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Boards Golf Society 2025 (Round 3) - Rathsallagh - 19th April 1pm

spacecoyote

And so we reach the third event of the 2025 season and we're in for a treat with a trip to the beautiful Rathsallagh Estate.

Captain Kiith has had life get in his way for the last week so you'll have to settle for my intro this time around.

The return to Rathsallagh for me will be the return to the place I last had best man duties...at my brothers wedding. That weekend was an absolute scorcher, so hopefully the return trip brings the same great weather. It should be a considerably more sober weekend for me than the family wedding was 😉

We've had a great run the last few weeks which should hopefully mean that we're playing in qualifying conditions.

It's been a while since I played golf there, but from memory it's a beautifully set golf course. Set in an old country estate with big mature trees, it's a great layout for a course. It suffered from hard times for a while, but all reports say that the course has come back strong in recent years and has gotten back to its former glories.

There are slots for 36 golfers, in 4-balls. We're out in 10 minute intervals from 1pm. The green fee will be €55.

Look forward to seeing you all there for the continued chase for GOTY and the race for the Ryder Jug team.

Gallery here from the course site:

https://www.rathsallaghcountryclub.com/gallery.html

There is a driving range and short game practice area on site.

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Appreciate if a Mod could please sticky this!

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boccy23

Was due to play Athy today but cancelled. Greens are flooded. Hope Rathsallagh can hold up

kev_s88

Status orange rain warning in place now til 11am tomorrow for Wicklow. Stupid weather

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123368400#Comment_123368400

Yea, my course is closed today too.

shefellover93

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123368400#Comment_123368400

Bollox anyway, was looking forward to that

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123368683#Comment_123368683

we might be ok, rain ends before our tee times.

Kiith

Rathsallagh are closed today, but I'll know by 8:30am tomorrow what the story is. They said they really want the course open, as it's a busy day for them.

jarrieta

It is still raining heavily here in Wicklow since last night… Not sure how much water the course can hold 😩

spacecoyote

Dunlavin forecast is significantly better than a lot of wicklow

Wicklow town:

Screenshot_20250418_150352_Met ireann.jpg

Screenshot_20250418_150613_Met ireann.jpg

Greystones:

Screenshot_20250418_150407_Met ireann.jpg

Screenshot_20250418_150626_Met ireann.jpg

Dunlavin:

Screenshot_20250418_150418_Met ireann.jpg

Screenshot_20250418_150636_Met ireann.jpg

Snackbox20

Thanks for all the updates lads. Just heard on 3pm news that Wicklow is under a status orange.

Gerry T

Im at a wedding here, its been relatively dry since 2pm, just a drizzle until now. Course is closed but they were open yesterday, closed on tues. Some small puddles driving in through the course, but theres lakes/streams on the course so hopefully the drainage helps.

Gerry T

Not sure ill be fit to play though 😁

shefellover93

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123369528#Comment_123369528

Forecast is very bad for tonight according to Met Eireann, fingers crossed!

blue note

I keep checking here to see what trousers to put on today.

I got some funny looks getting the croissants in dunnes this morning.

shefellover93

Any update lads? I need to hit the road by half 9

Kiith

Right folks, course is open. It's very wet, and they said if there were to be any heavy rain later in the morning, they'd have to close. But forecast isn't for any more downpours, so we should be OK.

If anyone doesn't fancy travelling for that, especially the further away lads, fully understandable.

Anyone that does fancy it, see you there 👍

scotty_golf9

Do wellies count as golf attire for days like today ?

FixdePitchmark

So tees ?

I guess full placing , including bunkers ?

Casual water relief and relief if on intended line on green ..to nearest point ?

Above all questions?

Snackbox20

Still going ahead so 👍👍👍☔☔☔

Break80

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123370848#Comment_123370848

Placing everywhere. White tees. All Bunkers GUR nearest point of relief outside the bunker.

FixdePitchmark

A day for the ducks and swans.

If you were to tell anyone , including yourself that you were going to play golf today , you would need to have a serious chat with yourself. But , when it comes to BGS, the internet crazies – you know that if there is a slim opening , a chance , a hope , a Benny Sun Dance – it will be on.

