Snow forces course closure but Winter League team brave the elements

THE Lisburn course was closed last week but the Winter League team was surprised to find that the Portstewart course was open for play in the EMO Winter League finals.
They thought winter was over....They thought winter was over....
They thought winter was over....

In the freezing cold the Lisburn players set off at 8am to find there was no snow lying on the ground north of Ballymena.

There was a gale force easterly wind blowing from left to right off the first tee making playing conditions extremely difficult. To preserve the course during the winter months the competitors had to play fairway shots from the semi-rough.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Noel Robinson led the Lisburn team and watched his well struck drive from the first tee drift farther and farther to the right until it disappeared in the bushes - never to be seen again. He battled on bravely and did not lose another ball for the remainder of the round. The two par fives (14th and 15th) were played directly into the strong wind and proved very difficult.

Stefan Szymura and Joe Davey were top scorers for Lisburn with 33 points each. Stefan was the only competitor to achieve a birdie three at the ninth. The flag was close to the front of the sloping green. It was almost impossible to stop a downhill and downwind putt on the green with many competitors three or four putting.

Eddie Rowan was next best with 27 points followed by Jim Burns and Mervyn Hewitt and Barry McQuillan.

This is the 17th year of the competition which the home club usually wins. This year was no exception with Portstewart winning by nearly thirty points from Lisburn with holders Clandeboye third another thirty points behind. The best score was returned by Des Ballentine, the 1986 winner of the North of Ireland Championship. Des now plays off a six handicap and had 36 points.

The teams were well entertained by Portstewart and Lisburn look forward to hosting the final next year.

Related topics: