Stepping into the shoes of a program director, Barry unfurls the fabric of nurturing future golf talent, underscoring the necessity of a passionate and unwavering dedication to the game. The discussion slices into the heart of youth golf, dissecting the balance between supportive structures and the raw potential of athletes like Gary Hurley and Caolan Rafferty. Barry's insights into managing a specialized coaching team and developing personalized performance plans underscore an approach that's as strategic as it is personal, ensuring that players are teed up not just for the game, but for life.
As the countdown to the Palmer Cup dwindles, we look forward to an event steeped in the spirit of community and amateur golf celebration. With Barry's confident predictions of robust Irish support, the episode closes on a vision of junior golfers, families, and fans relishing a truly inclusive golfing experience. So, whether you're a fairway regular or new to the sport's charms, this chat with Barry Finlay is your ticket to understanding the threads that bind the present and future tapestry of Irish golf.
Maynooth golf instagram https://www.instagram.com/maynoothgolf?igsh=dmI5cjJnbzFmYXJx
Maynooth golf X
https://x.com/mu_golf?s=21
Follow amateur info
https://instagram.com/irish_amateur_golf_info?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Stepping into the shoes of a program director, Barry unfurls the fabric of nurturing future golf talent, underscoring the necessity of a passionate and unwavering dedication to the game. The discussion slices into the heart of youth golf, dissecting the balance between supportive structures and the raw potential of athletes like Gary Hurley and Caolan Rafferty. Barry's insights into managing a specialized coaching team and developing personalized performance plans underscore an approach that's as strategic as it is personal, ensuring that players are teed up not just for the game, but for life.
As the countdown to the Palmer Cup dwindles, we look forward to an event steeped in the spirit of community and amateur golf celebration. With Barry's confident predictions of robust Irish support, the episode closes on a vision of junior golfers, families, and fans relishing a truly inclusive golfing experience. So, whether you're a fairway regular or new to the sport's charms, this chat with Barry Finlay is your ticket to understanding the threads that bind the present and future tapestry of Irish golf.
Maynooth golf instagram https://www.instagram.com/maynoothgolf?igsh=dmI5cjJnbzFmYXJx
Maynooth golf X
https://x.com/mu_golf?s=21
Follow amateur info
https://instagram.com/irish_amateur_golf_info?igshid=OGQ5ZDc2ODk2ZA==
Okay, welcome back to the A O'Chan podcast. This week I'm joined by Barry Finlay. Barry, how are you, my man?
Speaker 2:Gary, how are you? I'm great Good to be on. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Not at all, I suppose before we get kind of a deep dive into where we're going. Congratulations on the Paramore Cup captaincy. That must be a great honour for you.
Speaker 2:I listen to massive honour, gary, and really indebted to the players over the years who have come through the programme Manute and have flown the flag for not just Manute but Ireland and the Paramore Cup. Those guys have done so well so I'm indebted to them to pave the way and give me this opportunity. I'm really excited to do it in the Hinch and home soil and teaming up with a great group of coaches, but obviously on the men's side with Aaron O'Chan is pretty cool a guy I grew up playing with so I can't wait for it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's going to be a magical event and, as you said, the Hinch is such a special spot, such a special connection to Amateur Golf and Golf in Ireland, bringing the calibre of golfers over that you're going to. It'll just be a magical week for everyone involved.
