Lahinch, Doonbeg and Ballybunion a tough test

This year’s Great Irish Links Challenge will take place on May 7, 8 and 9.  This is the third instalment of the challenge, an initiative put together by Ballybunion, Lahinch and Doonbeg golf clubs. Three years ago, the three clubs, which were all voted in the world’s top 100 courses as chosen by Golf World, joined forces to offer golfers the opportunity to play three of Ireland’s best links courses over three days.

The Great Irish Links Challenge is played by teams of four over the links at the three courses.  The winning score is based on the cumulative team performance during the three days of competition using the Stableford scoring system. In both 2011 and 2012, nearly 200 golfers played in the challenge, with a large number of participants coming from the US, with others coming from Sweden, Australia and UK. In both years, there was a strong representation from local teams.

Last year’s Great Irish Links champions were a Galway-based team of Gus Connors, Pat Curtis, David Daly and Mike Odell, who held off a strong overseas challenge to take the top spot.

This year’s event begins on Monday, May 6, with registration and a welcome reception at Doonbeg, followed by 18 holes of competition over the next three days.

Doonbeg’s general manager, Joe Russell, said he was delighted the event had become firmly established in the golfing calendar.  He said it was most definitely on the radar of US golfers in particular and that they already had quite a number of US teams registered for this year’s event.  “While the event showcases some of the best links golf Ireland has to offer, we are finding that the guys enjoy the craic and Irish hospitality equally as much. It is the type of programme that highlights the whole tourism offering in Ireland.”

Vari McGreevy, general manager, Ballybunion, said the fact the three courses were so close together gave golfers a fantastic opportunity to play three of the world’s top 100. 

Paddy Keane, general manager, Lahinch, said he believed the Great Irish Links Challenge was doing a great job in drawing further attention to Irish links golf worldwide.  “The event has put a spotlight on the southwest region as a place that has some of the finest seaside links anywhere in the world and with easy access through Shannon, we’re optimistic about the future of this event.”

Lahinch
The ladies’ singles Stableford competition on the championship course in Lahinch last Saturday was won by Susan Coakley (13) with 36 points.

In a ladies’ singles v par competition on the same course, Mary Sadlier (11) won with two up.
Niall Shaw (5) was the winner of the men’s singles Stableford competition on the Old Course on Sunday, with a score of 34 points.

Ennis
Ennis seniors held a team-of-three scramble last week, when the winners, with 48.2 were Tom Greene, Don Ryan and John Finn. In second place were Tom Pilkington, Pat Rutherford and Jim Hennessey followed by Eamon Murphy, Michael Torpey and Tom Woulfe. In fourth spot were Gerry Gilligan, Sean O’Gorman and Frank Landy followed by Michael Vaughan, Dick Herbert and Tom Purcell, with sixth place filled by John Guilfoyle, Michael Butler and Noel Pilkington.

In the men’s 14-hole fourball at the weekend, Brian O’Gorman and Stevie Keane were the winners with 37 points from Michael Kearney and Steve Burns with 36, Tony Kinnevane and Tony McInerney with 36, Alf Jones and James Clune with 36 and Dave Pender and Liam McCannon, also with 36.

Dromoland
Team 14, comprising Gerry McInerney, Paul O’Brien, Michael Flannery, Diarmuid McMahon and Gerry Malone, won week three in the winter league at Dromoland. Their best three scores combined were 123 points.
The weekly winner for week three was Diarmuid McMahon, with 49 points.

Team 14 lead the way after week three of the league followed by Team 8 (Jimmy McManus, Aidan McMahon, Dermot O’Neill, Frank O’Grady and Sean Conway and Team 4 (Seamus Cusack, Jason Ronan, John O’Neill, Frank Barry and Philip Hehir).

An open night hosted by the ladies’ section took place in the clubhouse on Tuesday last when Dr Áine Ní Rianin gave a most enlightening talk on women’s health. Week four of the ladies’ winter league has one team streaking ahead by 10 points, Team captain Mairéad Bergin is assisted by Colette Colleran, Beate Porter, Tina Maguire, Adrienne Kidd, Hannah O’Brien and Lauren McConway. The  card night continues every Wednesday at 7.30pm.

