Mount Juliet Golf Notes

Golf news and competition results from Mount Juliet Golf Club, Co. Kilkenny

Subscribe to Mount Juliet Golf Notes
Technorati

Last week was an important one for our junior members as the competition for the Captain’s (James J. Brett) prize and the Lady Captain‘s (Margaret Twomey) prize took place. This competition was washed out last June when it should have taken place in conjunction with the adult competition. Some fine scoring was recorded by our Junior members as both Darcey Carr, a granddaughter of J.B. and Luke Donnelly, nephew to the hurling Fennellys, scored 42 points and were winners in their respective sections. Darcey, playing off the ladies red tees, had a remarkable two over par gross. She dropped a total of four shots to par but struck back with birdies on the 13th and 15th holes, a fine achievement indeed. As a result Darcey now sees her handicap of 8 reduced further.

Luke Donnelly playing off the yellow tees had a level par round for 42 points and will see his handicap of 6 reducing further in the near future as well. Luke dropped two shots to par at the 9th and 16th holes but made up for these lapses with birdies at the 2nd and 15th. No doubt there is a bright golfing future in store for both of these young players. Other notable scores were recorded by Brian Staunton, Jack Cullen in the boys section and Elizabeth Shields scoring 40 points in the girls section, with the Mulcahy brothers scoring well on each nine holes. Prizes were presented in the clubhouse with proceedings ending with a social get-together for all contestants.

Myra Phelan, followed in the footsteps of her husband Bryan, a previous winner, by capturing the Residential Trophy last week. This annual competition which has a much sought after prize and is confined to the many residents who grace the estate and add great life to the social scene at Mount Juliet. Myra recorded a fine score of 38 points and had a shot to spare from her nearest rivals. Myra scored a first nine holes of 17 points but really came to life on the back nine holes by scoring a further 21 points to clinch victory from John Thompson. The youthful Iona Stevenson won the Junior Prize with a very commendable 37 points and so reduced her playing handicap further in the past week. Myra, who is also Lady Handicap Secretary, will no doubt have to adjust her own handicap accordingly after her fine winning score.

On Saturday afternoon last a Member/Guest 18 hole singles competition was held and competitors had to endure some heavy, thunder showers during the course of play. The winning score of 33 points was returned by Conor Spain with Martin Holohan and Liz Hedigan finishing second and third respectively.

Next Sunday sees the “vice-versa” competition down for decision and this is a Golfer of the Year competition. The competition is officially the Captain’s Prize to the Ladies and the Lady Captain’s Prize to the Men and both competitions are run off together with a “shotgun start” at 11a.m. sharp. Starting holes will be allotted to all competitors on Sunday morning. This competition is another of the “majors” on the golfing calendar and could clinch the G.O.Y. competition as the “Summer Golf” nears a conclusion.

Also the next round of the popular Summer Series takes place on Tuesday 16th August and as usual this is a 4 person team event over 18 holes with any combination eligible to partake and 2 scores to count on each hole.

Results Captains Prize for Juniors

Boys Winner Luke Donnelly (6) 42 points
Second Brian Staunton (17) 41 points
Third Jack Cullen (22) 39 points
Best 1st Nine Luke Mulcahy 19 points
Best 2nd Nine James Mulcahy 19 points
Girls Darcey Carr (8) 42 points

Results Residential Trophy

Winner Myra Phelan (23) 38 points
Second John Thompson (12) 37 points
Third Stephen Skehan (18) 36 points
Fourth John Mulcahy (15) 36 points
Junior Iona Stevenson (30) 37 points

Member/Guest 18 Holes Singles 6th August

Winner Conor Spain (11) 33 points
Second Martin Holohan (11)
Castlecomer G.C.
32 points
Third Elizabeth Hedigan (24)
Charlesland G.C.
31 points

The main event of the year took place last weekend with the running of the two Captains’ Prizes for the ladies and men of the club on Saturday last. There was a large turnout of members and both prizes went to two players who had not featured for some time on the winners podium and congratulations is the order of the day to both players.

In the Lady Captain’s (Sheila MacDonald) section pride of place went to Mary Divilly who had a great score of 41 points and she won convincingly by 3 shots from her nearest opponent. In the Captain’s (Billy Murphy) Prize, John Mulholland just got the better of Andrew Nixon on a countback with both players scoring 39 points.

In the ladies section Mary scored 17 points on her first nine holes having failed to score at the 2nd and 8th holes. But despite this setback she more than compensated by scoring a whopping 24 points on the last nine holes to win by three shots from Amelia Drumm. The winner of the Junior Prize was Darcey Carr (14) who returned a fine score of 38 points to pip Jake Beirne (2) by a point. As a result of this score Jake is now eligible to play in the British Boys championship.

John and Andrew had the more traditional finish to their rounds as John failed to score on the 16th to hand the initiative back to Andrew but he in turn double bogied the same hole to lose on the countback. Unfortunately for Andrew, he also failed to score on the par three, 3rd hole, but I am sure there were always plenty of “if only” tales on the day. The day concluded with a dinner and social evening in the Hunters Yard until the early hours.