Speaker 2:It's going to be, hopefully, a magical week and as you said, the Hinch have a huge, brilliant track record of hosting the South their oldest championship and even they've hosted some big events over the years, home to nationals and, going back over the years, some massive tournaments. They're passionate for Amateur Golf and how they run things and how they open. I think one thing that I'm really excited about is that it's going to be open for anybody to come and watch and support and I think making it a real spectacle is fantastic. Not only is that a good team for our team and getting some home support, but certainly just opening up, showcasing the future talent of the game, and if people can make it down for a day or a couple of days, I'm no doubt they won't regret it. It's going to be amazing to get up and close to these players.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, 100%. And I suppose for those that don't know like, the Parmer Cup is pretty much the top collegiate golfer. So look, you hear me harp on about it often. Enough that go out and watch an amateur event. You won't be disappointed, and I can assure you, like a couple of days below in the Hinch, to watch the Parmer Cup will be a well-worked trip as well. So I suppose you didn't kind of get that out of nowhere, so let's talk a little bit about just the self barrier. So when did you first take up the game? So watch your own kind of playing story, yeah sure.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I suppose, like most people, I decent at a good few sport and kind of got into golf I would say around six class of school and then my brother kind of was a good player and he kind of got me involved in my local club here place called Frontarf Golf Club, which is the closest golf club to Dublin City. It's a short par 69 but just a hive of activity and then a great junior program. And then you know I'm indebted to the front half because they really kind of gave me an opportunity in the game and you know my parents or family weren't really in the game at that time. So you know, going back down, you know it was harder to get into golf clubs. You had to know somebody and I think doing a better job of definitely opening up clubs to the juniors and getting them involved.
Speaker 2:But yeah, the club half is a great start for me and I kind of got into it then around 12, 13 and then you know I was looking to have a bit of success kind of, as I got a bit better. And then you know I kind of got into an Irish setup. But I think it might have been the first under 15 Irish team or squad and you know, I think it was just that was a, I suppose, a massive kind of massive for my development, gary, at that age. So I kind of got to rub shoulders with some really good players, have gone on to do great things like we would have had, like we would have had Rory on the squad back then, shameless power, you know, guys like Neil Kearney, like a lot of these guys would have, obviously you know, got onto the pro game, so just even to get involved with those lads at a young age and have squad weekends, and you know it was just fantastic, and at that time you would have Howard Bennett, would have been the national coach.
Speaker 2:So you know, just that was my. That kind of spurred me on to say, hold on a sec, here I'm in amongst these guys, I can hold my own and maybe I can go somewhere in the game. So yeah, that's, that's where it really kicked off for me with golf.
Speaker 1:It is kind of, I suppose it's a sport where, like I have to like so myself will just go out and kind of knock it around in a Saturday and enjoy with the time with the lads, and I suppose, if you like, players that develop younger and kind of get into it like success is a massive part, I suppose, in in keeping you in the game, like, isn't it? Yeah?
Speaker 2:like I think, I think I think absolutely like it's such a, it's such a lonely sport and you know it's the greatest beyond how it's the greatest sport when it's going well for you.
Speaker 1:You know it's, it's you know it's your success.
Speaker 2:But when it, when it's not going well, that's the real test, you know, because it's, you know, it just gets so hard on ourselves and you know so I think I think I would very much encourage and young people into the game to play multiple. You know, play multi sports as long as possible. And now I look back and even when I was getting into a national squad, I was still probably, you know, playing a bit of gap in my local club and I played decent level to minor and even under 21,. I was still playing a bit of hurling and Obviously golf was my priority. But I look back and go. I'm glad I kept it going because not even just from a sporting sense, it was just mentally. It was just great to have team sport. I think the more you can keep team sport going, the better. We see that now a lot where kids are specialising probably too early, it's hard to keep at a very high level and I think certainly if you can keep a multi-sport going, that would be the better approach.
Speaker 1:And like trope to your own kind of golfing journey then. So is there a point where you start kind of thinking about courting or mentoring and I suppose in the second part of that question will be are you watching the court? Is that you've had how do I do it? And kind of trying to learn early on.
Speaker 2:Yeah, good question. Like I think I've come into this role very much in my playing background. I went straight from playing even just finishing in the scholarship programme and kind of dabbling in the role and the nudes and the coaches you have. And the exposure to coaches is a brilliant thing at a young age because I think you're certainly more open to it and I think they probably a greater role in imparting knowledge at that age Stuff that I look back even at those weekends and the under 15s and then moving into, let's say, a Lenster squad on a boys level and some of the coaches you met and they had a huge influence on you and I think that sticks with you. So I think it's a positive thing to get exposure to coaching at a young age and then that's definitely an influence on me.
