Our annual Pro-Am is eagerly awaited by the members and one hopes the weather plays its part in making it a real festival of golf. Big-hitting defending champion, Damian Mooney is back and looking to make it a hat-trick of victories. Ryder Cup hero, Philip Walton is no doubt determined to go one better than last year’s runner-up finish, while 48 of Ireland’s top PGA professionals will have ambitions of their own to earn a nice pay-cheque. There is no entry fee to watch the golf and all are welcome to view the best that Ireland has to offer in club professional golf. Seamus McDonagh is also playing.

The club’s mixed team progress in Ulster was stopped in its tracks by a fine Foyle side in Ballybofey. We congratulate the team members on getting so far and doing the club proud.

Wednesday’s competition enjoyed a large entry but the cream of the crop was Connie McGinley who sailed to victory with 39 points. He did the damage on the front nine, gathering five pars for 20 points and continuing the good work on the return with five more.

Sunday’s competition was sponsored by the Killybegs Golf Society and over 100 golfers endured damp conditions and the P.R.O.’s verbosity. Eugene Davy of the Milltown club enjoyed his visit to Narin, shooting 42 points amid incessant drizzle. Out in a splendid 20 points, he performed even better on the tougher back nine, sinking a birdie on the 16th to add to eight other solid holes.

We sympathise with Caroline Gallagher on the recent death of her mum, Eileen. May she rest in peace.

Results:
June 17: Wednesday Open 1. Connie McGinley (12) 39; 2. Anthony Thompson (19) 36; 3. Sean Hanrahan (11) 34 b.o.t.; Twos: 5 balls. CSS 74 

June 21: Killybegs Golf Society 1. Eugene Davy (Milltown) (19) 42; 2. Eamonn McGuinness (22) 41; 3. Michael McGinley (18) 38; Cat A Manus Boyle (9) 35; Cat B Mickey Campbell (13) 37 b.o.t.; Cat C John Callaghan (23) 33; Nines: Martin Arnold (15) 20 b.o.t.; Richard Shepherd (8) 19; CSS 74; Twos: 5 balls

Fixtures:
The details of upcoming competitions may be viewed on the club website, which is currently being renovated.

June 28/29: Narin & Portnoo Pro-Am sponsored by The Harcourt Hotel

July 1: Lady Captain’s Prize to the Gents

The Coastal Windows Monthly Medal at Narin and Portnoo Golf Club featured a new amateur course record and a hat-trick of holes-in-one. Sixteen year-old, Finnian O’Doherty of Letterkenny followed his 44 points achieved in finishing runner-up in last week’s President’s Prize with a superb score of two under par 71 on Sunday. The six-handicapper has seen his handicap reduce by eight shots in the past year and there is surely more to come from the young man, especially as he cut four shots off the previous record held jointly by Martin Roarty of Strabane and Donal Boyle of Cruit Island. After turning in one over par 36, Finnian garnered four birdies coming home to record a nett 65 for a two-stroke victory. For the record, his splendid card read as follows: 453 445 344; 434 454 443, 36/35 71.

Finnian’s feat was magnificent, but three other golfers were staking their own unique place in the club’s honour roll by recording aces at the same hole. The beautiful par three seventh has long been one of the signature holes at Narin and Portnoo and it will always be extra-special for John Quinn, Frankie Kennedy and Kevin Patton after last Sunday’s wonder shots. The latter utilised his nine iron, while the other two took one club more.

The club’s Minor League side won three-two on Sunday at home to Bundoran but they will have to pull out all the stops in the return leg of this quarter final to edge the tie overall. There were wins for the pairings of Paul and Frank McGinley, Pat Gallagher and Connell Gavigan and Anthony Harkin and Patsy Harkin.

Michael Naughton is the embodiment of the modern man, reading his Proust, growing his own vegetables and taking on the big players at Vegas. His golf game is firing on all cylinders at present and he is showing players fifty years and more his junior how to vanquish a testing links. His win in the latest Wednesday Open was achieved despite an indifferent start but 23 points coming home eliminated all pretenders to the throne. Seven pars on the return leg emphasises his consistency and prowess. First-timer, Anne MacDonald of the Strathpeffer Spa Golf Club in Scotland pushed him close, only to miss out on a break-off-tie.

The 3Ts charity fundraiser was held on Saturday and Frankie Kennedy (of hole-in-one fame) edged Goretti Cunningham to the associated Canon Devlin Cup. The latter was bidding to become the first lady winner going back to 1934 but Frankie’s back nine just pipped her to the podium’s first step. Both players will join the captain and professional in the Ulster Final of this national competition at the Slieve Russell later in the summer. Dr. Richard Devlin, son of the founder, was in the club with his wife Audrey on Sunday and he was delighted to see his father’s Cup still on the competitive roster.

Congrats are extended to our club professional, Connor Mallon, who achieved a top ten finish at the Irish Club Pros Tournament held last week in Drogheda. He’s in Dundonald, Scotland this week, one of the few Irish qualifiers at the 2009 Glenmuir PGA Professional Championship. The £78,000 event is the most prestigious tournament available to PGA professionals in Great Britain and Ireland. He joins 155 other players in the field, all of whom will be trying to secure a place on the 2009 Great Britain & Ireland team to take on America in the PGA Cup at The Carrick at Loch Lomond from September 18-20, 2009. The top 10 finishers also gain exemption from regional qualifying for the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews. We wish him the very best.

