Ireland is celebrating the recent success of Masters winner Rory McIlroy, and none more so than the golfers in Oughterard.
The Ulster native holds a special place in the hearts of Oughterard Golf Club, having broken the course record on July 8, 2003.
At the time the County Down youngster from the Hollywood Golf Club was just 14-years-old, and he broke the record with a score of 67 points.
The occasion was round one of the Connacht Boys’ Open Championship. And, with a score of 35 points on the front nine holes and 32 on the back nine holes, he enjoyed an overall 67 points.
Many of those same club members always believed they were seeing a future Grand Slam winner in the making.
On that day, his marker was Niall Colfer, representing Connacht, while Oughterard’s Mary Kyne, a member of the women’s club, followed his round as the young McIlroy broke the record.
"John Joe Maher, who was a member of Oughterard Golf Club, had a special interest in junior golf as a convenor for juniors with the GUI, and he sent word to the club from Dublin that an exceptionally talented young golfer who was part of the Ulster Boy’s team would be competing that weekend," she recalls.
"He was predicting a bright future for this young golfer, who was, of course, Rory McIlroy."
As a result, Kyne arrived early to watch the McElroy on the first tee box.
"Rory and his team mates were full of energy, excited and eager for the challenge as they drove down the first fairway.
"Rory, with a mop of curly black hair, a spring in his step, and smaller in stature than the other boys, flung a huge bag for his size over his shoulder. I remarked to a man who strolled beside me, ‘that young boy shouldn’t carry such a heavy bag on his young shoulders, he will ruin his back’. He seemed so young for such a heavy load.“
It turned out the gentleman was Rory’s father.
"I walked with his dad for the next few holes. I was impressed, not only with Rory’s skill as a young golfer, but more so his attitude to the game. Yes, he was competitive, but he was truly enjoying himself as he ate his Mars Bars, drank Lucozade, and chatted to his fellow team mates as he bounced along."
Kyne says when he hit a bad shot, he did not react as often young golfers used to do, but recovered by playing an excellent next shot.
"He was a pleasant young boy with the correct attitude to the game," she recalls.
Kyne says the occasion was a "memorable one I have cherished down the years."
The magnitude of McIlroy’s score that day is underlined by the current course record which is 65 - shot by Mark Staunton in 2016 with a seven-under-par score while competing in the Oughterard Pro-Am.
Oughterard Golf Club continues to promote and encourage its future crop of young players, epitomised by Oughterard’s Kate Dillon, who claimed the AIG Irish Girls’ Amateur Close Stroke Play Championship last year.
Youth Golf at Oughterard Golf Club
Oughterard continues to invest in its youth golf programme, and over the Easter the club is hosting an Easter Kids Golf Camp for children aged six to 12 years from April 23 to 25, at 9am to 12.30pm daily.
Junior coaching restarts on April 26 over eight weeks for €75, €65 for second and third child. In addition, special coaching timetables are available for improvers, advanced boys (with a handicap ), intermediate boys, and summer camps.
All coaching is led by the Oughterard Pro Derek McNamara. For more information contact Derek 091552131 ext 2 or email Derek at [email protected] to book a place or WhatsApp message 0877570930.
