SHORT GAME:LOCAL knowledge proved beneficial recently when the Irish Golf and Club Managers Association held their annual team of four competition at Tralee Golf Club. Ashbourne hosts All-Ireland event
With teams comprising the manager, captain, professional and greenkeeper from each club it was the host club who emerged comfortable winners. With a score of 94 points, the foursome of club manager Anthony Byrne, JJ Young (course superintendent), David Power, the club’s professional and captain Eddie Enright had four points to spare over the next best team from Tipperary, who had Joe Considine, Michael Tobin, Séamus Ryan and Tim Walshe in their team.
Third were Ronan Smyth, Michael Mohan, Ger Caulfield and Declan Byrne from Kilcoole on 87 points, edging the Ashbourne quartet of Paul Wisneiski, Mark O’Sullivan, Ronan Branagan and Keith Ludlow.
* ROGANSTOWN GC in north Dublin will host the Irish Girls Under-18 Strokeplay Championship, on Saturday and Sunday. A quality field of Irish players, including Internationals Jessica Carty (Holywood), Chloe Ryan (Castletroy), Paula Grant (Lisburn), Ariana Coyle Diez (Elm Park), Jean ODriscoll (Muskerry), Leona and Lisa Maguire (Slieve Russell), Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare) and Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) will take on the best from France, Germany, Norway, England, Scotland, Sweden and Iceland.
Harnett’s experience proves telling
PORTMARNOCK GC was the venue for the penultimate event in the RaboDirect Hilary Golf Society at the weekend and the historic North Dublin links proved a stern test for competitors.
Portmarnock veteran Jim Harnett showed the young guns a clean pair of heals as he carefully constructed a splendid score of 71 off a six handicap to capture the top prize. Harnett, a trustee at the host club, sealed victory with a splendid eagle three at the par-five 16th – his rescue club approach shot finished just 20 feet from the hole which he slotted on his way to a level-par back nine.
The best gross score came from Forest Little’s Joe McCarthy who carded four birdies for a fine score of 73 despite opening his round with successive bogies. Runner-up Dave Brabazon from Balbriggan also played excellent golf and was level par for his first 11 holes – but he was left to rue a closing bogey five which cost him the top honours.
The Island’s Fergal Kennedy had an eventful day before settling for third place on 72. Kennedy hit his opening tee-shot out of bounds but birdied the hole with his second ball. But more drama was to follow for him at the par-four 18th when his second shot with a pitching wedge took one hop and found the bottom of the cup for an eagle two. The final event of the series takes place at Sutton GC next Friday.
‘Rumble for Crumlin’ venues named
THE Grange, Nenagh, Bearna and Concra Wood have been announced as the venues for the provincial finals of the “Rumble for Crumlin” 2012. All funds raised from this competition go directly to Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital, Crumlin, thanks to the generous support from the Musgrave Group.
Clubs can get involved in the Musgrave Crumlin Children’s Hospital Club Challenge by including the three-person “Rumble for Crumlin” competition day in their club’s diary which can include men, women or mixed teams or secondly, during a single’s event charging an extra €10 per person and the winner, runner-up and gross winner representing the club in the final.
Finals dates: Leinster at Grange GC on Thursday, August 30th; Munster at Nenagh on Monday, September 3rd; Connacht at Bearna on Thursday, September 6th and Ulster at Concra Wood on Thursday, September 13th. The All-Ireland final is in the Algarve, Portugal on October 12th-15th.
Leinster ladies regain trophy
SIX wins from six matches by Maria Dunne helped Leinster regain the ILGU Interprovincial Championship with an exciting final-day victory over holders Ulster at Cork GC last Friday.
After both provinces had victories over Munster and Connacht it all came down to the final day where Leinster took the early advantage with a 2-1 win in the foursomes leaving them needing three points from the singles matches to win the trophy back from Ulster.
And Dunne set them on their way with a 7 and 5 win over Louise Coffey. Newcomer Ariana Coyle Diez halved a great match with Charlene Ried. Paula Grant won one-up against Karen Delaney but Leinster captain Denise McCarthy pitched her team perfectly saving Mary Dowling and Deirdre Smith to the end of the order and they duly obliged with wins over Jessica Carty and Lucy Simpson.
Munster saved their best to last and secured third place with all players recording emphatic victories against Connacht.
FINAL POINTS TABLE:Leinster 3, Ulster 2, Munster 1. Connacht 0.
* THE second event in the five-round series "Race to July" at the Grange GC is scheduled for Thursday, April 26th. Time sheet available at www.grangegc.com
THE All-Ireland Golf Challenge Cup for the Past Presidents and Past Captains Perpetual Trophy takes place at Ashbourne Golf Club on Friday, May 25th.
Sponsored by Tom O’Keeffe, president of Ashbourne, this competition is a mixed open four-person team event with each team consisting of a combination of past presidents and past captains (men and women) from the club.
Each team must consist of at least one woman and one man and there is no limit to the number of teams a club may enter.
The timesheet is open at present and closes for entries on Friday, May 11th.
The cost per team for the event is €160 and this covers both the day’s golf, an evening meal and the prize giving.
To book a place on the timesheet call Paul at Ashbourne golf club on (01) 8352005 (ext 20) or by email at manager@ashbournegolfclub.ie or the pro shop at (01) 8359002.
Fairweather wins from the front
COLIN Fairweather from Knock GC held on to his overnight lead and saw off the challenge of Gary Collins from Rosslare to win the Leinster Youths title at Woodbrook Golf Club last week.
Rounds of 75, an eight-under par 64 and a one-over par final round of 73 was sufficient to see Fairweather safely over the line despite strong final round challenges by Collins, Ross Young from Rosslare and Jordan Hood from Galgorm Castle, the latter shooting two rounds of 69 on the final day.
Fairweather won by a shot from Collins (289) with Young and Hood sharing third place on 291.
