Mens Golf Club Notes | Concrawood Golf Club | Ireland
21st September 2021
DECLAN EARNS FIRST PRO VICTORY
Declan Smyth enjoyed a return to form in winning Ciaran Lavery’s Professional’s Prize at the weekend. Having seen his handicap drift over the Summer months, Declan meant business this time out, starting his round with a birdie, and finishing off with an impressive 43 points. His margin of victory was two, over Eamonn Burns. No doubt buoyed by his teams’ efforts in our recent Club Classic, Eamonn had already amassed 41 points as he stood on the eighteenth tee. But as happens so often in Concra, he drew a blank on the last, and has to content himself with the runner-up prize. The Best Gross was won once again by Christopher Brennan on a fine score of one over par. And third prize was won by Paul Murphy, just back from Portuguese training camp, on 39 points.
Our Seniors’ outing to Slieve Russell was a great success. The golf was pretty good as well. The winner over two days was Paddy Cumiskey, who returned a 36 hole total of 77 points. The runner-up was Pat McNeill on72, with Finbar Brohan in third place on 65. This week it’s back to slumming it at home, in a nine hole event from Monday to Friday.
And finally for this week, members can take a break from the Ryder Cup on Saturday or Sunday to take part in Michael McHugh’s Patron’s Prize. This stableford competition will be played off the green tees.
14th September 2021
MARTIN LIFTS THE BLAYNEY CUP WITH A 66
Martin Allen knows every blade of grass in Concra. He plays eighteen holes several times a week, and during lockdown he walked the course every day. At the weekend he put all that local knowledge – and fitness – to good use, shooting a super round of 66 to win the coveted Blayney Cup. The runner-up on 67 was Jonathan Kernan. Having played no golf in over a decade, Jonathan has wasted no time in reducing his handicap on his return – this score sees his index down to a very creditable 7.6. Another man losing a shot is third placed Gerry McCaul on 68. Now that his son Conor is giving him four shots, he’s certainly had to tighten himself! And the best gross was won by a new member David Duffin. Playing off a handicap of 6 he returned a fine round of 76.
In our seniors section, last week’s competition was a nine hole singles. The winners and their scores were as follows; Category 1 Charlie Geoghegan 20, Patsy “The New Boy” Boyle 20 and Gerry Treacy 18. Category 2 Pat Conlon 22, Joe Kernan 19 and Paul Shortt 18. Category 3 Joe Kelly 22, Michael Reid 17 and Pat McBride 17. This week it’s off to the Slieve Russell!
And finally for this week, our pro Ciaran Lavery has enjoyed a great first year in the job. This weekend he sponsors his Professional’s Prize. This stableford event will be played off the green tees.
7th September 2021
NUDIE HUGHES CLASSIC AT CONCRA WOOD
Nudie Hughes hosted his hugely successful golf classic at Concra Wood over the weekend. Over ninety teams from all over Ireland took part, among them many famous names from the world of sport. And Nudie very nearly achieved the perfect result, as he teamed up with Eamonn Burns, Damien Cumiskey and James King to produce an excellent score of 103 points. However, they were pipped at the post, as a team from Leitrim – David Burke, Ciaran Murray, Sean Murray and Ray Logan – shot a massive back nine score of 58 points to win on a countback. Third prize was won by locals Noel O’Reilly, Gerry McCaul, Sean Malone and Eugene McGuigan on 102 points. While fourth prize went to Declan Smyth, Phil Branigan, Frank Nolan and Pat McNeill also on 102 points. Many thanks to Nudie for his incredible commitment to this annual event, and also to the organising committee who made it such a wonderful success.
As restrictions are gradually lifted, our seniors have been getting back to what they do best, team events. Last Tuesday, the winners were Thomas Brennan, Pat Merrick, Michael Reid and PJ Harte on 44 points. Runners-up were PJ Lambe, Syl Mulligan and Brendan Laverty on 38 points, with Brian McGovern, Nicky Hore and Arthur McGeough in third on 38. This week it’s back to nine-hole singles, with seniors playing from Monday to Thursday. And next week it’s the annual “school tour” – two days in the Slieve Russell!
And finally for this week, our final major of this season, the Blayney Cup takes place this weekend. Sponsored by the Mulligan family, this was the big event in the days of Castleblayney Golf Society, and has been an annual highlight of local golf for over half a century. Members will play this strokeplay competition off the green tees.
31st August 2021
MEMBERS’ PRIZE VICTORY FOR ALAN NUGENT
Sky Sports viewers who sat up late on Sunday night were treated to one of the great golf play-offs, as Patrick Cantlay overcame Bryson De Chambeau at the sixth tie hole. In an ideal world, every tournament that ended in a tie would be decided in a similar fashion. However, such are the practicalities of club golf, that we have a somewhat less dramatic method of determining who comes out on top. The countback prioritises the stronger finish, meaning the golfer who performs best on the back nine is declared the winner. It’s tough on the golfer who misses out, but as Harry Hill would say, “You gotta have a system”! In our annual Members’ Prize at the weekend, this countback system was not only called into action, it was put to the test. Alan Nugent and Conor McCaul, two of our most promising young golfers, chose the same weekend to produce their rounds of the season. Both playing off the same handicap of seventeen, they recorded identical scores of 45 points. And to complicate matters further, they both scored twenty-two points on the back nine. In such circumstances the scores over the final six holes are compared, and it was there that Alan’s seventeen points gave him victory by the tightest of margins. To the victor the spoils, but as every golfer learns, a good round of golf is the greatest prize of all. Not surprisingly, the rest of the field was a long way back. The best of the rest was Kevin Power who took the Category 1 prize with 38 points. Conor McCaul has the consolation of the Category 2 prize, while Category 3 was won by the in-form Darren McQuillan who also scored 38 points. And in our beginner category, Jonathan Kernan came out on top with 38 points.