Had a mad few days in London , so was kinda feeling odd about this one. But when you got there, over a rather crazy wet winter route from the main road – you felt a bit more positive . The usual heads getting ready, warming up, the quick chats.

Off to the putting green – unbelievable surfaces considering everything – yes slow , but you have to count your blessing and go with it. You have the clothes , you have the gloves, you’ve remembered everything including your superfluous cupa soup. Game on.

First tee – total pull left , topped 3 wood , topped hybrid – 4 iron and putt for par – the wonders of golf.

I was fairly sure we had played Rathsallagh in say 2012 / 2013 – but maybe it was just an invite from Tiger at one point – I did play the course a good while ago in an society , I normally have a good memory for a course , maybe it is age or time – but I could recall holes as I seen them , but then that is not memory.

Was rather confusing – touching on ridiculous, to have two hole number on many of the holes , truly bizarre confusion I have never seen, to make things slightly worse , it was not right on my gps either , a new enough gps. My son is doing the leaving - so working out where I was , was like one of them trigonometry questions , with one side and you feel an angle is missing.

But , back to the positives – was paired with lads new to me or I had not played with in a good 5 years. I was with Macker1 , The Champ26, brian54 . The 3 lads play a good bit with each other , and are very comfortable with each other , can get around a course. I was there to disturb the calm and peace.

Macker is a great golfer , has won many times at Boards outings, but I was very impressed how so many of his shots are so at the pin – his short game and putting are unreal. Easy , rolling at the hole , with true roll and great line and solid pace. A serious golfer.

The Champ has been on a bit of the soccer break , good to see him back – loves his golf , but also a great striker of the ball. Has great scoring potential if he can just get the flat stick going. Some of his iron strikes were fantastic golf shots.

Brian54 has all the potential to be a good player , good posture, nice swing and made some great putts. Will score a big score this year.

Myself – was just hoping to get around , no real drama , stay dry, play the one ball all day. It again went very well tee to green – but I just cant putt the last 8 weeks. Very little golf or practice. Frustrating as I’m playing very well tee to green.

Some great scores – the course had limited rough , placing – was a score out there. It is a perfect location for a society outing – not looking for balls. Straight forward holes , with limited mystery, except maybe some 2 tiered greens. Some great golf holes – and some needing you to respect the water hazards.

Congratulations to the captain and committee . for playing the outing , picking the right tees, the right rules , being clear with information. It is fantastic that so many golfers turned up. The strength of a society like this , is how it deals with the tough days too. Fair play all.

Off to pull out the putting mat – see what has gone wrong with my path and head.

Thanks again – enjoyed that one, company , pace , food (but no veg) – and some good to great golf shots.

spacecoyote

We're a privileged bunch it seems. Most of the rest of the country, certainly the Leinster area would have been closed yesterday, and certainly the majority of Wicklow.

But we got lucky, and found a course that due to location held up extremely well in the conditions.

Rathsallagh is a lovely course. A cracking site. It's generous off the tee, big well protected greens. Some very well placed Big trees to encroach in your vision on some tee boxes.

Inevitably the bunkers were water filled and a few low spots pooled, but outside of that the course was in great nick. Think I picked up a little mud maybe twice and had to drop from some standing water once.

Smart call by El Capitain to go with placing everywhere and take the bunkers out of play.

Didn't play great yesterday. Made a lot of poor decisions off the tee that put me on the back foot too often.

Whenever I did hit a good tee shot I scored comfortably on a hole. But didn't do that enough. Hit my irons and wedges really well I felt. Struggled for pace on the greens. In 18 holes I got my first putt past the hole 3 times. Was hitting good lines too, everything short was pretty much bang on line. The low points for me really were three times playing lay up shots, and all three times finding water.

Played with Jarrieta, SheFellOver and Sorbet. A lovely group of lads and, as SheFellOver commented, we'd have had a great scramble team between us, as every had a part of their game firing, but no-one had all their game on.

Jarietta was a model of consistency off the tee, put himself in great spots hitting a 4w around the course off the tee. A few pulled approaches and a cold putter cost him a potentially big score.

Sorbet I thought was going to tear the place up after playing the first beautifully, but his game fell off a bit unfortunately with some lose shots being costly.

