Boards GS - Captains Prize - Dromoland Castle 12th September 2020 - 12:00

Please note that Teamer states 11:00 tee time, but the first tee is from 12:00

Anyone with tee time preferences, please let us know on here.

pakman wrote: »

I've to pull out of this one space. I've updated on Teamer

Interesting reason why on there pakman

Hi folks, all the rescheduling for this one has hit the numbers a bit relative to the number of slots we have available. Before I cancel the slots I thought I'd just put it out there that we are open to visitors and I'm happy to put up a visitors prize on the day if the numbers work.

So, if you're a Boards member who's not in the society and fancy giving it a try, or if you're a society member and want to bring someone along please let me know asap.

If you're on Teamer and haven't responded would appreciate a response, even a decline to things are a bit firmer.

Thanks guys. Looking forward to the weekend ahead and seeing you all there

slave1 wrote: »

How much is the green fee for visitors?

Will charge the same rate for this one, but they wont be able to win the main prizes.

Revised Timesheet attached below

Tee Time|Player 1|HCP|Player 2|HCP|Player 3|HCP|Player 4|HCP
12:00|Slave1|11|Benny79|18|Paulos53|10
12:12|CharlieIRL|21|Doublecross|6|Princess Poppy|18
12:24|Alanm|6|Seve OB|11|Kieran.|17|Rickis Tache|15
12:36|Woodyg|22|Brian Rossiter|11|OffalyMedic|12|Break80|14
12:48|OnTheSod|18|Ballyk|16|Tigerwood1|18|Golfnut203|4
13:00|Spacecoyote|8|Rossyd2005|9|The Big Easy|19|Snackbox20|16


Looking forward to it guys.

Seve OB wrote: »

benny, any chance you are doing a weather dance for us?

Looking OK at the moment Seve

•There is a practice putting green in Dromoland beside the first tee. There is also a driving range onsite at the Academy

•I will confirm the tee box tomorrow and update accordingly. Tried to ring this evening, but couldn't get hold of anyone in the Pro Shop

•Be ready at the first tee for your tee time. Please do not arrive on the box on top of the group ahead of you, in order to ensure that social distancing is maintained. Adhere to the time gaps on the first tee to keep adequate distance between groups.

•Your place on the course is behind the group in front, not ahead of the group behind, so please try and keep to a decent pace of play. We're out on a new course, playing in a mix of 3 & 4-balls. There are 12 minute gaps will hopefully help on that front. Please do everything in your own power minimise any delays

•The Society plays "Ready Golf". This means that you don't need to observe who has the honour on each tee box. If you're ready to hit, get up & do so. It keeps things flowing. Follow a similar approach across the whole course. If you're a yard ahead on the fairway, but you can play & your partner can't, go ahead & play your shot. We're a friendly (but competitive) society, not playing on the PGA Tour.

•If in doubt, shout "FORE"

•If in doubt, hit a provisional ball off the tee. Better to have a ball out there & not need it rather than hike back to the tee box/original spot

•You have 3 minutes to find a lost ball from the time you arrive at the spot you believe it to be. For playing partners, if someone is searching and you're in a position to hit your ball, can you please hit first before helping your partners search. Again, this keeps things flowing

•If you've scratched a hole, pick up the ball. Do not continue to play until you've holed out. It can slow things down considerably. For reference, once you've hit a net double-bogey, that's a scratch

•Nearest the Pin will be the 7th hole. For the "nearest the pin" hole, your first tee shot has to be on the green to be eligible. If you see 1 name on the sheet and they're closer than you, put down your measure, as if someone wins another prize, we will give 2nd closest the prize.

•Longest Drive will be on the 12th Hole. Similarly, for the "Longest Drive" hole, your first drive must be on the Fairway to qualify. If you're a touch short, and there's only one name on the board stick your name & how much further back you were from the leader & you may pick up the prize.