Speaker 2:I played at this level of boys and then there was nothing really in terms of golf scholarship programmes, gary, at that time. I mean Mnud wasn't set up, ucd were giving out scholarships to go golfers and you probably had a handful, but really like America was the only route and I went. I went for a year to a junior college in Texas and I have to say I loved the opera. I loved it, I loved the experience of it. But the scholarship programme, the Harrington programme Mnud was was was literally getting off the ground and going back now would have been 2007 or 2008. And I kind of had always an interest in studying in Mnud and obviously, being close to Carton, it was definitely high I think it was, I think a reserved place when I went to America just as a backup. But anyway, the scholarship programme started. That's really what spurred me home. I just felt it was a great option to number one, develop great facilities on site, would have had the national coaches at the time involved with us in Mnud, in the old man's Dave Kearney, so you know, two good guys involved. And you know I just felt it was a better fit for me.
Speaker 2:But again, again, like it's, it's totally different. You know, and I'd say that to even now, I guess the programmes come on massively in terms of how we've developed it. But you know, america is brilliant but it's not, it's not for everyone. But I think I think, going back to answer your question there, I think you know definitely the coaches you kind of meet along the way a huge impact in you and I think you know when I decided that I wanted to get into this side of it. That you know, I think those people, you know, you kind of you relate to it more and you kind of go. You know, I'm really interested in how I went that route and maybe if I did, if I did things differently or if I, you know, if I practiced differently, if I kind of went a different route, you know, so yeah, I do think that's that's, that's a huge factor.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I suppose, like I just said, you kind of came through the early days of the Mnud scholarship yourself and what was your biggest takeaway from your time in Mnud, I suppose, and then that ultimately kind of drew you to staying on as going into the role that you went into.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think the main thing really was that I was passionate about and a guy really fulfilling their potential.
Speaker 2:And you know, I think, growing up with guys who were way more talented than me and you know they were just they just played boys golf, they might have won a boys' championship or played for Ireland and then, you know, they never really fizzled out, they never really fulfilled that potential in the men's game.
Speaker 2:So I think that was always a kind of a conundrum to me to say, well, hold on a sec. You know, if we had a better, you know a better environment and a better offering or structure scholarship program at home, maybe this could really develop players to an elite standard. So I think for me it was the the graw and the love to try, and you know, nurture players to an elite level and help them realise their potential, because I felt probably that I didn't do that myself or you know that, you know maybe I could have done things better in my time. So that was a big part of it to try and say, hold on, here we've got a great opportunity, you know, with the sport from the university, the connection with the Harrington family and getting some funding, and we had a lot of the kind of raw materials in place to make it a world-class golf scholarship. So that really I just think it was a huge opportunity really to try and set something up to develop the future talent.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it was coming into a kind of not long after playing there and coming in there as a player, I suppose, like your main goal is probably going to be on the players at that point, like isn't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, like the first year or two was interesting because you're kind of you're coming in as the as the program director and manager and then you're kind of like, I think, my first year there was lad still in the squad who had played on the team and you know that was an interesting learning curve, but a nice one because you're seeing it from a different lens, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:You know, I think I think the one thing that I buy is that you know, I mean we've got some some brilliant coaches and we've got so many great players come out of golf in Ireland and so many ex players that can impact knowledge on the future. And my thing was was that like, if I can bring in you know really good expert group of coaches and supports around the players, you know, I think that that can really develop them and that was a big part of my kind of philosophy on things, that it's very hard to do everything you know and you kind of learn that quick in the job because you're you're the accountant, your administrator, you're the manager or you're the coach at the events. So it's very hard to do everything. And that's that was quick learning for me, because I said you know what you know really have to decide what's what's the best way to structure this. So that was kind of another thing.
