKay, 16, from St Augustine, and Shun Yat Hak, 14, of Lake Mary, each posted a 149 total.
Happy returns
Hermitage Golf Club hosted a very special party earlier this month to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of its honorary members, Nora Barrett. Nora joined Hermitage with her late husband, Bill, on December 19th, 1947. She paid two guineas entrance fee, plus £4 subscription. Nora was very involved with the club, working on many committees over the years. As recently as five years ago (at the age of 95), Nora was still playing and she retains a strong interest in the club. We wish her many more years of health and happiness.
O'Sullivan wins
Ross O'Sullivan became the first winner in the newly-formed Munster Senior Alliance at Castlemartyr on Sunday. The Fota Island two handicapper shot 73 in the Canada Life-sponsored event to win by one from Muskerry's Dave O'Donovan, who took second place on a countback from Niall Gorey from Lee Valley and Muskerry's John Waldron after all three finished on 74. The net prize went to Liam Harte with a 70 off a five handicap.
Meanwhile, Enda McMenamin from Ballybofey and Stranorlar edged out Woodstock's Kieran Cunnane on the back nine in difficult conditions of high winds at the Sandy Hills course at Rosapenna on Sunday to win the North Western Alliance. Both shot 80 with Fred McGavigan from Strabane taking third place on 81. Odran McGettigan from Strabane was a two-shot winner of the nett with a 73 from the Dunfanaghy pair of Keith Lapsley, who shot 75, and Brain Wallace on 80.
Trio take spoils
Seventy four was the magic number at The Heritage last Friday in the latest round of the Emerald Pro Tour as three members tied for the professional honours. Darren McWilliams from Royal Portrush, Justin Kehoe (Birr) and Mark Campbell from Stackstown all went around in testing conditions in two over par to take the spoils.
That left the trio one stroke ahead of North West's Brian McElhinney who had been victorious the previous week in Castleknock.
Meanwhile, there was also a three-way tie for top spot amongst the amateurs with an impressive 36 points leaving three-handicapper Declan O'Neill, from Carton House, winning out on a countback from Galgorm Castle's Phil Hanlon who plays off 13 and Tadgh Harrington (9, Hermitage).
Next Friday the Emerald Pro-Am Tour heads to the Darren Clarke-designed Moyvalley GC. Limited spaces are available and at only €60, it is a perfect opportunity to play The Champions Club. If interested contact Ciarán Tighe on 086 0807280 or ciaran@allingolf. ie for a place on the timesheet.
Old GAA rivals
All-Ireland glory on the golf course will be up for grabs in April when the GAA Legends All-Ireland Golf Charity Intercounty Championship takes place in La Manga.
The event sees a host of past intercounty players joining forces for their county in a competitive four-man team event played over three days. Their intention, apart from winning, will be raise over €100,000 for charity.
A group of 128 former intercounty players will jet out to La Manga for the competition which takes place from April 13th through to April 16th. Behind the event are former GAA rivals Bernard Flynn of Meath and former Dublin player and manager Tommy Carr. The teams will be looking to land the € 100,000 prize which is on offer to their chosen local charity. Further details on the event are available at www.gaalegendscharitygolf.com
