Christy O'Connor JNR - RIP

AndyBoBandy

Christy O'Connor Jnr

RIP

AndyBoBandy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHlaZW9hXd4

gimli2112

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHlaZW9hXd4

Remember where I was when that happened. Pub down in Cork. Place errupted

RIP

Seve OB

My Hero as a youngster.

I remember he held a clinic out in Howth and I pestered my old man for ages to bring me out. I might have been about 10 (if that). One thing I always remembered from that day, was a fella asked Christy how to get spin on his ball. Christy answer was to joke about his handicap and tell him that most guys like him are usually looking for a little bit of extra distance and don't want the ball to be coming back towards them!

A true gent, and a Legend.

edit... I was a little older than 10 :rolleyes:. That clip just posted of the 2 iron reminded me that it was just after that. He spoke of the shot and reckoned it was 215 yards. Many years later on I played from the plaque erected at the very spot. I missed the green to the right

AGC

RIP

hurikane

RIP, pure gentleman. Will be sadly missed.

Rikand

I was always ragin that we didnt get him to do the reconstruction work in Athlone when we did it. For the money we spent, we would have had him comfortably. A great ambassador for irish sport and will be truly missed

galwaylad14

RIP Christy, I'm too young to remember him playing but have of course seen the famous 2 iron countless times.

Always did seem like a great ambassador for the game and a gentleman with it.

Kristopherus

RIP, Great Man.

razorblunt

First club I bought was a Christy O Connor Jnr, 9 iron. When I first got into Pitch & Putt.
RIP.

Speak Now

RIP Christy, 67 way too young

His Uncle Christy senior still going in his 90s.

Keano

Golf has lost one of the good ones. RIP Christy

PropJoe10

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHlaZW9hXd4

One of the all time great golf shots. RIP Christy!

PARlance

Sad news, spent a few hours working with him in December and he was in great form. Could have spent a week listening to all his stories.

Macker1

RIP............ Far too young

Remember watching him years ago at an Irish Open and he was kind enough to get a picture taken with me.

benny79

Rip Christy was made a honorary member of my club this year and was helping out with some advise on improvements.

Will be sadly missed. The good go first...

Johnny_Fontane

Remember being at the Carrolls Irish open in Mount Juliet around the early nineties as a 15 year old or so. Walking onto the 18th tee (in practice round), and passing me, I asked him to sign my ticket. He gave me a great big smile and asked me what handicap I was off, how long I was playing and signed my ticket. Leaving he shook my hand and patted me on the shoulder, made me feel like a proper grown up and incredible gratious thing to do (as compared to anyone else at the time).

It was a factor when I joined Knightsbrook in 2006 and I think he created a great design that with time will become a cracking course.

He will be sadly missed, but can always bask in the glory of that 2 iron. I remember watching it live, the pressure was incredible as couples had a 9 iron in his hand about 90 yards up the fairway.

RIP Christy, ya f**king legend

lowelife

AndyBoBandy wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHlaZW9hXd4

Oh I don't even need to watch this, my favourite Ryder Cup shot of all time (and thats coming from a Englishman too)

Even against one of my other heros Freddie (who couldnt even hit the green with a 9 iron after that great shot)

Actually just thought....whats happens at Moyvalley now?

PARlance

He was still playing serious golf too. Shot 65 or 67 in Lahinch a couple of months ago and he was saying that he was looking forward to a few go's at the Senior Tour this year.

Montgolfier

Bit before my time but a Legend none the less RIP

Ormus

PARlance wrote: »

He was still playing serious golf too. Shot 65 or 67 in Lahinch a couple of months ago and he was saying that he was looking forward to a few go's at the Senior Tour this year.

67 at Lahinch, in winter, at the age of 67? That is phenomenal.

Russman

RIP, gone way too young

PARlance

Ormus wrote: »

67 at Lahinch, in winter, at the age of 67? That is phenomenal.

You put it better than I did. My response was a four letter word ending with uck.
He seemed very happy with his golf, was busy with loads of projects on the horizon. He was the youngest soul in the office.

Larbre34

A lovely man I had a chat to once, you'd want his kind of spirit in your life. RIP and condolences to his family, they have had more than their share of grief.

flutered

when he teamed up with woosie later on in bar the crack was might

vienne86

Terribly sad news. One of our great sports people.

padd b1975

Cracking shot with a club that's arguably obsolete in the modern game.

