Golfer ‘put up adverts saying he was in PGA’

A GOLF coach said he was a PGA professional in adverts offering lessons on a deals website – when in fact he had been thrown out the top golfing association, a High Court has heard.

Kevin Beirth had promised the court in 2013 he would not claim to be part of the Professional Golfers’ Association or to trade as the Irish Professional Golfers Association.

But Stephen Byrne, for the PGA, told the High Court that Mr Beirth has since breached those legally binding promises.

Mr Beirth, of Swords, Co. Dublin, appeared in court yesterday where

he sought time to get legal advice before filing a statement to counter the PGA’s claims. If he is found to have broken the undertakings, he may be jailed for contempt.

He told the High Court yesterday: ‘The agreement I signed in 2013 – I have upheld my end of it.’

But Mr Byrne said Mr Beirth had engaged in a ‘pattern of behaviour’ in which he would market himself as a PGA-accredited coach, and then stop after being sent a solicitor’s letter. Mr Byrne said Mr Beirth would then repeat his actions.

He said: ‘Apparently he has offered deals on a website called Groupon for golf lessons with a PGA pro. And he maintains a website in which he says he is PGA accredited, and shows a copy of his certificate from 1999. The matter is of considerable Court row: Golfer Kevin Beirth ‘said he was PGA professional’

concern to my client, and we are anxious to have it dealt with as soon as possible.’

Mr Byrne said the PGA was the representative body for professional golfers on the continent of Europe.

He said disciplinary proceedings had taken place in 2011. Mr Beirth, a professional golfer, was expelled from the PGA in 2012.

But Mr Beirth continued to hold himself out as a PGA-accredited professional despite his expulsion and despite his court promises in 2013, Mr Byrne said.

The court was told Mr Beirth had been operating from a golf facility or driving range in Swords.

Judge Tony O’Connor said to Mr Beirth: ‘The allegation is that you are holding yourself out as a PGA member. I am not going to ask you to deal with that now. But you should put in an affidavit by Friday week. It is a simple fact: what were you doing?’

He told Mr Beirth to send the statement to solicitors for the PGA and to the court’s office.

The case is due back in court on October 10.

‘I upheld my end of it’