While many golfers will be familiar with lessons, or fitness, or mental preparation, it not usual to see all three elements coming together.  That’s what’s happening with the “One for the Ladies” day which sees all three covered in an exciting day of tuition and play.  The idea came to life when Trish Daly saw a gap in the market.  Daly is a Cork native who spent the past 30 years in Australia, and retuned to Ireland in 2018 and started her Yoga for Golfers programme at Cork Golf Centre in Inniscarra.  Soon after Trish met up with PGA Advanced Professional Sarah Claridge and sports psychologist Deirdre Gallagher who both work out of Cork Golf Centre.  While Trish was only up and running with her individual and group yoga for golf classes, she spotted a gap in the market for ladies wishing to improve their golf.  After a good deal of planning the trio set about holding their first event in Skibbereen back in March.  “While there is a lot of energy put into attracting women into the sport of golf with the very successful “get into golf programme” we found that for golfers who has been around for few years and looking for new ways to improve there is very little for them” explained Trish Daly who brought the concept to life.  “The event will see three professional women join together to tackle three distinct areas of the golf game in order to improve golfing performance.”  The day starts with three 60 minute sessions where each of the experts.  Building confidence and managing nerves is covered by Deirdre Gallagher, chipping and bunker play is covered by Sarah Claridge, while Trish Daly will focus on warming up and quietening your mind before playing.  After the morning session there are refreshments and lunch, and then it’s onto the course.  The afternoon is comprised of a nine hole scramble where the groups of three will be mentored on course by Deirdre, Sarah and Trish.  The event is supported by McGuirks, and as well as prizes for the nine-hole scramble, there’s also a McGuirks goodie bag for all the participants.

Trish Daly from Complete Golf Fitness Ireland at her studio in Cork Golf Centre. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Trish Daly has only been back in Ireland less than a year, but in that time she has carved out a niche in golf with her Complete Golf Fitness brand.  Trish joined the team in Cork Golf Centre, converting a former gym into a yoga room for group sessions and fitting out a private consultation room.  “The Studio at the Cork Golf Centre works very well, our class sizes are very small to ensure maximum attention for each client, I also include a TPI golf screen so I can personalize the class to the people present” said Trish.  “I am a qualified remedial massage therapist I really enjoy massage Its very rewarding when someone has a major issue and you can help to alleviate it.”  Trish has studied under various expert programmes, but her profession is a result of a need when she had difficulty playing the game.  “When I first took up golf I really didn’t understand the golf swing, I used to get a very sore lower back” explained Trish.  “Back then in Sydney I looked around for a gym program that would target my golfing muscles there was only an elite program available.”  That gap in the market set Trish off on a journey which would eventually become here job.  “For the last nine years I have studied as much as I can about the biomechanics of the golf swing.  This included Paul Chek, the Titleist Performance Institute and most recently Yoga For Golfers.  I came across YFG at the World Golf Fitness Summit in New Orleans two years ago. I attended a class with Katherine Roberts and was blown away at how much increased flexibility and mobility I had after just 60 minutes.”  An accomplished golfer in her own right, Trish is a member of Cork Golf Club where she plays off a handicap of 12.  Now she’s up and running with the new venture for around five months and things are going well.  “The feedback has been very positive” said Trish.  “It’s exciting that people are getting behind this, and they are starting to see results.  The classes run for six weeks and follow a very structured programme.  YFG teaches each pose in building blocks so for this reason everyone can participate in these classes.  I have a few private clients that I work on a one to one basis.  At the moment I am running four YFG class a week in Cork, two at Cork Golf Centre and two more at another club.  I’m also hoping to bring Yoga for Golf out to other clubs where there is an interest.”  Right now the focus is on the One for the Ladies experience.

“The Skibbereen event our first was amazing with really good feedback and this weeks Cork event was set up initially to meet demand.  We’re really excited to take this to Killarney next.”   Chances are there will be more day added to the calendar given the success of the first day, and the growing interest in the event.  And don’t be surprised if this theme develops to cover other areas or cater for more advanced golfers or novice golfers.  Anyone interested in joining a One for the Ladies day can follow their page on Facebook, or contact any of the three ladies through Cork Golf Centre.  All three are also available for private consultations and lessons in Cork Golf Centre.