Our juveniles took part in their final competition of the season, the Canon Morris Cup, on Sunday afternoon. This year’s winner was Caolan Donnelly, with Daragh O’Connor coming in in the runner-up spot. In the Blue Group, first prize was won by Daragh Fitzgerald, with Keira McLoughlin in second place. And it was a family affair in the Yellow Group, with Erin Carragher in first place, ahead of her sister Eabha in second. This year’s Golfer of the Year is Caolan Donnelly, who enjoyed a wonderfully successful Summer of golf. Most Improved Golfer went to Erin Carragher. The future of Golf looks bright for Concra Wood with large numbers of talented juveniles coming through. New members are always welcome, and enquires can be made at the Concra Wood office. Tom McDermott, Chris Monahan and our juvenile committee would like to thank our Junior Captain Jamie McCann-Smyth and his good friend Conor McCaul for all their help throughout the year. And a big thank you to all our sponsors and volunteers each week, without whose support we could not make our juvenile golf the success it is.
In seniors’ news, this week’s competition is a team event. This takes place on Tuesday 31st, with a draw for partners at 1.30pm.
And finally for this week, our timesheet is looking pretty impressive for this weekend’s Nudie Hughes Club Classic. All we need now is for this fine spell of weather to make it through to Sunday evening, so that our all our competitors can enjoy Concra at its very best. Anyone who wishes to make a late entry, or to sponsor a tee box, should contact our office at (042)9749485 or email info@concrawood.ie
24th August 2021
ROBERT ROMPS HOME
How many holes does it take to win a golf competition? Well it seems for Robert Heavin it only takes fifteen. In our most recent event, which was sponsored by Brendan McEleavey’s Culloville House, Robert walked off the fifteenth green with forty points on his card. Little did he know at the time, that he had already scored more than enough for victory. So he went on an added another four on the final three holes, for a six point winning margin. A number of golfers scored thirty eight points – among them Category 2 winner Gareth McMahon, Category 3 winner Phelim Quinn, and Beginners’ prize winner Kevin Lawless. While Category 1 was won by Ciaran McMahon on a score of 36 points.
This weekend our competition is the annual Members’ Prize.
On Monday Paul Shortt hosted his Seniors’ Captain’s Prize. The winner on the day was Eamonn Johnston, who returned a superb score of 44 points. As always in the seniors section, there were plenty of prizes to go around, and so the winners in all three categories and their scores were as follows; Cat. 1 Martin Allen 37, Patrick Cumiskey 37 and Declan McAterr 34. Cat. 2 Joe Kernan 35, PJ Lambe 35 and Nicky Hore 34. Cat. 3 Syl Mulligan 36, Macartan Lambe 34 and Michael Reid 32.
No doubt many of you have already signed up to this year’s Nudie Hughes Club Classic. For those who haven’t, a visit to concrawood.ie will provide all the details of how to take part in our major fund raiser of 2021.
And finally for this week, congratulations to Chris Monahan who won Sile Moore’s Lady Captain’s Prize on Saturday. A victory for hard work and commitment if ever there was one!
17th August 2021
DARREN WINS THE LADY CAPTAIN’S PRIZE FOR MEN
Darren McQuillan has worn a lot of hats at Concra Wood. He’s been captain, manager, director and treasurer in his day. However, he hasn’t been a prize winner quite as often as he would have liked. And he certainly hasn’t wanted for advice! So victory in Sile Moore’s Lady Captain’s Prize for Men at the weekend tasted particularly sweet. Darren put together a score of 41 points for the narrowest of narrow winning margins. Bart McNamara and Seamus Leonard both matched Darren’s points total, but couldn’t compete with his back nine score of twenty one points. This is yet another countback disappointment for Seamus, who has become something of a front nine specialist. There’s only one thing for it Seamus – come and join the seniors! Bart and Seamus took the spoils in Categories 2 and 3 respectively. In Category 1, Raymond McHugh continued his fine run of form, taking top spot with 38 points. And we wish Sile and all in our Ladies section the very best of luck for this Saturday, when she hosts her Lady Captain’s Prize.
This weekend our men’s competition is sponsored by Brendan McAleavey’s Culloville House.
Our Seniors competed for the Gabriel Moore Memorial Cup on Tuesday last. This year’s winner on a score of 38 points was Declan McAteer. The category winners were as follows; Cat 1 Gerry Treacy, Ciaran Prunty and Charlie Geoghegan. Cat 2 PJ Lambe, Larry Coleman and Paddy Niland. Cat 3 Macartan Lambe, Paul Shortt and Jim O’Neill. This week it’s a nine hole competition with no draws. And then next Monday it’s the seniors’ main event – Paul Shortt’s Captain’s Day. Competitors should sign up on our BRS system between 10 am and 12 noon.
And finally for this week, a reminder that the Nudie Hughes Club Classic takes place at Concra Wood on Friday 3rd, Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th of September. The cost is €250 per team of 4. To enter a team, contact our office at (042)9749485 or email info@concrawood.ie
10th August 2021
JONATHAN PIPS SHANE IN THE RAIN
Irish weather. If there’s one thing you can rely on it to be, it’s unreliable. In the past fortnight we’ve gone from heatwave to flood. Not only did this halve the turnout in Mark Currie’s Formme Construction competition, but it meant that only our hardiest golfers managed to complete their rounds. When all cards were checked on Sunday night, just three members had managed to better their handicaps. And it took a countback to separate the top two – Jonathan Kernan and Shane Fitzsimons, who both returned rounds of 70. Having finished four – four, Shane had every reason to be optimistic, but Jonathan went five better, parring every hole from 12 to 18. This gave him the first victory of his long awaited comeback. And spare a thought for Shane, who finds himself in the runner-up spot for the second time in as many months! It can only be a matter of time. The best gross was won by Christopher Brennan, who shot a round of level par in the very toughest of conditions. And third prize went to a new name in our club, Dean McMahon on a score of 72.
