Mallow Tennis Club held its first golf classic since 2007 at Mallow Golf Club on Thursday July 19th. Incoming energy legislation requires the club to update its lighting system in the near future. To this end it was decided that the best course of action would be to hold a fundraising golf classic. This event was kindly sponsored by Sun/Swift Cabs. 42 teams played in surprisingly glorious weather conditions on an excellent, well-presented course. While the majority of participants play their golf out of Mallow, people from 15 other courses also played.
The format was a team of three with one score to count on par 4s and 5s, and two scores to count on each of the five par 3s. The winning team of John Chawke, Stephen Moloney and Tom Collins, all from Charleville Golf Club, finished with a superb final score of 64 points. Andy Daly, Danny Murphy and Cormac Flynn, Mallow Golf Club, shot a fine score of 62 points (on back 9) to come second. John McDonnell, David Meade and Ciaran Treacy, also Mallow Golf Club, came 3rd with 62 points. In 4th position with 61 points (on back 6) and first group to tee off, was the team of Donal Cronin, Barry Duggan and Breda Duggan, Killarney Golf Club. There were two nearest the pin challenges with Ger O’Sullivan winning on the 4th (2.25 metres) and Anne O’Keeffe winning on the 18th (1.34 metres), having hit the pin with her tee shot. Did she make the putt? My lips are sealed! There were also two longest drive competitions with Kevin Dowling winning on the 5th and Thomas Fitzgibbon (Charleville) winning on the 17th.
Players also contributed generously to a raffle throughout the day. 1st prize, two nights B & B at Radisson Blu in Little Island, sponsored by Radisson Blu was won by Dave O’Connor. 2nd, a selection of wines sponsored by Cape Wines was won by Lar Thomp-son. 3rd, 4th and 5th prize winners were Danny Collins, Christy Scott and Brendan Boylan respectively.
Congratulations to all the winners and well done to all others who participated on the day. While the golf played may have been ‘all kinds of spectacular’, everybody enjoyed their time on the course and the food provided in the clubhouse afterwards. The Tennis Club Committee would like to take this opportunity to thank everybody who supported the classic, especially those who sponsored prizes, teams, tee boxes and refreshments. Your gener-osity is very much appreciated. For any of those who want a copy of their team photo taken prior to tee off, please email mallowtennisclub@gmail.com.