2010 SPRING ISSUE 3.75 Incl. VAT - Backspin Golf Magazine

33-39 B'SPIN ANN 10 25/1/10 16:24 Page 1 

2010 SPRING ISSUE €3.75 incl. VAT 

MOUNT JULIET – TOP PARKLAND COURSE 2010 

SPECIAL COURSE 

RANKINGS ISSUE 

PURE GOLF COUNTRY 

10th edition 2010 

Cover photo: 

Monte Rei, Eastern Algarve 

Supplement produced by the team at 

BACKSPIN 

Golf Magazine 

in association with 

Pestana Silves,Algarve 

Featuring... 

LISBOA GOLF COAST 

THE ALGARVE 

LEADING HOTELS 

Quinta do Peru,Lisboa Golf Coast 

BACKSPIN’S SPECIAL ANNUAL 16-PAGE GUIDE TO GOLFING IN PORTUGAL 

Showtime for 

EUROPEAN NO.1 

LEE WESTWOOD 

JUNIOR GOLF: SIX PAGE FEATURE ON LEINSTER U-13 BOYS 

ISSN 1393 - 9122 

03 

9 771393 912010

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EDITOR’S COMMENT... 

Front Cover ANN 10 26/1/10 17:23 Page 1 





33-39 B'SPIN ANN 10 25/1/10 16:24 Page 1 



Cover photo: 



BACKSPIN 




Featuring... 


THE ALGARVE 


Quinta do Peru, Lisboa Golf Coast 


Showtime for 

EUROPEAN NO.1 

LEE WESTWOOD 


FRONT COVER: European No. 1 Lee 

Westwood leads a strong European 

assault on this year’s majors. See story 

on Pages 6-10. 

Cover photograph of Westwood 

supplied by The Azalea Group / 

Commercialbank Qatar Masters. 

www.qatar-masters.com 

IN THIS ISSUE... 

We present our 10th annual 

supplement on golfing in 

Portugal. 

The award winning Lisboa 

Golf Coast and irresistible 

Algarve region are strongly 

featured in Portugal Pure 

Golf Country 2010. There is a 

special focus on Tivoli Hotels 

& Resorts, Dom Pedro 

Hotels and Pestana’s golf 

portfolio. 

ISS N 13 9 3 - 91 2 2 

03 

9 771393 912010 

likely to cause Tiger 

many sleepless nights 

All sorts of captivating thoughts and possibilities come to 

mind when one ponders the season ahead in the 

wonderful world of golf. 

Will Tiger Woods return to action imbued with an even stronger resolve to demolish the 

house that Jack built by surpassing his record of 18 major championship victories. Or might 

recent events in his private life take the edge off Tiger’s game with golf’s highest peak so 

tantalisingly close? 

Golf needs Tiger back on tour and firing on all cylinders. But, as the landscape is likely to 

change dramatically in world golf in the near future with a bunch of phenomenal young stars 

making impressive strides, the World No. 1 could be facing challenging times ahead as he 

seeks to add to his haul of 14 majors. 

The chasing pack includes Rory McIlroy who, arguably, poses the greatest immediate 

threat to Tiger’s dominance. The Holywood star oozes class and charisma. He has all the 

shots and confidence to burn. He is golf’s new poster boy. It is amazing to think that if McIlroy 

wins the Masters at Augusta in April - twenty four days before he turns 21 - he’ll straight 

away steal a march on Tiger. 

Rewind to 1997 when Tiger won his first major at Augusta and became the youngest 

winner of the Masters at age 21 years 3 months and 15 days. Out in 40 and back in 30 in a 

rollercoaster opening round, Woods proceeded to blitz the field by 12 shots with a record 

18-under-par tally. 

It is easy to visualise young McIlroy in the same winning groove in golf’s major 

championships in the times ahead. 

Of course, Padraig Harrington - who will reach the youthful 



Cover photo: 



BACKSPIN 



RYDER CUP ISSUE 2006 €3.75 incl. VAT 

PAGES OF 

DEDICATED 

RYDER CUP 

COVERAGE 

INCLUDING MATCH RESULTS 1927-2004 

All eyes on 

TIGER 

Pestana Silves 

Featuring... 


THE ALGARVE 


TOP GOLF TRAVEL AGENTS 

Quinta do Peru, Costa Azul 


ISSN 1393 - 9122 

10 

* Special Oceânico Developments Property Supplement 

9 771393 912010 

* Focus on Golfing in Portugal, Cyprus, Budapest and England’s Golf Coast 

age of 39 in August - is still a potent force despite a frustrating 

period in terms of results since he chalked-up his third major 

victory in the space of 13 months at Oakland Hills in August 

2008. 

From an Irish viewpoint he now has to share the spotlight 

with McIlroy, who will be the subject of huge media scrutiny 

this season. Rory’s progress to date suggests that he has the 

game, temperament and determination to scale golf’s highest 

peaks and cause Tiger many sleepless nights along the way! 

Yours in Golf, 

2009 SUMMER ISSUE €3.75 incl. VAT 

Focus on 

Royal Birkdale 

DISCOVER ENGLAND’S GOLF COAST 

SLAM BECKONS FOR 

MASTER CABRERA 

ISSN 1393 - 9122 

06 

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INSIDE: TIGER CLOSES-IN ON JACK’S MAJOR RECORD 

DECLAN O’DONOGHUE, Publisher / Editor 

Adrian Morrow 

AUTUMN/WINTER 2008 €3.75 incl. VAT 

Morrow & Pierse 

SUPER SENIORS 

ISSN 1393 - 9122 

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BACKSPIN 1

Photo by 

Pat Cashman 

33 10th PORTUGAL 

GOLF SUPPLEMENT 

In the 10th edition of our annual 

'Portugal Pure Golf Country' 

supplement we focus the spotlight 

on the magnificent Lisboa Golf 

Coast and the irresistible Algarve 

region. 

Our 16-page supplement includes 

features on Tivoli Hotels & Resorts, 

Dom Pedro Hotels and Pestana Golf. 

2 BACKSPIN 

Publisher / Editor: Declan O’Donoghue 

Guest Writers: Ewen Murray (Sky Sports) 

Colm Smith (Association of Golf Writers) 

Mark Jones (Sunday Tribune) 

Photography & Art: 

Action Images (London), Alan Bleakley, 

Pat Cashman, Noel Kelly 

SPRING ISSUE 2010 

26 JUNIOR GOLF SPECIAL 

Focus on Leinster’s U-13 Boys 

We meet Powerscourt Golf Club's PGA 

professional Paul Thompson and 

present a four-page photo feature on the 

Leinster Under-13 panellists who are 

blossoming under his tutelage. 

Left: Leinster coach Paul Thompson with Issac Agnew (Old Conna) 

QUINTA DO PERU (Lisboa Golf Coast) 

Creation & Design: The Golf Business 

Typesetting & Colour Repro: Esther Behan 

Printers: C&R Print 

Distribution: Easons, Newspread, The Golf Business 

Advertisement Sales: The Golf Business 

Cover Price: €3.75 (incl VAT) 

NEXT ISSUE: Masters Review (May) 

NOTE: The copyright of all matter appearing in BACKSPIN is reserved by The Golf Business, and no matter may be reproduced or stored in any way without the written 

consent of the editor. The articles which appear in this magazine reflect the opinions of their authors and the Publisher. The Golf Business assumes no responsibility 

for the contents or accuracy of advertisement appearing in BACKSPIN, nor for the return of unsolicited manuscripts, art or photography.

12 

BACKSPIN’S 2010 

IRISH COURSE RANKINGS 

6 

24 

48 

50 

Editorial, Advertising 

& Accounts: 

“Birkdale”, 4, Rathmichael Manor, 

Loughlinstown, 

County Dublin, Ireland. 

Email: golfbiz@eircom.net 

Tel: (00.353.1) 2827269 

Fax: (00.353.1)2827483 

MOUNT JULIET 

Voted No. 1 Parkland course 

It’s showtime for Europe’s star players 

We predict that European golf is about to enjoy another golden era in 

golf’s major championships. 

Take your game to a new level in 2010 

The dynamic Pure Golf Leopardstown team of PGA professionals have 

launched an Academy membership scheme for golfers of all skill levels. 

Gary Murphy chasing tour breakthrough 

Gary Murphy showed his steel by regaining his tour card at Q School 

last November. He talks to us about his career and plans for the future. 

Exciting times on all fronts for PING Golf 

A special focus on the new G15 and i15 lines in the PING equipment 

range and on the top tour players who represent the brand. 

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS ON THE IRISH MARKET 

www.backspingolfmagazine.com 

BACKSPIN 3

Nostalgia will be heavy in the air 

on the eve of the 2010 Open 

Championship at St Andrews 

(July 15-18) when The Open’s 

past champions will play four holes of 

the Old Course – the 1st, 2nd, 17th and 

18th – in celebration of the 150th 

Anniversary of golf’s oldest Major. All 32 

living Open Champions have been 

invited to take part in this curtain-raiser 

on Wednesday July 14th. 

The event will take place between 

4pm and 6pm. The winners of the 

Challenge, which will be screened live 

by the BBC, will receive prize money to 

donate to a charity of their choice. 

This is the second time that The 

Open Champions' Challenge has been 

staged. In 2000, 22 former Open 

Champions celebrated the Millennium 

The invited Open Champions and the years of their victories... 

Peter Thomson 

1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1965 

Gary Player 

1959, 1968, 1974 

Kel Nagle 1960 

Arnold Palmer 

1961, 1962 

Bob Charles 1963 

Jack Nicklaus 

1966, 1970, 1978 

Roberto de Vicenzo 1967 

4 BACKSPIN 

Tony Jacklin 1969 

Lee Trevino 

1971, 1972 

Tom Weiskopf 1973 

Tom Watson 

1975, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1983 

Johnny Miller 1976 

Severiano Ballesteros 

1979, 1984, 1988 

Bill Rogers 1981 

Sandy Lyle 1985 

Greg Norman 

1986, 1993 

Nick Faldo 

1987, 1990, 1992 

Mark Calcavecchia 1989 

Ian Baker-Finch 1991 

Nick Price 1994 

John Daly 1995 

Tom Lehman 1996 

Justin Leonard 1997 

Mark O’Meara 1998 

OLD COURSE, ST. ANDREWS 

Anniversary event at St. Andrews a great opportunity for fans to salute 

Open in the same format. On that 

occasion large galleries, who were 

entertained by a tap-dance on the 

Swilken Bridge by 88-year-old Sam 

Snead, watched the team of Tom 

Weiskopf, Tom Lehman and Paul Lawrie 

claim victory. The event raised over 

£40,000 for charity. 

“The Open Champions' Challenge in 

2000 was a great success and we expect 

it to be so again a decade on in 2010,” 

said David Hill, The R&A’s Director of 

Championships. “We hope that the 

majority of our former Champions will 

accept the invitation and join us in St 

Andrews to help commemorate this 

very special occasion.” 

Visit www.opengolf.com for 2010 

Open Championship ticket details 

Left: Padraig Harrington (‘07 & ‘08 champion) 

Paul Lawrie 1999 

Tiger Woods 

2000, 2005, 2006 

David Duval 2001 

Ernie Els 2002 

Ben Curtis 2003 

Todd Hamilton 2004 

Padraig Harrington 

2007, 2008 

Stewart Cink 

2009

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Tel. 353 56 777 3000 Fax: 353 56 777 3009 Email: info@mountjuliet.ie 

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Condé Nast Travelers 2009 Readers - Listed No. 12 in "Top 25 European Resorts"

6 BACKSPIN 

Sergio Garcia...Alvaro Quiros... 

Left: Sergio Garcia 

Below: Alvaro Quiros

...Lee Westwood...Ian Poulter...Martin Kaymer...Rory McIlroy 

It’s showtime for 

The last three major championships were won by 

first-timers...Lucas Glover, Stewart Cink and Y.E. Yang. 

In fact, if you run the stats back to the start of the 

2003 season there were fifteen first-time winners in the 

28 majors up to the end of the 2009 season. 

A certain Tiger Eldrick Woods has added six titles to his 

collection in that space of time while Phil Mickelson and 

Padraig Harrington kicked-on from their breakthrough 

victories in 2004 and 2007 respectively and added a couple 

more apiece. But this is a golden era for first-timers and 

winning a major is not beyond the bounds of possibility for any 

accomplished tour player. 

Indeed, European golf could be on the brink of a return to the 

glory days of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s when Ballesteros, Lyle, 

Langer, Faldo, Woosnam and Olazabal amassed a haul of 

18 major titles between them. 

In this article we are predicting big things for another 

group of six outstanding European golfers...LEE WESTWOOD, 

IAN POULTER, SERGIO GARCIA, ALVARO QUIROS, MARTIN 

KAYMER and RORY McILROY...who have the firepower to crack 

the code in golf’s four showpiece events. 

continued... 

SIX EUROPEANS SET FOR BIG THINGS IN 2010 

EUROPEAN WORLD 

PLAYER/COUNTRY AGE OOM 2009 RANKING 

LEE WESTWOOD (Eng) 36 Winner 4th 

IAN POULTER (Eng) 34 9th 10th 

SERGIO GARCIA (Spain) 30 10th 14th 

ALVARO QUIROS (Spain) 27 20th 52nd 

MARTIN KAYMER (Ger) 25 3rd 6th 

RORY McILROY (N. Ire) 20 2nd 11th 

World Ranking positions above after Abu Dhabi Championship (24-1-2010) 

BACKSPIN 7

Above: Lee Westwood 

Right: Ian Poulter 

8 BACKSPIN 

Lee Westwood has the game, the 

experience and the personality to win a major 

championship and 2010 could be his year. 

He is bristling with confidence following 

his sensational return to form last season, 

when he chalked-up 13 top-ten finishes 

including two end of season victories in 

Portugal and Dubai. 

He was an impressive winner of the 

inaugural 2009 Race to Dubai title and 

significantly he scored top-3 finishes in both 

The Open Championship at Turnberry and 

USPGA Championship at Hazeltine National. 

Westwood is a two-time winner of the 

European Order of Merit title with multiple 

European Tour victories under his belt. The 

challenge now is to carry that form into this 

year’s majors at Augusta National, Pebble 

Beach, St. Andrews and Whistling Straits. 

