Every course undergoes some modifications from time to time: a few new bunkers here, a new tee-box there, a re-contoured green. But rarely do the members of a club decide to rip up all 18 holes of their course and start from scratch. Yet that was the brave decision the members of Co Longford Golf Club took over three years ago, and now, after much hard work and frustration, they can bask in the knowledge that it was worth all the effort.
The project was made possible by the purchase of an extra 30 acres of land. The club then brought in designer Mel Flanagan, and he has produced an attractive lay-out which fully exploits the rolling terrain on a hill above the town, set among mature trees and with several water features.
The course is not long but still offers a fine test, and several holes stick in the mind. Typical is the 12th, a shortish par four, but which presents the golfer with a sharp dog-leg right, and an approach through a narrow gap in the trees to a green with water left and right. A lovely hole. And the fine finishing hole is a true par five, with even the lowest handicapper faced with a risk/reward decision about carrying the water in front of the green.
But the most outstanding feature of the course is the quality of the greens; they are superb, wonderfully contoured with subtle movements that will break your heart. The members and council of the club, including captains Maurice Harnett and Gertie Carr and president Larry Mitchell, can be proud of how they have turned a vision into reality.
Yet, incredibly, now the members have another huge decision to make: whether to stay or go. A developer has approached the club with an offer: he will build them a new course within the grounds of the nearby Carriglass estate on the banks of the river Camlin, and cancel the outstanding debts associated with the €1.2 million redesign, in exchange for their current property. It seems initially there are as many opinions about the offer as there are members of the club.
Kearney best of Irish
Ireland's Niall Kearney finished sixth and Danielle McVeigh eighth in the 54-hole Duke of York Young Champions' Trophy at the Castletown Golf Club on the Isle of Man last week. Kearney, the Nissan Irish Boys' Champion from Royal Dublin shot rounds of 70, 71 and 76 for a total of 217, five shots behind the winner, England's Oliver Fisher on 212. Fisher, 17-year-old Britain and Ireland Walker Cup player, completed a great junior double within five days. The previous week Fisher romped away with the boys' title in the Nick Faldo Junior Series Grand Final at Celtic Manor.
Anna Nordqvist, the British Girls' Open champion from Sweden, was the leading girl for the second year running. She followed up her triumph at Kingsbarns 12 months ago with a four-over-par 223 to finish two shots ahead of France's Valentine Derry and another Swede, Anna D'Ber-Soderestom. McVeigh had rounds of 73, 84 and 79 for a 236 total.
Coakley coasts through
Former Irish amateur champion Rebecca Coakley made it through to the first round of the LPGA Qualifying School event at Mission Hills, California last week. Coakley had a final round of 68 to finish in joint 12th place at four-under-par 284.
England's Samantha Head also broke 70. Her 68 lifted her to a share of 16th place on three-under-par 285 - the same mark as Becky Brewerton from Wales. Brewerton closed with a 70. Former US Curtis Cup player Brittany Lang headed the total of 32 players with totals of one-over 189 and better. She had a 67 for 12-under-par 276 - one shot ahead of Japan's Ai Miyazota.
Louise Stahle (Sweden), British Women's Open Amateur champion for the past two seasons, had a 71 to be joint third on 278. Another Scandinavian on 278 was Finland's Minea Blomqvist. The low-scoring story of the final day belonged to 17-year-old amateur Morgan Pressel who shot an incredible 63 - nine birdies, no bogeys - to finish in fourth place on 280. The next regional qualifier is at Venice, Florida from October 4th to 7th. The final qualifying - over 90 holes - is at Daytona Beach, Florida during the last week of November/first week of December.
Day out for seniors at Westport
The inaugural Hastings (Westport) Insurance-sponsored, Mayo Seniors (Over 55) tournament will take place at Westport GC on October 14th. An 18-hole single stableford competition will have a shotgun start at 1.0 pm with registration at the club from noon. Entry fee is €10 per person with an overall gross prize and category prizes based on age groups. Due to the format of the competition there are limited places on the timesheet. Places on the time-sheet are available from Paul O'Neill, general manager, Westport Golf Club 098/28262.
Unique double for Nearys
Anything you can do, I can do better. So it is with one of north Dublin's golfing families. This year is special for both Skerries and Dundalk as both are celebrating their centenaries. But one family, the Nearys, have just completed what is surely a unique double that is winning the Centenary Trophy in their respective clubs. In Skerries the captain, Michael Branagan, presented a Centenary Trophy - which is a replica of the famous Claret Jug - and the inaugural winner was Mike Neary. Playing off a handicap of 14 Mike won with a score of nett 68. But if Mike, who has been captain of the Skerries Junior Cup team for the last five years and was skipper when they won the All Ireland title in Lisburn GC in 2003, thought he had cornered the market on bragging rights for the Neary clan he had forgotten about the talent of his sister Rosaleen who is a member of Dundalk. Playing off 28 she shot a sizzling 66 to bag the Centenary Gold Medal for Ladies and thus shares the limelight with her brother Mike. One wonders what are the odds of siblings winning centenary competitions in different clubs in the same year?
Crowes dominate outing
It was a Crowe takeover at the recent Blackrock College Union outing to Elm Park as identical twins Morgan and Stewart Crowe finished first and third in Jim Leyden's President's Prize. Off a handicap of three, Morgan had 42 points - which included an eagle at the par four 350 yard 14th - to win by five points from Gilly McCool (17), with two brother Stewart - who plays off six - next best on 38 points. The Crowe twins are grandsons of Morgan Crowe, who played rugby for Ireland from 1929 to 1934 and who actually won this golf competition in 1949 and 1951. Former Irish international golfer Liam McNamara - who also had an eagle two at the 440 yard 10th hole - won the gross prize with 34 points, while Ronnie Delaney Junior won the class three prize on the very day it was announced that his father, Ronnie, would be given the Freedom of Dublin.
Celtic Manor here we come
Ballykisteen Golf Club and Tuam Golf Club will represent Ireland at the International Pairs Final in Celtic Manor in Wales next August after both came through the regional qualifiers last week. At Faithlegg yesterday week in the Leinster/Munster qualifier the Ballykisteen duo of Paudie Ryan, who plays off 12, and James Keane, a 15 handicapper, emerged victorious with 44 points, thanks in no small way to three birdies on the back nine on holes 11, 13 and 14. Then last Thursday at the Ulster/Connacht Regional Final at a windy Ballyliffin Danny McGrath (4) and Ian Pierce (10) from Tuam GC fired 39 points to beat the rest of the field by a single point. They began in the best possible fashion when with an eagle three on the first hole, which earned them, four points. From there on they never looked back, firing 19 points on the front nine and then 20 on what was a very testing back nine as they secured their place at Celtic Manor next year.
Leinster Alliance's final outing
The Leinster Alliance are holding their final outing for 2005 at The European Club this coming Sunday, October 2nd. Sponsored by AIB, numbers are very limited and places must be booked on the timesheet. Anyone interested should phone Michael Neary on 01 - 2827297between 9.15a.m. and 5.30p.m. to ensure their place.
skeenan@irish-times.ie
