Master's Week. Win a Fourball...

... to Concra Wood.

Yea, sorry... if you thought I was handing out a fourball for Augusta, that's not going to happen... not this week anyway. I did ask Billy Payne for a fourball, on your behalf, and he said I would definitely get that fourball... when hell freezes over... or when Donald Trump shows some humility... whichever comes first.

(Not the best photo - take a look at their website to see how stunning
this course looks)

But this is a fourball for Concra Wood - a top 5 Irish parkland - so there won't be any complaints.

An Irish Golfing Year in Review

Approach to Cork GC's 2nd hole.

Here are a few of the key ingredients that made up the Irish Golfing Year, 2014:

Star of the Year: Rory McIlroy

Rory got a huge amount of bad press over the Wozniacki affair and then the Horizon court case. Yet, considering those burdens and the new (ish) golf clubs he put on a spurt of golfing brilliance that saw him collect back-to-back Majors. But perhaps the classiest moment of all was after the Australian Open, when he and the field were thrashed by Jordan Spieth. His 63 on the final day drew the following (Twitter) praise from McIlroy:

The Irish Open... A Christmas Opportunity (£25) for Royal County Down

The par three 10th, with the 11th beyond

In 2015, the Irish Open will be played at one of the greatest golf courses in the world. This is no overstatement, exaggeration or embellishment. Royal County Down is a remarkable course that is revered worldwide. It vibrates with brilliance and perfectly reflects its glorious setting at the foot of the Mourne Mountains on Dundrum Bay.

Next May, between the 28th and 31st, many of the world’s best golfers will vie for the Irish Open title. As a spectacle it will be, well, spectacular. Rory will be centre stage, but with Ricky Fowler also confirmed, there may be a rush of big American names who will see it as an opportunity to play not only such a famous course but also to start their preparation for the Open Championship at St. Andrew’s.

Who Wants to Play Rory McIlroy? No, Seriously

The only thing is, it's not playing golf with Rory McIlroy. It's for an advertisement to play Rory at three stages of his life. 

Louise Kiely, of Louise Kiely Casting, in Dublin has been asked to cast an exciting new TV commercial starring Rory McIlroy. It will shoot in early January 2015 but casting for these three roles is next week. It is a fully paid job for the boys chosen.

She is looking for three boys to play the younger versions of Rory:

How Many Majors for Rory McIlroy in 2013?

It's hard to believe that only three years ago the question would have been: how many Majors will Tiger win... now it's all Rory, Rory, Rory...

Rory's Ryder Cup Squad Car Up For Auction

The police squad car, driven by Deputy Chief Pat Rollins, which rescued Rory McIlroy in time to get him to his Ryder Cup Singles match, is going up for auction. Great idea or opportunism? Clearly both as proceeds are going to a local charity.

In an age when anything touched by, or associated with, somebody famous is suddenly ‘valuable’ to fans/collectors of the world, I’m a bit of a cynic, but the squad car has more kudos than most. It did, after all, single-handedly help Europe win the Ryder Cup in Medinah.

Memorabilia such as a golf ball (Louis Oosthuizen’s Albatross at the Master’s), or golf gear (Bubba Watson auctioning off his official Ryder Cup gear for charity), or golf clubs (remember Padraig auctioning off clubs in Dundrum a few years back?) all make perfect sense… and will find themselves on clubhouse walls, alongside niblicks and mashies, and Gutta Percha (Gutty) balls from over a century ago… but where do you put a police squad car with over 80K miles on the clock?

So… who is going to bid on the car and what will the winning bidder do with it?

Let’s look at the 5 leading contenders:

1. Davis Love III, or the next US Ryder Cup captain, who will use it for team target practice come 2014… a cut-out face of Rory laughing at them from the back window.

2. Medinah Country Club could use it to dispense drinks by the 1st tee, with everyone having to sit in Rory’s seat to be served. Or use it as the security ‘hut’ at the golf club entrance. Or cut off the top and use it as a flowerbed behind the 17th green.

3. Donald Trump, who will send it to his Trump Scotland course, where it will sit on the dunes above one of the greens as another example of the course’s “Natural” features… with the radio channel open and a recording of Trump lambasting the wind turbines on the horizon.

