©Photograph: John Reidy
There is a fight on here at present to restore Castleisland Golf Club’s membership board to something like its former glory.
Like every business in every town in the country, the local club has felt the cold claw of austerity and memberships have fallen away to a fraction of what they were a few years ago.
A members’ meeting last week at the club set the local rumour mill working and it churned out a wide variety of verdicts for the future of the twelve-year-old club.
Even so, there is widespread agreement here that if anything happened to the club it would deal a deep psychological blow to the town and its surroundings.
However, the good news is that, while the club is suffering, there are determined plans to keep it afloat.
©Photograph: john Reidy
“We lost a good few members over the past few years and we were badly hit last year and this year in that regard. A lot of people have taken up running and cycling and we don’t see them anymore. And there’s no doubt that the recession is doing its work on us too,” said board chairman, Dermot McCarthy.
“The meeting informed all the members that times are tough and that we need an extra effort to get new members in. There are many more golfers in the Castleisland area than are members of the local club. We’re determined to get some of these to support our efforts where we can. We’re determined to keep the club going to the bitter end. It’s not going to be easy but we’re prepared to fight to the last and we’re appealing for whatever support is out there for us,” said Dermot.
There is an acute awareness too among the members that there are up to eight jobs depending on the viability of the club. Members are also quick to point out that they have lined up a couple of classics over the next couple of months
©Photograph: John Reidy
and that the club passed a GUI inspection only a couple of weeks ago.
As part of the fight-back the club has devised a variety of categories of attractive membership packages to woo new or lapsed members.
“We are aware that we have a responsibility towards the staff of the club. We have people here who are the best you’ll find at their jobs. We’re working like devils on the course at the moment and you can see for yourself how good it looks and we’re not going to let it go without a fight. The members’ meeting was all about making people aware of the situation we were in. Now we can go about tackling it and we’re prepared to fight for it,” Mr. McCarthy concluded.
Anyone with ideas or a willingness to help with the rejuvenation of the club is invited to call: 066 71 41709
Meanwhile it’s business as usual at the club as the weekly bulletins from the men’s and ladies clubs show:
Castleisland Golf Club Men’s Club
Results:
Sunday May 18th Killorglin Exchange GOY sponsored by Patrick McElligott, Tralee
1st: Jonathan Kelliher (11) 38pts; 2nd: Seamus Courtney (25) 38pts; 3rd: Tom McCarthy (20) 37pts.
Div 1: Jason McCarthy (7) 37pts; Div 2: Daniel O’Shea (8) 35pts; Div 3: Kevin Kerins (20) 35pts
Monday May 12th Seniors 12 hole
1st: Jack Ahern 25pts; 2nd: Michael O’Connor 25pts and 3rd: John Raggett 24pts.
Fixtures:
May 23rd 9 hole mixed scramble registration at 6:00pm. All welcome. A prize presentation for all competitions to date will be held after the scramble – all prize winners please attend.
May 25th Rumble for Crumlin. SENIORS: Castleisland Seniors every Monday at 11am.
Castleisland Golf Club Ladies Club.
Prize winners of the Killorglin Exchange Day sponsored by Diamonds Forever & Hair Affair: 1st: Nora Nolan (36) 36 2nd: Liz O’Connor (26) 34, 3rd: Margaret Lane (27) 33 pts.
Fixtures: May 25th Rumble for Crumlin. June 1st/2nd 6 & 18 hole stableford sponsored by Costello’s Shoes. Ladies 6 hole scramble on Wednesday weather permitting. Register at 6pm for tee off at 6.30 sharp. Mixed scramble Friday night, register 6pm for 6.30 tee off.
