PADDY'S TOP OF THE SATURDAY CLASS

A scholarly scrap between St Patrick's Grammar School teachers past and present broke out at County Armagh Golf Club on Saturday 17 June, as Paddy Loughran narrowly edged out Gerry Cullen to earn victory in the club stableford competition.

Paddy, Club Captain in 1996, started steadily if unspectacularly as he was five over par and level his handicap for the first five holes.

However, a par at the 6th followed by a birdie two at the Quarry got the retired maths man motoring and he would reach the turn with a superb 21 points.

Loughran's back-nine performance was almost as brilliant as he bashed home pars at the 11th, 12th, 14th and, most impressively, the 17th and 18th on his way to a 20-point homeward haul.

Paddy's fine 41-point total clipped his handicap to 16 and granted him a much deserved success that proves there's still plenty of competitive spirit left in this veteran campaigner.

County Armagh Golf Club's toughest hole: the 16th, Lakes.