4. The local Driving Range, doing pretty much what Davis Love III has in mind above. Probably positioned at the 300 yard mark, with special prizes for anyone who can hit it.

5. The next European Ryder Cup Captain, because wouldn’t that be a psychological slap in the face when the Americans turn up at Gleneagles and get driven to the practice range in ‘that’ car.

The value of the car is somewhere around $17,000, and it is expected to fetch about twice that, so it will only be stretching the pockets of bidder number 4 above.

So, with the car taken care of, what will some budding entrepreneur think of next? What about the sheets Rory slept on, the soap he used in the bathroom or the swimming pool water he walked on? And what about all the other cars he’s been driven around in? In the meantime, if Europe won because of Rory's mad dash for Medinah, the least the Lombard Police Department can do is auction off Deputy Chief Pat Rollins as well.

Lough Erne Resort Festival of Golf (March 2012)

[Photo: view of the hotel and lodges from the 17th tee box]

In much the same way that Moyvalley and Castle Dargan Golf Clubs took advantage of Darren Clarke’s Open Championship win, Lough Erne Resort has introduced a couple of very attractive offers for March, and for Paddy’s weekend in particular, to celebrate Rory’s recent win which puts him at the very summit of world golf.Rory McIlroy is Lough Erne’s touring professional and no doubt the club will be eager to get him back to County Fermanagh as soon as they can. It is publicity heaven for the five star golf resort which has been struggling of late.

The events are being touted as the Festival of Golf:

1. On Saturday 17th March, Lough Erne is offering golf for individuals with prices from £50 per person, including a one-course meal.
2. Then, on Monday 19th March, there’s golf for teams of four at £180 per team.

[Photo: the approach to the 9th green with Halfway House alongside]

Accommodation

And if you are competing in the St. Patrick’s Festival tournament, there’s also a special B&B offer in the hotel’s rooms and suites, from £55 per person sharing.

[Photo: your drive on the par four 2nd]

Undercurrent

There has been a strong undercurrent of opinion that the resort’s green fees have been too high over the last year or two. As most courses brought their fees down, Lough Erne remained high, hovering between £60 and £105 depending on the season. In 2012, however, the rates have changed: £50 at off-peak and £75 peak price during the summer. That should certainly stop the complaints. On a course this idyllic, that makes playing here a very tempting proposition indeed. It is a generous course from the tee, but approaches are always harder. The lough is a constant threat and not just a pretty sideshow.

And let’s not forget the quirks and extras that give golf that special je ne sais quoi: the bridge that takes you to the first tee, the excellent halfway house (of which there are far too few in Ireland), and the ‘Ssshh… bats sleeping’ signs on the back nine, which, incidentally, is my avatar on Twitter.

For anyone that can’t make the St. Patrick’s Festival of Golf weekend, there’s another celebratory package available during March. Available Monday to Thursday, you can enjoy one night’s B&B with unlimited daily golf on the Faldo Course, a complimentary golf cart, Strokesaver, followed by a three-course dinner expertly prepared by Head Chef Noel McMeel in The Catalina Restaurant… from €130 per person sharing. (Please note this is a Euro price vs. the Sterling price above.)

[Photo: the wonderful par four 7th]

Lough Erne promotes itself as one of the most luxurious destination hotels in the North, perfect for golfers with its excellent food, restorative pool and spa, and comfy bars, and a brilliant base for touring the stunning lakes and local scenery. When you see the place you’ll see why they make such claims, but please don’t be fooled when you first arrive as you drive through a different golf course (Castle Hume) which is utterly tame by comparison.

[Photo: the walk to the 1st]

As Lynn McCool, Director of Golf & Head Professional at Lough Erne Resort says:

“Here at Lough Erne Resort we couldn’t be prouder of Rory, or more delighted for him. A golfer from Northern Ireland being Number 1 in the world is fabulous, not just for him personally, but for all of us involved in the game here. He says Lough Erne is a great place to play, and always enjoys his time on our spectacular course, so maybe a little of whatever magic is in the air can rub off on other golfers who play this St. Patrick’s Festival of Golf weekend too!”
 


To book your tee time, telephone 028 66 345 766 or ROI 048 66 345 766, or book online at lougherneresort.com or email golfshop@lougherneresort.com

For my 38 Lough Erne photos, click here.