Ian Poulter proved in The Open at Royal 

Birkdale two years ago that he relishes the 

white heat of battle over the last nine holes in 

a major. He fired a closing 69 to grab the 

clubhouse lead but defending champion 

Padraig Harrington ended the flamboyant 

Englishman’s dreams with one of the most 

sensational back-nine’s in Open history. 

Poulter proved his class again when he 

justified Nick Faldo’s decision to award him a 

wild card for the Ryder Cup at Valhalla later 

that season by delivering four points from 

five matches. 

Sergio Garcia came agonisingly close to 

winning the 1999 USPGA title in his rookie 

season on tour. He certainly shuffled Tiger’s 

shells that week at Medinah! But over a 

decade later, at age 30, he’s still chasing his 

first major. 

He let great chances slip at the 2007 Open 

and 2008 USPGA, when Harrington edged 

him out both times, but Garcia still has 

Everest in his sights. continued....

©PING 2009 

WHICH NEW 

DRIVER 

FITS YOUR 

GAME? 

Find the right fit for your game at an authorized 

PING Fitting location or visit ping.com. 

There’s two new ways to improve your 

driving. The G15 driver is longer front to 

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crown design and deeper face profile to 

increase ball speed. Internal weighting 

delivers tour-preferred trajectories.

Above: Martin Kaymer 

Right: Rory McIlroy 

Feature photos (except Rory McIlroy) 

courtesy of the Azalea Group/ 

Commercialbank Qatar Masters. 

www.qatar-masters.com 

McIlroy photo courtesy of 

Weber Shandwick (N.I.) 

10 BACKSPIN 

continued... 

Sergio opened his 2010 campaign still 

struggling slightly with a hand injury he 

sustained at the end of last season, however 

you can be sure the enigmatic Spaniard will 

be installed as one of the favourites each 

time the majors come around this season. 

Alvaro Quiros is another Spaniard with 

huge potential and great expectations. The 

27-year-old is the longest hitter on the 

European Tour with an average drive of 

314-yards. 

He climbed to 24th in the World Rankings 

following his impressive victory against a top 

class field in the 2009 Qatar Masters and as a 

result he qualified for all four majors last 

season. He has got class in abundance. 

Martin Kaymer, the rising 25-year-old 

German star, is prepared to play through the 

pain barrier this season with plates and 

screws in his foot as he seeks to recapture 

the consistency that took him to the top of the 

European rankings last August before he 

suffered four broken toes in a go-karting 

accident. He made a winning start to the 2010 

season in the Abu Dhabi Championship. He is 

established in the World’s top-20 and a great 

prospect going forward. 

Rory McIlroy is golf’s hottest prospect. He 

shows the same swagger and exuberance as 

a young Ballesteros in the 1970’s and seems 

destined to enjoy even greater success than 

the mercurial Spaniard. 

The precocious 20-year-old Holywood star 

thrives on pressure and wasn’t fazed in the 

slightest when he was installed amongst the 

favourites on his debut at Augusta last year. 

He soared from 39th to 9th in the World 

Rankings in his first full season on tour and 

14 top-10 finishes included a tie for 3rd in the 

USPGA Championship. A phenomenal talent.

©PING 2009 

WHICH NEW 

IRON 

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forgiveness or do you like to work 

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with cavity-back forgiveness. It’s 

engineered as a progressive set 

to deliver forgiveness in the long 

irons and more control in the 

mid- and short-irons. 

Find the right fit for your game at an authorized 

PING Fitting location or visit ping.com.

as ranked by BACKSPIN’S 2010 Voting Panel 

Two years ago, when we conducted our first Irish golf course 

rankings poll, BACKSPIN broke fresh ground by becoming the first 

golf publication ever to treat and rank Irish links and parkland 

courses separately. 

Since the magazine was introduced to the Irish market in 2000, by a 

team immersed in the traditions of golf since the Palmer and Nicklaus 

era, BACKSPIN has always sought to be vibrant, imaginative and 

distinctly different. 

Our unique approach to ranking Irish courses serves to showcase the 

Irish golf product in an entirely new light to the golfing world at large. 

We have adopted the same format for our 2010 IRISH GOLF COURSE 

RANKINGS. This poll reflects the views of 54 experienced golfers with a 

deep knowledge and appreciation of the Irish golf product. 

To assist them in making their choices each voter was provided with a 

complete list of Irish golf courses in both categories...Links/Shoreline 

and Parkland/Inland. 

Voters were asked to nominate their 15 favourite courses in each 

category...courses that impress and delight them most in order of 

preference. Special emphasis was placed on design, presentation, 

setting, challenge and the personal enjoyment factor. 

Points were awarded in both categories as follows... 

1st - 250; 2nd - 225; 3rd - 200; 4th - 175; 5th - 150; 6th - 140; 7th - 130; 

8th - 120; 9th - 110; 10th - 100; 11th - 90; 12th - 80; 13th - 70; 14th - 60; 

15th - 50. 

To arrive at our final rankings in both categories we added the points 

awarded to clubs on the 54 voting forms. 

Our 2010 Links & Parkland poll results appear on the following pages. 

– DECLAN O’DONOGHUE, Publisher / Editor 

Portmarnock and Mount Juliet top our 2010 

12 BACKSPIN 

1st Links category 

Portmarnock 

1st Parkland category 

Mount Juliet

BACKSPIN’S 2010 VOTING PANEL 

Raymond Burns 

Eamonn Darcy 

Eddie Doyle 

John Dwyer 

Noel Fox 

Peter Hanna 

George Henry 

David Higgins 

Liam Higgins 

Francis Howley 

Ian Kerr 

Keith Bardon 

Michael Burns 

Barry Doyle 

Eddie Dunne 

Jody Fanagan 

Mark Gannon 

Loyal Goulding 

Niall Goulding 

Dougie Heather 

Tony Heverin 

Ken Kearney 

Pat Cashman 

Cathal Dervan 

Paul Gallagher 

Brian Keogh 

Dan Murphy 

Ewen Murray 

Irish Professionals 

Irish Amateurs 

Golfing Media 

Graeme McDowell 

Brendan McGovern 

Harry McKinney 

Christy O'Connor Jnr 

Peter O’Hagan 

Denis O'Sullivan 

Des Smyth 

Gordon Smyth 

Paul Thompson 

Simon Thornton 

Philip Walton 

Enda Lonergan 

Mary McKenna 

Adrian Morrow 

Christy Moylan 

Pat Murray 

Sheena McElroy 

Paddy O’Looney 

Eddie Power 

Eileen Rose Power 

Niall Quinn 

Declan O'Donoghue 

Philip Quinn 

John Redmond 

Colm Smith 

Liam Spratt 

BACKSPIN 13

2nd LINKS CATEGORY 

TOP VOTES RECEIVED BY THE TOP-6 COURSES 

GOLF COURSE 250pts 225pts 200pts 

Portmarnock 12 10 9 

Royal County Down 13 11 5 

Royal Portrush 8 9 11 

The European Club 6 5 6 

Co.Louth/Baltray 3 2 3 

Waterville 5 5 4 

4th 

The European Club 

14 BACKSPIN 

Royal County Down 

3rd

5th 

6th 

County Louth 

(Baltray) 

Royal Portrush (Dunluce) 

Waterville 

IRELAND’S TOP 25 COURSES 

Poll positions, points totals & golf courses 

1st 10090 Portmarnock 

2nd 9665 Royal County Down 

3rd 9460 Royal Portrush (Dunluce) 

4th 7775 The European Club 

5th 7480 County Louth (Baltray) 

6th 7385 Waterville 

7th 7345 Ballybunion (Old) 

8th 6910 Lahinch (Old) 

9th 4785 County Sligo (Rosses Point) 

10th 3470 The Island 

11th 3205 The Royal Dublin 

12th 3200 Doonbeg 

13th 2865 Tralee 

14th 2440 Ballyliffin (Glashedy) 

15th 2330 Enniscrone 

16th 2255 Ballyliffin (Old) 

17th 1720 Old Head Kinsale 

18th 1665 Portstewart (Strand) 

19th 1510 Connemara 

20th 1215 Donegal (Murvagh) 

21st 960 Belmullet (Carne) 

22nd 910 Portmarnock Hotel & Links 

23rd 900 Rosapenna (Sandy Hills) 

24th 690 Dooks 

25th 650 Rosslare 

A total of 44 golf courses received votes in this category 

OUR POINTS SYSTEM 

Voters were asked to nominate their 15 favourite 

golf courses in order of preference in two categories 

and points were awarded to clubs as follows... 

1st - 250; 2nd - 225; 3rd - 200; 4th - 175; 5th - 150; 

6th - 140; 7th - 130; 8th - 120; 9th - 110; 10th - 100; 

11th - 90; 12th - 80; 13th - 70; 14th - 60; 15th - 50. 

BACKSPIN 15

PARKLAND 

CATEGORY... 

16 BACKSPIN 

2nd K Club (Palmer) 

TOP VOTES RECEIVED BY THE TOP-6 COURSES 

GOLF COURSE 250pts 225pts 200pts 

Mount Juliet 15 10 5 

K Club (Palmer) 10 7 7 

Adare 11 10 5 

Druids Glen 3 3 5 

Killarney (Killeen) 2 4 4 

The Heritage 5 1 0 

5th 6th 

3rd 

4th 

Killarney (Killeen) The Heritage

Adare 

Druids Glen 

IRELAND’S TOP 35 COURSES 

Poll positions, points totals & golf courses 

1st 9760 Mount Juliet 

2nd 8295 K Club (Palmer) 

3rd 7955 Adare 

4th 6115 Druids Glen 

5th 5515 Killarney (Killeen) 

6th 4955 The Heritage 

7th 4855 Palmerstown Stud * 

8th 4045 Headfort (New) 

9th 3410 Carton (Montgomerie) 

10th 3250 Carlow 

11th 3245 Killeen Castle 

12th 3230 Fota Island 

13th 2890 Lough Erne 

14th 2415 Cork (Little Island) 

15th 2405 Malone 

16th 2230 Slieve Russell 

17th 2115 K Club (Smurfit) 

18th 1725 Carton (O’Meara) 

19th 1575 Hermitage 

20th 1460 Westport 

21st 1450 Belvoir Park 

22nd 1345 Killarney (Mahony’s Point) 

23rd 1325 Concra Wood 

24th 1160 Mullingar 

25th 1130 Luttrellstown Castle 

1130 Tullamore 

27th 1090 Bunclody 

28th 980 Mount Wolseley 

29th 920 Rathsallagh 

30th 845 Grange 

31st 810 Tramore 

32nd 735 Glasson 

33rd 730 Knightsbrook 

34th 670 Shannon 

35th 655 Powerscourt (West) 

* Palmerstown Stud (7th) was previously known as PGA National 

A total of 79 golf courses received votes in this category 

BACKSPIN 17

BACKSPIN’S 2010 

Course Rankings 

Facts & Figures.... 

Special thanks to our Voting 

Panellists and to Golf Clubs 

that supplied photographs. 

Lough Erne 

New Entry - 13th Parkland category 

OUR AMAZING 

AMATEURS 

33-48 ANNUAL 2009 20/1/ 

2009 SPRING ISSUE €3.75 incl. VAT 


9th edition 2009 


BACKSPIN 



Aroeira, Costa Azul 

VALE DO LOBO 


ALL EYES ON 

ISSN 1393 - 9122 

03 

9 771393 912010 

INSIDE: 2009 CORPORATE & SOCIETY GOLF SUPPLEMENT 

18 BACKSPIN 

2009 AUTUMN/WINTER ISSUE €3.75 incl. VAT 

Oceânico Old Course, Vilamoura 

OLD COURSE & PRAIA D’EL REY 

TOP OUR PORTUGAL RANKINGS 

Irish Open champion 

Shane Lowry with his 

manager Conor Ridge 

VOTING PANEL: 

* 2010 Poll - 54 Voters 

Amateurs (21) Media (11) & PGA Pros (22) 

including five Ryder Cup players - 

Eamonn Darcy, Christy O’Connor Junior, 

Graeme McDowell, Des Smyth and 

Philip Walton 

COURSES THAT RECEIVED VOTES: 

* Links/Shoreline category: 44 

* Parkland/Inland category: 79 

MOST VOTES RECEIVED: 

* Links/Shoreline: Co.Louth - 54 (100%) 

* Parkland/Inland: Mount Juliet - 50 

Two years ago BACKSPIN became 

the first golf publication ever to 

rank Ireland’s links and parkland 

courses separately. 

BACKSPIN’s original and imaginative 

format serves to showcase Irish golf in 

an entirely new light to the golfing world 

at large. 

MEET CONOR RIDGE 

(Horizon Sports Management) 

Focus on Phil 

ISSN 1393 - 9122 

09 

9 771393 912010 

MALAYSIA: A HOT NEW DESTINATION FOR IRISH GOLFERS 

ORIGINAL.....IMAGINATIVE 

INFORMED.....INFLUENTIAL 

2008 SPRING ISSUE €3.75 incl. VAT 

TOP IRISH CADDIES 

CALLING THE SHOTS 



POLL TOPPERS 2010: 

* LINKS (2008 position in brackets): 

1st - Portmarnock Golf Club (2) 

2nd - Royal County Down (1) 

3rd - Royal Portrush (3) 

4th - The European Club (4) 

* PARKLAND (2008 position in brackets): 

1st - Mount Juliet (1) 

2nd K Club Palmer (2) 

3rd - Adare (3) 

4th - Druids Glen (4) 

HIGHEST NEW ENTRIES (Top 15): 

* Links/Shoreline: None 

* Parkland/Inland: 11th Killeen Castle; 

13th Lough Erne 

SPOTLIGHT ON 

RORY McILROY 

CORPORATE & 

SOCIETY GOLF 

SUPPLEMENT 

2008 PRO TOUR 

CALENDARS 

Photograph of 

Mount Juliet 

Links & parkland courses ranked separately for the first time ever! 

9 771393 912010 

ISSN 1393 - 9122 

03

Superb service and great value is par for the course at 

THE HERITAGE GOLF & SPA RESORT 

First impressions are so important 

and in that regard the exhilarating 

Heritage championship course has 

passed every test with flying 

colours since it was unveiled to rave 

reviews in 2004. 

In a relatively short space of time the 

lavish 5-star Heritage Golf & Spa Resort 

has become established and recognised as 

one of Britain & Ireland’s premier golf and 

leisure retreats. 

