Mount Juliet Golf Notes

With the continuing good weather favouring all golfing activities, last weekend saw a full programme enacted on Saturday and Sunday.  Norman Kilroy had his panel of charges for participation in the Duggan Cup out in preparation for the coming season.  There was a challenge match arranged between two teams of five pairs and this proved to be very informative with some pairings showing excellent early season form.  How very different the weather made, compared to 2011, when hardly any golf took place until late February.  Norman was pleased with his trials and has now laid a marker for other team managers to start work on their panels.

On the competition front, a Member/Guest Fourball Stableford took place on Sunday with a good entry including some new members featuring.  The scoring was excellent with all prize winning scores exceeding the 40 points target off 3/4 handicap allowance.  The winning pair of Denis Treacy and Dean Smithwick scored 45 points which included a bonus point on the 1st hole.  They had nines of 22 and 23 points and just edged out the Callan pairing of Sean Brett and John Dwyer.

Denis and Dean finished their last nine holes in style with Denis scoring four points for his birdie on the long 13th and Dean finishing with two fours on the 17th and 18th for a further six points.   The Callan pairing also came with a run on the last nine holes as well with a further 23 points which included four birdies, three from Sean Brett and one from John O’Dwyer.  They only just failed by a shot to overhaul the winners.  In third place came the father and son pairing of Tony and Michael Collins with a score of 42 points.

The popular Winter League for members resumes next Sunday with tee times from 10am onwards.

Results: Member/Guest Fourball Stableford Sunday 22nd January

Winners       Denis Treacy (10) & Dean Smithwick (12) Kilkenny             45 points

Second        Sean Brett (10) & John O’Dwyer (5) Callan                       44 points

Third            Michael Collins (11) &Tony Collins (14) Tramore                42 points

The Winter Series was played last week and this resulted in a win for three friends from Laois and Kilkenny who returned a winning score of 78 points. The format was a three person rumble over 18 holes and the winners had a comfortable victory over the opposition. The next round of the series takes place on Wednesday 7th December and tee reservations for this competition can be made by telephoning 056 7773071.

Last Sunday saw the Member/Guest competition over 16 holes for hampers. The format was a fourball stableford and the winners scored an impressive 40 points. They were two shots clear of their nearest rivals who scored 38 points each. Conditions were good for scoring with no rain but the course played long after the heavy rainfall on Friday. The winners, Gerard Magee and his guest, Paul Lawlor, scored 23 points for the first nine holes and added a further 17 points on the last seven holes. The runners-up also scored 23 points on their first nine holes but could only manage a further 15 points on their homeward journey. This was sufficient to beat the third pairing on a countback.

Results Winter Series

Winners

Shay Quinn (14) (The Heritage)

James Farrell (7) (Kilkenny)

Lar Ryan (8) (Rathdowney) 78 points

Member/Guest Fourball Stableford

Winners
Gerard Magee (18)
Paul Lawlor (8) 40 points

Second
Sean O’Neill (14)
Liam Duggan (12) 38 points

Third
Alan Hearn (9)
Maurice Neligan (11) 38 points

There were two competitions played during last week and both were 18 hole singles stableford. The first one took place on last Wednesday for members and the second one took place on Saturday and this was a Member/Guest competition. On Wednesday last Alan Hearne, who has had a wonderful year of golf, was again the winner with a score of 37 points. Alan’s handicap has come tumbling down this year and he has now reached single figures, quite a commendable feat. Alan had nines of 18 and 19 points respectively and was two shots clear of his nearest opponent, Tom Mulcahy, who returned 35 points. The C.S.S. for this competition was 36 points and so Alan will reduce his handicap even further before the end of the year.

On Saturday last the Member/Guest competition was won by Robert Brassil on a countback from Ted Hoyne with both players returning 35 points. The weather on Saturday was testing for all golfers and it was a precursor for Sunday’s weather. With the testing conditions the C.S.S. for Saturday was 34 points.

This Thursday sees the resumption of the Winter Series and the competition will be an 18 holes singles which is an open to all golfers and tee times can be reserved by phoning the golf shop.

Results Wednesday 19th October 18 hole Singles

Winner Alan Hearne (9) 37 points

Second Tom Mulcahy (17) 35 points

Results Saturday 22nd October 18 hole Singles

Winner Robert Brassil (3) (Rathsallagh) 35 points

Second Ted Hoyne (9) (Gowran Park) 35 points