Success for Carlow underage golfers

THESE are heady days for underage boys’ golf in Carlow. On July 3rd at The Heath Golf Club, the five-man team of Charlie McHugh, Finn Deering, Dylan Cullen, Daniel Nolan and Jack Woods won the Leinster Central Under-18 section to qualify for the All-Ireland finals in Warrenpoint on August 20th.

The team, which is managed by Brian Healy, is one of only eight who have already, or will, qualify for the interclub All-Ireland finals.

At the County Laois venue, Carlow took on a 19-strong field and, with three out of five cards counting in a Stableford format, they emerged victorious.

“Fair play. I am delighted for them. It was very difficult scoring conditions on the day with strong winds throughout,” said Healy.

One of those players, Charlie McHugh, playing off a handicap of five, has also been selected to play for Leinster in the under-14 Interprovincials. The young golfer has since vindicated his selection by taking third place in the Ulster Boys Under-14 Championship on July 8th in Newtownstewart Golf Club.

In a quality field which included the top fifty under-14 golfers in the country, McHugh shot a four over par 74. For a long time it looked as if this was going to be good enough to take the title but Ollie McEvoy (Ballycastle) and Ruairi Cooper (Enniscorthy), playing in the last pairing, shot 72 and 73 respectively to pip the Carlow competitor.

It will be a busy summer for McHugh. The first round of the Interprovincials has already taken place but there are further rounds in Banbridge in July and Roscrea the following month. His schedule also includes the Irish Boys Under-14 Championship in Banbridge at the end of this month.

Last year, the Carlow golfer had been selected by Golf Ireland for a coaching programme in Carton House. It entailed six hours of coaching once a month, with the emphasis as much on nutrition and body awareness as it was on golf itself.

His achievement is a testament to his hard work and dedication to the sport which he loves.

“He is very accurate and has a very good short game. He is steady and shoots a lot of consistent rounds. It is spread out nicely,” says his father, John.

As a juvenile member of Carlow Golf Club, his success brings recognition with members certain to keep an eye on his progress over the summer months.