It has served as a spectacular host 

venue for several prestigious events, 

including the 2007 Seve Trophy, and major 

winners Nick Faldo,Vijay Singh, John Daly 

and Padraig Harrington are just some of 

the stars who have showered praise on 

the Seve Ballesteros / Jeff Howes designed 

jewel in the heart of County Laois. 

The golf course is presented in 

immaculate condition and it is a joy to play 

at any time as the limestone land provides 

excellent drainage ensuring a magnificent 

playing surface all year round. 

Offer One 

RATE: €70.00 per person Mon-Sun 

This green fee rate includes 18 holes on The 

Heritage Championship Course with the choice 

of cooked breakfast with tea/coffee OR soup and 

sandwiches 

The multi-faceted resort is nestled at 

the foot of the Slieve Bloom mountains, 

and it is located just 40 mins from Dublin 

off the main Dublin - Cork M7 motorway. 

The facilities are, quite simply, superb. 

A magnificent 38,000 sq ft clubhouse 

offers state-of-the-art locker rooms, spike 

bar, dining room, lounge bar and corporate 

facilities for up to 160 people in the 

privacy of the Seve Ballesteros Suite. 

There are superb practice and tuition 

facilities, including the exclusive Seve 

Ballesteros Natural School of Golf which 

is run by a team of resident PGA 

professionals headed by Eddie Doyle. 

The golf club facilities are 

complemented by an elegant 5-star hotel 

and spa which reflects a commitment to 

the highest standards.The hotel has 100 

luxurious bedrooms, fifteen suites, three 

penthouse and presidential suites and 

conferencing / banqueting facilities for up 

to 500 people. 

The opulent resort spa, which has 20 

2010 GOLF SPECIAL OFFERS 

Offer Two 



Heritage Championship Course 

and steak dinner in the Clubhouse 

treatment rooms, is part of a complete 

lifestyle choice combining several 

elements of sophisticated modern living. 

Other facilities include an international 

standard indoor bowls arena, floodlit 

jogging and walking track, an on site theme 

pub and restaurant styled ‘The Thatch’ and 

elite residential properties in a stylish 

living environment. 

It is a wonderful retreat for a relaxing 

and invigorating short break and it serves 

as a superb venue for a whole host of 

events including corporate and society 

outings, conferences, private business 

meetings, high profile product launches, 

weddings and various other family and 

social occasions. 

There is a strong emphasis on 

providing exceptional levels of luxury and 

service along with excellent value for 

money as the special 2010 golf offers 

below demonstrate clearly. 

Take time out to browse the resort’s 

website....www.theheritage.com 

Offer Three 



Heritage Championship Course, breakfast bap 

with tea/coffee on arrival, soup and homemade 

brown bread in the Spike Bar after 9 holes and 

steak dinner in the Clubhouse 

BACKSPIN 19

DRUIDS GLEN RESORT 

introduces attractive options for 2010 embracing both courses 

The highly acclaimed Druids Glen 

Golf Resort continues to create 

attractive packages and options for 

visitors with new innovations for 2010 

designed to prove very appealing to 

corporate and society golf groups. 

Firstly, for a fee of €99 per person 

groups of 16 or more golfers can enjoy a 

round of golf on both Druids Glen and 

Druids Heath during 2010. 

This special offer, subject to agreement 

on dates and tee time availability, offers 

groups the opportunity to plan two 

separate visits to the wonderful Druids 

Glen Resort during the coming year. 

A booking deposit is required for both 

days at time of confirmation. 

SPECIAL 2010 OFFER 

FOR GOLF GROUPS... 

Society groups of 16 or more 

golfers can play both 

Druids Glen and Druids Heath 

for a combined total of €99. 

This rate is valid all year 

and provides groups with 

the opportunity to plan two 

outings at the resort in 2010. 

A deposit is required for both days 

after the booking is confirmed 

To discuss dates... 

Tel: 01-287 3600 

What could be nicer than a visit to 

lovely Druids Glen in the Springtime and 

again in the Summer or Autumn? 

The 5-star Druids Glen Resort is a joy 

to visit at any time with the facilities 

matched by a superior level of service 

which proves irresistible to discerning 

event organisers. 

Two top class 18-hole championship 

golf courses, excellent clubhouse 

facilities, state-of-the-art teaching and 

practice facilities, a luxurious Marriott 

hotel and clusters of attractive properties 

combine to create a resort which echoes 

class. 

Druids Heath, the newer of the two 

courses at the resort, serves as a perfect 

13th hole, Druids Glen 

companion to the contrasting Druids 

Glen course, which staged the Irish Open 

between 1996 and 1999. 

Both golf courses are presented in 

tournament condition throughout the 

year and Druids Heath is served by its 

own clubhouse and the five-star Druids 

Glen Marriott Hotel & Country Club 

which creates excellent options in terms 

of hospitality, 

An attractive option for golfers 

wishing to savour the complete Druids 

Glen experience is a deal offering two 

nights B&B at the Marriott Hotel on site 

with a round on Druids Glen and Druids 

Heath from €220 per person sharing. 

For more details - www.druidsglen.ie 

13th hole, Druids Heath 

BACKSPIN 21

“Tour Greens Europe created a perfect short game practice 

facility for me at San Sebastian Golf Club” Jose Maria Olazabal 

Tour Greens Europe is the world leader in the design and installation of all weather 

short game practice areas and golf greens. With a proven track record for quality 

and service we build the finest facilities for discerning clients worldwide whether 

A magical golfing experience 

* Famous 18-hole championship course * Excellent dining and clubhouse facilities 

* Superb venue for golf and a variety of social occasions 

We are now taking bookings for 2010 society & corporate outings 

WOODBROOK GOLF CLUB 

Old Dublin Road, Bray, Co. Wicklow. Tel: (01) 2824799 Fax: (01) 2821950 

www.woodbrook.ie 

22 BACKSPIN 

domestic or commercial. ALL WEATHER GOLF GREENS 

Contact: Tony Hynes. 3 Oaklands Park, Sandymount, Dublin 4, Ireland 

T: +353 87 238 9800 E: tony@tourgreens-europe.com 

www.tourgreens-europe.com

Fine facilities matched by the club’s legendary hospitality 

Woodbrook Golf Club on the 

outskirts of Bray in County 

Wicklow provides all the 

elements that create the perfect 

golf day...a highly rated championship 

course that is easy on the legs, outstanding 

and inviting clubhouse facilities, attractive 

green fee rates, a reputation for fine food 

and, above all, a tradition of offering visitors 

a really warm welcome. 

Founded in 1926, Woodbrook retains 

the charm and magic of a bygone era, but 

this progressive club has moved with the 

times and today serves a whole new 

generation of discerning golfers. 

In recent years the club has invested 

heavily in a major golf course and clubhouse 

refurbishment programme and the 

transformation has earned Woodbrook 

many new admirers and increased business 

from the lucrative corporate and society 

golf sectors. 

The refurbished clubhouse is an 

imposing building with comfortable, 

modern and spacious facilities for members 

and guests. Excellent catering services 

combine with Woodbrook's legendary 

hospitality to create a perfect venue for 

special golf events. 

Woodbrook welcomes corporate and 

society groups on Mondays, Thursdays 

and Fridays. For more details regarding 

2010 dates and rates contact the Secretary/ 

Manager on 01.282 4799. 

The famous Woodbrook club, a drive 

and 5-iron from the popular seaside town 

of Bray and closer still to the M50, is 

steeped in history and part of the fabric of 

Irish golf. 

Down the years Woodbrook has hosted 

many great golfers...legends like Max 

Faulkner, Peter Thomson, Kel Nagle, Bob 

Charles, Gary Player, Tony Jacklin and Tom 

Watson, all winners of The Open 

Championship. 

Significantly, not all of them triumphed 

over the delightful north Wicklow course 

which is perched on top of imposing 

seacliffs. 

During the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s 

Woodbrook hosted several high profile 

events including the popular Carrolls 

International on ten occasions and the Val 

Doonican Celebrity Classic. 

The revived Irish Open in 1975 focused 

the spotlight on Woodbrook yet again as 

the event attracted Tom Watson and Jack 

Newton, fresh from their epic play-off duel 

in The Open at Carnoustie the previous 

month, along with players of the calibre of 

Tony Jacklin, Dale Hayes and J.C. Snead. 

But, of course, the 1975 Irish Open 

belonged to Christy O’Connor Jnr. He 

outgunned a top class field to earn his 

Ryder Cup spurs at Laurel Valley three 

weeks later and there were magical scenes 

at Woodbrook that Sunday afternoon as 

Junior celebrated with his illustrious uncle, 

Christy senior, who tasted success at 

Woodbrook on several occasions. 

Woodbrook is a special place and the 

images on the clubhouse walls revive 

memories of many great occasions. 

They also celebrate the achievements of 

several club members who have brought 

great distinction to the club, including 

Walker Cup star Pat Mulcare and Curtis 

Cup star Claire Hourihane. 

Visit www.woodbrook.ie 

BACKSPIN 23

New academy concept a big winner at 

It’s the deal of the year in Irish golf...for just €49 per month you can become 

a member of the famous Leopardstown Golf Centre’s new Pure Golf Academy. 

An excellent new game improvement 

concept created by the innovative 

team of PGA professionals at the 

Leopardstown Golf Centre in south 

County Dublin provides male and female 

golfers of all ages and skill levels with the 

opportunity to derive great benefits and 

enjoyment from practising on a regular 

basis. 

The Pure Golf Leopardstown PGA team 

has launched an academy membership 

scheme that welcomes everyone... 

beginners, improvers and advanced 

golfers. The cost is €49 per month 

(€39 for juniors). 

Golfers who enrol for the Pure Golf 

Leopardstown Academy will have the 

opportunity to take full advantage of 

the Leopardstown Golf Centre’s ‘total 

golf experience’ which embraces superb 

Tour-spec short game facility 

24 BACKSPIN 

practice, short game and custom fitting 

facilities along with a physio room. 

The Pure Golf Leopardstown team - a 

fusion of dynamic golfing minds and skills 

- includes six highly trained and dedicated 

resident PGA professionals...Michael 

Allan, Michael Kavanagh, David Kearney, 

John Langan, Maura Morrin and Michael 

McDermott. 

They offer the most advanced 

tuition expertise, technology and facilities 

including a Putting Studio. 

The academy provides members with 

access to a minimum of eight hours group 

tuition during set times each week 

covering all facets of the game. 

Practice is productive and academy 

members at the Leopardstown Golf 

Centre will have great fun developing new 

skills in a dedicated game improvement 

environment. 

Academy members will also benefit 

from discounts on professional services 

provided by the Pure Golf Leopardstown 

team outside of academy hours, along 

with 10% off purchases in the fully 

stocked PGA golf shop at the centre, a 

10% discount on range balls and 25% off 

custom fitting. 

Another attractive feature for 

academy members is the opportunity to 

participate in golf events to be arranged 

at intervals, including competitively priced 

overseas coaching trips organised by the 

Pure Golf team in conjunction with 

Leopardstown Sports Travel. 

And there will be a free monthly 

academy members draw offering a 

selection of equipment, clothing and 

accessory prizes. 

A typical week for 

ACADEMY MEMBERS 

with Pure Golf team 

MONDAY: 

10.30am-11.30am: Pure Short Game 

School. 

7.30pm-8.30pm: Pure Swing Analysis 

TUESDAY: 

11am-12am: Pure Ladies School 

7.30pm-8.30pm: Pure Wedge School 

WEDNESDAY: 

11.30am-12.30am: Pure Thoughts 

(Course Management) 

THURSDAY: 

8.30pm-9.30pm: Pure Custom Fitting 

FRIDAY: 

10.30am-11.30am: Pure Fitness with 

a TPI qualified fitness coach 

SATURDAY: 

2pm-3pm: Pure Putting School

The Leopardstown Golf Centre has been an 

institution in Irish golf since the mid-1960’s. It is 

the finest facility of its kind in Europe. 

The whole set-up is top class and the whole 

emphasis is on making the experience of visiting 

the centre a real pleasure every time whether 

you’re a novice, an average club golfer or an 

explosive talent with designs on conquering the 

golfing world. 

The revamped driving range features the 

fully automated Power Tee ball dispensing 

technology and high performance Srixon range 

balls, which makes practice sessions pure 

pleasure...and the tour-spec short game area 

allows golfers to hone and develop skills in a 

vital aspect of the game. 

You can transform your game by having your 

clubs and golf ball custom fit to your style of 

play by the Pure Golf Leopardstown team. 

And if you are embracing change and wish to 

adopt a healthier lifestyle, you can avail of the 

expert services of European Senior Tour 

physiotherapist Orlaith Buckley, who visits the 

Golf Centre at regular intervals. 

The imposing 22,000 sq ft clubhouse is a 

multi-functional facility that includes a fully 

stocked PGA golf shop in the main reception 

area along with Golfino and Leopardstown 

Sports Travel retail outlets. 

The spacious Green Room Cafe on the first 

floor is a busy 100-seater restaurant with an 

excellent reputation for casual and formal 

dining. 

The Leopardstown Golf Centre is situated 

in Foxrock Village just off the M50 at Exit 14 

(Southbound) for Dun Laoghaire. Telephone: 

01.2895341. 

Visit www.leopardstowngolfcentre.com 

and puregolfireland.com 

Above: The revolutionary Power Tee 

ball dispensing system available to 

patrons at the centre, along with top 

quality Srixon range balls. 

Left: Pure Golf Leopardstown PGA 

professionals Michael Kavanagh and 

Michael Allan demonstrate one of the 

aids in the dedicated Putting Studio. 

Below: The Pure Golf Leopardstown 

team of PGA professionals, from left, 

Michael Kavanagh, Michael Allan, 

Michael McDermott, Maura Morrin, 

David Kearney and John Langan. 

BACKSPIN 25

JUNIOR GOLF FOCUS 

Leinster coaching role reveals the qualities of 

Leinster’s U-13 boys 

panel is the focus 

of this special 

6-page junior golf 

feature and here 

we meet PGA 

professional PAUL 

THOMPSON who is 

playing an 

important role in 

grooming these 

young golfers for 

the future. 

These photos were taken by 

PAT CASHMAN 

at Powerscourt Golf Club 

26 BACKSPIN 

BACKSPIN - When did you turn 

professional and how did you become 

fascinated by the golf swing? 

