Castlebar Golf Club setting a gold standard
by Paul O'Neill
LAST weekend had everything an Irish golf fan could wish for, except, of course, a club competition, but it’s time to move on and competition golf in some courses began this week exclusively for their members.
Rory McIlroy returned to the winner’s enclosure and Niall Kearney had a career best finish on the European Tour.
Some numbers about Kearney are fascinating in that his career earnings before receiving his second place cheque for €51,014.08 last Sunday were in fact just over €30,000 for a career to date of 12 years.
It must also be noted that the Dubliner made the cut at Qualifying School Final Stage in 2019 to secure a full season on the European Challenge Tour for the first time since 2014.
Great credit must go to Kearney for pursuing his dream and never giving up.
Although he may have had some financial security in the background, his fortitude must be commended and is an example to all young golfers who hope to make it eventually onto the tour.
In the short term he will continue on the main European Tour hoping that his recent excellent form continues, ensuring full playing privileges on the European Tour in 2022.
Even though I had seen first-hand the return to golf at Westport, I was delighted to meet up with Michael Kilcourse, captain of Castlebar Golf Club, last week.
Anxious to be reassured that everything was running smoothly out at Rocklands, I was absolutely at a loss for words when he advised me about the publication of the inaugural club newsletter, which was released to members in late April.
During our conversation he mailed me a copy, outlining in much greater detail the topics we chatted about.
If I’m honest, I was a little surprised by Michael’s enthusiastic tone during our conversation, as I was aware that the county town club had imposed strict restrictions on members' play to take into account the return to golf protocols advised by Golf Ireland.
Upon opening my email account later in the day I am now in a position to confirm that the days of a newsletter appearing in an A4 word document are long gone. I simply could not believe my eyes with the content, both written and pictured, in this six-page manuscript.
The front page set the tone with a magnificent image of the aforementioned gent’s captain accompanied by lady captain Anne O’Sullivan and former Taoiseach Enda Kenny and the unveiling of a plaque to mark the occasion of the visit of the then Vice-President of the United States of America, Joe Biden, to the club.
Also on the front page was a warm welcome to new head green keeper Jonathan Kelly and details of a club twinning initiative.
A club council decision to implement the huge volume of work was highlighted, and then to present it to their membership bodes well for the standards that can be expected by members and visitors alike in the coming years.