Fabulous week end for Irish amateur golf

The Cuisine de France Ladies Open was the feature competition of the weekend. The two person team event kicked off at 1pm on Saturday and the last competitors returned their cards at 9pm on Sunday evening. Conditions were as damp and tricky as usual, but the signs are there that the ladies are getting to grips with all the difficulties that the Irish weather bestows. Local hot shots Therese Colleary and Rosemary Whelehan combined magnificently to score 48 points to win the spoils. Delighted with their win Therese and Rosemary said that they managed to gel well together despite playing through some torrential showers.Second place went to the formidable pairing of Julie Delahunty Moore and Miriam McManus with 46 points. Bonus points went to Miriam McManus who fired a mighty tee shot into the middle of the ninth fairway to take the prize for the longest drive. The Lady Captain Geraldine Bell was in fine form as she and her partner Lucy Tormey clinched the gross prize with a tidy score of 32 points.Valerie Cotter from Carton House and Kathie Clarke from Wicklow had 45 points for fourth place and Suzanne Duffy and Cepta Reidy carded 44 points to come fifth. Margaret Forde and Susan Trapp won the front nine with 23 points and Joan O"Carroll and Helena O"Connor won the back nine also with 23 points. The second bonus prize of the weekend went to Brid Galligan after her tee shot landed nearest the pin.Cuisine de France director, Mr. Mark Gavin was on hand to present the prizes at yet another colourful and enjoyable prizegiving ceremony. Fourteen clubs in the region were represented at the open day and over 150 players took part. The Westmeath Hospice was the recipient of a generous donation from Cuisine de France and the proceeds of a raffle.WisteriaWisteria were the generous sponsors of Wednesday"s eighteen hole stableford competition. Anne Marie Conlon, who is showing consistently good form, shot another terrific 39 points to win. Josephine Purcell was runner up with 36 points while Mary McCauley won the gross prize with 23 points. Bernadette Solon won the tussle with Anne Duffy to take third spot with 35 points.Interclub Matchplay.The interclub matchplay events are moving along at pace with great wins from the Intermediate Cup and the Junior Foursomes. The Challenge Cup, the Senior Cup and the Boyne Trophy teams are all scheduled to play this week and we wish them all well.Lowry masters the professionals in County LouthWe heartily congratulate Esker Hills" Shane Lowry on his masterful performance in winning the Irish Open, which contained a very high quality field, among whom were the winners of nine or ten Majors, in County Louth Golf Club, Baltray on Sunday last. His fabulous victory was only the third by an Irishman in the past thirty four years (Padraig Harrington won in 2007, and John O"Leary won in 1982 - both professionals of course.) Shane, an amateur, and holder of the Grant Thornton Mullingar Scratch Trophy, and defending same this August, (hopefully if he doesn"t join the paid ranks), has emulated another midlander, Tyrrellspass native Doctor David Sheahan, who won the Jeyes" Tournament in Royal Dublin in 1962 also beating the cream of the professional game. David still plays a good game in The Grange Golf Club.Most Reverend Doctor Michael Smith honouredThere was a fine turn out of members in the clubhouse on Tuesday last as the club paid tribute to, and celebrated with the Bishop of Meath his Silver Jubilee. To mark the occasion a specially commissioned painting of the famous second hole was presented to him.Men"s seniorsAlas, the last seniors" home event of the season took place on Tuesday, May 12 and the popular winner was the branch"s Vice Captain, Liam Conlon with a very creditable thirty one stableford points. Liam just pipped Paddy Wallace for the top award. Sean O" Connell got third prize, while the super seniors" prize went to Jim Hearne. We will be back in action on September 1 when we welcome our friends from Strandhill. The seniors" open day is scheduled for Monday July 6th.Long HandicapLast Thursday"s event, generously sponsored by Wilf"s Clothing Store (Daragh Caffrey) attracted another fine entry with the following outcome: Winner Paddy Wallace (22) with thirty two points on a break of a tie from Seamus Clarke (18). Third place went to Noel Gibney (18) with thirty one. Protagonists are reminded that order of merit points are available weekly towards the coveted Joe Maguire memorial trophy. So return those cards. Also the sponsors and prize winners always appreciate good turn out for the prize presentations, which are held one week after each event.Captain"s Prize updateAgain, this week"s matches had the interest of all, with plenty of galleries out. There were a couple of surprise results and some matches went to tie holes. Here is the last sixteen line up: Aidan Mulligan versus Aidan Tomkins; Mick Gunning versus Colm Murphy; Frank McDonagh versus Paddy Dunne; Derek Plunkett versus Des Baker; Mick Duffy versus Pete Purcell; Des McLoughlin versus Martin Smith; Emmett Sherry versus Eamon Shaw and Kieran Hynes versus Gerry Eyres.The last four will be known at the weekend. The semi finals will take place by Tuesday next and the thirty six hole final is scheduled for Friday, May 29.Army Cup competition on Sunday nextThe attraction for the gents on Sunday next is the Army Prize, competition for the prizes annually presented by the Army members, both active and retired and featuring the Army Challenge Cup, a perpetual trophy, being continually played for since the early 1950s.Sunday night next also includes the Garda prize presentation, following which the draw for the Father Pat Dunne Mixed foursomes and Men"s club fourball matchplay will take place. I"ve been asked to remind competitors that the Victor Woods" memorial foursomes competition is progressing on time as is the club handicap match play and that there will be no extensions granted as there is a fair gap between rounds.Members are reminded of the four person team event, which is currently up asnd running on Mondays through the dummer; see notices in club and website for more info.