Draft fixtures & Venue for 2017: Continue reading
Author: niall@corkgolfnews.com
R & A Rule Change
For Immediate Publication
NEW LOCAL RULE ELIMINATES PENALTY FOR A PLAYER WHO ACCIDENTALLY CAUSES A BALL TO MOVE ON THE PUTTING GREEN
The R&A and the USGA announced the introduction of a new Local Rule that eliminates the penalty when a ball is accidentally moved on the putting green. The Local Rule will be available for any committee in charge of a competition to use starting 1 January 2017. It will be adopted by The R&A and the USGA in all of their championships, qualifying competitions and international matches.
David Rickman, Executive Director – Governance at The R&A, said, “For the past several years, as part of The R&A and USGA’s Rules Modernisation initiative, we have considered the penalty for a ball Continue reading
Seamus Power visits Monkstown
Seamus Power pictured with Monkstown President Colm Ó Riain, Club Professional Cian McNamara and Monkstown Captain Martin Walsh. Picture: Niall O’Shea
PGA Tour golfer Seamus Power took some time out of his break back in Ireland when he spent a few hours in Monkstown Golf Club on Saturday for a special golf clinic for members. Power was in Monkstown following an invite from his college team-mate Cian McNamara. The pair spent a four years in East Tennessee University, both were on the college’s golf roster following impressive junior golf performances in Ireland. McNamara returned to Ireland, studied for his PGA qualifications and two years ago he landed the job in Monkstown. Power stayed in the US and spent a few years developing his game on the mini-tours. The mini-tours in the US are a tough learning ground but Power served his time and moved up the hierarchy step by step until he reached the secondary US tour, the web.com tour. Following a great year on the web.com tour last year, Power secured his card on the main PGA Tour, and followed that with four successive cuts in his four most recent tournaments. Power has earned close to $100k so far from the four events and is currently inside the top 100 in the FedEx Cup points list. The good start to the season means that Seamus Continue reading
Rice wins in Castlemartyr
Munster PGA Captain Stephen Hayes presents Tim Rice with first prize from the TaylorMade singles along with Brady Sherwood from Castlemartyr Links.
The Munster PGA got together for their final winter series event before Christmas and limerick man Tim Rice took the spoils with a five under par 67. Despite playing a relatively short course, the unusually quick and smooth greens caught a fair few golfers on the front nine and the result was that only two golfers managed to break the par of 72. Tim Rice made his return to the local scene after missing the Killarney event as he reached the second stage of European Tour Q School. Now back on Irish soil, the PGA Assistant from Limerick was the only golfer to stay on track for the full round at Castlemartyr. He birdied each of the par five’s on the front nine before recording an eagle at the ninth hole. That meant that the Limerick man turned on -4, and unlike many of the other pro’s who turned with a good score, Rice held on to it. A bogey on the 10th was balanced with a birdie on the 12th. He added a birdie on the 17th in the middle of a run of five pars to secure the lead and take his first win of the current winter series. Tralee’s John Sugrue was the only other golfer to break par, he finished with a 71 to take second place. Killarney winner Davey Barry was also in the hunt today until he dropped a few shots on the way home. He finished off with a level par to take third place and did his PGB Order of Merit hopes no real harm. There was a three way tie for fourth place with Cian McNamara, David Ryan and Padraig Dooley all signing for 74’s. The event was kindly sponsored by John Caulfield from TaylorMade Golf.
Gallery: Munster PGA at Castlemartyr
David Foley, Brady Sherwood and Ciaran McKenna pictured at Castlemartyr Links.
The course in Castlemartyr came in for great praise and resident PGA Professional Brady Sherwood was happy with the feedback: “I was delighted have my fellow Munster PGA professionals playing our course today. The weather held out and its always nice to get very positive feedback in relation to the course set up and the playing conditions. Our greens staff do an amazing job, the dry winter weather assisting in getting our fescue rough harvested ready for next season. It’s great to have our trademark greens running a cracking 10 on the stimp.”
David Ryan maintains his place at the top of the Premium Golf Brands Order of Merit with Cian McNamara close by in second place. Dave Foley, Tim Rice and Davey Barry take up the next places with half of the schedule completed. Details of the January and February will be announced shortly.
Gallery: Munster PGA at Castlemartyr Links
Pictures from the Taylormade sponsored event at Castlemartyr Links: Continue reading
Seamus Power Clinic, Monkstown Pro Shop (2)
More pictures from the clinic at Monkstown Golf Club: Continue reading
Seamus Power Clinic, Monkstown Pro Shop
Pictures from Seamus Power’s visit to Monkstown Golf Club: Continue reading
Gallery: Munster Branch Annual Delegates Meeting
Pictures from the 2016 Annual Delegates Meeting: Continue reading
Jim Long Elected Chairman of Munster Golf
Jim Long Pictured with outgoing Chairman John Moloughney
Jim Long from Monkstown is the new Chairman of Munster Golf following his election at the Munster Branch Annual Delegates Meeting on Tuesday night. The Hibernian Hotel in Mallow was again the venue and over 300 delegates from all 85 Munster golf clubs packed in for the meeting, where the key event was the election of a new Chairman. For the first time in over 20 years there was a three-way election with Muskerry’s Liam Harkin and Castleisland’s Michael Lawlor also on the ballot. Although both Long and Harkin were outgoing Officers of the branch, it was the Monkstown man who won. Jim Long was the Honorary Secretary of the Munster Branch and also held the position of Junior Convenor at national level. After his election Long was clearly delighted with the result: “I’d like to thank all the delegates and I’m delighted with the honour to have been elected Chairman. I hope to do my best to work for Munster club and to emulate the achievements of the previous Chairmen of the Branch.” Barry Lynch from Raffeen Creek was elected as Honorary Secretary of the Branch while Cork’s Dave Prendergast was elected as the Honorary Match & Handicapping Secretary. Macroom’s Jim Nolan was elected onto the seventeen-man provincial council, he joins Phil Cooney, John Carroll, Gordon Adair, Tom Donnelly, Jim Lyne and Sean O’Leary who were all re-elected. The meeting also Continue reading
Peter Alliss Visits Castlemartyr
Honorary President Peter Alliss and Captain Tony Loughnane pictured at the Castlemartyr members evening with Peter Alliss. Picture: Niall O’Shea
Golf Legend Peter Alliss fulfilled a long-standing obligation last week when he visited Castlemartyr Golf Club. Late last year the famous BBC anchor was named honorary President of Castlemartyr, a title he also holds in Old Thorns Golf Club, Castlemartyr’s UK parent hotel. Alliss had hoped to travel for the President’s Prize earlier this year but was unable to do so. And instead sent a video message to members. On Friday evening he went one better, attending a member’s Q&A session which was moderated by RTE’s Greg Allen. Greg who is an accomplished golfer himself was delighted to get the opportunity to join in the unique event. At the start of the evening, the MC reminded everyone that in addition to an impressive career as a commentator, Peter started as a very successful tour pro, winning over 20 times at events in the UK and across Europe. Now 85 years old, Alliss was in great form on the night, and almost 100 packed into the Pod for the members only event. Peter gave full and frank answers to the questions which had been submitted by members. In addition to giving everyone an idea of how professional golf was in the 50’s Alliss also gave Continue reading
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