Monkstown Golf Club

Busy times for Monkstown’s Shane Irwin

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shane irwin monkstown_dec 2018

Shane Irwin

Monkstown’s Shane Irwin will have a busy few months ahead, as he closes off his second year of training as a PGA Professional.  The Limerick native has spent two years in Cork, working with Cian McNamara in the Monkstown ProShop.  In September 2017 he started his PGA training, having worked in the US and South Africa prior to that.  It was the next step in a plan for Shane.  “First year was very interesting for me as I went straight to the states to work in the golf industry after my leaving cert, so it was all a new experience for me” explained Irwin.  “Going to the states was in itself a learning, the way the American golf industry works and the contacts and friends I have made benefited me greatly to bring all that knowledge back home to Ireland.  The plan was always do America and play in South Africa and come back to do my PGA studies.”  Traditionally the PGA apprenticeship was Continue reading →

Hilary says goodbye to Monkstown

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Hilary Madden Monkstown Golf Club

Hilary Madden pictured with Martin Travers and Cian McNamara

Monkstown’s Hilary Madden will retire this week after 16 years as general manager in the golf club.  It’s been a very eventful time for golf clubs in Ireland, with big changes happening in those two decades.  In 2002, when Hilary took on the role in Monkstown golf in Ireland was very different.  There were waiting lists and large entry fees for anyone wanting to join, that period also marked a big increase in the number of courses.  Like many other courses, Monkstown had impressive development plans at the time which included an impressive new clubhouse, a new maintenance and greenkeeper compound.  Work on the course which drainage and bunker redevelopment, and it fell to the manager to oversee the plans which was set to reposition Monkstown back to the top table.  Luckily for Monkstown the work was completed by time the downturn came, but they still had to finance the projects which was a challenge for the club.  “As common with most clubs in Ireland the economic depression from 2008 to 2014 resulted Continue reading →

Four Munster Titles head to Cork, ILGU Southern District Finals

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2018 AIG Ladies Cups and Shields Finals (Munster District) at Ti

Monkstown’s Martina McCarthy celebrates with team mates and supporters after her victory on the 19th green to clinch the AIG Minor Cup Munster Final. Picture: Pat Cashman

There was cause for celebration in Tipperary on Sunday as Cork clubs came away with four of the six pennants on offer.  Macroom and Monkstown both had two teams in action but each club came away with one win. Macroom losing the Junior Foursomes and Monkstown losing the Junior Cup to East Cork.  The four Cork sides won all of the singles events, and now look forward to the All Ireland finals in Knightsbrook at the end of this month.

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Changing of the Guard in Monkstown

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Monkstown LogoAfter 16 years at Monkstown, General Manager Hilary Madden recently announced his retirement and the club has just started the recruitment campaign for his replacement.  Monkstown was one of the original “four Cork clubs” and it remains a private members club.  With a history that dates back over 110 years, the club is steeped in history.  Having come through the past decade the club, Monkstown is now ideally positioned to continue the positive work that has been ongoing over the past six years.

The successful candidate will report to Monkstown’s Committee of Management and the club has listed a number of requirements for suitable candidates.  Applications can be addresses to chairman@monkstowngolfclub.com and the closing date for applications is Friday 14th September.   Full details on the role are listed below Continue reading →

Glen Rovers & St Nicks all set for Classic

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Glen Rovers Classic 2018

Denis Cregan from Dino’s presents a sponsorship cheque for the St Nicks/Glen Rovers Golf Classic to Des Cullinane Chairman St Nicks, along with Noel Lynam President and Mary Newman PRO Glen Rovers. Also present were organisers Joe O’Shea James Galvin Pat Bourke and Finbarr Mc Carthy 

Glen Rovers and St Nicks are all set for their fundraising golf classic on Friday with a full timesheet and host of great prizes.  The event takes place in Monkstown Golf Club and is again sponsored by Dino’s  This is the fourth year that Denis Creegan has sponsored the event, having supported it for many years.  Anyone wishing to support the event should contact any of the organisers.

McNamara in touch in PGA Professional Championship

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Cian McNamara_1Cian McNamara is just two shots off the lead in the PGA Professional Championship at Little Aston.  The Monkstown man produced rounds of 67 and 69 to reach the halfway stage on -8 and tied for 4th place.  McNamara is on a run of good form and had 13 birdies over the two rounds to put himself in a position to claim the £10,000 top prize.  McNamara has finished in the top ten last year and will be hoping for another decent payday this year.  David Higgins is just outside the top ten on -6 and Headforts Joe Dillon is just one off the lead on -9.

The original field of over 120 golfers has now been reduced to 50 (top 40 plus ties) for the final two rounds.  The third round plash is currently underway and with a majority of the golfers on the course under par it should be an interesting moving day.

 

 

Bantry Bay through to Pierce Purcell finals

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Pierce Purcell Shield Area Final 2018 Kinsale Golf Club Thursday 7th June 2018Bantry Bay had a great win in the Pierce Purcell recently, they beat Monkstown in the South Munster final after both teams had come through their local qualifiers.  Monkstown took an early lead in the final but Bantry battled and refused to let Monkstown run away with an early win.  The match was played in Kinsale and the course provided both teams with a tough test.  The new provision for scotch foursomes (both golfers drive off with the best shot selected) saved teams on several occasions as the narrow fairways tested both teams.  Although down in the first and third matches, Bantry were buoyed by a win for Dominic Wilson and Pat Cronin over Colm Murphy and Eoin McNamara on the 13th hole.  Conchur O’Sullivan and Ger Conway were two down with four to play, but they turned their match around to beat Eddie O’Sullivan and Niall Keely on the 18th green.  That made it 2-0 and meant Bantry only needed one more match.  The problem was that they were down in the final three matches.  The win would come in match three.  Despite missing Continue reading →

Monkstown Through in AIG Senior Cup

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AIG Senior Cup Area Semi Finals 2018 Cork Golf Club Sunday 24th June 2018Monkstown were the first club to book their place in the Munster finals in Thurles, marking the third time in four years that they have reached the finals of the AIG Senior Cup.

16 teams started in Cork Golf Club on Saturday morning, and two rounds later there were just four.  Bandon faced Kinsale and Mallow were up against Monkstown this morning.  The two semi-finals were close matches, with the Bandon Kinsale derby needing three extra holes to decide the winner.  Bandon’s Ger Tobin was the hero as he won the 21st hole to take Bandon through to area final.

AIG Senior Cup Results

For team manager Pat O’Keeffe and his assistant Martin Walsh it marks another successful start to a campaign.  Last year the lost at the semi-final stage so there’s no doubt that they’ll appreciate making it through to the Munster finals.  This afternoon there were wins for Sean Desmond, Donal McDonnell and Martin Continue reading →