Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

The Irish on Tour

  • 26-09-2020 3:14pm
    #1
    FixdePitchmark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,740 ✭✭✭✭


    Maybe I picked a bad week - but anyone else a bit depressed about the general state of Irish golf on tour.

    Maybe we just have too high a standard from the major years - and we got that extra boost from Shane - but have we anyone even competing in Europe ?

    Was looking at the Race to Dubai ranking - honestly the nationalities that are flying ahead of us is bizarre.

    Ok - Shane and Rory our current hope.

    But said it for years , when you have someone like Paddy at the top competing - cherish every moment , because it isn't a sure thing in golf.


Comments

  • #2
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    I'm quite optimistic about James Sugrue, he's turning pro in a few months and I predict his will be a talent fulfilled. Paddy is almost 50 and with nothing left to prove, the legacy is secure. Meanwhile Shane is too gifted a golfer to remain in a slump for long, while Rory is only among the best in the world...


  • #3
    FixdePitchmark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,740 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    Deleted User wrote: »
    I'm quite optimistic about James Sugrue, he's turning pro in a few months and I predict his will be a talent fulfilled. Paddy is almost 50 and with nothing left to prove, the legacy is secure. Meanwhile Shane is too gifted a golfer to remain in a slump for long, while Rory is only among the best in the world...

    Only thing I'll say (and would love to see it) - we seem to get great young amateurs / near walker cup / big tournament wins.

    I read a great analysis (opinion) hear a few years ago - but there is a massive focus on Links golf in the major events here. We get golfers that can play tough conditions and all year round golf.

    But is that what is needed for hot weather , near perfect conditions high scoring golf.

    Look we seem to have a great set up for tallented amateurs - but we seems to lack something getting to next level.

    In fairness something was put together by Des Smyth - clearly a gap was identified.

    https://www.golfnet.ie/news/golfnet/2049/des-smyth-to-lead-team-ireland-golf


  • #4
    Dr Devious
    Registered Users Posts: 338 ✭✭Dr Devious


    FixdePitchmark wrote: »
    Maybe I picked a bad week - but anyone else a bit depressed about the general state of Irish golf on tour.

    Maybe we just have too high a standard from the major years - and we got that extra boost from Shane - but have we anyone even competing in Europe ?

    Was looking at the Race to Dubai ranking - honestly the nationalities that are flying ahead of us is bizarre.

    Ok - Shane and Rory our current hope.

    But said it for years , when you have someone like Paddy at the top competing - cherish every moment , because it isn't a sure thing in golf.

    Depressed, not even wee a bit, like any sport in a small population it’s cyclical. Most countries with far bigger populations than us have never got more than one really top player at one time. France, Germany, Italy and Spain have rarely if ever had more than one really top golfer at any any given era. Langer(yesteryear)Molinari Rahm, beyond that bugger all bar second tier players( England has a 5hitload of them on tour) In truth Ireland punched way above its weight with Harrington, McDowell, Clark(SNIP) McIllroy and Lowry all within a relatively short timespan. I’m far more depressed about the complete lack of really good footballers currently on the scene or on the horizon, and don’t come back at me with Arron Connelly, Matt Docherty, Adam Idah etc. Like the current crop of golfers, they’re OK but that’s as far as it goes.


  • #5
    scout353
    Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭scout353


    I think one of the reasons that our elite players are being left behind is the lack of full strokeplay events on the Irish Amateur calendar.

    We are very competitive in Walker Cups etc where the format is matchplay but our top players lack the experience of four round strokeplay events to hone their skills.

    I believe this results in players who are unable to manage their rounds properly.

    Even James Sugrue last weekend was in firm control after round one but then fell away despite conditions being excellent over the weekend.

    It is a very difficult thing to maintain your focus and concentration for four rounds of strokeplay and only experience of this format will help our players.


  • #6
    hurleronditch
    Registered Users Posts: 656 ✭✭✭hurleronditch


    I think the links point is very well made. We have done incredibly well in majors, I haven’t done the sums but the 32 counties have by a mile won more majors per capita than any other country in the world over the last 15 years (probably last 50 too), and it shows that our hardy, links focus golf is very good practice for major golf and hence we’ve won 5 of the last 13 British opens plus 3 Us opens in that time.

    But that doesn’t translate as well to birdie fest golf around sunny parklands in Europe and the US where smash it, go find it, wedge it close golf is what makes the money, and gets you up the rankings to compete for majors.

    That being said, it does seem like there is such a conveyor belt of talent coming through every year form amateur into Q school and feeder tours it’s just a bit of a blip at the moment not having a few stalwarts competitive in Europe. Paul Dunne having a tough time with injury has deprived us of a good 100-200 ranked good quality tour pro and the younger lads aren’t up to that consistent standard yet


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    BigChap1759
    Registered Users Posts: 1,608 ✭✭✭BigChap1759


    scout353 wrote: »
    I think one of the reasons that our elite players are being left behind is the lack of full strokeplay events on the Irish Amateur calendar.

    We are very competitive in Walker Cups etc where the format is matchplay but our top players lack the experience of four round strokeplay events to hone their skills.

    I believe this results in players who are unable to manage their rounds properly.

    Even James Sugrue last weekend was in firm control after round one but then fell away despite conditions being excellent over the weekend.

    It is a very difficult thing to maintain your focus and concentration for four rounds of strokeplay and only experience of this format will help our players.


    Probably something in this when you look at the US College circuit - seems as though all the top talent, even non-US is coming through from US College golf


Advertisement