Was my first time meeting SheFellOver, and a pleasure to play with. Fairly new to golf, and like many of us, is far too hard on himself. Has some serious power there, so some time and he has the making a nice golfer. Putted the best of us. Made a couple of beautiful longer range putts on the day.

See ye at the next one. Hopefully my golf will have improved

Snackbox20

I need Bob Rotella but In my head I have Bob Nutella.

Checking in on the forum on Friday evening and Saturday morning, the weather gods were nearly not going to be kind to us. I was very eager to play this course as it was another one I have never played. After captain @Kiith making the decision to go ahead (great call by the way 👍) I got on the road at 11 am. A nice drive up the M9 and was at the course in about 1hr 40, my car driving was way better in how I played off the tee yesterday.

It was decided that placing everywhere and relief from bunkers. I had a short warm up session on the range and felt good hitting my irons and hybrids. Hit a few putts on the putting green, the pace was slick on the green, it held well up after the rain that fell.

Out on the course my golf was horrendous, the course was lovely, very wide fairways and huge greens to aim at. I sprayed the driver and on a number of occasions I lost 4 golf balls, put my tee shot on No. 1 into the tree area OB, the head went down after the first part 3 where I scored a 10. Coming into the turn with 11 points. The 2nd nine was no better, getting more frustrated with how things were going and it was worse, chose the wrong club on many occasions and tried tried tried to be a hero, more like an idiot. Could not get the grips of the pace of the greens, they changed between very fast and then moderate, breaks and very little break.

I was out for the first time with both @spuddy1 and @Concerned2 , I have met and chatted with the lads on a number of times but finally got to play on an outing with them. @spuddy1 was methodical from fairway to green and had a lovely short game and read the greens very well. @concerned2 was bombing both his driver and 5w and scored a great round. Great chats with the lads on the round.

So it's back to the drawing board and see what the hell is going wrong. Played in my club singles this morning and it was nearly deja vu as my first nine was derailing again, but pulled it together to get a respectful 34 and finish 4th.

Practice and lessons are needed.

Enjoy the Easter celebrations lads and we'll hopefully see you at Grange Castle.

Picking up my first most golf, I can only improve. Congrats to @Seve OB on an excellent 43 points to take the victory, great scores also from @Macker1 and @charlieIRL . Well done also to scottygolf LD and Macker Ntp

Well done once again to the Captain for making the decision to go ahead with yesterday and the as always immense committee for keeping the machine well oiled.

This course might be in the calendar in the future, would love to play it in the summer months and see the difference.

jarrieta

I was incredulous when Captain @Kiith gave the green light in the morning when home it was still down pouring and hadn't stopped in 36h. I live in Arklow that is not that far at bird's flight. So 1h drive and get to the course, not really looking forward to my golf as the chip and putt was killing my game and my head is exploding after a few holes of decent drives and approaches to kill the score with the putt.

I had played Rathsallagh 13 years ago, I thought it was a good course but there my memories ended. I always wanted to come back but tbh it is a stretch of a not a nice drive to get there.

What a great call that was, the course was in great condition given the amount of rain received in the previous 24h, greens a bit slow but that is normal at that height as deep frost is still common during the nights. I really enjoyed the course, I think it is a great design, some ample fairways, some trees making you think about your shooting, well protected greens, some huge, some small… Really impressed about the course, one of the best designs I have played lately for enjoyment.

And last the company, the best of the day, great atmosphere as always, I have missed plenty of outings in the last few years because of travelling and commitments, I hope I will be able to participate a bit more this year with Captain's in home turf.

Great craic with @spacecoyote @Sorbet and @shefellover93, really enjoyed the round, a pity some errand shots for @shefellover93 as he was hitting the ball great otherwise, but we all had our ups and downs, great shots followed by not that great ones. As usual lately my short game and putting let me down, cannot get the speed right for any of those, I four putted in one of the holes from 70 feet and missed a foot putt too as a glimpse…

Looking forward to the next one, I will be quick to book before the sheet fills up, great job Captain and committee, all working perfectly with the hugely increased number of people attending the outings

Golfgraffix

@snackbox, how can you have a 10 on a par 3 in a stableford competition ? Not singleing you out but some of yesterdays rounds were over 5:30, I can’t think of any reason why a round of golf could ever be this the long.

