IPGC Golf from the Tara Court Golf Society
Sunday, Feb. 19, Silky Oak – Stableford
Today, because of a pro competition being held at Green Valley, we were moved over to Silky Oak for a change. We found the course to be in very good condition with excellent fairways and also the greens have improved very much. The only problem we had today was the pace of play.
We gave our golfers a choice of tees, the longer yellows or the shorter whites but the group of farangs out in front of us, despite the fact that they were playing off the short white tees were dreadfully slow. It took us five hours and twenty minutes to get round, and this on a course where carts are compulsory so no one was walking! Some people have no consideration for the other people on the course and unfortunately there wasn’t a marshall to be seen to move them on.
Around half our golfers decided to play off each set of tees but the best scores actually came off the longer and much more difficult yellows, with Donal McGuigan playing his best golf in a long time to come out the winner with thirty eight points. Nick Caulfield also bettered his low handicap to come second with thirty seven points. Kevin Blake got the third place with thirty four and Gus Guidetti, who has just returned, got fourth place with thirty three. We then had four players on thirty two points, with Norman Cheetham, Russell Gilroy and Declan Kelly all losing the count back and getting nothing but Gerry Hannan taking the fifth and last place.
Off the white tees Joe Cuddy was playing his last game for this year and finished his holiday off in style by winning with thirty six points. Bob St. Aubin got the second place with thirty four points and Michael Byrne took third with thirty three. We then had two players on thirty two points, with Don Byrne, who was also playing his last game for this year, winning the count back for fourth place and to just make it even better for his last game he also had a ‘2’. Terry Kelly lost the count back to Don and had to settle for fifth place.
Kevin Blake and Vincent Gras each got a ‘2’ of the yellow tees and Teddy Lodge shared the white tee ‘2’s pot with Don Byrne.
Tuesday, Feb. 21, Mt. Shadow – Stableford
We were back with our friends from the PFGS today at one of our favorite courses, Mountain Shadow. We arrived early and as there was nobody around we got teeing off early for a reasonably fast round of golf. As usual, we gave a choice of tees with around half opting for the longer blue and half for the shorter white.
The best score of the day came from the blue tees with Mick Alleyne, who was playing his first ever game with us, being the winner with thirty six points. Kevin Blake took second place with thirty four points, beating Nick Caulfield on a count back. We then had three players on thirty three points with Russell Gilroy winning the count back to take fourth and Gerry Hannan fifth, Teddy Lodge losing out of the money.
Off the white tees we had three players on thirty five points with Sean Hallahan winning the count back to come first. George Pearson, who has just arrived and was playing his first game for this year, came second and Frank McGowan filled third spot. Terry Kelly got fourth place with thirty four and Dympna Burke the fifth and last place with thirty three.
Joe McArdle, Craig Hitchens and Ger Lodge had a ‘2’ each off the blue tees and Frank McGowan was the sole winner off the whites.
Thursday, Feb. 23, Treasure Hill – Stableford
Another large group out here today at Treasure Hill, which is definitely the best value for money and also one of the best and most difficult courses in the area. It was a bit hot and humid today, I think the winter is almost over as over.
The McGuigan family certainly were in form this week. After winning on Sunday, Donal decided not to play today and give his younger brother Francis a chance, which he duly took by being the only golfer who managed to beat the course. Francis McGuigan has been playing steady golf since he came back and won the A flight today with thirty six points, which on this difficult course is a very good score. Barney Sheedy was four shots behind Francis with thirty two but he still got second place by beating Jon Batty (third) and Phelim Moran (fourth) on count back. Michael Williams got the fifth place with thirty one points.
In the B flight Ger Lodge had his first win for this trip with thirty five points and Terry Kelly was second with thirty two. Paddy Naughton had thirty one and got the third place by beating Ronan Simms on count back. John McGarry got the fifth and last place with twenty nine points.
Jerry McCarthy and Phelim Moran shared the ‘2’s pot with one each.
