Golf Irish to the fore at Union Vale

By Pierce O’Reilly

It was a hazy Friday morning on the course and I was beginning my pre-shot routine — shoulder straight, eye on the ball, knees slightly bend. There I was, visualizing my upcoming shot, when a voice came over clubhouse loudspeaker. "Would the gentleman on the woman’s tee back up to the men’s tee, please!"

I was still deep in my routine, seemingly impervious to the interruption. Again the announcement, "Would the MAN on the WOMEN’S tee kindly backup to the men’s tee." I simply ignored the guy and kept concentrating, when once more, the man yelled: "Would the man on the woman’s tee back up to the men’s tee, PLEASE!" I finally stopped, turned, looked through the clubhouse window directly at the person with the microphone and shouted back, "Would the person in the clubhouse kindly shut up and let me play my second shot?"

My round at the new course at Union Vale in Dutchess County wasn’t that bad after all. The official opening of the clubhouse took place at midday and when the golf was over the celebrations began in earnest. When our foursome reached the midway section at around 8:30 a.m., the sleep had finally departed from our dreary eyes.

The first nine holes were a nightmare. Our female companions in the two-ball scramble competition, Anne Ruane and Ann Carr, had led from the front. They putted with the elegance of Tiger Woods and when we questioned the course rulebook after four holes, they answered with authority.

"If you hit the pin with your ball it’s a two shot penalty, you’re not allowed to ask a player what club he used and you’re only allowed to move the ball six inches while marking on the green," came the pleasant but informative reply. My God, the Mayo m’stros, James Prenty and O’Reilly, had certainly met their match.

Anne Ruane, a Mayo native has hit 102 on the Union Vale Links. She tries to get out at least once a week even though she lives over an hour away in Harrison. Anne Carr, a Tyrone native, lives in New Jersey and has no problem travelling the 77 miles to play Union Vale every week. "I love this course," she said. "It’s the whole atmosphere up here — there is no stress or commotion. It’s such a relief to go for a game out here in the middle of Dutchess County."

The women were two up on the turn. It was time the lads made their move.

The par 3 10th crucified us — double bogey and double bunker.

"The course is in great condition today," Ruane said. "You know, it’s not just the golf that’s good up here, it’s also the people. You meet people from everywhere and they’re all so nice."

She said on the 11th tee box. For the next seven holes the lads ran riot. Prenty hit every fairway from the tee while his sidekick chipped and putted like an old pro. Walking into the clubhouse we were greeted by others who had struggled with the early morning mist and the unusually fast greens.

Billy Madden from Maurice Park in the Bronx had hit an 82. It didn’t make the prize money, but it’s good for a 12 handicapper. "It’s a challenge every time I play here," Madden, the proprietor of the area’s newest Irish bar, Madden’s of Pearl River, said. "It really reminds me of playing at home in Ireland and that’s a lovely feeling."

Beside Madden was Feakle native Barney Breen. His two-ball scramble had hit 75, which was one of the best scores of the day.

"The last four holes are as good as I’ve played anywhere," the Clare native said. "It’s a bit like hurling, to be honest. If you don’t practice you won’t get any better."

Breen, an 18 handicapper, was one of the first to pay the $10,000 lifetime membership. "I won’t sell it for all the money in the world; it’s a great investment," he said. He also eventually admitted that he lost two balls over the 18 holes.

Br. Gregory Myles, who looks after the New York State Troopers, said the Irish had out done themselves. "I only hope now that they continue to drive them safely on the fairways and of course on the Taconic Parkway as well," he said.

Inside, Martin Dunne, Mike Shaw, Tom O’Farrell and Liam Gleeson talked about the great feeling of having at last achieved something together.

"We learned a lot from other groups that failed in their efforts to get things off the ground," Dunne said. "This is a fantastic day for everyone."

Dunne, a past hurler for Tipperary, was joined by many others whose first love was always the Gaelic Athletic Association.

"The hurling swing helps out a lot of lads up here," he said. "When we stopped playing football and hurling we had nothing to do but go to the local bars and chat. Now we can keep fit and active on the fairways and that’s good for everyone."