For over 110 years, Douglas Golf Club has looked over the city, ideally positioned on its elevates site on Maryborough Hill. The original course was designed by golf legend Harry Vardon, a six time winner of the British Open. Vardon designed the original eighteen hole layout after walking the land which was leased from Patrick McAuliffe. The groundsmen worked with Tramore’s John McNamara who oversaw the build, and the first nine holes opened in December 1909. The second nine opened a few months later and the first competition on the new course was held in April. The course was an overnight success, drawing in a large membership from the Continue reading
Cork’s Golfing History
Cork Golf Club.
Picture: Niall O’Shea
Golf has been played in Cork for close to 140 years with Cork Golf Club being a central part of that for nearly as long. While not strictly part of the city, the club’s proximity to the city meant that it was always in easy reach of the growing population of the city and suburbs. Cork Golf Club can trace it’s foundation back to 1884 and it’s first location in Lotamore. That course in Glanmire lasted for around ten years and the club then moved to a new site closer to Carrigtwohill. Their time in Carrigtwohill was limited, and in 1899 the club made its third and final move to Little Island. The original four-hole layout was in and around the quarry and when David Brown, Cork’s first professional laid out a nine hole route, that layout lasted for nearly three decades. The 6th and 7th holes Continue reading
Sugrue 6th in South Africa
James Sugrue
James Sugrue got 2020 off to a flying start last week with a top six finish in the South African Amateur Championship. While he’ll be happy with the result, the Mallow man was in with a chance of winning going into the final two rounds. Playing in the famous Leopard Creek course, Sugrue opened with rounds of 69 and 68, and at one point he was ten under during his second round. Tougher weather conditions in the final two days of the event meant that scores were far higher. Sugrue was ten shots worse off in the third round with a 78, and he closed with 76 in the last round. That meant he was seven shots off the lead and his tied sixth result alongside Caolan Rafferty meant he was best of the Irish. Sugrue along with the Irish team remain in South Africa for another Continue reading
East Cork’s Golfing History
While Fota Island can be regarded as Cork’s top championship golf location, not many people will know that the Fota was the site of the first record organised golf in Cork. Back in 1883, over 135 years ago the first course in Cork was laid out on the Smith Barry Estate. The course in Fota was the second recorded course in Ireland, and it lasted around 30 years until the game spread by way of the large increase in the number of courses and clubs. It’s not known where exactly on the island that the course was located but it’s unlikely that it was on the site of the current course.
Owned by Lady Barrymore who lived in Fota House, the course was a short nine hole layout and was mainly used in the early days by the Officers of the British Army stationed in Cork. Although it boasts the earliest records of the sport in Cork, it seems that there was no golf in Fota until 1993 when a new course was established by an international property investment fund. A fore runner to the current championship layout, the course was popular among local golfers and hosted the Irish Amateur Open and the Irish Club Professional tournaments in the early years. All changed at the turn of the century when Dr Tim O’Mahony’s Killen Investments commenced a multi-million pound investment and redeveloped the course into a European Tour level course. That course hosted the Murphy’s Irish Open in 2001 and 2002. In 2004 there was another change of ownership when the course was bought by John Fleming who set about a substantial development that saw a hotel and housing development. The property play was combined with a new nine hole course in addition to the development Continue reading
Get into Golf in 2020
Get into Golf for Women is back for 2020, and this year the programme will provide another great opportunity for clubs and for those looking to get into the sport. The programme provides a structured programme of lessons for newcomers to the game and is specifically designed for adults. The programme is designed to support golf clubs in recruiting new members and in turn increase their membership figures and revenue. Over the past seven years the programme has proven to make golf more accessible to the wider audience. Since the ILGU first piloted the programme in 2013, the Confederation Continue reading
East Cork’s Golfing History
