During the Irish Open the previous week, Des Smyth committed a segment of every day to practising on the driving range, a place he views as an open-air lab for experimenting with the principles of physics and chemistry. Even though golf has gone through numerous changes since Smyth’s tour days, he remains full of curiosity and enthusiasm.
“Some of these players, whose names I didn’t even know, left me in awe,” Smyth admits, “As I observed their shots, I thought to myself, ‘These shots couldn’t possibly be improved upon.’ yet these players are far from reaching their peak.”
One morning, Smyth found himself observing Seán Keeling, a 17-year-old from Roganstown who had participated in the junior Ryder Cup representing Europe. Keeling is set to start his first year at Texas Tech. Despite wild winds, Keeling scored an impressive 70 at the Irish Open, where he was invited to play. His score was one of the only two bogey-free rounds in the tournament, and he made the cut on the following day.
In a conversation with Irish Golfer in May, Keeling expressed his goal of competing in the PGA Tour and winning major championships. This was nothing new to him, having participated in Ireland’s major amateur events since he was just 12, similar to Rory McIlroy’s early career. Keeling has trained with McIlroy’s coach, Michael Bannon, and has worked with a sports psychologist for the past five years.
For many, this would seem like an astute strategy for safeguarding his future, but in sports, nothing is guaranteed.
“I caught up with him after he made the cut at the Irish Open,” Smyth recalled, “and I told him, ‘You’re performance has been exceptional.’ He seems poised to become an outstanding player, but whether he will reach his potential, is something I can’t predict.”
Further in the conversation, Smyth recalled an interview with Ryan Fox, a PGA Tour regular, at Royal County Down. According to Fox, the top-tier players over there are out of this world. But for the majority of the players? They’re just one amongst thousands, he said. Even if you’re 10th place, one bad shot can send you down to 25th. Another mishap and suddenly you’re in the 45th spot, unnoticed and forgotten.
In this particular profession, becoming obsolete is an enduring risk. Beyond renowned global players such as McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Tom McKibbin remains the solitary Irish athlete based at home to have obtained complete exemption on the DP World Tour. Last year, despite six Irish players progressing to Q-school’s final stage, none secured a card.
The circumstances have transformed substantially over the years. A decade ago, when the Fota Island hosted the Irish Open, the tournament saw the participation of 21 Irish players; however, the most recent event at Royal County Down had only 11.
Adjustments in exemption criteria could partially explain the reduced figures, but it’s worth noting that out of those 21 who participated in the Fota Island tournament, ten were European Tour full-timers, as it was formerly named. Such concentrated skill is missing today.
For the BMW’s current week in Wentworth, considered the DP World Tour’s most distinguished event, five Irish players are contesting; a slight drop from the 11 competing a decade ago.
Reflecting on the current scenario, veteran golfer Gary Murphy explains, “It’s as if Tom McKibbin is touring by himself at present,” and adds, referring to his own experiences, “When I was part of the tour, I was accompanied by various accomplished players like Des Smyth, Eamon Darcy, Philip Walton, Paul McGinley, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Ronan Rafferty, Peter Lawrie, Damien McGrane, Gareth Maybin – probably five or six in that list were top-class players from whom to learn and gain inspiration. It was like having an enclave within the tour. Unfortunately, upcoming players today aren’t granted this privilege.”
Over the past two decades, professional golf has evolved radically. Presently, the top European players are primarily based in the United States, and the so-called European Tour has adopted an alternative business strategy, promoting its tournaments across four continents and appealing to players worldwide. Consequently, the jostle for places on the DP World Tour has become highly competitive and relentless.
Murphy describes professional golf as an intensely competitive field in which holding onto your card can be an extremely challenging feat. A player may find themselves without privileges to play anywhere within a span of two years. Looking at it from another perspective, it’s a serious consideration whether to strive for a professional golf career or simply to turn pro; many youngsters opt for the latter. However, the critical question remains: how many actually make a living out of professional golf? Not many, it appears.
Analysts of men’s professional Irish golf, including the renowned author Ronan MacNamara, suggests that the sport has seen a notable decline. He points to the mere presence of five Irish players in the top 18 exemption categories of this year’s DP World Tour; this places them behind several other countries such as Denmark, Sweden, France, Scotland, Spain, Italy and Germany.
