All the news and happenings from the local golf clubs

Week two of the winter league was met by some lovely sunshine, which was welcomed by the golfers of Ballycastle who have endured some very poor weather of late.

Dennis Allen (12) took full advantage on Saturday and birdied the notoriously tough ninth hole on his way to scoring 31 points to win Section One.

Runner up and third spot had to separated by their respective back nine holes but it was eleven handicapper Stuart Nevin who pipped Liam McLaughlin (14) after both men returned 29 points.

The scoring in Section Two was equally as good over the reduced course of 13 holes; Paul Scullion (16) topped the scores returned with an impressive 30 points.

Paul’s back nine score of 22 points meant he pushed Gareth Beckett into the runners up spot.

Gareth also returned 30 points but had 20 points on his back nine. John McMichael (21) filled the podium after his round of 29 points was enough for him to take third spot over Gerry McConville who’s back nine was inferior to that of John’s.

Sunday’s weather wasn’t just as good, temperatures were cooler and the rain was back again, but some hardy souls braved the elements to return scores for their respective teams.

Seamus Killough (11) battled gamely to shoot 26 points and take top spot in Section One. Gerry McGouran returned 25 points to take the runners up spot in the heavy rain that met the men throughout the day.

Section Two was an even closer affair as both men at the top of the leader board returned 29 points. However it was Andrew Richmond (25) who got the better of Robert J Davis (18) thanks to his last nine score. Paul Fairley also returned 29 points but had an inferior back nine to both men.

That all left the Winter League standings as follows; Team Culfeightrin now lead the way from Team Atlantic at the head of affairs, the basement battle now consists of Team Rathlin, Team Fairhead and Team Margy with all three teams on the same number of points.

However with 8 weeks remaining it’s all to play for, with the difference between top and bottom very minimal.

The Midweek Stableford was won by Eamon McCarry (15) with 39 points over 18 holes; Eamon recorded a birdie two at the third hole on his way to top honours. Liam McLean (14) took the runners up spot in front of Martin Morgan (13) courtesy of his superior back nine after both men returned scores of 37 points.

Ballycastle’s next completion is Wednesday’s Open Stableford which runs throughout the winter and is only £10 for visitors to enter. For any tee time enquiries contact the Pro Shop on 02820762506.

WIN FOR ROY AT THE ‘ROCK

Roy Deans produced 34 points from Castlerock’s 13 hole winter course to win last week’s sweep by two clear points.

The 14 handicapper used his shots well and on the opening six holes he finished just three over par to get 15 points logged. His double shot at the twelfth proved very useful as he parred that hole for a four pointer. A very steady finish was needed so Roy produced one, ending his round with three pars and hitting 19 points for the final seven holes.

The man two points back was Billy Moore, playing off nine for the day. His opening blank was his only blip of the round, the remaining five holes of the front half were covered in one under par.

His birdy came with a three at the sixth and that four points helped Billy to 14 at the turn for home. No more birdies were caught; just plenty of pars with one minor slip of one point at sixteen, and Billy was able to pull a great 20 points from the back seven to get into runners up slot by himself.

In the Low Section it was Jim O’Rorke topping the table on 30 points off his mark of four. The long third gave Jim his only birdie of the opening six holes and helped to balance a couple of single pointers to leave him on 13 points at the halfway stage. On the inward seven Jim was one over par after five of them but pulled out a big finish of birdie-birdie taking six points from the course and getting to 17 back for his section winning 30 points.

Best of the High Section was Rodney Black with 31 points. He had just eleven points scored from the front six, a few one pointers restricting the scoring, but came alive on the second half to add another 20 to the card.

Two good four pointers, twelve and fifteen helped in that direction.

Oldie of the day title was grabbed by Ken Newens with a points haul of 30 off his mark of seven. Ken’s card was one of the better balanced with 14 points coming from the front six and 16 from the back seven. His sole birdie came with a four on the third and he did not score fewer than two points per hole all day.

TANKARD WIN FOR

RATHMORE’S IAN

Scratch golfer Ian Kettyle departed from his usual gross winning ways to take the PGA Tankard at Rathmore on Sunday.

He carded an impressive 38 points to win the title by a single stroke. His eagle three at the fourth was followed up with another three, a birdie this time, on five and while a couple of bogeys found their way onto the card he lobbed in another birdy on nine to get 20 points secured at the turn.

Eleven took a shot from him and seventeen gave up a birdie three to get it back so 18 points were taken from the back nine to get Ian to his trophy winning 38 mark.

John Fall produced the best of three 37 pointers for second place. His uncharacteristic blanking of the ninth meant just 16 points out but he returned to good form with a two on fifteen and a three on sixteen to gather 21 back.

That helped in the countback stakes and pushed Davy Smith into third place with his 20 points back. Davy had to wait until the ninth for his birdie which got him onto 17 out. A good two on twelve was his last visit to birdie territory as he scored another 20 for the card.

Andrew Stewart was the last on the podium with 18 points out and 19 back. Blanking the opening hole did not help but he did birdy the long fourth and the par four fifth on his way.

Rory Houston had another fine round of 72 to take the Gross again. Three bogies and a birdie three on the ninth saw him out in two over par 37. Twos on eleven and fifteen repaired two of his three bogeys on the back nine which added 35 to the card for his three over 72.

Recent past Captain Eamon Donnelly came close to winning ways again but his nasty seven on seventeen put paid to his chances. He finished fifth with another 37 pointer. Sean Bradley however is flourishing as a ‘twos’ expert with a pair gathered in on Sunday.

TOP PLACE FOR FERGIE

Fergie Patton won Castlerock’s Stableford competition on Saturday with a score of 31 points.

These were scored over the 13 hole winter layout so they represent a round of three under Fergie’s handicap of six. An opening six did not auger well for Fergie but this was redressed by his birdie four on the third hole and a series of pars to get to the turn with 14 points in the bag.

His back seven started with three three pointers, including a birdy three on thirteen, before a shot was dropped with a six on the long fifteenth. 17 points came from those seven holes and gave Fergie his 31 total, the good back seven also went in his favour in the countback which eased Adrian Creighton into second spot with his 16 back.

Adrian, playing off nine for the day, also birdied the third hole and had carded 15 points out. He dropped shots on twelve and seventeen on his way back to end the round with 31 but crucially just 16 from the second half of the card.

Low Section topper title went to Gary Gaile for his offering of 30 points. He birdied the second for four points and the fifth for three to gather 15 points for the opening six holes.

A nice two on sixteen helped the card but the shine was taken off that a little with just one point coming from the long seventeenth to give Gary a matching 15 for his 30 overall. Another Gary, Stewart this time, took the High Section with 30 as well.

Back to back birdies, a two and a four, on four and five got Gary to 18 points for the first six but a blank on twelve pegged him back a bit. He played out the last six at an average of two points per hole for 30 points to secure his prize.

JOHN FREEMAN TROPHY

Section Two threw up the better scorers at Bushfoot on Saturday in second week of the John Freeman Trophy.

David coyle hit 41 points from his mark of 20 to take the maximum ranking points. A nice two on the second helped him to 21 out and his form lasted into the back nine to see another 20 onto his card. Another in form golfer Matt

Colgan hit 37 from his sixteen handicap for second spot in Div Two. A no score at nine meant 16 out but he recovered well to put 21 more on his card coming back.

In the Division One Lennie McIlroy was the form man again with 38 points coming from his handicap of ten.

Lennie put up 19 points for the opening nine. He matched that tally coming back for his 38 which pushed Des Walker into second in the Division with a matching score.

Des had 21 out and 17 back.