•Everyone sent a screenshot to me of their scorecards for doing up scoring at the end of their round rather than handing up scorecards for checking. Can we please do the same. Preferably send them directly to me, not to the group, so we can try keep the winners announcement till the end. In particular given its the Captain's prize it would be good to keep a bit of tension (I know its practically impossible to do this )

•We're living in Covid world now, so please adhere to social distancing guidelines. Stay 2m from your playing partners. Don't shake hands before or after the round.

•Do not touch/remove the flagsticks

•Bunkers are in play, you can place the ball within 6 inches, no closer to the hole, without smoothing the sand first. Please smooth out the sand as best you can with your shoe/club after you have played your shot.

•There is food available in the clubhouse afterwards. There are 6 tables reserved, 1 per group. Please, if you are eating, eat with your designated four, to adhere to social distancing regulations.

•Just to note in terms of Prizes for Captains Day. We will have the following:

Prize
Captains Prize
2nd
3rd
4th
Front 9
Back 9
Long Drive
Nearest the Pin
Most Golf
Past Captains Prize
Visitors Prize
A Couple of Pick Outs


So there are plenty of opportunities

**PLEASE NOTE** to be eligible to win the Captains Prize, you need to be a fully paid up member of the society, and to have played a minimum of 2 events, excluding the Captains day

•Finally, I'm looking forwards to seeing you all there, happy golfing!

I think I've covered most things, but happy for any further suggestions or info people want to share.

blue note wrote: »

What's the "most golf" prize? Is that whoever took the most shots in the society this year?

Worst score on the day for Most Golf. I think it's a decent prize for it

Seve OB wrote: »

Is it better than the prize for past captains?

I might have to just play terrible

Then again I might have to play savage for the third Saturday in a row to complete a hat trick of trophies:D

Definitely not better than the past Captains. When I say decent, I mean decent relative to the standard of golf

doublecross wrote: »

Something came up and I've to spin to cork saturday morning. I should be back for tee time but small chance I'll be late.

Can switch you to a late tee slot if that helps?

Another change, we've lost Princess Poppy for the day. Down to 5 x 4-balls. More prize chances and GOTY points on offer to those still going:

Tee Time|Player 1|HCP|Player 2|HCP|Player 3|HCP|Player 4|HCP
12:00|Slave1|11|Kieran.|17|Paulos53|10|Brian Rossiter|11
12:12|CharlieIRL|21|Golfnut203|4|Rickis Tache|15|OffalyMedic|12
12:24|Alanm|6|Seve OB|11|Break80|14|Woodyg|22
12:36|Benny79|18|Snackbox20|16|Tigerwood1|18|Doublecross|6
12:48|Spacecoyote|8|Rossyd2005|9|The Big Easy|19|Ballyk|16


Please note the changes accordingly

Sorry for the detailed delayed reply all, its been a LONG weekend!!!

A lot of the following is probably something that would usually be saved till after the last event of the year, but given it was Captains, I'll get it all out here (well most of it). Firstly, a thank you to everyone for the kind words on here, and in Dromoland. Its really appreciated. On reflection, it hasn't been an easy year. With lockdowns, nationally and locally, we've had reschedules, changes of venue, and a few small controversies thrown in too I've tried to keep positive through it all though, and I can now the light at the end of the tunnel.

The one thing I will say though is that this is an amazing society being looked after by an amazing committee of guys who are always quick to lend a hand or some advice. I said it to CharlieIRL as we were leaving that I've made good friends in this society, and I mean that. People who I wouldn't otherwise have ever crossed paths with, so joining the society is one thing I won't ever regret. A big thank you to everyone who was able to stick around after for the presentation, it was a long day for all, so I appreciate the effort.

So, to Dromoland. Its been a course that has been a transition point for the society for a number of past Captains days. We've had a few Friday afternoons here before moving on to the big day. So, it felt nice to treat it as a the big event for a weekend. And it is a venue suited to a big society day. Its a grandiose venue, and a proper test of golf, which showed in the winning scores. Doublecross said, on the first tee, if someone shoots 34 points today, they'll win it, and he's right, they would have. We were lucky to avoid the rain, but the wind did a job on us in its place.

