Backspin Summer 2011

2011 SUMMER ISSUE

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MOUNT JULIET

MANASSERO

Salute to ISSN 1393 - 9122

07

9 771393 912010

Fixtures • Pat Cashman’s Photo Gallery • IPGA Focus

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EDITOR’S COMMENT...

shift in power to Europe’s top players

A

€3.75 incl. VAT 2011 SUMMER ISSUE

MOUNT JULIET

MANASSERO

Salute to 9122 ISSN 1393 -

07

9 771393 912010

IPGA Focus n’s Photo Gallery • Fixtures • Pat Cashma

FRONT COVER: Photo of the late Seve Ballesteros taken by ACTION IMAGES (London). See our tribute to the Spanish legend starting on page 4.

A salute to Seve, who passed away on 7th May, including tributes from four Irish tour players who witnessed Seve during his glory years and experienced up close the passion that he brought to the European team in The Ryder Cup.

merica’s capitulation and Europe’s emergence as the dominant force in men’s professional golf in recent times has been quite remarkable.

Between the start of 2000 and June 2008 there were only 11 non-American winners in 34 Major Championships. Tiger was, of course, the outstanding player during that period claiming a haul of 12 Major titles, but America also celebrated Major wins by David Duval, David Toms, Rich Beem, Jim Furyk, Ben Curtis, Shaun Micheel, Phil Mickelson (3), Todd Hamilton and Zach Johnson Everything was rosy for American golf midway through 2008 with Woods and Mickelson the undisputed big guns in the game and Woods edging ever closer to Jack Nicklaus’s record of 18 Major Championship wins with his US Open victory at Torrey Pines.

Fast forward to the start of June 2011 and there has been just three American winners in eleven Major Championships since Tiger’s 2008 US Open win (Glover, Cink and Mickelson). There has been a gradual and significant shift in power with Europe’s top golfers now a formidable force in the game on the back of Harrington’s three Major wins and breakthrough victories, too, for Graeme McDowell and Martin Kaymer in golf’s Grand Slam events.

At the start of June, in the countdown to the US Open at Congressional, Europe was in a position of great strength with seven players in the top-12 in the Official World Golf Rankings...Luke Donald (1), Lee Westwood (2), Martin Kaymer (3), Graeme McDowell (5), Rory McIlroy (6), Paul Casey (9) and Ian Poulter (12).

Mickelson was America’s highest ranked player at 4th with Kuchar and Stricker the only others in the top-10. Tiger was languishing in 13th position.

And one senses things can only get better for European golf with young guns like Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy, Alvaro Quiros and Matteo Manassero starting to make a huge impression. Exciting times, indeed!

Publisher / Editor: Declan O’Donoghue

Guest Writers:

Yours in Golf,

DECLAN O’DONOGHUE, Publisher / Editor

Creation & Design: The Golf Business Typesetting & Colour Repro: Esther Behan Printers: GPS Colour Graphics Distribution: Easons, Newspread, The Golf Business

Mark Jones, Ewen Murray, Colm Smith

Advertisement Sales: The Golf Business Photography & Art: Action Images (London), Alan Bleakley, Pat Cashman, Noel Kelly

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DISCLAIMER: The copyright of all matter appearing in BACKSPIN is reserved by The Golf Business, and no matter may be reproduced or stored in any way without the written consent of the editor. The articles which appear in this magazine reflect the opinions of their authors and the Publisher. The Golf Business assumes no responsibility for the contents or accuracy of advertisements appearing in BACKSPIN, nor for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, art or photography.

BACKSPIN | 1

Profile

Teenage sensation T

atteo anassero 2 | BACKSPIN

he sky is the limit for golf’s rising new star, Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, who is setting one record after another as he blazes a trail to fame and fortune.

The kid from Verona became the youngest winner of the British Amateur Championship two years ago aged 16 years and 63 days.

He also became the youngest champion in the history of The European Tour when he won the Castello Masters in Spain last October at the age of 17 years and 188 days.

Then two days before his 18th birthday in April he celebrated his second European Tour victory in Malaysia and within weeks he soared into the top-30 in the Official World Golf Rankings with another impressive performance in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth at the end of May. As a result he qualifies for the three remaining Majors this season.

Rounds of 71+70+72+69 on the Ailsa Course at Turnberry placed him ahead of many recent Major champions including Angel Cabrera, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh, Zach Johnson and Padraig Harrington.

The following April he became the youngest player to make the cut in The Masters. He produced rounds of 71+76+73+72 on his Augusta debut to finish ahead of Retief Goosen, Dustin Johnson, Zach Johnson, Mike Weir and Sergio Garcia.

Manassero made his professional debut in May 2010 at the BMW Italian Open aged 17 years and 17 days. He became the youngest professional to make the cut in a European Tour event and scored a top-30 finish.

A 3rd place finish in the Omega European Masters in Switzerland last September was followed shortly afterwards by his maiden tour victory in Spain, when he broke Danny Lee’s record as the youngest Tour winner by more than a year.

He was named 2010 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year after finishing 31st on The Race to Dubai.

To follow-up, in just his 28th European Tour event, with his second tour win in the Maybank Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur on the eve of his 18th birthday in April was nothing short of sensational.

Comparisons with his idol Seve Ballesteros - who challenged for the 1976 Open Championship as a 19-year-old - and other teenage sensations Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia and Rory McIlroy are inevitable.

He enjoys the tour lifestyle and he has shown that he is comfortable with media attention and the burden of expectation.

Now that he’s a member of golf’s elite riding high in 30th position in the Official World Golf Rankings at the start of June - it will be fascinating to follow Matteo’s progress in the US Open at Congressional in June, The Open Championship at Royal St. George’s in July and the USPGA Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club in August.

It has been a meteoric rise for this richly talented and unassuming young man, but those closest to him are not surprised by his amazing progress.

He is mature beyond his years, he has a solid team around him and nothing fazes him.

Matteo acknowledges that winning the 2009 British Amateur Championship was a huge breakthrough.

“It changed everything,” he says, “I got the chance to play in The Open and the Masters, which really changed my life in terms of making it as a professional.”

He won the Silver Medal as leading amateur in both of those Majors.

In the 2009 Open at Turnberry he was paired with five-times Open champion Tom Watson and Sergio Garcia in the first two rounds and incredibly finished tied 13th just three months after his 16th birthday!

Matteo Manassero Date of birth: 19th April 1993 Birthplace: Verona, Italy Height & weight: 6ft 12st 5lbs Interests: Football, TV and music Coach: Alberto Binaghi Turned Professional: May 2010 European Tour Wins: 2 Castello Masters (2010), Maybank Malaysian Open (2011) Award: European Tour Rookie of the Year 2010 Majors - Best Performances: 13th - Open Championship 2009 36th - Masters Tournament 2010

As this magazine went to press Matteo Manassero was gearing-up to ignite the passions of home supporters in the BMW Italian Open presented by CartaSi at Royal Park I Roveri in Turin.

Photos courtesy of The European Tour / ©Getty Images

Factfile

European Tour Stats 2011 (end May): Events Played: 7 Best 2011 Performance: 1st Maybank Malaysian Open (66+71+67+68) Stroke Average: 70.5 Driving Accuracy (%): 68.83 Driving Distance: 273.95 yards Greens in Regulation (%): 71.97 Average Putts per Round: 29.23 Earnings: €546,294 Race to Dubai position: 14th World Golf Ranking: 30th Matteo Manassero is a Titleist brand ambassador BACKSPIN | 3

Main photo by ACTION IMAGES (London)

Photo below: Courtesy of The European Tour / ŠGetty Images

4 | BACKSPIN

Salute to S

everiano Ballesteros will be fondly remembered as one of the most passionate, charismatic, inspirational and successful personalities in the history of golf.

A glittering playing career spanning twenty years at the top level was illuminated by many spectacular performances including five Major championship victories and an impressive strike rate in eight Ryder Cup appearances.

Seve’s magnetic personality, film star looks and swashbuckling style of play attracted a vast army of fans and, like Palmer in the 1960’s, his heroics popularised golf on a global scale.

Winning meant everything to Seve but there was another side to him, a genuine care for others which led to the launch of The Seve Ballesteros Foundation in July 2009, that has created arguably his greatest legacy.

Sadly Seve passed away shortly before the inaugural Ole Seve! Invitational Pro-Am took place at Wentworth on the eve of this year’s BMW PGA Championship.

No fewer than six Major champions took part in this special fundraising event. All proceeds were donated to the SBF in partnership with Cancer Research UK. The aim is to raise substantial amounts for research

into the illness which sadly cost the mercurial Spaniard his life on May 7th.

The second round of the BMW PGA Championship on Friday May 27 coincided with the 20th anniversary of Seve’s second PGA Championship victory and, to mark that achievement, everyone attending day two of this year’s event was encouraged to wear navy blue in honour of the trademark outfit which Ballesteros wore to victory in the 1991 PGA Championship and, of course, when winning The Open at St Andrews in 1984. Indeed, this distinctive look was to become a symbol – alongside the familiar clenched fist salute - of his special event, the Seve Trophy.

