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Captains' Drive-In at Greenore Golf Club louth |
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news report
 Tuesday March 11, 2008 13:46 by Sean Crudden - impero sean.crudden at iol dot ie Jenkinstown, Dundalk, Co Louth. 087 9739945
 The Elements Were Helpful The captains' drive-in took place in Greenore Golf Club on Sunday 9 March 2008 at 1.20 p.m. The day was bright and breezy. Everyone seemed in good humor. Coffee and biscuits were served outside at the clubhouse before the drive-in and Seán O'Hanlon was on hand at the first tee with champagne immediately before the drive-in happened. The captains for 2008 are Ann Davey and Michael Shields - both keen and energetic golfers. Ann is from NI while Michael is from the republic.  Golfers gather at the first tee in Greenore GC to watch the captains drive into office for the year 2008 Greenore Golf Club has gone on to greater heights in recent years with improvements to the course, a new clubhouse and the appointment of a resident professional, Robert Giles. However the club is not entirely the product of the celtic tiger. It was founded in 1896 by a Scottish railway company and came into public ownership (i.e. it was bought by the members) in the 1950's. Like parts of Holland, parts of the golf course are under sea level and the tide is kept at bay by the old railway embankment which runs along the southern shore of Carlingford Lough. The rivers on the course back up into ponds when the tide is in and these ponds drain out through valved pipes into the Lough when the tide is out. One of the O'Hare brothers who hailed from Greenore Village was the first Irish man to win a significant professional tournament in America (sometime in the 1920's). In more recent times Noel McGrane - a native of Greeenore - won the West of Ireland title and John McGinn when he was a member of Greenore GC won the Irish Close a few years ago. Playing golf in Greenore - especially if the weather is good - is like being in another world. The scenery is breathtaking and one has a definite feeling of enjoyment and being on holidays.
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Jump To Comment: 4 3 2 1Pat Closkey the lady captain hails from Ravesdale where she still lives on her farm. Pat is a retired national school teacher. Seán O'Hanlon the men's captain resides in Bellurgan. He is a native of Greenore. His business deals with alarms and his wife Pauline is a nurse. A mixed scramble was played today in excellent conditions. There were two shotgun starts, one early in the morning and the other at 13.00. When the drive-in was taking place at 12.45 there was not a cloud in the sky over Greenore. An omen for the golfing year to come?
Tommy Hazzard and Pauline O'Hanlon
Pat Closkey and Seán O'Hanlon
Terése and Joe Quinn
Michael Murphy and Seán O'Hanlon
Ben Todd, assistant professional
A heavy storm of hailstones driven by an icy north western wind momentarily halted the preparations for the 2009 captains' drive-in at Greenore GC this afternoon. However the storm abated and the sun shone while the drive-in took place. There had been a scramble with a shot-gun start at 8.00 a.m. and a further round of the scramble took place starting at 1.15 p.m. immediately after the drive-in ceremony. Members who braved the elements and took part were required to pay an entry fee of €15 which included a voucher for a roast beef dinner. Music, a social, presentation of prizes will commence at 6.00 p.m. this evening.
Men's captain this year is Kevin McKenna a business man and a native of Dundalk. Ladies' captain is Mrs Ann McParland. Her husband Peadar is club president for this year. Peadar and his brother Seamus were born and reared in a public house beside the 4th fairway in Greenore and the McParlands live there still in new bungalows. Peadar is a member of staff with the Irish PGA. Seamus was recently a winner of championships such as the West of Ireland Seniors' and the North of Ireland Seniors' and he was a member of the Irish international seniors' team which won the European championship a few years ago.
Danny Carr was the winner of the Captain's Prize for 2008 in Greenore Golf Club. The final round was played yesterday (Sunday 31 August 2008). The par 71 course was playing to every inch of its length with markers at the very back of the back tees. Danny's total for two rounds was 140 playing off a handicap of 9 and he won with a few shots to spare.
Danny was well known as a soccer referee in the local leagues. He is 47 and has spent 30 years to date in the army. He is a corporal. Danny is a native of Dundalk and he has been a member of Greenore Golf club for three years. He is a member of the Greenore Inter-provincial Towns' Cup team. Greenore compete in the second and final leg of the final of this competition next weekend in Newbridge against Newbridge.
Danny was a very popular winner. 270 players teed up in this competition.
Danny Carr (left), winner of 2008 Captain's Prize in Greenore Golf Club pictured with club captain, Michael Shields, just before the presentation of the prizes on Sunday 31 August 2008. Carlingford Lough may be seen in the window in the background.
Luke Clarke (left), winner of category 3 in the captain's prize competition and Paddy Lawless runner-up overall. They are standing on the balcony of Greenore golf clubhouse with the dark mass of Slieve Foy in the background. Slieve Foy is the tallest pe
Martin McGrath, competitions' secretary, Greenore Golf having almost completed a hard day's work well done.
I've played a few rounds at Greenore ,Sean , and I agree with you that it's heavenly there if the weather holds fine (apart from the 11th which I always seem to bogey on for some reason !) .If it's a bit breezey from the nor'west the wind can fairly cut through you on the fairway as well if I remember correctly .
I was going to visit my own club this weekend - the ladies have a tournament which my better half is booked in for and I told her I'd go along . Unfortunately the fixture clashes with an anarchist bookfair going on in the Teachers Club in Dublin which I have been promising myself I'd get along to.