RIP.

flanzer

He relocated down to Tipp a few years back to Ballina, literally across the road the in-laws, where I regularly visit. I was literally itching to meet him, but didn't have the courage to knock on his gate, and introduce myself! Luckily, back in April I met him in the local by chance, with his son and son-in-law watching the rugby, Leinster v Bath.

A total gent, along with his family. Made me feel at ease talking to a hero. Just a normal, engaging guy. Talked a bit about golf, but mostly chit-chat about other things, over a few pints (and he did murder them!)

RIP Christy

bmay529

RIP - great character, great irishman and great golfer

FixdePitchmark

It is rare you feel you know an actual sport star.

Myself and my Dad were massive fans. Christy was a sort of, a man for all men. He seemed comfortable in the company of top golf people, business people, but - was equally popular with the average joe golfer, and to the non golfing general public at an Irish Open.

At the end of the day , he just had the personality to pull that off.

Let's call a spade a spade, he was the first real star of the Irish golf game , in the televised sports era. That is not an exaggeration , he was a regular on The Late Late, TV, radio etc. The Ryder Cup we all know about that, he got a well deserved good 2 iron long run out of it

When you look at some of the posts above (I haven't read most as wanted to form my own view first) - If you were into golf, you definitely could meet Christy if you wanted, the game is a little different now, and the pros are a bit detached in the modern era.

The number of exhibitions he did for the general public, in less glamorous locations was amazing. I was at one in Deer Park of all places - himself and Darcy. It was just amazing to see the strike of the ball from both of them , you literally had never seen anything like it in your life. It meant so much more when they were on a course you knew.

Christy was also involved in Silloge in Ballymun of all places , you got a sense without knowing him, that he believed golf should be bigger than the circles he could choose to be in. He loved the big events in Ireland and the big crowds, the few pints after, the sing songs etc.
You never seen 1/2 of this , but the stories were legendary.

The thing about pros back then , was how unique their own swing style was , you could see how Christy kept his follow through low , almost designed for Irish conditions. You sense he should have pick up an Open at some stage (prior to senior), but Christy admits it himself in his own excellent autobiography, he was not always 100 % committed to his golf. But, when he knuckled down, the results came.

I think it was because I had a soft spot for him, but I always liked the courses he designed - in fact, if you look at his portfolio, some outstanding courses, not always conventional holes or slopes, But that would appeal to me even more.

Jesus, I haven't even covered 1/2 of it and he had an outstanding life. He seemed the ultimate polymath, a few musical instruments in the mix. Amazing stuff.

But with every great life, you rarely get a clean run - I never understood it fully when younger, but when you get older and have your own. You understand how Christy never got over losing his son - It sort of defined the 2nd 1/2 of his life.

Must listen in to Newstalk tonight.

I'll have a good rare whiskey with my Dad Friday night for Christy, a man we didn't know, but seemed a part of our life and our golfing lives.

Thanks "Our Christy".

kn

RTE displaying all their knowledge in referring to Christy O'Connor Snr as his father!

AndyBoBandy

Just watching Eamonn Darcy there on the sixone news, you can see the emotion in his face, he's lost one of his best friends.

tayto lover

RIP Christy, you hit that 2 iron like God would.

Golfgraffix

Really shocked at this news, I had lunch with him just before the holidays and he was in great form. As Parlance mentioned we had him in the office for some work on Edmundstown and Moyvalley, and was telling the guys he was looking forward to a few events on the seniors tour.

Outside of his achievements in golf he had a hand in the start of Golfgraffix for which I will be always grateful. Our first ever job was with Roganstown and he did all the voice overs. I was telling him how since then we had grown from 1 staff to 8 and he was genuinely chuffed for us and offered a testimonial with me ever asking.

He was certainly crazy about golf and this came across in his design work. It was amazing to see him in the field and how excited he would get when describing the hole he wanted, especially if it was a dogleg

Still hard to believe.

J

gladrags

I met Christy by chance in a Dublin pub restaraunt in south Dublin,some years ago.

It was a brief encounter,he was a genuinely lovely guy.

RIP Christy

irish coldplayer

He has/had a house in Liscannor near Lahinch for years, his presence in the pubs in Liscannor and Lahinch will be sorely missed next summer.
A sporting legend and a man who loved life and having the craic.
RIP Christy

FixdePitchmark

This is him in his sixties, he was doing it to this standard 30 years ago.

Unreal with the people, they are smiling and laughing .

Jaysus, bringing back great memories.

He is so generous with his questions and time. I tell you, some of the new "stars" , could do with watching this.

I'm sure he has told the stories 1000 of times, but still so present.

