Weather spoils things again for golfers

Torrential weather on Saturday caused the cancellation of the Morgan Golf and Sports Men"s open day on Sunday last. However, the competitions committee hope to fit it in later in the year.Next Sunday, weather permitting of course, we host the Grange Motors men"s open singles, again with a full time sheet.Great scoring in Invitation Open fourball on Bank Holiday MondayThere was a fine entry and some very good scoring in the Invitational fourball better ball competition, run in conjunction with our Scratch Cup event over the Bank Holiday Monday. The winners came both from home and visiting clubs.Top score was returned by local stalwarts Brendan Timlin (6) and Tom Mulvee (14) with a fine forty six better ball points. The winners had just two to spare over visitors from Delvin Castle John Plunkett (9) and Ken Weymes (6). The popular winners of third spot were locals Michael Duffy (12) and Moss McCormack (9), while fourth place went to Westmeath football team members Alan Mangan (15), Moate and Denis Glennon (14), Castle Barna.Locals dominate in M.A. Stephens Men"s long handicap open singles.There was a fine turnout of members and visitors for the annual men"s long handicap open day on Thursday last, this despite the uncertainty of the weather. The scoring was superb with the top prize going to the in-form Louis Vambeck with an outstanding forty two stableford points, despite losing a golf ball in the course of his round. Runner-up spot went to Declan Costello, making his debut in the enclosure wwith forty points. Third prize was won by Moate"s Gerry Sheehan, with thirty nine points on break of a tie from Mullingar"s Shane Dunne and Larry Mahedy. Sixth prize was won by another visitor Larry Wrafter from Tullamore (37 points), while seventh and eighth prizes were collected by Finbarr McCarrick (thirty seven) and Gerry Caffrey (36 points) from Mullingar respectively. Congratulations to all. It"s hoped to get the long handicap weekly event back on track this week after the bad run of weather.Changes to President"s Prize formatDue to the fact that we are in the Barton Cup final as reported last week, the President"s Prize, which takes place on the week of the first leg (August 23) has been allotted more time to the competitors with all day on both Saturday and Sunday now available to allow us support the team. The nine hole play off for the leading twenty seven will take place on Saturday evening, August 30.J.B.Carr squad progressCongratulations to the JBCarr Diamond Trophy team on their fine win over Old Conna golf club on Sunday last (all matches in Old Conna) and now progress to the Leinster final, I believe, emulating the feat of their Barton Cup colleagues. We wish them both well in their continuing campaigns. Other teams in action this coming week are the Jimmy Carroll, Castle Barna Shield and Newsome Cup squads, whom we also wish the best.Padraig does it againI can"t let the occasion go without mentioning the, to use an American term, "Awesome" achievement of Padraig Harrington in annexing his third golf Major last week-end in Michigen; like the Open a few week"s ago he almost missed the "cut". His week-end"s performance, 66, 66, will go down in history as the best performance by any player in years, given the course conditions. Padraig was the first European to win this event in its fifty years as a seventy two hole strokeplay event and the first European since about 1930 to win the event.