What a week at North West with members and guests turning out in their droves for our Bank Holiday Open week/weekend including none other than Brighton and Ireland defender Shane Duffy.
Kicking off the week was the Tuesday Open. Which was Dominated by visitors to NWGC. Lower scoring than we have been used to recently but it still too a three way break of tie to separate the winners in the main prizes.
Darryl McDermott won that battle with Brendan McGrath in second place while Liam Healy took third spot. Stewart McGinlay won the gross with 81 pts while Stephen McLaughlin put in a shift on the back nine with 21pts.
1st Darryl McDermott 34 bot
2nd Brendan McGrath 34 bot (Letterkenny)
Gross Stewart McGinlay 81
3rd Liam Healy 34 bot (Redcastle)
Visitor Stephen Gallagher 32 pts (19) (Foyle Golf Club)
Back 9 Stephen McLaughlin 21pts (Ballyliffin)
On Wednesday 26th July the ladies of the North West played for the Calcutta Cup. Over thirty ladies took part and Margaret O’Hea took the first spot with a great score of 37 points.
Second place went to Roisin Williamson with 33 points and third was Deirdre Britton with 32 points.
On Monday Aug 3rd there is an Open Stableford competition for ladies. Can all ladies please book through the BRS system as soon as possible. On Wednesday the qualifying for the Donegal Shield takes Place!
1st Margaret O'Hea 37pts
2nd Roisin Williamson 33pts
Deirdre Britton 32pts
Some fantastic shooting in the Thursday Links Open, on what has to have been one of the wettest days of the year so far.
Tony McElhinney stole the show with a mighty 41 points to win by 1 point from Michael Kelly. Great shooting from the 8 handicapper all the same. A bit further back in third was the ever steady Bernard McDaid, with visitors prize going to Gary McEvoy on 31 points. And for the gross prize, it was a case of remembering to finish out no matter what happens for Brendan O'Sullivan. Well done everyone who braved the wet conditions.
1st Tony McElhinney 41pts (17) 2nd Michael Kelly 40pts (8) Gross Brendan O'Sullivan 86 gross & 34 pts 3rd Bernard McDaid 35pts (18) Visitor Gary McEvoy 31pts (7)
On Friday we had our first mixed event of the year and hope fully not the last. 17 pairings took to the course in a fundraiser Mixed Greensomes in aid of the Irish Cancer Society. Winning on a break of tie we had Kyle McCarron and Shannon Burke recording a three under round for 37 points. Great shooting.
Partners in crime Phelim O'Neill and Anne O'Neill took second place, while the enigmatic duo of Stephen P Stewart and Geraldine Crossan came in third on a break of tie from Stephen Stewart Snr and Roslyn McLaren. Visitors prize was won with 36 points by John Kennedy and Donna Marie McLaughlin.
A case of too many too soon perhaps, but this did not stop Lawrence Hegarty and Paula McGrory winning the front nine prize with 20 points, while Maurice and Mary Brennan rallied well to win the back nine with 20 points.
Thank you to all who took part in this fundraiser for a very worthy cause.
1st Kyle McCarron (+2) / Shannon Burke (+2) 37pts bot 2nd Phelim O'Neill (17)/ Anne O'Neill (23) 37pts 3rd Stephen P Stewart (15)/ Geraldine Crossan (17) 36pts bot Visitors John Kennedy (4)/ Donna Marie Mclaughlin (10) 36pts Front 9 Lawrence Hegarty (17) / Paula McGrory (22) 20pts Back 9 Maurice Brennan (9) /Mary Brennan (20) 20pts
130 golfers turned up on Saturday for the Applegreen Gents Open part of our open weekend and it was tight at the top as Shane O'Doherty took home 1st place by 1 point and a score of 42points. Michael McCann might rue a blank at 16 but can take solitude in in a fantastic score of 41points for second place.
Luke Bradley showed he hasn't forgotten his way around the place following up a recent win at Buncrana GC to take the gross prize with a 1 over round of 71. Third place was won on a break of tie by Paul O'Brien with 39points, while Martin McGrath showed great pedigree to finish on 37points for the visitors prize. And last but by no means least Sean O'Neill finished strongly with 23points on the back nine, proving it's never over till it's over.
Thank you to all the competitors out there today with a special thanks to our sponsor Applegreen Buncrana for the fantastic prizes. 1st Shane O'Doherty 42pts (9) 2nd Michael McCann 41pts (14) Gross Luke Bradley 71 (1) 3rd Paul O'Brien 39pts bot (15) Visitor Martin McGrath 37pts (21) Back 9 Sean O'Neill 23pts (16)
With the weather holding steady and only the odd showing interrupting play Sunday saw 84 players compete in a Gents Stroke competition Kindly sponsored by Brian Grant and Stephen P Stewart.
It was a case of how low can he go for Jimmy McGee shooting a fantastic 7 under 63 nett to take the first prize. Two shots back in second we had Gerard Conaty with a 65 nett score. Gross was won by Stephen McCaul with 75 strokes recorded on his round and in third we had Willie Meehan putting a solid nett 3 under round of 67.
Rory Casey took the Visitors prize with a 2 over round of 72 while Francis Duffy went 3 under on the back to win the back nine prize.
1st Jimmy McGee 63 nett (15)
2nd Gerard Conaty 65 nett (15)
Gross Stephen McCaul 75 (8)
3rd Willie Meehan 67 nett (23)
Visitor Rory Casey 72 (5)
Back 9 Francis Duffy 32 nett (17)
Members are kindly reminded that all cards must be returned to the box in the old pro shop as non returns have been affecting CSS and there may have to be action taken if we continue to have a high number of non returns.
Thanks again to everyone who took part this week in what has been a really fantastic an uplifting time at the club. Special mention should go to new Club Pro Brian McElhinney who took over the reins on Saturday. Congratulations Brian.
Brian McElhinney who this week was installed as Club Pro for North West Golf Club