Cork Golf Centre

Wayne putting golfers on the path to success

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Wayne O’Callaghan with the Odessey putter range at his putting custom fitting studio in Cork Golf Centre. Picture: Niall O’Shea

Wayne O’Callaghan’s putting studio in Cork Golf Centre is a busy spot, and that’s no surprise considering the state of the art training and putting analysis tools that are available at the studio in Ballincollig.  O’Callaghan has been focusing on the art of putting for the past few years and last month he became Cork’s first dedicated Odyssey putter fitting centre.  With a large number of putters in stock, Cork Golf Centre is now a one stop shop for golfers looking to improve their performance on the course.

While a large proportion of golfers will have been fitted for a driver or irons, very few will have done the same with their putter.  Given that the putter will always be the most used club in the bag during a round of golf it’s funny that the focus usually is on the driver and length gains, but now O’Callaghan is providing Cork golfers with the chance to get the stats and the science of their putting skills.  Wayne previously invested in the Capto and Sam Puttlab systems and he’s recently added Continue reading →

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Stephen Hayes keeping golfers winter ready

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Stephen Hyes has launched his winter coaching programmes at Cork Golf Centre.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

PGA Professional Stephen Hayes is planning for a busy off-season, he’s developed a new golf coaching plan that should allow golfers to improve over the winter months.  After a busy summer, Hayes has switched up the coaching options, focusing on a structured approach that takes in four sessions over the course of a number of weeks.  “I came up with the Long Game Winter Assessment as a way of structuring a lesson and practice plan for my students over the winter” explained Stephen.  “The first step is carrying out a 90 minute assessment with the students which includes a TPI movement screening, Trackman video and data analysis and a Trackman combine test.  The second step is then sitting down with the student to go through the findings and agree on a plan going forward over the winter. The student can then choose option of five lessons, they can also choose the length of each coaching lesson; 30, 45 or 60 minutes.”

The TPI screening, developed and pioneered by the Titleist Performance Institute has become the industry Continue reading →

Putting for Dough at Cork Golf Centre

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PGA Advanced Professional Wayne O’Callaghan who is based at Cork Golf Centre.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

If you ask golfers how many putts they take in a round they’ll probably have a rough idea of the number.  But if you asked them for the percentage very few would think it’s over 40% of the shots in an average round.  Wayne O’Callaghan has been building a reputation as a leading putting coach, and his new performance studio in Cork Golf Centre is designed to provide golfers with cutting edge technology to improve their putting.

Wayne, a PGA Advanced Professional recently invested in the latest putting analysis technology, the Sam Puttstudio.  Wayne has used the Science & Motion puttlab for a number of years, and he recently upgraded to the studio version which provides ball tracking and video projection.  Golfers and the instructor can now see the putt line thanks to the Continue reading →

Cork Golf Centre ready for 2022

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David Keating pictured at Cork Golf Centre.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

The recent wet weather may have closed some courses, but Cork Golf Centre in Ballincollig offers golfers cover from the elements and the soft ground, and it’s this ideal place to keep golfers swinging through the wet and cold winter months.  Many golfers continue to play all year around but there are a number who stay away from the course during the winter months.

The centre is one of just a few driving ranges in Cork, and it’s an ideal alternative for golfers looking to keep their swing in shape but not head out to the course.  The centre has been a busy spot over the past 12 months in particular, with a big increase in the number of active golfers playing the game.  When the centre opened in May 2017 it was a much-needed addition to the western side of the city.  It was within easy reach of a large number of golfers Continue reading →

Major Upgrade for Cork Golf Centre

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A new LED lighting system has brought a huge improvement to Cork Golf Centre.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Cork Golf Centre has seen a major upgrade in 2020 with golfers now benefitting from better lighting and a longer hitting area.  The centre just outside Ballincollig used the two lockdowns to implement some planned improvements, and it’s been a busy place since the recent reopening.  When the centre opened in May 2017 it was a much needed addition to the western side of the city.  It was within easy reach of a large number of golfers stretching from the city to Macroom.  David Keating was behind the development and his vision was to provide golfers of all levels with a Continue reading →

