My favourite hole:
fortably.
There were shots given in the matches, which the pair invariably had to concede - except maybe once where they met a Scottish international pairing in the finals and received shots.
They were contrasting figures in different respects, not just in personality, another being that Marguerite started as a juvenile who came through the club youth ranks. Deirdre grew up in a strong sporting background. Her brothers and father played inter-county football for her native Longford and her grandfather was a rugby player. She took up golf later after engaging in various sports, such as basketball, athletics and soccer at which she played at international level, representing Ireland against Portugal.
She suffered a cruciate ligament injury, which caused her to change to a sport that was easier on the body.
She moved to Dundalk to teach in the De La Salle College – nowadays she is attached to the adjacent St Louis College. ‘Killinbeg (club) just opened and I went to play one day and got interested. I started to play and got a handicap and played in opens (competition).
She quickly tumbled down in handicap, ‘falling in love with golf’. She was playing off single figures in no time, and made the big breakthrough at senior level, becoming Connacht champion in the same year of 1998 that she and Marguerite won the Daily Mail crown, and retained the title the following year.
They didn’t get the chance to try for a hat-trick of wins in the event, but by that stage Deirdre was ‘ happy to move on once we won it the second year that had never happened before. In 1999 I was picked for the international team. That took my focus as much as I loved playing club and team golf.’
The whole experience helped her progress up the ladder in the game - from playing different courses which is essential to become a good or great player, and to deal with occasions with the pomp and ceremony attached - such as the announcing of your name on the first tee which happened in the Daily Mail. It helped to cope with nerves in big games.
But she derived much more ‘great memories, fun and enjoyment. It’s not all about winning and losing but about the friendship and fun we had. I certainly remember the trips with Marguerite. We had great fun.’
She also cherishes the sporting and gracious manner in which the games were played and how well players got on together.
‘All the teams we played in the finals were very gracious. Before we started Brechin gave us a marker from their club (in the semi-final in 1998).’
Another shining example of the spirit in which the matches were played came the next year in the final when a team beaten in the semis caddied for their conquerors against Deirdre and Marguerite.
Marguerite said that spirit continued afterwards in the clubhouse with the banter and craic among the players at the gala dinners organised by the competition sponsors and organisers.
THE 18th is my favourite at Ardee because it’s a very tricky finishing hole, one of the toughest around.
It’s a par-4, about 340 yards I think, and from the elevated tee you have to hit a good drive with a bit of draw on it because it makes the second shot much easier.
There’s some beech trees and out of bounds on the lefthand side and on the right there’s more trees which could block you from playing your second shot,, so you have to be precise recise with your drive rive and that’s what at tightens a lot ot of people up.
If your drive carries over the hill and rolls on n down to the e bottom of the he slope, it only leaves you withth 140 yards to the green and