Drifters call the tune at Fota

IT began with almost 500 golfers and finished on Sunday with tales of what was and what might have been around the clubhouse at Fota Island Golf Resort.

Sixty teams went to post this year in the annual Irish Examiner Inter-Society golf event at Fota, as teams of eight went hunting what must be one of the best prizes in amateur golf in this country — a three-day trip to the Algarve for the entire team, plus six months free golf at Fota Island.

And as darkness settled over the clubhouse on Sunday night, it emerged that a mere two points separated third from first place.

Little wonder as the podium finishers posed for pictures, there were whispers of “we left it after us”.

Eventually it was the ‘Drifters’ from Kanturk Golf Club who prevailed with 188 points in total, one point more than the Gortbui Golf Society from Co Limerick, with the Blackwater Golf Society a further point back in 186.

The victory was especially enjoyable for the Drifters who were regarded as the ‘B’ outfit in their own society, with the hot-shot selection falling to make it past final qualifying.

Fota director of marketing Seamus Leahy confirmed that the event had matched all their expectations in terms of attracting societies from all over Munster, and he must have been quite pleased to hear each and every player laud the condition of the Fota course.