Showcase 2007/2008
Mark Heneghan
***
Derek Coffey
***
David Blair
***
Cliff John
***
Gerard O'Reilly
***
Mark O'Gorman
***
Tomas Grinius
***
James White
***
Sean Mooney
***
I first started playing pitch and putt and also golf about three years ago when I
went to the C P M Pitch'n'Putt Club with my friend Gerard. We both liked the game
and decided to join the club. Our first competition together, three weeks after I
started to practice, I got my first hole in one on the 9th hole of their course. I used
a 9-iron. I came in third place out of a field of twenty that day. I finished with a
three under par.From then on myself and Gerard practiced all the free time we got. I love the game.
To play in more challenging competitions I joined a club in Celbridge called
Elm Hall. I played in competitions every Sunday morning and got my first hole in
one on that course in my third competition on the fifth hole. This led me to win the
competition.Since I was getting rewards, good fun and making many friends from pitch'n'putt, I
decided to try my hand at golf and joined Grange Castle Golf Club across the road
from Wyatts. I joined when I was 16 years of age as a juvenile member. We got
free lessons from the club professional, Andy Kenny. He helped me to improve
dramatically. I got my first golf handicap which was twelve and I have now brought
it down to eight. When my handicap came into single figures Grange Castle
entered me in many competitions around the country.
This started with smaller competitions within the club and eventually, as I improved
to meet the challenge, I was entered in different competitions in Golf Clubs around
the country. Since starting golf, I have played in 27 competitions so far, 20 of which I
I have won. In the others I have been in the top five on three occasions and in the
top ten on four occasions. I have many trophies kept within Grange Castle and now
that I have won so many I can practice and play in Grange Castle for free.The first time I represented Moyle Park in Pitch'n'Putt was when I started playing
three years ago. Mr O'Reilly took us to Portmarnock Pitch'n'Putt course. We were
up against a very challenging field and had little chance of winning, but the
experience of the competition was great. The following year Moyle Park entered
the competition again. This time we won. And the year after that Moyle Park
again retained the cup and hope to do the same this year. Last year a record
was set. Moyle Park College is the only school in 20 years to have ever retained
the cup. The qualifying rounds for this year's event had nine teams from Moyle
competing against each othert, two which could go through to the final.
I have been offered an apprenticeship with a club professional. When I finish
school I would be very tempted to do this. I really enjoy golf because it has been my
dream to play golf professionally.
See Derek's contribution to the relevant page in the Sports' section of this
web site.