George O’Grady CBE, Chief Executive of The European Tour, paid this tribute to Seve during this year’s BMW PGA Championship: “Seve was the inspiration behind The European Tour. He cut a dashing and imposing figure and fought illness with the same flair, passion, courage and willpower that he displayed on golf courses the world over.”

Below are tributes from four Irish tour players who witnessed Seve during his glory years and experienced up close the passion that he brought to the European team in the continued...

Ryder Cup.

“He did for European golf what Arnold Palmer did for American golf. Seve lit-up a room with his smile.

He just had wonderful charisma.”

- DES SMYTH, Ryder Cup player 1979 & 1981

“Seve was the biggest inspiration in European golf we’ve ever had. His great asset was his belief.

He had the confidence and vision to take shots on that others might not have seen or attempted.”

- EAMONN DARCY, Ryder Cup player 1975, 1977, 1981 & 1987

“Seve was an extremely bright man, great to talk to and fantastic company. He had massive determination and no shot was impossible to him on the golf course.”

- CHRISTY O’CONNOR Jnr, Ryder Cup player 1975 & 1989

“Seve was magic, something special. He never gave up and he was an inspirational figure.”

- PHILIP WALTON, Ryder Cup player 1995 BACKSPIN | 5

Hundreds of miles of beautiful beaches, fantastic sightseeing and shopping in the shadow of the legendary Petronas Towers. Marvel at the Orang Utan, the ‘man of the forest’, the most gentle of creatures. A golfer will never be far from a green.

Tee-off from the cool of the hills, from the sea shore or even from the edge of the jungle.

The time is now. The place is Malaysia

For more information please visit: www.tourismmalaysia.gov.my Tourism Malaysia Dublin Level 3A Shelbourne House Shelbourne Road Dublin 4 Tel: + 353 1 237 62 43 email: info@tourism-malaysiadublin.com

continued...

The facts and figures on this page highlight Seve’s greatest achievements in golf...five victories in the Major Championships and 20 victories in 37 highly-charged Ryder Cup encounters.

Remarkably he won 87 tour titles worldwide between 1976 and 1995.

His dashing style of play first captured the attention and imagination of the golfing world in 1976 when the 19-year-old reeled-off opening rounds of 69+69+73 to grab the lead entering the last round of The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

American superstar Johnny Miller fired a sizzling 66 in the final round to freewheel to a comfortable victory but to his credit Seve finished eagle-birdie on the closing par-5’s to share 2nd spot with Jack Nicklaus.

Three years later he cracked the code in The Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St. Annes and a spectacular period of success followed.

Imagination and determination were two of Seve’s greatest weapons.

He was one of four brothers who developed a passion for golf as kids on the hilly Pedrena course across the bay from Santander in northern Spain. Seve started out with a rickety club fashioned from a rusting three-iron head handfitted into a stick which served as a shaft. Golf balls were expensive, so he used stones from the beach!

He learned how to play a vast array of shots and developed the winning habit from the age of 12 in the local caddie championship. By the time he turned professional in January 1974, just before his 17th birthday, he was abundantly talented, bristling with confidence and the rest, as they say, is history.

Seve retired from competitive golf at the age of 50 in 2007, prior to The Open at Carnoustie. His untimely passing this year leaves a massive void in the game.

1979 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995

1979 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993

FOURBALL MATCHES A.Garrido & Seve lost to L.Wadkins & L.Nelson, 2&1 A.Garrido & Seve lost to L.Wadkins & L.Nelson, 5&4 P.Way & Seve beat R.Floyd & C. Strange, 1 hole P.Way & Seve halved with G.Morgan & J.Haas M.Pinero & Seve beat A. North & P.Jacobsen, 2&1 M.Pinero & Seve lost to M.O’Meara & L.Wadkins, 3&2 J-M Olazabal & Seve beat C.Strange & T.Kite, 2&1 J-M Olazabal & Seve lost to H.Sutton & L.Mize, 2&1 J-M Olazabal & Seve beat T.Watson & M.O’Meara, 6&5 J-M Olazabal & Seve beat M.Calcavecchia & K.Green, 4&2 J-M Olazabal & Seve beat P.Azinger & C.Beck, 2&1 J-M Olazabal & Seve halved with F.Couples & P.Stewart J-M Olazabal & Seve beat D.Love III & T.Kite, 4&3 D.Gilford & Seve beat B.Faxon & P.Jacobsen, 4&3 D.Gilford & Seve lost to J.Haas & P.Mickelson, 3&2 FOURSOMES MATCHES A.Garrido & Seve beat F.Zoeller & H.Green, 3&2 A.Garrido & Seve lost to L.Wadkins & L.Nelson, 3&2 P.Way & Seve lost to T.Kite & C.Peete, 2&1 P.Way & Seve beat T.Watson & B.Gilder, 2&1 M.Pinero & Seve beat C.Strange & M.O’Meara, 2&1 M.Pinero & Seve beat C.Stadler & H.Sutton, 5&4 J-M Olazabal & Seve beat L.Nelson & P.Stewart, 1 hole J-M Olazabal & Seve beat B.Crenshaw & P.Stewart, 1 hole J-M Olazabal & Seve halved with T.Watson & C.Beck J-M Olazabal & Seve beat T.Kite & C.Strange, 1 hole J-M Olazabal & Seve beat P.Azinger & C.Beck, 2&1 J-M Olazabal & Seve beat F.Couples & R.Floyd, 3&2 J-M Olazabal & Seve lost to T.Kite & D.Love III, 2&1 J-M Olazabal & Seve beat T.Kite & D.Love III, 2&1 SINGLES MATCHES

1979 - lost to L.Nelson, 3&2 1983 - halved with F.Zoeller 1985 - halved with T.Kite 1987 - beat C.Strange, 2&1

1989 - lost to P.Azinger, 1 hole 1991 - beat W.Levi, 3&2 1993 - lost to J.Gallagher, 3&2 1995 - lost to T.Lehman, 4&3

PLAYED 37 – WON 20 HALVED 5 LOST 12

SEVE’S FIVE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP WINS YEAR CHAMPIONSHIP

VENUE

SEVE’S SCORES

1979

Open Championship

Ryl Lytham & St. Annes

73 + 65 + 75 + 70

1980

US Masters

Augusta National

66 + 69 + 68 + 72

1983

US Masters

Augusta National

68 + 70 + 73 + 69

1984

Open Championship

St. Andrews

69 + 68 + 70 + 69

1988

Open Championship

Ryl Lytham & St. Annes

67 + 71 + 70 + 65

SEVE’S OTHER TOP-5 FINISHES IN THE MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS...

US Masters: 1982, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989 • US Open: 1983, 1985, 1987 The Open Championship: 1976 • USPGA Championship: 1984 BACKSPIN | 7

PAUL CUTLER

with PAT CASHMAN

O

n these pages we feature a selection of photographs taken recently by Pat Cashman at various men’s, women’s and junior events on the domestic scene.

Visit www.cashmanphotography.ie Irish Amateur Close Championship

Top of page: A superb action study of this year’s Irish Amateur Close champion Paul Cutler (Portstewart). Above: GUI President Eugene Fayne presents Paul Cutler with the trophy at the 2011 Golfsure sponsored Irish Amateur Close Championship at Shannon Golf Club.

Also in the photo, Simon Russell (left), representing the sponsors Golfsure, and Paschal Regan (Captain, Shannon Golf Club).

8 | BACKSPIN

Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship Left: Hugh Smyth (Mourne), winner of the Championship at Rosslare GC. Above: Bill Donlon (Birr), winner of the Over-60’s category Below (left) Maurice Kelly (Killeen).

Below: Eddie Condren (Greystones), the Over-70’s winner and, right, Paraic O’Rourke (Kilkenny), winner of the Over 65’s category.

BACKSPIN | 9

continued...

Irish Women’s Close Championship DANIELLE McVEIGH

Meath Primary Schools Cups Rathbeggan National School scored a neat double at the Meath Primary Schools Cups, organised by the GUI (Leinster branch) at Black Bush Golf Club.

Right: John Ferriter (Hon. Sec. Leinster branch GUI) presents teacher Mary Devine with the girls trophy. Also in back row team members Dearbhla Murphy, Eileen Gillespie, Noel Foran (Captain, Black Bush), Roisin Crehan and Rebecca McCabe. Front: the winning Rathbeggan NS boys team, Jonathan Browne, Aaron Mee, Jack Gillen and Shane McGoldrick.

Photos by PAT CASHMAN www.cashmanphotography.ie 10 | BACKSPIN

Far left: Danielle McVeigh (Royal County Down) in action and, left, with the Lancôme sponsored Irish Women’s Close trophy at Carlow Golf Club Above: Runner-up Karen Delaney (Carlow) Below: Teenager Hannah Henderson (Ballyclare), who won the Ita Wallace Plate.

RHYS PUGH

Irish Amateur Open Strokeplay Above: Rhys Pugh (Wales), winner of the Irish Amateur Open Strokeplay Championship at The Royal Dublin Golf Club.

