I’VE THE YIPS PUTTING CONVENTIONALLY SO I USE THE HURLING GRIP
1. How’s your golf?
I don’t play as much as I used but I have a society in the pub and we have four or five outings a year. And I would always play in quite a few fundraisers of the summer. Unfortunately, I’m not playing to my handicap very often these days.
2. It’s hard to find time to play, isit?
It is, but Birr Golf Club now have Social Membership which is great for guys who don’t get out as often as they might like. It allows you to remain a member, hold a handicap and play some social golf, which suits me!
3. How did you get into the game?
It wasn’t until around 1991 that I took it up. I was working for Martin Buggy in Tullamore Frozen Foods, and a brother of his was very much involved in golf and managed the Offaly golf team for the All Ireland InterCounty Golf Championship. I remember Birr’s Richard Coughlan and Seamus Breen on that Offaly team. So he brought me to buy my first set of clubs over in Nenagh and it began from there.
4. Driver or putter?
My driving is a lot better than my putting, unfortunately. I putt cack-handed because I have the yips putting conventionally. So I use the hurling grip.
5. Shane Lowry is pretty handy putting cack-handed. It must be great for an Offaly man to see his success.
He’s the first name we look for in all the big events. His dad, Brendan, was such a big part of football in Offaly, winning that All Ireland in 1982. What Shane has done – to follow on from that and have that sporting connection – is fantastic. Any time he’s playing, we’re all rooting for him.
6. Links or parkland?
Parkland, definitely. I am not good enough to manoeuvre a ball around a links course in windy conditions. The British Open is a great example what the top guys have to deal with when conditions are changing all the time, and you have to adapt.
7. What’s your greatest golfing achievement?
Well, I’ve never had a hole-in-one, but I did manage to shoot seven-over for a 77 around Birr once upon a time. I was very happy I can tell you, but my second round didn’t go quite as well!
8. Who was your sporting hero?
We had our heroes in Offaly and I was lucky enough to go and see Offaly win their first hurling All Ireland in 1981. I remember all the members of that team – John O’Flaherty, who scored a goal to win the game that day, and Eugene Coughlan was always a big favourite growing up. I was lucky enough to play with him when he was coming to the end of his career and I was starting mine.
In golf, I’ll never forget that two-iron Christy O’Connor Jnr hit in the Ryder Cup at the Belfry against Boom Boom Couples. It was unbelievable.
9. Who did you especially admire as an opponent?
A lot of people say the nineties was the golden era for hurling with so many counties competing. And the true hurlers of that generation were the DJ Careys, the Brian Lohans and Jamsie O’Connors from Clare. Kilkenny had the wonder boy in DJ, and you always knew you were in for a very, very tough afternoon against them. DJ’s name will be carried in any conversation about hurling, no matter where or when. That’s an indication of how good he was.
10. Name your dream fourball.
I’d love to play a round with Tiger Woods. What a fantastic player and he’s coming back after all his injuries and troubles. I know DJ well so he’d fit the bill. I’d have to have Tiger as my partner. So we could play DJ and Bill Murray, just for the craic. I’d say he’d be entertaining.
11. If I gave you a mulligan in your hurling career, what would it be?
I don’t have any regrets really, but I got sent off in my last game at Croke Park with 10 seconds to go in the All Ireland Club Hurling Final in 2008 when I was captain on the day. We lost and it’s a little blemish I could do without. Other than that, I’d have liked to go back-to-back against Clare in 1995 but we came back in 1998 and won so maybe if we won in ’95 we wouldn’t have got ’98.
12. If you had just one more round to play where would it be?
I’ve played lots of our great courses – Portmarnock, Mount Juliet and the old Adare before JP McManus did it up. But I really loved Druids Glen and the fantastic scenery there. Maybe it’s because I parred five or six holes in a Pro-Am one time, I was delighted with myself.
13. What’s your favourite par-three?
The 15th at Birr. Off the back sticks, it’s 226 metres and it can require anything from a nine-iron off the forward tee to a wood or a driver off the back. It’s a fantastic parthree with bunkers left, trouble right and a valley in between that’s big trouble if you find it. If you hit the green, it’s a major achievement for someone like me.
14. What defines a great player?
In any sport what the really top players have is huge determination to get to the top. There are a lot of very talented sports people but with the guys that get to the top, it’s that extra half percent that makes them stand out from the pack. You have to have that fire when you really need it, but you also have to be gracious in defeat and learn from your losses.
15. What’s your most treasured possession?
I’ve been very fortunate to get to the top with my county and my club, Birr. Winning with your county is higher profile but when you look back on your achievements, getting to the top with your club is something special and something to be treasured.
16. What does the new look hurling championship hold in store for Offaly?
I think Kevin [Ryan] has done a very decent job this year and he’s found some nice new players. But it will be a very tough championship with the whole concept changing. And there are huge consequences. It’s a very tough assignment. Leinster has never been stronger with Galway the All Ireland champions, Kilkenny the League champions, and Wexford who have beaten both in the League, seeing themselves as title contenders.
17. What about Dublin?
They probably should probably have beaten Kilkenny last weekend. But looking at the games ahead, it could be all or nothing for Dublin in the last game against Offaly who, realistically, are not going to beat Kilkenny. So whoever is mentally stronger will come through. Galway, Kilkenny and Wexford look a step ahead, so that final game with Dublin in Parnell Park is going to be absolutely key.
18. What do you see ahead for both counties in that scenario?
There is so much at stake when it comes to hurling development in both counties With the money that’s been invested in Dublin in hurling over the years, they won’t want to go back to secondtier hurling at any stage. And everyone in Offaly would see it as a major step back. So everyone in Offaly is right behind Kevin and his team.
Birr’s Brian Whelahan is a legend in Offaly hurling with two All Irelands, four All-Stars and four All-Ireland Club titles to his credit.
But he’s also a keen golfer, and as nervous about June’s potentially crucial Leinster Championship clash Dublin is making him as nervous as he’d be over a slick three-footer.