Mount Juliet Golf Notes

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

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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.

The Captains Prizes were the main focus of attention last weekend and after the present inclement weather fingers were crossed for favourable conditions. Unfortunately play on the Friday evening was abandoned due to incessant rain from early morning. It meant that players who intended to play on Friday had to be fitted in on the timesheet for Saturday which was a “shotgun” start at 9am and 2pm. Glad to report that all players were accommodated which made a line-up of almost 180 people partaking on the day and to everybody’s relief, the rain stayed away all day which added to a great day’s enjoyment for all concerned with the day.

Best score on the day was in the men’s section with 39 points winning the prestigious prize and the ladie’s section was won with 34 points. The conditions on the day, after all the wet weather, made the course play very long with no run on the ball. The course, as usual, was in pristine condition and as is obvious from the scoring it suited the longer hitters on the day. Gavin Pierce returned the winning score of 39 points to clinch Alan Hoyne’s Prize on a countback from Neil Magee. Gavin had a gross 74 which is a total of two over par for the white course. On his first nine holes Gavin dropped three shots to par on the 1st, 6th and 9th holes and birdied the long 5th to be out in 38 shots which was converted to 18 points stableford. On his back nine holes he had a birdie on the 12th but dropped a shot on the 15th and scored pars the rest of the back nine holes which counted for a further 21 points. Neil had nines of 19 points and 20 points respectively and but for a double bogie, six, on the final hole would have claimed the first prize.

In the ladies section Rebecca Nixon secured victory, much to her surprise, with 34 points. Rebecca failed to score points at the 1st, 4th, 10th and 15th but scored steadily for the remaining holes to clinch victory and win Ruth Mulholland’s lovely prize. Geraldine Higgins had a winning score of 35 points but because she had not the required number of cards returned beforehand she was awarded the second prize. In third place came Nora Deane on 32 points. A very enjoyable social day was rounded off by a dinner for over 200 people in the Hunter’s Yard in a specially erected marquee for the occasion.

Results Captains’ (Alan Hoyne & Ruth Mulholland) Saturday 7th July

Men’s Section:

Winner: … Gavin Pierce(5)…………………39 points.
Second…. Neil Magee(10)…………………39 points.
Cat. 1..……Owen Phelan(10)……………….37 points.
Cat 2.……..Bill Fanning(15)………………..35 points.
Cat 3.……..Ronan Murphy(25)……………..35 points.
Gross……..Gary Walsh(Scr)..………………32 points.
Past Capt….Billy Murphy((21).……………34 points.
1st Nine……Noel O’ Halloran(14)..…………19 points.
2nd Nine……John E. Hegarty(12).…………..19 points.
Par 3’s……..Finbar O’ Neill(15).……………10 points.
Par 5’s……..Shay Quinn(14) ….…………….13 points.
Visitors…….Ben Halpenny(17).…………….35 points.

Ladies Section:

Winner:…….Rebecca Nixon(18)…………….34 points.
Second:…….Geraldine Higgins(36)………….35 points.
Third:………Nora Deane(13)………………..32 points.
Gross:………Fiona Corbett(6)………………..24 points.
Past Capt…..Brona Reidy(13).……………….31 points.
1st Nine…….Ann Daly(34).…………………..18 points.
2nd Nine……..Paula Moore(35)……………….19 points.
Par 5’s……….Helen Comerford(22)…………..11 points.
Par 3’s..……..Joan McHugh(36)……………….12 points.

Fixtures Diary:

This Wednesday is a Member/Guest day with a three person rumble scheduled to take place and next Sunday the July Monthly Medal which carries Golfer of the Year points will be played.

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