Golf

Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots - but you have to play the ball where it lies.

Students in St Colman's have the opportunity to participate in several golf competitions in an academic year. The school enters the Darren Clarke School's Golf league, the preliminary round matches of which are played in the spring. Local matches are usually played in Warrenpoint, Ashfield or Mayobridge golf courses. This league competition is open to competitors from first to fourth year. There is also an opportunity for improving golfers to come along to these events and play and practice at the same venue where the matches are played. All golfers are encouraged to become members of their local golf clubs, many of which have tailored programmes for juvenile coaching. Another facet of participation in this event is to help raise funds for Breakthru Breast Cancer. All participants are asked to sell some pins each year to assist with this worthwhile cause. The school also enters teams for official GUI annual competitions. In recent years the boys have been entered for Irish junior and senior schools competitions and Ulster junior and senior schools competitions. These events give the more experienced golfers the chance to play some excellent courses and test their skills against some of the best young talent in the country. In 2013 the Ulster qualifying completion was played at Portrush, which has recently hosted the Irish open and will soon host an Open Championship (one of golf's four major championships). Many of the current stars and major champions of world golf including Darren Clarke himself, Padraig Harrington, Graeme McDowell and world number one Rory McIlroy all cut their teeth on these competitions.

Golfers at St Colman's have also attended recent Irish opens at Carton House and in 2016 at the K club which hosted the Ryder cup when it came to Ireland. There they had the opportunity to see some of the best European and world talent on display and to savour the atmosphere and tension of the competitive battle. It is anticipated that outings such as these will continue.

St Colman's golf team had quite a successful 2016, placing third overall in the Ulster Junior school's competition and runner's up in the 2016 School's golf league.

Golf in St Colman's nurtures a friendly camaraderie and team spirit that the boys gain a lot from and helps forge friendships that can last a lifetime. Interested students are asked to speak to Mr David McGreevy, teacher responsible for golf to progress their involvement in golf related activities within the school.