Mannan Castle Golf Notes: Captain's Drive In produces some classy action

In a perfect blend of transportation, the bar trade and sporting success, celebratory blasts of the airhorn announced the arrival in fitting style of the two 2023 Captains for their Drive In that officially kick started the golfing year in Mannan.

No stranger to big lorries, Captain Teresa Butler looked at home as she and Captain Barry Conroy were definitely grinning in the front seat of the Six Nations Lorry. That must’ve been because they were chauffeured by the other Barry (Savage).

The entrance was not a quiet one. The captains waved at the welcoming crowd in front of the clubhouse from the cab of the magnificent Volvo FH, which was decked out in the livery of the Guinness sponsored Six Nations.

Both captains were suitably togged out in green in honour of the Grand Slam winning Irish Rugby team.

Warmly greeted by club officials, members, family and friends, Captains Barry Conroy and Teresa Butler, greeted by President Dick Bourke and Vice Captains Fergal Brady and Carol McMahon, sipped champagne and chatted with everyone, posing for as many photographs as a red carpet would witness.

A huge thanks to club Chef Tommy from the Castle Bar and Restaurant, who surprised the Captains with some delicious complimentary appetizers for the crowd of well-wishers before the Captains headed for the first tee box.

Soon it was into the playing gear and onto the 1st tee box where Captains Teresa and Barry and Vice Captains Fergal and Carol teed off.

They all showed their skill, good humour, and nerves of steel by sending their first drives down the centre of the fairway to loud rounds of applause from the many well-wishers lining the tee box.

With everyone safely away, all four walked arm in arm down to the first tee with the Mannan golfing year officially getting underway. Let’s hope we have as good a year as the Irish Rugby team. We hope our 2023 Captains Barry and Teresa have a fantastic year.

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Captains Drive In Scramble

With a fabulous turn out and near perfect golfing conditions, the scoring over the whole weekend was exceptional. Five teams finished on the same score, with count back being used to determine the winners.

First place went to the team of David Flynn, Graeme Woodcock, Sean Harvey and Con Hannaffy, who had a great score of 50 nett. The winners birdied three of the final five holes to take first place on the count back.

Second place went to Conor Finnegan, Gerard McGeown, Micheal Conlon and Paul Lambe, their 50 nett round consisted of four birdies and just the one dropped shot.

2023 Captain Drive In Scramble Results 25th/26th March: 1st Place Team: David Flynn, Graeme Woodcock, Sean Harvey & Con Hannaffy 50 nett; 2nd Place Team: Conor Finnegan, Gerard Mc Geown, Micheal Conlon & Paul Lambe 50 nett.

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MANNAN CASTLE SENIORS

Even though we lost a few senior stalwarts to a wet & gloomy start to the day, the attendance over the course of the morning improved to 35 brave souls and the weather and scoring rallied to give us another enjoyable and social outing.

You may be forgiven for thinking that this report is a copy and paste of last week’s results, but two of last week’s winners are back at the top table for another bite at the prizes, even though they incurred carry forward penalties for last week’s efforts.

The 1st overall prize went to Tom Fox 22pts (less a 2 shot c/f penalty), yielding a net 20pts. Tom’s great score was based on four consecutive pars on the first four holes, which included a four-pointer on Hole two and he played solid golf for the remainder of the round, scoring on all holes.

Category 1 went to Fergal Brady, our Club Vice Captain, fresh from his exertions on the first tee box from last weekend’s Captain’s Drive In, with a very credible score of 21pts (less a 2 shot c/f penalty), yielding a net 19pts.

Fergal had six pars in his round, four of them on the last four holes. Commiserations to Philip McGovern, who was pipped on a countback in this category.

Category 2 was won by Sean Harvey with 19pts, fresh from his fantastic Captain’s Drive In team win 48 hours earlier (50pts/4 person scramble).

Sean’s score today was made up of two pars on both the 1st and 17th Holes and a very solid card scoring on all holes. Commiserations to both Arthur Mulholland and Richard Rountree, who lost out on a countback. Four pointer of the day went to Michael Mc Bride, who birdied Hole 4.

Mannan Castle Seniors (9 Hole): 1st overall: Tom Fox (11) 22pts (-2) 20pts, Category 1: Fergal Brady (6) 21pts (-2) 19pts, Category 2 Sean Harvey (10) 19pts.

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MANNAN CASTLE LADIES

The 3-club plus putter challenge can be anything from an educational bit of fun to a deeply frustrating ordeal, depending on your point of view, especially when heavy showers are add to the mix.

These three rose to the challenge best, with Lady Captain Teresa Butler maintaining the high standards set at last weekend's drive-in, out on her own in first place with 25 pts.

Just one behind her in second place was Mary MacNamee, with Marie Finnegan, a further point adrift on 23 pts, taking the third spot. Well done to everyone who took on the challenge, and congratulations to the winners.

13H STB Three Clubs + Putter 29th March 2023: 1st Teresa Butler (PH19) 25 pts, 2nd Mary MacNamee (PH16) 24 pts, 3rd Marie Finnegan (PH12) 23 pts.