Boards Golf Society 2022

OK Guys, Hope all are good - swinging , keeping warm , hoping and dreaming of the future, working on something, seeing a shot that changes everything.

We are not far off our first outing. We hope to get the invites out by Friday the 14th of January. Thanks SeveOB for taking all the details of the new members.

Our first outing is at a real favorite of mine, Portmarnock Links. https://www.portmarnock.com/course-guide.htm

Anyone who grew up in Ireland in the 80s will have great memories of the Irish Opens on the east coast , the years of Seve (not OB), Faldo , Woosnam , O'Connor, Lyle -and some rather odd US additions like Calcavecchia and Strange. It was a golden era of the European Tour and in particular for the Irish opens at that time.

There was another rather serious golfer, that the Irish took a love for at that time and that was Bernhard Langer , It was a rather strange mix , the Irish at the time, unprofessional, fun , there for the craic - and here was a person, with the total opposite characteristics , but, the Irish loved the whole drama around his seriousness, his routine, his methodical Germanic precise nature. Bernhard fell in love with links golf and even amazingly, practiced in Corballis (as the true urban myth has grown).

So on a personal note, it is lovely to kick of on a Bernhard Langer signature course - there is only one type of golf to play at this time of year and that is Links. It always amazes me the great condition you can get on a Links at this time of year and hopefully the weather is good.

If you have never played a Links - it might be a good idea to play Corballis or another on the east coast prior to this outing - drop the 60 and 64 degree 😂 - practice your putting off the green and chip and runs - get to a bunker practice area and swing fast and aggressive with your SW to get over that lip. I will add that as course difficulty goes - this one is at the higher end and can be tough in wind.

For this outing we have secured a great rate (People should look up a Saturday rate for here) . We will also be encouraging people to join the society for the year. Invites will go out to people who are members of society first. (note more details will follow next week)

But there will obviously be a few spaces for once off and people who want to try out - But as mentioned before , these will have to pay additional cost associated and competition entry .

Note the cost of the first two outings are on higher side and we will return nearer to the €45 as the year progresses. This is because, our first two courses are top tier courses, targeting exceptional winter conditions. You will have to trust us, that we have tried everything in our powers to keep costs down (but as people know well , the industry has moved on considerably) - notwithstanding this - we have secured , sponsorship , contacts and members to enable the best value , for what I hope people agree, are top level courses.

Costing

1) Membership of society €35 -Covers ( Golfer of the year entry/prizes - Society Green Fee Fund - Prize Fund and all comp Entry (except 2s / novelty / Tiger side bets)

2) Outing €55

Total = €90

Visitor / non member €70

Prizes

1st / 2nd / 3rd

Gross Prize

2s competition

(no long drive at this event - pace of play / winter)

Again - thanks to all the guys working in the background on making the outings as good as they can be. Massive amount of time put into securing sponsorship and making the admin as easy as possible for members and the committee.

More details will be posted next week and then prior to event.

By the way, we are always open to anyone out there who has any ideas for prizes in any area they have contacts or involvements. You know me, I have the neck to ask....everything goes back into the society.

Thanks again guys - now as captain, I order you to get out and practice (joking - kinda 😆) - (Last tip) it is a Links, the fairway is there , hit it there - dont go for the massive bunker right and left.

You won our last outing there willabur - your handicap has come down a bit since , but hopefully you can make a defence.

Looked up the old thread from 2020 - amazingly there were 43 golfers at Port Links. This is grand for the first outing - people trying it out etc. But we want about 30 committed golfers by the time we come around to say the 3rd outing.

Big numbers are a bit unwieldy , makes for a long day for the committee and impacts on the social side and the travelling involved.

From talking to old captains - a big area of frustration on an Internet based society - is at times, a lack of commitment from some participants. We will be asking people - if they commit , make sure they get there on time, no excuses (all weather) , just remember , it is a good price and someone else would have played.

Anyway - early days yet. We will know more about numbers in about 3 weeks.

We will start an outing specific thread at that point.

Was out today in the snow - was the coldest I ever was on a course.