The reason we play stableford is so that if you can’t score, you pick up.

Please don’t take it personally, but it’s good that we are all clear on what we should all be doing as players within the society.

shefellover93

Was holding off on posting after the seven stages of grief from last Saturday but feel ready to now!

First of all, I know people have said it here, but how we got out in that weather I'll never know. Fair play to captain @Kiith and all the team for making it happen.

Came into the round having figured out how to hit reasonably consistently with driver, had shot my last three rounds in the 90s at different courses so was feeling pretty positive about my game.

Started by blocking one left off the tee and then slicing the Provo OB on the right, and that was pretty much the story of the round. Normally I don't mind hitting some poor shots here and there, but I essentially played the majority of the course as 3 off the tee, which was maddening, despite trying to club down and take my medicine. At one stage I blocked one left that ricochet so hard off the tree it ended up in the gardens of Rathsallagh Manor, was pretty much ready to pack it in and make the long drive back home after that.

Played with @spacecoyote @jarrieta & @Sorbet who were really excellent company. I was probably the most miserable I've been in a very very long time with a round of golf on the back 9 but they were extremely generous and understanding, even after the round it was good to chat over some food and put some perspective on things.

@spacecoyote is so consistent, superb iron player and some great touch around the greens. Got unlucky on a few occasions where decent drives were punished a bit, and just the slow nature of the greens didn't suit him.

@jarrieta as SC said, the 4 wood was an absolute weapon. I have to say I'm extremely envious by how consistently straight he hits the ball, and was also able to shape it left and right as well. Putter wasn't behaving but would rather have that problem than mine 😅

Sorbet hit one of the shots of the day on the first with an iron to about 8 feet. Definitely a very good golfer in there, was consistently chipping away with points here and there, but like myself just needs the driver to behave a bit more.

I'm missing next month which to be honest is no bad thing for me. Need to get a lesson or two on the driver and come back when I can actually have a part in every hole instead of picking up so often.

Congrats to Seve and all the other comp winners, and I hope ye all have much better weather in Grange Castle next month!

charlieIRL

Must say I really enjoyed the course on Saturday. There was a lot of activity on our committee group in the days up to the event with the weather the hot topic. It was touch and go for a while but thankfully the rain held off enough for the course to allow us out thankfully.
My good run of golf up to the event continued through the day thankfully and I managed to put another decent score together. Like most rounds, I left a few shots out there with missed putts and a criminal scratch from the middle of the fairway on the 12th (I think, par 5, my garmin watch wasn’t picking up holes in order all day) My irons and approach play was decent all day and this helped me score.
Many thanks my old friends @RoadRunner and @paulos53 and another enjoyable round / chat with @bluenote for the company during the round. Some great golf by all 3 and myself and @RoadRunner had a side match going for our winter Matchplay event which added an extra bit of spice to the round without taking from the society outing. Was very very close all the way but credit to Roadrunner, he played out of his skin to make up the handicap deficit and it was a pleasure to see him make par after par. Few more putts dropping and he would have won the event easily.
Well done to Seve on the brilliant round, knew your game is in there and great to see it coming out. Keep it up.

see ya all in a few weeks hopefully

Seve OB

As usual when the weather turns nasty, the boards timesheet stayed full much in contrast to the one at my own club which was empty by Friday afternoon! I’m old enough at this stage of life to value my comforts and other than the fact we were back out on tour, I’d have spent Saturday afternoon at home watching whatever sports were on the tele. Having heard the course had been closed on Friday, I was not looking forward to playing in a potential mud bath. The rain was pretty heavy and constant on my drive down till I got past Naas when it finally started to clear up. The closer I got to the course, the drier the roads became and my fears of playing on a mud bath of a course soon dissipated. In all fairness, the course is very well designed around the hills and drained very well. With the exception of a bunch of waterlogged bunkers and no more than a few wet patches around the course, it really did hold up extremely well against the deluge of rain which fell during the week. I guess the last month being pretty much void of rain did help a lot.

