Cork Golf: Monkstown's PGA team all set for the future

THE short game area and the new academy has been a real boost for the team of PGA professionals who work in Monkstown. 

The club has a long history of great club professionals including Peter O’Hare who started in 1908 when the club was founded, Jack Higgins, David Brown, Jim Higgins and Finbar Condon. 

Batt Murphy will be known to many having served as club pro for several decades. 

Starting in 1974, the popular pro had almost 40 years service before his retirement. 

Morgan O’Donovan took over from Batt in 2010, and was an instant hit with members.  Unfortunately, Morgan passed away in 2012 after battling a long illness.

The current pro shop team is comprised of three PGA Professionals. 

The team of thee is led by Limerick native Cian McNamara who has spent the last 10 years in Monkstown. Cian was and Irish International and a South of Ireland champion as an amateur, as well as spending three years in East Tennessee with Seamus Power. Over the last decade Cian has built a great reputation as a Club pro. As well as operating the proshop, Cian is busy teaching members, guests, teams and clients.

Shane Irwin is another Limerick native. A talented hurler as a teenager, he moved to Cork in 2017 and soon after he started his PGA training under Cian. 

FIRM FAVOURITE

Irwin qualified as a PGA Professional three years later and since 2021 he has become a firm favourite with Monkstown members. Shane Lievsey is the latest member to join the Proshop team in Monkstown. 

The 24-year-old trained in Douglas under Stephen Hayes, and after qualifying as a PGA professional he moved to Monkstown in late 2021. He too is building a reputation as a teaching professional. 

All three have been involved with the Monkstown inter-club teams including the Senior Cup win back in 2018. The three teaching professionals are supported with great facilities and leading technology. 

The PGA team launched a new indoor trackman room three years ago, and the recent opening of the new academy brings their teaching facilities to a new level. 

In addition to custom fitting for all the leading brands, the team have the latest Trackman technology installed in the indoor and outdoor studios to provide accurate feedback for lessons and fittings. 

The new putting studio is an ideal fit as Monkstown was an exclusive fitting location for SeeMore putters. 

The team have also invested in the Capto putting analysis system, providing metrics and feedback on over a dozen parameters related to the putting stroke.

Professionals have been a central part of Monkstown Golf Club since in started in the Castle Demense in 1908, and it’s clear that the great tradition continues into the 21st century.