In a fascinating development, the captain and lady captain of the host club will be partners in the ACC-sponsored Elm Park Open Mixed Foursomes to be played from Sunday June 21st to Friday June 26th. This is the 30th year of the event and the timesheet opens today.
Brendan Lynch will be combining his eight handicap with the 14 of Geraldine Kilmurray which, as it happens, puts them on the maximum of 22. Priority will be given to the lowest 64 entries and the closing date is June 10th.
Elm Park invariably produce a formidable entry aimed at keeping the title at home and from a handicap standpoint it is dominated this year by the pairing of Michael Turley and Paula Gorman. Both are scratch players and only two weeks ago Gorman lost to the eventual runner-up Oonagh Purfield in the semi-finals of the Irish Women's Championship at Clandeboye last month.
Despite his scratch status, Turley is probably better known as the Laois Gaelic footballer who scored the point that wasn't in a match against Carlow two years ago. As a golfer, however, he is noted as a powerful striker and has driven the green at Elm Park's par-four 13th, by hitting over the trees.
Former Irish Seniors champion Eddie Condren, fresh from his victory in the Munster Seniors two weeks ago, will be looking to regain the Irish Seniors title he won two years ago in Thurles on Thursday and Friday.
Condren, from Greystones, finished two ahead of runner-up Rupert de Lacy Staunton, the Walker Cup selector, and four better than former Irish international Jackie Harrington over 36 holes in Ennis and Woodstock last week. Harrington heads an impressive field in Thurles which also includes Killarney's Sean Coyne, Billy Rice from Limerick and the three Rogers brothers from The Island - Bernard, Kevin and Liam.
The Adare Manor course will be closed this morning until 2 o'clock for a most unusual event. Each year the Methodists of the area gather to commemorate the visit of their founder John Wesley to Adare. A stone marks the spot where the ancient ash tree stood, under which Wesley spoke to the people in 1753.
The weekend's women's semi-open at Beech Park produced some remarkable scores with the winner Lilian Casley, who plays off 33, shooting an incredible 47 stableford points. Even then she was only two better than Maureen Breenan (31) who finished second. Indeed, captain Maeve Shannon pointed out that the scoring was so hot that two women who scored 44 points didn't even get among the prizes. Only Josie McWeeney (36) on 44 points managed to collect a prize. "Normally that score would win the overall prize," Breenan added.
The MacCarvill family from Elm Park had quite a successful weekend in club competitions. The husband and wife combination of Eibhir and Leonie finished third in Saturday's Open Mixed Foursomes. Son Colm then collected the Best Student prize on Sunday when he scored an impressive 43 points, the best score of the day, in the monthly medal.
Delgany is a club that has produced many great golfing names, including the Bradshaws, Jimmy Martin, Eamon Darcy and the Byrnes. The latest young player from that area to make an impression is Robert Lawless. Playing off six, he won the Bray Junior Scratch Cup on Sunday with a score of 71, two ahead of Old Conna's Brian Owens.
Clonkeen College Leaving Certificate student John Toner is in the perfect frame of mind as he prepares for his exams next week. The 17-yearold three handicapper set a new course record in the Vice-captain's, Tom Murray, prize at Woodbrook last week. John, who has had tuition from local professional Billy Kinsella for a couple of years, covered the new layout at the picturesque south Dublin club in three-under par 69, shooting five birdies in the process.
John, a member of last year's Barton Shield and Senior Cup sides, did all the good work on the front nine which he covered in three-under par with birdies at the fourth, fifth, eighth and ninth. His only concession to par on the outward journey was at the long seventh.
With 23 points for the front nine, John hit seven pars, a bogey at 14, and a birdie at 16 to come home in level par 36 for an excellent score of 42 points. His score was just good enough to beat Eamon McSweeney (12) into second place with Colm O'Sullivan (18) taking third place on 40 points. Former Irish Amateur international, Liam McNamara won the gross prize with a 77.
Milltown took the major honours in the Pavilion Cup on their home course last week. Geraldine Freeney (19) led the field home with a fine 69. Foxrock's Clare Shubotham took second place from Helen Kilroy on a count back after both players finished on 70. The gross prize went to Senior Cup players Aileen Dawson with an 83. The best nines of the day went to the Milltown captain Catherine McDowell and Lora Butler.
John McCann will remember for a long time the centenary year at Co Meath Golf Club, Trim. John got the second day of the Centenary Trophy competition off to a fine start when he holed in one at the 175-metres first hole. However, John did not figure in the final shake-up. Top award of the weekend went to Paddy Lyons (14), a cousin of former Meath GAA full back Mick. Lyons shot 138 to win by one shot from another Meath great, Liam Harnan (pictured), on 139, with Michael Lanny (18) beaten into third place on the second card. The gross was won by Club Captain and former international Paul Rayfus.
Low scoring was the order of the day in the ILGU medal finals at Beech Park Golf Club. The silver award went to Marion Byrne, a nine handicapper from the Curragh who shot 65 to win by one from Veronica Burke (15, City of Derry) with Pauline Fair from Ballinascorney two shots further back in third place. The Bronze award was fought out between two relatively new clubs, with Joan Coote of Woodstock in Ennis edging out Dawn McCarthy from Rockmount in Belfast. The best gross went to Tipperary's Breda Lonergan with a 75.
Local knowledge was more than helpful for Joan Lyons when she won the Irish Senior competition on her home course, Naas, last week. Lyons (11) shot 27 in testing conditions over the Kildare course, with Mary McCann from Old Conna in second place. Lyons also led home the winning team of Audrey McAdams from Howth and Liz Foley of Delgany. The net was won by Charlesland's Edina Jones with 39 points.