I have been playing well lately, the lessons in recent months are paying off and I actually feel like I know what I'm at least trying to do most of the time now when I address the golf ball. Last Sunday, Castleknock hosted a Green Jacket Green Tees special event in honour of The Masters and while I was going nice and steady, I brain farted on 8 and 9, a point on each hole after 2 silly doubles and turned with 18 points. I went for it on the back 9 as I was either out of it at that stage or going to need 9 of the best holes of my life to have a chance. A run of solid pars and a kick in birdie had the later in my cross hairs as I was -1 playing the 17th. Unfortunately my worst drive of the day resulted in double there but then I got up and down on 18 for another par. So +1 on the back 9, a gross of 80, 42 points (a half decent cut and and ESR 😁). Absolutely delighted but I felt it was going to be a shot or 2 shy being off the forward tees, but tricky pins were the order of the day though and people struggled out there and it turned out that I was donning the Green Jacket of Castleknock just ahead of Rory in Augusta last Sunday.

I have played Rathsallagh a few times but it must have been nearly 20 years ago now and to be honest, I remembered nothing of the place. I really enjoyed the course, it is really well designed and in despite the weather, it was in great condition. If I was to be picky, a good few tee boxes probably need levelling out and the greens need a little bit of love and affection to bring their standards back up a little, but they were still quite good, if very slow. The welcome in the clubhouse before and after was very warm and friendly and I would imagine it's a lovely place to be a member. Indeed, I believe they even picked up a new member from our group on Saturday. The food was excellent, a green curry with a bowl of the most unusual but probably nicest chips I've ever had.

So onto the golf. I had the pleasure to play with @BohToffee, @boccy23 & @awec all whom I know a little at this stage and we had a really enjoyable round together with the usual bit of boardsie craic, slagging and banter. I'll be honest, I wasn't expecting my game to be up to the standards of last Sunday and I would have happily bitten your hand off for a top 10 placing before I teed off. Of course I then go and push my tee shot on the first and although I did have to hit a provisional, the original ball had luckily remained about 3 or 4 yards the right side of the OB stakes. A decent second shot over the trees but then I shanked my 60 yard approach and paid another close visit to the OB stakes. Pin high was not an easy shot next down that hill with little green to work with and I ran over it, but managed to get up and down for bogey. My green side play has much improved and I'm getting up and down a lot more than ever lately which I did again on the 2nd hole after taking a drop out of the waterlogged greenside bunker. Regulation par followed on the 3rd hole after a 4 iron fairway finder off the tee. The blind dogleg probably helped me stay conservative off the tee there. A complete duffed tee shot into the water on the handy par 3 followed and double was the score. I had a good look at birdie on the 5th hole after @BohToffee sunk his putt from a similar line, but I soon found my nemises of the day. The slow greens. I rolled a decent putt but finished about a foot short and dead centre. The 6th hole presented an unusual tee which I felt might have been an easier shot from the back tees. Indeed I thought that of a few holes during the round as being forward either brought some of the trouble more into play or left you a bit blocked out from taking on the shot you would like to play. The 6th hole presented both dilemmas for me. I opted for 5 wood off the tee and aimed to get over the trees and go up the left side which I navigated pretty well. From the first cut of rough, with eyes for the green 213 yards away I had the 5 wood in hand again but then after realising the pin was at the back and a second look at the GPS, I'd need 3 wood to cover the 234 yards. Shot of the day/year and one of the best of my life followed as the ball took off like a homing pigeon and landed a few yards short of the pin and ran right up to finish 5 foot past the hole. I've had 3 eagles in my life and a good few missed chances but this was probably the easiest opportunity I'd ever had. Bloody slow greens, 8 inches short, right in the jaws 🤬. I think I was still annoyed at myself when I chunked my next tee shot into the water and another silly double. A soft 3 putt for bogey followed on the 8th hole. But I was still doing well, so had a little chat with myself and put it behind me. On the 9th tee I aimed left of the big tree to cut the corner and shorten the hole. Another tiny push saw me head straight for the tree instead but miraculously found a little window and finished well up the fairway. I am definitely controlling the driver much better lately as on lots of other days these small pushes would be out and out slices.

