Good turn-out for Tullammore President's Prize

Tullamore Golf Club Men's Club Presidents Prize The President Elect's Jo Barber's prize attracted a big entry over Saturday and Sunday and the format was a mixed scramble. It was really a birdie feast for most of the teams and the winners had seven in all. Martin Darcy (4) Gerry McCarthy (18) and Violet Mooney (25) did not drop any shots and brought in 48 and a sixth net. The team in second place also had seven birdies but dropped a shot on the 14th. Kay Moylan (10) was obviously driving the ball well as she counted on eight drives and carried the two lads as Tom Heery (15) and John O Mahony (16) just got the minimum requirement of four drives in. Their score was two shots off the leaders at 50 and a sixth. Third place went to Mick Egan, (11) Joe Egan (16) and Kay Kirley with 51 and a third and they just got through by one sixth of a shot, and there were several other scores very close. Hamper Competition There is a hamper competition on over this weekend with re-entry allowed. The dinner in honour of the Captain, P J Horan, takes place on Saturday 21st at 7 pm and if attending please put your name on the sheet in the clubhouse or ring the clubhouse to confirm attendance. The presentation for the P J Grennan sponsored hampers, the President-elect's (Jo Barber) prize and the Club Hampers, being played for this weekend, will all be presented on this Sunday evening 22nd at 5.30 pm and all prize winners are expected to attend. Turkey Competition Turkey competition number 7 was a stroke play competition and it caused a few ripples during the week. The ever diplomatic Oliver Hughes had the task of breaking the bad news to Mick Brophy that it was stroke play when they were returning their cards. Mick had busted a gut for 32 pts. but didn't finish out on one hole. Anyway the good news is the card counted for the Winter League for Grumpy Old Men, not that Mick would be grumpy so all was not lost. Our Pro fell foul of this format also but was keeping it very quiet. The stroke play format and the good entry gave the competition committee lots to do. Eight turkeys were given out and Aidan Marsden was 1st with 46.33 and 2nd was in-form Denis Watts with 47.67. The rest were distributed in categories. Category 0-12 saw Michael Egan (11) with 49.44 and Eamon Buggy (11) with 50.44 succeed. In category 13-16 Billy Fox (16) needed floodlights to finish on Sunday evening but brought in a score of 48.56 and Tom Heery (15) made it a good weekend when he had 49.33 for the second turkey in the category. In category 17 upwards the old reliable Alo Flaherty (19) had 48.22 and Larry Wrafter (17) with 50.78 got the second one on the count back. This week it is a criss cross fourball with three quarter of the handicap. Thanks to all those who put their name and number from the book on their entry envelope and also to those in the Winter League who put their team and round number on the card. The rest might learn to follow suit. The weather is getting colder and the days are much shorter so it would be helpful if players would move a little smarter around the course. Three and three quarter hours for a scramble over sixteen holes is too slow. Simple things like bringing the trolly towards the next tee rather than leaving it at the front of the green would help in some cases. Winter League The Winter League sponsored by J D Scanlon & Co is under way and Willie Egan rejected an offer to play with the regular gang. This would seem to have been a good decision as Willies Rejects are fairing badly so far. John O Shea with 20 pts and Deckie Harvey with only 25 pts is not a good start. Spollens Select are waiting for the weather to improve along with several other teams. Cloonagh have almost qualified already, Billy Galvin has two cards of 32 pts in and Alo has 33 pts. Stuart Grehan is leading the Young Guns by example, playing off three he has 33 pts and Stephen Barrett has 28 pts. The Handicap Secretary is trying to make a case to get a shot back in the Annual Review - 20 pts Ruadhri - these dark mornings must be holding you back. The PRO with 22 pts wasn't much better and could also be a reject next year. Larry Lynam & Brian Gunning have been out for CU but they need to work on the other members of the team and get them out. White Heads are in cruise mode, JJ O Neill has 34 in the bag and Tom Corroon 64 for two rounds. The strain is telling on Nama/Nama with only Tim Guiney shining. Matt Flannelly is doing the business for Buck's Boys with 63 for two rounds. Pascal Dunne jumped ship and is now on the Xanadu team and he has 31 pts posted. Cavan man P J Fitzpatrick for Five Counties, was up to the challenge of replacing Pascal Dunne and with some great golf has 67 pts in for two rounds and he is competing strongly for the best individual score. Don't forget the first two rounds must be in by the end of November and must be played when full greens are in play. As an exception, if work is being carried out on a green and the temporary green is in play then you play to the temporary green. Golfer Of The Year The presentation of the Golfer of the Year sponsored by Walsh Kealey & Co (Seamus Kealey) to Stuart Grehan and the Hole in Ones, sponsored by the Red Shop in High St will be made at the AGM on Sunday 29th at 4 pm.