At 3.15pm on 11th October, the final drive of the 2011 Holmpatrick Cup was taken from the 18th tee on the Old Course at St. Andrews by Gary Scanlan from Co Offaly’s Esker Hills Golf Club. More than 7,500 male golfers in 151 clubs from 31 counties competed over six months for the 62 places in final stages in this great golf challenge to take their place in the 36 hole All Ireland final at the New and Old courses at St. Andrews in a bid to take home the Holmpatrick cup.
It all started for Gary and Paul Hogan when they qualified from their clubs special competition in early spring. From there they went to Moate in July, taking the Offaly final. This victory brought them to the world famous Old Course at Portmarnock on a very windy Sunday in September playing against the other Leinster county title holders. After tieing with another two teams on 39 points, they were the winners on a count back, thus securing their first Leinster title.
They then joined the final line up with Charleville, Munster’s winners at Adare Manor Golf Resort, with Links Portmarnock representing Dublin and Loughrea, the Connaught/ Ulster victors at Farnham Golf Club, for the All Ireland Final.
First round Monday 11th at the New Course saw Links Portmarnock take a two lead with 43 points, all four teams with a four point range.
The following morning, conditions were sunny and calm when Loughrea were called to the first tee to start the final round on the Old course. Four and half hours later Paul Hogan took this ball out of the 18th hole to give Esker Hills 43 points to lift the Cup on its 78th Presentation since 1933.
Final score board
1. Esker Hills: Gary Scanlan (5), Paul Hogan (8) 84
2. Loughrea: Cathal Madden (4), Charlie Donellan (9) 81
3. Charleville: John Hayes (14), Tony Daveron (15) 77
4. Links Portmarnock: John Lawlor (9) Gavin Rylands (11) 76
Four competition secretaries were selected in an open draw from all the clubs taking part in this years event to attend the final. Paddy Quinn from Warrenpoint, Martyn Evans of Grange, Garry Austin from Mullingar and Des Murray of Blarney.
We now look forward to October 2012, when another eight Irish club golfers will walk the fairways at the “home of golf”, St. Andrews, in the footsteps of golfing legends from every generation over the past 600 years, crossing the Swilcan Bridge and fearing hell bunker in the Holmpatrick Cup.