Tullamore Golf Club Notes

Open Week came to a very successful conclusion on Monday last and the good weather contributed in no small way to the large entries over the eleven days and the course was looking splendid. Based on the scoring the course was the winner. Club professional, Donagh McArdle, sponsored the prizes on May 25th and one of the best scores of the week, 40 pts by Mark Hogan (18) took first prize. Noel Cleary (12) has been playing very consistent golf and was unlucky to lose on the countback. It was a Rumble three-person team event on Tuesday sponsored by Walsh Bros Plumbing & Heating Superstore and the low handicappers proved their worth in the difficult, windy conditions. Martin Darcy (3), Catch Flanagan (4) and Betsy Flanagan (24) brought in 78 pts to take first place. The conditions were difficult again on Wednesday with a strong wind making the course play long. The competition was sponsored by Lambe Oil Ltd. Noel Cleary must feel a bit like Padraig Harrington with second places as he was again second, this time to David O"Beirne (18). The beautiful weather on Friday brought out big numbers again and the sponsors were Galvin for Men. However the course was again the winner, and four players came in on the same mark of 36 pts. Tom Moloney (14) from New Forest was 1st , Paul Daly (9) got 2nd prize, 3rd went to another visitor, Tom Fox (14) from Castle Barna, and 4th went to Gavin Clarke (13). On Sunday Buggy Foods were the Sponsors and a couple of ex rugby players were to the fore. Vincent McFadden (16) had 40 pts to take 1st prize but he still has a long way to go to get to his mother"s lowest handicap. David J Deering (12) was 2nd with 39 pts and Dominic Daly (19) is starting to get his handicap down as he brought in 38 pts. The Open Week competitions came to a close on Monday when the fourball sponsored by the Tullamore Count Hotel was played. Interestingly only one Tullamore pairing featured. The winners from Roscrea were Tony Mason (18) and Tadhg O"Connor (14) with 43 pts, obviously on a high after Tipp"s great win on Sunday. The Heritage provided the second place winners in PJ Brennan (9) and Pat O"Brien (19) with 42 pts, and third were the surprise package of Denis Guinan (11) and the now fully fit John O"Rourke (13), also 42 pts. Hole-in-Ones are getting very common in Tullamore and the latest to have one was John Faulkner on the 12th during Open Week. Mary Spollen also had one recently and promised on Monday night to give a demonstration as to how she did it with a pitching wedge on the 9th. Congratulations to both players. This weekend (6th & 7th June) Phil O"Reilly sponsors the singles competition which is a Golfer of the Year competition and the following week the S N Mahon prize sponsored by Hoey & Denning takes place. The Jimmy Bruen team are playing in the qualifier in Moate on Saturday, June 6, and this competition has been the club"s strongest in the GUI Cups & Shields in recent years. Hopefully this trend continues and they qualify for the Leinster finals. Match-play Members are reminded now that Open Week is over, there are a lot of matches to be played in the near future. Bank of Ireland to be completed by 8th June; Byrne Casey & Associates foursomes by 10 June and Scratch Match play by 22 June. Open Day Every Monday From Monday 8th June there will be an Open Day in Tullamore for both ladies and men with the entry fee for visitors set at €20, which is great value. There is a timesheet in operation so just ring 057 9321439 to book a place.