Cork’s most demanding golf event is all set to start next week when 64 golfers will aim to make it through six rounds of matchplay golf. The eventual winner will become the Ford Muskerry Junior Scratch Trophy champion. While many golfers will be looking forward to morning off on Easter Sunday, the four semi-finalists will be facing into their fifth game of golf in three days, and all four will be hoping to reach a sixth game in the afternoon final. Almost two weeks ago, over 250 competitors took part in the two-day qualifier in Muskerry, all hoping to finish in the top 64 and get through to the matchplay stage. With a new handicap limit of 4, the event provides a mix between the established Junior Cup and Bruen golfers, and younger golfers heading for Barton or Senior Cup appearances. Fota Island’s Anthony O’Connell led the qualifiers with a very impressive nett 57 for his 16 hole qualifier. John McSweeney (Muskerry) led four golfers to finished with 58 in the first day of the qualifier. Monkstown’s Billy Egan finished on top of the leaderboard on the second day. He shot the best of the 58’s around the 16 hole course while Seamus Spencer (Berehaven) and David O’Brien (Cahir Park) also finished on 58. Main sponsors Ford have been involved in the competition since 1992, continuing a long tradition of supporting amateur golf in Cork. The trophy holds the names of many popular Cork golfers, including two previous Continue reading
Stroke Classic set for Mahon
2018 promises to be another big year for fundraising golf classics and one of the first will be in Mahon in early April. The Cork Stroke Support Group will be the beneficiaries from the event which takes place on Friday 6th April. The format is a threeball scramble and the event is sponsored by Carbon Group. The classic is being organised by Dan and John Cronin whose father benefited from the services of Cork Stroke Support Group. The cost per team is just €120 and the sponsors have ensured that there are some great prizes on offer. Tee and green sponsorships are available for anyone who can’t play but would like to contribute to the classic.
Another of the early season classics is the Mercy Hospital Classic. That takes place over two days in Fota Island Resort. This year the focus is Continue reading
Stephen Hayes new Performance Centre at Douglas Golf Club
Stephen Hayes has just opened a new performance centre in Douglas Golf Club, the Club Professional in Douglas has invested in a brand new facility for members and clients to learn and hone their golfing skills. Previously Stephen had worked from a teaching bay in the driving range, but that bay was a victim of the storm in October so an alternative was Continue reading
Cobh set for Bumper 2018
David O’Sullivan practicing with the help of Trackman in his swing room at the range in Cobh Golf Club. Picture: Niall O’Shea
Cobh Golf Club is looking forward to a busy 2018. Last year the club completed works on their new clubhouse and the completion of the club house and carpark marked the end of the beginning in some respects. Having moved to their new Championship course in Marino Point in 2009, the club committees and its large membership set about building a lasting legacy for the club and the local area. While the Hawtree designed course needed very little, the club invested time, energy and money in the surrounding facilities and now have the complete package. The clubhouse, Pro Shop and practice area compliment the signature course which looks out over Cork Harbour. The club is still open for new members and joiner can benefit from a special offer of €650 for the remainder of the year, while existing members of Cobh can benefit from the €80 per month direct debit option that makes the sub payment easier. Cobh celebrated their drive in earlier this month, President Teresa Delius, Captain Pat Feen, Lady Captain Maria Hughes and Junior Captain Peter Dennis all took part to mark the ceremonial start to the new year, and while conditions for golf mightn’t be great just yet, the lower harbour club will have a busy year ahead.
PGA Professional has been the club pro Continue reading
McNamara claims second win in Cork, Munster PGA Winter Series
Cork’s Peter Hickey congratulating Cian McNamara on his win the Munster PGA Winter Series event in Cork Golf Club Picture: Niall O’Shea
Despite the cold weather, the Munster PGA got the second half of their winter series off to a great start on Monday in Cork Golf Club. Twenty Pro’s braved the cold winds but the course in Cork was in great condition, and benefitted from the recent week of dry weather. Munster PGA Captain Cian McNamara was the winner on the day, the Monkstown Professional shot a one under par 71 to record his second win of the winter series. He turned on two under par thanks to birdies on the second, third and eighth, and he dropped a shot on the index one fourth hole. A bogey also followed on the 10th but he parred the remaining eight holes to remain in the red and sign for a one under par 71. After a break of a few months, David Higgins made his seasonal debut. The Waterville man had a beak towards the end of 2017 and was in Barbados for a pro-am in January. Although he carded an impressive 72 for second place, the form was mixed. He had an uncharacteristic six bogies but that was countered with four birdies and an eagle. David was joined on his team by brother Brian and dad Liam. They returned an impressive Continue reading
CIT Partner with Fota Island Academy
CIT 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
Former 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
China Tour Card for Brian O’Donovan
China based golfer Brian O’Donovan made a huge breakthrough yesterday when he won a tour card for the PGA China Tour. Brian was competing in the second qualifying tournament in the PGA backed China tour at the Mission Hills Haikou course. The former Bandon amateur opened on Friday with a 68 for a share of third place, and a solid second round saw him remain in the top five. However a one over par 73 on Saturday saw him drop to 16th, one place outside the qualifying places. After a shaky start on Sunday morning, he steadied and was one over par for his front nine. After hovering around the qualifying mark he birdied the final hole to move to two under par overall and safely inside the top 15. Now armed with a full tour card, Brian will qualify for the series of fourteen events, all based in China with the top five on the tour qualifying for the Web.com tour. There’s a run of six events starting in May with the second half kinking off in late August after a six-week break. The Bandon native was a member of the very successful team from Bandon Golf Club who won the Irish Senior Cup national title in 2010. It was a family affair for the O’Donovan’s, Brian’s Dad Donal was also on that team in Castlebar when they won the most prized team competition in Ireland.
After winning the top team event, Brian decided to pursue a full time career in golf, and enrolled in the PGA programme. Two years of study followed and Brian was based in Douglas Golf Club under Stephen Hayes while studying for his PGA qualification. Brian moved to China soon after qualifying as a PGA Professional in late 2013. While he hoped to remain competitive on the local professional tours, a knees problem ruled him out of competitive action for the best part of a year. He returned to competitive action via the qualifiers for the PGA China Tour events, while also continuing work develop as a teacher in the Mission Hills Golf Academy.
Murphy enjoying Kentucky experience
Kentucky 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 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
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