FixdePitchmark

Jaysus , I would have loved to be Christy (lol)

FixdePitchmark

http://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2486725.1452081600!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_620_330/image.jpg

slave1

Citywest, Concra Wood, Esker Hills, Galway Bay, Glasson, Gort, Headfort New, Knightsbrook, Lee Valley, Mount Wolseley, Roganstown and Palmerstown are all his designs 100%, didn't list the ones he co-designed.

Thank you so very much Christy
RIP

DEFTLEFTHAND

Probably the most difficult club to hit and get control of the ball, remember Jean Van de Velde's second shot in the Open of 98? They'd hit a rescue these days, most pros wouldn't even carry a two in the bag.

Will go down as the greatest 2 iron 'clutch' shot of all time.

Anatom

I really enjoyed Kevin Markham's great piece in this month's Irish Golfer about Christy O'Connor and some of his course designs.

http://digital.irishgolfer.ie/i/632865-february-2016

As someone who is a member of Palmerstown Stud, I'm lucky enough to see his course design skill every time I play.. (which isn't nearly enough!)

On a related note, his uncle, Christy Senior actually taught me how to hit a wedge shot properly, about eighteen years ago at a corporate gig in Slieve Russell. It was my job to drive him around the course for the day in a buggy to chat with and play a shot or two with every group. Before the day started properly though, myself and a colleague were practicing some shots on the range and I was obviously doing something so outrageously wrong that he came over and made me change one thing. He didn't let me forget it at the end of the day either and on a couple of occasions during it would, out of the side of his mouth to me say, "Now, HE can hit a wedge. You should watch him..." A really great day and I have loved hitting wedges ever more...

Anatom

I really enjoyed Kevin Markham's great piece in this month's Irish Golfer about Christy O'Connor and some of his course designs.

http://digital.irishgolfer.ie/i/632865-february-2016

As someone who is a member of Palmerstown Stud, I'm lucky enough to see his course design skill every time I play.. (which isn't nearly enough!)

On a related note, his uncle, Christy Senior actually taught me how to hit a wedge shot properly, about eighteen years ago at a corporate gig in Slieve Russell. It was my job to drive him around the course for the day in a buggy to chat with and play a shot or two with every group. Before the day started properly though, myself and a colleague were practicing some shots on the range and I was obviously doing something so outrageously wrong that he came over and made me change one thing. He didn't let me forget it at the end of the day either and on a couple of occasions during it would, out of the side of his mouth to me say, "Now, HE can hit a wedge. You should watch him..." A really great day and I have loved hitting wedges ever more...

Kevinmarkham

Anatom wrote: »

I really enjoyed Kevin Markham's great piece in this month's Irish Golfer about Christy O'Connor and some of his course designs.

http://digital.irishgolfer.ie/i/632865-february-2016

As someone who is a member of Palmerstown Stud, I'm lucky enough to see his course design skill every time I play.. (which isn't nearly enough!)

On a related note, his uncle, Christy Senior actually taught me how to hit a wedge shot properly, about eighteen years ago at a corporate gig in Slieve Russell. It was my job to drive him around the course for the day in a buggy to chat with and play a shot or two with every group. Before the day started properly though, myself and a colleague were practicing some shots on the range and I was obviously doing something so outrageously wrong that he came over and made me change one thing. He didn't let me forget it at the end of the day either and on a couple of occasions during it would, out of the side of his mouth to me say, "Now, HE can hit a wedge. You should watch him..." A really great day and I have loved hitting wedges ever more...

Cheers! Would have written plenty more about other courses but we decided six would work best (hence Palmerstown and Rathsallagh couldn't be squeezed in).

Nice story about Senior... heard he did that a bit! Great when these guys give back to the game so freely.

BigChap1759

slave1 wrote: »

Citywest, Concra Wood, Esker Hills, Galway Bay, Glasson, Gort, Headfort New, Knightsbrook, Lee Valley, Mount Wolseley, Roganstown and Palmerstown are all his designs 100%, didn't list the ones he co-designed.

Thank you so very much Christy
RIP

Wow, some top quality lay outs in there - never realised he designed so many great courses

BigChap1759

slave1 wrote: »

Citywest, Concra Wood, Esker Hills, Galway Bay, Glasson, Gort, Headfort New, Knightsbrook, Lee Valley, Mount Wolseley, Roganstown and Palmerstown are all his designs 100%, didn't list the ones he co-designed.

Thank you so very much Christy
RIP

Wow, some top quality lay outs in there - never realised he designed so many great courses