Excellent scoring by Murray in Mid-West Alliance

In Sunday’s Mid West Alliance outing at Dromoland, Limerick international and current South Of Ireland champion Pat Murray won with a 69 gross. Murray went out in level par and then eagled the 10th with an enormous drive to 4ft. He then birdied the par five 11th and parred his way in for a very efficient, winning score in extremely tough conditions.
Tied for second spot were Martin Ward (P and M Golf) and David O’Donovan (Muskerry) with 71. In the nett section, Joey Shire, Adare, won with 66 from Tom Saunders, Ennis, on 69. Joint third on 72 were Simon Morris, Limerick and Pat Lucey, Ennis.
In the contest for most birdies in the round, Dromoland’s Nicky Duggan and Jason O’Leary were tied with six each. In the nearest-the-pin category Tony Nugent, Woodstock, won at the seventh and Jason O’Leary at the 13th.
Women are playing in the event for the first time and Castletroy’s Chloe Ryan, who finished 10th at the world championships in Mexico two weeks ago, has opened with two fine 80s, given that she is playing off the men’s tees. Shirley Reale (Castletroy Golf Club) won the prize for nearest-the-pin with a fantastic tee shot to 6ft on the windswept 17th.
The next round is on February 17 and the time sheet is open at 061 368444.
The Woman in Golf programme, an initiative to get more women interested in golf, has commenced. Dromoland ladies’ section, in conjunction with professional David Foley, have introduced a five-week programme, consisting of five golf lessons and some time on the course. The winter league is up and running, with 40 ladies taking part.
Meanwhile, in week one, Tony Cleary was the gross winner with 71 from Jason O’Donnell, Daniel Brennan and Cian McNamara, all with 72. Liam Pyne and David Casey both had 71 in the nett category and they were followed by Joey Shire with 72. In the nearest-the-pin category, Shire won at the seventh, Chris Maguire at the 13th and Cian McNamara at the 17th. Jason O’Leary, Cian McNamara and Tony Cleary each had five birdies.

Dromoland
In week two of the winter league at Dromoland, Team Seven, comprising Brian Hickey, William Fitzgerald, Martin O’Mahoney, Shane Mowat and Robert Healy, were the winners. Their best three scores combined 206 strokes.
The weekly winner for week two was Robert Healy with a 63 nett.
Team 14 of Paul O’Brien, Michael Flannery, Diarmuid McMahon, Gerry Malone and Gerry McInerney lead the way after week two of the league, followed by Team Eight of Jimmy McManus, Aidan McMahon, Dermot O’Neill, Frank O’Grady and Sean Conway and Team Nine of Mick O’Shea, Gordon O’Neill, John Porter, David O’Brien and Glen Stackpoole.

Lahinch
Patricia O’Donnell (27) was the winner of the ladies’ singles at Lahinch last week, with 37 points.
In Sunday’s men’s singles Stableford, Martin Moroney (14) won with 38 points from Eoin Glynn (6) with 36 and Brian Sexton (14) with 36.

Ennis
Ennis Seniors held a team-of-three competition last week and the winners, with 57 points, were Frank Landy, John Cullinan and John Guilfoyle. In second place were Jim Felle, Michael Kerin and Pierce Cahill with a similar score, followed by Pádraig Ryan, Luke Coote and Maurice Walshe on 56. In fourth place were Richard O’Connell, Don Ryan and Tom Fox on 56 followed by John Guinan, Jim Hennessy and Tom Pilkington on 55, with sixth spot filled by Tom Purcell, Gerry Gilligan and Michael Kenny, also with 55.
In the weekend’s men’s 14-hole competition, the winners on Saturday were Mattie McDonagh and Rory O’Connor with 33 points. Sunday’s winners were Michael Vaughan and Tom Stack with 34 points from Gerry Gilligan and Mike Considine, with a similar score.

Gort
This week’s men’s competition at Gort will be an 18-hole singles Stableford on Saturday and Sunday.
The ladies’ spring league is continuing and will conclude on Thursday March 21. The captains’ drive-in will take place on Sunday, February 10 at 1.30pm.

East Clare
In the men’s 15-hole singles at East Clare, Ger O’Brien (17) was the winner with 40 points from William O’Brien (8) with 35.
In the men’s seniors outing last week, the winners were Kevin Burke, Willie Roche and Jack Hogan from Tony McNulty, John Fahy and Charles Stuart, with third spot filled by Vinny Henchy, Pat Browne and John Fielding.
The ladies’ seniors outing was won by Pat Williams, Pauline Nugent and Catherine Murphy from Mary Joe Minogue, Marie A Kelly, Anna McGillicuddy and Nancy Starr.
There has been some tremendous scoring in the second round of 15-hole fourball winter league, with up to three teams recording 45 points. Lady captain Mary Collins and Viviane Cahalane had one of these scores, as had Michael Stritch and Trish Kerr. Participation has also increased, with all teams now scrambling to climb up the leader-board. There is another two weeks left in round two.

Kilrush
In the men’s seniors outing at Kilrush last week, the winners were Tom Prendeville, Murt Collins and Leo Harvey from Paddy Carmody, Aeneas O’Connor and Sean Moran, with third place filled by Michael Ryan, Maurice Roche and Noel Haier.   
The spring league will commence this Sunday and will run for four weeks, followed by a play-off in March. Teams will comprise five persons, with a minimum of one lady per team. There will be weekly individual best score prize.

Spanish Point
Most competitions have been affected by the extreme weather conditions of the past week, with the weekly seniors and the Friday open both cancelled because of the conditions.
However, the weekend competition went ahead with a large number supporting and the format was a team-of-four scramble. It was won by Fergal Hehir (15), Mervin Hehir (17), Stephen Guilfoyle (17) and Kevin Hynes (16). The seniors open continues each Tuesday and the competition next weekend is a fourball better ball and timesheets are in the clubhouse.

Clare Teachers
Athenry is the venue for a Clare Teachers Society outing this Saturday. The tee is available at 10am and the format will be an 18-hole singles Stableford.
The society’s annual weekend away is to Charleville this year, when members will play on March 1 and 2.

Pitch and Putt
PJ Considine was the winner of the strokeplay competition at the Clare Road Pitch and Putt Club on Sunday, when Paddy Sheedy was in second place. Billy Griffin won the gross.