Milltown in mix again: Memories of times past will be stirred at Milltown GC at the end of the month. To commemorate the famous Milltown Open Mixed Foursomes, which the club held from 1929 to 1997, a Centenary Invitation Mixed Foursomes, sponsored by Saab cars, will be held from September 26th-29th as part of the part of Milltown CG's Centenary celebrations.
For 68 years the Milltown Mixed attracted the best amateur golfers in the country. Huge galleries watched the matches and it was a great social event. Walker Cup players Joe Carr, Dr David Sheahan, Tom Craddock, Pat Mulcaire, Jody Fanagan and Padraig Harrington played, as did Curtis Cup players Clarrie Reddan, Philomena Garvey, Mary McKenna, Ita Butler and many Irish international golfers. It was a special event which the club are looking forward to celebrating.
Olympic pip Carr side
The inaugural Carr-Mara Trophy, hosted by Portmarnock Golf Club was won by the eight-man team from Olympic Golf Club, San Francisco. They won by the narrowest of margins, one point, from Sutton GC. The result came down to Sutton's last card which was Roddy Carr's. The Individual 36-hole scratch prize was won, after a three-hole play-off, by Pat Fogarty from Garden City GC from James Fox of Portmarnock GC.
Olympic GC Team: P Fogarty, M McQuilling, A Gillen, P Maloy, R Jackson, B Melchionni, G Griffiths, M Sherin, F Clifford (captain).
The next Carr-Mara Trophy event will be staged at Winged Foot GC in 2009
Glenmalure double up
It's a great achievement for any club to win an inter-club trophy in any year, but it's a massive achievement when a small club like Glenmalure, in Rathdrum, Co Wicklow, wins two trophies on the same day. Last Sunday they claimed their first major trophy, the South Leinster Trophy, in Carlow GC when they beat neighbours Coollattin 5-2 in the final. Declan Brady was the player manager and the other members were Séamie O'Neill, Michael Gavin, John Noctor, Bobby Dignam, Richard Dignam and Ger Ryder.
On the same day, Glenmalure also won the Cock of the Walk Trophy for captains and past captains for the second time in three years. The team included Captain Tom Mullhall and past captains Jack Goucher, Joe McCormack and Maurice Corr. Mulhall was still smiling from his recent captain's prize when his son won the junior section, his daughter the Ladies' and his father the seniors'.
All well okay at K Club
The K Club set records in recent weeks in winning the All-Ireland Mixed Foursomes and the women's team qualifying for the closing stages of the the AA Challenge and the All-Ireland Fourball.
Una McQuillan set a record score of 58 nett on the Smurfit course last Wednesday in the September Medal.
Architect McQuillan joined the K Club in 2005. In 2006, with a starting handicap of 30, she went on to lose 11 shots by winning four monthly medals, the ILGU Bronze Medal and Silver Spoon, finished second in the Golfer of the Year and partnered Matt Doyle to win the club Mixed Foursomes Matchplay.
This year she started off with a handicap of 19, and recently won the President's Prize. A week later, she shot 78 gross in the monthly medal and lost five shots in the process to now play off 14.9. She is through to the semi-final of the club Mixed Foursomes Matchplay, is joint leader in Golfer of the Year and has her sights set on single figures.
Pin high for hospices
The Irish Hospice Foundation (IHF) is calling on the country's clubs and societies to register once again to take part in its National Nearest-The-Pin competition and raise needed funds for hospice services.
The event is now in its third year and the Irish golfing community has raised almost €90,000 for the IHF since 2005.
Christy O'Connor jnr and the Professional Golfers' Association (Irish region) are the patrons of this popular annual competition.
The National Nearest-The-Pin competition is organised each year to coincide with World Hospice and Palliative Care Day which takes place this year on October 6th.
However, clubs can host a National Nearest-the-Pin competition at any time up to and including Sunday, October 28th. To register a club or society call 01-6730044 or 01-6793188 or golf@hospice-foundation.ie
Seniors side chosen
All six members of the victorious European Seniors team have been selected in the Irish side for the Seniors Home Internationals, which will be played at Caldy Golf Club, Merseyside, from October 2nd-4th.
They are joined on the team by Co Louth's Barry Reddan who captured the Leinster Seniors title at Co Meath recently.
Ireland: Nigel Duke (Killiney), Tony Goode (Lucan), Maurice Kelly (Killeen), Séamus McParland (Greenore), Barry Reddan (Co Louth), Val Smyth (Co Louth), Hugh Smyth (Mourne). Captain: Lindsay Shanks
The Irish seniors team for Senior Ladies Home Internationals at Royal Tara, on October 2nd-4th is: Carmel Cahill (Hermitage), Valerie Hassett (Ennis), Marilyn Henderson (West Rhine), Eileen MacMullan (Donegal), Mary McKenna (Donabate), Mary Madden (Ballinasloe), Sheena O'Brien Kenney (Grange). Team captain: Rhona Fanagan (Milltown). Team manager: Roma English (Larne).
Condren captures cup
A second round of 68 helped Alan Condren capture the Wicklow Senior Scratch Cup at Delgany GC over the weekend.
Three shots off the pace after a first round 70, the Greystones man hit top form in the afternoon to total 138 and secure a two-shot margin over Peter Kirby from Bray, who shot 70 in both rounds.
Over 40 golfers representing 13 clubs participated in this year's event organised by Ken Monaghan and Pat Errity of the Delgany club. The intention is for this competition to become an annual event in the GUI fixture list, particularly as it is Delgany's centenary year in 2008.
Local Thomas Kealy finished third on 142 after an opening round of 75 and an equal best-of-the-day 67.
The 18 hole prizes went to Delgany's Darren Nolan with 69 and Andrew Lowe from Foxrock with a 67.
Mountbellew crowned
Mountbellew were crowned All-Ireland champions following a one-hole victory over Mallow in the finals of the 2007 Miele All-Ireland Inter-Club Fourball Championships at Mount Juliet on Sunday.
In a nail-biting affair, Carmel Kearney and Angela Goggin drew first blood for the Cork side when they closed out Margaret Harkin and Mary Hyland on the home green.
Bernadette Barrett and Laura Farrell then gave Mountbellew the advantage when they registered an impressive 5 and 4 win over Nora O'Connor and Ann O'Sullivan.
Mallow then gained a 2-1 advantage with Marie O'Sullivan and Ann Kennelly's defeat of Aoife Fallon and Mary Farrell on the 14th green.
With Mallow one match ahead and one hole up on aggregate, Mountbellew's final pairing of Laura Burke and Mary Costello brought the title across the Shannon following a 17th hole victory over Susan Curtain and Mary McEvoy.
In Saturday's semi-finals, Mallow defeated Co Armagh 3½ -½, while Mountbellew were pushed all the way to the 18th in two matches by the K Club, eventually registering a 3-1 win.
Ulster pair first in
Stephen Connolly (3) and Cathal Toland (9) from Portsalon GC in Donegal became the first qualifiers in the McInerney-sponsored Holmpatrick Cup, taking the Ulster slot at Castle Hume, Enniskillen, last Friday with a score of 41 points, winning with a back six of 15 points
Leinster closely followed on Sunday at Knightsbrook GC in Meath, with Glasson's Des Shine (5) and Frank McCann (14) coming out on top with 44 points.
Both pairs await the result of the Munster version at Doonbeg on September 26th, with Connacht filling the fourth position the following day at Oughterard. The All-Ireland finals will be played over 36 holes on the New and Old Course at St Andrews in October.
skeenan@irish-times.ie