The staff in Dromoland were superb throughout the day, from Triona in the golf shop to Donal, the starter, to the girls in the restaurant, they were friendly and accommodating throughout the day. They were also very flexible with the constant changing numbers right up until a couple of hours prior to the round. It was a messy enough start, with things running a little early, it was bit like herding cats getting everyone in to new groups and out on the course.

Played on the day then with Ballyk, Doublecross & The Big Easy. A great group to play with, all of whom I've been paired with before and plenty of talented golfers.

There is always that phrase spoken "Beware the injured golfer", and we had 2 of them in our group, Doublecross and The Big Easy. We saw both ends of the spectrum on how that can go though.

The Big Easy, played with a smile throughout, and started solidly, but eventually it took its toll on him. It was evident that the injury was holding him back as he was struggling for distance and control off the tee with the big stick in hand. I really appreciate the effort to come and play, and he did walk away with a prize, even if it wasn't the one he wanted!

Ballyk is a gent, and a really steady golfer, he reminds me a bit of one of our other society members, Tiger, in that he keeps the scoreboard moving non stop. Plenty of smooth baby fades off the tee, and great touch with a lot of mid range pitches and chips kept him going throughout.

Doublecross is a serious golfer, he warned us he was suffering from Tennis Elbow on the first tee, then proceeded to knock his first drive 15-20 yards past the best of the rest of us. Its hard to see a bad element in his game. He hasn't played a lot of golf in recent times, and you could see that impacted his short game. I've seen it when he's in regular form, and it probably cost him 4-5 points on the day. His round probably was going OK, but not great up until the 9th Tee where he proceeded to launch a drive at the short par 4 over the water & on to the green. Rolled in a perfect putt for an eagle 2, and he kicked on from there. Another 2 on 17 gave him a healthy share of the 2s club.

For me, it all started very solidly, and was going well until the 8th hole. Hit a decent drive, and a great 2nd shot to be sit in the fringe with a downhill putt for birdie at the back of the pin. Rolled it down nicely to about 12-18". Proceeded to 3-putt from there and turn a Par to a Double. Went a bit head off from there, on the next hit the green in 2 and again 3-putted. Then flared my drive on the 10th in to the water and ended that one with a scratch. On the short par 4 15th I managed to drive the green. Ballyk & Doublecross both just missed the green and both got up & down for birdies. I hit the green and again 3-putted for a par. Really when I look back at the round, the par 3s killed me. I scored 2 points on the 4 par 3s for the round. Finished the round well though, having to hit a mid-trajectory hard cut around that big tree from about 150 yards out, which came off, leaving a 2 putt par. Its funny, after the round, Doublecross said to one of the lads that I had the best score in our group, when I finished behind him & Ballyk, which probably reflects how my golf looked. I played really solid stuff tee-to-green most of the way around, but just couldn't score.

After a quick tally on the computer and shoving some very tasty fish & chips down my throat, it was out to a gap at the back of the car park for the presentation, which is about right for this year. My wife has been looking at the stack of golf prizes in the apartment all year wondering when we'd have the space back so was nice to offload a chunk of them.

When I saw who had won the big prize, I was genuinely chuffed. The first person I met in this society was CharlieIRL, and he gave me a warm welcome in all those years ago. Anyone who has played or spent any time with him will know he's just an all round good guy who has time for everyone. I know he's had a tough time with his golf lately, but you can always see with him that he has a big game in there trying to battle its way out. You could see the happiness in his face when he knew it was him picking up the prize. I tried to find some decent, slightly different prizes for the Captains, so hope they get good use.

Lastly, as was mentioned earlier, we have a new Captain announced for 2021, and it gives me great pleasure to introduce Break80 as the incoming Captain. Another real gentleman, who has put in some serious hours on the road for the society, and is always good craic. He always has a few side-bets going in his rounds, so won't be surprised if there are a few more cash games going on in the next year!!! Best of luck Break80, you'll have plenty of support and help on hand throughout.

Official results below: