The Telegraph included Cairndhu Golf Club in its Seven of Northern Ireland's must-visit golf courses.

It noted, ' It’s a bold claim in a land so renowned for its spectacular scenery, but some say this lauded golf club is the most beautiful across the entire island of Ireland. There’s certainly no question that Cairndhu is a stunner. Set on 200 acres of mature woodlands and enveloped by rolling hills, the cliff-side course overlooks the Irish Sea and out towards the Glens of Antrim. It’s admired by professionals for its superb quality too, having hosted the 2021 and 2022 NI Open and ISPS HANDA World Invitational Qualifier.'

Find the full link below:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/indulge-in-ireland/top-golf-courses-northern-ireland/

It was great honour to present a cheque for £915 to Roddensvale School this morning resulting from our annual Charity Bowls Match hosted just after Christmas in the Club House.

Huge thanks must go to Stephen Gibson and his fellow bowlers for organising such a successful evening in support of such a well respected School serving pupils with Severe Learning Difficulties.

Great too having Club Captain, Lenny Gilpin and Vice President, Brian Houston in attendance for the presentation.
Well done!👏 👏

The Galley at Cairndhu.......coming soon!

Cairndhu Golf Club are looking for an enthusiastic service led catering franchisee to provide the full catering offering in the clubhouse under a franchise agreement.

Located in the scenic Antrim Coast Road, between Larne and Ballygally, Cairndhu is a well established and high respected golf club, which strives to provide the highest standard of service and quality and is looking for a catering franchise to work with to further develop their catering offering.

The Conservatory Restaurant can up to 50 people for a sit down meal and a main function room seating up to 150. The main bar area can seat up to 60 people at any given time and is serviced by a popular daily menu.

The club is inviting applications for the catering franchise and the successful candidate will be responsible for all catering, staffing of the business and complying with health and safety food standard regulations. Experience of a golf club or similar type of business would be a benefit but not essential. However, Ito is vitally important to be able to provide high quality catering, excellent front of house service all supplemented with a ‘can do’ attitude. This is an exciting opportunity for the right franchise who wishes to further expand their business.

Applications including CV and all relevant information should be sent to:

The Honorary Secretary
Cairndhu Golf Club
192 Coast Road
Ballygally
Larne
BT40 2QG

Alternatively please email a CV and relevant information to:

cairndhugc@btconnect.com

We look forward to hearing from you.

‘We are delighted to announce that we’ve partnered with Clearer Water to become lead sponsor for
the NI Open Pro-Am being hosted on 18 th June 2023, at Cairndhu GC as part of the NI Swing 2023
Event, in cooperation with the Clutch Pro Tour.’

The NI Swing 2023 Event, includes the Northern Ireland Masters being played at Clandeboye Golf
Club, 14 th – 16 th June 2023, the Northern Ireland Open Pro-Am and cumulating with the Northern
Ireland Open, presented by Modest Golf at Galgorm Golf Club. The event has a £165,000 purse and
is an official DP World & LPGA Tour Qualifying Event.

Part of the sponsorship package will see Clearer Water being stocked across the Cairndhu Golf Club
Pro Shop and Bar, as well as a pop up Hydration Hub for the duration of the Pro-Am.

We are delighted to once again be teaming up with the Clutch Pro Tour and Discover Northern Ireland to host the NI Open Pro-Am on Sunday, 18th June 2023.

The NI Swing 2023 Event hosted by Modest Golf, will include the NI Masters at Clandeboye, on 14th - 16th June, the NI Open Pro-Am at Cairndhu and the NI Open at Galgorm Castle. The total swing purse over the 3 venues will be £165,000 and be ranked as an Official DP World & LPGA Tour Qualifier for the golfers participating.

Please view the link for further information:

https://www.niopen.golf/ni-swing-2023/

EGM 10th November 2022 - 7pm in the Bob Walker Room - Cairndhu Golf Club

An Extraordinary General Meeting has been called by the Captain and Council to cover the following:

Items for discussion and to be put to a vote will be.

1. Nomination of Ronnie Ferguson for Honorary membership. This is to reflect the work he has put into Cairndhu Golf Club. Ronnie gave a lot of his time running the Juvenal section for a number of years driving the Juvenile’s to and from many away matches and managing the Fred Daily teams helping to take them to a number of All Ireland finals, the young players he helped to develop can now be seen in the senior teams representing the club at all levels and he still is available to offer his assistance and experience when required. He also helped with fund raising with the setting up and running of Last Man Standing which provided much needed revenue for the club. I hope you would all support the Captain and Council with this nomination for one of the unsung heroes of Cairndhu Golf Club.

2. Amendments to the Articles of Association
a. Council para 6c A list of candidates along with relevant proposers and seconders shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the clubhouse for at least seven days immediately preceding the Annual General meeting and communicated to all members by email at least seven days immediately preceding the Annual General meeting.
b. Council para 10 On appointment to Council, each new Council member must sign, date, and agree to the Council & Committee Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Register and be aware of sanction for breach of the Code. Appendix 2.
c. Discipline and Miscellaneous Para 1 If any member wilfully refuses to comply or neglects the provisions of the Memorandum and Articles or shall in the opinion of Council be guilty of misconduct, they shall be subject to the appropriate sanction as per the Cairndhu Golf Club Disciplinary Procedures. Appendix 3.
Discipline and Miscellaneous Para 3 d. Suspension of Golf Ireland (GI) handicap – golfing infringement.
Appendix 2 Council & Committee Code of Conduct and conflict of interest register.
Appendix 3 Cairndhu Golf Club Disciplinary Procedures.

Items to be discussed:

3. Information on the current legal situation with the club having to defend itself against legal action being taken against the Council.

4. Information on proposed improvements to the Club House and on course.

Rules governing a General Meeting as per the Articles of Association of Cairndhu Golf Club:
-At a General meeting each full member shall be entitled to one vote.
-There will be no facility for proxy voting at any General meeting.
-Notice of a requested Extraordinary General Meeting must be given not less than fourteen days in advance of the meeting, detailing the venue, date and time of the meeting. Details of the general nature of the business of the meeting must also be provided.
-Only the specific Agenda items detailed in the request for the Extraordinary General Meeting shall be discussed at said meeting.

• We have been working on the 8th, 10th and 14th competition tee boxes over the past week.
• We have also started to apply 100 tonne of sand to the fairways. Sand will also be applied to the tee boxes.
• We have vertidrained 5 greens with the remaining greens to be completed next week to a depth of 220 mm. The greens will be hollow cored to a depth of 50mm along with a light coat of sand being applied.
• The 13th bunker was damaged by fox holes we have commenced work to fix the face.
• The tree behind the 3rd green has been removed - the reason for removal was it was blocking the drains coming from the car parks.

Greens Report September 2022

* Greens cut @ 3.5mm
* Fairways cut @ 14mm
* Tees/aprons cut @13mm
* Rough cut @ 44mm

Greens:
* Treated with a seaweed concentrate liquid fertilizer and liquid iron sulphate.
* Sprayed for disease with phosphate applied to help combat Fusarium.
* Drains and aprons aerated using 25mm tines to relieve compaction.

Hedge cutting continuing.

Machinery repairs:
* Toro, bearings and seals for back hubs replaced.
* Kubota tractor awaiting new clutch.
* J.D. X754 No.1 small rough cutter driveshaft replaced
* J.D. X754 No.2 small rough cutter lift arms replaced

Winter Work:
* 8th, 10th and 14th Tees stripped and levelled
* 14th Comp tee extended by approx. 15yds.
* 13th bunker face and 4th Tee box repaired.
* Tree behind 3rd green removed
* 100 tonne of sand to be applied on fairways
* 20 tonne of sand on tee boxes
* Greens to be hollow tined using 9mm tines and sand to be applied.
* Phosphate will be applied throughout the winter months.
* Leaf litter and debris clearance ongoing.
* If Buggies are allowed on course, (weather permitting), areas around Tee boxes and greens will be roped off to avoid damage.
* Consultation with M&H, re Winter League, Tees/mats, to take place.

A big welcome to our new Club Professional Wayne Telford who took up his role on 1st October 2022.

Please call into the Pro Shop to say hello! Details on lessons and other initiatives will follow shortly.

The Ladies Revive All Ireland Fourball team unfortunately lost in the Ulster North Semi Final to a strong City of Derry team. The away matches teed off first, with City of Derry winning both these. This meant Cairndhu needed to win all 3 home matches. All the home matches were tight and going down the 17th were all square, all square and 1 up. Unfortunately City of Derry won the match they needed on the 18th to go through to the final. Team: Kate Mellor, Angela McConkey, Bobbie Haveron, Erica Wilson, Paula McKinstry, Sandra Conlon, Sinead Robinson, Laura Maguire, Christine Lester, Cathy Keown.

The Ladies Junior Cup team unfortunately lost 4-1 in the Ulster North Semi Final to a strong Ballycastle team, with 3 matches being played away and two at home. Well done to the team for a great run in this competition where often the handicaps were stacked against them. Team: Paula McKinstry, Sinead Robinson, Laura Maguire, Christine Lester, Erica Wilson

The Holt Shield team narrowly failed to get out of the group stage. Against Royal Belfast we won 2 games at home and 2 games away, losing 1 home and away, to get 4 points. Against Larne we won 1 game at home and 2 games away, losing 2 at home and 1 away, to get 3 points for the table. This meant we tied with Larne for 2nd in the table, but unfortunately we had less away wins so Larne went through on the tiebreaker. Team: Terry O'Donnell, Nick Kane, Gordon Best, Stephen Watts, Richard O'Neill, Steven McCourt, Chris McCourt, Mark McNeill

The Senior Cup team narrowly lost the Ulster North Semi Final against Cushendall. Both home games teed off early, and Cairndhu won both, winning the 2nd match on the 3rd tie hole. In the away leg later in the day, Cushendall won all 3 matches to go through to the final. Team: Ryan Long, Neil McKinstry, Marc McKinstry, Ryan McKinstry, Nicky McClay

The Ladies Peggy Nelson qualifiers finished 40th at the finals day in Dunmurry with a team total of 65 points. The winners had 79 points. Team: Bobbie Haveron, Lynn Doran, Avril Clements

After 6 years our Director of Golf Matthew Stewart has unfortunately decided to resign from the position of Club Professional. We thank Matt for his fantastic service and wish him well for the future.

Matt's last day in the shop in will Friday 30th September 2022.

⛳🍔🍷 NIOpen week spectator details 🍷🍔⛳

SUNDAY 3rd July
Bar open 11am to 11pm - music from 6pm
Catering 12 noon to 7pm

MONDAY 4th July
Bar open from 7am for Tea & Coffee
Full bar facilities available from 11am to 11pm - music from 7pm
Outdoor bar from 11am - Payment accepted by Cash /Debit Card
Catering 7.30am to 9pm - Bacon/Sausage Baps/Assorted Sandwiches/Lunch & Dinner Menu

WEDNESDAY 5th July
Bar open 11am to 11pm - music from 7pm
Catering 11am to 8pm

Open Week 2022 is sponsored by SKC Gaming and Condor Executive Travel

Saturday 16th July - Baine Trophy Open Stroke - trophy played for since 1928
Sunday 17th July - Mixed Open Stableford
Monday 18th July - Mixed Open Team Event - 4 players any combination
Tuesday 19th July - Gents Open Stableford & Senior Gents Aged 50+ Open Stableford
Wednesday 20th July - Gents Open Against Par
Friday 22nd July - Gents Open Stableford
Saturday 23th July - Gents Open Stroke
Sunday 24th July - Mixed Open Stableford

Entry fees for visitors £15 midweek & £20 weekends

Prize presentation and music on the evening of Sunday 24th July

Weekend of 18th/19th June:

The Belfast & District Cup team narrowly lost 4-3 to Donaghagee. In the away leg Cairndhu lost all three matches 2&1,2&1 and 1 down. In the home leg Cairndhu won the first three matches to level the score overall. However Donaghadee won the final match on the 17th at Cairndhu to go through. Team: Nicky McClay, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry, Brian Galway, Ryan Long, John McKinstry, Andrew Little.

The Junior Cup team also narrowly lost 3-2 to Carrick. In the away leg Cairndhu won one match and lost the other two. In the home matches Cairndhu won the first match after a great comeback but unfortunately the other home match went Carrick's way. Team: Kenny Lough, Terry O'Donnell, Jonny Anderson, Matt Hyslop, Ryan Garrett

The Jimmy Bruen team also are out having lost to a strong Strabane team. In the home leg Cairndhu lost both matches. Strabane then won the required match in the away leg to go through, with the other two away matches called in. Team: Ryan Garrett, Barry Lyness, Matt Hyslop, Andy Kyle, Gordon Best, John Hicks, Kenny Lough, Tony Anderson, Caleb Lyness, Jonny Anderson

22nd June:
The Ladies Junior Cup team had a thrilling win against a very strong Galgorm Castle team to get through to the Ulster North semi finals. Galgorm won both the away matches. In the matches at Cairndhu, Cairndhu won the first two matches to level the score overall. The final match then went to tie holes with Cairndhu eventually winning on the 5th tie hole! Team: Christine Lester, Laura Maguire, Paula McKinstry, Sandra Conlon, Sinead Robinson.

Weekend of 25th/26th June:
The Ladies Revive All Ireland Fourball team also won and are also through to the Ulster North semi finals. In very windy conditions the team won all 3 home matches against Bushfoot to go through. Team: Laura Maguire, Cathy Keown, Amanda McKinstry, Erica Wilson, Christine Lester, Bobbie Haveron, Sandra Conlon, Paula McKinstry, Angela McConkey, Kate Mellor

The Senior Cup team had a great win against Hilton Templepatrick and are now through to the Ulster North Semi Final against Cushendall. In the away leg Cairndhu won the first match 4&3 and lost the other 1 down. In the home leg Cairndhu won two matches 5&4 and 4&3 to secure passage to the next round, with the other match called in with Cairndhu ahead. Team: Nicky McClay, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry, Brian Galway, Ryan Long.

The Ladies Junior Foursomes team beat Whitehead and are now into the quarter finals. Cairndhu had a crucial win in the away match 3&1. In the home matches we won the first match 6&5 to go through, with the other match called in with Cairndhu ahead. Team: Sandra Conlon, Sinead Robinson, Gail McCluggage, Jane Ogilby, Erica Wilson, Nikki Hawe

The Mixed Foursomes team played their first match of the year against Strabane. In the away leg Cairndhu won matches by 3&2 and 1 up, losing the other. In the home leg Cairndhu won the first match 3&2 to go through, with the other match called in on the 18th all square. Team: Colin McGarry, Sinead Robinson, Nicky McClay, Angela McConkey, Andy King, Amanda McKinstry, Ryan Long, Kate Mellor, Kenny Lough, Sandra Conlon

The Junior Cup team beat Newtownstewart to go through to the next round. Cairndhu won all 3 home matches, 1 up, 2 up and 3&2, to secure the win. In the away matches we lost 1 match and the other game was called in while all square. The next round is against Carrick. Team: Ryan Garrett, Terry O'Donnell, Matt Hyslop, Andy Beatty, Jonny Anderson.

The Junior Foursomes team unfortunately lost to a strong Moyola Park side. The home pair put up a great performance, finishing all square after 18 holes. In the away match Moyola won 5&4 to go through to the next round. Plenty of promise has been shown by the juvenile teams in their matches so far. Team: Lewis Harrison, Paul Rolston, Sam O'Neill, Alex O'Neill.

The Ladies Junior Foursomes team started off the weekend with a win against Royal Portrush on Friday, with the overall score 2-1 to Cairndhu. The home pair won 6&5 and a great win away sent the team through. Team: Sandra Conlon, Sinead Robinson, Gail McCluggage, Jane Ogilby, Erica Wilson, Nikki Hawe

The Ladies Junior Cup team had a great win against Dunmurry on Sunday, with the overall score 3-2 to Cairndhu. Team: Christine Lester, Laura Maguire, Paula McKinstry, Sandra Conlon, Sinead Robinson

The Holt Shield team played their first group match against Knock, with the final score being Cairndhu 2.5 - 3.5 Knock after 3 matches at home and 3 away. This gives us 5 points in the league table with two games still to play. Team: Ryan Garrett, Terry O'Donnell, Gary Brennan, Gordon Best, Steven McCourt, Chris McCourt

The Ladies Intermediate Cup team also had a great win against Lisburn on Monday, with the overall score 4-1 to Cairndhu after five close matches. Team: Sinead Robinson, Sandra Conlon, Bobbie Haveron, Nikki Hawe, Gail McCluggage

The Peter O'Hara Trophy junior team faced a strong Castlerock team. Unfortunately the result went Castlerock's way, but again a great learning experience for our young team to build on in the future. Team: Lewis Harrison, Sam O'Neill, Oliver Clarke, Alex O'Neill, Johnny Russell, Paul Rolston, Matthew McClean

The Ladies Revive All Ireland Fourball team then made it a clean sweep for the ladies teams this weekend with a dramatic late night win on Tuesday night against North West in Donegal. The team won 2 matches at home and 1 match away to get through to the quarter finals. Team: Laura Maguire, Cathy Keown, Amanda McKinstry, Erica Wilson, Christine Lester, Anne McIlroy, Sandra Conlon, Paula McKinstry, Angela McConkey, Kate Mellor

The Ulster Cup team had a narrow loss against Edenmore. They won all 3 matches at Cairndhu, but lost all 4 away matches to narrowly exit the competition. Team: Errol Surgeoner, Tony Anderson, Andy Kyle, Barry Lyness, Richard Todd, Gavin Gowdy, Trevor Crawford

The Jimmy Bruen team had a great win against Hilton Templepatrick. They won all 3 matches at Cairndhu by 4/2, 2/1 and 1 up to secure the win. In the away matches there was a great away 6/4 win with the remaining match being won by the Hilton. Team: Kenny Lough, Tony Anderson, Gary Brennan, Houston Saunderson, Ryan Garrett, Barry Lyness, Caleb Lyness, Jonny Anderson, Oliver Mulvenna, Mark McNeill

The Belfast and District Cup team are also through after beating Ardglass. They won all 3 matches at Cairndhu. In the away matches there was a great away win in the first match to secure qualification to the next round. In the remaining matches Ardglass had 2 narrow wins on the 17th with the remaining match called in with Cairndhu ahead. Team: John McKinstry, Nicky McClay, Brian Galway, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry, Ryan Long, Andrew Little

The Ladies Minor Cup lost narrowly to Ballyclare 3/2. Details to follow. Team:

The Senior Cup team had another thrilling nailbiting win against Gweedore from Donegal. The two away matches both ended in narrow losses for Cairndhu. This meant we had to win all 3 home matches. Cairndhu won 2 matches on the 18th 1 up, with the last match going up tie holes and Cairndhu winning it on the 19th to go through on tie holes again. Team: Ryan Long, Nick McClay, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry, Neil McKinstry

The Pierce Purcell team lost against Lisburn. They had a great win in one of the away matches, but narrowly lost the other two away matches and the two home matches, meaning Lisburn went through. Team: Tommy Hart, Uel Henry, Geoff Lilley, Darin Ferguson, Foster McFerran, Ross McFerran, Keith McKay, Iain Carson, Jim Campbell, John O'Toole

The Fred Perry team also unfortunately lost against Lambeg 3-2. Two home matches resulted in big wins of 6&5 and 4&2 for Cairndhu. The other home match unfortunately went the way of Lambeg. Lambeg then also won the two matches held there to go though overall. Team: Tommy Close, Keith Campbell, Kieran McGoldrick, Steven McCourt, Colin McGarry, Sammy Nelson, Jeff Crum, William McClean, Michael Keown, Richard Todd.

The Barton Shield team unfortunately had a narrow loss against Royal Portrush. The away pair finished 4 holes down, with the home pair winning 1 up at Cairndhu after 16 holes it meant that Cairndhu went out on aggregate holes. Team: Ryan Long, Nick McClay, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry

The Junior Cup team had a great win against Rathmore. Both away matches teed off first and Cairndhu won both of these 3&2 and 1 up. This meant 1 win at home in the later afternoon would be enough and Cairndhu got an 8&7 win to go through with the other 2 matches called in. Team: Chris McCourt, Andrew Beatty, Terry O'Donnell, Matt Hyslop, Steven McCourt

The Jimmy Bruen team also went through against Kilrea. The team won one of the two away matches, and had two wins at home 6&4 and 5&4, with the other matches then called in. Team: Gary Brennan, Houston Saunderson, Ryan Garrett, Barry Lyness, Kenny Lough, Tony Anderson, Caleb Lyness, Jonny Andrson, Oliver Mulvenna, Mark McNeill

The Revive Ladies All Ireland Fourball team had a fine win against Omagh. The team won two of the 3 away matches, which finished 3&2, 1 up and 1 down. At home both games were tight with Cairndhu winning 1 on the 19th hole and losing the other on the 19th hole to go through. Team: Paula McKinstry, Sandra Conlon, Laura Maguire, Cathy Keown, Christine Lester, Anne McIlroy, Angela McConkey, Kate Mellor, Erica Wilson, Amanda McKinstry

Today we turfed the front and side of the 5th green and worn area at 7th bunker. We also seeded areas around the 15th 16th and 17th tees. Could members please try to avoid walking and driving on the areas white lined to allow the grass to germinate.

The drainage on 17th through to the back of the 12th has been completed. The trees have been cleared from the back of 12th green to allow air flow and let light into the green and 13th tee. We will be sowing area with wild flowers next week.

Greens are being cut at 3.5mm. They have been fertilised with a slow release granular feed. We plan to scarify them towards the end of May to remove thatch and lateral grass.

Fairways are being cut at 14mm, tees and aprons at 12mm, semi rough at 25mm, rough at 44mm weekly.

The Fred Daly team played against a very strong Galgorm Castle side at the weekend. Our junior players played great golf with most of the team playing their first match for the club which will be a great experience for the future. Well done to Galgorm Castle and all the best in the rest of the competition. Team: Lewis Harrison, Sam O'Neill, Oliver Clarke, Alex O'Neill, Cale Surgeoner

The Barton Shield team had a great win against Lisburn. The away pair finished all square with the home pair winning at Cairndhu by 4 holes. This meant that Cairndhu go through on aggregate holes. Team: Ryan Long, Nick McClay, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry

The Senior Cup team had a great win against Royal Portrush. In the away matches Cairndhu lost narrowly on the 19th and the 18th hole, but crucially won one match on the 19th hole. At Cairndhu we won on the 18th and 21st holes, meaning Cairndhu won 3-2 to go through to the next round. A very close match between two great teams: Ryan Long, Nick McClay, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry, Neil McKinstry

The Barton Shield team had a great win against Dunmurry on Sunday. The away pair lost by 2 holes with the home pair winning at Cairndhu by 2 holes. This meant that the match at Cairndhu went up tie holes, which Cairndhu won. They will play Lisburn in the next round, to be played by 30th April. Team: Ryan Long, Nick McClay, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry

The next Last Man Standing game will commence on Friday 18th March.

If you wish to enter, please put your £10 entry in a labelled envelope and post into the Lotto box.

• £25 per ticket or 5 tickets for £100
• Fourball round of golf at Royal Portrush on 7th October 2022
• 2 nights accomodation in a 5 star apartment in Portrush on 7th - 8th October 2022
• £100 voucher for Ramore restaurant
  
  Limited to sales of 1,000 tickets
  
  Draw will be held on 12th August 2022 in the Clubhouse
  
  Tickets available from one of the Club Council or from the Club Office
  
  02828583324 or cairndhugc@btconnect.com

• Sunday 10th April
• 9.45 am - 12 noon
• Please contact Gail on 07851043250 to register your interest
• No equipment necessary!

Notice of the AGM has been posted to all members. Nominations are invited for the positions of Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and the three vacancies on Council. Nominations should be received before noon on Thursday 24th February 2022.

Starting Saturday 5th February

All pints £3

Pint and stew £6.50

• Complimentary buffet for members served at 3pm
• Complimentary drink for members
• 12 days of Christmas £1,000 sellers draw will be made
• Draw for free 2023 membership will be made. (All members who pay their 2022 membership in full before the 31st December 2021 will be entered into the ballot for free 2023 membership)

LAST MAN STANDING IS BACK!!

COMMENCING ON SATURDAY 4th DECEMBER

HOW TO PLAY

1. To enter Last Man Standing:-
* Complete available entry slips with Name, phone number and email
address.
* Place in envelope with £10 fee.
* Put in Last Man Standing box in bar or give to available staff or
Fundraising Committee member.

2. Closing date for entry is Friday 3rd December and all entry fees
must be paid before this date.

3. The first round of the competition will be on the weekend of
Saturday 4th December.

4. Write team entry in RED Last Man Standing book in Cairndhu Bar
or text/Whatsapp entry to Gail on 07851043250.

5. Following weekend matches, participants will receive an email or
message informing them of those who are through to the next
round and reminding them of deadline for the following week’s
game.

6. Please ensure email address and phone number supplied is correct as
the organiser accepts no responsibility for emails not being received.

7. Please note, we will be offering entrants who lose in the first week a
second chance!! A buy in fee of £5 will be offered to anyone who picks a losing selection in week 1.This MUST be paid at least one day before the week 2 deadline.

Well done to Jonathan Anderson, the very deserving winner of the Bobby Conroy Award in the Holt Shield.

Jonny played in all possible matches and won them all including two big wins in the final.

Inaugurated in 2013, the Bobby Conroy Award is presented annually to the individual deemed by the two Team Captains to have made the most outstanding contribution in the final.

The winter course programme is continuing and thanks go to the team for the great condition of the course.

Over 100 tonnes of sand was applied to the fairways this week, targeting potential wet areas.

Following a meeting on Monday with the preferred drainage contractor, it has been decided to defer the drainage project to next year. The reason for the postponement is that the ground is already too wet to allow for their heavy machines. Major works will now have to wait until next September. Minor works carried out by our own green staff will continue as planned over the winter.

Initially for the gents winter league week 1 we considered avoiding playing the 5th and 6th holes, as some rain was forecast which would pose a risk to the greens flooding on these holes. However the forecasted rain moved away so we decided to use holes 1 - 13 for the winter league. The reason we use lift clean and place through the green is that as the winter league is played over 5 days, it means that the same playing conditions are played on each day. Rather than for example playing as it lies on a Friday, then heavy rain occurs on a Friday night and Saturday needs to be lift clean and pace; it is not fair or appropriate for the competition having different conditions on different days.

Cairndhu Lotto re-starts on Sunday 28th November 2021

With a bonanza Jackpot of £4,000

The draw is made each Sunday evening in the Clubhouse, with 4 balls being selected from the pot each week. If you get all 4 balls you win the jackpot. If you get 3 balls you win a consolation prize

Entry tickets are available from the Bar, Pro Shop, Foyer, Locker Rooms and various outlets around Larne. Place ticket and entry fee in an envelope and place into the large Lotto orange entry boxes in the Bar and Pro Shop. You can also set up a recurring entry by standing order and select the same numbers each week. Please contact the Office to set up a standing order.

Congratulations to Barry Lyness who had a Hole in One on the 2nd in the Moore Stephens Trophy.

Well done from all at Cairndhu.

Congratulations to all the ladies who won cups in 2021.

More photos are here:

http://golffile.photoshelter.com/gallery/B-D-Cup-2021/G0000t4MPh8ZPHKs/C0000G80KD56I1d0

Well done to the Belfast & District Cup team who beat Fortwilliam in the final held at Ballyclare at the weekend! This is Cairndhu's 4th B & D win after winning in 2005, 2007 and 2016.

In the early matches Fortwilliam and Cairndhu both went ahead early on in a match apiece and went on to win a match each. In the middle matches Cairndhu held a strong lead in one match, going on to win it 5&4 to bring the score to 2-1. The remaining matches on course were fairly tight. Cairndhu were down in two of the matches but turned these around to be leading, and were also up in the final two matches, meaning things were looking good. The matches progressed and Cairndhu won two matches on the 17th green to get to the 4 points needed to win the cup. The final two matches were called in with Cairndhu up in both. Thanks to the many supporters for making the journey, Darin Ferguson for providing the bus and also to Ballyclare Golf Club for the hospitality.

Team Captain: Paul Stinson. Team: Brian Galway, Nicholas McClay, Ryan Long, Ryan McKinstry, Ethan Campbell, Marc McKinstry, Neil McKinstry.

This brings the club team action to a close this year. Thanks to the many team captains, players, supporters and everyone else involved for putting the time and effort in and representing the club so well. We look forward eagerly to the draws for 2022!

The Holt Shield website has been updated and there are a few more photos of our winning team on there

https://www.holtshield.co.uk/

Thanks to the new Club President Mr Bill Surgin for hosting a great Presidents Day.

Derek Swann was the overall winner with 39 points.

The Belfast and District Cup final will be played against Fortwilliam this weekend, good luck to the team.

The match is being played at Ballyclare (7 matches) this Sunday afternoon 19th September at 1.00pm.

All support will be welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

Congratulations to Nick Kane who had a Hole in One on the 6th in the Hat on 15th September.

Well done from all at Cairndhu.

This is the 5th hole in one at the 6th this year in competition!

Well done to the Holt Shield team who beat Bangor in the final at the weekend! This is Cairndhu's 3rd Holt Shield win after winning in 1989 and 2018.

The team played fantastic golf all weekend. In the home leg on Saturday Cairndhu narrowly lost the opening match but had 2 wins shortly thereafter. Two matches went down the 18th all square, with Cairndhu vitally winning one whilst the other ended in a crucial half. This left the score 3.5 to 1.5 overnight.

In the second leg at Bangor Cairndhu started well and had a big win meaning one more point was needed. Bangor then won two matches to bring the score to 4.5 - 3.5. Cairndhu then holed a great putt on the 15th to win the point needed. The other match finished shortly after with a win to Bangor. Well done to the team who played at the weekend and also the players who played in the rounds leading up to the final. Thanks to the supporters for making the journey, Darin Ferguson for providing the bus and also to Bangor Golf Club for the hospitality.

Team Captain: Gary McKinstry. Team: Matt Hyslop, Ryan Garrett, Jonathan Anderson, Andrew Beatty, Gordon Best.

Happy birthday to Club Professional Matt Stewart who was presented with a gift from his Junior class on Sunday.

Nominations for Officers and Council Members at the 2021 Cairndhu Annual General Meeting

* Position - Nomination - Proposer - Seconder

* President - Bill Surgin - Henry Fletcher - Alan Knox
* Vice President - John Craig - Roy Webb - Jim Campbell
* Captain - David Johnston - Alan Knox - Vincent Lennon
* Vice Captain - Vincent Lennon - Paul Stinson - Jim Campbell
* Honorary Secretary - Paul Beatty - Robert Barton - Andrew Beatty
* Honorary Treasurer - Jim Campbell - David Johnston - Paul Stinson
* Council Member - Brian Haveron - Gary Brennan - Andrew Little
* Council Member - Roy Webb - Niall McFerran - Tony Watts
* Council Member - Cyndy Hay - Gail McCluggage - Kate Mellor
* Council Member - Gail McCluggage- Sandra Conlon - Paula McKinstry
* Council Member - Geoff Lilley - Hugh Montgomery - Vincent Lennon
* Council Member - Errol Surgeoner - Andrew Reid - Niall McGoldrick


(3 council member places)

The Holt Shield final will be played against Bangor this weekend, good luck to the team.

The home match at Cairndhu (5 matches) will take place this Saturday 11th September at 3.10pm. The return leg at Bangor (also 5 matches) will take place this Sunday 12th September at 2.10pm.

All support will be welcome as always, home and away!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

As many members will be aware our Course Manager Vinny Magill will be leaving his role with his last day on Wednesday 8th September. Vinny will be in the clubhouse from around 2pm on Wednesday 8th if you would like the opportunity to say goodbye and wish him well in the future.

Over the last few days several presentations have been made to Vinny in respect of his many years of tremendous service to Cairndhu, a testament to how highly regarded he is around the club. Pictured below are Ricky from Johnston and Gilpin, Cairndhu Vice Captain and Council, and Ryan McMurtry on behalf of the Kiln Golf Society

As many members will be aware our Course Manager Vinny Magill will be leaving his role with his last day on Wednesday 8th September. Vinny will be in the clubhouse from around 2pm on Wednesday 8th if you would like the opportunity to say goodbye and wish him well in the future.

Vinny and his wife Lorna are moving to Dorset, England, where Lorna has been appointed to a high profile post in the NHS covering hospitals in Poole, Christchurch and Bournemouth. It is an understatement to say that Vinny will be missed by everyone around the club, especially by the staff, the Council, the members and the local conservation bodies he worked closely with.

Vinny has worked at Cairndhu for 35 years, starting on a government funded training scheme under Bob Walker. His commitment, work ethic and personality made it a very easy decision to retain Vinny as an employee after the scheme had finished. He then attended Greenmount Agricultural College where he achieved all qualifications with distinction. Upon Bob's retirement Vinny was appointed Head Greenkeeper, a role he has held ever since.

Vinny has talked of retirement, but we cannot see him being able to do nothing for very long and can see him working at a golf club in Dorset before too long. Cairndhu's loss will most certainly be that club's gain!

The Lady Past Captains Day took place on Monday with a great turnout.

Well done to Gail McCluggage who won!

The Belfast and District Cup team beat Banbridge on Sunday to reach the final! Well done to Team Captain Paul Stinson and his panel. With the 3 away matches being played on Monday evening, the team knew that if they won all 4 home games it would be enough to win the tie on Sunday and avoid a tricky trip to Banbridge, who recently won the Senior Cup. They did just that with 4 great wins in the matches at Cairndhu. Team: Ryan McKinstry, Ryan Long, Marc McKinstry, Nicholas McClay, Neil McKinstry, Ethan Campbell, Brian Galway.

The final will be played against Fortwilliam. This is scheduled for Sunday 19th September. Venue is still TBC.

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

The Belfast and District Cup team play Banbridge this weekend in the semi finals. The four home matches will be played on Sunday 5th September, with the three away matches at Banbridge on Monday 6th September.

All support welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

The Holt Shield team beat Carnalea on Sunday to reach the final! Well done to Team Captain Gary McKinstry and his panel. They won all 3 matches at Cairndhu, and 1 further great away win at Carnalea meant they got through. The other 2 matches at Carnalea went to the home side. Team: Jonny Anderson, Andrew Beattie, Matt Hyslop, Gordon Best, Ryan Garrett, Chris McCourt.

The final will be played against Bangor. For the final the format will revert back to the 'old' Holt Shield format of a 5 man team playing over 2 legs. The home match at Cairndhu will take place on Saturday 11th September at 3.10pm. The return leg at Bangor will take place on Sunday 12th September at 2.10pm. All support will be welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

The Holt Shield team play Carnalea in the semi final on Sunday 29th August, with 3 matches at Carnalea and 3 at home.

All support welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

The AGM will take place on Thursday 16th September 2021.

Further details including the notice convening the meeting will be issued in due course.

Incredibly there were two hole in ones at Cairndhu this weekend.

On Saturday Gerry McCorry scored a hole in one on the 6th hole in the Alex Donaldson Memorial Trophy.

Then on Sunday 14 year old Ben Erdis had a hole in one in the Sunday Stableford competition, also on the 6th hole.

Well done Gerry and Ben!

The Belfast and District Cup team beat Scrabo to go through to the semi finals. They had 2 great wins away, with 2 losses. They also had won 1 match at home, losing the other match up the 19th hole. It all went down to the last home game, which Cairndhu won on the 20th (2nd tie hole). Team: Brian Galway, Neil McKinstry, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry, Ryan Long, Nicholas McClay, Ethan Campbell

The Holt Shield team also had a nailbiting win against Scrabo. They won 2 games at home, halving the other. They also lost 2 games away but got a great fightback half in the other match. This meant it all went down to tie holes again, this time at Scrabo, with Cairndhu winning on the 1st tie hole. Team: Jonny Anderson, Andrew Beattie, Matt Hyslop, Gordon Best, Terry O'Donnell, Steven McCourt

Thanks to the Club Captain for hosting the Captain's Prizes for Ladies.

Thanks to all who took part and congratulations to the prizewinners, which can be seen on HowDidIDo and below.

Prizewinners were:
1st Fiona Rolston
2nd Shirley O'Hara
3rd Erica Wilson
Gross Laura Maguire

We are delighted to announce that we will have a number of acoustic music acts performing in the Bar on upcoming Sundays. Starting this Sunday at 6pm with Bob Garrett, who was very popular when he played here in July. Perfect for a relaxing background while you have your Sunday food and drinks!

Details are shown below:

- Acoustic Sundays - Bobbie Garrett - Sunday 15th August - Starting from 6pm
- Acoustic Sundays - David Walker - Sunday 29th August
- Acoustic Sundays - Alan Lafferty - Sunday 12th September
- Acoustic Sundays - Keith Harris - Sunday 26th September
- Acoustic Sundays - Matt O'Reilly - Sunday 3rd October

A guide to the upcoming events in the Clubhouse is kept on our website page here https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=1586

Excalibur Press and Mid and East Antrim Borough Council recently visited the club as part of their 'Storify My Business Programme'.

We are looking forward to seeing the end result!

https://twitter.com/ExcaliburPress/status/1425743882315313155

Now that rakes are back in the bunkers, after raking your footmarks and marks made by your shot, the rake should be placed entirely back in the bunker. Not out of the bunker, or partially out of the bunker.

Please see the middle photo as an example of what to do, the other photos show what not to do.

Regards, Course Manager.

This weekends fixtures are below (14th August to 15th August).

The Holt Shield team play Scrabo on Sunday with 3 matches at Scrabo and 3 at home.

The Belfast and District Cup team play Scrabo on Sunday with 3 matches at home.

All support welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

Thanks to the Club Captain Mr David Johnston for hosting a superb and long awaited Captain's Day.

Thanks for all your efforts over the last two years and more.

Thanks to all who took part and congratulations to the prizewinners, which can be seen on HowDidIDo.

The Holt Shield team had a great win against Belvoir Park. Well done to team captain Gary McKinstry and all the players. They won all 3 home games and in the away leg won a further match on the 18th green to get through 4 - 2. The other 2 away matches went Belvoir's way. Team: Matt Hyslop, Jonny Anderson, Andy Beatty, Gordon Best, Chris McCourt, Sean Murphy

The Ulster Cup team unfortunately had a narrow loss to Lisburn on tie holes. They won 2 home matches and one great win away with a birdie on the 18th. Unfortunately the other home match and 2 away matches went to Lisburn. The final match at Lisburn then went up the 19th and that went Lisburn's way. Good luck to Lisburn for the rest of the competition. Team: Ryan Garrett, Tony Watts, Gareth Owen, Brian Haveron, Phillip Carmichael, Derek Swann, Norman Johnston

The Mixed Foursomes team also suffered a narrow loss. They won 2 home matches. However Letterkenny won the other match at Cairndhu, and both games at Letterkenny, to take them through to the next round. Good luck to Letterkenny for the rest of the competition. Team: Sandra Conlon, Nicholas McClay, Jane Ogilby, Brian Galway, Sinead Robinson, Andrew Little, Gail McCluggage, Ethan Campbell, Amanda McKinstry, Ryan Long

Massive congratulations to member Brian Galway who won the Ulster Seniors Championship at Belvoir Park on Wednesday. Brian shot a round of 66 (-5), which included 5 birdies and an eagle, to win by 3 shots.

Report is here https://www.golfireland.ie/news-detail?newsarticleid=239&tags=tournaments;Ulster

Results can be seen here https://www.golfireland.ie/regional#/competition/2696668/results

This continues Brian's excellent form in the Senior tournaments this year and moves him to 6th in the order of merit https://www.golfireland.ie/national#/orderofmerit/149182

This weekends fixtures are below (30th July to 1st August).

The Holt Shield team play on Friday evening, with 3 matches at Belvoir Park and 3 at home.

The Ulster Cup team play Lisburn on Friday evening with 3 matches at home.

The Mixed Foursomes team play Letterkenny on Sunday afternoon with 3 matches at home.

All support welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

The Jimmy Bruen team lost narrowly to Fortwilliam on Thursday evening. They got 1 great win away from home, with the other away matches resulting in narrow wins for Fortwilliam. In the home matches Cairndhu won the first match, meaning it came down to the last hole, with Fortwilliam winning the remaining match on the 18th green. Good luck to Fortwilliam for the rest of the competition. Team: Connor Weir, Tony Watts, Niall McGoldrick, Brian Haveron, Andrew Little, Oliver Mulvenna, Andy King, Houston Saunderson, Chris McCourt, Steven McCourt.

The Belfast and District Cup team had a thrilling win against Lisburn. They had 1 great win away at Lisburn with the other matches going to the home team. In the home leg Cairndhu won 2 games with Lisburn taking the other match that had finished. This left the deciding match going up tie holes, which Cairndhu won with a great putt on the 20th hole to go through. Team: Ryan Long, Nicholas McClay, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry, Brian Galway, Ethan Campbell, Neil McKinstry.

The Pierce Purcell team lost narrowly to Cruit Island on Sunday. In the away matches in west Donegal, Cairndhu had two great away wins around the tricky Cruit Island layout, with the other match going to the home team. Unfortunately Cruit Island won both matches at Cairndhu meaning that they are through. Good luck to Cruit Island for the rest of the competition. Team: John O'Toole, Caleb Lynass, Tony Anderson, Gavin Gowdy, Brian Haveron, Ben Hopkins, Oliver Mulvenna, Dean McDonagh, Jim Campbell, Raymond Ferguson.

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

This weekends fixtures are below.

The Jimmy Bruen team play on Thursday evening, with 3 matches at Fortwilliam and 2 at home.

The Belfast and District Cup team play Lisburn on Saturday afternoon.

The Pierce Purcell team play Cruit Island on Sunday afternoon.

All support welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

Thank you to everyone who supported the Club and entered the Open sweep.

The results are below:

1st Keith McKay
2nd Roy Webb
3rd Jack Murphy & Paula McKinstry
Wooden Spoon Bobby Lyttle & Tommy Close

The Senior Cup team unfortunately lost to a strong Massereene side on Friday night. Massereene won both matches at Massereene, and won one match on the last at Cairndhu to go through. Cairndhu won one home game and the other was called in on the 17th. Good luck to Massereene for the rest of the competition. Team: Marc McKinstry, Ryan McKinstry, Nicholas McClay, Neil McKinstry, Ryan Long.

The Ulster Cup team beat Carrick on Saturday to go through to the area quarter final. 3 home wins and one great away win was enough to get through. Carrick won one match at Carrick, with the other two games called in. Team: Ryan Garrett, Tony Watts, Charlie Robinson, Brian Haveron, Gareth Owen, Brendan Rolston, Norman Johnston.

The Mixed Foursomes team beat Roe Park on Sunday to also go through to the area quarter final. They won one match away, with the other match at Roe Park resulting in a narrow 1 down loss. Two home wins were then enough to get through, with the other home game called in with Cairndhu 2 up. Team: Jane Ogilby, Brian Galway, Sandra Conlon, Nicholas McClay, Amanda McKinstry, Ryan Long, Sinead Robinson, Andrew Little, Kate Mellor, Ethan Campbell.

Thanks again to all the players for representing the club and for all the support!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

This weekends fixtures are below.

The Senior Cup team play on Friday evening, with 3 matches at Cairndhu and 2 at Massereene.

The Ulster Cup team play Carrick on Saturday afternoon with 4 matches at home and 3 away.

The Mixed Foursomes team play Roe Park on Sunday afternoon with 3 matches at home and 2 away.

All support welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

The Barton Shield team narrowly lost to Portstewart. The home match was all square after 18 holes and the away match finished 2 up to Portstewart. Good luck to Portstewart for the rest of the competition. Team: Marc McKinstry, Ryan Long, Nicholas McClay, Brian Galway.

The Pierce Purcell team beat the Hilton. Two wins at home and one great away sealed the win. The other matches were called in. Team: Ben Hopkins, Brian Haveron, Jim Campbell, Raymond Ferguson, Caleb Lynass, John O'Toole, Oliver Mulvenna, Dean McDonagh, Andy Reid, Anthony Rolston

The Holt Shield team did not have to play as Balmoral did not field a team. They now are through the group stages and go into the last 16 and play Belvoir Park. Team selected: Stephen McCourt, Chris McCourt, Connor Weir, Sean Murphy, Andrew Beatty, Jonny Anderson

This weekends team matches from 9th July - 11th July.

The Holt Shield team play Balmoral on Friday evening with 3 matches at home and 3 matches away.

The Barton Shield team play Portstewart on Saturday with 1 match at home and 1 match away.

The Pierce Purcell team play Hilton Templepatrick on Saturday with the matches split between Cairndhu and the Hilton.

All support welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

We are looking to recruit a highly motivated trainee bar supervisor to join our expanding team on a full time basis.

If you are interested please email your CV to cairndhugc@btconnect.com

Closing date is 28/7/2021

A busy weekend of matches for the club! Thanks to everyone for playing and representing the club so well.

The Belfast & District Cup team beat Balmoral on Saturday to go through to the next round. 4 wins in the home matches were enough to win through. Team: Nicholas McClay, Ryan McKinstry, Marc McKinstry, Ryan Long, Neil McKinstry, Ethan Campbell, Brian Galway.

The Ulster Cup team beat Cushendall on Saturday. 2 great wins away in Cushendall along with 2 home wins got the team through. Team: Ryan Garrett, Charlie Robinson, Brian Haveron, Rodney Crawford, Oliver Mulvenna, Derek Swann, Brendan Rolston.

The Mixed Foursomes Team had a great win against Ballyclare on Sunday. All 3 home matches were won, with one win away and the other match called in on the 17th. Team: Jane Ogilby, Brian Galway, Sandra Conlon, Nicholas McClay, Laura Maguire, Barry Lyness, Amanda McKinstry, Ryan Long, Sinead Robinson, Andrew Little.

The All Ireland Fourball team unfortunately lost 3 - 2 to Fintona on Sunday in a tightly fought match. All the best to Fintona for the rest of the competition. Team: Raymond Ferguson, John McCauley, Tommy Close, Uel Henry, Trevor Crawford, Darin Ferguson, Keith Campbell, Bill McIlroy, Sammy Kernaghan, Iain Carson.

The Ladies East Antrim League team travelled to Massereene on Monday, with the score finishing 4 - 1 to Massereene. Team: Laura Maguire, Gail McCluggage, Sinead Robinson, Sandra Conlon, Erica Wilson.

The Senior Cup team got through against Omagh. They won both home games on Friday night, and got the required further win away in Omagh on Monday night to ensure progress. Team: Marc McKinstry, Ryan McKinstry, Brian Galway, Nicholas McClay, Ryan Long.

The Jimmy Bruen team beat Cushendall on Monday evening. Cairndhu won two matches away, including winning the last 5 holes to finish 1 up in one of the matches. In addition to 1 home win it was enough to send the team through, with the other home match called in. Team: Niall McGoldrick, Brian Haveron, Gordon Best, Ryan Garrett, Andy King, Houston Saunderson, Steven McCourt, Chris McCourt, Oliver Mulvenna, Andrew Little.

Good luck to John McKinstry who is Ireland Team Manager for the Mens European Team Championships held at PGA Catalunya in Spain.

Also wishing good luck to Cairndhu Honorary Life Member Laura Webb who is Ireland Team Captain for the Ladies European Team Championships held at Royal County Down. Our Match and Handicap Convenor Brian Haveron met Laura off the boat as part of his role with Golf Ireland.

You can follow the teams progress here: https://www.golfireland.ie/news-detail?newsarticleid=189&tags=High%20Performance

A great honour and tremendous achievement for two Cairndhu club legends.

There is a busy weekend of team matches this weekend 2nd July - 5th July.

The Senior Cup team play their home matches on Friday evening against Omagh, with the away matches in Omagh on Monday evening.

The Belfast and District Cup team play home and away against Balmoral on Saturday afternoon.

The Ulster Cup team play home and away against Cushendall on Saturday afternoon.

The Mixed Foursomes team play home and away against Ballyclare on Sunday afternoon.

The All Ireland Fourball team play home and away against Fintona on Sunday afternoon.

The Ladies East Antrim League team play away to Massereene on Monday.

And the Jimmy Bruen team play home and away against Cushendall on Monday evening.

All support welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

A large number of items have built up in the lost and found area. This is located just inside the door to the left as you enter the Gents Locker Room corridor.

The items include headcovers, caps, jumpers and clubs amongst other things.

If any of these belong to you can you please retrieve them as soon as possible in order to keep this area tidy.

The Pierce Purcell team had a great win against Donegal's Portsalon on Sunday. They won 3 matches to go through, with the remaining 2 matches then called in. Team: Jake McCartney, Tommy Hart, Andy Reid, Anthony Rolston, Jim Campbell, Raymond Ferguson, Oliver Mulvenna, Dean McDonagh, Brian Haveron, Ben Hopkins.

The Ladies East Antrim League team won 3.5 - 1.5 at home to Cliftonville on Monday to make it two wins out of two so far. Team: Gail McCluggage, Sandra Conlon, Debbie Grimes, Angela McConkey, Kate McKee.

The Holt Shield team won 4 - 2 against Massereene to pick up 8 points for the league table, winning 2 matches at home and 2 matches away. Team: Simon King, Gordon Best, Andrew Beatty, Jonathan Anderson, Chris McCourt, Steven McCourt. The last fixture in the group stage is against Balmoral with Cairndhu needing to finish in the top 2 in the group to go through to the last 16. The league table can be seen here https://www.holtshield.co.uk/draw-sections/section-4-fixtures-results/

Congratulations to Brian Galway who had a Hole in One on the 6th in the Coronation Cup.

Well done from all at Cairndhu.

This weekend the Pierce Purcell team make the long trip to Portsalon in Donegal on Sunday. The matches are split between Cairndhu and Portsalon.

The Holt Shield team play Massereene on Sunday in the second match of the group stage. The matches are split evenly between Cairndhu and Massereene.

The Ladies East Antrim League team play at home again on Monday afternoon, which is their second match of the competition.

All support welcome as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

A reminder of the Golf Ireland Spectator Guidelines is below:
*Golf Ireland welcomes spectators to all of its Competitions. To ensure that all players feel
comfortable on the course and enjoy their game these guidelines should be observed:
i) Walk in rough & maintain a distance of at least 25 yards from players
ii) Acknowledge good shots by all players equally
iii) Do not give advice or interact with players
iv) Do not give Rulings or call Penalties on players
v) Do not disturb the play of others by moving or making noise
vi) Be aware of the players in the groups behind
vii) Do not move a player’s bag as this may be construed as caddying. Breaches of these
guidelines may be reported to the Tournament Office.
viii) Always be alert to incoming ball flights, irrespective of positioning relative to the
line of play. In this regard it is essential to be aware of play and activity in front of and
behind.
Spectators attending Golf Ireland competitions assume full responsibility for all belongings
carried onto the competition site, and for their personal safety with particular regard to 4
viii) above.
*

Thanks to the greens team who had the course in great condition for the NI Open last week. The greens were cut and rolled on both days of the tournament. The fairways were cut each day to maintain the definition.

After a warm and dry weekend and the course browning up, several greens were watered using the sprinkler system on Monday morning. Some rain is forecast this week.

New signage showing were the first tee, practice green etc is, has been placed outside the Pro Shop. Thanks to the team for getting this together it looks very smart.

Please remember to use only the space that was allocated to you in the new trolley room, if you are unsure please ask in the Pro Shop.

There is a waiting list for a low upright locker in the men's locker room. Some of the horizontal lockers should be available soon. Please contact the Club Office if you wish to be added to a waiting list.

We were also featured on a BBC News article on red squirrel breeding. This is a result of the work being done to the right of the 16th green. The article can be viewed here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-57449045

The All Ireland Fourball team won on Friday against Greenisland. The team won both home matches, with one match winning on the 1st tie hole after being 3 down through 9. An additional one win and two narrow losses away was enough to progress to the next round. Team: Raymond Ferguson, John McCauley, Andy Kyle, Gavin Topping, Iain Carson, Sammy Kernaghan, Trevor Crawford, Darin Ferguson, Tommy Close, Uel Henry.

The Jimmy Bruen team won on Sunday against Greenisland. Two matches were won at home, and one away. The remaining matches were called in with Cairndhu up in both. Team: Ryan Garrett, Matt Hyslop, Andrew Little, Oliver Mulvenna, Brian Haveron, Niall McGoldrick, Andy King, John Hicks, Steven McCourt, Chris McCourt.

The Ladies East Antrim League team had a great 5-0 home win against Ballymena on Monday. A good start to the league campaign. Team: Sinead Robinson, Erica Wilson, Cathy Keown, Debbie Grimes, Sandra Conlon.

The Senior Cup team won against Carrick on Monday. Both home matches were won including one match finishing on the 2nd tie hole. The away matches finished with one win, one loss and one match called in on the 19th which was enough to progress to the next round. Team: Brian Galway, Ryan McKinstry, Nicholas McClay, Marc McKinstry, Ryan Long.

The Barton Shield team had a great win on Tuesday against a strong Malone side. The home match was 3 up through 16 and the away match was all square meaning Cairndhu went through to the next round. Team: Marc McKinstry, Ryan Long, Brian Galway, Nicholas McClay.

The Fred Perry team unfortunately had to concede a walkover to Faughan Valley.

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

A large number of photos from the NI Open can be seen in the link here

https://andycrook.smugmug.com/Andy-Crook-Golf-2021/Clutch-Pro-Tour-2021/Clutch-Pro-Tour-Northern-Ireland-Open/

A highlights reel will be available shortly and we will share the link to that when it is available

The Barton Shield team won last Friday against Dunmurry. The home pair had a 4 up lead with 2 holes to play and in the away leg the match was all square, meaning Cairndhu could not be beaten. It was also great to welcome Michael Abram back to the club who was representing Dunmurry after recently moving to Belfast. Team: Marc McKinstry, Ryan Long, Brian Galway, Nicholas McClay.

The Holt Shield team took 5 points from the first fixture against Rockmount. There was 1 win and 2 half matches gained at home, and 1 half match away. Team: Matt Hyslop, Gordon Best, Andy Beatty, Andy King, Simon King, Connor Weir.

The Jimmy Bruen team and Fred Perry team are playing this Sunday with the matches split between Cairndhu and Greenisland / Faughan Valley respectively. The Senior Cup team play on Monday evening with matches split between Cairndhu and Carrick. The Ladies East Antrim League team play on Monday. All support is appreciated as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

The final round of the NI Open took place on Tuesday 15th June. Again conditions were dry with sunny spells, with a testing breeze for most of the days play. The wind had switched from day 1, with the opening tee shot off our 10th now being played into the stiff breeze and off the left. Again this meant the opening 3 holes (10th, 11th 12th) played tough. However birdies were possible on holes now playing somewhat downwind, such as the 16th, 17th, 18th, 4th, 7th and 9th. Our 9th being played as the final hole provided great drama.

The ladies section was a thrilling tight affair all day with the lead changing hands multiple times. The overnight leader Sarah Gee got off to a tough start and as they got into the back 9 Heather MacRae led by 1 from Thalia Martin. Both players navigated the breezy final 9 holes (our front 9) tidily, and as Thalia got to the final tee she was tied for the lead with Heather, both players on +12. A superb long drive by Thalia into the greenside bunker left the opportunity to get up and down for a winning birdie. Despite a tricky stance, Thalia played a superb shot which glanced the hole on the way past, leaving a 3 footer down the hill for the win, which she duly holed. Thalia now takes the place in the LPGA/LET sanctioned ISPS Handa World Invitational at Galgorm on the 29th of July https://www.worldinvitational.golf/

The mens section produced some thrilling golf. Morgan Jackson and Bailey Gill both shot great final rounds of 71 to finish in a tie for 6th with Richard Kilpatrick on 144 (+4). Robert Prior, who shot a fine even par 70, and Adam Winter, who completed two solid rounds, rounded out the top 10 on 145 (+5). Overnight leaders Conor O'Rourke and John Murphy got off to steady starts on the tricky opening holes. John then produced a truly stunning run of golf which perhaps was the key to the tournament. He went birdie, eagle, birdie, birdie from the tough 15th onwards, which gave him a 5 shot lead going into the final 9 holes. Dermot McElroy birdied the last hole, in a clutch final 9 holes of 2 under, to set the clubhouse target at 139 (-1). Liam Grehan also birdied the last to join Dermot on 139 (-1). Out on the course, with John birdieing the 4th to maintain his lead, JR Galbraith and Conor O'Rourke were battling for the second spot at the World invitational. An inspirational chip in by JR on the 5th for birdie, coupled with a double bogey by Conor on the 6th after going long and left with his tee shot, gave JR a 2 shot cushion over Conor. However a cruel lip out on the 7th for JR, and pars for both men on the 8th, meant that both JR and Conor had to birdie the last to join the playoff for second spot. JR unfortunately lost his drive out of bounds left and Conor's putt just slid by the hole, meaning that they finished just outside the playoff. John Murphy meanwhile curled in a superb putt on the last for another birdie and a 4 shot win on 135 (-5), the only player to post both rounds under par. With 11 birdies and an eagle, it was a great start to his professional career for the Kinsale man. The last act to be decided was the second male spot in the ISPS Handa World Invitational, in a sudden death playoff between Dermot and Liam. Both parred the 9th first time around, so it was back to the tee. Second time around, Dermot produced a great curling clutch putt from 15 feet for birdie, to win the playoff.

The final leaderboard can be seen here https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/7160767615751689243

Good luck to Thalia, John and Dermot in the ISPS Handa World Invitational which takes place on the 29th of July https://www.worldinvitational.golf/

Thanks go to all members for giving up their course for 2 days, the volunteers who marshalled, spotted balls, caddied, drove buggies, manned the driving range, the greens team for having the course in superb condition, the bar staff, Pro Shop and catering for working long days, the Clutch Tour for bringing the event to our great course, and the players for travelling to play. With only 4 players at par or better after the two days, it was great to see Cairndhu provide a stern but fair test for the competitors.

As always, our members were a credit to our club. From welcoming the players, volunteering, greeting the tour officials, watching the golf on the course, and supporting the bar, there were so many positive comments about the great welcome that the players and tour received. Thanks again for supporting the event and making it a success. Lets hope we can make it happen again next year and even bigger and better.

Round 1 of the 2021 Northern Ireland Open took place in dry but breezy conditions. With the players starting on the 10th the opening holes, known as Cairndhu's 'Amen Corner', proved a tough start with the 10th and 12th playing into the wind off the right. Once through the 12th, scoring opportunities became more plentiful and the day saw a number of eagles and birdies as well as bogeys and worse.

James Mack made the early running turning in 35 (-1) before eventually signing for a 73 (+3). 7 players shot 72 (+2) and will be hoping for a big move on Tuesday. With the breezy conditions perhaps suiting the Irish players, the leaderboard at the end of the day was dominated by local players. Brendan McCarroll and Liam Grehan shot 70 (E) to lie withing striking distance of the lead going into day 2, alongside Scotsman Chris Doak (E). Banbridge's Richard Kilkpatrick, a regular player in our annual PGA Pro Am, returned an excellent round of 69 (-1), which included eagles at the par 5 14th and par 4 4th. Ballymena's Dermot McElroy fired 3 birdies in his round of 69 (-1). JR Galbraith from Whitehead made an explosive start, birdieing all 3 of the fearsome Amen Corner 10th, 11th and 12th, a feat that surely has rarely been done before, and played the back 9 in 31 (-5). JR eventually signed for an excellent round of 68 (-2). The leaders at the end of the day were recent Walker Cup team member John Murphy, and Conor Rourke. Both players shot superb 67's (-3), with John firing 6 birdies and Conor firing 5 birdies. This is Murphy's first event since turning professional. The Kinsale man recently impressed in the Walker Cup played in Seminole, USA, and has the benefit of some local knowledge as a team mate of our own Marc McKinstry in the 2016 Irish Boys team. O'Rourke is coming off some impressive recent performances on the Challenge Tour and has previously performed excellently on the Alps Tour.

In the ladies scoring section, Sarah Gee made a birdie 2 on the tricky 13th and leads by 1 shot from Thalia Martin, with Jess Adams and Heather MacCrae a further 1 shot behind. It will be a thrilling conclusion to the ladies event, with only 4 shots seperating the top 6 players vying for the all important 1 spot in the ISPS Handa event.

The forecast for the final round is similar to day one, with a fresh breeze, however it looks like the breeze may switch direction, which should pose an interesting challenge to the players. It was good to see Cairndhu hold up as a stern challenge on day 1, with the course receiving plenty of positive comments from the competitors. Lets hope for a thrilling conclusion to the mens and ladies events and plenty of birdies!

The ladies leaders tee off at 10.50.
The male leaders tee off at 12.55.

Live scoring can be followed here https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/7160767615751689243

There will be a divot filling party carrying out divot repairs on the fairways this Friday morning, from 8.30 am.

If anyone can volunteer to assist Vinnie and team, please come along on Friday morning. No experience required!

Details of our upcoming party nights have been added to the Entertainment section of the website here https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=1586

Saturday 29th August: Antrim Coast Half Marathon After Party featuring Fishermans Friends
Saturday 16th October: Pink tribute featuring Alicia Karr
Saturday 4th December: Christmas Tapas Party, with live entertainment
Saturday 11th December: Gareth Brooks tribute with 3 course meal
Saturday 18th December: Tina Turner tribute with 3 course meal

Please contact 02828583324, cairndhugc@btconnect.com or contact the Cairndhu social media pages to book your tickets. Please see the posters for details of the bonuses for booking before the end of August!

We will be showing the European Championship football in the Bar this summer, starting on Friday 11th June.

Pints will be £3 during selected games, other drinks offers will be available. Please ask the Bar Steward for further information of what is on offer.

Please come along and enjoy the atmosphere in the Clubhouse!

As per the latest Golf Ireland guidelines the locker rooms and trolley store are now open again.

If you have booked a space in the new trolley store then please consult the notice board in the Pro Shop to see the space that you have been allocated. Entry is via the new ramp at the back of the building.

Thank you for your patience as we work with the guidelines outlined by Golf Ireland.

We are only a week away from the Northern Ireland Open and ISPS Handa Qualifier at Cairndhu on Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th June. Please come along, enjoy the two days golf and enhance the experience and profile of Cairndhu.

The Clutch Tour have created this stunning video of the club, please take a look and like and share https://www.instagram.com/tv/CPvitF4Dg3H/?utmmedium=copylink

The event will be over 36 holes, with a two tee start. Tee times will be confirmed shortly.

To allow for course preparation and practice, the course will be closed to non-competitors on the following times:
-Saturday 12th June 16.30 onwards
-Sunday 13th June 11.00 onwards
-Monday 14th June - all day
-Tuesday 15th June - all day

Spectators are limited to members, and members guests. Each member can bring an unlimited number of guests. The main bar and conservatory bar will be open, as well as an outdoor refreshment tent.

NI OPEN logo Cairndhu jumpers and t shirts will be available to purchase in the Pro Shop.

Please follow ClutchProTour, Modest!Golf, and ISPSHandWorldInvitational on all social media platforms to get all the updates and footage from the event.

https://www.worldinvitational.golf/ni-open/

The lane and clubhouse carparks are closed for competitors, staff and officials only. The Bob Walker Room is a players lounge for competitors only.

Members will be issued with a car parking pass on BRS email, which will allow them to park at the upper car park in Carnfunnock.

There will be a practice area in the main field at Carnfunnock, as well as the usual 3rd valley and 8th.

Please adhere to any advice given by the volunteers and volunteer marshalls present during the event.

The Junior Cup team lost last Sunday to Ballyclare. 1 home match resulted in a narrow loss, with 2 away losses. The other matches were called in on the 17th and 21st holes. Good luck to Ballyclare in the next round. Team: Matt Hyslop, Niall McGoldrick, Andrew Little, Connor Weir, Andrew Beattie.

The Fred Daly team lost to a strong Lisburn side on Sunday. All matches were won by the Lisburn player. Despite the loss this was excellent matchplay experience gained for our developing young side. Good luck to Lisburn in the next round. Team: Sean Murphy, Ryan Marcus, Lewis Harrison, Jonathon Russell, Oliver Clarke.

The Barton Shield team and the Holt Shield team are both playing this Friday evening (11th June). Matches are split between Dunmurry and Rockmount respectively. All support is appreciated as always!

The 'Club Team Captains' section of our website will be kept up to date with fixture dates as they are announced https://www.cairndhugolfclub.co.uk/Page/Custom?pageId=6297

The Junior Cup team plays Ballyclare this Sunday the 30th of May. Team Captain is Gareth Owen. The team got to the Ulster Final last year to finish as Ulster runners up, so will be hopeful to go one better this year.

Home tee off is at 14.50

Ballyclare tee off is at 14.20

All support welcome as always!

A reminder of the Golf Ireland Spectator Guidelines is below:
*Golf Ireland welcomes spectators to all of its Competitions. To ensure that all players feel
comfortable on the course and enjoy their game these guidelines should be observed:
i) Walk in rough & maintain a distance of at least 25 yards from players
ii) Acknowledge good shots by all players equally
iii) Do not give advice or interact with players
iv) Do not give Rulings or call Penalties on players
v) Do not disturb the play of others by moving or making noise
vi) Be aware of the players in the groups behind
vii) Do not move a player’s bag as this may be construed as caddying. Breaches of these
guidelines may be reported to the Tournament Office.
viii) Always be alert to incoming ball flights, irrespective of positioning relative to the
line of play. In this regard it is essential to be aware of play and activity in front of and
behind.
Spectators attending Golf Ireland competitions assume full responsibility for all belongings
carried onto the competition site, and for their personal safety with particular regard to 4
viii) above.
*

The team have mowed the large field at Carnfunnock, which will be used as a practice area for the upcoming Northern Ireland Open tournament.

Following discussions with the Clutch Tour, it has become apparent that there will indeed be opportunities for club members to work as caddies. Potential caddies will be required to be on site on Sunday for the practice round, as well as the Monday and Tuesday of the tournament. If you wish to caddie please contact Paul Stinson on prvstinson@aol.com.

Some extra golf buggies will be required for the duration of the event, for tournament officials and rules officials to use, and also to provide a transport service from the club to the practice range. If you would be willing to let your buggy be used during this time, please let the buggy convenor Tony Watts know.

The Clubhouse and indoor Bar are open from Monday May 24th.

The Restaurant and catering facilities are open from Tuesday 25th.

Lets hope that this is the last 're-opening'.

We can't wait to have you back. Please follow all guidelines and keep an eye on emails for re-opening protocols.

Congratulations to Jeffrey Withers who had a Hole in One on the 6th in the Baine Trophy.

Well done from all at Cairndhu.

Last week the team addressed the lower limbs of trees on the 15th and other holes. This will allow more airflow through the area, lead to less time looking for balls, and allow for more creative recovery shots, while still punishing wayward tee shots. The ivy in the undergrowth was also cut away.

The tops of some whin bushes were cut to regenerate new growth.

Fertiliser was applied to the greens in anticipation of some rain in the latter part of this week. Several of the greens will be overseeded on Tuesday next week with a specialist piece of machinery and operator.

With a couple of very wet mornings, some indoor work was completed, such as a fresh coat of paint on the flagpole!

Cairndhu NI Open logo Oscar Jacobson jumpers and t shirts are available to order in the Pro Shop

Please place your order by May 31st to allow these to be ordered and delivered promptly.

We recently met with Clutch Pro Tour, organisers of the NI Open and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board, in preparation for the tournament next month. We look forward to hosting the event which will provide international exposure for Northern Ireland as a premium golf destination.

#NIMadeForGolf #EmbraceAGiantSpirit

The distance markers in the fairway, and at each tee, have been re-painted and are now back on the course. Strokesavers / yardage books and range finders are available in the Pro Shop

We are also thankful to member Matt Hyslop and the team at Allister Moore Welding Supplies for the design and manufacture of the excellent covid safe flagstick accessories. Matt has made over 20 of these for the club in the last year.

Check out Allister Moore Welding Supplies here:
https://www.moorewelding.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Local-Business/allister-moore-welding-supplies-119809588054539/

Please place your order through the Pro Shop.

There will be a deadline for placing orders to ensure that the items arrive in time for the tournament, so please order as soon as possible.

Pencil tining is being carried out on several of the greens today.

We plan to overseed the greens this week, but we need soil temperatures to rise a degree or two.
If soil temperature drops below 9 degrees, it can get too cold for regular grass seed to grow. The ideal soil temperature for grass seed germination is 9-12 degrees and just like any seed, grass seed needs the right conditions, with warmth and moisture the key to germination.

As shown, we are currently reading an average soil temperature of 9.9c but getting colder at night, so not ideal.

New club crested items in the Pro Shop include belts, hats, head covers, suit covers, jumpers, t shirts and much more.

You can also purchase framed prints of some of the scenic views from the course, please ask the Club Pro for details.

Verti-Cutting has commenced on all greens.

This removes lateral growth and any top layer of thatch build up in the soil profile.

It also invigorates the growth.

The steps leading up to the 5th tee have now been repaired and updated with a great new look. Thanks to Jonny, and our recently appointed apprentice Rhys, for working on this project.

The greens were fertilised last Saturday evening ahead of the projected overnight rain which duly arrived.

During the rest of this week, the course will be sprayed with chemicals for daisies.

A light top dressing of fine sand is also going to be applied to the greens.

On Tuesday 27th the green staff will be carrying out verticutting of the greens.There will be some disruption to people playing that day. Please give greenstaff right of way as this is essential part of routine work needed to be carried out.

Our Course Convenor has kindly donated a large number of pitch mark repairers for our members. These are available in the Pro Shop.

If you haven't got one, or didn't get one already at the weekend, please ask our Club Professional for one free of charge.

Quality club crest branded pitch mark repairers and ball marker sets are also available to purchase, a great long lasting tool to have or to give as a gift.

Please endeavor to fix your own pitch mark, and any other pitch marks you see on the greens. This will help the Green Staff and give us better putting surfaces for all.

A couple of guides to fixing pitch marks on greens are shown below:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myOTf1wuZoA
- https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/the-game/how-to-repair-a-pitch-mark-correctly-12186
- http://blog.standrews.com/2015/02/25/how-to-repair-a-pitchmark/

The World Handicap System information boards are now up at the 1st tees. The information for white and green tees is on the fence behind the 1st tee, and the information for the red tees is on the back of the 1st tee sign for the red tees.

Thanks to Match and Handicap for the work in getting these made and put up.

These will be used for competitions and for matchplay where there is an allowance for handicaps.

After today's (15th April) Executive announcement, we will be able to have an outdoor bar from Friday 30th April.

The bar indoors will be permitted from Monday 24th May.

Keep an eye out for more information on the finer details as and when we get further information.

Can't wait to have you back!

Our thanks go to the Course Manager and Greenstaff team for the condition of the course for our return to golf.

The plans for April and into the start of May are as follows:
- Top-dressing of all the tees with sand.
- Apply a pesticide on all greens, surrounds and certain outfield areas to combat Leatherjacket invasion.
- Apply a selective herbicide to eradicate weeds (mainly daisies) on the fairways and tees.
- Pencil tine the greens near the end of the month and apply a light coating of smooth finishing sand as a top-dressing.
- Apply a liquid fertiliser on all the greens. Overnight rain was forecast on the 17th, so fertiliser was applied to the greens on the evening of Saturday 17th in advance of the rain.
- Erect the new practice net as soon as it arrives.
- Create a chipping area near the practice net.
- The mowing regime will as always take priority and obviously weather conditions will determine when some of the above tasks can be addressed.

The ground on the right of the 15th fairway and within a landing area from the tee is very wet and numerous balls are being plugged and lost. We investigated the area and subsequently realised that drainage was the only option. We had the digger on loan for other tasks and it was decided to address the problems on the 15th too. Main drains with offshoots have been excavated, piped and are being stoned to alleviate the problems. Through time we can add further offshoots if necessary.

In addition we would like to welcome Mr Alan Knox as acting Course Convenor until the AGM can take place.

Can all members please endeavor to fix their own pitchmark and any other pitchmarks visible on the greens.

We return to golf on Thursday 1st April! Please take the time to read the Golf Ireland protocol here https://www.golfireland.ie/covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0JOn_6XuMQU9xy6hkwkXxOEX013yBu22Kd9asewC2QMZTc8U-brz-Kq7s

A reminder that if you book on BRS as a 3ball, from 3 different households, 1 player will be required to play the opposite 9 holes. You could also join up with a 3ball / 1 ball on BRS before arriving at the course. There will be Rangers on course to assist the Pro Shop and to help members to adhere to the protocol. Please make this easier for the volunteer Rangers by not playing in groups which are not permitted by the protocol. This is only for a short period, it is expected (but not confirmed) that we will be allowed 4balls from the 12th of April. Thank you for your patience.

BRS is open for tee times for the period from 1st to 11th April. Can all members please check your emails from Wednesday 24th March as information on the BRS tee time booking process has be sent to all members. There are 2 emails to read. The focus has been getting as many members as possible playing during this initial period.

The Office is open on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 3pm. This will allow those members who have yet to make arrangements to pay their fees to do so. Payment options are available.

Phone: 02828 583324

Email: cairndhugc@btconnect.com

Can all members please try and register for the website Members Area. This can be done using the Members Area link at the top right of the website, or through the standalone ClubV1 Members Hub smartphone app. There is a ClubV1 and HowDidIDo set up and log in guide further down the page on this Club News section of the website. There will be useful information uploaded to the Members Area that is not available elsewhere.

BRS will open at 7 PM on Thursday 25th March. This is for tee times for the period from 1st to 11th April.

Can all members please check your emails from Wednesday 24th March as information on the BRS tee time booking process has be sent to all members. There are 2 emails to read. The focus has been getting as many members as possible playing during this initial period.

The Office is open on Thursday and Friday from 9am to 3pm. This will allow those members who have yet to make arrangements to pay their fees to do so. Payment options are available.

Phone: 02828 583324

Email: cairndhugc@btconnect.com

Please take the time to read the Golf Ireland protocol here https://www.golfireland.ie/covid-19?fbclid=IwAR0JOn_6XuMQU9xy6hkwkXxOEX013yBu22Kd9asewC2QMZTc8U-brz-Kq7s

The Guinea Fowl that were raised in the biodiversity area on the right hand side of the 16th have now been released into the wild. The insect and seed eating, ground-nesting birds resemble partridges, but with featherless heads. There have also been regular sightings of Red Squirells in the trees near the 16th. If you see the Guinea Fowl, Red Squirells or any other interesting wildlife, please feel free to take a photo and tag our social media pages.

Course maintenance is continuing at pace driven by our Course Manager Vinny Magill and team of Trevor Tweed and Jonny Corken. Huge thanks to the staff for their efforts and skill under challenging conditions. We are also looking into the possibility of taking on board an apprentice to join the team as part of their Greenmount college education. This will also tie in with and benefit from the recently announced Government support available for the hiring of apprentices.

The greens required more aeration so a pencil tine has been applied. They will then be top dressed with fine sand with the sand luted in by hand. An application of insecticide to combat leatherjackets will be applied and also an application of low nitrogen fertiliser.

The bunkers have been rotovated to a fine tilth. A light top dressing of rough sand will be applied to the tees. The mowing schedule will continue and spraying of fairways for weed control etc will be addressed at an appropriate time.

