Over 600 members played in Captains’ Weekend competitions

With no Captain’s or Lady Captain’s Prize taking place year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Captain Trevor Giff and Lady Captain Pauline Campbell hosted a Captains’ Weekend over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Saturday and Sunday as Men’s and Ladies singles competitions being played over 9 and 18 holes while on Monday there were four separate team competitions and all attracted very big entries with over 600 members playing over the three days.

The two captains were delighted with the turnout and the standard of golf that was on offer and wish to thank everybody who took part. While they were unable to hold an official prize-giving ceremony they did get the opportunity to congratulate some of the winners last Saturday at a prize-winners photo call.

The Ladies 18-Hole Singles competition saw Catherine Duff finally return to the winners’ podium and gain a reward for all the hard work she has put into her game in recent months. She produced an extremely steady round of 36pts to take top prize ahead of Ruth Connolly and Theresa Connolly. Mary Hession claimed the 9-Hole competition while Anna Rowland won the Juvenile Prize.

Jim McEneaney (12) was the runaway winner of the Men’s competition as he recovered from an eight at the second to shoot 41pts and win by four points from Jim Dwyer (10) in second. Eoin Murphy (+1) took the Gross Prize with 35pts while Peter Rogers (3) shot 36pts to win the Veteran’s Prize.

After parring the first for three point and blanking the second, McEneaney also dropped a point at the fourth and had only 10 points when he stood the tee of the par five seventh hole.

However, he parred the index three hole for three points, then birdied the par four eighth for four more points before parring the ninth for three points to double his total in the space of three holes and turn for home on 20pts,

Another three points followed from a par at the 10^th and this was followed by four consecutive two point hauls before he secured another four points from the par four 15^th with a birdie.

That left him on 35pts with three holes to go and he moved to 38pts with bogies at the 16^th and 17^th before finishing in style with a par at the last for three points and a final total of 41pts having come home in 21pts.   

Christy Ward (5), Declan Muckian (13) and Mark Coan (26) won the Category Prizes while Andrew MacKell kept up his good form of late to take the Nine Hole competition with 20pts. Rory Henry (14) took the Juvenile Prize.

On Bank Holiday Monday the focus was on team competitions over 14-Holes with Sally McDonnell (23) & Padraig McDonnell (23) winning the Morning Mixed with 35pts while Lady President Joyce Burbage (23) and President Vincent Conlon (8) won the Afternoon Mixed with the same score. Malcolm Drake (13) & Richard Copas (14) won the Men’s competition on countback from Alan Uzell (16) & Brendan Cleary (24) after both shot 36pts while Fionnuala Dullaghan (15) partnerned grand-daughter Katie Rowland (13) to win the Ladies Team event on 34pts. Bernie McGuinness (19) with 35pts was the winner of the Category 1 Prize in Tuesday’s Ladies 18 Hole Singles Stableford withPaula Mc Keown (25) winning Category Two with 36pts. Sinead O’Callaghan (29) with 37pts took Category Three while Lucy Grennan (29) won the Nine Hole competition with 16pts and the promising Keira Kenny (36) took the Juvenile competition with 39pts on her Tuesday debut.

Saturday, August 1 and Sunday August 2 – Captains’ Weekend – Gents – Overall: Jim McEneaney (12) 41pts, Jim Dwyer (10) 37/20pts. Gross Prize: Eoin Murphy (+1) 35pts. Veteran’s Prize: Peter Rogers (3) 36/17pts. Cat 1 (<12): Christy Ward (5) 37/19/13pts, Mark Gorham (4) 37/19pts, Darren Myles (5) 37/17/12pts. Cat 2 (12-18): Declan Muckian(13) 36pts, Derek Teather (16) 35/20pts, John McCann (15) 35pts. Cat 3 (19+): Mark Coan (26) 36/20pts, Conor Rafferty (20) 36/19pts, Conor Marron (23) 36pts. Juvenile Winner: Rory Henry (14) 37pts. Nine Hole Gents: Andrew Mackell (28) 20pts. CSS: Saturday – 34pts. Sunday – 35pts.

Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2 – Captains’ Weekend – Ladies – 18 Hole:  Winner: Catherine Duff, Second: Ruth Connolly, Third: Theresa Connolly. 9-Hole: Winner: Mary Hession, Second: Theresa Byrne, Third: Grainne Gallagher. Juvenile: Anna Rowland.

Monday, August 3 – Captains’ Weekend 14-Hole Two Person Team – Morning Mixed: Sally McDonnell (23) & Padraig McDonnell (23) 35pts, Leonie Baillie (28) & David Smyth (13) 34pts. Afternoon Mixed: Joyce Burbage (23) & Vincent Conlon (8) 35pts, Mary Hession (23) & Sean Hession (8) 33/24pts. Gents:  Malcolm Drake (13) & Richard Copas (14) 36/25pts, Alan Uzell (16) & Brendan Cleary (24) 36 pts. Ladies: Fionnuala Dullaghan (15) & Katie Rowland (13) 34pts.