So Tiger, this is how it's done! If you want to conquer Mount Juliet - which, admittedly, is a tough task - then take a leaf out of Project Management Group's little book of the right and wrong ways to manage your way around the course that Jack Nicklaus built.
When it comes to team golf, as we all know, the most important element of all is dovetailing. And that is precisely what Project Management, the Tallaght-based group originally founded in a garage but now with over 1,000 employees specialising in project management and consultant engineering, did to near perfection in the national final of The Irish Times Lexus Corporate Challenge at the magnificent Mount Juliet course which, in two years time, will play host to the AMEX World Golf Championship.
For those involved in Saturday's final, though, this was their own version of the World Championship. An indication of how seriously the event was taken by those entrusted with upholding company honour was that rounds took almost six hours to compete but, thankfully, on a fine day robbed from another time of the year, such a slow pace of play didn't take too much from the occasion.
In becoming the sixth winners of this event - following in the footsteps of Aer Rianta (1995), MMI (1996 and 1997), Oliver Freaney & Company (1998) and Davy Stockbrokers (1999) - Project Management's team of John Dougan, Seamus Roe, Jane Russell and Lucia Shelly compiled a total of 83 points, just one point clear of runners-up Canada Life with Dublin Corporation a shot further back in third place.
Much of Project Management's good work was done on the front nine. Over that difficult stretch, the team compiled 45 points with a less imposing 38 on the back nine - and that was sufficient, if only just, to fend off the late charge of Canada Life who had halves of 40 and 42 in their brave, if futile, attempt to overhaul the midway leaders.
Dove-tailing, as Project Management discovered, was the key to success. The case of Lucia Shelly, a 38-handicapper who plays out of Charlesland, illustrates the point. Although she failed to score on no less than nine holes, she made a telling contribution on many others . . . and none more so than at the third hole, a par three measuring 122 yards off the ladies tee-box, with a shot entirely over water.
"I just prayed when I stood up on that tee," remarked Shelly of that most intimidating of tee-shots, before proceeding to hit a six-iron to 30 feet above the hole. She then left her first putt some 10 feet short but, displaying nerves of steel, duly rolled in her par putt for a contribution of four points.
In terms of consistency, Jane Russell, a 30-handicapper out of Tipperary Golf Club, was the linchpin. A par at the 331 yards (off the ladies) ninth hole was the piece de resistance of an outward journey that, on her own card, would have given her 21 points. As it was, the four points Russell took at the ninth - where she hit a driver to the right side of the fairway and then hit a threewood approach some 30 yards short of the green before pitching to six feet and holing the putt - proved vital in the overall scheme of things.
Crucial, too, was a run from the 15th where she went par-bogey-bogey to take three points on each occasion which enabled Project Management to maintain momentum. And there were also hugely significant contributions from the two men in the team, John Dougan, a 14-handicapper out of Co Meath golf club, and Seamus Roe, a 16-handicapper who plays out of Ardee golf club.
Unquestionably the highlight of Dougan's round was a par at Mount Juliet's signature hole, the 13th. Playing every one of its 411 yards off the white markers, Dougan hit a drive into the light rough and opted to lay-up with his approach. Such sensible course management was rewarded when his nine-iron approach of 140 yards finished within tap-in distance of the cup.
Dougan also contributed further pars on the homeward run at the par three 176-yard 14th - where he hit four-iron to 25 feet and comfortably two-putted - and at the par five 17th hole.
Solid play, meanwhile, was the hallmark of Roe, who had the distinction of scoring on 17 holes, which was no mean feat on such a demanding course. His two pars came at the sixth - where he hit a three-wood tee-shot just short of the green and two-putted - and at the eighth. Here, he showed exemplary course management with a three-wood tee-shot, a five-wood lay-up which left him with 145 yards to the pin. He then hit a nine-iron to the heart of the green and two-putted for par.
As far as consistency went, Canada Life's John Ferguson - an 11-handicapper out of Ballaghaderreen Golf Club - was almost Faldoesque in the manner in which he scored two points at every hole on the front nine. Indeed, Canada Life were extremely solid throughout the team, with Pat Moore, a five-handicapper out of Seapoint, covering the back nine in three-over par while Philip Howlin, a 10-handicapper out of Naas, had the distinction of chipping in from 30 feet for a birdie at the 17th.
And the team's fourth member, Cyril Shaw, a 24-handicapper out of Co Sligo, also had reason to be satisfied with his day's work, most notably with a finishing bogey on the 447-yard 18th for three points.
Dublin Corporation, however, were left to rue a disastrous opening hole when they managed just two points. Eventually finishing in third place, just two points adrift of Project Management, their team of Tony Higgins, Seamus Feehan, Seamus Lyons and Pat Curran played extremely well thereafter. But, in terms of taking the trophy, it transpired that the damage had already been done.
Incidentally, Lexus, sponsors of this prestige competition since its inception in 1995, also had a reason to celebrate when (finally!!) getting the better of the team from The Irish Times in the joust at the tail-end of the field.
Project Management - the 2000 champions - nominated GOAL, the sportsperson's third world charity, as recipients of the £5,000 donation to charity from the event which attracted in excess of 5,000 competitors throughout its qualifying stages.
