GOLF: Charlene Reid, a 15 handicapper from Gracehill Golf Club in Co Antrim and Michael Jones, who plays to six at Limerick County, emerged as Ulster Bank All-Ireland medal champions in the inaugural final at Glasson, organised by the ILGU and GUI. Reid shot a 72 and Jones a 70 nett, off the championship tees on this testing parkland course.
Inaugural medal final
A total of 400 men and women represented their clubs in the event, which was open to winners of club medal competitions with 30 men and 30 women making it through to the final. Silver medals were won by Noelle Ratty (17) of Royal Tara with a 73 and Michael Farrell (5, Ballybunion), with 71. Bronze medals went to Kathleen O'Brien (17, Adare Manor) with 73 and Brendan Keenan (10, Dublin Mountain) with 74.
Defying inclement weather
Over 100 teams defied the inclement weather to take part in the Meath County Board Scramble played over four courses - Castletown, Athboy, Stackallen and Gaeil Colmcille over the weekend. And the laurels in the nett went to a St Bridget's (Kilcullen) team of John Talbot, Paddy Logan and Christy Hannon while a Stackallen trio of Meath inter-county players - Colin Somers, Liam Sheridan and Patsy Reilly took the overall gross award.
The Bellewstown team of Josie Greene, Maura Kennnedy and Vera Ball took the women's award while the 36 holes nett was won by Laura McCormack, Breda Harte and Bridie Cummins from Trim. The postponed RGSC Scratch Cup (aborted in the thunder and lightning of October 13th) has been re-fixed for Sunday next when the holder Kevin Blackburn - who was called-in when leading - will be hoping to repeat the form of last month. The 50th Convention of the Munster Council takes place next Sunday at the Firgrove Hotel in Mitchelstown at 10 a.m.
Young takes honours
John Young from Rosslare took the professional honours at the Harold Engineering-sponsored first Boyne Links Alliance outing of the season at Carton House Golf Club last week. Young shot a 70 to beat Leslie Walker (Dundalk) by one shot with Stephen Browne (South Dublin) third on 72 and P O'Rourke (Black Bush) on 73.
Ray Davis, a 15 handicapper from Ardee, took the amateur nett with an excellent 41 points. B Keenan (10, Dublin Mountain) finished two back on 39 with Con Carroll (Slade Valley) and Paul Kennedy (Hermitage) on 38 and 37 respectively. The team prize went to Ian Kerr, B Rothwell, P Goodard and D Chambers with 85 points.
Barton's cup
Owen Barton from the Grange Golf Club took full advantage of the benign conditions last week to win the last Scratch Cup of the season at Mount Temple Golf and Country Club. Played over 27 holes and sponsored by AIB, Barton covered the last nine holes in two-under par for a total of 104 - three better than the holder Eddie McCormack (Slieve Russell), who had to settle for second place on 107. Richard Williams from Woodlands shot 108 while Steve Ennis (Beaverstown) was fourth on 110. The nett prizes went to local Larry Hogan with 104 off a six handicap from Louis Eyres (Connemara) with 105 off eight.
Treasured treble
Last week we acclaimed Linda O'Gorman from Elm Park for winning the Golfer of the Year title twice in recent years. Well just down the road in Carrickmines Golf Club one of their members, Lynda Booth, can go one better. Booth has just won the Carrickmines Golfer of the Year title for the third year in succession, after only three years playing competitive golf.
She started 2000 with a handicap of 45, won GOY at the end of that season off a handicap of 22, in 2001 won it again - a victory that included the Lady Captain's prize with a handicap of 18 - and has just completed the treble playing off 14.
Cape Town selected
Cape Town, South Africa, has been selected as the venue of the 2006 world men's and women's amateur team championships.
This means that the joint Ladies Golf Union-Scottish Golf Union bid to stage the tournaments in four years' time at St Andrews Bay has failed.
The selection of Cape Town was announced by the World Amateur Golf Council (WAGC) at its biennial meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, during the week. The 2006 championships will be hosted by the South African Golf Association in conjunction with the South African Ladies Golf Union.
Spier Country Club, designed by Peter Matkovich and opened in 2000, and Stellenbosch Golf Club, designed by Ken Elkin and opened in 1953, are the two championship courses, located approximately 35 miles east of Cape Town in the Stellenbosch wine-growing region.
The 22nd women's competition for the Espirito Santo Trophy and the 25th men's competition for the Eisenhower Trophy will be held in October or November of 2006.
"The opportunity to visit the continent of Africa for the first time with the world amateur team championships is very attractive to the WAGC," said Reed Mackenzie, joint chairman of the WAGC. "We are excited about bringing our international amateur event to the world stage in South Africa."
Mulholland's fine season
MAKING a real name for herself at Mount Juliet this year has been Ruth Mulholland who recently claimed victory in the last major competition for the ladies to complete what has, for her, been a remarkable season.
Playing in Mary Jones' Lady President's Prize, the 24 handicapper secured her fourth major prize of the season with a tremendous score of 38 points and a one point victory over Brenda Fitzgerald (20), with Claire Fitzgerald (21) on 36 points in third spot. In fact, Brenda Fitzpatrick had double reason to celebrate as she also recorded a hole in one during her round.
The gross prize went to three handicapper Catherine McCann with 27 gross points.
A fine front nine of 20points set Mulholland - who was also to win the longest drive prize - well on her way to victory and she continued her consistent form over the back nine with 18 points, although she thought she had ruined her chances of victory when she failed to score on the final hole.
All season Mulholland has been playing consistent golf and apart from her four wins she was also runner-up in the club matchplay. Such has been her good golf that she has reduced her handicap over the summer months from 27 to 24.
Consistent Schalks
Consistent golf is something that we all strive to achieve. Some find it easy, others struggle playing good golf one week, but then rather average fare the next.
However, Ballinrobe's Beatrice Schalks can lay claim to playing consistently well over the last number of years over the County Mayo course. The lady members of the club last week held their annual dinner and the Lady Captain Ann Galvin had the distinction of presenting the golfer of the year award to Schalks for the third successive year.
Throughout the season she was always in contention for the prizes and back in June in the President's Prize she was the top woman scorer on the day, only to be pipped by Sean Costello who won the top prize. While Schalks took the golfer of the year honour once again, Barbara King was second and Maura Joyce third. One just wonders can she make it four in a row in 12 months time.
Meanwhile, the Lady Captain Galvin herself enjoyed some success last week when she won the ring competition ahead of Helen Ryan and Mary Gibbons, with Maura Joyce taking the gross prize.
Good week for Duggan
Making it a very good week in Charlesland last week was 22 handicapper Pam Duggan who last week claimed two singles victories in the space of just six days. Having fired 37 points in the weekly singles competition last Monday she then followed that victory up on Saturday, with what was a close run thing in the Hamper competition. In the end, however, her total of 35 points was enough to pip Kay Kearns (27) with 14 handicapper Maureen Dent third on 33 points.
