A Farewell to the Fairways-A Review

An eagerly awaited golf publication has gone to print and is available in bookshops now. The author, Dermot Gilleece, a journalistic giant tells his story in A Farewell to the Fairways. It is a fascinating memoir of someone who covered the game of golf for 63 years. Part of the book covers his own experiences as a reporter in the world of golf but there is so much more.

It is only three years ago since I met Dermot for the first and only time. He was in Carlow Golf Club playing with the Dublin Journalists Golf Society. At the time I wrote that ‘it is probably true to say that Dermot Gilleece has been and still is one of the leading golf writers not just in Ireland but in Europe and America too. He has had an extraordinary career.’ In the clubhouse that day, Dermot quietly mentioned that he might be ready to retire. Surely not? His column, in Independent Newspapers was always a must read.

In 2019 Golf Digest had presented him with a lifetime achievement award. It was fitting.

Having attended 104 majors including 26 Masters and attending 14 Ryder Cups (up to 2022), with his peaked cap and gentle demeanour he was an instantly recognisable figure in medias tents in every corner of the globe.

Even though he was a member of the “perfidious media” he was more than on friendly terms with many of the world’s top golfers. A photo in the book dating back to 2006 of the Irish golf writer and his wife Kathy out for dinner with none other than Jack Nicklaus and his wife, Barbara, emphasises that point.

Apart from being the consummate professional, he is very much an affable character and is (was-has Dermot really retired) always happy to share his golfing memories when asked to do so. It helps that he has a photographic memory.

Padraig Harrington writes the Foreword to the book.

‘Dermot has been at the top of his game for over four decades and this book, A Farewell to the Fairways, allows him to share those memories with us all,” says the three time Major winner.

A teenage Dermot was hired directly after leaving St Joseph’s School in Fairview in 1960. He was interviewed successfully and took on the role of copy boy. Promotion to junior journalist followed. He fed off some of the giants of sports reporters such as Mick Dunne and Peadar O’Brien.

He loved what he was doing but there was not a lot of money to be made.

“You were never paid enough for the unsocial hours. So much was expected of us. Weekends were gone,” said Dermot who even confessed that he was not that much into sports at the time.

He went to work in London but when the Daily Mail appointed a Dublin correspondent he got the job and came home.

He eventually ended up in Independent Newspapers and with their publication he covered the 1980 British Open at Muirfield won by Tom Watson. Shortly afterwards he was approached by The Irish Times.

“The sports editor saw me there, saw my work, must have liked what I did because six months later he offered me a job as Golf Correspondent.” That was in March 1981.

His first big assignment was to visit Cypress Point in California in August to see Philip Walton and Ronan Rafferty partner each other in a Walker Cup match.

He was in Muirfield Village when Eamonn Darcy sank his famous five foot downhill putt to beat Ben Crenshaw to clinch the 1987 Ryder Cup for Europe. Years later, Gilleece reminded the American golfer about breaking his putter over his knee during that match.

Gentle Ben was able to laugh as he revealed the conversation he had with team captain, Jack Nicklaus during the match.

‘I broke my putter back there’ ‘What do you mean,’ said Jack. And I somehow managed to tell him, I broke my putter, back on number six.’ ‘Well the ways things are going for us,” he said, ‘I might be tempted to break a few clubs myself.” In the book, the writer also recalls the heroics of Philip Walton who will forever be linked with the 1995 Ryder Cup win on the last green in Oak Hill Country Club.

The Belfry in 1989 was special too when the late Christy O’Connor junior beat Fred Couples on the 18th to clinch another great success. In 2002 at the same venue, on the same green, Paul McGinley would enter Irish golfing immortality with his winning nine footer against Jim Furyk. All with Gilleece not that far away.

In A Farewell to the Fairways, the author vividly recalls those wonderful Irish sporting moments.

Dermot was also in Carnoustie when Padraig Harrington bridged a 60 year gap to Fred Daly who was the last Irish golfer to win The British Open before the Stackstown golfer did. Before that, there was almost a belief out there that Irish golfers couldn’t win majors. Harrington changed that view and since then Rory McIlroy, Darren Clarke, Graham McDowell and Shane Lowry have won majors. All with Gilleece writing the story.

Going back to 2008 with no copy to file for the Monday newspapers, Gilleece took the opportunity to watch Harrington win the PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club.

“I would have to say, it was as emotional as anything else. I was standing directly behind the green. It was Sunday evening. All the daily guys were working and I was working for the Sunday edition I could afford to go out there. I didn’t have any deadline.

“On the 18th, Harrington drove a ball into a bunker. He went into rough and then pitched onto the green. He had an 18 foot putt and he sank it. I saw the putt, saw the reaction.” Gilleece had retired officially in 2002. The Sunday Independent sports editor came to him and asked was he interested in working for them. The paper gave him a large degree of flexibility and the award winning golf writer accepted the offer. Up to the time of his recent departure, it has been a symbiotic relationship between writer and the newspaper.

The book is an amazing collection of stories taking the readers through the world of golf. Appropriately, there is a whole chapter dedicated to the formation of Golf Ireland where the Irish Ladies Golfing Union and the Golfing Union or Ireland became one. Then there is an insight, with an Irish connection into Kodiak City, which is located in the Gulf of Alaska.

There is a delicious story where the current American President elect, Donald Trump, was told he couldn’t afford to buy the Old Head of Kinsale site. Dermot was also friends with the great Arnold Palmer who admitted to Gilleece that he had to borrow money to pay for an engagement ring for his wife to be, Winnie. Irish amateur golf gets more than a noble mention with a whole chapter dedicated to The Thrill of Inter-Club Competition.

Whether it is a stocking filler or something more, this is the perfect Christmas present. It is the kind of book which is hard to put down. To really get the full benefit of the work, it will have to be read over and over again. It is well worth doing that. In his long career and now with this publication, Dermot Gilleece has done Irish and World golf some service.

A Farewell to the Fairways by Dermot Gilleece is published by Red Stripe Press and was printed in Dublin by SPRINTBOOKS