This weekend, our competition is the Lady Captain’s Prize for Men. We wish Sheila Moore the very best of luck as she hosts all her big events in the coming weeks.
And news this week of another major event in our club. The Nudie Hughes Club Classic takes place on the weekend of the 3rd, 4th and 5th of September. Team slots can be booked by contacting our office at (042) 9749485, or you can catch up with the man himself, and he’ll sort you out with a time.
And finally for this week, our Captain Thomas would like to thank all the participants in his Captain’s Prize for their generous donations to his chosen charity, the Monaghan Arch Club. On Sunday night last, he presented a cheque for €1520 to their local President Donal Kenny and our own Eileen Kerr. All proceeds will be spent on Arch Club social events, including our local Christmas party at Concra Wood.
3rd August 2021
NOEL BOYD WINS THE CAPTAIN’S PRIZE
It’s surely every club golfer’s dream. To stroll onto the final green, and sink the winning putt in the Captain’s Prize to the cheers of the packed gallery – British Open style. Well that’s precisely how it was for Noel Boyd on Sunday evening. And he even had an eight points winning margin, which left him stress-free to savour the moment. Noel had done most of the hard work on Saturday. He produced his best ever round of golf on the big day, returning a massive score of 47 points. This gave him a lead of four points over Raymond McHugh on 43, with Frank McDonnell in third on 42, and Phil Branigan a further shot back on 41. So it was this foursome that made up the final group in Sunday evening’s nine hole play-off. And Noel got off to the perfect start, with a par on the first to settle the nerves. He continued to pick up points at every hole, and still held a five shot lead over Frank McDonnell after six. And then any hopes that the chasing pack may have still held were blown away, as Noel birdied the seventh, leaving him with that comfortable stroll to victory.
Noel’s final points tally was 71. The runner-up prize was won by Frank McDonnell. He chipped and putted his way to a final nine score of 21, for a total of 63 points. Frank Bourke played the best golf in the penultimate group, scoring 22 points, just enough to leapfrog the other challengers into third place on 62. And the best gross was won by Ciaran McMahon. This prize is always awarded for the lowest round over the first 18 holes, and a 74 did the trick for Ciaran.
The turnaround from golf to presentation was the quickest on record. And it had to be as all formalities took place outdoors. Our Captain Thomas Brennan began by presenting the winners in the ladies and junior sections. Congratulations to Marita Kiernan and Conor McCaul who won these two prizes. And then it was over to the men. Thomas was absolutely thrilled that a record number of 170 competitors had taken part in the event. And it’s good to report that the art of acceptance speaking is alive and well in Concra Wood, as each prize winner took the opportunity to thank the team who had organised such a wonderful weekend of golf. The star of the show as usual was the course itself, with enormous praise reserved for Patsy Boyle and his greens team. In his closing comments our Captain Thomas summed it all up, saying that in these two most difficult years, the hard work of our committees had turned all the many challenges into successes.
This weekend, it’s back to business as usual. Our club competition is sponsored by Mark Currie’s Formme Construction.
And finally for this week, eighteen teams took part in our seniors’ mixed scramble on Tuesday last. The winners on a super score of three under par were Joe Kernan, Paul Shortt and Josephine McCahey. Second place ended in a tie between our Captain Thomas Brennan, Lady Captain Sheila Moore and Pat McBride and the team of Frank Nolan, Brendan Laverty and Yvonne Duffy. And there’s lots more seniors golf to look forward to in August. On Thursday 12th it’s the Gabriel Moore Memorial Cup. And then on Monday 23rd it’s Paul Shortt’s Seniors Captain’s Prize. Members should book times on the BRS system.
27th July 2021
SEAMUS SHOOTS 45 POINTS
Our Club President Seamus Mallon picked up a very nice souvenir of his year in office at the weekend, winning first prize in the MC Blinds sponsored competition. In blisteringly hot conditions, he left everyone else in his wake as he completed a round of 45 points, for a winning margin of four shots. He even had a two at the sixth, in a round that ticked all the boxes. Category 1 was won by Adrian Kelly, who had four birdies on his way to a total of 39 points. Category 2 went to Mark Conlon, Seamus’s nearest contender, on a score of 41 points. And in Category 3, Brian Sherry made a long awaited return to the winners’ enclosure, with his round of 40 points.
This weekend, it’s the big one – Thomas Brennan’s Captain’s Prize. As usual this is a 27 hole contest, with the best 18 scores, and equals, after round 1 qualifying for Sunday evening’s nine hole play-off. For all details on eligibility and format, members should read the notice in our clubhouse as they sign up to the timesheet for the event. In these days of protocols and restrictions, Thomas and his committee have organised an outdoor weekend – so let’s hope the weather continues to play ball, and may the best man win.
In our juvenile section, congratulations this week to Caolan Donnelly, Dillion McMonagle and Aodhan Finnegan, all winning their respective groups on the 18th of July. This competition was kindly sponsored by our own club professional Ciaran Lavery. We have a break next weekend for both the Juvenile Sunday golf and Monday camp due to Captains Weekend, but will return on Sunday the 8th of August.
