Greenore embraced Seniors golf scene
Great times playing for Greenore seniors provided opportunity to meet golfing legends.
GREENORE was to the forefront in promoting competition for older members and starting up a seniors section that is still very active and has built up many friendly cross border alliances with a host of clubs in mainly Down and Armagh and in its Louth hinterland and further afield.
The three men that primarily were behind the birth, and responsible for the development and the thriving of seniors golf for years in the North Louth club were Joe Molloy, Eric Hynes and Harry Boland. They have stepped back and handed over the reins to the very capable hands of Kevin Maguire and Mickey Mallie. But only for their contributions the seniors section would possibly not exist and be in as healthy a state as it still is today.
Brownlow McClean from the Mourne club extended the hand of friendship to the club which resulted in Harry Boland and Leo Gormley attending a meeting in the Mourne club that led to the formation of the Mid Ulster League in 1998.
Six teams competed in the inaugural competition, two from Greenore, with one each from Kilkeel, Armagh, Mourne and Dungannon. Greenore ‘A’ was captained by Joe Molloy and Team ‘B’ by Leo Gormley, and the Peninsula club enjoyed success either that year or the next.
Harry recalls: ‘It was the time of the peace process. The object was to revive relations; have a good day out and a bit of competition as well.’
Greenore was the first southern club to take part. ‘At first some of our members were a bit nervous at travelling north, but we were well received. Likewise, some northern golfers were similarly a bit apprehensive, but everyone was well received and resulted in the good relations we had.’
Evidence of this was that wherever the club went, Harry would produce his accordion and Sean Conyard his fiddle. Tom Corcoran, an accomplished piano player, was in the habit of joining them and the trio assumed the name of the ‘Radiators’ - a reference to at least one of their occupations. ‘We would play a few tunes in every club we played in when the golf was finished,’ recalls Harry.
The club’s first venture into the inter club seniors realm was in Trim to compete in the Walker Cup in 1996, which was a oneday event played on a fourball basis, with three out of four cards to count. Eddie McGrath was the team captain, and the side comprised Ben Luttrell, Eric Hynes, Joe Molloy, Leo Gormley, Noel Tumelty, Val O’Farrell, Eamonn McNulty, Sean Bennett and Kevin Moroney.
To qualify to play in the Mid Ulster League, players had to be aged 60, and retired, and the playing format was singles. However, with an increasing number of teams as the years passed that was changed to fourball to make it more manageable.
‘It was really a great competition. It was great craic and wasn’t too serious,’ remembers Joe Molloy. Many lasting friendships were formed and last to this day.
Greenore also have their own song ‘The Seniors from Greenore,’ which was composed by Harry, with a catchy chorus line. ‘Fill up your cups and drink a toast to the Seniors of Greenore.’ The verses are reproduced at the end of this feature.
GOOD CAUSES
Charity was a beneficiary of the golf, with each year a generous contribution made to various causes, such as the Samaritans, Saint Vincent De Paul, Lifeboat
Association and Hospice organisations.
Another pleasing outcome for Greenore from being the only southern participants in the Ulster leagues was an invitation to act as marshals at the British Senior Open Championship at Royal County Down and a chance to meet legends of the sport. The famous links, voted regularly as the top course in the world, hosted the event in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
Harry recalls that 12 members took up the invitation, and there was a humorous story concerning Sean Conyard, a hungry member of the group.
‘It required volunteering to do four-hour shifts on three days looking after crowd control at tees, greens and fairway crossings. We were well looked after, supplied with a steward’s jacket and wind cheater plus a meal voucher.
‘I got a fairway crossing and then two days keeping order on the tees. I had a good view of all the famous players, like Jack
Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Tom Watson and many others from all over the world, including past British Open winners, many from the USA.
‘One of the days Sean Conyard was on a far-out tee to keep people away from the players. Seeing someone he recognised in an approaching group of players he asked is there a Tommy Watson among you? That’s me said Tom (the golfer).
‘Then Sean said they told him coming out that they would send me out a hamburger with Tommy Watson as he was out there all morning and starving with the hunger. Tom laughed (showing his good humour).’
Harry found another of the greats far from humorous, but it didn’t spoil the experience for the group. ‘We all enjoyed the trip and dined in the Mourne club,’ says Harry.
At the start the idea of over 60s competing was a source of amusement and even scoffed at, but players’ games improved if anything, rather than declined.
Some played the best golf of their career, said Joe, pointing out ‘fellas of 65, 66 and 67 who were hitting the ball a mile.’
