Winners Alright! SGC claim Carr-Mara trophy at Ballybunion GC

The success of SGC’s Men’s Interclub season in 2023 stepped up a notch last weekend with a statement win in the prestigious Carr-Mara tournament at Ballybunion. The Sutton team was led to Co. Kerry by Manager Noel O’Halloran, who was accompanied into action by Roddy Carr, Shane McGlynn, James Bowen, Mark Newman, Derek Hunter, Mark Logan, David Jones and Mark Hogan who travelled as sub.

The Carr-Mara tournament was conceived in 2006 as a tribute to JB Carr and Wellington Mara – a titan of American sport, the oldest member of Winged Foot CC

and former owner of the New York Giants football team. 14 teams participated in the 2023 tournament, including 7 Irish clubs (Portmarnock GC, Royal Portrush GC, Co. Sligo GC, Lahinch GC, Co. Louth GC, Ballybunion GC and Sutton GC), 6 US clubs (Winged Foot CC, Oak Hill CC, Olympic Club, Oakmont GC, Garden City GC, and Bel-Air GC) and a Chairman’s Team (which included our own Ronan O’Driscoll). The quality of the competition is evidenced by the presence on the Portmarnock team of 2023 North of Ireland Champion James Fox, and on The Olympic Club team of Brian O’Sullivan who earlier this year made it to the Regional Qualifying finals for the British Open.

Conditions over the weekend were dry but blustery – particularly on Day 1 – and the beautifully prepared Old Course at Ballybunion provided a true links test for all. Scoring was difficult with the 112-player field shooting an average of 28pts on Day 1, rising to 30pts on Day 2. With a 6-card total of 190pts, SGC finished Day 1 with a 9pt lead over Royal Portrush and Ballybunion in joint-2nd place. Our score of 193pts in the improved conditions of Day 2 was the second-best team score of that day, and enough to secure a commanding 12pt overall victory. Sutton therefore became the first Irish team to win the Carr-Mara tournament twice, having previously brought the trophy back to Cush Point in 2011 from Co. Sligo GC. The team marked its success in keeping with time-honoured Sutton traditions and was joined in its celebrations by players from other teams - both Irish and American – with whom strong connections had been built during the week.

While all the SGC team members were superb, special mention must go to Roddy Carr, who made it to Ballybunion having not visited the course since 1968, when he got to the Semi-Finals of the Irish Close Championship. Roddy played in the Category A section of the tournament, off the championship tees and off scratch against all of the participating clubs’ top players including the two mentioned above. His performance over the two days showed that class really is permanent! Roddy was also fantastic off the course, providing stories, encouragement and invaluable nuggets of advice to draw the best out of the whole team.

The spectacular Carr-Mara trophy, which is built around a replica of the British Amateur Championship trophy won by JB Carr, is now safely back in Cush Point and on display in the Joe Carr room. Sutton’s next challenge is to secure an “away win” – hopefully at the next tournament in 2025 at Bel Air GC in California.