Armstrong leads scoring in Ballycastle stableford

Over one hundred members took part in Saturday’s stableford competition with John Armstrong leading the scoring on a total of 42 points. John, playing off ten, birdied the second and fifth in an outward nine of 22 points and added another birdie at the fifteenth hole to give him 20 points on the back nine and a two shot winning margin. Second place on Saturday went to Julian Friers, playing off nineteen, whose score of 40 points included 21 on the back nine to help him finish ahead of fifteen handicapper Aiden Higgins on count-back. Three birdies in his last four holes helped six handicapper Mel Carleton secure fourth place with Gerard Dowds, playing off thirteen, claiming the fifth prize ahead of Raymond Browne, Liam McGonigle and Patrick McIlroy on count-back after all five members recorded 39 points. Two handicapper Patrick Dallat picked up the day’s gross prize with a level-par 71.

Over fifty members played in Sunday’s competition with Ronnie Mitchell emerging victorious on a total of 42 points. Ronnie, playing off nineteen, picked up 23 points over the front nine and held it together well over the homeward stretch, adding a further 19 points to finish one clear of ten handicapper Sean McCormick in second place. A brilliant 24 point back nine from Francis og McGinn helped the young seventeen handicapper secure the third prize on Sunday with a 40 point total and Paul Surgenor, playing off eleven, finished in fourth place, also with a score of 40 points.

The Bank Holiday Open competition played at the club on Monday 19th March was won by Tandragee member Lee Dickson with a total of 44 points. John Callan finished in runner-up spot with 39 points, Allan McCook was third with 37 points, Greenacres member David McComb was fourth with 36 points and Gerry McGouran picked up the fifth and final prize also with a score of 36 points.

Steven Devlin was the winner of the Midweek Open competition at Ballycastle with a score of 43 points. Second place went to Sean McCullough and third went to Willis McWhirter after both golfers carded 40 points on Wednesday.

A team scramble competition takes place at Ballycastle on Saturday 31st March. Both three-ball and four-ball groups can partake in this enjoyable format with those playing in three-balls receiving a sixth of their combined handicap and requiring five drives each to be used. For four-balls, an eighth of the combined handicap will be allocated and each player will need to have their drive used on at least four occasions.

The Mary Peters Trust charity stableford competition is held on Sunday 1st April. This event will be played off white markers and is the first of the eagerly awaited handicap qualifying competitions of the 2012 season.

Looking further ahead to Easter Weekend at Ballycastle, the club are holding a series of open competitions beginning with the Dunrainie Open Mixed Foursomes on Saturday 7th April. An open stableford competition will be played on Easter Sunday with the traditional Glandore Cup open stroke competition being held on Easter Monday. Open stableford competitions will also be played at Ballycastle on Tuesday 10th and Wednesday 11th April.