Garreth is Golfer of the Year 2012

GARRETH Moody was crowned Banbridge Golfer of The Year at the Annual Dinner Dance last Saturday night.

Garreth has had a meteoric rise to the top of the tree since he joined the local club at the beginning of 2011. He was then allocated a handicap of 18, which would prove to be rather generous.

He caught everyone’s attention in the week 4-10 April 2011. He won the Monday Sweep with 33 points. He then won the Thursday Sweep with a record score of 40 points for the 14 holes. He rounded off the week with another record score in the Sunday Sweep, a nett 26.

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Winning three sweeps in one week with two record scores was unheard of and he was duly cut 3 shots on general play. Garreth was on his way.

He got down to 12 handicap by the end of 2011.

2012 was to be his year. He started of with a 4th place finish in the Seven Stars sponsored competition on St. Patrick’s Day. He then hit the jackpot with a victory in the Pro’s Day on April 21. A magnificent nett 61 resulted in a handicap cut from 12 to 10. That round, would you believe it, included double bogeys at the 17th and 18th holes.

A nett 67 in the Darren Clarke, 37 points in the 300DPI, and a nett 66 in the

T.B. Wallace Cup followed in quick succession.

He was fourth in the Golden Jubillee Trophy on July 21st with 41 points and he was cut from 10 to 9.

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Two weeks later, he scored 42 points in the Bin 66 competition, was runner-up and he was cut from 9-8.

And just to show that he was not a one course wonder, Garreth went to an Open at Concra Wood and won it with 39 points. If you have ever played Concra Wood, you will appreciate what a performance that was.

His good form continued unabated and, on Champion’s Day (September 22), he was placed fourth with 40 points. That meant another handicap cut, from 8-7.

So, in the space of two years, Gareth had come down from a handicap of 18-7. That was incredible.

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And, last Saturday, he decided to play in the Reavey Scratch Cup, which is for the lowest handicap players in the club and played over 27 holes. And he came within a whisker of winning it.

A lifetime best round of 68 gross put Garreth into the lead after 18 holes. Colin Wilton, thanks to a 3 under par 33, caught Garreth over the final 9 holes. But it was still a wonderful story.

As well as his individual performances, Garreth featured prominently on several club teams this season. It was just a year that he will not forget for a long time.

If you don’t know Garreth, he’s the one with the pink Bubba Watson driver. You can’t miss it!

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Garreth really deserves to be the Golfer of The Year 2012. His ambition is to get down to a 5 handicap next season and I wouldn’t bet against it.

A total of 242 players scored points in the Golfer of The Year competition.

The top 50 at the end of the season were as follows:

Garreth Moody 463; Shane Crossan 320; Gary McCartney 310; Shannon Drainey 300; Jonathan Brush 275; Trevor Woods 267; Adam McGregor 262; Jim Cochrane 242; Patrick Magennis 236; Philip Mallon 235; Rory Madeley 232; Paul Simpson 232; Brian Grimes 230; Aaron Buchanan 224; Josh Lockhart 217; Kevin McKay 215; Gareth McGregor 210; John McDowell 205; Robin Jardine 204; John Convery 200; David McComb 198; Martin McAleenan 195; Jonathan Shannon 192; Neil Diamond 185; Matthew Mallon 184; Declan Dooher 184; Andrew Quinn 177; Conrad Smyth 176; John McCormac 176; Kenny Stevenson 175; Derek Hanna 173; Billy Clarke 171; Dennis Watt 171; Timothy Beattie 167; Cecil Wilson 165; Callum Barnes 165; Kyle Buchanan 162; Shane McCrory 160; Brian Parkes 160; Derek Crory 160; Malcolm Russell 157; Dane Ward 156; Robert Clydesdale 155; Chris McAvoy 154; Willie Dickson 152; Jeffrey Brown 150; Sean M. Quinn 150; Declan Barry 147; Cathal O’Neill 147; Neil Clydesdale 147.

If you finished in the top 50, you should be proud of yourself. One of the most successful players in the club didn’t finish in the top 242. It’s not that easy to make into the top 50.