Finding a suitable day and time and gaining permission of individual clubs to host in turn the different clubs with a growing number of teams wishing to take part was problematic for some clubs. Monday emerged as the most suitable day, in the morning.
Attitudes changed. Initially it wasn’t all that easy to get a team together. Those of eligible age didn’t want to play, with a feeling in instances they were past their best.
‘Now 60 is very young,’ remarks Joe, who, with another great club stalwart, Eric Hynes, served in the role of captain to seniors teams for ten years.
As time went along there were a lot of seniors willing to play and the competitive element became more serious. ‘We encouraged players to get out and enjoy the game,’ says Joe, who hasn’t played in years but ‘thoroughly
enjoyed the experience’ when involved.
It was a very busy schedule which, looking back, his great buddy Eric Hynes aptly summed up: ‘We played more golf than any ten people.’ Joe endorses that view, ‘I don’t know how we found the time to do what we did.
‘At one stage we were playing in eight different competitions at seniors level. Golf took over our lives. We were everywhere,’ tells Joe.
That was not even counting the JB Carr and Jimmy Carroll All-Ireland events that came on stream. The latter commemorated one of Greenore’s great home-grown talents and was run by the Westmanstown club in Dublin where Jimmy was a member, but it fell by the wayside.
ALL YEAR ROUND
Overtures were made to Dundalk to take part, but it was some time before they eventually joined the seniors cross-bor
der competitions. Ardee joined a league that took in Dublin clubs.
With all the competitions, it got to a stage that the Greenore seniors were playing nearly all year round. ‘We didn’t play that much in mid summer, but as time went by the competitions began to encroach on mid summer,’ told Joe.
Other cross border competitions that Greenore took part in and emerged victorious were the Gregg Cup and the Septuagenarian Cup which was for players over 70, reflecting how much seniors golf had taken off. The club won the cup the first two years that it was played.
On this side of the border Greenore also is involved in the North Eastern League. Warrenpoint were, like Greenore in the Ulster event, the only Northern club to take part in it alongside Dundalk, Ardee, Bettystown, Baltray, Headfort and Greenore. Greenore won it the first two years it was played.
What was described as the North Eastern Leinster Veterans competition was formed at the instigation of Eric Hynes at a meeting in Ardee in July 2000, with clubs nominated to take part, including the host club, Greenore, Headfort, Bettystown, Ardee and Baltray.
Tony O’Rourke from the Ardee club played an important role in the league, with the Ardee club the venue for meetings.
In Joe’s estimation seniors golf ‘was tops’ and furthermore a valuable income stream to Greenore, with weekly roll-ups on a Thursday involving golfers of this age group.
HIGHLIGHTS
Among the playing highlights for Greenore down the years was winning the Mid Ulster Trophy in 2001, being one of 16 clubs to compete along with Downpatrick, Lurgan, Ardglass, Lisburn, Killymoon, Spa, Omagh, Banbridge, County Armagh, Dungannon, Silverwood, Edenmore, Kilkeel, Tandragee and Mourne.
The panel comprised: Garret Kennedy and Eric Hynes, Joe Molloy, Eamon McNulty, James McCourt, Harry Boland (capt), Tom Hughes, and Tony Humpston, Paddy Carroll, Edmond McGrath, Don Brassil, Sean Conyard and Val Farrell.
Eric Hynes was the League’s ‘Golfer of the Year’ in 1999 and 2000.
With Noel Guinane as team captain, the club completed a hat-trick of wins in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
TheSeniorsfrom Greenore
You’ve heard of Jackie’s Army and the Dublin Boys in Blue The Ryder Cup, The Jordan Team and the Irish RFU
But the only team to raise our hearts and make our spirits soar Are the indomitable team of Seniors from glorious Greenore.
Chorus: Fill up your cups and drink a toast to the Seniors of Greenore.
They’d toured the clubs of Ulster and the Northern circuit too They’d conquered Mourne and Armagh, Dungannon and the Spa Kilkeel, the Point and Lisburn and now we’ve even more There’s the terror of the circuit those Seniors form Greenore.
All members of our club crave selection of the team They dye their hair (grey), develop limps and forge their birth certs to fulfil their dream
But selectors are extra diligent and entry criteria soar
It’s easier to get into Heaven than the Seniors of Greenore For sportsmanship, endeavour and having a fling
For music and craic and the ability to sing
For commitment to training and positive play
For pulling it off at the end of the day
For great fighting spirit and extraordinary score Give me those glorious seniors from Greenore