Peter O’Keeffe

Super 69 for McCarthy in Lahinch, South of Ireland Day 1 Report

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Paul McCarthy (Mallow Golf Club)

Paul McCarthy (Mallow Golf Club)

Mallow’s Paul McCarthy took advantage of an early start this morning to set the tone for the opening round of the South of Ireland Championship.  McCarthy raced into the lead with a near flawless 69 and finished in second place at the end of play on the opening day.  The 2015 Munster Youths champion went out in 34 thanks to birdies on the 2nd and 8th.  He had another two birdies on the way back but dropped a shot on the index one 15th hole.  He signed for a 69 leaving him one shot off the lead held by Jake Whelan from Newlands.

McCarthy was naturally very happy with the round, especially because it was an all-round performance: “It was an all round solid day really, but if I had to pick something it was my putting which was very good from start to finish.”  McCarthy goes into day two as Continue reading →

O’Keeffe Golf Performance Open Day at Dennehy’s Blackpool

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AIG Barton Shield South Munster Final, Sunday 10th July, Monkstown Golf Club

Peter O’Keeffe pictured with Barton Shield partner Karl Bornemann last weekend.

Peter O’Keeffe is holding an open day at Dennehy’s Health and Fitness Blackpool on Saturday.  Dennehy’s opened their third gym in early May and the new state of the art gym features a dedicated golf fitness area complete with the very latest tool in golf swing analysis.  Trackman 4 was launched at the start of the year and O’Keeffe Golf Performance was one of the first to invest in the new technology in Ireland.

O’Keeffe launched his golf fitness business in late 2015 in Dennehy’s Douglas, and he quickly build up a reputation for himself.  Using the renowned TPI screening in conjunction with his college qualifications in sports and excercise science, O’Keeffe has spent the last ten months working with amateurs and professionals, junior golfers and seniors.

The open day is a great opportunity to find out more about how golf specific fitness training can Continue reading →

Butler, McCormack & O’Keeffe earn Munster places

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Fota Island Top Golfer Senior Scratch Cup 2016

Cathal Butler  pictured with the Fota Island Senior Scratch Cup. 

There are three new picks on the 2016 Munster team, as Captain Phil Cooney plots to win this third interprovincial title in five years as captain.

Newly capped Cathal Butler jointly topped the order of merit, and the Kinsale man is one of three members of the team joining the team.  His order of merit placing was predominantly down to his performance in winning the Munster Strokeplay in May, but also his performances in the East of Ireland and the Irish Amateur Open added valuable points.  Butler has spent the winter working with the Harrington Scholars golf programme in Maynooth University where he is also a full time student.

As well as access to top level training and fitness programmes, Cathal also played in the competitive Hilary Golf Society outings in Dublin through the winter.  He’s also a member of the Irish Mens development squad and Butler is just back after competing for Ireland in the World University Championships in Brive.  Butler also beat a top class field in Fota Island in March to win the Senior Scratch Cup which bodes well as the inter-pro’s are being held on the same Deerpark course.

Andrew McCormack from Castletroy was also an Continue reading →

British Amateur start for John Hickey

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Munster Strokeplay Championship 2016Cork’s John Hickey will join a select number of Cork golfers this weekend when he takes part in the British Amateur Championship.  Hickey will play Royal Portcawl tomorrow afternoon in the first of his two rounds.  Hickey was third alternate when the draw was made a the start of the week and soon after he got the official call up.  Hickey has had a solid start to the season, and is currently in the top ten in the Munster senior Order of Merit.  He had good performances in the Munster Strokeplay and the East of Ireland.

2016 marks the 70th anniversary of Jimmy Bruen’s British Amateur win at Royal Birkdale.  Only a select few have qualified to play in the Amateur Championship.  Padraig Dooley play twice, Aaron O’Callaghan played when it was held in St Andrew’s and Peter O’Keeffe played in three Amateur Championships.  O’Keeffe made it to the final 32 in 2007 when a second round 66 got him through to the matchplay stage.  Padraig Dooley also made it to the Continue reading →

McCormack wins Douglas Senior Scratch Cup

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Douglas Senior Scratch Cup 2016

Andrew McCormack (Castletroy) 

Andrew McCormack stormed to his first senior scratch cup win today as he shot two rounds in the 60’s to run away from the field.  The Castletroy golfer’s 69,68 proved to be five shots better than the field and he scooped top prize.  McCormack was third in Muskerry and second in Lee Valley last week so he’s the form golfer in Munster at the moment.  McCormack has three bogeys over the 36 holes, but the ten birdies more than compensated.  It was a 1-2 for Castletroy as Continue reading →

