Good quality field for sweep competition

THE fourth Wednesday Sweep for September took place last week. In spite of the entry numbers on the decline there was still a good quality field.

With a return of 41 points it was Joe Dowey who came up trumps in this midweek competition. This six handicapper raced to the turn with 21 points under his belt. With nine pars on his card it was steadiness personified. He kept up the work ethic on the back nine. Whilst he made bogeys on holes fifteen and seventeen he made some inroads with an earlier birdie on the eleventh. Pars on the rest of the holes helped him to notch up 20 points on this nine. On the day this gross 71 put him three points ahead of the pursuing field.

The runner-up slot went to Stephen Walter with his effort of 38 points. This eighteen handicapper began with a mediocre front nine of 15 points but a strong back nine of 23 points hauled him right into contention. Over the round a stream of pars at holes four, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, seventeen and eighteen kept his point tally ascending.

Derek Johnston was third with a similar total of 38 points.

After a period in the wilderness this 18-handicapper has found some lost form. Derek managed a consistent 19 points over each of the nines. Birdies at holes one and seventeen proved huge bonuses whilst pars on holes eight, nine and eleven were additional but welcome bonus scores.

Barry Lappin continues to play well in these midweek competitions. This 11-handicap player took the fourth and last net prize also with a tally of 38 points. Barry equalled Derek’s returns on the nines but ultimately lost out over the last six holes breakdown. A birdie at the third and pars at holes one, two, fifth and eight were his feature holes on the front side. Meanwhile on the inward nine he relied heavily on par figures on holes ten, twelve, thirteen, sixteen and seventeen.

A return of 35 gross points gave Francie Tallon the midweek gross award. After his sound play at Castlebar this two-handicapper recorded 18 and 17 gross points for the nines. During the round he birdied holes three, seven and ten. However, bogeys on holes five, eight, fifteen and eighteen quickly erased these gains. Still with pars on the remaining holes he had done enough to capture this category award.

Other noteworthy scores during this event were registered by the following: 37 points: Eamon Lynch (7), Stephen Allen (14), Jim McCann Snr (17) and Paddy Meehan (7): 36 points: David Dowey (13), Roy Dennison (22).