PGA’s Pro’s getting back in the swing

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Cork Golf Centre

While courses opened in mid-May, it took most Golf Professionals a few weeks more to restart their businesses.  Almost all PGA Professionals are now back in business following the lockdown and many are reporting a strong start to the shortened season.  Cork Golf Centre re-opened in May and the Ballincollig centre is now back to offering the full range or services.  Wayne O’Callaghan is one of three teaching professionals based in the centre and he’s delighted with the large number of golfers coming for lessons or just Continue reading →

The Progress Continues at Cork Golf Centre

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Cork Golf Centre

It’s three years since Cork Golf Centre opened and while nobody could have expected all forms of golf to be suspended, it’s still an important milestone for the progressive range.  Having operated as a range for close to twenty years, the site re-opened in 2017 under David Keating.  David Keating is one of golf’s gentlemen.  The PGA Professional has had an interesting and varied 27 years working in golf, working in Cork, Kerry, Dublin and back in Cork again where he based himself in the Ballincollig range.  The Charleville man started off serving his time in Bandon with Paddy O’Boyle, and ended up as Club Professional at his home course in Charleville.  After that he spent ten years in Killarney as Head Professional and three years ago he moved into teaching full time, splitting his time between Cork Golf Centre and the Spawell Academy in Continue reading →

Keating see’s Changes for PGA Pro’s

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Now in his third decade as a PGA Professional, David Keating has seen plenty and has watched the industry change through the decades.  “When I started as a PGA trainee almost 27 years ago there were just over 200 courses, and there’s well over 300 now” explained Keating.   “We have gone from having 200 pros to 700 since I started.  Golf went through a boom period from 2000-2007 which covered up some cracks but everything came falling down after 2008.  The market is now much smaller, there is more free information online and obviously on-course retail has suffered.  Costs have gone up, lesson rates have stagnated or reduced, and customer numbers have reduced.”  Continue reading →

One for the Ladies…

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One for the Ladies SkibbereenWhile many golfers will be familiar with lessons, or fitness, or mental preparation, it not usual to see all three elements coming together.  That’s what’s happening with the “One for the Ladies” day which sees all three covered in an exciting day of tuition and play.  The idea came to life when Trish Daly saw a gap in the market.  Daly is a Cork native who spent the past 30 years in Australia, and retuned to Ireland in 2018 and started her Yoga for Golfers programme at Cork Golf Centre in Inniscarra.  Soon after Trish met up with PGA Advanced Professional Sarah Claridge and sports psychologist Deirdre Gallagher who both work out of Cork Golf Centre.  While Trish was only up and running with her individual and group yoga for golf classes, she spotted a gap in the market for ladies wishing to improve their golf.  After a good deal of planning the trio set about holding their first event in Skibbereen back in March.  “While there is a lot of energy put into attracting women into the sport of golf with the very successful “get into golf programme” we found that Continue reading →

Yoga for Golfers comes to Cork

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Trish Daly Feb 2019_1

Trish Daly

There are many golfers who engage in strength and fitness programmes, and now golfers in Cork can benefit from a golf specific yoga programme.  Trish Daly, a Cork native who spent the past 30 years in Australia, has started her Yoga for Golfers programme at Cork Golf Centre in Inniscarra.  Trish has studied under various expert programmes, but her profession is a result of a need when she had difficulty playing the game.  “When I first took up golf I really didn’t understand the golf swing, I used to get a very sore lower back” explained Trish.  “Back then in Sydney I looked around for a gym programme that would target my golfing muscles there was only an elite program available.”  That gap in the market set Trish off on a journey which would eventually become here job.  “For the last nine years I have studied as much as I can about the biomechanics of the golf swing.  This included Paul Chek, the Titleist Performance Institute and most recently Yoga For Golfers.  I came across YFG at the World Golf Fitness Summit in New Orleans two years ago. I attended a Continue reading →