About Us :: History :: Offaly Pitch & Putt County Board

A HISTORY OF PITCH & PUTT

Playing the game of Pitch & Putt one rarely wonders where the actual game originated, following extensive research Vincent Allen (Cork Examiner) compiled the following report back in 1978.

In the mid 1930's there was in existence a body known as the Fountainstown Development Association. The Association or Club consisted of three tennis courts, croquet, children's playground and an 18 hole putting green. Two of the Founder Members of the Club were W.A. Collins and M.J. (Toey) Hunt.

These two men were to play a major role in the development of Pitch & Putt. The putting green proved immensely popular and the grest number of people using the putting green suggested the possibilities of Pitch & Putt to Mr. Collins, a leading Cork Bank Official.

Mr. Collins, a man of rare vision and organizational ability, lost no time in going ahead with his idea and a 9 hole course was opened in 1937. The new gamr and new course were an immediate success - a tribute to W.A. Collins the man who started Pitch &Putt in Ireland at the seaside resort of Fountainstown in County Cork. Once started the game made progress albeit slowly, nevertheless within a couple of years, there were two more clubs, Altona in Cork City, a nine hole course started by Pat Bell, and opened in May 1944, later that year another 9 hole course was opened.

This course was called Millfield and was situated in the grounds of Sunbeam Textiles factory at Bllackpool, Cork, and so it was that an Inaugural Pitch & Putt dinner was held at the Victoria Hotel, Cork in November 1944. Guest of honour at that dinner was the then Lord Mayor of Dubllin, Mr. Martin O'Sullivan T.D. who spoke in glowing terms of Pitch & Putt. Arising out of a discussion that took place that night it was decided to hold a meeting to try and find a way to promote the game. The arranged meeting took place on December 8th, 1944 at the Imperial Hotel, Cork. It was at this meeting that the game was christened. "The Irish Amateur Pitch & Putt Union" with it's headquarters to be in Cork.

It was also agreed that a Constitution be drawn up, rules drafted and arrangements made to run Championships and Inter Club Competitions. The suggestions made at the meeting were sent to Club's for ratification, and appointment of Club representatives. The various items were enthusiastically endorsed by the Clubs and so the first Historic Meeting of the I.A.P.P.U. was held at the Imperial Hotel Cork on January 12th, 1945. Dates and arrangements for competitions to be held in 1945 were made at this meeting with entries open to all affiliated clubs, the affiliation fee being one guinea per club.

The first Officers and Committee of the I.A.P.P.U. for 1945 were: President, W.A. Collins (Fountainstown); Chairman, W. Dwyer T.D. (Millfoeld); Vice-Chairman, Toey Hunt (Fountainstown; Hon. Treasurer, W.J. Hickey (Fountainstown); Hon. Secretary, R.D. Lord (Millfield). Committee: E. Bourke (Altona), J. Hickey (Millfield), B. Bell (Woodvale), J. McMullen (Fountainstown), Major Leamy (Collins) and Sean Kenny (Rosemount).

The first winner of the first Gent's Irish Matchplay title was Derry Murphy of Millfield, Cork and the runner-up was D.J. Coughlan (Woodvale) in a final played at Millfield. Even in those early days of the Union there existed an awareness of the importance of the Ladies in Pitch & Putt. The desire to cater for the ladies was shown with the individual clubs being booked to run Ladies Competitions. The first Irish Ladies Matchplay Championship was played over the Woodvale course Cork in July, 1946. The final played before a large gallery, was a thriller and resulted in Mrs. A Canty 9Woodvale) winning the first Irish Championship with Mrs. T Magahy (Altona) runner-up. Mrs. Magahy was to win the title the following year.

The first club outside of County Cork to affiliate ws the Ferrard (Seapoint) Club in County Louth in 1946. This was an 18 hole course and was considered the largest in Ireland at the time, covering 6 acres in all. It is interesting to note that the Club could boast of such active playing members as Philomena Garvey, the then Irish LAady Golf Champion and Kevin Garvey (her brother) the former East of Ireland Golf Champion.

One of the greatest workers for the Pitch & Putt in its early years was Pat Bell who introduced the game to Cork City in May 1944. Pat Bell was an extremely dedicated player and hard working administrator in those early days. One could say it was he who laid it on the line. The high ideals of the game, sportsmanship, integrity, and most important of all the enjoyment and social content of Pitch & Putt, These ideals he stressed during his many years in the game until his untimely death in 1874.

The amalgamation between the I.A.P.P.U. with headquarters in Cork and its Dublin based counterpart in 1961 was another historic milestone and stepping stone in the history of Pitch & Putt. The new cultural and sole controlling body was named the Pitch & Putt Union of Ireland. In the early days of the new Union, a number of people played leading roles, to name a few: P.A. Murphy, Ernie Hogan (Hillview), Capt. Furlong, Jim Vaughan and worthy of special mention must be Bill Somers for his efforts.

THE COUNTY BOARD DOWN THROUGH THE YEARS

There have been many prominent figures that have dedicated their time and energy down through the years in promoting the game in Offaly; they are none other than our past, some sadly past away, and present long serving officers of the County Board.