Top class field in place for Douglas Senior Scratch Cup

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Douglas is the place to be tomorrow, their Senior Scratch Cup will be the third of four consecutive cups that are taking place in April.  With Muskerry and Lee Valley complete, Douglas and Cork remain in what has proved to be an exciting month for Category 1 golfers in the county and indeed the province.  Eanna Griffin, Andrew McCormack and Shane Hogan lead the golfers that hoping to take the title outside of the county.  Gary O’Flaherty, David O’Donovan, John Hickey and holder Daniel Halliessey lead the local challenge, while Peter O’Keeffe will be representing his home club Douglas and he’s like nothing better than to mare his return to amateur status with his first big win on his own turf.

Golf_Douglas SSC_Daniel Hallissey_May2015_web

2015 winner Daniel Hallissey (Muskerry) pictured with Kieran Canty and  Brian O’Brien, Captain Douglas GC. 

Kieran Canty has been a busy man over the past few weeks, as a committed Douglas member, Kieran is one of the main drivers behind the scratch cup and he’s also sponsoring the event.  Senior Scratch Cups have been a challenge for most clubs over the past 8-10 years.  Limited numbers of entrants, pressure on timesheets, and competition from national and provincial events have all impacted on the perceived importance and prestige of senior scratch cups.  Douglas Continue reading →

Peter O’Keeffe, still in love with the game of Golf

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Peter pictured at Dennehys Health & Fitness in Douglas. Picture: Kestutis Anuzis

Peter pictured at Dennehys Health & Fitness in Douglas.
Picture: Kestutis Anuzis

After several years as a professional golfer, Peter O’Keeffe is returning to the amateur ranks, but the Douglas man still intends to make a career from the sport, working as one of a few specialist golf fitness coaches.  O’Keeffe has recently completed his certification as a Titleist Performance Institute Fitness instructor and has started a new golf fitness business based in Dennehy’s Health & Fitness in  Douglas.

O’Keeffe’s interest in fitness and sports science started over a decade ago, when he attended Southeastern Louisiana University on a golf scholarship.  As well as playing golf at the highest collegiate level, Peter studied sports science in his years in Louisiana.  That gave him a solid foundation in the scientific end of the fitness and physiology, and his interest in the area was Continue reading →

Tour Life Ain’t Cheap

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Peter performning one of the stability and core strengthening exercises from the TPI training programme. Picture: Kestutis Anuzis

Peter performing one of the stability and core strengthening exercises from the TPI training programme.
Picture: Kestutis Anuzis

For every Rory McIlroy there are hundreds if not thousands of professional golfers who try to make it on tour.  In Ireland alone around a dozen amateurs turn professional every year.  In addition to the European Challenge Tour, there are several mini-tours which offer aspiring professionals a chance to put a card in their pocket every week.  However the pro-tours are not cheap to compete in, as Peter explains:  “An average week on any of the pro tours
in Europe will cost €1,000 at least [entry fees, travel and accommodation], tour school entry is €2,000 and that’s before you buy yourself a sandwich.  At no point would I moan about my time as a tour player, I achieved quite a lot in my career and it has led me to meet all the people that are now closest to me so there are no sour grapes.  Professional golf is an amazing occupation provided the path is clear for your schedule but more importantly your mind.   I could never jump the financial hurdle that would have allowed me to forget everything and send the ball where it needed it to go.  Travelling the world with your clubs to play the best courses week after week is a great experience but the bank balance was always Continue reading →

Luke Dennehy: Sports Specific Training the Way Forward

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Luke Dennehy (left) and Peter O'Keeffe going through a warming up excercise at the gym in Douglas. Picture: Niall O'Shea

Luke Dennehy (left) and Peter O’Keeffe going through a warming up excercise at the gym in Douglas.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Luke Dennehy, owner of the Dennehy Health & Fitness gyms in Douglas and Ballincollig, started Peter O’Keeffe’s TPI journey in 2012 and he has an interesting view on the concept of golf specific fitness training.  He explained: “When I decided to get qualified in TPI back in 2012 it was purely for the niche in the market and not because of a background in golf or an real love for golf at the time.  I knew it wasn’t that common, but people like Tiger Woods were changing the Continue reading →