Fahy wins Munster Strokeplay

Munster Strokeplay ChampionshipCork Golf Club Sunday 6th May 2018

Dun Laoghaire’s Alan Fahy who won the Munster Strokeplay Championship at Cork Golf Club. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Leinster’s dominance of the Munster Strokeplay continued yesterday when Dun Laoghaire‘s Alan Fahy became the fifth winner from the province in seven years.  Claiming his first senior championship win, he had a very impressive second day in Cork, he was eight under for his final 36 holes.  That helped him overturn a four shot deficit, and that was enough to hive him a two stroke win.  Fahy shot an excellent 66 on Sunday morning to tie for the lead with halfway leader Robbie Cannon, and he was still level with the Balbriggan man after the final front nine.  Although Fahy birdied the 16th, he felt he need more and was disappointed when a good putt on the 17th shaved the hole.  With one chance remaining, the 20 year old Maynooth University student drilled his tee shot on the 18th, and he followed that with a superb 8 iron from 140 yards which finished five feet from the hole.  A firm uphill putt hit the centre of the hole and he carded Continue reading

The Famous Cork Scratch Cup

Munster Strokeplay Championship, Munster Golf, Cork Golf Club, Sunday 30th April 2017

2017 winner Barry Anderson with the Cork Scratch Cup

Many people will know that this weekend’s competition is called the Munster Strokeplay, but not everyone will know that when the event was given Championship status it had the additional designation of “incorporating the Cork Scratch Cup”.  The Cork Scratch Cup is one of the oldest trophies in Irish golf and according to Cork’s GM Matt Sands, it the original cup that was awarded over 90 years ago.  The cup dates from 1923 and it holds the names of the all of the winners.

The trophy was presented by William Dwyer, a man and a family that are synonymous with Cork Golf Club, and the same person who started the inter-society competition which still runs today.  Dwyer presented the trophy in 1923 and won it in himself in 1924.  The trophy bears the names of the great Cork Golf Club stalwarts, Crosbie, Simcox, Bruen and Higgins are all represented, with Jimmy Bruen claiming four consecutive titles from 1938-1941.  There was a gap of four years during the war and Redmond Simcox won his fourth title in 1947 when the competition resumed.  Simcox was one of three golfers Continue reading

CIT Partner with Fota Island Academy

CIT Fota Island Academy Feb 2018CIT Golf Club made a major announcement recently when they partnered with Fota Island Academy.  The new partnership between will facilitate student membership at the Academy.  The Academy at the famous Fota Island Resort makes an ideal base for the CIT Golf Squad, meeting their requirements with its excellent indoor and outdoor facilities.  Along with this, as Academy Members the nine students have a weekly allocation of range ball credit and, most importantly they will have valuable access to on course practice with the inclusion of playing the nine holes on the Barryscourt course in their membership.  Fred Twomey, the Munster GUI High Performance Lead Coach & CIT Golf Coach and Fota Island’s Director of Golf Kevin Morris arranged the new partnership together, with the initial approach suggested by CIT student David O’Sullivan, who Continue reading

Monkstown’s Ada set for 2018

Ada O'SullivanFormer Irish International Ada O’Sullivan is looking forward to a busy year, in December she was elected as President in Monkstown Golf Club and the decorated golfer is looking forward to the year ahead.  Having played and managed at the highest level, Ada is now taking on a different role and is keen to take on some of the challenges that golf has.  In recent years Monkstown have grown their membership thanks to the progressive work of various club committees.  “Like all businesses Monkstown Golf club is no different and has had to adapt to the economic change and make the club more attractive to existing members and entice new members through various packages and programmes” explained Ada.  “It is recognised nationally that the majority of golf clubs have a missed generation 30yrs -45 years old and the game of golf became less attractive due to expensive joining fees, a round of golf taking up to five hours hence the lowering of fees and the introduction of nine-hole competitions have proven to be successful and we have seen especially in the past three years a large increase in the lady membership at Monkstown.  We are also extremely fortunate to have a young, energetic, enthusiastic club Professional in Cian McNamara who along with the Junior Committees have a superb junior golf programme in place and as a result has gone from strength to strength with Boys and Girls in the past three years.  The club is Continue reading

Murphy enjoying Kentucky experience

John Murphy
Picture: Niall O'SheaKentucky based John Murphy is ready for competitive action later this month as the talented Kinsale golfer prepares to restart his season.  The Irish Mens squad member is in his first year in the University of Louisville golf programme and despite an enforced lay-off due to knee surgery he’s really enjoyed the first semester in the US.  After moving over to Kentucky in August, it was a slow start for Murphy that ultimately meant minor surgery on a recurrent knee problem.  That side-lined John from competitive action but he worked on his rehab plan and will be in contention for a place when the first competition of new year in just a few weeks.  The end of the rehab coincided with a return home for a few weeks to catch up with family and friends.  “I came back to Ireland on the 14th of December and I was very excited to come back” said Murphy.  Christmas didn’t disappoint, I had plenty time to hang out with my friends and family because I would consider myself very Continue reading

Mitchelstown launch New Membership Options

Mitchelstown GC Drive In 2018 1

Mitchelstown Officers pictured at the recent drive in: Men’s Captain John O’Brien, President Liam O’Sullivan, Junior Captain Tommy Maher and Lady Captain Angela Riemensperger.
Pic: Billy Murphy

It’s often described as a hidden gem but Mitchelstown Golf Club is a popular spot for golfers in North Cork.  A new membership drive has seen the club boost its profile as interest in the sport is growing again.  The club has been a regular in the cups and shields events, and the highlight came in 2011 when the Junior Cup team won provincial and national honours.  The club is over 100 years old, it was founded in 1910 Mitchelstown Golf Club was a nine hole golf course for the better part of seventy years.  As the demand for golf grew in the late eighties and early nineties, it became apparent to members that Mitchelstown Golf Club needed to look forward. Being surrounded on all sides by valuable and expensive farming land the move to an eighteen hole course was not easy in financial terms so the step forward was accomplished in two stages.  Stage one was the construction of six new holes which opened in 1994.  Stage two followed some years later with the Continue reading