Myself and @BohToffee were marking each others cards and as we walked off 9 with a couple of pars he asked if I wanted to know cause he didn't. I can never understand this. I always know exactly what my score is, unless I am playing absolute pants. As it happened @BohToffee had a pretty tidy 20 points. I found it unusual that the indexes of the course weren't evenly spread over front and back 9's and as a result of my 15 shots on the day, I had 9 on the front which helped me to 22 points.

For the second game on the trot I played the back 9 a bit better as I went close to chipping in for the birdie on 10, left 2 more very makable birdie putts agonisingly short on 11 and 12, lipped the hole on 13 with my chip and almost held my 65 yard second shot on 14 to leave a kick in birdie. A very soft 3 putt followed though on 15 and then on 16 after another solid drive, I played safe with a 4 iron for my second shot when I really should have pulled 5 wood. I foolishly aimed up the left hand side as the camber of the hole was telling me it would feed in from there, but I pulled it ever so slightly and it was lost in the trees. There was loads of room out right as I realised with my dropped ball which found the green side bunker. Dropping it back left me a tricky flop shot which I hit well but could have done with another yard or 2. Still a great chance for 6 from about 10 foot but it of course needed to be hit a bit harder so another double. Now I knew, 2 pars were needed to break 80. I pulled the wrong club on 17, needed 9 iron but hit PW and came up a little short. I didn't play a great chip and left myself with about a 5 footer. This time though I did hit it hard enough, I thought it was in, but a little horseshoe dance around the cup teased me and I had to settle for bogey. The last hole and I completely forgot it was Long Drive. Lucky enough cause I surely would have messed it up, but into the wind, I teed it low and just caught it really nice. Clocked it at 265 dead centre of the fairway and thought to myself that I might just have a sniff at the Long Drive award, but alas the young muscles of @scotty_golf9 stole my glory on that one. Still one more task to complete though, finish with par for an 80. A decent approach, 8 iron, saw me almost pin high on the right and just off the green. A long putt but at least on the right level of the 3 tiered green. Of course it came up about 4 foot short but I finally held a putt of some substance to close out my round with a par for my second 80 in the space of a week. Obviously delighted with it, but I still couldn't help but feel that I let the best round of my life slip through my fingers with a few silly mistakes.

Absolutely delighted with the win and congrats to all the other prize winners on the day, especially (my old buddy at this stage) @charlieIRL on a great score as I know how hard he works at his game and the serious effort he puts in. Big thanks to Captain @Kiith on the organising and picking a great venue, one we surely have to make a return visit to. I'll get full results up hopefully tomorrow folks as I'm sure the analysis of the GOTY table is eagerly waited on.

awec

Rathsallagh was in incredible condition given the rain that we had over the few days prior to our visit. When they said it was wet and close to closing I was expecting to be hacking my way round a boggy mess. But there was very little standing water and certainly no marshy bits. There were no plugged balls.

Obviously the greens were wet that they couldn't get machinery onto them to cut them, so they were a bit hairy and very, very, very slow. I couldn't buy a putt all day. Just could not adjust to the pace of the greens at all, I think I left putts short on practically every single hole. Couldn't bring myself to hit the ball hard enough.

I think I had too much to drink on Saturday night because I can't remember much about my golf on the day. I remember making a total bollocks of the 2nd hole, my drive went about 3 yards I think. That was a scratch. I got a par on the index 1 10th, a solid drive, a solid 2nd shot and then a lovely chip from the rough left me with a short putt for par. On the closest to the pin hole I had 1 club too many and ended up at the back of the green and proceeded to 3 putt (see above re: could not buy a putt).

Frustratingly I also scratched the 16th, the last par 5. I hit a drive and was stupid with my 2nd shot. The fairway naturally cambered from left to right, so I wanted to keep my shot left to try finish in the middle of the fairway, but I got too close to the trees on the left and the ball was gone and with it my score for the hole. Seve followed me into the same trees.

My handicap has dropped by 6 shots since we played Portumna, so on Saturday all I wanted was to put a score in that was in the buffer zone. 34 points was my finish (I think) and I was very happy with that, to play to my new index on a course I've never played before felt great, and with 2 scratches on the card I could have had more if it weren't for some costly errors. The first scratch was a bad shot but the second one was just a crap decision which oddly makes me feel better about it.