And finally for this week, our regular Seniors event had a lower turnout than usual last week, no doubt due to heat exhaustion. Of the twenty-two who did brave the heatwave, the following were the prize winners; Cat. 1 Charlie Geoghegan 20 and Ciaran Prunty 20. Cat.2 Nicky Hore 24 and Larry Coleman 17. Cat. 3 Jim O’Neill 20 and Pat Bolger 18. This week our competition is a mixed scramble.
20th July 2021
MCMONAGLE PIPS LEONARD TO LAND THE CLEMENT MCKENNA CUP
We had the closest of close finishes for top spot in the Clement McKenna Cup at the weekend. We needed a countback to separate Jody McMonagle and Seamus Leonard, who both withstood the heat, to return scores of 41 points. And while Seamus had it all his own way on the front nine, where he led on 23 points, nobody could match Jody’s back nine of 20 points. This was just enough to clinch his maiden victory, and to lift one of our most prestigious prizes in the process. It’s certainly one Seamus would love to win, but then again, there’s always next year. Third prize was won by James Carville, who finished a point further back on 40. The Best Gross prize went to Mark Currie. He shot a level par 72 for a total of 36 gross points. And there was an extra prize for beginners this week, which was won by Kevin Lawless on a score of 38 points.
Our Open Week was our most successful ever, with over one thousand golfers taking part. All results can be viewed on Master Scoreboard and on our club’s Facebook page. Many thanks to all who took part, and remember our Open Wednesdays continue right through to October.
Our Seniors took a week off in order to take part in Open Week. But normal service is resumed this week, with a nine hole event on this Thursday and Friday.
Our juvenile competition on Sunday last was kindly sponsored by Thomas O’Neill’s Steel Form Sections. The category winners were Caolan Donnelly, Dillon McMonagle and Erin Carragher. Our juveniles’ Summer Camp continues each Monday morning from 9 to 11 am, with all details on our noticeboard.
Belated congratulations this week to Pat McNeill, who recorded a hole-in-one at the 6th hole in the recent Des McGlynn Cup. You never lost it, Pat!
And finally for this week, news of our upcoming events at Concra Wood. Firstly, this weekend’s competition is sponsored by MC Blinds. For many, this will be the last chance to sharpen up for Thomas Brennan’s Captain’s Prize, which takes place on Friday 30thand Saturday 31st of July, and on Sunday 1st of August. The timesheet for the weekend is on our noticeboard, and when signing up, all participants are asked to read the rules on eligibility and this year’s format. Let’s hope the weather holds for what is planned to be an outdoor weekend.
13th July 2021
GERRY MCGEOUGH WINS THE DES MCGLYNN CUP
Experience was clearly the key to success in the Des McGlynn Cup at the weekend. Gerry McGeough, who won’t at all mind being described as a veteran, enjoyed a very welcome return to form, coming out on top with 42 points. His back nine of 21 points was just enough to squeeze past Martin Farnan on a countback. They don’t come any more experienced than Martin, whose association goes right back to the days of the Castleblayney Golf Society. On this occasion he’ll have to settle for the Category 2 prize. Adrian Kelly now also ranks as a senior, but he’s still capable of quality golf. His one over par round earned him 41 points, and the Category 1 prize. And Category 3 was won by another stalwart of the old club, Adrian Sewell. He too flew the flag for the seniors on a score of 40 points.
Martin Farnan is most certainly the man in form at the moment, as he also topped the leaderboard in this week’s seniors’ competition. The full results were as follows: Category 1 Martin Farnan 21, Gerry Treacy 20 and Ciaran Prunty 19. Category 2 Paul Shortt 19, Pat Merrick 17 and Patrick Niland 17. Category 3 Syl Mulligan (again) 17, Macartan Lambe 16 and Michael Reid 15. There’s no seniors competition this week as our members are taking part in the Open Week events.
This weekend our competition is the Clement McKenna Cup. Members can take part on Saturday or on Sunday morning.
And finally for this week, a great number of our members took part in the club’s Guard of Honour which escorted the funeral cortege of Vincent Heavin from his home to St Mary’s Church in Blayney on Thursday last. It was a fitting tribute to Vincent and his family, who have been at the centre of all our club’s activities for many years. Having served on various committees, Vincent became our Club Captain in 1998, and went on to fulfil the role of Club President in 2004 and 2005. And he remained a very active member, continuing to enjoy his golf when we moved out to Concra Wood. Our Captain Thomas, Lady Captain Sheila and everyone in our club extend our deepest sympathies to Vincent’s wife Mary, to his sons Eddie, Robert and Dermot and to his daughters Faela, Marese and Auriel on their sad loss. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam dilis.
6th July 2021
CONCRA WOOD’S PRETTY IN PINK
Our annual Colt Design competition doubled up as a fundraiser for the National Breast Cancer Research Institute’s Pretty in Pink campaign at the weekend. Members never looked as well as they did in pink, most notably Greg Duffy, who will no doubt be signed up to front all future promotions (see Concra Wood Facebook page). And it’s good to report that a cheque for €1053 is now winging its way to the aforementioned charity. Congratulations to all who took part. And particular congratulations to Pauric Coyle who won this competition on a mighty score of 45 points. Bagging three birdies is great in any round, but it was especially sweet for Pauric as they just squeezed him past Johnny Redmond, who would surely have fancied his chances of victory when he signed for 44 points. Hard luck this time Johnny – the Category 2 prize will hopefully prove a pleasant consolation. Category 1 was won by Billy Hanna – one of many to return a score of 38 points. And Category 3 was won by Nicky Hore, who’s no stranger to the winners’ enclosure, and not going to be long of Category 3, returning yet another quality score of 42 points.
