Mount Juliet Golf Notes

The first team in the Inter Club competitions run under the auspices of the Golfing Union of Ireland was in action last Saturday. The competition was the Leinster Fourball and the opposition was Waterford Golf Club. Due to the present inclement weather, all five matches had to be played at Mount Juliet as the Waterford course was unplayable. Unfortunately for the home side, Waterford prevailed on a score of 3 matches to 2 with the visitors holding the upper hand in all three matches that they won. The winning pairs were Padraic O’Connor/Dermot Divilly and Pat Stakelum/Bryan Higgins and the team was ably managed by Kevin McCartan.

Two stroke competitions were also held over the past week and the most important one was the March Monthly Medal which took place last Sunday. This was the first competition carrying points to decide the Golfer of the Year for 2013. As is usual in all member’s medal competitions, play was off the white tees for the men and with a bitter wind blowing from the east throughout the day, conditions for good scoring proved to be very difficult for all competitors. The target for the day proved to be 35 points which was achieved by Alan Hearne in Category I. The nearest to Alan’s score was Ronan Murphy who had 34 points in Category III. The other men’s category was won by Ger Dowling and nice to see Adrienne Walsh winning the ladies category with 31 points.

On St. Patrick’s Day there was an open singles played and scoring was very good with Richie Guilfoyle proving to be a convincing overall winner. Richie scored 40 points which equated to a one under par gross for the 18 holes. In second place, former Lady Captain Myra Phelan scored 38 points with John O’Dwyer filling third spot with 36 points.

On Sunday next, Easter Sunday, a Member/Guest Fourball Stableford will take place and the following Wednesday the first Ladies Invitation Day for 2013 will also take place and the format for this will be a 3 Person Rumble.

Results St. Patrick’s Day 18 Holes Open Singles

Winner Richie Guilfoyle (3) (Kilkenny) 40 points
Second Myra Phelan (22) 38 points
Third John O’Dwyer (5) (Callan) 36 points

Results, March Monthly Medal Sunday 24th March 18 Holes Singles

Category 1 Alan Hearne (7) 35 points
Category 2 Ger Dowling (16) 33 points
Category 3 Ronan Murphy (25) 34 points
Ladies Adrienne Walsh (23) 31 points

Last week saw the continuation of the popular Summer Series and this proved to be another victory for a team from Rathsallagh Golf Club ably led by James Fitzpatrick. This team were also victorious in the Winter Series some months ago and so continued their rich vein of form. Played on Wednesday last, during our continued troubled summer, they emerged convincing winners with 93 points.

On Sunday last the Member/Guest series also continued with a 3 person rumble over 18 holes. On a day that Tipperary people might rather forget, the winning team were a family of Clonmel Golf Club members who kept the blue and gold colours flying by returning a winning score of 83 points. They were 4 shots clear of their nearest rivals, who are from just across the border in the Windgap area, and they returned a score of 79 points.

This week members are reminded that the Autumn maintenance is taking place which is due to finish today, Wednesday, and this will have the course in pristine condition for the President‘s, (Des Fitzgerald) Prize due to take place on 15th September.

Results Summer Series Wednesday 15th August

Winners:
James Fitzpatrick (9) Rathsallagh G.C.
Paul Sheill (16)
John Fanning (12)
Gavin Flood (12)……………………..93 points.

Member/Guest 18 Hole Rumble Sunday 19th August

Winners:
Frank Smyth (10) Clonmel G.C.
Gavin Smyth (+1)
Mary Smyth (15)……………………..83 points.

Second:
Alan Hearne (7)
Paul Madigan (3)
Bernie Madigan (12)…………………79 points.

Plenty of activity in the McCalmont matchplay for both the ladies and men and after the completion of the first round in both competitions the pairings for the 2nd round which has to be played before the 30th June is as follows;
Alan Hearne v John Keane, Bill Fanning v Maurice Nelligan, David Kelly v John O’ Malley, Mark Delahunty v Brian Blanchfield, Peter Gray v John O’ Dwyer, John Thornton v Peter Quigley, Andrew Nixon v Frank Smyth and John O’ Connor v Michael. Coughlan or Brian Nevin. In the ladies match play the quarter final line-up looks like this, Myra Phelan v Helen Hedigan, Aileen Magee v Brenda O’ Sullivan, Rebecca Nixon v Mary Cotter and Helen Walsh v Bernie Madigan.

The Golfer of the Year in both categories is now entering a crucial time for players to gain valuable points with the J. B. Carr Trophy to be played for on Sunday 24th June followed by the Captains’ Prizes on the weekend of the 8th July. At the moment the men’s section is being led by John O’ Dwyer with 21 points. In second place come Sean Brett and Finbar O’ Neill some seven points behind, with five players in third place on 12 points, Kevin McCartan, Alan Hearne, Hugh O’ Connor, Brian Blanchfield and Tim Kavanagh, but this leader board could rapidly change by Mid-July.

In the ladies section the leader on 31 points is Amelia Drumm who is closely pursued by Bernie Madigan on 30 points. Brenda O’ Sullivan has 25 points in third place with Ruth Mulholland, Rebecca Nixon and Ann Marie McEvoy filling the remaining three places with 22, 20 and 19 points respectively.

The last team standing in inter club competitions made their exit recently when the ladies Miele Fourball Team lost to near neighbours, Gowran Park G.C. Unfortunately for the club it means another year without a pennant that is planning to be very elusive to win.

Two competitions were decided in the past week with the June Ladies Invitation Day played on Wednesday last. This was a Fourball Betterball event and the winning combination of Laura Mahony and Aileen Condon had three shots to spare from their nearest opposition, Ruth Mulholland and Susan Hill. They in turn just pipped Kathleen Gaffney and Phil Doyle on a countback with Bernie Madigan and Mandy O’ Brien finishing in fourth spot.

Last Sunday the third round of the Summer League was played and this resulted in a win for Alan Hearne who returned 36 points to win by a shot from Paul Madigan with Gary Walsh in third spot three shots further adrift. Alan had nines of 17 and 19 points respectively with Paul scoring 17 and 18 points on each nine holes.

Results June Ladies Invitation Day

Winners:
Laura Mahony (17)
Aileen Condon (18) Malahide G.C…………39 points.
Second:
Ruth Mulholland (12)
Susan Hill (36) Achill G.C…………………36 points.
Third:
Kathleen Gaffney (21)
Phil Doyle (12) Kilkenny G.C……………..36 points.
Fourth:
Bernie Madigan (12)
Mandy O’ Brien (23) Callan G.C……………34 points.

Summer League Sunday 10th June

Winner: Alan Hearne(7)……………………………..36 points.

Second: Paul Madigan(3)……………………………35 points.

Third: Gary Walsh(Scr)…………………………….32 points.

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