Despite the above, it’s important to note that Irish golf continues to nurture notable amateur talents, supported by extensive resources. Over the course of the past decade, 16 Irish players have been part of the Britain and Ireland team in the Walker Cup. Notably, the 2015 team that scored a victory against the United States had five Irish players, which was a record.
All these exceptional players turned pro. But where are they now? For instance, Jack Hume no longer plays at the same level. Gavin Moynihan has been playing on minor leagues this year, Paul Dunne is reeling from an injury and doesn’t have any tour status for 2024, though he does have an exemption to stage two of Q-school on the DP World Tour. Other noteworthy players such as Cormac Sharwin and Gary Hurley participate on the Challenge Tour. Nobody dismissed their decision to turn pro as poor judgment.
Hurley, Sharwin along with four of their Irish peers participated in the Challenge Tour event in Italy this week. There, a local hotel charges more than €300 a night, a steep expense considering the thrift lifestyle of the tour. Yet no participant stayed there, according to Hurley, who opted for an Airbnb accommodation instead.
According to Hurley, the cost of touring for golf has increased significantly, including expenses like hiring a caddie and choosing to lodge alone. Furthermore, he mentions that the financial reward is not necessarily impressive, unless one is performing exceptionally well. Playing in locations like Switzerland or Nordic countries could prove financially draining. Since going professional in 2015, Hurley has participated in 83 Challenge Tour games and made 31 appearances on the DP World Tour. During this time, he earned slightly more than €197,000 in prize money. This season Hurley was amongst 10 recipients of a Golf Ireland grant worth €33,000, marking the last time he is eligible for this funding scheme.
Hurley’s fiancée resides in Abu Dhabi, and he uses this location as his base during the winter months. However, during other parts of the year, he returns to his home in Waterford. The journey to success isn’t straightforward or comfortable, as represented by fellow golf player Seamus Power’s experience, who only made a significant breakthrough on the PGA Tour at the age of 30; Hurley is currently 31.
Hurley agrees that many individuals may question the unpredictable nature of the sport and the lifestyle that accompanies it. At times, despite one’s hard work, certain elements may not align successfully. Hurley believes in maintaining a positive attitude and patience. For him, personal happiness plays a key factor in his commitment to the game.
Golf Ireland offers a programme aimed at backing players in their transition from top-tier amateurs to budding professionals. Restricted to ten players meeting strict criteria this year, this funding scheme can only be accessed up to six times. These golfers are entitled to custom practice facilities at Carton House and a winter camp in Portugal; a new training base in UAE is in the pipeline. However, the question still stands if there are sufficient world-class practice amenities available in Ireland.
For the forthcoming academic year, an impressive 31 Irish golf players, both men and women, will be attending American universities on golf scholarships, a statistic that brings hope. Over the Thanksgiving period, many of them will convene in Florida for a training camp with coaches from Golf Ireland to keep their ties strong.
As to what else Golf Ireland can implement, or the ways in which other federations might outdo them, remains unclear. Are questions over whether there should be a higher success rate amongst elite Irish amateur golfers who go professional or whether there are boundaries to what an association can achieve in such a ferociously solitary sport?
Neil Manchip, the chief of high-performance at Golf Ireland and long-term coach of Lowry, is adamant that he is receptive to fresh innovations and superior methods. He said, “This is something we’re keen on advancing. We’re presently conducting a survey among numerous countries to understand their strategies for transitioning amateurs to professionals. We’ve observed a range from countries who have no initiatives at all to those with excellently advanced programmes.”
Interestingly, it is the Danish federation who have achieved exemplary results within this area, despite managing a more modest budget. A novice Danish golfer embarking on the Challenge Tour only receives €1,500 in funding, however, their triumph lies in their successful mentoring and comprehensive support system.
Claus Moelholm, the head of elite performance at the Danish federation mentions, “Our tour players and those who have retired are open to giving back, in any way we facilitate. They frequently attend our training camps. The Hojgaards continue to take part in our training camps.”
This year, three Danish golfers have secured victories on the DP World Tour. Another has triumphed three times on the Challenge Tour. A quarter of a century ago, Danish Golf was hardly recognised.
Irish men’s golf, apart from a handful of well-known names, is in a state of decline. McKibbin shows potential for securing his card on the PGA Tour for the following season. Conor Purcell, having succeeded on the Challenge Tour this year, seems to be surging towards the DP World Tour. Beyond these hopefuls, there is an ongoing battle.
Perhaps the glory days are in the past, maybe we were overly indulged.