PAUL THOMPSON - I became an assistant 

professional in 1981, moving from my home in 

York, in Yorkshire, to a public course in 

Twickenham. I hadn’t been playing golf long. 

In fact I don’t think I had played more than ten 

times before becoming an assistant pro. 

There were only three golf clubs in York at the 

time, so I was never a member of a club as an 

amateur. It was the senior assistant at 

Twickenham that got me very interested in 

swing technique. I was staying in modest 

lodgings with no TV and with little more than 

£5 to live off after the rent. I read all the books 

on golf I could get my hands on. I pestered the 

senior assistant with questions about the 

swing and the techniques of various 

champions. Apart from wanting to improve my 

own game I knew the sooner I started teaching 

golf the sooner I could make a few quid. 

I moved back up to Yorkshire in 1985 and after 

a brief spell at a club in Harrogate I became 

the head assistant at a famous club called 

Moor Allerton in Leeds. I worked for a 

fantastic club pro called Peter Blaze. 

Ryder Cup player Howard Clark was the 

touring pro there and it was fascinating to 

study his swing. Around that time he started 

working with David Leadbetter, so I used to 

pick his brain as much as I could. I was doing 

a lot of coaching at that time as well as trying 

to play the Northern PGA circuit...with 

moderate success! In 1990 I left Moor Allerton 

and just tried to play for the summer but my 

mind was fairly set on a career as a coach. 

In 1991 I was offered a couple of teaching 

jobs in Holland, but I had seen an advert for a 

job in Ireland representing Eamon Darcy at 

Delgany Golf Club as the resident pro, as he 

was on tour. Eamon invited me over for a few 

days to see if I liked the place, but it only took 

me a day to know I was very comfortable and I 

made arrangements to take the job. Soon 

afterwards I met Teresa Bradshaw (now my 

wife), the daughter of the last pro in Delgany 

and a niece of the legendary Harry Bradshaw.

In 1996 I became the club professional at 

the Slazenger family’s magnificent new 

Powerscourt Golf Club in Enniskerry. It’s a 

wonderful club with great members and 

colleagues and great facilities which give me 

great scope to develop my coaching career. 

You became involved with the Leinster 

Branch of the GUI as a provincial coach in 

2001. What does this role entail? 

PT - The Leinster branch’s main focus is to 

continue developing a plan geared towards 

raising the standards of existing elite players 

and nurturing young golfers at grass roots 

level. The plan is to put into place Long Term 

Development Pathways for players. There is a 

strong focus on finding talent at a younger age. 

With this in mind the Leinster branch created 

an Under 13 series of competitions a couple of 

years ago and although it’s still in its infancy 

we have had a great response to this concept 

with several young players showing promising 

signs. 

The provincial coaching sessions are 

mainly held in winter which has its obvious 

drawbacks but having training sessions for 

elite players would be impossible during 

summer as they have schedules busier than 

professional tour players. I am involved with 

four different panels this year, a development 

panel that includes players as young as 8, two 

intermediate panels and an ‘A’ squad. The ‘A’ 

squad have full day sessions at the national 

academy and the other panels have half-day 

sessions. We cover all aspects of the game. 

When it comes to swing technique we are 

trying to supplement a lot of the work that the 

players may have done with their own club 

pros. A lot of time is spent on the short game. 

It must be very satisfying working with young 

players who make the grade... 

PT - In my role with the Leinster branch I have 

been involved with a lot of excellent players 

including Shane Lowry and Niall Kearney, both 

of whom made incredible strides in 2009. 

There are several fine young talents coming 

through like Paul Dunne from Greystones and 

Daniel Murphy from Portarlington. The future 

looks bright for Leinster golf (all the more so 

as my wife Teresa is the boss of the branch 

office!). There are so many great people 

involved willing to give their time and support 

to these golfers. I thoroughly enjoy my 

involvement. 

continued... 

Facing Page: Paul Thompson 

demonstrates the art of bunker 

play to a group of Leinster U-13 

golfers at a coaching session 

Above: Paul performs a trick shot 

routine with Issac Agnew (Old 

Conna). 

Below: Paul with a group of 

Leinster U-13 panellists at a 

coaching session at Powerscourt. 

BACKSPIN 27

On these pages we feature an array of 

photographs taken during the 2009 Leinster 

Boys’ Under-13 Series Final. It remains to be 

seen how many of these youngsters develop 

into champion golfers in time, but they all certainly 

look the part and, besides, junior golf is all about 

having fun, forming friendships and character 

development. 

Visit www.cashmanphotography.ie 

28 BACKSPIN 

by PAT CASHMAN 

CONOR BRADSHAW 

(Delgany) 

SIMON KERRIGAN 

(Old Conna)

CHARLIE McMICKAN 

(Athlone) Leinster U-13 Series Final 

Carton House Golf Club 

80 Robert McGrattan Brazill (Rathsallagh), 

Charlie McMickan (Athlone) 

81 R McKeever (Castle), J Dwyer (Wicklow) 

82 J Dempsey (Newbridge), R Lester 

(Hermitage), 

84 S Walsh (Carton House), C Keown 

(Greystones), C Bolger (Carlow) 

85 M Ryan (New Ross), S Kerrigan 

(Old Conna), M Boucher (Carton House), 

R Mohan (Balcarrick), D Carey 

(Westmanstown) 

87 M Cooke (Waterford), J Byrne (Kilkenny), 

C Harte (Castle), E O'Hehir (Naas) 

88 C Smyth (Greenore) 

89 A Judd (Forrest Little), J Bolger 

(Courtown), C Kennedy (Roganstown) 

90 C Bradshaw (Delgany) 

91 J Keown (Greystones) 

92 I Agnew (Old Conna) 

93 A Murray (Balcarrick) 

95 E Collins (L'twn & B'twn), C Martin (Bray) 

96 L Donnelly (Mountain View) 

99 C O'Mara (Stackstown) 

101 I Butler (Old Conna) 

102 M Power (Kilkenny) 

122 N Martin (Bray) 

The prizes for all five qualifying events 

and the Series Final 

were sponsored by 

Titleist Footjoy Ireland 

Series winner ROBERT McGRATTAN BRAZILL (Rathsallagh) with Keith Bardon (Titleist Footjoy, Ireland), Robert’s father 

Matt Brazill and Fintan Buckley (Chairman, Leinster Branch, Golfing Union of Ireland).Titleist Footjoy, Ireland, sponsored the 

2009 Leinster Boys’ U-18 Championship, Leinster Boys’ U-15 Close Championship and the Leinster Boys’ U-13 Series 

BACKSPIN 29

Leinster U-13 Series Final 

ROWAN LESTER 

(Hermitage) 

Photos by PAT CASHMAN 

www.cashmanphotography.ie 

30 BACKSPIN 

ADAM JUDD 

(Forrest Little) 

CIARAN SMYTH 

(Greenore)

CRAIG BOLGER 

(Carlow) 

NIALL MARTIN 

(Bray) 

MARK BOUCHER 

(Carton House) 

CATHAL MARTIN 

(Bray) 

EOIN O’HEHIR 

(Naas) 

BACKSPIN 31

Just choose your preferred destination 

The Algarve, Lisbon Coast or Madeira 

and leave the rest to our dedicated 

team of golf travel specialists. 

www.cassidygolf.com 

32 BACKSPIN 

SAN LORENZO 

TALK TO US NOW ABOUT... 

● Tailormade golf holidays including the option of 

hiring a Private Villa in the Algarve 

● Stay & Play packages at the 5-star Dona Filipa Hotel 

with complimentary golf at famous San Lorenzo! 

● Great choice of competitively priced villa holidays.



Cover photo: 



BACKSPIN 




Featuring... 


THE ALGARVE 



BACKSPIN’S SPECIAL ANNUAL 16-PAGE GUIDE TO GOLFING IN PORTUGAL

Awonderful mix of golf 

courses, great hospitality, 

vibrant entertainment and 

an abundance of tourist 

and sporting attractions have 

established the glamorous, 

award winning LISBOA GOLF 

COAST as the complete golf 

holiday destination. 

Here we provide a flavour of 

the experience that awaits 

you... 

BACKSPIN’s first-ever Portuguese 

golf course rankings last Autumn 

served to highlight the fact that 

the Lisboa Golf Coast has 

become firmly established as a premier 

international golf destination. The region 

boasts a selection of the finest golf 

courses in Continental Europe which are 

complemented by an all-embracing awardwinning 

tourism infrastructure. 

Within striking distance of Lisbon, an 

exhilarating cosmopolitan capital city, 

golfers are spoiled for choice with Praia 

D’el Rey, Penha Longa, Oitavos Dunes, 

Troia, Quinta do Peru, Aroeira 1 & 2, 

Quinta da Marinha, Belas, Golden Eagle, 

Pestana Beloura, Estoril, Bom Sucesso, 

Ribagolfe 1 & 2, Montado, Campo Real, 

Lisbon Sports Club, Santo Estevao, 

Belavista, Paco do Lumiar, Botado,Vimeiro 

and Golf Aldeia dos Capuchos creating a 

splendid and varied golfing canvass waiting 

to be explored. 

The Lisboa Golf Coast embraces three 

contrasting regions...the aristocratic 

Estoril / Sintra area, the stunning Costa 

Azul which is south of the Tagus river, and 

the enchanting Oeste region. 

There has been massive investment in 

golf in this part of Portugal in the last two 

decades, which has transformed the Lisboa 

Golf Coast into a golfer’s paradise. On the 

following pages we provide a flavour of the 

experience that awaits you in a region 

chosen as the 2007 European Golf 

Destination Of The Year by the 

International Association of Golf Tour 

Operators, which recognises excellence in 

the global golf tourism market. 

But, before we impress you with details 

of the region’s top class golf product, let us 

highlight some of the other attractions of 

the Lisboa Golf Coast 

Lisbon is an inspiring city packed with 

history and dramatic views, great food and 

restaurants, bustling nightlife and a sunny 

climate. There is a great mix of visitor 

attractions and accommodation options 

throughout the region. 

Lisbon is known as the white city, due 

to its unique light. The clear light and 

pleasant climate allow for marvellous 

PENHA LONGA 

walks all over the city. The city has a 

beauty that stimulates all the senses. 

Sporting attractions feature high on the 

agenda. Aside from great golf, you can 

enjoy international racing, showjumping 

and polo tournaments, whilst some of the 

finest action in European football unfolds 

during the soccer season at the famous 

Stadium of Light in Lisbon. 

When the sun goes down the Lisboa 

Coast comes alive as streets, squares, 

sidewalk cafes and promenades become a 

hub of activity. 

Indeed, you can enjoy a real taste of 

Portugal in and around the capital city with 

concerts, bullfights, festivals, hotels, bars, 

restaurants and nightclubs offering great 

entertainment. 

Accessibility is an important element 

when planning a golf holiday and the 

Lisboa Golf Coast is very appealing to Irish 

golfers in this regard as there are direct 

flights to Lisbon from Dublin and Cork 

and transfers are swift whether you 

choose Estoril/Sintra, Costa Azul or the 

Oeste region as your holiday base. 

The Complete Golf Holiday Destination 

34 BACKSPIN

ESTORIL / SINTRA... 

The aristocratic Estoril & Sintra 

area is an established golfing destination 

with a great mix of courses, a taste of 

which we provide here... 

The European Tour returns this year 

to Penha Longa’s superbly designed 

18-hole Atlantic championship course, 

which enjoys stunning views of Estoril, 

Cascais and the Sintra hills. 

This lavish 5-star resort thrust the 

Estoril/Sintra coast into the golfing 

spotlight during the 1990’s. 

Penha Longa incorporates a palace set 

in an ancient monastery. It has served as a 

private retreat for Portuguese Royalty and 

foreign dignitaries. 

Oitavos Dunes is a fine addition to 

the Lisboa Coast golfing landscape. It 

features three distinct landscape forms; 

forested area (with beautiful umbrella pine 

trees), dunes land, and more open coastal 

transition areas. The course is carefully 

routed to take advantage of all three 

zones and provides lovely views of the 

Atlantic and Sintra hills. 

Another impressive golf development 

is the Hotel Quinta da Marinha 

Resort, just 30-minutes from Lisbon, 

which offers a new vision of comfort and 

refinement following an extensive 

refurbishment programme that has earned 

the resort a 5-star classification. 

The delightful Estoril course is 

steeped in history and a pleasure to play. 

it was formed in 1929 when Fausto de 

Figueiredo, a gambling concessionaire at 

the local casino, decided to develop a nine 

hole golf course. 

In the mid-1940’s the course was 

upgraded to 18 holes by acclaimed course 

designer MacKenzie Ross and the lay-out 

is now separated by the Lisbon-Estoril 

motorway. 

Be sure to plan a visit also to the 

delightful Pestana Beloura course, 

which is situated between Cascais and 

Sintra. This flat and enjoyable 18-hole 

course provides fine mountain views and 

it’s fun negotiating the 40,000 trees of 

various species that flank the verdant 

fairways. 

QUINTA DO PERU 

THE COSTA AZUL... 

The Costa Azul is a beautiful part of the 

Lisboa Coast. It is steeped in history and 

tradition, famous for its cuisine and wines, 

and it is a natural holiday retreat that has 

a relaxing effect on visitors. 

Portugal’s Blue Coast is situated on the 

south bank of the Tagus river, just a few 

kilometres from Lisbon. 

Visitors enjoy great hospitality, a 

relaxed pace of life, easy access to Lisbon, 

excellent gastronomy and a very 

impressive golfing menu. 

Highly rated Quinta do Peru is set in 

the Azeitao region close to the castles of 

Sesimbra and Setubal. American architect 

Rocky Roquemore maintains this was one 

of his finest course designs. Trees, lakes, 

large bunkers and undulating greens add 

definition to a thrilling golf course. It is a 

‘must play’ when you visit the Lisboa Golf 

Coast with the delightful 4-star 

Sesimbra Hotel & Spa serving as a 

perfect base for golfers exploring this 

charming region (see advertisement on 

page 38). continued... 

