Kinsale Pro Shop Challenge gains momentum

It's odd how some things seem to take on a life of their own, writes Paul Kelly. For example, consider the Kinsale Golf Club Pro Shop Challenge.

Now entering year three, the professional versus amateur event was originally conceived as a one-off, a way to raise funds for the Special Olympics.

And yet this July, when professionals Ger Broderick and Ian Stafford line up against their amateur opponents, they will do so in the knowledge that total donations could top €10,000.

“I think we need around €3600 this year to reach the 10k mark,” said Stafford.

“It would be fantastic to get to that target. The money gets distributed to local charities here in Cork.”

Once again the teams will be competing for the Perpetual Trophy, named after Ian's uncle Rory Stafford

Stafford continued: “It will be particularly poignant for me this year because Rory (who resided in Australia) passed away recently.

“I guess Rory partly inspired the creation of the event. Just over three years ago he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. He was looking to make one last trip home to Ireland and he asked me if he could caddy for me in an event. Problem was, the last pro-am I played in was back in 2012.

“So I said to him, 'look, we can do something different' so I roped Ger in for the craic and it snowballed from there.”

Having lost the inaugural Pro-Shop Challenge to young Irish internationals Cathal Butler and John Murphy, the pros turned the tables last year carding a better ball 65 to finish two shots ahead of their rivals.

“For the likes of Ger and me who play very little competitive golf, this event gives us a real buzz,” said Stafford. “From the second the last putt drops we start looking ahead to the following year.

“You should see us in the three or four weeks before the match. Every chance we get we are out on the course practising.

“And it's great the way the club and community have embraced it. Last year we had nearly 100 people following us, there were live updates on social media and people were even live streaming.

“One of the local papers even put the result on the back page. To get that sort of attention is mad, we get a great kick out of it.”

This year's beneficiaries will be Marymount Hospice and the Kinsale RNLI station.

Donations can be made via Ian's website - http://www.isgolfcoaching.com/. Follow the link for the Pro Shop Challenge.