Last weekend, members competed in this year’s Paul Hill Memorial Cup. This was won by Noel O’Reilly who matched Pauric’s haul of three birdies on his way to a total of 43 points. When there’s a bit of run on the ball, Noel is a hard man to beat, as many an opponent has recently found to his cost. The Category 1 prize was won by big hitter Brian McGovern who shot a score of 40 points. Category 2 went to Liam O’Connor. His forty-two points shows that sibling rivalry is alive and well in Concra Wood. And Category 3 was won by recent winner Aidan Boyd, whose handicap is falling like a stone, on 41 points. Our very generous sponsors and committee added an extra prize for beginners in this event, and this was won by Pauric McNally on a score of 37 points. Keith Hill and his family would like to thank all who took part in this event, which is played every year in memory of his brother Paul, who was one of our keenest golfers back at our old home in town.
A great turnout of 50 seniors played in our annual Jimmy Coleman Memorial Trophy last week and enjoyed barbecue food alfresco after the round. The results were as follows. Popular overall winner was Kevin McCooey with a great score of 42 points. Category 1; Brian McGovern 39, John McGoldrick 38, Declan McAteer 37. Category 2; Andy Whelan 41, Pat Conlan 36, Nicky Hore 36.
Category 3; Jim O’Neill 41, Ciaran Coyle 36, Barney McDonald 32. Elizabeth Coleman presented the prizes, and Seniors Captain Paul Shortt spoke of how popular Jimmy was in our club. Jimmy held the position of President at Castleblayney Golf Club when we played at the old course. And finally sad news of the passing of one of our long time senior members, Heber McMahon. Rest In Peace Heber, from all your senior friends at Concra Wood.
In our juvenile section, congratulations to Katie Scarlett McCaul, Heather McDonnell and Eabha Carragher who were the winners in their groups on June 20th, and to Joe Donaghy, Aaron Gurn and Eoghan Duffy all winning their respective groups in our competition on 27th of June which was sponsored by SteelForm Sections. Our Sunday golf got cancelled this week due to the bad weather, but we will return next week, when our competition will be sponsored by the Mens Golfers at Concra Wood. There will be no Juvenile golf camp on Monday the 12th of July due to the club Open Week, but we’ll be back in action on July 19th at 9 am.
And finally for this week, there may be just one or two spots left on our Open Week timesheets for last minute entrants. It takes place from Monday 12th to Sunday 18th of July. The competitions and their sponsors are as follows: Monday 12th – Singles Stableford (Green Tees) McElvaney Waste. Tuesday 13th – Singles Stableford (Gold Tees) Watters’ Electrical. Wednesday 14th – Singles Stableford (Green Tees) Moneycare. Thursday 15th – Fourball Betterball Combi-Lift. Friday 16th – Black Tees Friday. Sunday 18th – Ladies Three Person Team Event. And before all that, our members will take part in the Des McGlynn Cup, which will be held on this Saturday (10th) and Sunday (11th). Good luck to one and all!
22nd June 2021
AIDAN BOYD WINS SHOE CITY PRIZE
Concra was as dry as a bone at the weekend. And while a bit of run on the ball is always welcome, chipping and putting could only be described as treacherous. One or two tempers frayed – and strokeplay only added fuel to the fires. So huge credit goes to Aidan Boyd who was the clear winner of the Shoe City competition on a superb score of 65 strokes. This is Aidan’s third prize-winning performance of the year, but this time his consistency has been rewarded with a maiden victory. Only four other golfers out of a field of 107 managed to break 70. The pick of them was Shane Fitzsimons. He returned a round of 68 strokes, enough to take the runner-up prize. Shane’s 31 nett on the back nine squeezed Phelim Quinn’s 68 into third spot on a countback. The best gross prize was won by Mark Currie who returned a 76 playing off a handicap of 1. And congratulations this week go to Raymond McHugh. On Saturday his 8 iron tee shot went straight into the hole at the 14th for a very well celebrated hole in one.
Congratulations also to Noel O’Reilly’s Ulster Cup side who enjoyed a comfortable victory over Slieve Russell GC in their second round match on Saturday evening. Winning all three home matches, Noel’s men needed only one away win, and Eugene McGuigan duly obliged. Their quarter final draw takes place in a fortnight.
Concra Wood’s fiery fairways and fast greens seem to suit the seniors, if this week’s scores are anything to go by. Another big turnout last week, and with all competitions now on the computer, the handicaps are starting to stabilize. And just in time for our second major of the season, which is the Jimmy Coleman Memorial Trophy on Monday 28th June. Michael Fish has guaranteed sunny weather. The time sheet is filling up – so get your name in soon. Last week’s winners and their scores were as follows; Cat.1 Johnny McGoldrick 23, Donal McGuigan 20 and Ciaran Prunty 20. Cat.2 Larry Coleman 19, Nicky Hore 19 and PJ Lambe 19. Cat.3 Syl Mulligan 15, Joe Gleeson 15 and Jim O’Neill 15. This week’s competition can be played on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday.
In Juniors News, congratulations to Darragh O’Connor, Rian McGrath and Eabha Carragher who won their respective groups on the 13th of June. We had another large turnout for last weekend’s juvenile golf sponsored by SecureGate, results for which will get posted later this week. A reminder that our Monday summer camp begins on the 28th of June from 9-11am with our club professional Ciaran Lavery – a great opportunity for kids to develop their golfing skills. Thank you to all our volunteers, and see you all next Sunday for more juvenile golf sponsored by Steel Form Sections.