Leinster Youths’ Championship Left: Brian Casey (Headfort) celebrates his victory in the Leinster Youths’ Championship (sponsored by Sigma Wireless) at Knightsbrook Golf Resort with his sister Aileen, father Joe and mother Paula.

Left: Estelle Smyth (St. Paul’s National School) relaxes after taking part in the Meath Primary Schools Cup at Black Bush Golf Club.

Photos by PAT CASHMAN www.cashmanphotography.ie BACKSPIN | 11

Preview to 2011 season

MOUNT JULIET

THE HERITAGE GOLF & SPA RESORT

Top of Page: Mount Juliet will host the Lexus Race to Mount Juliet in association with PING. Top of facing page: Dundrum House Hotel in Co. Tipperary will host the popular Philip Walton Pro-Am in July.

Above: The Heritage Resort in Co. Laois will host a PGA Challenge Pro-Am in June.

12 | BACKSPIN

he Lexus Race to Mount Juliet in association with PING, which was launched last year, is a wonderful new concept that has brought a real cutting edge to the domestic PGA season.

This year’s 36-hole grand finale will take place at Mount Juliet on October 15th and 16th when the top-30 in the 2011 Irish PGA Order of Merit will battle it out for a share of €50,000 in prizemoney.

The Order of Merit winner will receive a €10,000 bonus, along with a place in both the 2012 BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth and the 2012 Irish Open.

At last year’s grand finale Colin Donovan, Managing Director of Mount Juliet Estate, remarked, “I wish to congratulate David Higgins on his success here today. This has been a wonderful festival of golf and few could have predicted such a dramatic finish to the season when the concept was launched in April.”

T

Michael McCumiskey, Secretary of the Irish PGA, says, ‘It is a three year commitment from major organisations and one we intend to build on. This new concept creates a fitting climax to the Irish PGA season at Mount Juliet.”

With performance standards soaring on the domestic PGA circuit, Waterville professional David Higgins faces a stiff examination this season as he seeks to retain the Order of Merit title.

Significantly, following a runner-up finish in the Bunclody Pro-Am in May, he is amongst the early pacesetters in the Irish Order of Merit.

At time of going to press the front runners were Brendan McDermott (Foxrock) and bighitting Belfast professional Damian Mooney, joint winners of the PGA Sprint at Bunclody.

Michael McDermott (Leopardstown Golf Centre) also made a fast start to the season with a winning performance in the PGA Sprint at Killeen Castle.

DUNDRUM HOUSE HOTEL

IRISH PGA CALENDAR 2011 from mid-May to the end of the season 4-7 8 9 10 11 12

MAY 16 19 20 27

Woodbrook Pro Am Sprint (Pro only), Bunclody Bunclody Pro-Am Westmanstown Pro-Am

JUNE 1 2 5-6

Wexford Pro-Am Dunmurry Pro-Am Heritage Challenge Pro-Am Heritage Resort, Co. Laois 7 Irish Club Pro-Am, Dundalk 8-9 Irish Club C’ship, Dundalk 10 Malahide Pro-Am 13-14 Quinn Charity Pro-Am, Slieve Russell 18-19 Carne Pro-Am, Belmullet 23 Belvoir Park Pro-Am 28 Sprint (Pro only), Dundrum House Hotel, Co. Tipperary 29 St. Helen’s Bay Pro-Am

JULY 1 Monkstown Pro-Am 4-5 Castleknock Pro-Am 8-9 Narin & Portnoo Pro-Am 10 Castlewarden Pro-Am 12-13 Philip Walton Dundrum House Hotel Pro-Am, Co. Tipperary 15-17 City of Derry Pro-Am 18 Sprint (Pro only), Carlow 23-24 Ballyliffin Pro-Am

Irish Championship, Seapoint Cork Pro-Am, Cork GC Cobh Pro-Am Tullamore Pro-Am Fred Daly Pro-Am, Balmoral Crumlin Hospital Pro-Am Rathsallagh 14 Adare Manor Pro-Am 16 Carton Hse Challenge Pro-Am 17-18 PGA Challenge, Carton House 19 Blackwood Pro-Am 23 Ardee Pro-Am 25 Greenore Pro-Am 26 Balbriggan Pro-Am 28 Southern C’ship Pro-Am 29-30 Southern C’ship, Powerscourt

SEPTEMBER 2 Naas Pro-Am 5 Sprint (Pro only), Concra Wood 8-9 Cairndhu Pro-Am 12 PGA Ulster C’ship Pro-Am 13-14 PGA Ulster Championship, Hilton Templepatrick 20 Sprint (Pro only), Royal Belfast 27-29 Asst’s C’ship, South County

OCTOBER 1-2 Connemara Pro-Am 14-16 Lexus Race to Mount Juliet in association with PING

NOVEMBER AUGUST 3 Meanwhile, the Spanish Tourist Board is teaming-up with the Irish PGA for a third year to offer a magnificent trip to the winners of five designated Pro-Am’s on this season’s domestic schedule.

The winning team in the Pro-Am’s at Woodbrook (May), Dundrum House Hotel (July), Ballyliffin (July), Cork (August) and Connemara (October) will be invited to join a three-day trip to Huelva in southern Spain from 23rd-25th October, courtesy of the Spanish Tourist Board in Ireland, the Andalucia Tourist Board and Huelva Tourist Board.

The province of Huelva has eleven lovely golf courses, most of them on the Atlantic coast. The trip will involve Costa Esuri (pictured on right), El Rompido and La Monacilla.

For details about golfing in Spain visit www.spain.info

Irish C’ship Pro-Am, Seapoint

20-25 Titleist PGA Play-offs, Antalya GC, Turkey

GOLF COSTA ESURI, Spain One of the venues for the Spanish Tourist Board’s trip to the Huelva region in October

BACKSPIN | 13

MOUNT JULIET

Heaven Earth F or first time visitors the whole Mount Juliet experience creates a dramatic and lasting impression.

For those who have already savoured this magnificent golf and lifestyle resort, return visits provide the opportunity to fully appreciate why Mount Juliet is universally regarded as a world class resort.

The 1,500 acre Mount Juliet Estate is a leisure paradise, a haven of peace and stylish living.

The centrepiece of the resort is the Jack Nicklaus Signature Course which is, quite simply, breathtaking. It is a design masterpiece which greatly impressed the world’s top golfers during the WGC-American Express Championship in 2002 and 2004.

The course regularly receives rave reviews from the international media and features prominently in national and international golf course ranking exercises.

Indeed, Mount Juliet has been rated Ireland’s top parkland course in two consecutive biennial polls conducted by this Feature photographs courtesy of magazine involving a panel of 52 voters with Mount Juliet Golf Club. a strong appreciation of the Irish golf product.

The beauty of Mount Juliet is that the golf course is designed to provide an exhilarating challenge whether you are Tiger Woods or an ordinary mortal having fun with corporate or society friends.

The golf course is complemented by excellent practice and tuition facilities.

Of course, golf is just one element in Mount Juliet’s appeal to golfing groups, corporate event organisers and families / individuals whether you are planning a day visit or a luxury short break.

Outstanding service, charming staff, fine cuisine, superb accommodation and a wonderful array of leisure facilities combine to create a truly memorable experience.

Visitors to Ireland’s finest sporting estate can enjoy a whole host of leisure pursuits in addition to golf including fishing on the River Nore, horse riding, angling, archery, clay pigeon shooting and invigorating woodland walks.

14 | BACKSPIN

There are various accommodation options on the Estate including luxurious Mount Juliet House which offers 29 beautiful bedrooms and two presidential suites.

The hotel has excellent conference and event facilities, a state-of-the-art leisure centre and a luxury Spa, where guests can avail of traditional and alternative health and beauty treatments in a discreet environment.

Visit Mount Juliet’s website for full details about the resort’s facilities and special offers.

There is an attractive Stay & Play Package from Sunday to Wednesday until 31st October which offers (subject to availability) 2 nights B&B in the Clubhouse Courtyard and unlimited golf for €440 per room (max 2 people per room).

Mount Juliet Estate is located in Thomastown, 15-mins from Kilkenny and just 1 hour from Dublin. Take Exit 9 off the M9.

For bookings telephone: 056. 777 3010 www.mountjuliet.ie/golf BACKSPIN | 15

Stay & Play at Mount Juliet

2 Nights B&B with Unlimited Golf 2QO\ ½ pps *

To Book Visit www.mountjuliet.ie or call 056 777 3010 * Rate based on 2 people sharing in Mount Juliet Clubhouse Rooms.

Available every Sunday to Wednesday.

Subject to Terms & Availability. Pre-Booking of Golf is required.

Get tee’d up to drive the fight against cancer Be a Golf Champion!

join our team We are looking for golfers to lf Champion of ‘Golf Champions’. As a Go e in your ativ you will be our represent m and with tea f gol , iety golf club, golf soc fellow golfers.

You will: ices in your club / Promote Irish Cancer Society serv ity society / commun l cancer awareness Assist us to promote our nationa campaigns golf for our vital Assist us to raise funds through cancer services

HOW TO GET INVOLVED For more information and to find out how you can become an Irish Cancer Society Golf Champion Low Call 1850 60 60 60 or visit cancer.ie.

