In form John Poots wins the Bank Holiday Medal

On a glorious day, the standard of scoring was excellent.

Dennis Watt (17), Philip McCourt (13), John McDowell (12), Fergie Cosgrove (14) and Eamon McAnarney (13) all scored nett 69’s.

Paul Magennis (4), Conor Campbell (7), Ben Cosgrove (11) and William Malcolmson (10) went one better with nett 68’s.

Paul Magennis, who won the best gross in the TB Wallace Cup two days earlier, won it again in this Bank Holiday Medal. His three over par 72 was two shots better than anyone else in the field.

The calculated standard scratch score was nett 67 and this was equalled by Dominic McCarthy (17) and Peter Hillen (11).

Peter, by his own admission, is in the best form of his life and he was rewarded here with the senior’s prize.

Barry Casey (17), Steven Wilton (15) and Timothy Hodgett (8) all finished with nett 66’s, one shot too many as far as the prizes were concerned.

Somebody told me that young Timothy Hodgett was playing his second shot at the third hole from the back of the green. The hole measures 309 yards from the back tee and it’s all uphill. To drive through the green is massive hitting.

Sherwin Curran (16) took fourth prize with a nett 65. Robert Clydesdale (22) was placed third, also with a nett 65.

Andrew Quinn (10) was delighted to be runner-up with his nett 65. It’s always nice to get a prize but Andrew was more pleased to see his handicap drop into single figures. That is the ultimate achievement for most amateur golfers.

And so to the winner and what a popular winner it was!

John Poots (18), a gentleman who has given a lifetime of service to Banbridge Golf Club, won with a glorious nett 62.

John’s handicap has drifted up to 18 and he was being considered for a Junior Cowdy team place. A player with his vast experience would have been a marvellous asset to the team.

But it will not happen this year as John is now cut to a 16 handicap.

John was over the moon with this success and rightly so. If you see him about the club, don’t forget to shake his hand.