And finally for this week, this year’s Open Week takes place from Monday 12th to Sunday 16th of July. The competitions and their sponsors are as follows: Monday 12th – Singles Stableford (Green Tees) McElvaney Waste. Tuesday 13th – Singles Stableford (Gold Tees) Watters’ Electrical. Wednesday 14th – Singles Stableford (Green Tees) Moneycare. Thursday 15th – Fourball Betterball Combi-Lift. Friday 16th – Black Tees Friday. Sunday 18th – Ladies Three Person Team Event.
15th June 2021
CIARAN MCMAHON IS THE TOP GOLFER
On a really busy weekend, Concra Wood played host to the latest Top Golfer Junior Scratch Cup. And while the vast majority of the participants were visitors, it was a pair of locals who did battle for the top spot. Playing partners Ciaran McMahon and Alan Bolger were neck and neck all day long, with Alan enjoying the narrowest advantage as they faced into Concra’s sternest test – our final three holes. And it was Ciaran who finished the stronger with a bogey and two pars for a round of 74 and a two shot winning margin. Alan has the consolation of the runner-up prize for a score of 76. Ciaran wore another hat over the weekend as his company C & R McMahon Construction were the sponsors of our club weekend singles. Category 1 was won by Shane Donnelly, matching Ciaran’s score of 74, which gave him a points total of 38 off a handicap of 4. Second prize was won by Philip McCague, who was just one point back on 37. In Category 2 we had the highest points total of the weekend from Sean Hughes who returned a score of 43 points off a handicap of 17. It was pars and bogeys all the way for Sean, who is definitely benefitting from the Currie factor. Runner up in this category was Cathal Crowe, who recorded a fine score of 39 points. And Category 3 was won by Tom McDermott on 41 points – a reward for all this year’s hard work! Second place went to Aidan Boyd on a score of 39 points.
This weekend our competition is sponsored by Shoe City. This strokeplay event will be played from the green tee markers.
On Sunday we kicked off our competitive juvenile golf for 2021 with a large turnout. This weekend was kindly sponsored by Beauty World. Congratulations to all the players who took part and results will get posted during the week. Thank you to all our volunteers and see you all next Sunday for more juvenile golf, kindly sponsored by SecureGate.
Thirty four senior members took part in another nine holes singles competition in the last week. The winners and their points totals were as follows; Category 1 Mickey Quinn 20, Pat McNeill 19 and Frank McDonnell 19. Category 2 Adrian Sewell 21, Des Morgan 19 and Paul Shortt 19. Category 3 Pat McBride 23, Jim O’Neill 19 and Tom Ryan 18. This week’s singles can be played on either Tuesday or Thursday. And Andy and Nicky are busy collecting deposits for the outing to the Slieve Russell. All those travelling are asked to put €50 in the senior’s box in the pro shop.
The inter club season got underway at the weekend, with two of our teams taking part in Round 1 of Golf Ireland’s tournaments. Unfortunately James King’s All Ireland Fourball side fell at the first fence, going down to Killymoon GC on a score line of three points to two. However there was better news in the Pierce Purcell Shield, as Sean Malone’s men overcame Slieve Russell GC. Away wins for team captain Sean and his partner Declan Smyth, and the pairing of Eugene McGuigan and Gerry McCaul, built a very strong foundation for their 4 – 1 winning margin. Their reward is a very tricky second round test against Aughnacloy GC.
And finally for this week, some dates for your diaries. Next Tuesday (22nd June) sees our club host a Mixed Over 50s Open Singles. As usual there’s an Open Singles on Wednesday. And our major club competition of the season – Thomas Brennan’s Captain’s Prize – takes place over three days, Friday afternoon 30th of July, Saturday 31st of July and Sunday 1st of August.
8th June 2021
BRENDAN’S HAPPY WITH THAT
Golfers are always searching for the recipe for the perfect round. So what are the ingredients? Well, a clear head and an even temperament make for a good start. Realistic expectations help. A few golfing miles on the clock doesn’t hurt. Then it’s down to putting all those hours of preparation into practice, in the company of supportive playing partners. Sound familiar? Well it certainly does to Brendan Carragher. Not a weekend goes by that Brendan doesn’t grapple with the challenges of Concra in his own philosophical way. And on Saturday it all came together, as he produced an excellent score of 43 points to win the coveted Prandy Duffy Cup. And if the rumour mill has it right, he went back out on Sunday and shot 42! So there’s plenty more where that came from. Congratulations Brendan. Much of the same applies to Jack McDonnell – especially the golf miles! He shot a one over par round of 73 for a points total of 41 – enough to take second prize. His brother Charlie shot an even better score of 69 strokes. But such are the wonders of the handicap system, that he has to settle for the Best Gross prize. Third place went to Enda O’Connor. Along with his brothers, Enda has become a regular in all our competitions, and their commitment has been rewarded with a fine score of 41 points. And this week we have a Brucie Bonus in the winners’ enclosure – a Best Beginners’ prize which was won by Fergal Duffy on a score of 40 points.
Our seniors were out again in force last week, and therefore it’s no surprise that the scoring was of a very high standard. The winners and their scores were as follows; Cat. 1 Martin Farnan 22 pts, Martin Allen 21 pts and Thomas Brennan 18 pts. Cat. 2 Des Morgan 20 pts, PJ Lambe 17 pts and Pat Conlon 16 pts. Cat. 3 Barney McDonald 20 pts, Syl Mulligan 18 pts and Ciaran Coyle 17 pts. Seniors Secretary Andy continues to innovate, and this week he’s taken on some help. He has appointed Nicky Hore as Seniors’ Treasurer. He has also decided to put all future prizes on members’ cards, so that they can be used in our bar, restaurant or pro shop. Good work Andy! This week our singles competition can be played on Tuesday or Thursday, affording members every opportunity to take part in our club’s opens (see below).