16 | BACKSPIN

pion Champion Golf Cham CS Golf IICS

Calendar of

Summer & Autumn Bray Golf Club, Co. Wicklow

Email: golfbiz@eircom.net for details regarding event listings in future issues.

JUNE Open Week - May 28th to June 5th 1 Men’s Open Fourball 3 Rumble (Open to all) 4 Fourball Stableford (Open to all) 5 Rumble (Open to all) 8 Two Man Rumble 15 Men’s Fourball Stableford 18 Four Person Team (Open to all) 22 Men’s Singles Stableford 29 Four Man Team JULY 2 Junior Scratch Cup (4 - 10 h’cap) 6 Men’s Fourball Stableford 12 Three Lady Scramble 13 Two Man Rumble 20 Men’s Singles Stableford AUGUST 3 Men’s Fourball Stableford 9 Ladies Singles Stableford 10 Two Man Rumble 13 Senior Scratch Cup (up to 4 h’cap) 17 Men’s Fourball Stableford 24 Four Man Team 31 Men’s Singles Stableford SEPTEMBER 7 Four Man Scramble 14 Men’s Singles Stableford

www.braygolfclub.com

Bunclody Golf & Fishing Club Co. Wexford Every Wednesday Open Singles JUNE 5 Open Singles Stableford 6 Open Singles Stableford 12 Open Fourball (any combination) 13 Men’s Seniors Open 27 Seniors Open (Ladies & Gents) JULY 11 Men’s Seniors Open 18 Ladies Seniors Open Open Week (22nd July - 1st Aug) 22 Four Person Team 23 Four Person Scramble 24 Four Person Scramble 25 Singles V Par 6:00pm 9 holes 2 clubs & putter 26 Men’s Seniors (8am to 2pm) Ladies Seniors 2:10pm 4:30pm 27 Singles Stableford 28 Ladies Team of 3 Rumble 6pm - 2 clubs & putter (9 holes) 29 Junior Open (8am to 2pm) 18Hole Mixed 2:10pm to 5pm Senior /Junior 5.10pm (9 Hole) 30 12 Hole Mixed (4pm - 6pm) Men’s Singles S’ford. Black tees.

Max.15 Hcap 31 Singles S’ford. Black tees. Max.15 Hcap continued...

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Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa

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with Pat Cashman

9 771393 912010

ISSN 1393 - 9122

9 771393 912010

2010 SUMMER ISSUE

SPECIAL FEATURE ON PGA CATALUNYA RESORT

IN SPAIN

BACKSPIN | 17

Calendar of Open Competitions contd...

BUNCLODY Golf & Fishing Club continued...

AUGUST 1 Open Fourball 15 Seniors Open (Ladies & Gents) 18 Junior Open (8am to 2pm) SEPTEMBER 19 Seniors Open (Ladies & Gents) www.bunclodygfc.ie

Every Monday Open Singles (to end of Oct) JUNE 4 Junior, Inter & Minor Scratch Cups 5 Junior, Inter & Minor Scratch Cups 6 Pro-Am Qualifier (Team of 3) Pro-Am Qualifier runs until 3rd July 7 Ladies Open Day (Team of 3) 8 Senior Open Singles JULY 5 Ladies Open Day (Team of 3) 11 Philip Walton Pro-Am - Practice Day 12 Philip Walton Pro-Am (€900 Team of 3) played over two days - ends on 13th 20 Senior Open Singles 31 Open Week starts (check website) continues to 8th August (except Sat 6th) AUGUST 2 Ladies Open Day (Team of 3) 17 Senior Open Singles SEPTEMBER 6 Ladies Open Day (Team of 3) 14 Senior Open Singles

JUNE Open Week 7th to 13th 7 Ladies Team of 4 Champagne Scramble 8 Men’s Fourball 9 Juniors Singles 10 Men’s and Ladies Singles 11 Fourball (Any Combination) 12 Team of Four Rumble 13 Men’s Seniors 16 Senior Ladies Fourball JULY 11 Men’s Seniors 14 Senior Ladies Two Ball Rumble 24 Men’s and Ladies Singles 26 Ladies Fourball AUGUST 4 Juniors Singles 8 Men’s Seniors Open Week Aug 29th to Sept 4th 29 Men’s Seniors 30 Ladies Team of Four Texas Scramble 31 Men’s Fourball SEPTEMBER 1 Senior Ladies Three Ball Rumble 2 Men’s and Ladies Singles 3 Fourball (Any Combination) 4 Team of 4 Rumble 11 Wicklow Senior Scratch Cup (36 H) 19 Men’s Seniors

www.dundrumhousehotel.com

www.delganygolfclub.com

Dundrum House Hotel, Co. Tipperary

Email: golfbiz@eircom.net for details regarding event listings in future issues.

Delgany Golf Club, Co.Wicklow

Open Singles every Tuesday at

Avail of the opportunity any Tuesday up to the end of September to come and play our delightful course in Dublin’s Liffey Valley and enjoy our superb clubhouse facilities and traditional warm welcome * Our Tuesday singles is open to male & female golfers *18 holes stableford format * Full GUI / ILGU handicaps apply * €25 visitor fee / €15 club member fee includes meal off the Tuesday menu

Bookings can be made by contacting the Pro Shop on 01-6280246 or online at manager@lucangolf.ie * * * * * Lucan Golf Club is conveniently situated adjacent to the M50 and M4 * * * * * To discover more about this superb venue for golf outings visit:

www.lucangolfclub.ie 18 | BACKSPIN

Glen of the Downs Golf Club, Co. Wicklow

Hollystown Golf Club, Co. Dublin

JULY 3 Open Mixed Fourball (8am-4pm) 4 Open Singles Stableford (8am-4pm) 6 Men’s Open Fourball (8am-4pm) 8 Men’s & Ladies Open Fourball (8am-4pm) 31 Intermediate Scratch Cup (7.30-2.30pm)

JUNE 1 Ladies Open Day - 3 Ball Rumble AUGUST 9 Men’s Open Day - 18 Hole Stableford Men’s Open Day - 27 Hole Stableford 31 Open Four Person Team Event

www.glenofthedowns.com

www.hollystown.com

Headfort GC, Co. Meath

K Club, Co. Kildare

N = (New Course) O = (Old Course) JUNE 1 Mens' Fourball Stableford (N) 2 Mens' Fourball Stableford (O) 3 Ladies Open 2 Person Team (O) 3 Mens' Four Person Team (N) 4 Junior Scratch Cup (N/O) 5 Four Person Team Event (N) 6 Intermediate Scratch Cup (O) 7 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 14 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 19 Four Person Team Event (N) 20 Singles Stableford (N) 21 Mens' Singles Stableford (O) 22 Mens' Seniors Single S’ford (O) 28 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) JULY 4 Ladies Open Four Person Team (N) 5 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 10 Four Person Team Event (N) 11 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 12 Mens' Singles Stableford (O) 13 Mens' Seniors Single S’ford (O) 19 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 26 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 30 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 31 Four Person Team Event (O) Old AUGUST 1 Father & Son Scotch F’somes (O) 2 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 9 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 15 Ladies Open Two Person Team (N) 17 Mens' Seniors Single S’ford (O) 23 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 27 Mens' Fourball Stableford (N) 28 Four Person Team Event (O) 29 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 30 Mens' Fourball Stableford (N) SEPTEMBER 1 Ladies Semi Open Two Person Team (O) 6 Mens' Singles Stableford (O) 7 Mens' Seniors Single S’ford (O) 12 Mens' Singles Stableford (N) 13 Mens' Fourball Stableford (N) 27 Mens' Fourball Stableford (N)

PRC (Palmer Ryder Cup Course) PSC (Palmer Smurfit Course) JUNE 12 Titleist Series Men’s Singles S’fd (PRC) 17 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 18 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 19 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 26 Titleist Series Men’s Singles S’fd (PRC) JULY 10 Titleist Series Men’s Singles S’fd (PRC) 24 Titleist Series Men’s Singles S’fd (PRC) 29 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 30 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 31 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 31 Junior Scratch Cup (PRC) AUGUST 7 Titleist Series Men’s Singles S’fd (PRC) Senior Scratch Cup (PRC) 12 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 14 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 21 Titleist Series Men’s Singles S’fd (PRC) 26 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 28 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) SEPTEMBER 9 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 10 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC) 11 Gents FourBall Betterball (PSC)

www.headfortgolfclub.ie

www.kclub.ie

Knightsbrook Golf Resort, Co. Meath JUNE 1 Open Seniors Stableford 3 Ladies Open Team Event 4 Open Fourball Stableford 5 Open Four Person Team Event 19 Senior Scratch Cup (36 holes) JULY 8 Boyne Brother’s Classic (Team of 3) 9 Boyne Brother’s Classic (Team of 3) 21 Open Singles Stableford 22 Ladies Open Team Event 24 Open Singles Stableford 25 Open Seniors Stableford continued...

