AN HISTORIC CLUB WITH A MAGNIFICENT GEORGIAN PARKLAND SETTING SINCE 1893

Among the final pieces of silverware on offer from County Armagh Golf Club's 2018 fixture list were the Half Century Cup and Arthur Mayne Cup, both of which were contested on 9 September.

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County Armagh Golf Club Captain, Colm Shannon, presents the Arthur Mayne Cup to Danny McGee, winner of the annual stableford competition. Looking on is runner-up, Tim Teahan.

As its title might suggest, the Half Century Cup is competed for by those whose 50th birthday has been and gone, and emerging victorious from this experienced coterie was Jerome Leer with a massive 42-point salvo.

Leer is the very personification of the old ‘good touch for a big man' adage, and he demonstrated that in spades once more with an incredible four outward birdies and then eight consecutive pars to finish. That all added up to an outstanding sub-par gross 69 that rendered Jerome a more than deserving recipient of the trophy.

John Lavery has probably never been referred to as ‘a big man' but his Sunday points haul was certainly a substantial one. Lavery ended just two points shy of Leer and in the silver medal position on account of a classy gross 77 that contained a birdie at the 4th and 10 pleasing pars elsewhere.

Johnny Brown also negotiated the Cathedral City course in 77 blows and clinched third prize. Brown's best play came during a terrific two-over-par first nine, and he eventually declared on a 39-point total that clips his handicap to single figures.

The over-65s did battle for the Arthur Mayne Cup, and prevailing among this hotbed of venerability was Danny McGee. The 14-handicapper's fine 35-point effort included three instances of back-to-back pars, and only a no-score on the penultimate hole prevented a more convincing winning tally. 

Runner-up to Danny was the ever-consistent Tim Teahan, who also reached the 35-point mark but lost out on a countback. The All-Ireland Four-Ball Trophy skipper registered half-a-dozen pars but will no doubt rue his damaging treble-bogey conclusion.

Meanwhile, all those rendered ineligible for the aforementioned cups on account of their relative youthfulness participated in a stableford competition. Triumphant here with the second best return of anyone on the day was Andrew McBurney, whose 41 points were accumulated via a gross 88. McBurney recorded 2's at the 3rd and 13th as his handicap continues its rapid trajectory.

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Andrew McBirney, winner of the club stableford competition at County Armagh Golf Club on 9 September, is presented with his prize by Club Captain, Colm Shannon. Also pictured are other prizewinners, Neil Cromwell and Calum Connell.

Calum Connell filled second spot with a marvellous gross 72 that also earned him a new handicap of 5, as the young player's remarkable 2018 progress continues apace. Finally, completing the Sunday prizewinning line-up in third place was Neil Cromwell, whose masterly level-par showing was a no-nonsense affair of three birdies, three bogeys and 12 pars.