And finally for this week, just as we return to using all our outdoor clubhouse facilities, there’s a huge number of opportunities for members and visitors to take part in some competitive golf. This Wednesday (June 9th) sees the first of this season’s midweek opens. On Friday (June 11th), we go all the way back to the black tees, as the bravest among us face the ultimate golfing challenge in the aptly named Black Tees Friday. And then it’s members only in our weekend competition, which is kindly sponsored by C & R McMahon Construction. Enjoy!
1st June 2021
SUMMER SCORING AT CONCRA WOOD
Summer has arrived at Concra, and with it the scoring has really heated up. No fewer than seven of the competitors in last weekend’s McElvaney’s competition returned scores of forty points or more. In Category 1 it was Kevin Power who came out on top with 40 points. This category saw the lowest scoring for a change, with Adrian Kelly making a long-awaited return to the prizes in second place on 38 points. In Category 2 it was 42s all the way, with Bart McNamara pipping Sean Malone for the top spot on a countback. And in Category 3 there was also a welcome return, this time for Gregg Sibley who top scored with another 42. The runner-up spot went to Gerry Hamill who won his breakthrough prize with 41 points. And spare a thought for John Gorman and Paddy King. While at opposite ends of their golfing careers, they shared the unfortunate distinction of missing out on the prizes while shooting 42 and 41 points respectively.
Our seniors enjoyed another bumper turnout last week. The winners and their scores were as follows: Cat.1 Donal McGuigan 20 pts, Frank Nolan 19 pts and Gerry Treacy 19 pts. Cat.2; Paul Shortt 17 pts, Pat Conlon 16 pts and Pat Merrick 16 pts. Cat.3; Pat McBride 17 pts, Macartan Lambe 16 pts and Joe Gleeson 16 pts. And a big welcome this week to our new recruits to the Senior ranks – Paul McKearney, Joe Kernan and Eamonn Tavey.
On Sunday we kicked off our juvenile golf for 2021. We had a large turnout and a very warm welcome to all our new juvenile members. The kids all played with a smile on their face, and really enjoyed playing golf again, with some great golf played. Thank you to all our volunteers, and see you all next Sunday for more juvenile golf.
And finally for this week, there’ll surely be a massive turnout in the annual Prandy Duffy Cup this weekend. While it’s great to be back golfing, we haven’t yet got to the point where our American visitors can renew their annual rivalry. Let’s hope we can welcome them back in ’22!
25th May 2021
CARVILLE TOP SCORES WITH 38 POINTS
Our club committee decided to make a few changes to our competition format for the next few weeks, to take account of the major impact of the new WHS system. Due to the massive variations in handicaps, they felt that it would be fairer to have members competing within their own categories. The first competition to be played in this way was sponsored by Brennan’s Furniture and Carpets Clontibret. Category 1 was won by James Carville who produced the best score of the week – 38 points. The runner-up was Brian McGovern on 36 points. Category 2 was won by the ever improving Paraic Craig with 37 points. This gave him a one shot winning margin over runner-up Gareth McMahon. And in Category 3 a countback was required to separate Patrick Hanratty and Aidan Boyd’s rounds of 37 points, with Patrick taking the spoils.
This weekend our competition is kindly sponsored by McElvaney Motors. This stableford event will be played off the green tees.
In Seniors news, we had a great turnout over three days last week. The winners in our three categories and their points totals were as follows; Category 1 Ciaran Prunty 19, Frank Nolan 19 and PJ Harte 17. Category 2 Eamonn Johnson 17, PJ Lambe 17 and Nicky Hore 16. Category 3 Hugh Cullen 17, Syl Mulligan 17 and Pat McBride 17. This week’s event is again being played over three days, and with members inspired by the heroics of our fellow Senior Phil Mickelson, our quality of golf will surely be higher than ever.
And finally for this week, our open competitions are making a welcome return in the coming weeks. First up, we have an open singles event on June Bank Holiday Monday (7th) . This will be followed by our regular Wednesday opens, the first one being held on June 9th. For anyone seeking the ultimate challenge, our Black Tees Friday is back on June 11th. And our competitions committee has put together a very full open week in mid-July, with all details available online at www.concrawood.ie/visitor-information/open-competitions
18th May 2021
FERGAL FIRES A 49
As the new season got under way, Fergal Toal was one of quite a number of golfers who found that the new WHS system had handicapped them rather generously. Well he certainly had no intentions of holding on to the shots. As he took to the fairways at the weekend, he compiled his best ever round, to produce the very rare score of 49 points. This saw him take first place in our annual Carna Transport competition, and in the process, he lost – wait for it – 15 shots off his Handicap Index! And no, there is no decimal point in there – it’s FIFTEEN shots. That’s more than most people lose in a lifetime, and most certainly a club record. Congratulations Fergal! So may I suggest, that for those of you who reckoned you had this new system all worked out, it’s time for a little more head scratching. The Category 1 prize was won by Ciaran McMahon, who returned a round of two over par for 38 points. The second best total of the weekend was Sean Malone’s 39 points, which saw him lose a mere 0.6 shots, on his way to victory in Category 2. And in Category 3, Pat McNeill prevailed with a fine score of 37 points.
In Seniors news, our weekly winners were as follows; Category 1 PJ Harte, Joe Quinn and Martin Farnan. Category 2 Bart McNamara, Andy Whelan and Pat Conlon. Category 3 Category 3 John Keenan, Ciaran Coyle and Michael Reid. Andy would like to thank members for their cooperation with the new system, and again requests that all cards are returned. This week’s competition takes place over three days – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and members are remindeded to rake bunkers with their feet in accordance with Covid guidelines.
