Ger & Gerry triumph in Free Drop Cup

IPGC Golf from the Tara Court

Sunday, March 5, Green Valley – Stableford

A Flight

1^st Ger Lodge (19) 38pts

2^nd Russell Gilroy (19) 38pts

3^rd Kevin Blake (7) 35pts

4^th Shaun Tracy (11) 35pts

5^th Teddy Lodge (16) 34pts

B Flight

1^st Richie Martin (27) 36pts

2^nd John McGarry (22) 29pts

3^rd Ted Murphy (24) 29pts

4^th Michael Byrne (21) 29pts

5^th Peter Henshaw (21) 29pts

Last week it was the McGuigans, this week it was the turn of the Lodge family to hog the prizes.  Today here at Green Valley Ger Lodge had what was his best score while playing with us and won the A Flight with 38 points while his brother Teddy, who was playing his last game for this trip, came fifth with 34.  Second in the A Flight was Russell Gilroy who also had 38 points but was beaten by Ger on the count back.  Kevin Blake got third place with 35 points, beating Shaun Tracy on another count back.

Rod Torrie had 34 points but lost out on the prizes in a count back to Teddy, however he had the consolation of having the only ‘2’ of the day and received the largest payout.

In the B Flight Richie Martin had what I think was his first ever outright win with us, having 36 points.  We then had five players with 29 points and on the count back John McGarry came second, Ted Murphy was third, Michael Byrne fourth and Peter Henshaw fifth, with  Terry Mangan losing out of the prizes.

Tuesday, March 7, Treasure Hills – Stableford

1^st Declan Kelly (11) 36pts

2^nd Craig Hitchens (15) 35pts

3^rd Ger Lodge (19) 35pts

4^th Nick Caulfield (6) 34pts

5^th Ted Murphy (24) 32pts

Today here at Treasure Hills where we were again joined by our friends from the PFGS.  Ger continued his very good golf and kept the family flag flying by coming third with a very respectable 35 points, being beaten on count back by Craig Hitchens in second place.  Declan Kelly was the only one to play to his handicap and was the winner with 36 points.

Nick Caulfield got fourth place with 34 points and we then had two players on 32 with Ted Murphy, who was playing his last game for this year, winning the count back and making sure he didn’t go back to Ireland empty handed.  Joe McArdle lost the count back to Ted but wouldn’t have been too disappointed as he had the only ‘2’ of the day.

Thursday, March 9, Khao Kheow – Stableford

Today ourselves and the PFGS joined with Gerry’s Bar on Soi 4 Pratumnak to play in the annual Free Drop Cup.  This competition originated many years ago in what was then the Free Drop restaurant and was originally run for St Patrick’s Day.  Derek Kane was the man who started it and he still runs it now from Gerry’s Bar.

This is a 2-ball competition and this year Khao Kheow, which is one of the most difficult courses in the area, was the venue for it.  Although it is probably looked on as an Irish competition there were all nationalities playing and at one stage it looked very much that the Cup was going to slip out of Irish hands as Kevin Blake from England and Russell Gilroy from Australia both played excellent golf with many birdies and an eagle to score an excellent 50 points, which included a hole in one from Kevin, his fourth one to date.

Normally a score like that would easily win the competition, especially on this course but today there was an even better pair.  Ger Lodge and Gerry Hannan had the unbelievable score of 51 points to come out on top and get their names on the Cup.  This is actually Gerry’s second time to get his name on the trophy, we think the only person to do so.

There were then three pairs with 45 points with both John Fenwick and Pat Carty and Francis McGuigan and George Cullen losing out on the count back to Peter Henshaw and Terry Mangan for third place.