O’Callaghan recalls McIlroy duel

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Pictured (from L to R) Seamus Power, Shane Lowry, Simon Ward, Rory McIlroy, Aaron O’Callaghan and Gareth Shaw at the European Youths.

Tiger Woods had just become the third golfer in history to go back-to-back in the Masters, when over 6,000 kilometres away a young golfer from Holywood in County Down was about to begin his journey to the top.

Harry Diamond won the Ulster Boys’ title that year, before Rory McIlroy went back-to-back. And then in 2004, the future World No 1 also claimed the Irish Boys’ Amateur Close Championship.

It could have been different that week, at least, where McIlroy was forced to a play-off by Aaron O’Callaghan. Fast forward 24 years and McIlroy was looking to emulate Woods, while O’Callaghan watched on with his East Tennessee State University golfers. Continue reading →

Howard golfing for 65 Roses

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David Howard, Iin action at the rish Mid-Amateur, Rosslare Golf Club, ©INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

David Howard, the 25 year old Irish International Golfer is taking part in the Cystic Fibrosis 65 Rose Challenge this month, but instead of running or jogging 65 kilometres in February, he’s planning to cover 65km on the golf course while playing.

Howard has Cystic Fibrosis and is while the illness isn’t holding him back, he is acutely aware of the impact it has on many people in Ireland.  He is joining their 65 Roses Challenge this month in an effort to raise funds and draw awareness to the campaign.  And he’s planning to do it on the golf Continue reading →

Muskerry’s Blarney Challenge Cup

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Mrs Irene Cullinane presenting the Blarney Challenge Cup to Muskerry President Eamon Murray in the presence of club officers and members of the Cullinane family.
Picture: Joe Lane

Muskerry is a club that embraces its history which spans well over 100 years, from the Augusta National designer Alister MacKenzie, to Jimmy Bruen and Jack Lynch.  The club recently recovered a trophy that had been missing for over 60 years.    The Blarney Challenge Cup, inaugurated in 1910 and played for through both World Wars, was discovered among the personal effects of a former member of the club, the late Mr Charlie Cullinane, and was kindly returned to Muskerry Golf Club by the Cullinane family.

The cup records the Continue reading →

2025 a year to remember

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John Doyle (Fota Island) receiving the Munster Stroke Play trophy from Paul Buckley from C2O Group, sponsors of the tournament.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

2025 proved to be a year to remember for Cork golf, with several notable successes in the bag.  Douglas, Monkstown and Lee Valley all won green national pennants, and there were notable individual successes as well.

Douglas did a rare double, winning the AIG Senior Cup in the Women’s and Men’s, taking full advantage of the status as hosts for the AIG Inter-Club finals at the end of August.  Monkstown travelled to Northern Ireland and came home as winners of the AIG Junior Cup, and Lee Valley won their Girls Inter-Club title in Donabate in August.

It was a breakout year for John Doyle, the Mitchelstown teenager started the season in style with wins at the Irish Boys and the Munster Continue reading →

5th win for Wayne in Spain

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Wayne O’Callaghan who won the Senior Golf Tour Europe event last week, pictured with his dad Brendan who caddied for him.

Wayne O’Callaghan rounded off a good year on the course last week in Spain, winning the Marbella Senior Open and claiming the Senior Golf Tour Europe Order of Merit.

O’Callaghan played in six of the tour events this year, and came away with an impressive haul of five wins.  The Senior Golf Tour is a competitive over 50’s event for professionals and amateurs, and features a season long schedule of 12 every across nine countries.

After finishing 10th in Valencia in his first event in April, O’Callaghan reeled off five straight wins thanks to some work on his putting in the studio.  Based in Cork Golf Centre in Inniscarra, the Advanced PGA Professional has built up a reputation as a top class putting coach.  “I didn’t have a great start in Valencia, I putted poorly and came back and was contemplating giving it up” said O’Callaghan.  “But I came home and checked my putting on the SAM Puttlab and found a new putter that helped with my aim, because I found a big aim issue with the one I was using.”

The difference was clear, and O’Callaghan went back on tour with renewed confidence.  “I went from there to Italy and I played some really good golf.  I don’t think I had a bogey until the final round and shot four under and won by two shots.  I had a big result in Prague where I shot five under par for my last ten holes.  I finished on six under for the tournament and caught Continue reading →

Byrne Secures Tour Status for 2026

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Sara Byrne in action in the Curtis Cup in Sunningdale.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Sara Byrne rounded off her season on a positive note in Spain last weekend when she secured a top 70 finish on the Ladies European Tour.  That was enough the secure her playing status for her second year as a touring professional.

Byrne started the year with playing rights on the LET, but also had a full card for the Epsom Tour, the LPGA’s secondary tour.  She played seven events in the first half of the season, making three cuts and recording one top twenty finish.  She prioritised t Continue reading →

Golf Ireland reports on a positive 2025

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Golf Ireland
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Golf Ireland celebrated another strong year when they provided a scorecard of their own performance for 2025.  It was a positive year on many fronts, from showpiece events, international success, and overall participation in the game.  Clubs around the county have been reporting another positive year for membership, and that was also the case nationally.

It has been another year of growth across all areas of membership.  By the end of October membership figures had reached 236,384.  Just five years ago the membership figure stood at 182,000 prior to a Covid related boost, and the 30% increase over the past five years represents a sustainable growth.  Women now account for Continue reading →

Golf Ireland Professional Scheme 2026 now open

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James Sugrue who should be eligible for Golf Ireland Professional funding in 2026.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Applications are now being accepted for the 2026 Golf Ireland Professional Scheme, a grant scheme to support Irish professional golfers in the early stages of their careers, and it’s possible that a few Cork golfers will be involved in the programme next year.

The scheme was established in 1999, and has been an invaluable source of funding for early stage professionals for 25 years.  A number of Cork golfers have benefitted from the scheme in the early years.  Mervyn Owens and Padraig Dooley were recipients when they were on the Europro Tour, Claire Coughlan for the Ladies European Tour, and Niall Turner was funded for two years when he was on the Challenge Tour and the Asian Tour.  The funding was previously called the Team Ireland Golf Trust, and was renamed as the Golf Ireland Professional Scheme a few yeas ago.

Sara Byrne and James Sugrue have both confirmed their tour status for 2026 and it’s likely that both will feature on the scheme.  2025 Golf Ireland professional Sara Byrne has enjoyed Continue reading →

Fota Island hosts Munster PGA

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John Hickey

The Munster PGA Winter Series is enjoying a strong resurgence with over 30 members playing in the event which took place on Monday.  With a busy season behind them, PGA Professionals based in Munster are taking to the course, and on Monday they travelled to Fota Island.  The three-time Irish Open host venue was in great condition and the players were hosted by Fota’s Director of Golf Kevin Morris.

John Hickey took the spoils with a great score of 42 points on a day of great weather that defied Continue reading →

SIMply Golf 365 launches in Raffeen Creek

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Jack Howard who has recently launched a new simulator experience, SIMply Golf 365.
Picture: Niall O’Shea

Jack Howard has just launched a new golf business, Simply Golf 365.  The new venture is a mobile golf simulator, and it will be based in Raffeen Creek for next few months.  Howard has spent the past few months setting up the business and is now up and running.

After a number of pop-up events, the new business is now based in Raffeen Creek Golf Club, and to launch the new location Jack invited members of the club to come and try out the new simulator last week.  The feedback was very positive and was key part of the decision to base the new venture at Raffeen for the remainder of 2025.  “The feedback from Raffeen Continue reading →