Went around with @Seve OB , @boccy23 and @BohToffee . 3 great lads, good craic the whole way round. Good pace of play the whole way round as well. I had a feeling Seve had a score going, he was on fire off the tee, actually he was just on fire in general. Congrats on the win!

Thanks again to Captain @Kiith (great call on placing and taking the bunkers out) and all the committee members who put in the time and effort to organise everything in the background. This society is a well oiled machine.

See you all in Grange Castle, a course I've played a number of times now.

RoadRunner

Really Great Craic,
It was myself @charlieIRL @bluenote @paulos53
and everyone played well.
I had some truly bizarre breaks.

I had a lost ball after clearly seeing my ball go in the bunker on the front right of the short par3 4th hole and took a scratch.

I clipped a tree on the 14th hole and ended up just in front of the green somehow (my only good break)

I clipped a tree on 18 and ended up about 40 yards back and right, buried under a tree having to hack out out.

I took a bit off my driver on the 10th and pushed it slightly to lose a ball on the right and had to reload off the tee.

I shanked badly off the 17th tee and scuttered the ball only a few metres forward to a terribly lie.

Additionally, despite feeling I was putting well, I couldn't make a birdy putt to save my life.

Given the above, my lowest handicap ever of 4 shots on the day, and the weather conditions, it should have been a really bad round. But it wasn't. There was a ton of great golf in there both from me and from everyone in the group.

The table of results aren't out yet, but I reckon my 35 points was the lowest of the group.
Charlie was plodding along very nicely with some amazing pars on difficults holes adding massively to his scoring tally. He could have easily won today!
Bluenote hits the ball an absolute mile (with ease) and with a very nice controlled fade. Start of the round the fade was a draw, then a nice smooth fade, later the fade turned to a bit more of a slice. Tiny bit more consistency off the tee on 9 and 18 in particular and He could have easily won today!
Paulos, is a very tidy, clever golfer, can count on his controlled draw and just doesn't get into trouble. No mistakes. He could have easily won today!

I still don't know where my 35pts places me in terms of GOTY points, and am eagerly awaiting the final results.

Myself and charlie had a side match happening on the day. Which was a nice sub-quest and it ended up as a half at the end which is probably a little unfair on him as he had 40 pts and played great. But I fought hard and dropped a few special putts at just the right times to do enough to keep him in check.

Particular thanks to the captain for arranging this one and dealing with the club and communicating excellently in the run up to the event.

Ended up having a sneaky pint with long time friend @tigerwood1 after the event and was delighted to hear he has recently signed up to be a member again of rathsallagh now. Perfect course for him given how close he lives to it. Next pint is on me buddy!

paulos53

First of all, thanks to Captain @Kiith for organising the day. I am sure it is not easy when one late deluge could have seen the course closed.

My partners on the day were @charlieIRL, @RoadRunner and @blue note. I noted after the opening teeshots that I was going to be the short hitter in the group and that is how it turned out. However I did gain a small measure of satisfaction in being the only one of us to hit the fairway on the long drive hole. 😁

We all played some good golf on the day with @charlieIRL coming out on top and winning second prize. After 8 holes it looked as if @blue note was on track to contend with @Seve OBs great score but a few wayward drives cost him in the end.
It was also a case of what might have been for @RoadRunner as he had plenty of birdie putts that came up just short or edged the hole. On another day he could have been at least 3 shots better on the par 5s alone.

My own round was a strange one. Apart from a short spell early on the back 9, I never felt as if I was striking the ball well. Yet I hit 10 fairways and 8 greens in regulation. Numbers I would be happy with most days. Apart from hitting my second shot on the 16th into a drain I managed to stay out of trouble and some decent scrambling kept my score ticking along.
I was more than happy with my final score of 38 points, 79 gross and no double bogeys on the card.

I might have an interclub clash with the next outing but to be honest I would rather play in Grange Castle. I won't know the situation until a couple of days beforehand so I will have to get lucky as a late addition to the waiting list.