SCRATCH CUP WINNERS 2011 SENIOR Athlone - Eddie McCormack Beaverstown - Gary McGrane Birr - A. Lowry Curragh - Keith Egan Dungarvan - Alan Thomas Millicent - Shane McGlynn Roscrea - J. Lyons Shannon - Eddie McCormack Tralee - D. O’Sullivan

JUNIOR Beaverstown - T. Kendellan Birr - E. Costello Blainroe - Donal O’Gallagher Borris - T. Joyce Curragh - Douglas Houlihan Delgany - Shane O’Loughlin Dungarvan - Greg Carew Dun Laoghaire - P. Craig Hollystown - Ed Webster Loughrea - T. Plower Navan - R. Carr Rathdowney - P. Whelan Roscrea - E. Costello Rosslare - A. Murphy Tullamore - N. Flanagan Waterford - Greg Carew Youghal - Eoin Ryan

INTERMEDIATE Borris - M. Dillon Bray - Paul O’Leary Dundalk - B. Cairns Hollystown - Maurice Nolan Loughrea - T. Slevin Navan - N. Sheridan Portarlington - Gerard Briscoe Rathdowney - A. McCormack Waterford - Jay Ellis Wexford - D. O’Sullivan Youghal - Colin Sheehan

MINOR Co. Cavan - R. Grimes Dundalk - B. McElearney Hollystown - Michael Downey Loughrea - P. Greally Navan - T. McKenna Portarlington - Eamon Murphy

LADIES Royal Co. Down - Mary Dowling Ryl P’rush (Z. Bolton) - Louise Mernagh Woodbrook - Karen Delaney Hermitage - Mary Dowling Every Golf Club in the 32 Counties is invited to submit details of Scratch Cup winners for our Autumn issue.

Email: golfbiz@eircom.net

See Page 31 for details of BACKSPIN’S

3rd IRISH GOLF COURSE RANKINGS POLL ORIGINAL - The first publication ever to rank Ireland’s links and parkland courses separately (2007) AUTHORITATIVE - Our voting panel embraces 52 personalities with a strong appreciation of Irish courses INFLUENTIAL - Our poll results are circulated to the biggest hitters in the global golf tourism industry BACKSPIN | 19

KNIGHTSBROOK Golf Resort continued...

AUGUST 1 Junior (4-9) & Inter (10-18) Scratch Cups 15 Open Seniors Stableford SEPTEMBER 12 Open Seniors Stableford

Calendar of Open Competitions contd...

www.knightsbrook.com

Malahide GC, Co. Dublin JUNE 10 Philip Walton PGA Pro-Am 16 Ladies Open Day JULY 1 All Ireland Mother and Son 4 Lancôme Scotch Foursomes 10 Junior & Senior Scratch Cups 28 Juvenile Open Open Week (30th July - 5th Aug) 30 Men’s Fourball Two Lady Team Open 31 Four Man Team Open Four Lady Team Open AUGUST 1 Mixed Scotch Foursomes 2 Four Lady Team Scramble 3 Men’s Singles 4 Four Man Team Open 5 Mixed Team (2 + 2) 26 Junior Pro Am 29 Men’s Seniors Open (Age 50+) SEPTEMBER 19 Ladies Seniors Open (Age 50+)

Email: golfbiz@eircom.net for details regarding event listings in future issues.

www.malahidegolfclub.ie

Phone: 057 8645500 Fax: 057 8642350

Killenard County Laois Ireland

Why not treat yourself to a day out in one of Ireland’s premier golf resorts?

Great Summer Offers Mon. & Tues. for May and June €35 per person to include light lunch.

Mount Juliet, Co. Kilkenny JUNE 14 Four Person Team Event - Men / Ladies JULY 14 Four Person Team Event - Men / Ladies AUGUST 16 Four Person Team Event - Men / Ladies SEPTEMBER 21 Four Person Team Event - Men / Ladies

www.mountjuliet.ie/golf

Tuam GC, Co. Galway Open event every Wednesday to end Oct JUNE 12 Men’s 18-holes Fourball Betterball Ladies 18-holes Fourball Betterball 15 Men’s 18-holes singles stableford Ladies 18-holes singles stableford 16 Men’s 18-holes singles stableford Ladies 18-holes singles stableford 17 Men’s 18-holes singles strokes Ladies 18-holes singles strokes 18 Men’s 18-holes singles stableford Ladies 18-holes singles stableford JULY 25 Raceweek Festival until 29th Ladies & Men’s 18-h S’ford each day AUGUST 1 Senior & Junior Scratch Cups OCTOBER 29 Open Weekend (29th - 31st) Ladies & Men’s 18-h singles each day

www.tuamgolfclub.com

ENJOY GUARANTEED EXPOSURE TO A HUGE COMMUNITY OF GOLFERS IN THE

LEOPARDSTOWN GOLF CENTRE’S COMPLIMENTARY MAGAZINE...

MAGAZ INE CENTRE ’S COMPL IMENTA RY THE LEOPAR DS TOWN GOLF

Spring/Summer 2011

Issue No. 9

Special focus on

*****

Wednesday - Sunday in May & June €50 per golfer Online booking now available at www.theheritage.com Full, Family and Junior membership now available.

No joining fee

Please contact the golf shop on 057.8642321 for further details on the above Web: www.theheritage.com E-mail: golf@theheritage.com 20 | BACKSPIN

Photo: Team captains Alison Nicholas (Europe) and Rosie Jones (USA) with The Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle.

Amarilla Golf, Tenerife – see page 4

details of Spotlight on The 2011 Solheim Cup including ticket offer the Club Ambassador programme & advance ladies in Tenerife beckons for top Leopardstown competition Spanish Tourist Board’s Golfer of the Year lady golfers PING’s stylish range of accessories for own Golf Centre Membership opportunities at the Leopardst

TY SPECIAL FEATURE ON GOLF IN COUN

WICKLOW

Contact

THE GOLF BUSINESS Tel: 00353-1-2827269. Fax: 00353-1-2827483 Email: golfbiz@eircom.net

www.backspingolfmagazine.com

GOLF CLUB CAPTAINS 2011 BALCARRICK Seamus McDonnell & Rosaleen Reid BALLINLOUGH CASTLE Jim McCabe & Sylvia Cannon Weafer BEAUFORT Michael Quirke & Sheila McCarthy BRAY Derek Gallagher & Denise Deane BUNCLODY Michael Cowman & Margaret Byrne CASTLE BARNA Kieran McGurran & Eileen Wynne CASTLEBAR Sean Smyth & Sheila Baynes CASTLEKNOCK George Coombes & Brid Fallon CLOGHER VALLEY William Crawford & Maura Dooris CLONMEL Joe Flynn & Ollie Connellan DUNDRUM HOUSE HOTEL (Co. Tipperary) Eugene O’Meara & Geraldine Ryan CURRAGH Comdt Paul Kennedy & Frankie Kearns DELGANY Oliver Carty & Bernadette Harmon DUNGARVAN Roger O’Connor & Mary Phelan DUNMORE EAST Declan Barry & Janet Carey EAST CLARE William O’Brien & Siobhan Shanahan ENNISKILLEN Ian Thompson & Anne Reihill

FORREST LITTLE Peter O’Brien & Siobhan Garvey GLASSON Tommy McArdle & Kathleen McGann GLEBE Mark Nolan & Adrienne Cooke GLEN OF THE DOWNS Thomas Banahan & Angela Glynn GORT Kevin Mulkerrins & Sara Broderick GRANGE John F. Nolan & Maire Muldowney HEADFORT Paddy Horgan & Marie Therese Lacy HOLLYSTOWN Adrian Nash & Michelle Whelan K CLUB Tom Taaffe & Sally Ann O’Connor KILLINEY Willow Murray & Grainne O’Donovan KNIGHTSBROOK Jonathan Cusack & Angela Reilly LEOPARDSTOWN LADIES GOLF CLUB Stephanie Carney LUCAN Sean Quigley & Una Murphy MAHEE ISLAND Trevor Geddis & Muriel Robinson MASSEREENE Jackie Davis & Carol Cummings MILLICENT Paul Hogan & Tracy Martin MOUNT JULIET James Brett & Margaret Twomey

MOYVALLEY John Kennedy & Deborah Carolan NAAS Sean Grogan & Brid Dermody PORTARLINGTON Noel F. Dunne & Sharon Culliton POWERSCOURT Michael Cotter & Marian Cullen ROSCOMMON Charlie Farrell & Mary Lalor RUSH Brian Fagan & Maeve Hartford SHANNON Paschal Regan & Mary O’Brien STROKESTOWN Gerry Callaghan & Elsie Owens SUTTON Stephen Halpin & Mary Glackin SWORDS Andrew McLoughlin & Maura Madigan TUAM Michael Ryder & Martina Casserly WARRENPOINT Peter Fitzsimmons & Theresa Browne WATERFORD Kieran Scanlon & Sandra Barrett WICKLOW David Delaney & Mairead Dowling WOODBROOK Tommy Sheridan & Mary O’Shea WOODSTOCK Eugene Quinn & Joan Barrett YOUGHAL James Condon & Martina Hooley

THANK YOU TO THE GOLF CLUBS THAT RESPONDED TO OUR REQUEST FOR THESE DETAILS.

