Nicholl motors to success at Raceview

THE Saturday competition at Raceview was kindly sponsored by Donnelly and Taggart, Ballee.

A field of more than 200 had the benefit of a fair day's weather which was reflected in the scores, with sixth prize requiring a score of three under par.

Top return on the day came from William Nicholl who, having a shot on handicap at each hole, scored a total of 41 points and he required a better second nine hole score to pip runner-up Thomas McNeill.

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William's first nine produced 19 points despite two double bogeys, but he also had three pars. The second nine was much better - at least until the last three holes where he dropped four shots - but he had three pars plus a birdie on the 13th which was worth four points on its own.

This was enough to amass 22 points from the inward trip, which was one better than McNeill.

Thomas also scored 41 points but he will reflect on a double bogey at the par five ninth which resulted in no points.

The previous eight holes were played in level par for a total of 20 points and with the nine-handicapper parring the first two holes on the second nine, he seemed to have overcome the blip but dropped shots on the 12th and 14th were a slight setback.

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The final four holes certainly put the icing on the cake as he parred all four to make it 21 points home and an overall total of 41.

The next three holes were all taken with a total of 39 points, with the deciding factor being the second nine scores.

Dylan Cole (19) took third place by the fact he had 21 points on those second nine. He had played the front nine to his handicap for 18 points but the back nine saw him have three pars, five single bogeys and a double bogey - ample to push John Lorimer (10) into fourth place.

John played a very steady round with 11 pars and seven single bogeys on his card, with the only single point hole the par five ninth.

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His back nine of 20 points was one better than William Tuff who has been in a rich vein of form lately.

Despite having lost a shot on handicap from the previous week, Tuff still managed to play under his allowance and a score of level par gross on the last six holes was enough to edge James McBride into sixth place.

A front nine of two over par gave Tuff a total of 20 points but he had bogeys on the 10th, 11th and 12th before a birdie at 13 was the trigger for that excellent finish.

McBride, off 13, scored five pars on the outward nine for 20 points. Opening his second nine with three bogeys wasn't a disaster but a double bogey at 16 - which yielded just one point - was the deciding factor against Tuff.

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The best gross was scored by Steven Smyth who played the 18 holes in level par, having been two under on the front nine and two over on the back.

Five pars, one bogey and birdies on the first, fourth and sixth was a super start and although he bogeyed the 10th, 12th and 13th, he completed his round with four pars plus a birdie on the last to complete a fine winning round.

CRACKER FAMILY DOUBLE

The Radio Cracker competition on August 11 was certainly a cracker of a day for club captain John Brown and his wife Jackie as they won the men's and ladies' competitions respectively.

Ten-handicapper John opened his round with four dropped shots in the opening five holes but he certainly got back on track with four pars plus birdies on the two par fives, giving him 21 points out.

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The good run continued as he played the next seven holes in one over but the final two holes were something of a catastrophe with a triple bogey at 17 and a single bogey at the last.

However, he still won by a point from Craig Sloan who, off a six handicap, registered 39 points.

A front nine of seven pars plus a bogey on the first and eighth was worth 19 points and the back nine was even better where the only shot he conceded came at 15, with the rest pars. That gave him 20 points in and that overall total of 39.

Third place went to Brian Hannaway (13), a recent recruit to the club, and he has adapted well, having been on the rostrum twice inside the last week.

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Playing the opening nine to his handicap for 18 points, he impressed on the closing nine where he had three pars plus a birdie on the 10th with the only real set back being a double bogey on the 11th. That 20 points on the way home gave him an overall total of 38 and another prize to boot.

Best gross was again won by Steven Smyth who is on a hot streak at the moment having notched up a hat-trick of gross wins on the trot.

A fine birdie start was followed by three pars only to shed a shot on the fifth, sixth and eighth but a birdie on the seventh plus a par on the ninth had him out in one over. The second nine saw him score five pars on the trot followed by a birdie on the 15th but alas a trio of bogeys to finish with spoiled an otherwise great round.

The ladies' prize was won by Mrs Brown who, off 19, returned a respectable score of 32 points, considering she had a poor front nine where she had three non-scores.

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The back nine was a transformation which seems to happen in this game as she accumulated 19 points and this was aided with a bride on the 13th and 16th which was worth eight points alone. The other plus on the back nine was she scored on each hole.

LEISURETIME AMUSEMENTS

The Leisure Time Amusements-sponsored competition was a victory for Eric Smyth (12) who amassed 43 points with a superb opening nine producing 24 of them

Having been level par gross, Eric's closing nine was made up of five pars, three bogeys plus a double bogey on the 12th for 19 points.

Brian Hannaway (14) claimed second place with a total of 41 points with 23 coming on the first nine.

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Having started his round with two birdies in the first three holes, he was two over after nine and he then played the back nine to his handicap for 18 points.

Steven Smyth won the gross with 67, having had four birdies on the first nine but he was three over on the second nine.

CARROLL CUP

Ballymena's seniors team have qualified to represent Ulster at the All-Ireland play-offs of the Jimmy Carroll Cup, which will be held on Monday, September 6, at Westmanton Golf Club.

Having led the qualifiers in the opening round of the competition at Fortwilliam in June, they then went forward to the Ulster finals (Eastern) which were held last Thursday at Edenmore.

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There they were up against Fortwilliam plus Bangor and Kilkeel from Co Down zone and when the scores were tallied, with the best three scores out of four pairs counting, the Ballymena team came out on top by four points.

The scores were: Fred Dawson and Bobby McLaughlin 45 pts; Allen Stewart and William Humphrey 42 pts; Michael Rainey and David Mulholland 41 pts; William Russell and Trevor Logan 39 pts.