The Masters is Finally Here

Its Masters week and we all know what that means; the real start of the golfing season is on top of us. There is no tournament that stirs our desire to play golf more than Augusta and while over the years technology both on and of the course has changed the feel for the tournament has never changed. It is hard to believe when looking at old footage of the tournament, how blurred the images are. I can remember being glued to the TV watching it, listening to Peter Allis thinking it was the most wonderful place on earth.

When we look at the visual improvements in the corner of our room, we must remember how much technology in all our lives have changed. This is really the case on the course as well with the equipment in the bag so different to the days of Palmer, Player, Nicklaus etc. Even the great players of the 80s and 90s had to perform to these high levels, without the help of modern technology. Having said that, their skill levels would have been developed to such a high standard, that if you could have put the modern ball and clubs in their hands at their very peak it would be hard to imagine what they might have done with it.

On the flip side of the equipment argument that it has made golf much easier we also have to look at the modern player's lifestyle and fitness. This is an important part of the game that we really do not pay enough attention to when we are putting the modern player against the icons of the past. The demand on travel, changes in climate, times zones; TV pressures etc all contribute to how they perform on a week to week basis.

We will not see Tiger this week, but what he has done for the game cannot be argued whether you like him or not. His influence in the transition from past to present really cannot be ignored. There will always be the argument of who was the greatest of all time, different eras, different everything, so there can never be a winner or a loser. Lets take another sport for example, Rugby, how do you think the "great" Lions team captained by Willie John Mcbride would fair against a modern All Blacks, Wallabies or Boks? Don't really think it would be a contest. Do you remember the 1980 100 meter final in Moscow when the flying Scot Alan Wells took the Olympic gold in a time that probably wouldn't even make the semi finals these days. I don't think we can fairly compare the past and present.

 

Attention Please

There will not be any junior lessons this Saturday, 8 April, but will be as normal next week for both the men and ladies. We will be running a junior program during the second week of Easter more details to follow next week.

 

What's Been Going On?

This weekend we will be clearing out a lot of our overstock of shoes in whatever sizes we have in anticipation of a new range of Callaway, adidas, Mizuno and FootJoy arriving this week and next. We have a new range of Club clothing from Footjoy in the shop this weekend as well as a summer range from Galvin Green in both shirts and outerwear. We're waiting on a new club shirt from Greg Norman, which will be so much more traditional in feel and will compliment our existing range of jumpers with ease, so come in and have a look.

New Arrivals

On the club front, there is a new iron from Callaway with the new pro series steelhead. I just cannot explain the performance that this iron will produce, so please come in and ask about it, we will have a set to try. This week will also show the winner for 2017 in the equipment stakes. If you buy a driver or set of irons from us over the weekend and the brand wins the Masters , we will give you a €300 shop voucher for future use. This is basically FREE money, but also remember, my prices just won't be beaten so if you are thinking of changing come into the shop as we have the full range of TayloMade, PING, Callaway, Mizuno and Titleist available for this offer. This is on shop stock only, will not be for order in's or custom fit.

Also for the weekend we are offering a deal on the new Mizuno and TaylorMade tour ball in the shop. On Saturday, if you buy two sleeves of these balls and play to your handicap or better, we will give you the other two sleeves FREE. On Sunday if you buy a dozen and you qualify for the last 32 we will give you another dozen FREE. Once you put these balls in your hand, you will be surprised as to how they perform. We all reach for the old faithful, the Pro V1, but as Callaway proved last year with the Chrome, at that end there is not necessarily a better ball, but definitely better value. Check out these two balls at Mizuno and TaylorMade website.

Please click here to request a ball fitting.