An Extra Special Golf Experience Mount Juliet, Ireland’s Best Parkland Golf Course, just over 1 hour from Dublin on the M9 (exit 9).

Book your Group Golf Outing at Mount Juliet and the Group Organiser gets a free overnight B&B stay for two.

Excellent Group Rates from €60.

www.mountjuliet.ie

Book now on 056 777 3010 Free stay for Group Organiser must be taken after the group golf event. This off ffe er is valid for all golf group (20+) bookings taken before July 31st 2011.

BACKSPIN | 21

GET INTO THE SWING

at the

Above: The two-tier driving range at the Golf Centre.

Pure pleasure...

Practising is pure pleasure at the Leopardstown Golf Centre with the state-of-the-art Power Tee ball dispensing system (right) and quality Srixon range balls.

Special offer...

Golfers can avail of a special €6 rate for a basket of golf balls between 8am and 3pm from Monday-Friday.

22 | BACKSPIN

very year huge numbers of boys and girls take their first steps in the wonderful world of golf at the Leopardstown Golf Centre, which has served as the cradle of Irish golf since the 1960’s.

A series of four-day Summer Camps, hosted by the centre’s dynamic team of Pure Golf PGA professionals, provide kids with an excellent introduction to golf in a fun environment.

Bookings are now being taken for the Summer Camps, which represent great value at €125 per child, with a 10% discount for families.

The dates are June 20th-23rd (2.30pm-4.30), July 4th-7th (12-2pm), July 25th-28th (2.30pm4.30), August 8th-11th (10.30am-12.30) and August 15th-18th (2.30pm-4.30).

And, commencing in September, the Golf Centre will host a weekly junior golf camp each Saturday for five weeks involving 90-minutes of coaching per session at the same €125 rate.

The Leopardstown Golf Centre is Ireland’s premier game improvement facility.

Here, under one roof in a state-of-the-art environment, golfers have access to the most advanced technology and expertise available.

The centre’s team of PGA professionals provide a complete suite of services.

There is an energy and passion about each member of the highly skilled Pure Golf Leopardstown team of PGA professionals that transforms time devoted to developing your skills into pure golfing pleasure.

The structures that are in place and the mix of skills amongst the five team members Michael Allan, Michael Kavanagh, John Langan, Maura Morrin and Michael McDermott - create a very attractive environment for golfers of all standards.

They employ the most revolutionary tuition and game improvement technology so that all aspects of your game can be analysed and improved.

You can even embrace a healthier lifestyle at the centre by availing of the expert services of physiotherapist Orlaith Buckley, who visits the centre regularly. She works with many tour players on mobility and stability programmes.

E

So, whatever facet of golf you wish to improve...your swing, your mind, your body, or all three...the total golf experience awaits you at the Leopardstown Golf Centre.

Facilities available at the Golf Centre include 74 modern floodlit practice bays featuring the fully automated Power Tee dispensing technology and high performance Srixon range balls, two fully equipped golf academy rooms, a tour-spec all-weather short game practice area, and a dedicated putting studio where you can discover the secrets to a better putting stroke.

The Pure Golf PGA team place great emphasis on the importance of embracing custom fitting as part of an overall approach to game improvement.

They provide a fascinating custom fitting service that employs ultra speed cameras, sensors and wireless strain gauges to capture the physics of a player’s swing.

Indeed, you can transform your game by having your clubs and golf ball custom fit to your style of play by the Pure Golf PGA Leopardstown team.

Other striking changes at the Centre in recent times include the upgrading of the delightful 18-hole golf course. Over €300,000 has been invested in transforming the course and work continues all the time to ensure that it is presented and maintained in top condition.

The green fee is just €15 (including weekends) which represents outstanding value.

The imposing 22,000 sq ft clubhouse is a multi-functional facility that includes a PGA golf shop, fashion outlets, a sports travel agency and the popular Green Room Café, a 100-seater restaurant which is a perfect venue for casual dining and special events.

The Leopardstown Golf Centre attracts golfers from a wide catchment area. It is superbly situated within the Leopardstown Racecourse complex in Foxrock just off the M50 at Exit 14 (Southbound) for Dun Laoghaire.

Top PGA team...

Get your game in shape by booking a series of lessons with the Golf Centre’s dynamic team of Pure Golf Leopardstown PGA professionals.

Here resident professional Michael Allan demonstrates a simple warm-up drill to relieve tension in your swing.

He says, “Take your normal address position and point the butt of the club at the tee. With the club feeling much lighter it will be possible to create more freedom in your swing. This will release tension in the forearms and wrists.

Forearm rotation and wrist cock are an integral part of the swing and these manoeuvres are difficult to achieve with tension. Perform this drill after every 30 or 40 balls you hit on the driving range to monitor your tension levels.”

Telephone: 01-2895341 www.leopardstowngolfcentre.com

The Green Room...

The Green Room (above), a 100-seater restaurant, is the Golf Centre’s social hub.

The bright and spacious restaurant offers everything from breakfast, snacks and light meals to a full European café style menu.

An ideal venue for private functions, product launches and social events. For details email marycurran17@hotmail.com

Great Value!

You can avail of unlimited use of the centre’s all-weather tourspec short game practice area (left) for an annual membership fee of €100 .

BACKSPIN | 23

It’s showtime

for golf’s future stars he countdown has begun in earnest to The 2011 Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle in September and there is the exciting prospect of a double European celebration on Irish soil that week with six-time Solheim Cup player Lotta Neumann determined to lead the home team to victory and level the score with the Americans in the PING Junior Solheim Cup at the Knightsbrook Hotel Spa & Golf Resort in Co. Meath.

This will be the sixth edition of this prestigious biennial junior event. The home team has won on each occasion to date.

Expect plenty of fireworks as the American side will be captained by another legend, Meg Mallon, winner of 19 tour titles, an eight time Solheim Cup player and vice-captain at The 2009 Solheim Cup in Illinois.

T Knightsbrook Hotel Spa & Golf Resort Trim, Co. Meath

20-21 September 2011 24 | BACKSPIN

The PING Junior Solheim Cup event was launched in 2002 and serves as a spectacular curtain-raiser to the main event. The junior event is held over two days with six fourball and six foursomes matches on day one, followed by twelve singles matches on day two.

The PING Junior Solheim Cup brings together the cream of American and European amateur girls golf. Previous participants who went on to great things include Morgan Pressel, Paula Creamer, Anna Nordqvist, Brittany Lincicome and Melissa Reid.

The European team for the 2011 PING Junior Solheim Cup will be named after the Girls’ British Open Championship in early August. It is expected that the dynamic Maguire twins - Lisa and Leona - will spearhead a strong European side at Knightsbrook in September.

Above: Lisa and Leona Maguire pictured with the PING Junior Solheim Cup during this year’s Irish Under 18 Girls’ Strokeplay Championship at Knightsbrook Hotel, Spa & Golf Resort.

Photo courtesy of SPORTSFILE

Main photo: Knightsbrook Hotel Spa & Golf Resort, host venue of The 2011 PING Junior Solheim Cup. See Resort focus on next page...

The Solheim Cup was inaugurated in 1990.

The driving force behind its creation was Karsten Solheim, founder of the iconic PING equipment brand over fifty years ago.

Karsten passed away in 2000 and The PING Junior Solheim Cup was inaugurated two years later by his youngest son, John A. Solheim, the company’s Chairman and CEO. He decided to create an event, similar to The Solheim Cup, that would provide golf’s rising young female stars on both sides of the Atlantic with a showpiece team event on the eve and in the vicinity of The Solheim Cup. The 2011 PING Junior Solheim Cup, which is being organised by Twenty Eleven ILGPL and hosted by the ILGU, will set the scene for a wonderful week of top-class action and provide Irish girls’ golf with a huge boost.

PING JUNIOR SOLHEIM CUP RESULTS Year Venue

Match Result

2002

Oak Ridge CC, Minnesota

USA

17

Europe

7

2003

Bokskogens GC, Sweden

USA

11 ⁄

Europe

12 ⁄

2005

Bridgewater Club, Indiana

USA

16

Europe

8

2007

Bastad GC, Sweden

USA

10

Europe

14

2009

Aurora GC, Illinois

USA

15 ⁄

Europe

8⁄

2011

Knightsbrook Resort, Ireland

USA

1

1

2

2

1

1

2

2

Europe

continued...

BACKSPIN | 25

ROYAL WELCOME AWAITS YOU AT

hese are busy and exciting times for the enterprising Knightsbrook Hotel Spa & Golf Resort in Trim in Co. Meath.

The resort recently staged the Irish U-18 Girls’ Strokeplay Championship and the Leinster Youths’ Amateur Championship and it will be a magnificent host venue for the prestigious PING Junior Solheim Cup on September 20th and 21st.

There will be a great festival atmosphere in the Royal County that week with the PING Junior Solheim Cup at Knightsbrook and The 2011 Solheim Cup matches at nearby Killeen Castle later in the week set to attract thousands of spectators and huge media coverage.

