PGA Ireland

Ger Broderick Celebrates 25 Years in Kinsale

/ niall@corkgolfnews.com

Ger Broderick pictured with his wife Caroilne Caroline Broderick pictured at the Pro Shop Challenge in 2019.

For any golfers playing in Kinsale’s Farrangalway course, there’s a good chance you’ve come across club professional Ger Broderick.  In fact Ger has been that as long as the course and he celebrated 25 years in Kinsale last week.  Having trained in the UK, Ger was working in Royal Tara when the opportunity came to return home as Kinsale opened their new 18 hole championship course in Farrangalway in 1996.  The affable PGA Pro has been there since, building his reputation over three decades.  He’s seen plenty of change in the club and the course in the last 25 years.

“When i started in 1996 the course was bare, but now the trees have grown and matured” explained Ger.  “I left Ringenane in 1989 with 150 members and returned 7 years later with Continue reading →

O’Sullivan Celebrates 10 Years in Cobh

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Cobh’s Club Professional David O’Sullivan PGA.

This summer marked an important anniversary for PGA Professional David O’Sullivan, he celebrated 10 years as the Club Professional in Cobh Golf Club.  The Ballincollig native has been in the PGA ranks for over 20 years and has made Cobh his home since 2010.  While golf itself has gone through a strange decade, and especially a strange 2020, David was delighted to celebrate a decade at the Marino Point club.  “Ten years on and the old saying is true, time flies when you’re having fun.  From my early days, it was very clear that the members were welcoming and proud of their golf club and that is still very much the vibe at Marino Point.  Cobh Golf Club is on a journey of progression and since I started in 2010 this has been our shared journey.  It became ‘home’ and a decade on, I still very much feel that sense of belonging.”

Although you mightn’t think it, David is now in his third decade as a golf pro.  He trained in Bandon under Paddy O’Boyle and 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 →

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 →