With the winter solstice behind us and an extra couple of minutes of daylight each day, it’s a reminder that the 2026 golfing season isn’t far away. Time to start getting excited ⛳
For those of you who don’t know, I have the pleasure (and responsibility!) of captaining the Boards 2026 Golf Society — and I’m hoping I won’t sink the ship before we even leave port😊.
“Is this the real Tiger Woods?” some of you may ask. Unfortunately not… but if you are reading this, Tiger, we would gladly accept any Sunday Red merch you fancy sending on as prizes.
I did, however, manage to match Tiger’s not-so-famous 41 on the front nine at St Andrews on my way to what remains the highlight of my golfing career — a gross 82. And just to add a bit of context: it was raining cats and dogs, I didn’t even have a caddy, and for anyone thinking it was playing easy that day — a fellow boardie (who will remain nameless), who fancies himself a decent golfer, shot well over 100 with a caddy… and still tipped him 😂
I joined Boards a year after it was set up, with my first outing being Portarlington back in 2012. Over the years, I’ve made some great friends, many of whom have progressed from 18 handicaps to single figures.
What really distinguishes Boards from most golf societies is that it isn’t run from a pub, workplace, or local club. We’ve had a mix of old and young, male and female (over the years), from all over the country — low and high handicaps — with one common denominator: a love of golf. At one point a few years ago, I think I was the only member of the Boards Golf Society who wasn’t a member of a golf club, which probably says it all about how unique Boards is.
That’s not to say we’re a bunch of teatotallers. There are plenty of lads who enjoy a drink, and nowhere is this more evident than on our legendary captain’s weekends. What’s great about Boards outings — especially the captain’s weekend — is the mix:
some play the golf, hang around for the prizes, and head home to the family
some stay for the chat and a few pints back at the hotel
and then there are the party animals, who end up on a pub crawl, followed by a nightclub… and, in one memorable year, a 4am putting competition by moonlight with the assistance of phone torches
I’m fairly sure there was also a boardie once found sleeping on a park bench in Killarney the following morning — although Benny still denies to this day that it was him.
So if you’re new to Boards, welcome. You’ll find great golf, great company, and plenty of stories you may or may not remember the next morning.
As I’m sure most of ye are aware, it was touch and go for a while regarding the future of Boards.ie, but thankfully everything is back on track now.
I’d like to thank our outgoing captain, Robbie, for doing a great job this year — particularly in selecting a fantastic list of courses at very good value. It’s not easy out there at the moment, with prices rising for average courses in some cases by €10–€15. Add to that the number of societies booking repeat outings earlier, which can put those booking in August and September on the back foot.
With that in mind, I’ve been working hard in the background to select premier courses that cover as much of the country as possible, while still keeping eye on the cost.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsor, Golfgraffix, for their generous support and for allowing us to use Clubnet, which has already proved its worth by giving us access to courses we otherwise wouldn’t be able to book.
Lastly, I’d like to wish ye all a very happy Christmas, and I promise to get the 2026 list out before the end of the year — I’m just finalising the last couple of courses.
PS: 2026 marks the 15-year anniversary of the Boards Golf Society, and it would be great to see some past members make a reappearance as guests if they wish… I might even put on a special prize 😉