Rory & Darren... Lough Erne & Moyvalley... and a touch of irony

[Photo: views across the course at Moyvalley - designed by Darren Clarke]

First there was Rory winning the US Open (a year after G-Mac), now we have Darren Clarke winning The Open. That's some year for Northern Irish golf. Darren's victory was spectacular - I said to a few people at the start of the week that if the scoring was low and the weather poor then Darren had a real shot... if only I'd had the courage of my convictions and put a few quid on him (150/1 at the start).I suspect Gareth Maybin will be relishing his next competition. After Hoey's win a few weeks back, it seems that being Northern Irish is a guaranteed passport to winning.

I know that Rory grew up playing at Holywood GC and Darren at Dungannon GC, but their names are also inextricably linked to Lough Erne and Moyvalley, respectively... both of which are in administration.

[Photo: views across Lough Erne and the 7th hole]

The management at Lough Erne in Co. Fermanagh, believes that Rory's win will give them (and Northern Irish tourism) a major boost and they have seen bookings increase nicely since Congressional. Most of this interest is domestic - for now - but, no doubt, Americans who were havering over coming to Ireland on a golfing holiday will have been convinced to come on the back of Rory's win, with Northern Ireland a prime target. (Rory is the travelling pro for Lough Erne)

Whether they'll come for the Royals, Portstewart, Castlerock and Ardglass or whether they'll traipse further west to Lough Erne remains to be seen - hopefully they'll do both. Jonathan Stapleton (Lough Erne's General Manager) believes that Rory's win sets "Fermanagh and the North apart as a golfing destination..." Hmmm, Fermanagh is a beautiful county for sure, but that's a bit of a stretch when you consider that the county has only three 18 hole golf courses - two of which are average parklands (Castle Hume and Enniskillen). Lough Erne on the other hand is a quality course and has all the pomp and ceremony to be a major attraction in years to come (5 star hotel, spa and all the trimmings). Its popularity will grow massively with Rory's affiliation, so I hope it will continue to thrive and benefit both north and south.

[Photo: approach to the 12th at Enniskillen]

(As a quick aside, it is also not that far away from Darren Clarke's first and impressive design attempt at Castle Dargan).

[Photo: the intimidating drive on the 17th at Castle Dargan]

Moyvalley was home to The Champion's Club, and the course was designed by Darren a few years back. It is a rollercoaster of a course and, in my opinion, hugely under-appreciated. It too is in trouble: when it first opened with its air of exclusivity, the joining fee was €75,000. No one took them up on that and, today, there is no joining fee at all - just an €800 annual sub. Since the course is still struggling it will be interesting to see,

a) how the public (local and international) respond to Darren's victory by heading to Moyvalley (and Castle Dargan too), and

b) how the club itself responds to what can only be described as one of the most glorious marketing opportunities open to it.

Time will tell, but it should undoubtedly see a bounce in bookings and interest and I hope it can take full advantage. I wonder if they can lure Darren back for some sort of event, maybe a head-to-head against Padraig Harrington.

Congratulations again to Darren Clarke and Rory and it looks like the Irish Open is going to be one amazing tournament this year.

Our Rory

There's been a lot of hand-wringing over Rory's final round collapse on Sunday night. Alot of sympathy too. More worryingly, though, there's been a fair bit of criticism!

People have objected to his level of tweeting when he should have, they imply, been out practising. Or, they say, he's been a professional long enough that he should have the mental fortitude to overcome such pressure. I find such arguments cruel and baseless.

I'm not actually fussed by his age and the argument that he has plenty of more time and that eventually he will realise his enormous potential. My argument is that every golfer has a weakness... and the truly great golfers tackle these head-on and overcome them.

Jack Nicklaus had one: back in 1972 he struggled during the third round of the Masters (although he still led by three shots), failing to find the ball flight he needed on his iron shots. He couldn't achieve the height that Augusta's greens demanded. He walked off the 54th hole, went to the practice tee, and practised and practised until he got it right. He went out the next day and won.

I don't have similar stories about Ben Hogan or Arnold Palmer - but they'll be out there - but Tom Watson was known for his failings on short putts... even though he was regarded highly for his putting. He won 8 majors and was number one in the world between 1978-1982. Rory can take heart from that.