Dick Abraham (Tullamore) was known far and wide as one of the greatest servants to Pitch & Putt. Dick was a member of Tullamore from the club's formation in 1962 and was promptly elected as both club Captain and Chairman in 1965 and performed the same roles in 1988. At various stages during his long association with the Arden Road Club, Dick was Treasurer, Competition Secretary and a very competent and effective Chairman, 1983-86 and 1988-90. He also had a long unbroken stint up to 1995 as Club P.R.O., this stint was an amazing 35 years.

Dick did not only dedicate his time solely on the club administrative side of the game but also took on wider administrative responsibilities at Regional, Provincial and National Level. He proudly served as Chairman of the Offaly County Board from 1965 for a period of 16 years, which included being Chairman of the Offaly/Westmeath Regional Board. He then became the P.R.O. of the new Offaly Board when Offaly and Westmeath went their separate ways in 1981. Dick was drafted early onto the Leinster Council in 1970, elected under the Presidency of Eamonn Birchall. It wasn't long before he assumed the Presidency himself from 1975 to 1979, following which he took on the provincial duties as Treasurer until 1988 when he returned to the Presidency once again. After his second presidential term came to an end in 1991 his attentions turned to provincial publicity matters and became the Leinster P.R.O. and Central Council delegate in which he continued his hard work and commitment to the game for roughly a decade until his untimely death in 2002.

Dick was an active player in the early years; it wasn't a surprise that his playing career would suffer as he became more involved in his many administrative roles. Dick is attributed along with his great friend, Eddie Recks (R.I.P.) in promoting and developing the game in Westmeath particularly. Dick proudly accepted two memorable honours for his long, distinguished loyal and committed service to Pitch & Putt. He was inducted into the Pitch & Putt Hall of Fame in 1988 and was honoured by the Tullamore club in 1995, when he and his wife Daisy were made honorary life members. Dick Abraham was truly an example to us all in his efforts to further our great game that we thrive on.

Eddie Recks was another important figure in developing the game at club, regional and national levels. Eddie's interests in Pitch & Putt began in the early 1960's most notably as a founding member of the Clara (now Erry) club. He became strongly involved in the administrative side of the game serving as Club Secretary in 1966, Club Chairman from 1967 to 1969 to County Board Secretary from 1968 to 1969 and County Board Vice-Chairman 1970 to 1972. His great dedication and belief in the future and development of the game saw him become firstly Leinster Secretary and representative on Central Council in 1969 to National Secretary of the Union in 1972. He remained involved at national level for many years serving as Competitions Secretary and also as National Coaching Administrator, however he always maintained that the local club is the most important unit in Pitch & Putt. People in National and Regional administration can only do their jobs if the club is properly organized and efficiently run. Eddie Recks believed that the most important competitions are those which involve the maximum number of players at local level - namely the weekly 'scrubs'. It is testimony to Eddie's work and beliefs that 'scrubs', even though small numbers at times, are still existent on the 'hill' his home club Erry on a weekly basis where bragging rights are fought for nothing else! Friendships are carved and the enjoyment of the game comes to the fore in such local competitions.

The Offaly County Board is fortunate to boast two of the greatest servants to Pitch & Putt in Dick Abraham and Eddie Recks. Their legacy has lived on in Offaly through many dedicated officers efforts among them are namely Tom Egan (Ferbane) Joseph McGrath Jnr (Erry) and Una Pyke (Tullamore). Tom Egan was an ambassador for the Ferbane club in many respects most memorably he was the driving force behind the club's extended eighteen hole course in 1999 while acting greens keeper. Tom served as Chairman of the County Board through the 1990's and in 2000 and a delegate from his club for fifteen years, he retired from his duties on the County Board along with his good friend Dick Abraham in October 2000. The present longest serving members of the County Board are undoubtedly Una Pyke and Joseph McGrath Jnr. Both have served on club committees since the 1990's and continue to do so. Una is presently the Treasurer of Tullamore Pitch & Putt and holds the same position with the cheque book on the County Board. Una also serves her time in the kitchen and is well known for her skills behind the clubhouse bar and looks after all club and society bookings at the club. Joseph on the other had serves as the Secretary, Competitions Secretary and also Juvenile Officer of the Erry Pitch & Putt and holds the same three positions on the County Board. He was introduced to the County Board as Juvenile Officer in 1997 by Tom Egan and Dick Abraham and has held this position ever since taking on various other duties over the past decade. Joseph is another officer dedicated to his local club both as a player and officer, he is a top senior player in the Offaly and is a regular and passionate inter-county player and can always be found on the 'hill' tending to the course alongside green keeper Joe Egan when he isn't playing the game.

Serving Chairmen of the County Board Since 1965:
Dick Abraham (Tullamore)
Padraig Spollen (Tullamore)
Mick Brophy (Tullamore)
Tom Egan (Ferbane)
Francis Minogue (Mill House)
Jimmy Scanlon (Erry)
Sean McCarthy (Tullamore)
Tom Hogan (Erry)