Pro-Shop.
The following article appeared in the
Limerick Leader
The Voice of Midwest Golf by Ivan Morris.
Jamie O’Sullivan Is New PGA Pro At Charleville GC.
Charleville Golf Club is pleased to announce the appointment of 29-years old, Jamie O’Sullivan as Club Professional. Jamie learned his golf as a junior at Cork GC. He has played the game for as long as he can remember and always wanted to be a pro. He served his apprenticeship under Joey Purcell at Portmarnock GC, where the members fondly remember him.
On earning his PGA status, Jamie was an assistant at Ballybunion GC for two years before moving to Fota Island Resort where as the teaching pro, he helped to design the Academy that, in my opinion, is the best in the country (much-lauded Carton House included.) Jamie loves teaching and one of his aims is to improve the standard of golf at Charleville, especially amongst the juniors, as well as serving the members by stocking his shop with the top brands in clothing and equipment.
O’Sullivan has an excellent golfing pedigree. His father, Denis, is currently one of the top players on The European Seniors Tour and enjoyed a great amateur career that was crowned by winning the Irish Close in 1985.
“I know that my predecessor David Keating was very popular with the members at Charleville but I intend to take up where he left off by putting my best foot forward at all times. I am keen to make a great success of my first appointment as a Head Pro and am really looking forward to the challenge.” Says Jamie modestly.
In rolling countryside at the edge of the renowned Golden Vale, Charleville GC requires accurate hitting and clever course management rather than power play to master its tricky, dogleg holes, lush fairways lined by mature trees and beautiful green surfaces. For once in modern golf brute force is not rewarded and waywardness is severely penalised.
When I visited the compact layout, just on the Cork side of the county boundary with Limerick last week, I found a ‘neutral’ Kerry man with an admirably laid-back attitude fully in charge and well able to keep the peace. However, I was in the mood to pose at least one hard question that has been vexing me.
“Why has playing a round of golf become so slow?” I wanted to know of Pat Nagle, the Secretary-Manager. “Every golfer complains bitterly about slow play but nothing ever seems to be done about it.” I said. “I grew up playing 18-holes in 2 hours and twenty minutes, it takes that long to play 9 holes these days. More than anything else slow play puts people off golf.”
Pat Nagle replied: “Slow play began at the top with the pros and it’s everywhere now. Slow play is a blinkered selfishness on the part of the same few all of the time. Every Club Manager knows who the offenders are. Identifying them is easier than you might think. Fortunately, we do not suffer as badly as some. We make sure that the Course Ranger stays on top of hurrying the laggards along.
“One reason we extended to 27-holes was to facilitate members who want to play a ‘quick 9 holes’ when the other 18 is tied up with a competition.” Said this quietly spoken Kerryman who has been at Charleville for 7 years. He told me that although he loves to play in a friendly fourball, he has little time for golf due to a 60-hour working week and pressing family commitments at home.
When I asked him if the biggest drawback in running a Golf Club was that it had become a lifestyle more than a job. He surprised me by saying that it was the massive turnover of club members that gave him the most grief. The modern working lifestyle doesn’t accommodate 5-hours or more for a game of golf when you take the socializing afterwards into account.
“Since I arrived here in 2001 we have had 380 new members join but only 70 are still with us. Consequently, we have to keep bringing in new members every year otherwise the age profile of the Club will not be advantageous for the long haul. Young blood is very important. Because of our 27-holes and extensive practice facilities Charleville GC Club has extra capacity for some new members at present. The Entrance fee is a surprisingly low €1500 (which may be paid over 2 years by direct debit @ €62.50 per month.) This is a friendly club with an active ladies section, excellent clubhouse facilities and a strong bias towards developing our golf course.”
I can assure readers that the turnover of members is not due to any dissatisfaction with the golf course, which is interesting and well maintained. Already some of the green complexes have been redesigned and upgraded to USGA specifications and that vital process is on going. The new 15th and 16th greens are particularly pleasing to the eye. More of that and Charleville will be one of the best courses around and living proof that you do not have to be over 7000 yards long to provide a worthy test of golf.
Words of the Wise: I worked very hard to become a natural golfer. - Christy O’Connor, Senior. “””
Jamie O'Sullivan.
