Galway Golf Weekly In Association With Host Club to the 2020 & 2021 Irish Amateur Open Championship

Celebrating 125 Years in 2020 Friday August 16th, 2019 Dear Member, Welcome to Galway Golf Weekly brought to you in association with INTUITY TECHNOLOGIES.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

Please note that the Out of Bounds Stakes left of the 15th, 16th and 17th holes will be removed on Saturday 17th August. The waste area left of these holes is then IN PLAY as per

the new scorecards. Club Lotto The winning numbers from the lotto draw on Friday August 9th were 5, 6, 16 & 28. There was no winner of the jackpot of €7,675. There was no Match 3 Winner - well done to the Maura Cooney who won the Lucky Dip €50.00. To date we have had over 60 Match 3 Winners who have come close to claiming the top prize! Be in with your chance to claim the jackpot by playing online (single week, 10 weeks, 25 weeks & annual options available) or by using the envelopes in the bar and dining room.

This week’s Jackpot will be €7,700 News from the Pro Shop New Arrivals:

New Ladies Ping A/W 2019

New Ladies Daily Sports A/W 2019

New Mens Ping A/W 2019

Special Offers

Buy a dozen of Titleist Tour Soft Balls and Get a free Titleist Golf Towel

Date for your Diary - Past Lady Officers Takes place Thursday September 5th. Text will be sent out to all Past Lady Officers shortly.

Car Draw In Aid of NBCRI – Win a Brand New BMW 318D Sport Auto Please see below. Tickets available in the club bar.

Date for your Diary - Past Lady Officers Takes place Thursday September 5th. Text will be sent out to all Past Lady Officers shortly.

Junior Golf Sponsored by Dubarry Jnr Major Presentations Will now take place on Saturday August 31st @ 12 Noon in the bar. Please note change in date. Jnr End of Year Presentations Will now take place on Saturday September 7th @ 10.30am Noon in the bar. Please note change in date. Connacht Golf Under 13’s Coaching Please see important notice below. Today at 5pm is the deadline for applications. Fred Daly Best of luck to our Fred Daly team as they take in Enniscrone GC this Sunday from 2.30pm in the Plate Final here in Galway. They are away for the 1st leg on Saturday. Megan Harty’s Junior Girls Captains Prize Congratulations to our Junior Girls Captain, Megan Harty, who had her Captain's Prize to the juniors recently. Well done to all who played on the day and to all of the prize winners. Thank you to Megan for supporting the junior

golfers and for the lovely goodie bags! 😊

The Caddy Connacht Finals : After two days of extra holes heart-break for our Junior Cup and Barton Shield teams, our Senior Cup team came good on Sunday and secured their third in a row Connacht Title with a convincing 4/1 victory over Portumna. There was serious disappointment for our Junior Cup team who lost out to host Club Westport in the cruelest way possible on Friday morning. Having solid wins out on the

course from Jonathan Hehir and Pierce Glynn another solitary point was all that was required to advance to the final. Eddie Mulholland, Paddy Kennedy and Padraig O’Neill were all involved in tight games that all needed additional holes. So Westport having not won any match over 18 holes applied the home advantage and secured their 3 victories on the 20th (2) and 21st holes. Surely the time has come for the GUI to relook at this situation and allow halved match results to stand. This was very tough on what was generally acknowledged as the hardest working and best prepared team in the Club this year. To compound matters Westport went on to win the Final comfortably. Well done to Pat Sheehan/Paul O’ Kennedy and all the squad. They did the Club proud. There was more heartache to follow on Saturday when a birdie from the Ford brothers on the 19th saw Co Sligo take the Connacht Pennant by the narrowest of margins. Galway beat the reigning All Ireland Champions Athenry in a monumental semi-final which went all the way to the 18th where a brilliant bunker shot from Liam Power saw Galway over the line by just the 1 hole. Galway made 3 changes for the final bringing in the experienced Joe Lyons and Eddie McCormack and the in-form Liam Nolan. The match appeared to be going our way when Lyons/Nolan made a brilliant birdie on 18 to reduce their arrears to 3 holes and with McCormack/Mullarney 3 up and down the fairway on 18 and Sligo in the hazard with their drive it looked all good for Galway. TJ Ford played a miracle 3 wood off a hanging lie and with an unlikely up n down par the match was destined for extra holes. As in the previous day we came up short but in fairness it took a brilliant birdie from Daniel Ford. Congrats to Co. Sligo and best of Good Luck at the Finals in September. Revenge wasn’t long in waiting with Sligo our opponents on Sunday morning in the Senior Cup Semi Final. The Sligo lads got off to flying start and were up in 4 matches thru 6 holes with only Liam Nolan in command of his match with a blistering 4 under par front 9. To their credit the Galway lads stayed cool and in the end ran out comfortable winners with a 4/1 victory. Liam Nolan won 6/5, Roan Mullarney won 3/2, Joe Lyons won 3/2. Eddie McCormack and Cathal Nolan called in.

