After a poor start, 2016 seemed to behave itself, so it’s fair to say that everyone is hoping for more of the same in 2017. Last year will be year that is remembered as the year when membership and revenues stabilised. While that was positive for clubs, it was also very positive for courses. After six years of falling membership it was a relief for the industry and the recovery has started.
On course, 2016 had a very slow start with record rain-fall levels meaning that there was no play until late February. After that though the season got underway pretty quickly, and the mild weather in the past three months has allowed clubs to catch up on the slow start.
The signs from clubs and courses are that they have moved from neutral to positive, with almost everyone driving on with their development plans. Fota Island Academy have launched a new membership scheme which transforms the previous model, Lee Valley invested heavily in machinery and course inputs, as did many other clubs. Cobh led the way with nine hole open competitions and Skibbereen offered an innovative pay and pay membership option. Castlemartyr face into the new year after adding over 100 new Continue reading
Normally the transition from Boy’s golf to Men’s golf can take a few years, but this season Cathal Butler proved the jump can happen very quickly. The Kinsale golfer started his first season after Boy’s golf with three big wins. In March he won the Fota Island Senior Scratch Cup, shooting an impressive 67 on the two-time Irish Open course, and what’s more impressive is that he finished five clear of a strong field. He followed that in May by winning the Munster strokeplay, beating Cork’s Gary O’Flaherty on the second hole of a sudden death play-off. After being selected for the Munster Interprovincial team, Cathal rounded off the summer with a win in the Killarney Senior Scratch Cup. Outside of the scratch cups, Butler had several good performances in the national championships. He made it through to the last 16 in the West, and the last 32 in the East. He also finished tied for 
The final round of the Munster Youths took place at Monkstown on the 1st April with Mallow’s James Sugrue chasing his second title. Torrential rain however forced the abandonment of the final round meaning that second round leader Jack McDonnell was declared winner. James Sugrue continued his good form and won the Muskerry Senior Scratch Cup, the first of a four week swing of senior competitions. 
Weather was the main talking point for January as persistent rain hampered the start of the golfing year. The Munster PGA were already playing catch-up from November and December, and they had three events planned for January but only one took place.
The lastest CGI Networking Seminar took place in Cork GC a few weeks ago and the event was a great success with full house present for the two hour session. 17 clubs from all over the county were represented, with managers, staff, captains, presidents and Officers making up the audience. The CGI’s Gordon Campbell facilitated the interactive session and he brought a number of topics out for discussion. Gordon gave several personal experiences from life before the CGI, as well an ideas collected from other sessions. Feedback from the clubs was positive with many ready to workshop and implement some of the ideas that were discussed. Gordon was delighted with 
Cork Golf Club were recently awarded the Munster Club of the Year award from Munster Golf. The club that was first founded in 1888 has been central to Cork and Munster golf for over 125 years and while the tradition creates a legacy, the club has continually evolved and developed to remain at the forefront of the sport. The Club moved to its present site in 1897, and in 1924 the world famous designer Dr. Alister MacKenzie redesigned the course. In 2010 – 2012 major alterations were carried out under Martin Hawtree to restore the MacKenzie design. Over the years the Club has hosted many major Amateur and Professional Championships over the years. Graeme McDowell won the Irish Youths in 1999. Shane Lowry won the Irish Close in 2007. The Club has won 14 national pennants and in 2016 won 
Cork Golf News 