AROEIRA 

BACKSPIN 35

Lisboa Golf 

Coast Courses 

ESTORIL / SINTRA 

Belas 

Estoril 

Lisbon Sports Club 

Oitavos Dunes 

Penha Longa 

Pestana Beloura 

Quinta da Marinha 

Useful Websites 

www.visitlisboa.com 

www.aerlingus.com 

Tony Heverin Travel... 

www.golfholidays.ie 

Cassidy Golf... 

www.cassidygolf.com 

Sean Skehan World of Golf... 

www.killestertravel.com 

36 BACKSPIN 

LISBON CITY 

Belavista 

Paco do Lumiar 

COSTA AZUL 

Aroeira 1 & 2 

Golf Aldeia dos Capuchos 

Montado 

Quinta do Peru 

Ribagolfe 1 & 2 

Santo Estevao 

Troia 

OESTE 

Bom Sucesso 

Botado 

CampoReal 

Golden Eagle 

Praia D’el Rey 

Vimeiro 

This listing does not include projects under 

construction or approved 

****** 

Check out International Golf Weeks 

and other Amateur events which take place 

each year in the Lisbon region. 

continued... 

The opportunity to play a genuine links 

at Troia adds an exciting dimension to 

visiting the Costa Azul. The wild natural 

beauty of the area is a glorious setting for 

this Robert Trent Jones masterpiece. 

The two courses at Aroeira wind 

their way through a rich pine forest on a 

900-acre estate just 20-minutes from 

Lisbon. 

The highly rated No. 1 course, which 

has hosted tour events, was developed 

over thirty years ago and it has been hailed 

as “The Wentworth of Portugal.” 

It was designed by renowned course 

architect Frank Pennink with additional 

features introduced later by the legendary 

Robert Trent Jones. 

The No. 2 course, opened in 1999 and 

designed by Donald Steel, enhances the 

Aroeira experience. 

Three fine additions to the Costa Azul 

golfing landscape are Ribagolfe I & II and 

9-hole Golf Aldeia dos Capuchos. 

Set amidst splendid scenery the two 

Ribagolfe courses were designed by 

former tour stars Michael King and Peter 

Townsend. 

Another fine new course is Santo 

Estevao which enjoys a lovely setting in 

unspoilt countryside just 30 minutes east 

of Lisbon’s international airport. 

THE OESTE REGION 

This is a part of Portugal where, less 

than twenty years ago, golf was foreign to 

most people including the region’s 

promotional bodies. 

All that has changed dramatically since 

the promoters of the 5-star Praia D’el 

Rey development in Obidos seized the 

opportunity to put the Oeste on the golf 

map in the mid-1990’s. 

Today the region boasts six beautiful 

courses that combine to create a great 

golfing itinerary and some new projects at 

various stages of development will further 

enhance the region’s sporting image. 

PRAIA D’EL REY, OESTE REGION 

The Oeste is a fascinating region and 

within an hour of arriving in Lisbon you 

can be golfing in great surroundings and 

splendid isolation. 

The Oeste region contributed in no 

small part to the Lisboa Golf Coast being 

voted 2007 European Golf Destination of 

the Year by IAGTO. 

The Oeste is only a few Km north of 

Lisbon. It is easily accessed by the A8 or 

A15 motorways. The A15 has an 

interchange with the A1 and the IP6 / A23 

providing a quick and convenient route 

between Portugal and Spain. 

The Oeste is bathed by blue sea and 

there are so many visitor attractions. 

Experience the charms of the walled 

town of Obidos. Take a boat trip to the 

Berlenga islands. Enjoy Peniche and Torres 

Vedras and so many other locations rich in 

art and history. 

The Obidos Lagoon is an area of great 

beauty where you can enjoy sailing, 

windsurfing or canoeing. 

You can sunbathe on one of the many 

beaches and you can indulge your passion 

for diving, underwater fishing, surfing, 

windsurfing, tennis and horse riding 

between dunes and mountain ridges. 

Visit Peniche, a charming fishing village 

or take a trip to the Carvoeiro Cape, 

Baleal, or Porto de Barcas. 

Above all, enjoy the fresh fish, the 

seafood, taste the shellfish and rural 

traditional cooking. 

The local food in the Oeste region is 

simply delightful, and there are so many 

welcoming traditional restaurants which 

offer wonderful food, fine wines and great 

hospitality. 

There is an outstanding choice of 

accommodation in the region to suit all 

tastes and requirements, ranging from 

luxurious 5-star hotels to the comforts of 

3 and 4 star quality hotels, inns, manor 

houses and rural dwellings. 

A special experience awaits you in the 

Oeste region of Portugal. Enjoy!

BACKSPIN 37

IRISH GOLFERS...COME TO SESIMBRA 

Enjoy a delightful golfing break on Portugal’s Blue Coast 

Stay at the Sesimbra Hotel & Spa.... 

This impressive 4-star hotel is located just 30 km from 

Lisbon in the charming fisherman’s village of Sesimbra, 

surrounded by the unique Arrabida Nature Reserve, with 

golden sandy beaches nearby. 

The hotel offers 84 tastefully presented bedrooms and 8 

suites, all with Ocean views. 

Guests can enjoy the hotel’s restaurants and bars, an 

outdoor pool, a relaxing indoor pool, a private beach area and 

avail of the state-of-the-art gymnasium and Spa. 

www.sesimbrahotelspa.com 

QUINTA DO PERU 

Oceânico Victoria course, 

Vilamoura 

Going to Portugal or Spain? 

Leave the arrangements to us 

❋ 

38 BACKSPIN 

❋ 

❋ 

You simply tell us what you want. We specialise in 

tailormade golf holidays for groups of all sizes, including 

lady golfers, societies and corporate parties. Trips of any 

duration can be arranged with as much golf as you want. 

Established family operated Dublin based travel agency 

dedicated to offering expert advice, personal service and 

competitive pricing 

Superb choice of 3, 4 and 5 star hotels and guaranteed 

tee-times on all the top courses in Portugal and Spain 

TONY HEVERIN TRAVEL 

11, North Frederick Street, Dublin 1. Tel: (01) 874 6443 Fax: (01) 874 6160 

Email: tony.heverin@heverintravel.ie 

www.golfholidays.ie 

SESIMBRA HOTEL & SPA 

Play golf at lovely Quinta do Peru... 

With the Arrabida Mountains as its 

backdrop, the course is perfect for 

the golfer on holiday. The new Clubhouse 

includes pro-shop, bar & restaurant. The 

off-course facilities includes a two way 

driving range, putting & chipping greens. The 

friendly family atmosphere makes this club one of the most 

highly regarded in Portuguese golf. A must see. 

www.golfquintadoperu.com 

To subscribe or advertise in 

33-39 B'SPIN ANN 10 25/1/10 16:24 Page 1 


Cover photo: 



BACKSPIN 









Featuring... 


THE ALGARVE 




Showtime for 

EUROPEAN NO.1 

LEE WESTWOOD 


Contact 

THE GOLF BUSINESS 

Tel: 00353-1-2827269 

Fax: 00353-1-2827483 

Email: golfbiz@eircom.net 

www.backspingolfmagazine.com 

The Golf Business publishes 

Backspin, Leopardstown Golf News, 

Portugal Pure Golf Country and the 

Irish Ladies Golf Union Handbook. 

ISSN 1393 - 9122 

03 

9 771393 912010

This is a story about a group of Irish golfers who have been seduced by the 

LISBOA GOLF COAST since their first visit in 2004. Philip Quinn’s article 

captures the fun they share planning and enjoying their annual pilgrimage. 

by PHILIP QUINN 

(Irish Daily Mail) 

PENHA LONGA 

After 675 holes and 18 courses, the tingle 

of anticipation of a return visit to 

Portugal surges through the veins like a 

roller-coaster on speed. 

The annual spring pilgrimage of a not-so 

honorable company of six Dublin golfers, known 

unflatteringly as “The Soiled and Ancient” began 

as an excuse in 2004 to celebrate a 40th 

birthday. 

It was, our good lady wives were assured, a 

once off. Balderdash. What we started, we 

haven’t finished yet. Now, as we all tip-toe 

towards 50, we unashamedly acknowledge that 

Portugal has us happy hackers hooked. 

It did from day one, when in a country famed 

for his explorers, we embarked on our own 

journey of discovery in Praia D’el Rey and has 

continued each year until the last putt is 

dropped, or missed, on the home green at Penha 

Longa, the customary final port of call. 

With Ireland layered in a wintry blanket and 

golf clubs gathering dust, talk of Lisbon has lit up 

many a chill dark night and lifted spirits. 

It invariably begins over a Christmas drink 

with a casual reference to what dates best suit at 

the end of March or early April, and where we 

might play. 

Before long, the debate becomes intense. 

A full-blown committee meeting is called for, 

usually in Carthy’s pub in Drumcondra, where 

the plotting begins in earnest. 

Each of us has jobs to do; sourcing flights, 

accommodation, car hire and, crucially, the teetimes. 

As pints are supped, dates are nailed down, a 

provisional itinerary teased out, the format is 

agreed and, crucially, handicaps are revised - 

mostly up to give ourselves as much chance as 

possible! 

For our wrecking crew, breaking 30 points, 

rather than the mythical 36, is an achievement 

worthy of praise while finishing a round with the 

same ball you started out with is regarded as 

heroic. 

None of us are single figure golfers but you 

don’t have to be to take pleasure in the golfing 

pearls of Portugal. 

They are so seductive that each year we try 

to cram in as much as possible by playing 

18 holes for six days with a break‚ for nine holes 

on the delightful monastery course in Penha 

Longa, to allow time for shopping in Cascais - we 

can’t return home empty-handed after all. 

continued... 

BACKSPIN 39

continued... 

Our itinerary is framed by the courses 

we have come to prefer, by price, 

availability, and also by geography as our 

hideaway retreat in Praia das Machas, just 

beyond Sintra, is off the beaten track. 

It’s a quiet seaside village on the road 

to nowhere, blessed with outstanding 

value for money seafood restaurants, just 

two pubs - one of which we move into for 

the week - and a beautiful sandy beach 

where we confound locals by taking dips in 

the chill briny. 

Each morning, we depart with hope in 

our hearts, stopping off in Colares for 

breakfast, and return each evening, 

invariably humbled by our standard of play, 

ravenous. 

As soon as the wine is uncorked, 

breads dipped, and the fish on the grill, the 

talk always turns excitedly to the next day, 

the next challenge. 

It helps, that we’ve come up with a 

varied competition format for which there 

is a draw - always open and fair - each 

evening. 

Apart from our nine-hole scramble, the 

week-long championship consists of two 

rounds of singles and two rounds of blind 

better ball stableford, where your 

unknown partner is in the other threeball. 

We also play two rounds of a waltzing 

scramble, where one score counts on the 

40 BACKSPIN 

OITAVOS DUNES 

first hole; two on the second hole and all 

three on the third. One, two, three, and so 

on. 

And we reserve the option for a 

midweek handicap review if one of us, or 

more, is struggling, which can often lead to 

a fair and frank exchange of opinions. 

There are 24 courses in the Lisbon 

region, most of them are outstanding, all 

are challenging. Over the years, we’ve 

sifted through them like a miner panning 

for gold. 

Top of the list are the trophy tracks, 

Penha Longa, Oitavos Dunes, Troia and 

Praia D'el Rey, each one an absolute gem. 

Of the four, Penha Longa, from the 

forward tees, probably offers the 

handicapper most respite. 

The toughest one? For me, it’s Oitavos 

Dunes, a beautiful beast which can bring 

anyone to their knees. Just check the 

scores by the professionals when the 

Portuguese Open was staged there. 

Ranking courses is tricky but the 

eccentric, charming, Estoril has become a 

permanent fixture as has undulating Belas. 

Both are handy runs from Praia das Macas. 

We usually allow for two trips across 

the Tagus which brings in 36-hole Aroeira, 

Quinta do Peru, Montado and the new 

kids on the block, Ribagolfe I and II and 

Santo Estevao. 

We played Santo Estevao for the first 

time last year and gave it the thumbs up, 

simply because we all broke 30 points. 

Who says a course has to be intimidating 

to be enjoyable? 

For six Dubs, all on the back nine of life, 

what seemed like a good idea six years ago 

has become a great one. 

In these difficult times, you need 

something to cling on to and, for us, our 

spring break in Portugal has become a 

comfort blanket. 

- PHILIP QUINN (Irish Daily Mail

DOM PEDRO HOTELS 

The Perfect 19th Hole 

Avital aspect of any golfing holiday is the quality of the 

accommodation and many Irish golfers visiting the Algarve 

will either have stayed at or certainly be familiar with the 

Dom Pedro Hotels, which are synonymous with top quality 

hospitality and an established part of Portuguese golfing life. 

Located in Vilamoura only minutes 

from Europe’s best golf courses, heavenly 

beaches, and Vilamoura’s Marina and 

Casino, the Dom Pedro Golf Resort 

is reborn after a refurbishment.The 266 

rooms are now lighter and more 

comfortable, equipped with LCD 

television, air conditioning, and the Dom 

Pedro Collection amenities, as well as, of 

course, round the clock room service. 

A new catering concept was conceived, 

resulting in two restaurants: “Oliva”, 

comprised of “à la Carte” Mediterranean 

cuisine, and “White”, the new Buffet 

space. The Grill in the hotel gardens 

continues throughout the warmer 

months. 

Exterior renovations have created 

pleasant and modern areas with new 

swimming pools, new Kids Club and new 

SPA Aquae (equipped with an indoor 

pool, a cardio-fitness room, jacuzzi, 

sauna, and two treatment rooms). 

The new Dom Pedro Golf Resort 

and the nearby Dom Pedro Marina 

Hotel in Vilamoura are superbly situated 

with so many outstanding courses within 

a short distance, including the famous 

Old Course and the stunning Arnold 

Palmer designed Victoria course. 

Dom Pedro Hotels in the Algarve 

offer attractive golf packages and special 

deals at various stages during the year, 

while special discounts are available to 

hotel guests on selected Algarvian 

courses. 

Guaranteed tee times can be booked 

through the dedicated Dom Pedro golf 

desk. 

And, of course, the fashionable resort 

of Vilamoura - just 25km from Faro 

Airport - offers an abundance of 

entertaining nightlife including a casino 

and a yacht marina to make your 

Algarvian golfing vacation a memorable 

experience every time. 

