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114th South of Ireland Amateur


Eric Bruening

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215c7dfdcea769a16ba6893666e362f5-.jpgThe South of Ireland Amateur Championship has been held at Lahinch Golf Club since 1895 and is one of the proudest traditions in Irish amateur sport. The tournament has been won by legendary golfers including Paul McGinley, Darren Clarke and Graeme McDowell, with Padraig Harrington finishing as the runner-up twice.

 

A 36 hole qualifier takes place on the first two days, narrowing the field of 100 to 64, where match play will start until a winner is crowned on Sunday afternoon. 

 

Preparation for the tournament includes ensuring everything is in top form, from bunkers to pathways and tees to greens. Tournament hours are from 5 to 8 am hand-cutting tees and greens, rolling greens, mowing fairways, triplexing surrounds, cutting cups and raking bunkers. Some of the crew then returns in the evening to clean up litter and do whatever odd jobs need to be done.

 

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Mowing the 18th green at sunrise to be done and out of the way before play

 

During the season leading up to the event, the tees that will be used for "the South" are intentionally unused to ensure healthy stands for the tournament, especially on par 3's. The silver lining of the tournament is that it allows members' and women's tees, which have endured heavy traffic all year, a week of rest and relaxation. 

 

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South crowds following the final group in on Sunday morning

 

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Spectators gathered around a match with local interest on the 10th green. One of the players is the son of the Lady Captain at Lahinch

 

Large crowds of spectators create a unique stress for the course. Onlookers tend to take short cuts and routes not taken by golfers, resulting in trails and matted-down areas in the native marram grass. Luckily however, the natural resiliency of these grasses prevails, and no human intervention is needed for their recuperation... only time.

 

Post-South, the intense daily mowing and rolling is backed off. The pathways are solid tined to alleviate any compaction resulting from the heavy traffic of the tournament. Trash is also picked up and is a unavoidable result of having so many people on the course. 

 

Stuart Grehan of Tullamore was the eventual champion. There was a true appreciation by players and spectators of both the classic links set-up and of the top condition the course was in.

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