Results

Men

Winner: John Mulholland (20) 39 points (last nine)

Runner: Up Andrew Nixon (11) 39 points

Category 1: Alan Hoyne (8) 38 points

Category 2: Phelim O’Connor (16) 37 points

Category 3: Paul Carty (20) 33 points

Best Gross: David Kelly (5) 32 points

Past Captain: Peter Quigley (7) 37 points

Visitor: Matt Walsh (6) 32 points

First Nine: Michael Brennan (12) 20 points

Second Nine: Stephen Price (9) 21 points

Par 3’s: Gerard Magee (19) 11 points

Par 5’s: Frank Bowen (13) 10 points

Ladies

Winner: Mary Divilly (27) 41 points

Runner Up: Amelia Drumm (29) 38 points

Third: Rebecca Nixon (17) 37 points

Past Captain: Brenda Fitzgerald (21) 29 points

Visitor: Annette Kelly (34) 22 points

First Nine: Norma Sullivan (30) 22 points

Second Nine: Ruth Skehan (36) 18 points

Par 3’s: Emma O’Connor (36) 18 points

Par 5’s: Dorothy Doyle (17) 11 points

Captains Prize Winners June 2009
Winners Presentation
L to R :
Sean O’Neill , Sheila MacDonald (Lady Captain), Mary Divilly,
John Mulholland, Billy Murphy (Mens Captain)

Inter Club competitions & McCalmont Cup Matchplay

The last team standing in the Inter Club competitions unfortunately made their exit last week. The Ladies Intermediate Trophy team were comprehensively beaten by a very strong Enniscorthy team on a scoreline of 4/1 and they now qualify for a place in the quarter-final.

In the McCalmont Cup Matchplay the competition has reached the semi-final stages with Tom Duggan playing Alan Hoyne and Sally Gleeson playing Jimmy Brett. Both semi-finals are due to be played before the end of July.

The postponed Captains’ Prizes were played for last Saturday on one of the few nice days – weatherwise – we have been able to enjoy this year.  A full timesheet was the order of the day and the scoring complimented the weather.

Pride of place in the men’s section went to John Carr, who won the Captain’s (Peter Quigley) prize, but only just, and the Lady Captain’s (Rita Garvey) prize was won by the captain’s wife, Mary, who had a fabulous 42 points to win convincingly.  Mary, a relative newcomer to the game, has now lost eight shots off her handicap in the past month and continues to progress.

As is usual, there were plenty of hard luck stories on the day and none more so than in the men’s section where the winner just beat Robert Nolan on a countback.  Billy Murphy had 38 points standing on the 18th tee where a bogie would have won for him but unfortunately he took an eight on the hole and Robert Nolan failed to score on the 1st and 14th only to lose out on the last six holes countback.  Added to his tale of woe, he three putted the 17th from less than 15 feet.

The winner, John Carr, must be complimented on his round of two under gross 70 off a handicap of two.  John had bogies on the 7th, 8th and 18th but birdied the 5th, 6th, 10th,14th and 17th to offset the three dropped shots.  A truly remarkable round on the day and he has to be congratulated on his achievement off a low handicap.

The Ladies winner, Mary Quigley, was a far more convincing victor as she had three shots to spare over her nearest rival, Rebecca Nixon, and a massive seven shots clear of the third placed competitor, Sandra Carr, who incidentally is the wife of John.  Mary had nines of 21 points and apart from not registering a score on the first hole she was a model of consistency for the remainder of her round.  As a result of this competition, Mary, who was leading the Golfer of the Year, has drawn right away from her nearest pursuer Rebecca and looks like she will add this trophy to her impressive display of prizes this year.

To finalise a good day for the Carr family John’s daughter, Darcey, returned 41 points to win the Junior prize.

A very enjoyable dinner was followed by a social evening which lasted into the early hours.

Results

Men

WinnerJohn Carr (2)40 points (last nine)

SecondRobert Nolan (15) ... ….. 40 points

Category 1 ……….John Keane (9) …. .39 points

Category 2 ..Michael Costello (17) ….. 38 points

Category 3 ..Billy Murphy (19) …. ..38 points

Best Gross .David Kelly (5) …. ..32 points

Past Captain ..Gerard Magee (19) ….. 35 points

VisitorBrian Murphy (11) .. ….36 points

First Nine ..Andrew Nixon (12)23 points

Second Nine ..Tony Hoyne (20) .20 points

Par 3’s ..Geoff Meagher (17) .11 points

Par 5’s ..Pat O’Neill (19)12 points

Ladies

Winner .Mary Quigley (25) …. .42 points

SecondRebecca Nixon (18)39 points

ThirdSandra Carr (21) 35 points

Past CaptainBrona Reidy (15)32 points

Visitor .Anne Gavagan (15) .31 points

Junior ..Darcey Carr (22)41 points

First NineJan Hyland (20) ..21 points

Second NineSheila MacDonald (29) .. …. 18 points

Par 3’sSarah Jane Costello (25) ..9 points

Par 5’sCatherine O’Halloran (26)12 points

CSS  36 points