FOR MORE DETAILS VISIT... 

www.dompedro.com 

Spa Aquae, Dom Pedro Golf Resort 

BACKSPIN 41

The 

ALGARVE 

offers a truly 

irresistible 

golfing menu 

CASTRO MARIM, Eastern Algarve 

42 BACKSPIN 

So, what is it about the Algarve that makes it 

so irresistible to golfers? A glorious year 

round climate...an abundance of leisure 

pursuits....the relaxed and stylish way of life and the 

friendliness of the Algarvian people....a top class 

tourism infrastructure with all the leading 

Portuguese hotel groups strongly represented...the 

fact that it’s part of the Eurozone...and the fact that 

it is within a few hours of Ireland all combine to 

draw visitors back time and time again. 

And then, of course, there is the golf! 

The Algarve is just one beautiful, long verdant 

fairway from East to West, speckled with some of 

the finest golfing creations in Continental Europe 

and an array of other delightful courses that are 

fun to play. 

The whole landscape of the Algarve has 

changed dramatically in the past decade with the 

OCEÂNICO OLD COURSE, Vilamoura 

EASTERN ALGARVE GAINS MANY ADMIRERS 

golf and property boom fanning-out across the 

entire coastline. 

The Algarve divides into three distinct 

regions...Sotavento, which is east of Faro, the 

central zone which encompasses the area 

immediately west of Faro Airport, and the western 

region beyond Albufeira heading towards the 

charming seaside town of Lagos and on to Sagres. 

Here we provide just a taste of what each of 

the three regions offers golfers. 

CENTRAL ALGARVE 

Golfers can choose from a great selection of 

courses in the Quinta do Lago/Vale do Lobo/ 

Vilamoura areas. For instance the North, South 

and Laranjal courses at Quinta do Lago, highly rated 

San Lorenzo and Pinheiros Altos, the Royal and 

Ocean courses at Vale do Lobo, also Vila Sol and 

there are five Oceânico courses in Vilamoura 

including the Arnold Palmer designed Victoria 

course, venue of the Portuguese Masters. 

Interestingly, the famous Vilamoura Old Course 

was voted ‘Best Algarve Course’ in a BACKSPIN poll 

conducted last year involving a mix of Irish golfers, 

travel professionals and golf writers with a strong 

appreciation of the Portuguese golf product. 

The 5-star Vilamoura and Quinta do Lago 

resorts combine all facets of sophisticated living in 

magnificent environments in the central Algarve. 

Vilamoura is well established as a premier 

beach, golf, leisure and conference destination. It is 

a vibrant resort where jetsetters and casual 

holidaymakers can enjoy an abundance of sporting, 

entertainment and lifestyle pursuits. 

It was only a matter of time 

before the international 

leisure and property sectors 

recognised the wonderful 

potential of the eastern Algarve, 

and in recent years this largely 

undiscovered landscape has been 

totally transformed into a 

booming tourism region with a 

burgeoning reputation. 

Suddenly Tavira and other 

enchanting towns and villages are 

awakening to a whole new pace 

of life as huge investment in the 

tourism product begins to reap a 

rich harvest. 

Golf is playing a central role in 

the changing face of the Eastern 

Algarve with the stunning Jack 

Nicklaus creation at Monte Rei on 

a par with the finest parkland 

courses in Continental Europe. 

Quinta da Ria and Quinta de 

Cima are both solidly established 

Rocky Roquemore designed 

courses. They are bordered by 

the Ria Formosa nature reserve 

and situated between Tavira and 

the hills of the Serra do 

Caldeirao, 20-mns from Faro. 

Enjoy warm hospitality and a delightful variety of courses

Quinta do Lago is regarded as the Beverly Hills 

of the Algarve. It is a perfect chill-out retreat. 

Visitors to this swish and exclusive resort close to 

Faro regularly encounter famous faces from 

various walks of life. 

A little further along the coast, heading West, 

the Pestana Group - promoters of several golf 

resorts in the Algarve - have made a significant 

investment in recent years in the popular Vale da 

Pinta and Gramacho golf resorts in the charming 

Carvoeiro area (see Pestana golf story on Page 45) 

and these impressive courses benefit from the 

huge influx of tourists to this prosperous area. 

It’s a lovely part of the Algarve that offers 

excellent visitor facilities and a captivating lifestyle. 

Interestingly many Irish people have bought 

property around the Carvoeiro area, which 

creates a warm and inviting home from home 

atmosphere. 

WESTERN ALGARVE 

The Western Algarve is so much easier to 

access and navigate than in the past with a high 

speed motorway link virtually all the way from Faro 

Airport, and golf is now big business in this region. 

The Western Algarve is a golfer’s paradise in its 

own right with famous Penina now sharing the 

spotlight with such fine creations as Morgado, 

located inland from Penina at the foot of the 

Monchique hills on the Algarve Downs, Oceânico’s 

Nick Faldo and Christy O’Connor Jnr signature 

courses at the Amendoeira Resort and beautiful 

Pestana Silves nearby. 

Parque da Floresta, Boavista near Lagos and 

scenic and serene Palmares nearby are other gems. 

Lovely Benamor and the new 

course at Quinta do Vale add 

spice and variety to the eastern 

Algarve’s golfing landscape and 

then there is Castro Marim, 

which is one of the most 

delightful discoveries in the 

entire Algarve region. 

Castro Marim is situated 

close to the Spanish border and 

provides spectacular views of 

the Algarvian Mountains, the 

Atlantic Ocean, the Guadiana 

River and the Castro Marim 

nature reserve. Perched high on 

a hillside, the course has been 

cleverly carved out of the local 

topography. 

Castro Marim has three 

nine-hole loops - the ‘Atlantic’, 

the ‘Guadiana’ and the ‘Grouse’. 

The new 9-hole loop 

(the Grouse Course) was 

inaugurated in April 2008 by the 

Koninginnedag (Queen's Day) 

Tournament.The dramatic par-3 

sixth hole features a “beach” of 

white sand and palm trees 

around the green. The new, 

longer 9-hole Grouse loop 

complements the original 18 

at Castro Marim with sloping, 

funnel-like fairways, large 

variations in elevation through 

the fairways and greens, and 

spectacular views of the 

surrounding countryside and 

down to the coast. 

The emphasis is on strategic 

play at Castro Marim with long 

hitters likely to encounter lots 

of fun if the wind blows! 

This is holiday golf as 

it should be....challenging, 

invigorating and immensely 

pleasurable. 

The castle-style Castro 

Marim clubhouse provides a 

convivial atmosphere for aprés 

golf relaxation. 

An enterprising Irish 

company, O’Connor Golf 

Tours, specialises in the Eastern 

Algarve. 

Woodbrook member Gerry 

O’Connor says, “We can book 

everything for golfers on the 

ground. We have excellent 

connections in the local golf and 

hospitality sectors and our 

chauffeur service allows golfers 

to enjoy a stress-free trip.” 

Contact Gerry O’Connor 

on 086.2555503 or by email: 

info@oconnorgolftours.com or 

visit oconnorgolftours.com 

MONTE REI 

Left: The stunning Jack Nicklaus 

designed Monte Rei course in the 

Eastern Algarve, close to the Spanish 

border, is regarded as one of the 

finest new courses in Continental 

Europe. 

Below: The exposure gained from 

hosting the World Cup of Golf and 

the Portuguese Masters has firmly 

established the Arnold Palmer 

designed Oceânico Victoria course in 

Vilamoura as a ‘must play’ on any 

Algarve holiday itinerary. 

OCEÂNICO VICTORIA COURSE,Vilamoura 

A Jewel in the Eastern Algarve 

Castro Marim Golfe and Country Club is a luxurious, spacious resort, 

beautifully situated in the southeast Algarve. 

The resort offers fantastic semi-detached villas. The villas are available 

for holiday-rental with a limited number for sale at very attractive 

conditions. Each villa has 3 bedrooms, all with bathroom en suite and a 

private pool. The villas have a breathtaking view of the golf course, the 

Atlantic Ocean and/or the Guadiana river. 

Castro Marim offers a fantastic 27-hole golf course designed by English 

golf architect Terry Murray. According to the book "1001 Golf holes you 

must play before you die" by Jeff Barr, Castro Marim belongs to the world's 

best golf courses. "The hole that must be played" is the 4th hole of the 

Guadiana Course - a challenging par 5 hole. 

The club house includes a bar and restaurant and offers an excellent 

selection of food and beverages for a great breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. 

Visit www.castromarimgolfe.com and book your holiday/golf trip now! 

Castro Marim Golfe and Country Club 

Apartado 70, 8950-909 Castro Marim, Portugal 

Tel. 00. 351 281 510330. Email: info@castromarimgolfe.com 

www.castromarimgolfe.com 

BACKSPIN 43

Savour and adopt 

our unique lifestyle 

If your idea of an appealing golf holiday 

is all about enjoying top quality facilities 

at affordable prices and excellent 

hospitality in a relaxing environment 

then you are sure to relish the Pestana 

lifestyle in Portugal. 

With an impressive golf and hotel 

portfolio endorsed by the legendary Nick 

Price and an international reputation for 

hospitality that’s as warm as the Algarvian 

climate, it’s little wonder that the Pestana 

success story continues to prosper. 

There are four fine Pestana Golf Resorts 

in the Algarve...Gramacho, Vale da Pinta, 

Silves Golf and Alto Golf...along with one, 

Beloura Golf, in the Lisbon region...and it’s a 

strong endorsement of their quality and 

variety that visitor numbers increase year on 

year as more and more golfers make these 

delightful discoveries and adopt the Pestana 

way of life. 

Significantly, all of Pestana’s courses in the 

Algarve have hosted European Senior Tour 

Qualifying School stages and Vale da Pinta has 

hosted the final stage of this annual event for 

the last eight years. 

But the main emphasis throughout the 

year is on providing holiday golfers with a 

pleasurable experience everytime and all of 

Pestana’s courses are designed, managed and 

www.pestanagolf.com 

44 BACKSPIN 

maintained in such a way that they are a 

delight to play whether you are a club golfer 

or a touring professional. 

It is important to mention that all of 

Pestana’s courses are served by impressive 

clubhouses that are geared to cater for a 

whole variety of social occasions, business 

events and corporate gatherings involving up 

to 300 guests. 

Here is just a flavour of Pestana’s four 

contrasting Algarvian courses, which are 

steeped in history... 

PESTANA VALE DA PINTA 

As soon as course designer Ronald Fream 

saw the land he remarked that it was “God 

given for golf” and the celebrated architect 

set about creating a magnificent lay-out on 

undulating land close to the popular village of 

Carvoeiro. 

The highly regarded golf course is 

complemented by a driving range and 

academy along with an impressive new 

clubhouse with terrace, restaurant/bar, 

beauty and massage salon and real estate 

office. 

PESTANA GRAMACHO 

Ronald Fream’s original double-nine layout 

was later adapted to incorporate a new 

Pestana Silves Golf 

nine designed by Nick Price and Rick Eliot 

which has transformed Gramacho into a 

splendid facility offering great variety with 18 

holes and 27 greens. 

PESTANA ALTO GOLF 

This was the legendary Sir Henry Cotton’s 

last course design and it was an inspired 

creation as Pestana Alto Golf, set in rolling 

countryside near Alvor, serves as a most 

interesting and manageable test whether you 

are a low, mid or high handicapper. 

PESTANA SILVES GOLF 

The ancestral city of Silves is a serene spot 

but the new Pestana course is set to place 

Silves firmly on the golfing map as it offers a 

challenging round with spectacular mountain 

and valley views overlooking palm trees and 

olive groves.. 

The superbly designed and beautifully 

presented course, which features dramatic 

bunkering, takes full advantage of the natural 

beauty of the area and golfers can even have 

fun picking a few oranges or figs in between 

shots. 

Green fee rates are attractively pitched at 

all of Pestana’s courses in Portugal and 

visiting golfers can also avail of excellent 

resort stay and play packages. 

Pestana Gramacho

Enjoy the Pestana Lifestyle 

Last remaining villa plots from €95,000 2 bedroom apartments from €185,000 

Twilight Green Fee 

Gramacho: €26 

Vale da Pinta: €31 

Alto Golf: €28 

From 3.30 p.m. 

(From January to March, November & December) 

From 4.30 p.m. 

(April & from May to October ) 

Golf Resort Packages 

Stay in our Golf Resort 

from €135 p/p: 

3 nights B & B 

2 rounds of golf 

Price based on 4 persons sharing a two bedroom 

apartment.

TIVOLI CARVOEIRO 

46 BACKSPIN 

Choosing where to stay on a golfing vacation 

is every bit as important as planning where 

to play and if your next golfing odyssey 

takes you to the glistening Algarve coastline 

TIVOLI HOTELS & RESORTS have three 

excellent options which offer the highest standards 

of luxury and hospitality. 

TIVOLI MARINA VILAMOURA 

Whichever hotel you choose - the Tivoli 

Victoria or Tivoli Marina Vilamoura in 

Vilamoura or the Tivoli Carvoeiro further down 

the coast - you will be warmly welcomed and 

perfectly situated to explore the abundance of 

golfing and tourist attractions that abound across 

all parts of the Algarve. Here we provide details of 

these three outstanding hotels... 

TIVOLI VICTORIA 

– An experience of pure luxury 

Guests at the Tivoli Victoria are surrounded with 

amazing panoramic views of the Oceânico Victoria 

Course, designed by Arnold Palmer, which is 

considered one of the best courses in Europe. 

With an extensive range of facilities which include 

magnificent swimming pools, a conference and 

events centre which can hold up to 1,000 people, 

two restaurants, tennis court,T/Kids and a Private 

Butler Service - exclusive to Suites - the Tivoli 

Victoria takes luxury, comfort, quality and elegance 

to a new level. 

Tivoli Hotels & Resorts 

Much more than just a round of golf.... 

....a challenging experience

The hotel also includes the first Elements Spa by 

Banyan Tree in Europe, a luxury Spa concept which 

specialises in an holistic approach based on 

Oriental therapies. In the finest Eastern tradition, 

the focus is ‘high touch - low tech’ that celebrates 

the human touch, the use of natural herbs and 

spices and reintroduces an exotic mixture of 

ancient treatments for health and beauty which 

have been handed down from generation to 

generation.With 7 treatment rooms located on the 

top floor of the hotel, clients can enjoy private 

Jacuzzis with views over the Victoria golf course 

and relax in the knowledge that at this Spa, all of the 

therapists are trained and certified by the Banyan 

Tree Academy in Thailand. 

Just 2 minutes from the Tivoli Victoria is The 

Residences at Victoria, the ideal solution for family 

holidays. Here your holidays will be in the same 

style as in the hotel with a total leisure experience 

to be enjoyed in the exceptionally high quality of 

surroundings and in the beauty of the inspirational 

scenery. 

