Fernhill Golf Course in Carrigaline hosted the final event of the 2015 Irish Junior Masters Golf Tour on Saturday and founder Wayne O’Callaghan has seen his plan for junior golf change from concept to action.  Two years ago the Carrigaline based PGA Professional moved his academy to Fernhill and that coincided with the launch of a new format for competitive golf for kids aged from five years of age.  On Saturday almost 70 young golfers took part with players travelling from as far away as Derry and Belfast.  The youngest player on the day was four year old Justin Dennehy from Douglas who was just 4 years old.

Gallery: Irish Junior Masters Golf Tour Finals

The most exciting category of the day was the contest in the 7 and under age group with Jack Clohessy shooting an unbelievable score of 37 (only 3 over par) to pip AJ Hayes by one shot with Finlay Eagar from Bangor 3rd.  Fernhill’s Wayne Whitley O’Callaghan won the 9 and under group with a great score of 51 which was 2 over gross for 13 holes.  The 11 and under category was won by Mark McCormack with a 65, Corinna Griffin was second with 67 and Charlie Keating was third.  Ben Costello from Kinsale won the 13 and under with a gross of 83 for 18 holes his brother Jody took 3rd place.   Killian Cotter won the 15 and under section with 72, Simon Kelly was second and Blade O’Gorman was third.  In the girls section Rhea Itty won with gross 95 with Lainey Smyth in second place and Abbey McLoughlin third, all three golfers play in Fernhill.

The Irish Junior Masters Tour held four provincial events this year in Bangor, Hollystown, Ballina and Charleville, with a big increase in entries at each of them.  There was also a US Kids qualifier held in Bandon.  The tour finale at Fernhill last weekend had an additional 30 players take part.   O’Callaghan has pioneered a different approach to junior golf, one where a handicap isn’t necessary and where the course is set up differently to the standard approach.  Wayne has made several changes to the driving range and practice facilities in Fernhill, all aimed at making them more suitable for kids.  The course is different as Wayne describes what the events are about: “The different age groups will play the competition off tee boxes appropriate to their age and ability.  The tour events are open to all juniors with no handicap requirement and the juniors will play off a shortened course to ensure everyone has fun!  Jamie O’Sullivan in Charleville and Paddy and Billy O’Boyle in Bandon have come on board to promote the tour in Cork am I’m sure we’ll have more joining.  Next year we hope to increase the numbers at all our events with all of this year’s venues committed to hosting events again next year.  We’ve had other clubs wanting to come on board to run regional events as they saw the success if this years events.  The feedback has been very positive from all of the parents and the junior officers.”