All the news and happenings from the local golf clubs

Michael Copeland scored 40 points over the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush on Saturday to win the Monthly Medal by two.

The 21 handicapper covered the opening nine in seven over par with just one double bogey, a six on the seventh, on the card.

This gave him 21 points at the turn and he kept his good form going until the sixteenth where another double arrived.

Michael hit a good par on the long seventeenth but failed to score on eighteen which led to a fretful time for him until the final scores were announced.

His nearest rival, DB Smyth, finished with 38 points from his nine handicap.

His four over front nine gave up 19 points to the card and his first birdie, a four on ten, boosted the score again. As with the front nine DB had just four bogeys coming back and matched the front nine tally of 19 for his Silver winning 38.

In the Bronze placing was Richard Nicholas on 36 points. The fifteen handicapper had a couple of double bogeys early on but recovered to post a few pars before failing to register a score at nine.

All this gave him a modest 16 points at the halfway stage. Better was to come although it was an up and down nine holes for Richard.

He got his first birdy with a three on the thirteenth but fell to a double bogey five on fourteen. Another birdy three turned up at fifteen but, as with the winner, no score at eighteen meant 20 back, 36 total and Bronze for Richard.

John Turner jnr took the honours for Best Gross for his round of two over par 74. John birdied the par four fifth and the long ninth to get to the turn in level par 36.

He had to wait until the seventeenth to register another birdy four but had dropped a few shots prior to this and ended the back nine on two over par 38 for his 18 hole tally of 74.

YATES’ SALVER

JJ McElderry and Helen Jones combined on Sunday to win the RPGC’s Yates’ Salver with a score of 44 points.

They hit one birdie and one bogey in a front nine that gave them 21 points before turning on the power coming back.

Their birdie four on ten was taken back with a six on the par four twelfth but they then hit four birdies in a row, a two on fourteen, threes on fifteen and sixteen and a four on seventeen.

A good par four to finish and another 23 points hit the card. Their 44 tally was three in front of runners up John Bamber and Clair Rankin who carded 41.

Their steady front nine score of 19 was improved at the tenth with a birdie four and they added another birdie with atwo on fourteen.

Even with a double bogey to finish they had 20 points back and ended their challenge with 41 total.

W Bamber and Mrs Gillian Bamber took third spot with 39 points.

Both par fives on the opening nine and the tenth were birdied and they slipped in a two on fourteen as well to get 20 points out and 19 back.

Trolan Annual Golf

Classic

The Trolan family are organising their ninth annual golf classic in aid of Action Cancer.

As in previous years they are delighted to have been granted, without charge, the facilities of Portstewart Golf Club. The event will take place on Thursday 3 July.

Twenty-eight four balls competed last year and a total of £9,200 was raised for Action Cancer.

The services of Action Cancer’s Big Bus will be available again this year. Anyone wishing to avail of the services should contact 9080 3344.

Anyone wishing to enter a fourball should send £200 entry fee to: Patsy Trolan, 72 Strand Road, Portstewart.

If you would like to sponsor a hole the cost is £100.

James is the main man

James Henry proved to be the main man at Kilrea Golf Club on Easter weekend securing victory in the Chichester Cup with a fine score of 42pts.

Peachy as he is better known fashioned victory on the F9 with 23pts, including a birdie 2 on the 2nd hole. 19pts followed on the B9 despite double bogeys at both the 12th and 17th holes to give a facile win over the large chasing pack.

Second place went to Club Vice-Captain, the ever present Joe McCloskey. Joe (18) was obviously on a mission to put to bed rumours that wife Bridie was the best player in the McCloskey household, as he scored 38pts on the day, with 19 coming on each nine.

In third spot, after countback came Nigel McQuillan(8). After an inauspicious front nine of 15pts, Nigel played the back nine to par securing 22pts.

A birdie three on the 15th helping him edge Seamus Quinn out of the prizes.