And, needless to say, not all weaknesses are on the course... need I mention Tiger's?

Rory will get better. Everybody knows it. Perhaps what he did on Sunday at the Masters, was to scare the bejaysus out of us, and himself, and prove that youth, exuberance and bundles of talent can have their limitations when the pressure is on. Footballers miss penalties, rugby players drop the ball, tennis players blast it long... and golfers have so much precision in their swing that the tiniest, microscopic bit of self doubt can produce an unravelling of gargantuan proportions in front of millions of viewers on a Sunday night.

And a congratulations to Schwartzel for a stunning finish and a deserved win.

A good article I found:

http://www.setanta.com/ie/Blogs/Malachy-Clerkin/2011/March/Rorys-Story-More-Sad-Than-Bad/

Rory McIlroy

I am not going to wax lyrical about Rory's weekend rounds - and especially that final back 9 - at Quail Hollow. Everyone else will be doing it and I will have nothing new to add except a reverential silence.

What I will do is apologise to Rory: after the Masters, when he said he would take 6 weeks off, I thought it was the best thing for him. It would give his back a rest and give him a chance to re-discover his mojo. I got the impression that too many people were sitting in the wings, offering advice - and it was messing with his head. Here was - essentially - a kid who ripped up golf courses for breakfast, with very little advice from anyone else. Suddenly as a professional, as the 'next big thing', everyone wanted to give him advice, and when it's coming from every angle it's hard to ignore. When his putting deserted him last year he even went on Twitter looking for suggestions!

After the Masters, and after his extremely short lay-off, he came back and said he was going to go back to doing what he did best - rip up courses for breakfast. I had my doubts, but Quail Hollow quashed them instantly. I was, am and will always be, a huge fan and the coming months and tournaments are going to be thrilling.

West of Ireland Championships 2010

[Photo: views of Rosses Point's par three 13th]

The West of Ireland (Amateur) Championship at Rosses Point, Co. Sligo, is a rich breeding ground for Ireland’s future professionals: Harrington (1994), McIlroy (2005 and 2006), Shane Lowry (2008) have all won here, while Walton (1980), Murphy (1995) and Hoey (2001) were runners-up – Gary Murphy losing at the 23^rd hole. Other instantly recognisable names include McGimpsey, Fox and Fanagan, not to mention Miko Illonen from Finland, who won here in 1999 – proving it’s not just an Irish affair. The 2009 winner was David Corsby from Royal Lytham, who beat the 2008 winner, Shane Lowry, in the final.

[Photo: views of Rosses Point's par three 9th with Benbulbin beyond]

Rosses Point (Par 71) is a tough test of golf in any conditions, but coming in early April 2010, it was going to be a tough affair this year. And the wind blew during the two days of strokes competition. There were 141 competitors (and 61 reserves), and CSS on Day One was 74, and 73 on Day Two. Forget about qualifying – sometimes this was about surviving. The wind was coming straight down the Index 1 par four 7^th of 393 metres, which has a deep drain right in front of the green.

When McIlroy won his first West of Ireland, he was 16 years old so I had high hopes for my home club’s 17 year old star, Paul Dunne (pictured). With a handicap of +2 it was his first visit to the West of Ireland Championships. He fought through the winds on the first two days to record a 77 and a 71, which qualified him comfortably for the matchplay stages. He won his first round match against Brendan Walton (The Island), but lost 2&1 to Eddie McCormack (Galway) in the next round. No doubt it was an excellent education for Paul and he will be firing at plenty more titles this year - especially after a stunning 64 in the Lee Valley Scratch Cup at the end of March. At the time of this blog, his victor has won two more matches and is now in the semi-final.

The last two rounds are played tomorrow and will see:
Eddie McCormack against Michael Sinclair (Knock), and
Rory Leonard (Banbridge) against Rory McNamara (Headfort)

The Championship began in 1923: the greatest victory ever recorded was by J Burke of Lahinch, who won 11&10 in 1936; the greatest battle was won by W Ferguson of Malone at the 38^th hole (i.e. the 20^th extra hole) in 1959; and the most prolific winner is J Carr with a remarkable 13 wins.