As both Lily and I have completed the Ladies Annual Meeting and the Club Annual General Meeting it is time to reflect on what has been a successful year for the club.
Both of us mentioned the number of people who contribute to the club in a mainly voluntary capacity and on behalf of all members we extend thanks to all of them for the considerable time and effort you have given to County Armagh Golf Club in 2023. It is through the efforts of these individuals that the club continues to be in a good position, not just financially, but also in having an excellent golf course and clubhouse.
We opened our respective Captaincies with a joint request for donations to the Armagh Food Bank during the month of January and we were overwhelmed by the response. The generosity of County Armagh Golf Club members was evident throughout the year and also particularly with regard to the donations received for the Southern Area Hospice Services - Captain’s Day, Pretty in Pink - Lady Captain’s Day and The Kevin Bell Trust - President’s Day, thank you to everyone who donated in any small way throughout 2023 and also a big thank you to our very own Fundraiser in Chief - Brendan Toner who continues through his Sunday Draw to support both Local and National Charities.
Change is Inevitable but Growth is Optional.
Our One Club journey continues along with 90 other clubs who are involved in this process, to date just 16 have reached their completion and each one of them has arrived at their end point in different ways. I do believe for this process to reach a satisfactory conclusion we need to continue to embrace change and ensure that we as a club also grow in an inclusive manner. I’d like to particularly thank those who have sat on the Club Liaison Group for their honesty and enthusiasm as we have worked our way through the different nuances of what the whole One Club journey will mean for our club going forward.
On the Team's front thank you to all of those who stepped up and Captained Teams in the club, also those who coordinated matches and helped in any way and a particular thanks to all of those who give of their time to represent the club by playing for those teams.
Our Ladies tasted success in the form of our Ladies’ Junior Cup Team who won the Ulster (South) Regional Final at Rossmore Golf Club on Sunday 20 August where under the Captaincy of Lady Vice Captain Ellen Brady they beat Royal Belfast 3 1⁄2 - 1 1⁄2 to progress.
They then travelled to Lough Erne Golf Club for the All-Ireland Quarterfinals on Sunday 3 September where their opponents were Castlebar where they put up a brave fight and lost narrowly, with 2 matches finishing on the 18th and one on the 19th!
Our best run in the Gents section was by our Senior Cowdy team captained by Richard Black where they succumbed to Spa Golf Club at the semi-final stage.
I have to say that following the Ladies and Gents teams was one of the most enjoyable parts of my Captaincy and through it I also made numerous friends and connections with the other clubs that we played over the course of the season.
2023 was indeed a historic year for our course with the opening of our new 18th, marking yet another important step in the club’s ambitious course development programme. It was designed by renowned Irish Golf Architect, Ken Kearney and built to the highest standards by DAR Golf.
What sets this hole apart, is its unrivalled setting, few clubs in all of Ireland can boast such a majestic backdrop as the historic city of Armagh framed by the city’s two cathedrals.
Thank you to everyone from green staff to those who have sat on the Development Committee who had to deal with the challenge of what to do with the 18th, given the significant health & safety issues.
There have been many meetings and lengthy discussions, but I hope you are proud of your achievements. This indeed was a significant day in our 130-year history and the new hole will be a real legacy for the committee to look back on and a proud day for me as Club Captain.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all our Club Sponsors for their continued support throughout the year and would I hope that the support continues for many years to come.
Our Clubhouse is an important part of the promotion of our club product, particularly to visitors and we are blessed with the setting and vista that we enjoy.
The award-winning Parkland Restaurant, welcomes visitors, societies and corporate events and of course our own members who seek sustenance after playing our beautiful course or just to visit the clubhouse and enjoy a meal with family and friends in the beautiful surroundings.
Parkland has become an integral part of the success of the club and I would like to thank Ryan, Brenda and the whole team for all the support and assistance that they have given me throughout my Captain’s Year and I also extend that thanks to Neil and his bar team who are also important cogs in this clubs continued growth, the staff always greet you with a smile and a warm Armagh welcome.
I want to close my final Captain’s Log by thanking everyone who in any small way has contributed to the club in the past year and to making my Captains’ Year such an enjoyable experience for both me and my family.
A particular thanks to all those who have contacted me individually to wish me well and to note different highlights that had been entered in The Captain's Log, especially Past Captain, Jack O’Hare, author of the CAGC Centenary Story, who kept in contact regularly and was a great source of inspiration throughout my year.
I would like to wish incoming Captains Neil and Ellen good wishes for their tenures.
I also want to mark the close of 2023 by noting the beginning of an historic 2024 as the role of club President is taken up by Elizabeth Mawhinney.
She takes up her post as the first Lady President of County Armagh Golf Club *, and I’d like to wish her all the very best for the next 2 years.
Happy Christmas Everyone
Yours In Golf - Club Captain
Gerry Kelly
* Footnote: There has been one previous Lady President, for one year, in 1934, Mrs. Noel Smith became President of the Ladies when her husband Captain Noel Smith was elected Captain of the club and he served as Captain for a further 32 years!