This condominium is particularly advantageous 

for families who wish to combine the ease of living 

in an apartment with an exceptional hotel service. 

Accommodation alternatives include Resort Suites 

and Master Suites which have full access to all of 

the facilities at the hotel Tivoli Victoria with 

privileged conditions, as well as some exclusive 

advantages. 

TIVOLI MARINA VILAMOURA 

– A perfect meeting with the sun 

Located just 20 km from Faro airport and with 

privileged views of the sea and the marina, the Tivoli 

Marina Vilamoura is the ideal hotel for those 

looking to spend their holiday with the family. 

Recently remodelled with a fascinating new 

restaurant called Pepper's, an American style 

steakhouse where you can enjoy the best in meat 

dishes prepared by specialists. 

In the hotel gardens, a visit to the luxury Asian 

Angsana Spa will leave you with an exquisite 

sensation of total calmness. This is a Spa concept 

from the prestigious Thai Banyan Tree chain. 

In a setting of contemporary architecture with 

an atmosphere of all-embracing serenity, there are 

11 different treatment rooms at your disposal.You 

can also visit the Angsana Gallery to acquire 

exclusive spa products such as essential oils, 

massage oils and incense. Become a member of 

Angsana Spa and take advantage of discounts on 

THE RESIDENCES AT VICTORIA CLUBE DE GOLF 

treatments, preferential prices in the Angsana 

Gallery and special privileges at the different 

Vilamoura golf courses. 

TIVOLI CARVOEIRO 

– A glimpse of paradise 

In the picturesque village of Carvoeiro, discover 

the perfect spot for a beach holiday and weekend 

getaways. Its cliff top position with only the sea 

before it guarantees that you'll fall in love with this 

unique setting.The nearby golf courses also ensure 

that you’ll have excellent leisure opportunities. 

The photos above and below show 

different aspects of the Tivoli Hotels 

& Resorts experience. 

For full details about 

these hotels visit ... 

www.tivolihotels.com 

TIVOLI VICTORIA 

BACKSPIN 47

Above: A fine study of Gary Murphy 

participating in a European tour 

event. 

Photo courtesy of his sponsors 

Oceânico Golf (Portugal). 

48 BACKSPIN 

BACKSPIN - You turned professional in 1995 

following an outstanding amateur career and 

learned the ropes playing in Asia and on the 

European Challenge Tour. What lessons did 

you learn in your early days on Tour? 

GM - When I turned professional I realised the 

importance of time management. This is the 

key to proper preparation on the practice 

ground and golf course. Generally in my 

amateur days I turned up and played, but being 

a professional requires more forward planning. 

I also learned more about the importance of 

course strategy. 

I also discovered that proper scheduling and 

pacing myself would be important. Most of the 

lessons I learned in the early days were to do 

with management of my game and my life in 

general. 

Having secured your Tour Card at Q School at 

the end of 2002 you found a new gear and 

scored 3 top-10's on the European Tour in 

2003. What brought about the transformation 

in your game at that time? 

GM - A major transformation was graduating 

through the satellite tours and serving my time 

so that when I got out on the main tour I felt 

comfortable in that environment and I had 

greater belief in my game. When I first turned 

professional my game was not ready for the 

main tour. I learned to play my own game and 

played within myself a lot more. 

Who have been the biggest influences in your 

golfing life, past & present, and in what ways 

do you benefit from this support? 

GM - My dad was my big influence as a kid as he 

introduced me to the game and taught me how 

to play golf. He always had a huge amount of 

belief in my game, at times maybe more than I 

had. It’s really only since 2003 that I have had 

that same belief and felt calm and confident in 

pressure situations. My family have always 

been a huge support. They’ve always been there 

for me and believed in me. 

In 2003 I got married and now I have my wife 

Elaine at home with my daughter Hollie, who 

was born in 2006, which has given me a 

different focus to play the game. If you are away 

for 32 weeks of the year you need to have great 

support at home and a very understanding 

family and luckily I have that. 

You've had a number of opportunities to join 

the winner's circle on the European Tour, most 

notably your 3rd place finish in the 2008 Irish 

Open. Describe how tough it is to win on Tour 

and particularly in front of a home crowd. 

GM - It’s very tough to win on tour. You need to 

get everything right for four days and you need 

the luck of the greens. Everything has to go 

right in a given week. It’s a tough ask, but 

noticeably in the last few years it tends to be 

different people winning every week whereas a 

few years ago the same people were winning all 

the time. 

Fighting spirit and positive outlook inspire

The standard has improved by at least 1 1 ⁄2 shots 

a round since I joined in 2000. You need a bit of 

luck and I feel I’m getting closer than I have in 

the past and I’m hoping this will be my year. As 

for playing at home, I’ve always performed 

better in Ireland than most other places as you 

always get great crowds in your home country. I 

think it’s more enjoyable playing at home than 

anywhere else. Having the family there also 

concentrates the mind a little better. 

You produced a rousing finish to the 2009 

season with a 4th place finish in Madrid, but 

just fell short of retaining your Tour card. 

Describe the pressures and ultimately the 

sense of joy and satisfaction you felt when you 

regained your Tour card at Q School in 

November. 

GM - I went through a bad spell in the middle of 

the summer, I played poorly in the bigger 

events and didn’t pick up any money so when 

August came around things were getting hairy 

as I wasn’t really in great form and I was low in 

confidence. I always thought my game would 

get me through and I was great tee to green but 

my putting let me down. However I putted well 

for four days in Madrid last October and that 

resulted in my 4th place finish. 

Going to tour school the following month I 

felt that I had regained the confidence that had 

eluded me in the summer. I actually felt less 

pressure than I did in the tournament in 

Australia immediately prior to tour school. 

Once I finished the last round at tour school 

I was numb as you don’t know how you have 

done until everyone has posted scores. My 

minimum goal was to gain a top 20 card to give 

myself a chance before the first re-rank. At the 

end of the school I felt relief more than 

anything. The ironic thing is that I got my card 

back, headed to the first tournament of the 

2010 season in South Africa and my clubs got 

lost! 

You are talented, experienced, tough and 

determined. Do you feel you are better geared 

than ever before to cope with the ups and 

downs of Tour life? 

GM - I am definitely more rounded as a player 

than I have been in the past. The situation in 

2006 when I was at the last event of the season 

trying to keep my card really helped me through 

the 2009 tour school. That psyche needs to be 

with you for every tournament, the mentality 

that ‘every day is a school day’ and that you 

need to try your best every time you compete. 

There are guys that can play better than I do but 

it doesn’t mean they will beat me on a 

particular day or week. I have learned that 

staying in your own game as much as you can 

and not worrying what anyone else is doing is 

imperative. 

What aspects of your game are you happiest 

with and are you working on any new swing 

moves or aspects of your game at this time? 

GM - Driving is one of my strongest assets and 

wedge play and short iron play is a major focus 

this season. My driving and long iron play are 

well above average on tour. My scoring irons 

(shots of less than 140 yards) need to improve. 

Will you do anything differently with a view to 

progressing to the next level? 

GM - My goal for the year is to hit less shots! I’m 

going to work a lot more on my flexibility and 

manage my schedule better. 

Who are the key people in Team Gary Murphy? 

GM - It’s imperative to have a team around you 

that you can trust and rely on. My management 

team at Green17 do a great job of looking after 

the important ‘off course’ activities such as my 

logistics and sponsorships. I often see my good 

friend Dave Carroll when I am home, he is a 

fantastic coach. My family are a tremendous 

support to me and I like to spend as much time 

as possible at home with my wife Elaine and 

daughter Hollie and all the rest of the Murphy 

family. I am very lucky as all my old friends in 

Kilkenny and Drogheda are tremendously 

supportive of me. A good caddy on tour is 

essential and considering the amount of time 

you spend with each other it’s great to work 

with someone who you get along well with. I’m 

lucky to have worked with some of the best 

including Martin Rowley and now Gary Tilston. 

At age 37 and in the prime period of your 

golfing life what aspirations do you have 

looking ahead to 2010 and beyond? 

GM - My aspiration is to be a multiple winner on 

the European tour and I feel that I have at least 

another ten good years of competitive golf 

ahead of me. It would also be a goal to play in 

golf’s four majors. 

Above: Gary Murphy’s sponsors are 

TaylorMade golf, Kartel and 

Oceânico Group (Portugal). 

Photo courtesy of Green 17. 

Left: Gary Murphy (centre) with Green 

17 founder Gary Evans and Green 17 

director Hilary Haydon 

Special thanks to Gary Murphy’s 

management team at Green 17 in 

Dublin for arranging this interview. 

BACKSPIN 49

2010 EQUIPMENT FOCUS 

Right: Lee Westwood celebrates 

winning the 2009 Dubai World 

Championship and the Race to 

Dubai to become European No.1 

All feature photos courtesy of PING Golf 

/ GMS 

Exciting times on 

all fronts for PING 

At a time when several of its leading staff players are enjoying great 

success, PING celebrated its 50th anniversary by launching its most 

comprehensive product launch ever for the 2010 season with the new 

G15 and i15 equipment ranges highlighting an unswerving commitment to 

innovation and excellence. 

50 BACKSPIN

No matter how successful their staff 

players are in 2010, and expectations 

are extraordinarily high as always, 

PING could not have written the 

script for their 50th anniversary year in 2009. 

Angel Cabrera set the ball rolling by 

becoming the first PING staff player to win 

The Masters at Augusta National in 

April...Lorena Ochoa was unchallenged as 

No. 1 in the Women’s World Rankings...and 

Lee Westwood completed a spectacular 

career comeback by winning the Race to 

Dubai (European Order of Merit title). 

Indeed, Westwood came within touching 

distance of making his big breakthrough in the 

majors in The Open at Turnberry in July and he 

soared to 4th in the World Rankings at the end 

of 2009 on the back of a spectacular winning 

double in the Portuguese Masters and Dubai 

World Championship. 

In addition to these two impressive 

victories, he posted eleven other top-10 

finishes, including ties for 3rd in the Open 

Championship and US PGA Championship. 

The quality of Westwood’s golf in the 

second half of 2009 was stunning. He 

freewheeled to a six-shot victory in Dubai 

with a flawless course record 64 in the final 

round in which he hit every fairway and every 

green in regulation. He amassed a four-round 

total of 23-under-par using 14 PING clubs, 

including a G10 driver, i15 3-wood, Rapture V2 

5-wood, i10 irons, two Tour-W wedges and a 

Redwood Anser putter. 

Significantly, on the eve of the Chevron 

World Challenge in Los Angeles at the end of 

last season, he signed a multi-year contract to 

continue playing and endorsing PING golf 

equipment. 

Reflecting on his remarkable return to top 

form in 2009, he said, “It’s been an amazing 

year. My two wins and the consistency I 

showed to become Europe’s No. 1 player 

clearly make this my best year to date. To 

extend my agreement with PING at the same 

time brings me great comfort going forward as 

I look to continue my momentum into 2010.” 

Westwood has been a PING staff player 

and great ambassador for the brand 

throughout his professional career. 

Since turning professional in 1993, the 

gifted 36-year-old Englishman has won 31 

times worldwide. 

“I’ve been playing with PING equipment 

since my junior golf days,” says Westwood, a 

six-time Ryder Cup participant.“They’ve been 

a leader in innovation for more than 50 years. 

The confidence I have in their technology 

makes my job a lot easier. I can focus on 

winning tournaments knowing my product will 

perform at the highest level. Whether I’m 

playing in Europe, America or another part of 

the world, they look after my equipment needs 

on a daily basis.Their service is unmatched.” 

As part of the new agreement which 

commenced in January 2010, Westwood’s 

headwear will prominently display the PING 

brand on the front and back and he’ll continue 

to carry a PING bag. 

“We’ve been fortunate to be a part of 

every one of Lee’s wins as a professional,” said 

PING Chairman and CEO John Solheim. “His 

loyalty to PING has helped elevate our brand 

worldwide as he’s won in every corner of the 

world. His performances during 2009 were 

exciting to watch and to see it culminate with 

his win in Dubai brought everyone at PING 

great joy knowing he’ll continue to represent 

us in the years ahead.” 

In addition to Angel Cabrera, Lee 

Westwood and Lorena Ochoa, other PING 

staff players on tour include Hunter Mahan, 

Chris DiMarco, Mark Calcavecchia, Bubba 

Watson, Rory Sabbatini, Simon Dyson, Miguel 

Angel Jimenez, rising English star Danny 

Willett, German prospect Stephan Gross and 

fast improving Irishman Gareth Maybin, who 

made great strides during 2009. 

On the following pages we present a 

glimpse of PING’s new G15 and i15 

equipment ranges for 2010..... 

PING staff player Lorena Ochoa 

(Mexico), who is the reigning 

Women’s World No. 1 

continued... 

Left: On the eve of the Chevron 

World Challenge in Los Angeles at 

the end of the 2009 season 

European No. 1 Lee Westwood 

signed a multi-year contract to 

continue playing and endorsing 

PING golf equipment. 

Also present at the contract signing 

were his tour manager 

Andrew “Chubby” Chandler, 

MD of International Sports 

Management (ISM) and 

Chance Cozby, PING Director of 

Tournament Player Relations. 

BACKSPIN 51

G15 DRIVER 

52 BACKSPIN 

PING celebrated its 50th year of bringing 

game-changing innovations to golfers 

world-wide with its most comprehensive 

product launch in history. The 2010 

product unveiling took place at Killeen Castle 

Golf Club in Co. Meath. 

The G15 and i15 Series, which include 

drivers, irons, hybrids and fairway woods, are 

engineered with two distinct player profiles in 

mind.The G15 Series continues PING’s focus on 

developing the most forgiving, easiest-to-hit clubs 

available in golf. The i15 Series is designed for 

golfers who prefer clubs that offer more 

workability and control. 

The new product launches have met with rave 

reviews since their worldwide launch last 

Autumn. 

The clubs were introduced to PING Tour 

professionals at that time. PING pro Mark 

Calcavecchia put the G15 driver in his bag 

immediately and used it in setting the PGA Tour’s 

record of nine straight birdies at the RBC 

Canadian Open. 

