Club News

The Great Escape

Ballinascorney has made it through to the Bloom Cup final in possibly the most dramatic fashion possible. We thought we had seen drama in some of our matchplay encounters this year but nothing compares to the second leg of the Bloom Cup semi-final against Milltown on Sunday, July 25 last. If there is a Lazarus League out there somewhere Ballinascorney Golf Club must surely qualify for it at this stage.

Ballinascorney were 4-1 down after the away leg in Milltown and many people were already writing the team’s obituary with the usual clichés about “good runs” being uttered in advance of the tie. But, as baseball legend Yogi Bera famously said, it ain’t over till it’s over and no one told the manager or the team they were beaten.

And if things looked bleak at the start of the day they looked decidedly worse at half time with the home team down in two matches. And things were to get worse before they got better. Comfortable victories by Joe Walsh & John Healy and Fergal O’Brien & Neil McDonnell were offset by the situations in the first and third matches which saw the pairings of John Kelly & Fintan Lambert and Tim O’Neill & Brian Walsh both finding themselves three down with four to play.

But these two redoubtable duos were never likely to throw in the towel and both won the 15^th to open up the possibility of a fightback. A half on the 16^th saw John and Fintan go dormie two down but Fintan had a shot on the 17^th and used it wisely to win the hole with a five. One down with one to play – game on.

Four good drives two balls on the green, two just off. The wise heads were betting on a half and a gallant loss for Ballinascorney. They were wrong. John Kelly sank a marvellous fifteen foot side-hill putt for birdie to resounding cheers from the gallery to halve the match and the dream stayed alive.

Just behind them Tim and Brian were completing a remarkable comeback which saw them win 16 and 17 and stand all square on the 18^th tee box. Again, the hole was to provide its fair share of drama with Brian Walsh manufacturing a magical six iron punch and run second shot from under the trees on the left of the fairway to get to the mound on the back of the green. An up and down par for Brian saw the hole and the match halved.

That left Ballinascorney 3-1 up on the day with Jim Holland and Tom Ryan bringing up the rear and looking safe at dormie three up. But a magnificent fightback by the Milltown pairing saw them win the 16^th and 17^th with par and birdie respectively. A nervy 18^th for both pairings saw Jim Holland close out the match with a bogey five for a half. Four points to one to Ballinascorney and five-all on aggregate – the drama wasn’t over yet.

Under Bloom Cup rules an aggregate draw is settled by the last match on the course resuming play on the first for a sudden death play-off. Fortunately for the coronary health of the supporters the match was settled on the 19^th with Tom Ryan sinking the crucial putt to the biggest cheer of the day.

It’s now on to the final against Newlands with the second leg to be played on Sunday August 29^th and the first on a date yet to be fixed. The Ballinascorney supporters really were the oft-derided “eleventh man” yesterday and all the team members and management were agreed that this remarkable feat could not have been achieved without them. All tribute to Milltown as well who sent out an excellent team who played the matches in the sporting spirit which characterises this great competition.

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Tree to green

While the magnificent winning score of 57 brought in by Mary Power & Dermot Murray and the almost equally magnificent 57˝ brought in by Ita Ryan & Tom Ryan (and of course the wonderful 60 posted by Anne Seymour and John Kelly) may have provided some of the main talking points in the clubhouse following the Trustees’ Prize on Saturday, July 24 last, the real story of the day was the incredible arboreal skills of Ita Balfe on the 12^th hole. Ita’s playing partner (who gallantly wishes to remain anonymous for fear of stealing any of his partner’s glory) had chipped into the tree at the back of the green from close range.

The series of pictures below show Ita’s grace under fire in retrieving the situation with skill, fortitude and what was clearly a literally incredible result....

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Club Matchplay Rules

Handicaps:

Fractions to be rounded in all calculations as follows Example: 8.3 = 8 8.5 = 9

Singles Match Play:

Full handicap difference to apply.

Mixed Match Play: Foursomes:

Half the difference between the combined team handicaps.

Lowest team plays off scratch. e.g. Team A have a combined handicap of 20, they play off scratch. Team B have a combined handicap of 30, the difference is 10 therefore they play off 5.

Mens & Ladies Doubles.Fourball.

Lowest player back to scratch and concedes strokes to each of the other players, including their playing partner, based on three quarters of their full handicap according to stroke index of course.

Example: Player 1 Handicap 16 – plays off scratch;
Player 2 Handicap 20; Calculation: 20 minus 16 = 4
ľ of 4 = 3. Player 2 has a shot on holes Index 1 – 3

Rules of Competition

1. Members MUST have paid the entry fee in full on or before the first match commences.

2. The number of rounds in each Match Play Championship will depend on the number of valid entries received. Each round will be allocated a cut-off date by which the matches MUST be played.

3. Players shall play off their handicaps as they stand on the day of the match.

4. Matches CANNOT be played in conjunction with any other competition.

5. It is the responsibility of the players on top to organize the match between them. If a match is not completed one week before the cut-off date, the referee will contact both relevant parties. If there is still no agreement on when the match will be played, the referee will allocate a time on the deadline day for that match. Failure of one party to show will result in a walkover for the other party. Failure of both parties to show will result in both parties being disqualified. (Rule 33.3)

6. If a player cannot turn up at the arranged time for his/their match, 24 hrs notice MUST be given to the opposing player/team and the fixture re-arranged. If a player(s) is going to be late for his/their match they will be allowed a 15 minute grace period without having to contact his/their opponents. Failure to show up within this 15 minute period will result in disqualification.

7. No extensions will be granted.

8. All matches MUST be played to a conclusion. In the event that the match is all square after the 18th then players must continue on to the 1st again and play to a conclusion. In this instance, handicaps will apply again just as in the first 18.

9. During play, if a doubt or dispute arises between the players, a player may make a claim. If no duly authorised representative of the committee is available within a reasonable time, the players must continue the match without delay. The committee may consider a claim only if the player making the claim notifies his opponent 1) that he is making a claim, 2) of the facts of the situation and 3) that he wants a ruling. The claim must be made before any player in the match plays from the next teeing ground or, in the case of the last hole of the match, before all players in the match leave the putting green. (Rule 2-5)

10. Should a match be interrupted i.e. by bad light or adverse weather, and both parties are in agreement, then the match should be resumed as soon as possible from the tee box of the hole that was being played at the time of the interruption. If however the interruption occurs while on any green, then that hole must be played out and the match resumed from the next tee box.

11. In the event of the Club Final not being able to be completed before the 25th September then the referee will allocate a time on the 25th at which the match will be played.

Should there be any disputes that cannot be settled between both parties you should contact the Referee, Ger Redmond or Alice McGlynn whose decision will be final.

ALL MATCHES TO BE PLAYED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RULES OF GOLF.

Gerard Redmond. & Alice McGlynn.

Matchplay Competition Secretaries.

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Ballinascorney Golf Club