Other tasks such as the steps on the 13th tee and the fence behind the 1st tee will be completed amongst others.

The latest winter was the wettest on record since we started measuring for the Met Office in 1996, leaving the soil profile cold and somewhat waterlogged.

The gardening team are working every Monday morning on areas such as planting, wood clearing and tidying. Anyone wishing to help volunteer please do not hesitate to join them at around 9am on a Monday morning!

As mentioned in previous correspondance, any members who wish to express ideas on areas of course and buildings development and improvement, please do not hesitate to contact Vincent Lennon or the Course Convenor.

As part of the 2021 ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Modest! Golf, this year’s Northern Ireland Open will take place at one of Antrim’s most scenic venues at Cairndhu Golf Club and is part of the UK and Ireland’s Clutch Pro Tour.

Qualifying status for ISPS HANDA World Invitational brings further player and economic benefits. See link here https://www.worldinvitational.golf/cairndhu-confirmed-as-2021-ni-open-venue/

For over a decade the NI Open has been played at Galgorm where this year’s ISPS HANDA World Invitational will take place from July 28 – August 1, 2021. This year the NI Open moves to Cairndhu where men and women professionals will have the chance to win a place at the ISPS HANDA World Invitational through this dedicated qualifying event.

The 36-hole strokeplay event will take place on June 14-15 where men and women professionals compete for a £10,000 prize fund as a Clutch Tour event and also have the chance to compete alongside European Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour (LET) players. For full details on how to enter please visit https://www.clutchprotour.co.uk

“I am so delighted that we are able to offer a qualifying event for the ISPS HANDA World Invitational in partnership with the Clutch Pro Tour,” explained Niall Horan, owner Modest! Golf, who also support the Clutch Pro Tour.

“Modest! Golf continually provide opportunities for the next generation of golfer and we hope this year’s NI Open provides golfers with a route to compete and qualify for one of the most exciting and unique events on the LPGA, LET and European Tour schedule.”

As part of the wider reach of the internationally acclaimed ISPS HANDA World Invitational, the NI Open brings further economic benefits to the local area and also showcases another great golfing location within the borough.

“I am delighted that the excellent facilities at Cairndhu will play host to some of the game’s leading professionals for the NI Open on June 14-15, which will further showcase Mid and East Antrim, and all that our borough has to offer,” said Councillor Peter Johnston, Mayor Mid & East Antrim Borough Council.

“The last 12 months have been challenging for us all so it is very positive news that we can look forward to brighter days ahead, with the return of such a significant sporting event and the ISPS HANDA World Invitational at Galgorm from July 29 to August 1.

“It is a very welcome development to see the NI Open expand across the borough so that we can increase the reach, benefits and exposure that the event affords us in terms of supporting our local tourism industry and wider economy, while also supporting the local sporting fraternity.

“Council is delighted to work closely with the event organisers, and we remain very hopeful that the restrictions will be sufficiently relaxed to allow spectators and visitors to enjoy the tournaments when the time comes.”

The NI Open will follow government guidelines and further details on spectators will be announced in due course.

The NI Open is another great opportunity for men and women professionals across the island of Ireland and the UK to not only compete in an established event, but also progress to a global event like the ISPS HANDA World Invitational that will be broadcast around the world.

“I am thrilled that that the NI Open as a professional qualifying event for the ISPS HANDA World Invitational is coming to Cairndhu Golf Club,” said Sandra Conlan, Cairndhu Lady Captain.

“I look forward to welcoming all the competitors that will compete in the Clutch Tour event – especially the lady professionals – to experience our hidden gem of a course on the beautiful East Antrim Coast where they will enjoy two great days of golf.”

David Johnston, Cairndhu Club Captain, added: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome the NI Open as this year’s qualifying event for the ISPS HANDA World Invitational to Cairndhu Golf Club, and to play a part in driving the game forward with an event that provides equality and inclusivity.”

“I hope in hosting the NI Open, we will have the opportunity to showcase our course, the stunning scenery and our world-famous hospitality.”

Keep an eye on he tournament build up using the link here https://www.worldinvitational.golf/

Congratulations to Laura Maguire for being named 2nd in Ulster and our Ladies Section for being named 4th in the latest My Golf Ranking update!

https://mygolfranking.net/

https://twitter.com/mygolfranking/status/1369548503098273792

With the arrival of March the Gardening Team were able to get back to work. Some of the work planned and being carried out is detailed below:

- Entrance Feature/area adjacent to 17th green: Remove hydrangea. Transplant to area beside 17th green & adjacent to steps to 18th tee. Purchase of azalea plants.
- 8th Tee Box: Weed/tidy 8th flowerbed. Add bark. Possible laying of octagonal mesh.
- Area beside bell at 13th tee: Remove stumps, stones etc. Dig. Add soil. Plant with ground cover and colourful plants. Eg. Begonia.
- 11th tee: Cut debris. Continued enhancement. G/S to hire chipper to clear debris. Vinnie to plant wildflowers. Continued maintenance.
- Beech trees at front of clubhouse: Trees cut down and chipped to provide bark for beds etc. Future decision on replacement arrangement.
- Junior Locker Room: Create flowerbed around flagpole. Lay slabs along wall.
- Maintaining beds at 1st, 4th, 6th, conservatory, carpark: Group to work together in weeding named beds. Removing plants/bulbs for over-wintering etc.
- Area beside 6th tee and driveway: Clear area behind old winter tee at 6th & remove ivy from trees. Project by G/S to carry out extensive clearance. Possible wildflower planting.
- Strimming at back of 12th green, 1st tee etc: Bed edging. Purchase battery powered strimmer to be stored with gardeners’ equipment.
- 5th tee box: Stain surrounding area with creosote. Whins cut back by G/S. Rocky area beside buggy path planted.
- Tree branches adjacent to 7th tee: Remove lower branches from smaller trees adjacent to 7th tee to give better line of sight from road.
- Kiln area behind 9th green: Develop this area by adding more soil, planting more plants.

This information is also available in further detail in the ClubV1 members area under member documents

Last year the Council created a sub-committee to look at ways of improving the club's facilities and by doing so try to increase income in the future. This committee was called the Development Committee. Under the Chairmanship of Vice Captain, Vince Lennon, committee members Paul Beattie, Gary Brennan, Jim Campbell, Cyndy Hay, Bobby Lyttle, Paul Stinson and Roy Webb have looked at many aspects of the club and divided the target areas into the Clubhouse and surrounding area, and the Course. Work identified to date is as follows:

Course
-Drainage on 8th Fairway
-Drainage across the 5th and 7th Fairways
-Drainage across 17th 14th 13th Fairways
-Drainage down the 6th hole
-New Tee boxes or Tee box extensions on 1st 4th 14th and 16th
-Water Feature on 9th short left of the green

*Full maps of the proposed drainage for holes 5 to 8 are in the ClubV1 members area*

Clubhouse and Surrounding Area
-Carry out essential Maintenance/repairs to Ballroom Fire Escape
-Creation of access ramp to new Trolley Store at the back of the Juvenile Locker Room
-Partial or complete demolition of existing trolley room which is no longer fit for purpose
-Repair of pot-holes on the Entrance Lane and Car Parks
-Conversion of the Television Room to a Members Bar
-Turning the existing Bar and Function Room into one area with a movable partition further down the Function Room

These are the initial areas proposed to be addressed in a what will be a five year plan - it is anticipated that other areas will be added as we progress.

The first areas to be addressed in relation to Clubhouse and surrounding area will be the fire escape and the access ramp to the new trolley room. The fire escape is a requirement that will have to be addressed before we are allowed to open the clubhouse again. Similarly the moving of the trolley store is essential to ensure the health and safety of the membership as the old facility is no longer fit for purpose.

Moving onto the course. Given the increasing amount of rain that has fallen in recent winters and the fact that there are parts of the course that are sodden which have never been wet before, drainage has become imperative. The initial areas to be drained this year, as soon as we can get the necessary equipment onto the course, will be across the 8th across the 5th and 7th and down the 6th. More accurate detail is shown in the attached maps and diagrams.

These cross ditches have been sited, in consultation with our head green keeper Vinny Magill, to ensure maximum catchment within the wettest areas. They will remain as open drains. The reasons for this are twofold: (i) covered drains have a defined life span after which they collapse, open drains, if properly maintained, will exist and function far longer; (ii) the open drains can be defined as water hazards which will impact on the playability of the hole as well as adding character to the relevant holes.

The irony with putting these open drains in is that we are completely at the mercy of the weather. We need a significant dry spell to enable us to get the necessary equipment onto the course to create the drains and this is totally impossible at present.

Another time issue with these drains is the ISPS Handa World Invitational qualifying event at Cairndhu in June. There will have to be a “cut-off” date after which the work cannot be done as the course would not recover in time. If the work is not done by this date it will be carried out at the end of the season.

With the above in mind, it has now been decided to carry out the major drainage work at the end of the 2021 golfing season, in order for the course to be in the best condition for our members during this season. Other course improvements which require less heavy machinery and will not impact the condition of the playing areas of the course will now be brought forward if possible.

As mentioned, this is a five year plan and the list of work identified above is not exhaustive. To try and give members a form of ownership in this the Committee is open to, and welcomes, suggestions from members as to future activities.

So please consider this content and the accompanying maps etc. and put your minds to other projects for the future.

Smart phone apps to download:
📆 BRS - book tee times
🏆 HowDidIDo - competition results and statistics
📰 ClubV1 - members documents and social card balance (same log in as HDID)
⛳ Rules of Golf

Amazingly, after re-opening from lockdown, two hole in ones were recorded in the space of a week.

Anne Lennon (2nd hole) and Alexander Reid (11th) both scored an ace to kick off the 2020 summer season.

Luckily for both, with the Bar closed, this was probably the cheapest hole in one you can ever get. Well done to both players

In 2020 the Junior Locker Room refurbishment project was completed. Thanks to all who either helped raise funds or took part in the project. This is a great upgrade to this facility and one which will used by hopefully an increased number of Junior boy and girl members in the future.

The course rating for Cairndhu is now available using the link here https://ncrdb.usga.org/courseTeeInfo.aspx?CourseID=23072

Information sheets have also been placed in the locker room area

Please refer to email communication by Match and Handicap on how to use this going forward

We recently had the pleasure of hosting European Tour winner and Sky Sports Golf presenter Nick Dougherty as part of a partnership with Discover Northern Ireland. Nick filmed several Tee Time Tip videos on the course, which he published on his social media channels. A lovely visit from a great bloke.

Follow Nick on Instagram on his Instagram page here

Thanks to all the members who volunteered to marshall at The Open at Royal Portrush.

It was one of the best weeks ever seen in Northern Ireland and it was fantastic to play a part in it.

The team steadfastly marshalled the 8th hole all week and a small group also got to marshall the 18th hole on Championship Sunday.

Pictured are some of the team on the 18th hole just after Shane Lowry has holed the winning putt, and with 2020 US Open Champion Bryson DeChambeau.