The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
A GOOD WALK’S ANNUAL AWARD
NOW for my Annual Awards which, of course, are purely for fun with no prizes given out. KERRY GOLFER OF THE YEAR
No contest here, it’s Mary Sheehy won did us all proud with her performances for the Irish Ladies Seniors team.
TEAM OF THE YEAR
It was a tough decision between teams from Tralee and Ballybunion but I’m giving it to the Ballybunion Ladies Challenge Cup team who won a Munster title and reached the All-Ireland final whereas Tralee won a Munster title in Junior Cup Men’s molf but were beaten in the All-Ireland semi-final.
CLUB OF THE YEAR
Tralee are my chosen club this year winning the Munster title in Junior Cup, winning the Billy O’Sullivan Shield and reaching the finals of both Kingdom Challenge Shields.
KERRY COURSE OF THE YEAR
Called me bias but the award goes to Ballybunion’s Old course. The club took a very brave decision in 2015 to completely dig up all existing greens and re-surface them all which proved to be an outstanding success. Several other subtle changes were made around the course also and in over forty-five years as a member there, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it better than it was this year.
RECOVERY OF THE YEAR
A new award this year which goes to Killarney Golf Club for coming back from near disaster. Few can forget the pictures in the media of the two courses almost completely submerged under water at the beginning of the year during the terrible storms and floods and the clubhouse completely inaccessible except by boat. The way the club managed to turn things around and present their two wonderful courses in such great shape during the season is nothing short of a miracle.
HIGHLIGHT OF THE YEAR
It’s a personal one as I was afforded the opportunity to attend the Ryder Cup at Hazeltine in September with a group of friends from Ballybunion. Okay, we lost but to be there and just soak up the amazing and even sometimes hostile atmosphere was a golfing experience I will never forget. MY own golf was non-descript in 2016 as I played even less than the previous year and as I write this I haven’t picked up a club in almost eight weeks. I’m falling out of love with playing the game and really must do something about it.
In summer, slow play in competitions drives me bonkers and because of this I play very little, while in winter I have no interest in getting cold and wet.
I do, however, enjoy a regular midweek evening fourball from April to September with the same guys every week and that is about the extent of my golf right now, but maybe I’ll make a New Year’s resolution to get out a bit more in 2017.
As the year ends, I must thank everyone who contributed to this column by way of news items, reports and photographs during the past twelve months and to do is to wish you all a happy and healthy New Year for 2017.