This incoming week sees a plethora of action

Wednesday 23rd April – 11 hole Stableford

Saturday 26th/Sunday 27th – April Cup – Medal

Sunday 27th – Ulster Cup 1st Round – Away Leg vs St Patricks Downpatrick

Sunday 27th April – Ulster Fourball 1st Round – Away Leg vs Scrabo

The Kilrea Ladies branch is hosting an Open Competition on Tuesday 29th April. Limited times still available for anyone interested in playing

Tickets are now available for the Marion Lennox Open Prize night. Ask behind the bar or contact any member of Council.

Anyone interested in joining Kilrea Golf Club for 2014 please visit our website at kilreagolfclub.co.uk to download an application form.

Visitors please note that Green fees this year are only £15 Sunday-Saturday . Any visitor playing with a member can play for only £10.

Mark not a Kerr in the world

Mark Dunlop, playing off 11, won the Kerr Cup on Saturday with an fantastic nett 65.

He laid the foundations for his winning round by making the turn only one over par.

His excellent round continued on the back nine as he only dropped a further three shots.

Aaron Bell playing off eight made a welcome return to the podium collecting second place with a nett 67.

With birdies at the 4th, 6th, 12th and 17th Aaron showed that he can create and convert chances he just has to show this more regularly.

Paul Sayers (11) was third with a nett 69 showing once again that there is a golfer in there, just at times particularly well hidden!

Robert McNeill won the gross prize with a 1 over 73.

On Sunday Lee Barr playing off 23 headed the field with resounding 40 points. After a mixed bag on the front nine which produced 18 points, Lee then produced some magic on the back nine to add a further 22 points to his haul.

Steven Bell playing off three was second with an impressive 38 points.

Making the turn 1 over par Steven then produced a near faultless back 9 of level par. Tommy Dykes (16) was third after being beaten on countback.

Ian Morrison collected the gross prize with a 75.

Easter Monday Open: 1st: L Munnis 41pts; 2nd: F McKenna 40pts; 3rd: W McQuiston, 40pts; Gross: P Shiels 34gpts; Ladies prize: G Keane 36pts; Seniors prize: R Hastings 35pts; Visitors prize: P McGowan (Castlerock) 37pts.

Ronnie wins McBride Cup

The first of the summer season cup competitions got under way at the Brown Trout Golf Club on April 20th.

The McBride Cup was up for grabs.

Always never far away steady Ronnie Milliken (6) with one over par each nine took the honors with an excellent return of 40 points, 20 points each nine helped picking up birdies at the eighth and 18th.

Ryan Smyth (16) finished in runner up position scoring 38 points.

After failing to add to his score at the third and sixth. holes Ryan had only 16 front nine score before moving up a gear covering the second nine in only four over for a further 22 points.

Third prize went to William Pyper (13) with a total of 37 points. Billy making a comeback after a lengthy lay off because of injury (didn’t seem to affect him,) His card included birdies at holes 3, 6 & 12.

Ronnie Milliken scooped the twos kitty on his own for the second week running !!

Last weekend’s competition was for the O’Neil cup played in medal format. Two players each returned fantastic scores of net eight under 62’s.

The winner playing off nine was Jonny Kearns who played exceptional golf covering the first nine in level par where a birdie at the ninth cancelled out his only dropped shot at the sixth.

Jonny kept up the high standard with a one over par 36 back nine to win on countback from runner-up Denis James (24).

Opening with 41 blows Denis had one hand on the cup but as can happen in strokeplay ran up a nasty eight at the 15th. proving costly ending up with 86 less 24 also scoring net 62.

Club vice captain Tommy McGowan (8) took third prize on offer with what would normally be a winning score a net 64.

After opening with a two over gross front nine Tommy completed the second nine with nine straight pars!

Donal Mulholland (3) won the gross prize with a 76.

Four players shared the twos kitty this week: J. Kearns L. Harris J. Kelly & G. Hamilton