The Pitch and Putt Union of Ireland are delighted to announce the details of the Leinster Championships and Competitions for 2013.
These hugely anticipated events are spread quite evenly across the Province and will surely provide plenty of talking points as the season progresses. Following a highly successful 2012 season under the Co-ordination of Breda Brophy, the host clubs this year are of an equally impressive calibre, thus ensuring that a season of top quality Pitch and Putt should be evident across the grades in Leinster.
The opening Leinster event is the Ladies and Gents Matchplay Championships; these will take place jointly in the faithful county of Offaly; the gents competing on the Championship graded esker of Arden in Tullamore, while the Ladies and all the finals are scheduled for the progressive Erry club in Clara.
These finals, two weeks in advance of the National equivalent, will be keenly contested and will hopefully recreate all the drama, excitement and passion displayed at recent venues such as Glenville, Lucan, Collinstown, and St. Bridget’s. That the finals are taking place in the intimate Erry course, is just another indication of the giant leaps this club has taken in the past few years. PPUI Club of the Year in 2011, host to a wonderful Pro/Am in 2012, and being rewarded with the pinnacle of host venue for a National Championship (Senior’s Weekend), these finals will be proudly served in the heart of the Midlands.
Senior holders are John Ross Crangle and Chrissie Byrne.
Details:
Leinster Ladies and Gents Matchplay Championships, 18/19th May: Gents @ Tullamore, Ladies &
All Finals @ Erry
Qualifying rounds: April 22nd
– 27th
The Provincial Strokeplay Championships have been awarded to the neighbouring Kildare clubs, Athgarvan in the Curragh, and Ryston in Newbridge. The Ladies Strokeplay will be held in the charming Athgarvan club on the edge of the world-famous Curragh in Co. Kildare. This marks a return to the vintage Shortgrass course for a PPUI event, for possibly the first time in a generation, and it will be wonderful to see the unique setting of Athgarvan and its tricky greens host a Major PPUI event again.
Ryston Pitch and Putt Club are no strangers to hosting PPUI championships in recent times, and it is an ever-popular venue with the Gents. Similar to the Matchplay championships, the Leinster Strokeplay Championships are staged only a couple of weeks before the National equivalent, and they will serve as a useful tool for anyone lucky enough to have qualified for both events. This event has provided some wonderful occasions in the past, and there is likely to be many anxious and exciting moments over the days play at both venues.
Senior holders are John Ross Crangle and Geraldine Ward
Details: Leinster Ladies and Gents Strokeplay Championships, 14th July; Gents @ Ryston, Ladies @ Athgarvan
Qualifying rounds: June 16th
The Leinster Juvenile Championships move to an interesting midweek slot, from the traditional Saturday prior to the Adult Inter-counties. The idea behind this move is that it might give the event some breathing space and take advantage of the midweek summer holiday days rather than use up another weekend for parents and mentors. This might enable the organisers to amplify the fun and social element of the sport for those attending. A keenly contested set of Championships, the Inter-County Championship precedes the Individual Strokeplay event, and there is the possibility of utilising the long summer evenings which would add to the spectacle.
The Kilbeggan course is a long-standing favourite on the PPUI circuit, and is always maintained to its own very high standards. Kilbeggan Pitch and Putt Club is a real family club, thus the Leinster Juvenile Strokeplay event has an appropriate home in 2013. This year could be a ground-breaking year, and this event, alongside its sister event in Munster will possibly provide the first Under 18 champion in Juvenile Pitch and Putt history following the historic decision at Convention 2013.
We are delighted to announce the continued sponsorship of this event by Eamonn Birchall and Brophy Brothers Builders of Blessington. We are grateful for their continued support.
Leinster Inter-County Holders are Louth, Shane Redmond is reigning Boy’s Champion and Claire Keatinge is reigning Girls Champion. (Ross O’Reilly and Amy Galvin are the U13 holders)
Details: Leinster Juvenile Inter-County Championships, 7th August;
Leinster Juvenile Strokeplay
Championships, 8th August
(Kindly sponsored by Eamonn
Birchall and Brophy Brother’s Builders, Blessington);
Venue: Kilbeggan Pitch and Putt Club, Kilbeggan, Co. Westmeath
The Leinster Inter-County Championships, a fiercely contested competition, is hosted by Cement Pitch and Putt Club. Cement is a very tough course and if the weather is anyway dry, this course is usually rock hard....sorry. A very popular club, it is a privilege to bring a PPUI major event to this course. Pitch and Putt is well supported in the region, so there is likely to be a big crowd out in force for this Championship. A popular event in its own right, even more so now, due to the fundamental changes to the Nationals, the Leinster Inter-Counties will provide a realistic shot at silverware for some counties that might struggle at the National event a few weeks later.
Holders are Meath (Gents) and Dublin (Ladies)
Details: Leinster Ladies and Gents Inter-County Championships, 11th August
Venue: Cement Pitch and Putt Club, Drogheda, Co. Louth
The move to early September is a logical step as the Leinster Mixed Foursomes Finals will now be in line with the other team events that come into the limelight in early Autumn. The decision to move to a shotgun start over two sessions appears inspired, and there are likely to be changes to the way prizes are allocated, as there will be prizes for each session in addition to the main winners prizes. To delight of the regular entrants, the finals will take place at the splendid Royal Meath Pitch and Putt Club, the multi-award winning course in the middle of Clonee Village. Everyone enjoys a game in this beautifully tranquil venue, and it is bound to be in pristine condition yet again thanks to the enduring efforts of its talisman, PPUI Patron Mr. Billy Lynch.
Details: Leinster Mixed Foursomes Finals, 1st September
Venue: Royal Meath Pitch and Putt Club, Clonee, Co. Meath
The Leinster Schools Competition is a relatively new event on the PPUI calendar, but it has proved to be ever so popular, and takes on greater significance now that the top placed teams compete on a National stage as a result of their performance here. The finals are scheduled to be played at the Lucan Pitch and Putt Club, a treat for those who will play, and what better way to reward our younger players than by awarding the finals to the host venue of the National Matchplay Finals.
The composition of teams is somewhat different as only 1 player needs to be an active PPUI member, consequently this gives greater scope to more schools to enter, and helps spread the Pitch and Putt gospel that little bit wider.
Details:
Leinster Schools Competition, 11th October
Venue: Lucan Pitch and Putt
Club, Co. Dublin.
The Pitch and Putt Union of Ireland is actively seeking sponsorship for any PPUI event, and if a club or club member feels there are any sponsorship opportunities that might be possible, then please don’t hesitate to contact any of the PPUI officers listed on www.ppui.ie or specifically Niall Reynolds, Development Officer of the PPUI, or Pauric Buggy, Development Manager of the PPUI based in Sport HQ.
The PPUI are reviewing our Operations throughout 2013 in an effort to maximise the benefits and exposure to our sponsors both through the PPUI website, and through on-course advertising, which we hope will also illustrate the professional attitude the PPUI seeks to adopt to all aspects of its operation as a thriving National sport in Ireland, in an already ultra-competitive market. This is a venture that we hope to have further news on a little later in the year.
The PPUI intend to bring you more in-depth previews closer to the actual finals themselves, so keep an eye on www.ppui.ie for more details throughout the season. We would like to sincerely thank our Provincial Competition sponsors, Brophy Brothers Builders and Eamonn Birchall, for their continued support. Without that support the PPUI would struggle to cater for these events, and we would urge all PPUI members to support our sponsors where possible.
We would also like to thank all the newspapers, radio and television media that continue to provide updates on our Championships and our sport, and wish to see that develop further over the coming years. We will continue to provide up-to-date news as events take place through our Twitter and Facebook pages.