G15 Driver 

The G15 Driver is engineered for golfers seeking a maximum forgiveness driver that delivers 

distance and accuracy. Its 460cc titanium head is longer front to back than its predecessor the 

G10 and features PING’s patented ultra thin crown technology. Weight savings from the thin 

crown are positioned as an external sole weight to optimise the centre of gravity for higher 

trajectories and reduced spin. A larger face is designed to increase ball speed and provide 

consistency across the entire hitting surface. The new PING-designed TFC149D high balance 

point shaft allows for a five gram increase in head mass (without increasing swingweight) which 

results in higher ball speeds and an increased moment of inertia. 

G15 irons 

The technology of the G15 Iron provides the high-launching, maximum forgiveness benefits that 

the majority of golfers rely on to bring consistency to their iron play. The stainless steel iron’s 

cavity design features a new Custom Tuning Port (CTP) which expands the perimeter weighting 

and increases the moment of inertia.Weight savings from a thinner face is re-positioned to the 

toe for added forgiveness on miss hits and its wider sole produces a higher launch angle. Stronger 

lofts combine with a centre of gravity located low and farther from the face to produce longer 

shots without sacrificing the higher launch angle required in a maximum forgiveness iron. 

G15 Fairway Woods 

The elongated, low profile design of the G15 Fairway Wood offers a long, forgiving option for 

golfers who rely on the confidence of a larger head. An external weight pad on the sole of the 

stainless steel head positions the centre-of-gravity low and farther back to provide higher 

trajectories and increased distance. Its low spin feature is the result of the low profile design. 

G15 Hybrids 

The G15 Hybrid is engineered as a high-launching, forgiving alternative to long and mid irons. A 

large internal toe pad expands the perimeter weighting to make it PING’s most forgiving and 

longest hybrid ever.The stainless steel hybrid’s unique shape features an iron-style face and hosel 

design which positions the centre of gravity closer to the face to increase launch angle and reduce 

spin.The clean look at address inspires confidence for golfers of all abilities. 

G15 IRONS G15 FAIRWAY WOODS G15 HYBRIDS 

“The feedback from our Tour staff has been 

very favourable,” says John Solheim, PING’s 

Chairman & CEO. “Several players put the 

product in play immediately and others did so at 

the opportune time. I was at Turnberry for the 

Open Championship last July and had several 

great comments from the pros.” 

On the subject of ordinary club golfers 

seeking game improvement he explained, “Our 

engineering team continues to research and 

analyse the needs of all golfers. Our newest 

families of clubs address the specific 

performance goals of these players and they are 

designed accordingly. The G15 Series appeals to 

the majority of golfers who rely on the easier-tohit 

attributes of a maximum forgiveness, higher 

launch type of club.With the i15, a lot of players 

will be attracted to the added control and 

versatility they offer. The i15s will deliver the 

forgiveness we all need, but they’ve 

been engineered to provide the workability that 

a lot of more skilled golfers look for in their 

clubs.”

i15 Driver 

The fade-biased design of i15 Driver meets the needs of golfers who place a high priority on 

working their tee shots. The traditional pear-shaped 460cc titanium head is engineered with a 

bulge crown design and deeper face to optimise energy transfer for greater ball speed and the 

solid feel preferred by better golfers. Internal weighting reduces spin and the hosel is positioned 

slightly back from the face to help promote tour-preferred trajectories and control. Its titanium 

carbon finish provides a sleek and optically pleasing appearance. 

i15 irons 

In the design of the i15 iron, PING engineers focused on the better player who prefers an iron set 

that offers the control to play a variety of shots. Created as a progressive set, the longer irons are 

larger for more forgiveness while the mid and shorter irons transition slightly smaller to ensure 

more workability and control on approach shots.The stainless steel iron features a tungsten toe 

insert to add forgiveness to the mid-size design. A stabilising bar and new Custom Tuning Port 

(CTP) provides the feel and sound attributes preferred by better players. 

i15 Fairway Woods 

Developed for better golfers who rely on the distance and versatility of a fairway wood, the i15 

features a sleek, low profile shape that delivers high performance from all conditions.The stainless 

steel heads are slightly elongated from heel-to-toe for added forgiveness and internally weighted 

to produce low spinning shots with the penetrating trajectory preferred by more skilled golfers. 

i15 Hybrids 

For golfers who prefer a traditional hybrid shape and size, the stainless steel i15 offers a high 

moment of inertia with a tour-preferred trajectory. Internal weighting positions the centre of 

gravity low and back to produce the penetrating ball flight that gives better players the control to 

hit a variety of shots from almost any lie. Stronger lofts contribute to lower spin rates for 

additional control. 

The first-ever launch by PING of two 

complete families in the main equipment 

categories was led by John K. Solheim, PING’s 

Vice-President of Engineering and the oldest son 

of John A. Solheim. 

“This approach furthers PING’s goal of 

bringing higher performing products to market 

that meet the varying needs of golfers of all 

abilities,” said John K. Solheim.“The technologies 

available today from a design and fitting 

perspective allow us to segment a product’s 

attributes like never before. Combine that with 

our expert teams of engineers and researchers, 

who define those attributes in the development 

process, and we’re able to provide this type of 

targeted product to help all golfers improve their 

games.” 

Each of the designs was engineered with an 

emphasis on custom fitting to ensure all golfers a 

combination of club specifications to match their 

games. In both the G15 and i15 irons, 12 colour 

codes (lie angles), multiple shaft flexes in steel 

and graphite and a new PING grip in six sizes 

i15 DRIVER 

i15 IRONS i15 FAIRWAY WOODS i15 HYBRIDS 

provide the most comprehensive fitting options 

in the industry.The metal woods all offer multiple 

lofts and two stock shaft offerings in a variety of 

flexes.The lofts of each metal wood complement 

the weighting properties of each head design to 

optimise the flight characteristics. 

“Custom fitting continues to grow in 

importance for golfers wanting to improve their 

games,” John K. Solheim added. “What we’re 

learning from our nFlight Fitting Software and 

other research is being incorporated into our 

development process. It’s leading us in some very 

interesting and exciting directions as we look for 

ways to help golfers lower scores and make the 

game more enjoyable.” 

To view the complete range of PING golf 

equipment, clothing and accessories 

available for 2010 visit... 

www.pinggolf.com 

BACKSPIN 53

NEWS 

Desk O 

PEOPLE * PLACES * EVENTS 

Email your news items and hi-resolution jpeg 

photos to golfbiz@eircom.net 

Fun times for 

Avril & Stephanie 

The Castle Golf Club attracted 

forty pairs to its inaugural 

Mother and Daughter Foursomes 

event and one of the youngest 

participants, Stephanie Haughton 

partnered her mother Avril to 

victory. 

They are pictured on right with 

Sheila Williams (Lady Captain). 

The event will take place again on 

August 16th 

Lead your club to an 

All-Ireland title 

The annual Crumlin Children’s Hospital 

Golf Challenge, open to golf clubs 

nationwide and generously supported by 

The Musgrave Group, has raised over 

€1,250,000 for St. Anne’s Ward, the 

dedicated burns unit in the hospital. 

The event is now in its 13th year and 

with the support of golf clubs nationwide 

the aim is to continue funding the great 

work of this unit at the hospital. 

Participating golf clubs have the 

opportunity to qualify for an All-Ireland 

Final in Portugal. Castleblayney (team 

members pictured right) were the 2009 

winners. 

54 BACKSPIN 

CASTLEBLAYNEY GOLF CLUB 

Photo by Pat Cashman 

Treat yourself to a break 

at PGA Catalunya resort 

ne of the biggest stories in Spanish golf 

right now is the soaring reputation of the 

spectacular PGA Catalunya Resort near 

Barcelona in Spain’s Catalan region, venue of 

the 2009 Spanish Open and recently listed 

amongst the top-10 courses in Continental 

Europe by Golf World magazine. 

This top class 36-hole resort - the 

centrepiece of which is the acclaimed Stadium 

Course - is a magnificent advertisement for 

golf in the beautiful Costa Brava which is 

served by direct flights from Dublin to Girona. 

Barcelona is just 45-mns away but many 

golfers prefer the option of staying beside 

the resort at the 4-star Melia Vichy Catalan 

hotel. 

New travel agency at 

Leopardstown Centre 

Ireland’s premier sports travel agency has 

embarked on a new venture at the famous 

Leopardstown Golf Centre in Foxrock. 

Leopardstown Sports Travel is a division of 

the Killester Travel Group which embraces 

Sean Skehan World of Golf, Munster Sports 

Travel and Leinster Sports Travel. 

Whatever the event...The Masters, the Ryder 

Cup, 6 Nations matches, the 2011 Rugby World 

Cup..Leopardstown Sports Travel can make it 

happen. Visit www.killestertravel.com 

It pays to 

know your 

green fees

PGA CATALUNYA 

Colourful account of tour 

life by top Irish caddie 

Dubliner Colin Byrne has forged a reputation as 

being one of the finest caddies on tour. He was 

bagman to Retief Goosen for several years and was 

at his side when the South African won arguably 

the toughest US Open Championship in history - 

2004 at Shinnecock Hills. 

In his excellent new book - Bagman 2 - a sequel to 

the first edition produced five years ago, he provides a 

colourful account of life on tour and recalls many 

highlights from his twenty-years as a professional 

caddie. It is a great read. Go buy it! 

Published by Red Rock Press. RRP €16.99. 

Attractive Packages 

at Knightsbrook 

Knightsbrook Golf Club in County 

Meath has become established as 

a popular venue for golfing and social 

occasions and the resort’s menu for 

2010 includes attractive residential 

golf packages. 

A group of 12 or more golfers can 

enjoy a midweek break (2 B&B and 

2 Golf) for €170pp between Sunday 

and Thursday up to the end of March 

(€180 from 1st April - 30th October) 

and the same package at weekends 

(Fri-Sat) for €190 (low) / €220 (high). 

For more information on 2010 deals 

visit www.knightsbrook.com 

KNIGHTSBROOK 

Lady golfers support 

huge charity drive 

Over 4,000 lady golfers took part in 

last year’s 30th ILGU/Lancôme 

Greensomes event which raised over 

€57,000 for three National charities - 

The Irish Cancer Society, The 

Alzheimer Society of Ireland and Our 

Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin. 

Many other charities also received 

proceeds from local qualifying events 

at clubs around the country. 

Ronan Quinlan’s photo on left 

shows Trevor Tye (Lancôme) and Anne 

Wallace (President, ILGU) with 

representatives from the three 

National charities. 

BACKSPIN 55

PARTING SHOT from the Editor... 

Links & parkland jewels 

sharing the limelight 

BACKSPIN’S imaginative approach to ranking Irish golf 

courses - unveiled two years ago - has created a 

greater appreciation of our wonderful parkland product. 

If you were asked to make a list of your 

top-15 Irish golf courses - links and 

parkland grouped together - the 

chances are that it would be top heavy 

with our famous links courses. 

Now, take a few moments to study the 

panel on the right which takes a 

completely different approach to this 

exercise. 

These are the top-15 links and top-15 

parkland courses in Backspin’s 2010 

Irish Golf Course Rankings poll and we 

would suggest that there is every bit as 

much quality on the right hand side of the 

panel as there is on the left. 

For as long as Irish golf course 

rankings have been debated and 

published nobody ever thought of 

treating Ireland’s links and parkland 

courses as separate products. 

They are, after all, completely 

different forms of golf. 

That was the thinking behind the fresh 

approach we took when we conducted 

our first Irish course rankings poll two 

years ago. This imaginative rankings 

format projects Irish golf in a completely 

new light and provides our top parkland 

courses with the stand alone recognition 

that they richly deserve. 

Irish golf is blessed with several of the 

56 BACKSPIN 

BACKSPIN’S TOP 15 IRISH 

LINKS & PARKLAND COURSES 

LINKS 

Portmarnock 

Ryl Co. Down 

Royal Portrush 

The European Club 

Co. Louth (Baltray) 

Waterville 

Ballybunion 

Lahinch 

Rosses Point 

The Island 

The Royal Dublin 

Doonbeg 

Tralee 

Ballyliffin (Glashedy) 

Enniscrone 

PARKLAND 

Mount Juliet 

K Club (Palmer) 

Adare 

Druids Glen 

Killarney (Killeen) 

The Heritage 

Palmerstown Stud 

Headfort (New) 

Carton (Monty) 

Carlow 

Killeen Castle 

Fota Island 

Lough Erne 

Cork (Little Island) 

Malone 

finest links courses in the world. 

Golfers will always cherish visits to 

such divine settings as Portmarnock, 

Royal County Down, Royal Portrush, 

The European Club, Baltray, Waterville, 

Ballybunion, Lahinch, Rosses Point, 

The Island, The Royal Dublin, Doonbeg, 

Tralee, Ballyliffin, Enniscrone, Carne, 

Connemara...the list goes on. 

Our links courses will be talked about 

KILLEEN CASTLE 

in glowing terms until eternity, and 

rightly so, but significantly there’s a 

growing awareness and appreciation at 

home and abroad of Ireland’s wealth of 

outstanding parkland courses. 

It is significant that the top-6 courses 

in the parkland category in Backspin’s 

2010 Irish Golf Course Rankings poll are 

all highly regarded tournament venues. 

Mount Juliet (Irish Open and WGC 

AmEx Championship), the K Club’s 

Palmer course (Ryder Cup & European 

Open), Adare (Irish Open), Druids Glen 

(Seve Trophy & Irish Open), Killarney 

Killeen (Irish Open) and The Heritage 

(Seve Trophy & AIB Irish Seniors Open) 

are truly exceptional parkland courses 

that greatly enhance Ireland’s golf 

product. 

Our huge collection of top class 

parkland treasures has been boosted by 

impressive newcomers Killeen Castle 

and Lough Erne, both of which gained 

that coveted ‘must play’ status within 

months of opening to rave reviews. 

It makes perfect sense to treat and 

promote our links and parkland courses 

as separate golf products. This approach 

can provide a great boost to Ireland’s 

image abroad and stimulate increased 

inbound golf traffic in the years ahead. 

Illustration for BACKSPIN by Noel Kelly

Home to vibrant cities, picturesque countryside, breathtaking 

coastline, exciting tourist attractions, luxurious hotels and above all . . . 

Book online at 

. . . the finest stretch of 

championship golf in the world. 

or call 08456 756001

2010 SPRING ISSUE 3.75 Incl. VAT - Backspin Golf Magazine

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