While Fota Island can be regarded as Cork’s top championship golf location, not many people will know that the Fota was the site of the first record organised golf in Cork. Back in 1883, over 135 years ago the first course in Cork was laid out on the Smith Barry Estate. The course in Fota was the second recorded course in Ireland, and it lasted around 30 years until the game spread by way of the large increase in the number of courses and clubs. It’s not known where exactly on the island that the course was located but it’s unlikely that it was on the site of the current course. Owned by Lady Barrymore who lived in Fota House, the course was a short nine hole layout and was mainly used in the early days by the Officers of the British Army stationed in Cork. Although it boasts the earliest records of the sport in Cork, it seems that there was no golf in Fota until 1993 when a ne Continue reading
ILGU Launch Level Par
The CGI and ILGU have launched an innovative campaign to drive girls and ladies participation in all aspects of golf in Ireland. Level Par was launched last week and the programme is a culmination of work carried out by the R&A, Sport Ireland and the governing bodies for amateur golf in Ireland. Anne McCormack heads the programme on behalf of The Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI), and with the support of Chief Executives of the GUI and ILGU Pat Finn and Sinead Heraty, Level Par was established in mid-2019 after reviewing the available research. “Level Par is a four pillar programme for golf, inspired Continue reading
ILGU Reward Ada O’Sullivan
Ada O’Sullivan
The AGM of the ILGU took place last weekend and it was a special occasion for Monkstown’s Ada O’Sullivan as she was awarded Honorary Life Membership by the national governing body. Ada has one of the most comprehensive records of any female golfer in Ireland. She represented Munster, as a member of the girls’ team in 1980 & 1981 and the Women’s Team from 1982 -1997, fifteen years. She was the first ever winner of the Girlie Hegarty Trophy in 1994. As a player she represented Ireland at the Girls’ Home Internationals in 1980 & 1981.
She then played on the Women’s Home International Team seven times between 1982 & 1997 and at the Women’s European Team Championships in 1993, 1994 and 1995. She was the winner of the Sherry Cup in 1994 (European Masters 72 hole stroke play). Following her playing career, Ada represented Ireland as Captain of the Girls’ Home International Team in 1999 & 2000 and the Under 21 Team at the European Championship in 2000. She would go on to become the first High Performance Director on the ILGU Board in 2010.
Her first experience of Captaining a GB&I Team was at The Espirito Santo Trophy in Malaysia in 2002. This preceded GB&I Captaincy in 2003 & 2005 when her Team brought home the Vagliano Trophy playing at Co. Louth. In 2004 and 2006 Ada was invited to be Captain of the GB&I Curtis Cup Teams. ILGU President Brigid McCaw was delighted to present Ada with the award on Saturday. “Ada is a very capable, strong, fun loving person who – when asked to take on a responsible task – takes it on with great enthusiasm and leaves no stone unturned to make it a success” said McCaw upon presenting her with Life Honorary Membership. “We are very proud of all our Honorary Life Members and Past Presidents. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for being, as it were, “on call” and for their willingness to sharing their experiences and sound knowledge.” Life Membership was also Continue reading
North Cork’s Golfing History
Mitchelstown Golf Club with the scenic Galtee Mountains in the backround.
Picture: Niall O’Shea
Golf in North Cork can be traced back to 1892, and almost 130 years later it’s still thriving. While the rise of the sport exploded in the early part of the 19th century, it’s popularity remained strong right up to today. It’s a testament to the North Cork clubs that they have withstood several challenges and remain popular destinations for both members and guests. Fermoy holds the honour of hosting the earliest recorded golf match in 1892 when the locally based British army officers took on the neighbouring garrison in Lismore. Fermoy Golf Clubs traces it’s history back to 1893, and like many other clubs they had several homes including the racecourse, the Aerodrome, and Continue reading
West Cork’s Golfing History
Bandon’s 7th green with Castle Bernard in the background.
Picture: Niall O’Shea
West Cork is famed for it’s sporting traditions, and golf forms a big part of that with the sport going back to the 1880’s. That means that golf pre-dates many other organised sports, although in the early years the sport was dominated by army officers and based bear garrisons, barracks and camps. From rough and ready makeshift courses that rarely lasted longer than a short lease, the courses that survived have developed into a number of nine and eighteen hole gems. Bandon and Kinsale are both in West Cork, but their proximity to the city allow for a large travelling membership from the city and surburbs. Bandon is now over 110 years old, and has been based in the Castlebernard for all of that time. It has the distinction of being the first West Cork Club to extend to 18 holes back in 1978. One of the largest and most successful clubs Continue reading
Cork Golf News 