East Clare
The winners of the team-of-three competition last week were Joe Carey, Mike Carey and Kevin Grimes.

In last week’s men’s seniors outing the winners were Jim Greene, Teddy Murphy and Pat Browne from Jackie McHugh, John Farrell and John Fahy with third place filled by Finbarr Ryan, Mike Gough and Kevin Grimes.
This weekend, the men’s club are holding a singles Stableford competition.

In the winter league, there are two weeks left in round two and already there are some very significant moves being made. The scoring continues to be very hot and some teams who did not perform well in round one are now on the move and challenging the leaders.

Spanish Point
Several open competitions were affected by the very wet weather of the past 10 days, with the seniors competition of Tuesday and the open competition on Friday both cancelled.

Despite the downpours, the ground conditions were good for the men’s weekend fourball competition and from a big entry brothers Eoghan (2) and Conor O’Loughlin (12) returned a great score of 44 points to be clear winners from Tom Mernagh (6) and Brian O’Loughlin (10) with 39 points.

Spanish Point girl Sinéad Sexton, now playing off a one handicap and who is a current Munster Interprovincial player and the reigning Connacht ladies’ champion, continues her impressive progress in the game and together with her foursomes partner has reached the final of the Kincora Cup mixed foursomes at Lahinch. In addition, she has  reached the final of the winter league ladies’ matchplay, also in Lahinch.

Sinéad is the ladies’ course record holder in Spanish Point, which she set at 68, two under par gross, three years ago and is currently studying in Maynooth College for her degree.

This weekend, there will be a singles competition for the men and timesheets are in the clubhouse.

Doonbeg
Diarmaid O’Donnell was the winner of last Sunday’s singles competition at Doonbeg links followed by David Eastham in second  Brian Shanahan in third.

This Sunday, Doonbeg Links will host the Clare captains with a round of golf followed by dinner.

The next competition will be held on Sunday, February 17, when the format will be singles Stableford.

Kilrush
The winners of the men’s seniors outing at Kilrush last week were Maurice Roche, Sean Moran, Aeneas O’Connor and Noel Cooney from John Robinson, Jimmy McSwiggan, John Stapleton and Leo Harvey, with third spot filled by  TJ Lyons, Noel Haier, Tom Cleary and Fr Tom McGrath.

The spring league commenced last Sunday and will continue until this Saturday.

The club’s recent scrap Saturday fundraiser, which was a big success, has been extended and further information is available from any of the committee.

Portumna
The men’s competition at Portumna on Sunday was a 14-hole singles when the winners were Category 0-10 Sean Robinson (10) 33 points; Category 11-14 Joe Power (13) 31 points; Category 15-18 Adrian Whyte (17) 36 points; Category 19 and over Joe O’Brien (21) 33 points; seniors, Peadar Ryan (14) 33 points.

The ladies’ nine-hole re-entry competition concluded on Sunday and the winner was: Mary Madden on 21 points from Carmel Cunningham on 20 points.

In the ladies’ Daily Mail qualifying competition, the winners were Suzanne Corcoran and Pauline McEvoy. The ladies’ spring league commences this week and continues for five weeks. Six teams of five players have entered and the draw is posted on the website and on the noticeboard in the ladies’ locker room.
The club open three-ball continues until April.

Gort
John Cunningham (18) was the winner of the men’s 18-hole singles at Gort at the weekend with 43 points from Derek Kinsella (17) who had 41 points, Niall Gillane (20) with 40 points and Brian Murtagh (8) with 40 points. Colman Cooney (3) won the gross with 35 points.

There will be a similar competition this weekend. The ladies’ spring league is underway and the last card will be on Thursday, March 21.

On Sunday at 1.30pm captains John Skehill and Phil Mulkerrins will drive-in to office and this will be followed by a nine-hole scramble.

Pitch and Putt
Tommy Kelly was the winner of the strokeplay competition at the Clare Road Pitch and Putt club on Sunday. Kevin Woods was in second place followed by Gerry Kierce. Marty Fawl won the gross.