Month: March 2024

Cope Alliance rase over €40,000

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The Cope Golf Alliance had another successful year in 2023, and recently held their AGM where the cheque was presented to the Cork charity.  Since the late 1970’s the Alliance has raised over €1.7million, and last year they added another €43,500 to that amount.

The Alliance is in its 47th year, and each year the members raise a huge amount of money.

There are close to 500 members of the Alliance and membership is highly valued by each of the members.  It is limited to 60 men and 60 ladies from each of the four Cork clubs, Cork, Douglas, Monkstown and Muskerry, a rule which dates back to the founding of the alliance in 1977.

The four clubs provide Continue reading →

Monkstown’s Pat O’Keeffe Honoured

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Pat O Keeffe Club Volunteer of the Year Award 2023
Picture: Golffile | Denis O’Flynn
All photo usage must carry mandatory copyright credit (© Golffile | Denis O’Flynn)

Monkstown’s Pat O’Keeffe was recently honoured by Golf Ireland, he won the Munster Club Volunteer of the Year Award.  The well-known personality has been a member in Monkstown for over 50 years and after being honoured by the club at the AGM, he won the provincial award a few weeks ago.

Interestingly Pat, who led the club to two Munster pennants in the past ten years was the first in his family to play golf.  He ended up in Monkstown by happenstance.  He had only hit a few balls in the Douglas driving range and after playing nine holes in Monkstown with a member for the first time, John O’Reilly spotted him and encouraged him to join.  O’Reilly, who would later become the GUI President, was the Junior Officer and signed up Pat for an annual sub of four pounds.  O’Keeffe describes that encounter in 1972 as incredibly lucky.

O’Keeffe took to the sport quickly, going from a starting handicap of 18 to 2 within 14 months.  “I played here in the 70’s, we had a brilliant team.  We won the Aer Lingus (u22’s) in ‘76 and ’78 and Continue reading →

Muskerry Junior Scratch Trophy returns for 2024

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John McSweeney in action at the Muskerry Junior Scratch Trophy semi-final
Picture: Niall O’Shea

The Muskerry Junior Scratch Trophy returns next month with the two day qualifier taking place in mid March.  The early Easter date this year means that the qualifier will take place 15th and 16th of March and the timesheet is now open.  The event usually marks the start of the competitive season in Cork and over 300 golfers are expected to play over the two days.  32 golfers will qualify from each day, and they will then go forward to the match play stage in Muskerry which will be held over Easter at the end of March.

Starting on Good Friday, six rounds of match play will follow over three days with the two finalists playing the Continue reading →

Early Season promise from Reddy in Spain

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Sean Reddy 
Picture: James Doolan

Sean Reddy got 2024 off to a bright start last week when he finished on top of the leaderboard in Spain.  The 17 year old was playing in the final event of the Toro Tour Andalucia series and he put together 3 great rounds to finish joint first and win the amateur category.

Reddy was playing in Villa Padierna Golf Club just outside Marbella and he led from start to finish in a field which featured several professionals and elite amateurs.  The Douglas golfer was in fine form, firing in 10 birdies over the Continue reading →

O’Callaghan bringing putting to the fore

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Wayne O’Callaghan lining up a putt using the SAM Puttlab camera and video system.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Most of the golf courses around Cork remain very soft, and instead of playing many golfers are honing their skills at ranges and through lessons and classes.  Cork Golf Centre has been a busy place since January and Wayne O’Callaghan’s putting studio is one of the busiest.  O’Callaghan started focusing on putting around four years ago and now he’s recognised as one of the leading coaches in Ireland.

Wayne has invested a lot in terms of new technology, in addition to Continue reading →