Results:
June 10: 1. Michael Naughton (14) 39 b.o.t.; 2. Anne MacDonald (36) 39 Strathpeffer Spa, Scotland; 3. Adrian Maguire (20) 38; 4. Seamus Ryan (17) 37; C.S.S. 73 Twos: 18 balls

June 13: 3TS & Canon Devlin Cup 1st Gent: Frankie Kennedy (12) 72 b.o.t.; 1st Lady: Goretti Cunningham (22) 72; 3. Mickey Campbell (13) 73 b.o.t.; 4. John O’Doherty (20) 73; Non-qualifying.

June 14: Coastal Windows 1. Finnian O’Doherty (6) 65; (Amateur Course Record 71); 2. Kevin Byrne (18) 67; 3. Eamon McGill (9) 67; Gross Kevin Patton (9) 67; Cat B Sean McGinley (17) 71; Cat C Martin Sweeney (26) 75; Nines: Finn McCrory (8) 33; Maurice Crotty (12) 37; C.S.S. 73; Holes-in-one: John Quinn @ 7th; Frankie Kennedy @ 7th; Kevin Patton @ 7th; Twos: 2 balls each

June 14: Minor League Quarter Final 1st leg: Narin & Portnoo 3 Bundoran 2

Fixtures:
The details of upcoming competitions may be viewed on the club website, which is currently being renovated.

June 21: Killybegs Golf Society, Single Stableford, Open

June 24: Wednesday Open, ladies and gents, single stableford, 20 euro entry for G.U.I. visitors including green fee

Narin and Portnoo President, Tony Boner presents the third prize in the President’s Prize to low-handicapper, John Bonner of Cruit.

Eight-handicapper, Finnian O’Doherty went round Portnoo in 44 points to win second place in Tony Boner’s President’s Prize at Narin last Sunday.

The first of the two ‘Majors’ was played last Sunday and a big entry set out in eager anticipation of landing Tony Boner’s President’s Prize. One of the early starters was Frankie Quinn and the Glenties exile stormed around the course in ten under his handicap. Out in 24 points, he maintained that impetus from then on, coming home in 22 more for 46 stableford points. The birdie at the 8th was the undoubted highlight. On four previous occasions, Frankie has finished the runner-up in big competitions, and he was to be pushed close this time as well, despite his massive score. Teenage whizzkid, Finnian O’Doherty matched Martin Roarty’s 36 gross points of two years ago to come within two points of Frankie and his round of level par will give the youngster great confidence. With the winner not able to attend the presentation, much of the limelight shone on the young fellow and we expect him to reduce his handicap to Category One status this summer. John Bonner raced to Portnoo from Letterkenny where his club, Cruit were playing to receive the third prize from a proud president who has graced the office with his presence over the past two years.

The McElhinney Stores Scramble on Bank Holiday Monday garnered a fair bit of interest with the perfect conditions making it a very enjoyable experience. Scoring was low once again and the only quadumvirate to beat sixty involved Angela Boyle, Michael Cosgrove, Cathy Quinn and Willie Quinn. Eleven pars, six birdies and an eagle at the tenth graced a fine card.

John Simpson won the latest Wednesday Open with an excellent score of 40 points, which included nines of 21 and 19 points. This was his third win of the year which makes this disgruntled P.R.O. very jealous!

Nan and Noel Quinn’s Mixed Foursomes team achieved a wonderful victory last week in Bundoran when they defeated Newtownstewart in the first matchplay stage of the Ulster competition. They now await their last 16 opponents and we wish them the very best. The team consisted of: H. Reid and G. Cafferty; C. Donoghue and M. McCann; D. McCole and N. Quinn; N. Quinn and C. Quinn; M. Roarty and M. Ó hIarnáin.

Results:
June 1: Club Scramble 1. Angela Boyle, Michael Cosgrove, Cathy Quinn, Willie Quinn 59.5; 2. Jo Dunleavy, Karen Dunleavy, Eoin Dunleavy, David Molloy 60.3; 3. Frankie Kennedy, Eileen Kennedy, Sean Cafferty, Grainne Cafferty 60.5

June 3: Club Fundraiser: 1. John Simpson (16) 40; 2. Michael Naughton (15) 37; 3. Joseph Shovlin (12) 36 b.o.t.; 4. Anthony Thompson (19) 36; C.S.S. 73; No twos recorded

June 7: President’s Prize: 1. Frankie Quinn (22) 46; 2. Finnian O’Doherty (8) 44; 3. John Bonner (7) 41; Gross: Harold Reid (6) 31; 4. Cathal Donoghue (12) 40b.o.t.; Cat A Richard Shepherd (9) 40; Cat B Declan Gallagher (12) 40 b.o.t.; Cat C Kevin Byrne (19) 40; Nines: Eamon McGuinness (23) 20 b.o.t.; Maurice Crotty (13) 23; Visiting President: Tony Gallinagh (23) 27; Past President: Michael Naughton (14) 29; Prize to the Ladies: Máire Walsh (8) 73; 1st Guest Eileen Kennedy (20) 23; 2nd Guest Eithne O’Boyle (27) 32; Twos: 3 balls; C.S.S. 73;

Fixtures:
The details of upcoming competitions may be viewed on the club website, which is currently being renovated.

June 13: 3TS and Canon Devlin Cup, open to ladies and gents, a qualifier for the Narin and Portnoo team to play at the Slieve Russell. The leading lady and gent will play with the Professional and Club Captain in the lucrative event, which is a fundraiser for Turning the Tide of Suicide.

June 14: Coastal Windows June Medal, Open (first prize only awarded to members)

June 17: Wednesday Open, ladies and gents, single stableford, 15 euro entry for G.U.I. visitors including green fee