After a successful first year, Fota have launched the 2015 Inter-Company golf challenge.  The format is the same as last year, it’s an eight person team event playing singles stableford.  The top five scores are counted and the top four companies go forward to the series final in late October.  The teams of eight must be all employees under the same company and have the option to all play the same day or if necessary play two fourball rounds.  Entry to the competition is just €40 per person.  Last year the series final was won by VM Ware and they enjoyed a complementary society outing for twenty golfers including dinner in the Spike Bar at Fota’s famous clubhouse.  The same prize is on offer this year for the winners and already there has been lots of interest in the competition.

Fota’s Director of Marketing Seamus Leahy spearheaded the new competition last year and he too is happy with the positive response to the 2015 competition is:  “The format worked it targets not just larger companies but the smaller companies can enter too.  You can also get out and play in smaller groups when it suits you.”  Fota’s Golf Sales Manager Clodagh Stanley is delighted that the competition is back for a second year: “Last year was a huge success, and we were delighted to welcome VMWare back for their outing during this year.  Our Director of Golf director Kevin Morris was impressed with the turn out we had last year and is eager to see the competition grow in popularity. The format is quite straight forward, teams of eight can play at any available times from Sunday to Friday between now and October 9^th.  The Top Five scores for each team are counted resulting in the top four teams going on to the final round which is played on October 16^th.”

After a very successful open week, Fota also have a number of open competitions coming up in August.  All of the open competitions will be played to the Deerpark Course which hosted the Irish Open in 2014.  The Academy Cup takes place on Thursday 13^th August, entry is €40 and it’s limited to Academy members and their guests.  Fota’s Juvenile Open takes place on Monday 24^th August (€20 per person) and the Intermediate Scratch Cup is fixed for Sunday 30^th August.  Early booking is advised as the scratch cups are usually fully booked.  Details on all the events are available from the Pro-Shop in Fota or by calling 021 4883700.

Fota Open Week Results:
July 27, Open Singles 1^st: David McCarthy (11) Fota 39pts, 2^nd: Matthew Burke (9) Hibernian 36pts, 3^rd: Alan O’Regan (16) Kenmare 36pts.
July 28, Ladies Open 1^st: Marie Holt (29)  Fota, Margot Meagher (32), Mary P. O’Brien(34) Fota 49 points. 2^nd: Geraldine Galvin(12) Macroom, Margret Walsh(16) Macroom, Eileen Kelly(23) Macroom, 48 points.  3^rd: Margo Twomey(19) Harbour Point, Mary McAuliffe(24) Fota, Margret O’Connor(30) Cork GC, 47 points.
July 29, Open Fourball 1^st : Derry Harte (8) & Richie Madden (12) Fota 44 points, 2^nd: Tom Allen (13) & Paul Allen (13) 43points, 3^rd: Darragh O’Connor(2) & Stephen Brett(5) 43 points.
July 30, Seniors Gents Four Man Team 1^st: Michael Mehigan (16), Noel Doran (18), Ger Warde (21), John O’Leary (26), 102 points. 2^nd: PJ McInerney (11), Donal O’Donoghue (14), Tom Baylor (14), David O’Meara (13), 98 points.  3^rd: Dan Hurley (11), Tommy O’Boyle (10), Ger Coakley (15), Leslie Bryan (15) 94 points.
July 31 Open Singles Cian Roynane (11) 40pts, 2^nd Mark Hickey (6) 39pts, 3^rd Gary Lucas (11) 39pts.
Aug 2/3, Open Singles 1^st Michael Heenan (21) 37pts, 2^nd Tadhg Egan (12) 33pts, 3^rd Liam Wilcox (13) 33pts.