For details regarding the various events taking place in the vicinity of the two host venues during Solheim Cup week visit solheimcupmeath.ie and knightsbrook.com Knightsbrook Resort, launched in 2007, is one of Ireland’s most popular and hospitable golf and leisure venues. It is superbly situated in the picturesque Heritage Town of Trim in the heart of Co. Meath.

A challenging 18-hole championship course designed by Ryder Cup legend Christy

T

Top: Pictured with The PING Junior Solheim Cup at Knightsbrook are, from left, Gavin Hunt, the resort’s Director of Golf, Roddy Carr (Twenty Eleven ILGPL, the event organisers), Lisa and Leona Maguire, Jonathan Cusack (resort proprietor and Club Captain) and Patrick Curran, the resort’s General Manager.

26 | BACKSPIN

O’Connor Jnr forms the centrepiece of an impressive resort that has become a popular venue for special golf events, residential golf and leisure breaks and social occasions.

The main characteristics of the par-72 course, which features nine lakes, are immaculate undulating fairways, USGA standard greens and excellent drainage.

Knightsbrook Resort is an excellent Stay and Play facility as visitors have the option of staying in a luxurious 4-star hotel complete with 131 guest rooms, 11 suites and River Spa or in attractive holiday homes available on a self catering or fully serviced basis.

A sensible pricing structure for golf and accommodation throughout the year is a key element in the Knightsbrook success story.

A special Early Bird & Twilight rate of €20.11 (Mon-Wed up to 11am and after 4pm) is on offer prior to The Solheim Cup. For full details regarding the resort’s facilities, packages and golf membership options visit www.knightsbrook.com and contact Gavin Hunt (Director of Golf) on 046.9482100.

Email: ghunt@knightsbrook.com

With an extensive range of innovative men’s and ladies equipment to choose from and 80 PING authorised custom fitting centres across Ireland, more and more game improvers are discovering the benefits of embracing PING golf technology. sk any avid golfer who the game’s custom fit specialists are and they’ll invariably say PING. Now, there are several reasons for this. Since 1959, PING’s whole philosophy has revolved around custom fitting for individuals. An ethos based on the fact that as humans, we come in all different shapes and sizes; this has since been adopted by every golf brand out there.

Do not, however, make the mistake of thinking that competitors are on a level with golf’s original innovators.

Custom fitting is unquestionably of huge benefit to your game. It has to be.

There’s simply no way someone who’s 5ft 6 and a 6ft 5 giant should be hitting the same specs. It’s no different from having size 11 feet and squeezing into a size 8.

Uncomfortable.

Through half a century of experience in custom fitting, PING has developed their extensive ‘Five Steps to Fitting.’ The process starts with the all-important interview process, during which the fitter will determine the player’s desired ball flight as well as his or her needs and preferences from their iron set. Following the initial conversation, the fitter will then predetermine some crucial static measurements in order to establish lie angle, club length, shaft type and flex as well as club model. This data will then be processed by the fitter to determine a player’s colour code from PING’s groundbreaking colour code chart, with a range of 12 options depending on specification.

All this attention to detail is an integral part of the PING fitting process.

Using impact tape, the fitter will then re-establish the above specifications from the player’s swing and impact position. This is known as the ‘Dynamic

A

Swing Test’. When these crucial measurements are confirmed, ball flight can be analysed which will, in turn, allow the fitter to advise on hybrid/iron/wedge set-up, as well as loft and swing weight.

The player is now one step away from having an iron set completely tailored to their individual needs, all thanks to PING’s unique, unmatchable process.

Finally, the fitter will continue to monitor performance in order to confirm that the golfer’s desired improvement continues. These five steps have been groomed over decades in order to establish the best fitting process possible for those that choose to use PING equipment. The results speak volumes.

In 2011, PING has their largest and broadest range ever. For the first time, there really is a club for everyone. From the super game improvement K15 and the tour-proven S56 irons, to PING’s answer to a forged iron, traditionally and

aptly named, the Anser. All of the above, of course, are in addition to PING’s hugely successful and ever-popular G15 range, which will suit all standards of player from the 24 handicapper to the Tour pro.

In addition to the wealth and variety of clubs PING currently has on offer, there is an ever-growing number of fitting facilities in Ireland alone. Golfers can now enjoy the custom fit experience at 80 PING authorised fitting centres in Ireland, each with a wide range of fitting equipment.

As we’ve established, PING’s current line of equipment is widely regarded as their most extensive to date. Combine that with the widespread custom fitting facilities in Ireland, and you have a match made in heaven.

With the golfing season in full swing, now really is the perfect time to have a set of PING golf clubs individually fitted to your swing specifications.

To find your nearest PING authorised fitting centre and to discover details about club fitting days visit

Play Your Best.™

www.ping.com BACKSPIN | 27

NEWS Desk PEOPLE * PLACES * EVENTS Email your news items and hi-resolution jpeg photos to golfbiz@eircom.net

Margaret Cassidy is Sutton’s new president

Kevin’s great odyssey he 2nd edition of Kevin Markham’s book ‘Hooked’ is an absorbing read. It’s an amateur’s guide to Irish golf courses and what makes it fascinating is the fact that 7-handicapper Kevin spent eighteen months touring the country in a camper van and managed to play no fewer than 349 18-hole courses!

He travelled over 6,800 miles, covered over 2,000 miles of fairways on foot and wore out three pairs of golf shoes.

In his book he dedicates a full page review to each course he played.

‘Hooked’ is available in bookshops with a RRP of €14.99 / Stg£12.99.

T

opular lifelong Sutton Golf Club member Margaret Cassidy has been honoured with a two-year term as president of the famous north Dublin club.

She was Sutton’s lady captain in 1984.

Margaret and her family are passionate about golf. Her husband Frank was a singlefigure player for many years, a distinction shared by sons John and Neal since their youth.

The photo above shows Margaret Cassidy (right) with Sutton Golf Club’s lady captain Mary Glackin.

P

Photo taken by Eddie de Barra, NUJ.

Solheim Cup countdown

Photo courtesy of Twenty Eleven ILGPL

lison Nicholas will announce her 2011 European Solheim Cup team on Monday 29th August following the publication of the weekly Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.

The 12 woman squad competing at Killeen Castle from September 23rd-25th will comprise the top four players on the Ladies European Tour’s Solheim Cup points ranking, the next best four players from the Rolex Rankings, with a further four selected players from the Ladies European Tour.

The 2011 USA Solheim Cup Team will be announced a week earlier on 21st August.

Visit: www.solheimcup.com

A

Above: Team captains Alison Nicholas & Rosie Jones

PING’S Solheim Cup deal...

W

ith The 2011 Solheim Cup at Killeen Castle fast approaching, leading equipment brand PING is running a fantastic promotion throughout the 32 counties until July.

Reinforcing their commitment to women’s golf in Ireland, PING is offering a free Solheim Cup season ticket, valued €125, for every in-store purchase of PING’s new Faith Irons (5 or more irons/hybrids).

28 | BACKSPIN

PING’s Faith range (pictured left) is designed especially for women and is specifically engineered to produce higher-launching, longercarrying shots for slower swing speeds. The blended iron/hybrid set gives women a consistent and forgiving alternative to the long iron, while maintaining control with the shorter clubs.

For full details about PING’s 2011 product range visit www.ping.com

Photo by ALAN BLEAKLEY

Woodbrook win gets Karen off to a flying start aren Delaney (Carlow) got the season off to a flying start with an impressive victory in the Woodbrook Ladies Scratch Cup. She is pictured above with Woodbrook lady captain Mary O’Shea and captain, Tommy Sheridan.

K

Mary McKenna’s charity drive reland’s Curtis Cup legend Mary McKenna hosted her 3rd Charity Golf Classic in aid of the Dyslexia Association of Ireland at her home club, Donabate, recently.

The superbly organised event once again attracted strong support and contributed to a very worthy cause.

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Pictured at the 2011 Mary McKenna Charity Golf Classic at Donabate Golf Club above were, Jo Gannon (Vice-President Dyslexia Association of Ireland) receiving a painting from artist Frank Clarke.

Left: Mary McKenna (centre) with participants Shaun McGonagle, Suzanne Geraghty (Donabate GC), Pauline Byrne (Lady Captain, Donabate GC) and Pat McNeill (Captain, Donabate GC).

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est wishes to Pat Finn (right) who has succeeded Seamus Smith as General Secretary of the Golfing Union of Ireland at the union’s Carton House HQ. Pat, a native of Tipperary, was assistant to Smith for 13 years. He becomes the fourth General Secretary in the GUI’s history.

Bill Menton (1949-1983) and Ivan Dickson (1983-1995) held the position before Seamus Smith Pic of Pat Finn (right) by Pat Cashman (1996-2011).

The SkyCaddie® SGX The next generation rangefinder he SkyCaddie® SGX™, golf’s most innovative and feature packed rangefinder, boasts a durable, new sleek design with a large 3” easy-toread, transflective LCD screen that provides brilliant colour images even in the brightest sunlight. Powered by a long lasting rechargeable Lithium-ion battery, the SGX is ready for up to 14 hours of continuous play.