And finally for this week, our next club competition is sponsored by Brennan’s Furniture and Carpets, Clontibret. Members can take part on Saturday or Sunday.
11th May 2021
ALL SYSTEMS GO
As the vaccine rollout continues apace, Golf Ireland have announced further relaxation of restrictions this week. From 10th of May onwards, clubs can welcome back visitors, organise competitions, and all fourballs are allowed. From June 7th major events, inter-club matches and open competitions can recommence, and all going well we may even see the return of some clubhouse facilities. Fingers crossed!
So our first official competition of 2021 takes place this weekend in Concra. The sponsor is Carna Transport, and this 18 hole singles event will be played off the green tees.
Last weekend our competitions committee organised another handicap qualifier, and no fewer than 117 members took part. The top scorer was Conall McHugh with a super total of 43 points. Conall certainly won’t be short on guidance, as he has generations of golf experience to call upon – if needed. Category 1 was won by Jimmy Lacey, who would have had a couple more than his 40 points, if it hadn’t been for the new golf phenomenon of putts bouncing out off the pin. Category 2 went to a new name – Sean Hughes – on a score of 36 points. And the same total was enough in Category 3 for Frank Bourke, whose game seems to have benefitted from the enforced break.
And finally for this week, our seniors kicked off their season with the Martin Denny Sr. Drive-In on Thursday last. For many it was their first opportunity to sign into the new WHS system, which we will use in all our competitions this year. This 15 hole event was won by Pat Conlon, who returned a fine score of 32 points. In Category 1 the prizes went to Pat McNeill, Ciaran Prunty and Joe Quinn, in Category 2 Paul Shortt, Des Morgan and Bart McNamara, and in Category 3 Pat Bolger, Michael Reid and Joe Gleeson. Many thanks to Jarlath Denny who sponsored this competition in memory of his father Martin, who was a very popular Past Captain and President of our club. We are delighted to announce that Jarlath has committed to make this an annual event.
04th May 2021
IT’S GOOD TO BE BACK
I don’t think any of us have ever seen so many happy golfers as we have in the past week. Monday 26th of April was an absolutely perfect day for the return of golf at Concra Wood. T-shirts and shorts were the order of the day, as the beautiful Spring sunshine provided us with a little slice of Heaven. And for those of us who were lucky enough to get our names onto the timesheet, the number of club volunteers out working on our course was a sight to behold. So many improvements have taken place while we were away. Our Greens’ team have been very impressed by the commitment of our course consultants, who have been visiting the course several times each week. It’s clear to see the improvements in our fairways and rough, and we hope to see the benefits of their programmes in all other areas in the weeks and months ahead.
Our Seniors were the first to get back playing, with a very good turnout for our first week. A big welcome back to Joe Kelly. Special mention must be made of the efforts of Rita and Nicky Hore, who litter pick around Concra Wood each day on their walks. It’s very much appreciated.
Our winners this week were as follows; Category 1. 1st Johnny Redmond. 2nd Brian McGovern. 3rd Martin Allen. Category 2. 1st Larry Coleman. 2nd Pat Conlon. 3rd Andy Whelan. Category 3. 1st John Smyth. 2nd Michael Reid. 3rd Joe Kelly.
This week’s competition is the Martin Denny Senior Drive In, which takes place on Thursday. No doubt Andy will keep everyone up to date on WhatsApp.
At the weekend, there was a chance for members to put their new WHS Apps to the test, as they took part in a Handicap Qualifier. The top scorers were Jack Carragher and Patrick Niland Jr. on 40 points, closely followed by a very generously handicapped Tony Brennan on 39. Our Handicap Convenor Dessie Duffy has never been so busy, and I’m sure at this stage all members have received his email encouraging interaction – and patience – with the new system.
And finally for this week, Golf Ireland have issued an updated Return To Golf Protocol for the Republic of Ireland, which is effective from May 10th. All forms of fourballs are permitted, inter county travel is allowed, and guests and visitors are welcomed back in all clubs. They remind all golfers that the principle of Arrive – Play – Depart should continue to be implemented.
20th April 2021
BACK TO CONCRA
The 26th of April. It’s been circled in red on every golfer’s calendar for the past month. When our timesheet went live on Sunday night, so many members were ready to book their return to Concra, that it only took a few minutes for the first one hundred to sign in. We wish all our members well, and hope it doesn’t take too long to get back into the old swing.
As all golfers are no doubt aware, Golf Ireland has issued guidelines for our return to golf. Members are advised to read all about them at www.golfireland.ie/covid-19 before playing your first round at Concra.
A huge amount of work has been done on our course over the past four months. Improvements in drainage have been made, which will hopefully enhance every golfer’s experience of Concra Wood in the coming season. There have also been a number of areas on our course re-designated as Penalty Areas under The Rules of Golf Rule 17, which was introduced in 2019. These areas are marked by a single row of red stakes. Again, members are advised to study the changes at www.randa.org/Rog/2019/Rules/The-Rules-of-Golf/Rule17 Maps of these changes will be posted on our noticeboard.
In our Seniors section, members can take part in a nine hole event from Monday to Friday each week. This will be played on the front nine, with members sending all scores to Andy. In the coming weeks, a new Seniors event, the Martin Denny Memorial Drive-In will take place. For further details, watch this space.
And finally for this week, we wish Ciaran Lavery the very best of luck as he takes up the position of Golf Professional at Concra Wood. Ciaran has served his time as assistant over the past three years, and now assumes the senior role. Let’s hope for Ciaran, and for all our members, that this time we’re back for good.
