Bridges swaps tour grind for Castle surrounds
CASTLE Golf Club is undergoing major changes right now but it’s also a period of change for the club’s new PGA trainee Richard Bridges.
After losing to eventual champion John-Ross Galbraith in the semi-finals of the AIG Irish Amateur Close at Seapoint Golf Links in 2014, he was on Ireland’s Triple Crown-winning team on his Home Internationals debut at Southerndown later that year.
The Stackstown golfer turned professional at the end of 2015 and played on the third tier Pro Golf Tour in Europe for two years.
Tour life did not quite bring the best out of his game and the Dubliner (30) has now decided to leave life on the road behind him and become a PGA trainee under head professional Colin Clancy, another Stackstown talent.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity,” said Bridges, who graduated from UCD with a degree in history before going on to do a Masters in geography at Maynooth University.
“I had a poor season last year, and then I was out for five months after fracturing my shoulder.
“I really missed not being able to play, so this has given me a great opportunity to get back into the game.
“I love the idea of coaching too and Castle is a great members’ club, which I know well. So it’s a great fit.”
The Rathfarnham club is in the midst of making major changes to its clubhouse and course.
“We have a lot of development work going on,” the club’s General Manager, John McCormack, explained.
“We have contractors on site in the clubhouse, and we will also have them back on the golf course as soon as the snow is gone, renovating some 70 bunkers with Jeff Howes working on the design element and DAR Golf carrying out the construction.”