The SGX also includes SkyCaddie’s proprietary TruePoint Precision Positioning Technology in a high performance GPS engine with ultra-fast satellite acquisition for unmatched accuracy and reliability. To trust their club, a golfer has to be able to trust their caddie, just like a Tour player. The SGX is built to be trusted.

For the ultimate in convenience and reliability, the SGX offers up to 30,000 pre-loaded, ground-verified maps making it “Ready to Play” out of the box with basic green information. The enhanced storage offers the capability to maintain up to 50 full-featured courses in the SGX at one time with the most advanced and reliable information in the game.

SGX has many features including a convenient Digital Scorecard and Statistic Tracking option to track key game statistics, including: greens in regulation, fairways hit, driving accuracy and distance, plus total putts.

Golfers can auto sync their scores and stats to SkyGolf’s newly created and quickly evolving online community, Club SG, for comprehensive game tracking and analysis.

For further details on the SkyCaddie SGX and all SkyCaddie products visit www.skycaddie.com

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BACKSPIN | 29

NEWS Desk

PORTMARNOCK

PEOPLE * PLACES * EVENTS Email your news items and hi-resolution jpeg photos to golfbiz@eircom.net

Striking changes at famous Portmarnock Golf Club ortmarnock Golf Club has been busy over the past 18 months making many subtle and some significant changes to its classic links. Overall the result has seen the course continue to be a testing challenge for the modern golfer while retaining its timeless links characteristics.

The most dramatic change has been the redesign and construction of a new opening hole under the direction of Martin Hawtree.

The hole has seen its fairway move 40 yards right, with all the mounding on the right hand side removed, thus bringing the water

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Photos above and below courtesy of Portmarnock Golf Club.

PORTMARNOCK

Use the MIDDLE sunset pic of the 3 PORTMARNOCK GOLF CLUB pics that you lo-res’d to me on 19th May. Clubhouse is way off in the distance.

Buying a car is a pleasure at

MAXWELL ROAD, RATHGAR, DUBLIN 6 Proprietor Alan Bleakley brings over 20 years experience in the motor industry with Esmonde Motors to his new business and he looks forward to providing customers, old and new, with a superior standard of personal service.

Mon - Fri: 9am to 6pm Saturday: 10am to 2pm Sunday: By appointment

30 | BACKSPIN

Tel: 01- 4973303 Email: sales@churchcars.ie Web: www.churchcars.ie

into play off the tee. In turn the first green now nestles on a knoll significantly closer to the estuary, making for a strong opening hole, fit to test the nerve of any golfer.

Other changes include run-offs on six holes, a new landing area on the 6th and new Championship tees at the 12th, 15th & 18th.

The club has also implemented a management programme based on an Ecology plan commissioned by the club from the STRI, with the emphasis on environmental protection in harmonisation with course management.

The new Championship course layout has seen some 100 yards added to its overall length which now stands at 7,466 yards.

Club Captain David Fleury says: “Our ambition is to remain as one of the great links courses in the world, providing our members and visitors with a special experience every time they go out onto the links. It’s an ongoing journey, which in truth is never finished but we believe the significant work we have completed in the past winter does go a long way towards meeting the ambitions we have set for ourselves.”

Print is our business The Golf Business is a dynamic and enterprising golf publishing company established since 1999.

Whatever print requirements you may have, bear in mind that we are geared to provide a top quality service from origination through to print at highly competitive rates.

So, let’s talk business...and let’s talk golf!

Tel: 01-2827269 Email: golfbiz@eircom.net

ANNOUNCEMENT

BACKSPIN’S 3rd Irish golf course rankings Original * Authoritative * Influential our years ago, when we conducted our first Irish golf course rankings poll, BACKSPIN broke fresh ground by becoming the first golf publication ever to treat and rank Ireland’s links and parkland courses separately.

They are, after all, completely different forms of golf.

Since the magazine was launched on the Irish market in 2000, by a team immersed in the traditions of golf since the Palmer and Nicklaus era, BACKSPIN has always sought to be vibrant, imaginative and distinctly different.

Our original and authoritative approach to ranking Irish courses affords our finest links and parkland creations the stand alone recognition that they richly deserve. As a result our poll serves to showcase the Irish golf product in an entirely new light to the golfing world at large.

We are adopting the same format for our 3rd Irish Golf Course Rankings poll, the results of which will be published in our end of year issue.

Our biennial poll reflects the views of 52 opinionated professional and amateur golfers who share a deep knowledge and appreciation of the Irish golf product. To assist them in making their choices each voter is provided with a complete list of Irish golf courses in both categories.

Our poll results are circulated to key people across all spectrums of Irish and international golf, including leading golf media figures, golf industry personalities and the biggest hitters in the global golf tourism sector.

F

ongratulations to the legendary GAA commentator Séan Óg O’Ceallacháin who made his final broadcast recently following 63-years covering Gaelic games. He is pictured above at Hermitage Golf Club, where he has been a member for 58 years!

Congratulations, also, to another Hermitage member, Cecil Whelan, and all associated with the famous Links Golf Society for raising huge sums for charitable causes at high profile Celebrity Classics & Pro-Am’s over the past 45 years.

The society’s contribution to Irish life will be celebrated at a special farewell event at The K Club on August 23rd.

Cecil Whelan is seen above (left) with Hermitage past president Matt Fagan.

C

anielle McVeigh (seated) celebrates with team members after Ulster’s victory in the Senior Interprovincials at Royal Co. Down. At back (from left) Lucy Simpson, Charlene Reid, Laura Grant, Louise Coffey, Victoria Bradshaw and Paula Grant.

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incl. VAT

TOP IRISH CADDIES CALLING THE SHOTS

SPECIAL COURSE RANKINGS ISSUE

Photograph of Mount Juliet

Links & parkland courses ranked separately

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SPOTLIGHT ON RORY McILROY CORPORATE & SOCIETY GOLF SUPPLEMENT 2008 PRO TOUR CALENDARS

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Photos above by Pat Cashman

2008 SPRING ISSUE

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idleton College in Cork won the Irish Schools Cup at Milltown Golf Club. Marjorie McCorduck (President Irish Ladies Golf Union) presented twins Edel and Julie Coyne with the cup.

Also photographed are Dorothy McCann (Lady Captain, Milltown GC) and Amanda Coyne (mother of the twins).

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for the first time ever!

BACKSPIN | 31

PARTING SHOT from the Editor...

José Maria Olazábal thrives on the extraordinary pressures and expectations associated with the Ryder Cup. Europe’s hopes of a successful defence next year are in safe hands. ou get the sense that José Maria Olazábal is going to be a magnificent captain when Europe defends The Ryder Cup at Medinah Country Club in Chicago, Illinois, from 28th-30th September, 2012.

The 45-year-old Spaniard is steeped in Ryder Cup traditions. He played in the matches seven times between 1987 and 2006 and he savoured victory on three occasions.

He is determined to deliver another famous European victory on American soil next year and he has already secured the European Tour’s approval of a significant change he proposed to the qualification process.

The qualification criteria, beginning at the Omega European Masters at Crans-Sur-Sierre from September 1st-4th this year and ending at the conclusion of the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in 2012, will now see the leading five players from the European Points List joined by the leading five players from the World Points List as automatic qualifiers to the European Team. This represents a reversal of the two lists with the European Points List counting before the World Points List.

Olazábal will then add his two

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Photo courtesy of The European Tour / ©Getty Images

Captain’s Picks to complete the 12-man team for next year’s matches in Chicago.

Olazábal said: “I am very pleased that the Tournament Committee has agreed to my request. The only reason that I asked for a change in the criteria is because I believe that it will give me the strongest team possible to defend The Ryder Cup. He added: “I looked at the last few qualification processes, going back to 2004, and was satisfied that my proposal would give me the strongest team on paper. We are going to have

a very strong team but I just felt that this would give the team the best chance to keep The Ryder Cup and that is what we all want. “ There is also the exciting prospect that Olazábal will go into battle in Medinah with a youthful team.

Significantly the top-15 Europeans in the World Golf Rankings at the start of June included six players who will still be in their 20’s in September 2012...Martin Kaymer, Rory McIlroy, Francesco Molinari, Martin Laird, Alvaro Quiros and rising Italian star Matteo Manassero.

Editorial, Advertising & Accounts: “Birkdale”, 4, Rathmichael Manor, Loughlinstown, County Dublin, Ireland.

Email: golfbiz@eircom.net Tel: (00.353.1) 2827269 Fax: (00.353.1) 2827483

CELEBRATING 11 YEARS ON THE IRISH MARKET

www.backspingolfmagazine.com 32 | BACKSPIN

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HOT LIST GOLD WINNER 2 YEARS IN A ROW

The longest driver in golf is also one of the most popular. Bubba Watson, armed with his award-winning G15 Driver, continues to lead the PGA Tour in driving distance while leaving his competitors and fans in awe of his shot-making skills. Visit a PING Fitting Specialist or ping.com to find out which PING driver fits your game.

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Source: PGA Tour Statistics through 3/20/11