Portumna were surprising winners over Athenry in the other semi-final and despite some early concerns Galway’s class and experience saw off their challenge and were yet again convincing winners. Liam Nolan won 2/1, Mullarney won 3/2 and Stephen Brady was always in command of his match and won 4/3. McCormack & Lyons called in. The Management team of Gerry Cox, Cillian O’Murchu & Declan Kennedy can now look forward to an All Ireland Semi Final against the Munster Champions which is yet to be decided. There is massive strength in depth in the squad and a repeat of 2017 is definitely on the cards. All Ireland Finals are on in Westport weekend 20th / 21st September. Big Question here is will Johnny Whiriskey be on Joe’s bag again?? They formed an unlikely but has to said very successful partnership!!!! Not sure though why Joe thought Johnny would have an opinion as to whether a 5 or 6 iron would get him home at the 200 yard par 3 12th!!! Well done Johnny - a true Club Man. Fred Daly : Best of good luck to our Fred Daly lads who take on Enniscrone in the Plate Final this weekend over two legs. Away on Saturday and at home on Sunday with a 2.30PM Tee Time in Galway. Let’s hope that they can play well on Saturday and then get over the line on Sunday with Home advantage. These lads would love your support on Sunday. Connacht Shield: The Connacht Shield team are out again on Monday night when they take on neighbours Barna for a place in the Zone Final. Team Captain Kieran O’Mahony makes one change from the team that defeated Oughterard. Playing No 1 singles away in Barna will be David Hickey Jnr and he will be joined there with previous round winners Eoin Power and Cillian O’Mara. At home Alan Conneely and Gerry Cox will be hoping to emulate their previous round 4/3 victory and Paul O’ Kennedy and Leo Kilfeather will also be playing at home. Good blend of experience and youth. Best of Good Luck to the lads and support would be very welcome with 4PM Tee Times in Galway & Barna. Till next week.

The Caddy

Ronan Mullarney Ranked No.67 in the Updated WAGR Congrats to Ronan who, courtesy of his recent win in Ballybunion, has moved up 53 places in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and now sits in 67th position. Onwards and upwards Ronan!

Free 1:1 Computer Classes for the Over 55’s Please see notice below.

Club Emails We have been advised by our IT partner that many of the older “eircom.net” email addresses are no longer being supported and they have advised us to recommend to members to change their email address to an alternative provider. For those of you who use eircom.net I would ask that you give this your consideration and if changing please notify the club office, by email, of your new email address in order to allow us update BRS (golf bookings), genesys (club membership system) and the weekly email list. Many members I know have had issues receiving my weekly email of late and this is related to the above issue. Ability West Open Fourball Please see notice below.

Aspiring Golfer Support Programme Applications for assistance with golf related expenses and under the above programme can be taken between August 15th – August 31st. Application forms available from the Club Manager via gm@galwaygof.com Full details of this programme are available on the ladies & gents noticeboards.

Got News? I am happy to carry any news that will be pertinent to the club or its members so please feel free to contact me with anything you would like to see included, before 6pm on Thursdays weekly.

Kind regards,

Dave Kelly General Manager

FREE COMPUTER CLASSES FOR OVER 55’s

Terrified by Technology?

Confused by Computers?

Illiterate about the Internet?

Scared of your Smartphone?

SEPTEMBER 2019 TO JUNE 2020

Mon: 10.00 - 12.00 Galway City Library

Tue, Wed, Thu: 10.30 - 12.30 Age Action Francis Str

Fri: 10.30 - 12.30 NUIG ILAS Centre

The ‘Getting Started’

programme aims to make

over 55’s comfortable using

a computer / tablet / ipad /

smartphone and the internet.

Tutoring is usually on a 1:1

basis in a relaxed

atmosphere. Classes are 2

hours once a week for 5

weeks.

For more information email

gettingstartedgalway@ageaction.ie

or call 091 527831 to go on our

Please note the following key points –

Applications Close on Friday 16th August at 5pm

Applications go to Ian Kearney, Connacht Golf High Performance Lead –

Ian@connacht.gui.ie

Applications must be made on the form attached through the Club Junior Convenor -

it may not be made by a parent – in our case Paul Donnellan

juniorconvenor@galwaygolf.com

Players who may have been on a Connacht Development panel in 2018.19 should

not apply.

Boys born after 1/1/2006 who have not before taken part in Connacht Golf Coaching

and wish to gain a place on a regional development squad can apply now following

the instructions below:

A Player’s Golf Club Junior Golf Convenor or Men’s Club Secretary can nominate boys

along with their handicap, or junior handicap and a resume of their tournament

results over the summer including their result in the Connacht Junior Close finals.

Health & Safety for Golfers Remember Your Responsibilities please.

Use the bell on the 15th hole to indicate when it’s safe to play.

Follow all Course Safety Signage.

Ensure proposed landing areas are clear of fellow golfers

before playing your shots, especially on holes 7, 12, 15 & 17

Stand a safe distance from the person swinging the club.

Yell “Fore” to warn fellow golfers of errant shots whether hit

by you or not.

Do not play under the influence of an intoxicant.

Be aware of your surrounding at all times.

Take care near all water hazards.

Exercise caution around all moving vehicles on the course and

in the carpark

Pace of Play Our agreed “Time Par” in Fourball Play is; 4 Hrs & 15 Min’s for 18 Holes 2 Hrs & 10 Min’s for 9 Holes This is not a Target – It is the Maximum Time Allowed

Suggestions for Improved Pace of Play

Allow Faster Groups to Play Through in Good Time

Be Ready to Play when it is your Turn

Agree with your Playing Partners a “Ready to Play” System

i.e. If you are Ready & it is Safe then Play! i.e. No “Honour” (except in Match play) – the 1st Player ready Plays i.e. Players should play their own ball before helping to look for a lost ball i.e. When not playing your shot you should be preparing to play your shot

Position Bags & Carts Correctly for a Quick Exit from Hole

Mark Scorecards between Holes as you Walk

If in Doubt Play a Provisional Ball

Watch the flight of the Ball Carefully

If each player in a fourball takes an average of just 5 seconds less to play each shot and if

each players shoots +10 (80)