Speaker 2:That back to my playing days. You know I loved getting coaching. I loved, you know, the weekends we had Lensdor golf or our golf and you're getting to to kind of chat to coaches about different shots around the greens or you're getting to meet a physical coach and go. You know what should I be doing? I want to get my swing speed open.
Speaker 1:I just loved all that and I felt that a huge impact on me, so that was something I tried to bring to some anew, for sure and, like you kind of mentioned, they're bringing the right people around you as obviously like, I think, anyone that's worked in a kind of a decent level in the job. It's kind of like you look to do is bring the right people around you. And so, like you've in recent times, I suppose the more I've seen about Manu and stuff like you have a real strong group of coaches around you. So like, how does that one come about then? So like, are you just going out trying to get better coaches to come in and work with you? Is it like are coming asking you to join the program? As it was like?
Speaker 2:anything. It's kind of grown organically, you know, and Like originally, even going back to my my time, would have just had one golf coach. Yeah, and you know again that golf coach would have been. You know, I could have been doing a multiple roles, whether that was with other squads or panels and them, you know quickly, I kind of you know, when you get a squad of 12 or 14 players, you just kind of realize what you know, what.
Speaker 2:There's only so much time you can actually get, so that's kind of spurred me into you know.
Speaker 2:Well, you know what, what would be the ideal supports, and we kind of went down a more recent years to try and Make it a little bit more specialized so that we'd have, you know, expert parts and coaching different areas of the game, and that's kind of what.
Speaker 2:Well, how it evolved, you know, I suppose we didn't necessarily plan it that way but you know, now we have a situation where we've got you know Different facets of the game and a coach to try, and, you know, focus their time and energy on that.
Speaker 2:So I suppose as the as the program evolved, gary, more coaches came into those areas and again, I think it was probably a mixture of, you know, fine and the right people could give us time and energy, but also people who are bringing in expert knowledge, you know, and a lot, of, a lot of the guys we have, thankfully, you know, they were kind of working out on tour with tour pros. So for me that was a, that was a big one because you know, ultimately we're trying to get the players to an elite amateur level and maybe give them, you know, give them springboard and pro golf, that if we have coaches who are exposed to that environment, that on tour they're able to bring back that knowledge and say listen, guys, you know this is what the top guys are doing. This is the kind of the benchmarks you need to be hitting in terms of statistics, in terms of just overall, you know, game performance and management.
Speaker 1:So so yeah, so that.
Speaker 2:I suppose as the program evolved, more came in and it was a combination of fine and people who are going to bring in added value. But yeah, like I mean, obviously there's other coaches who've kind of, you know, wanted to get involved and you know, so yeah, so that's kind of that's kind of how it's gone really and it was for you then as well like it's a case of if you can build the right team or own jam, particularly with the coaching side of it.
Speaker 1:When you're talking to players who want to come to the college, like it's very easy to say that but they're going to be learning from no Fox or don't know whoever else is up there with you, and I suppose, like getting players in and like the players would know who they are. So I suppose, like it's a good selling point that they can see there's definitely going to be progress Wilder at the university as well. Yeah, absolutely. Like I think.
Speaker 2:I think the fact that the coaches are well known, have a great rep, you know they're obviously a good reputation. I mean that that certainly helps attract players and that you know particularly anyone who you know. If you had to met a player I've yet to meet a player who really wants to get to a top standard, who's not open to to really taking on advice, or at least If they're not open to taking on advice from from from good coaches, then you know they don't really want to get there. But so I think I think that that helps. When they come in, they know that the lads have a strong record and you know they're working with players Who've gone through the elite amateur system and gone on to the tour and even themselves.
Speaker 2:Obviously some of them have a very good playing background and so there's a nice mixture there Of them but again it's the coaching, the coaching side of it, I think, sometimes with players too, because the modern generation, like there's so much information out there, gary's, you know, and you know we're all, we're all guilty of going on to YouTube looking for a golf tip or a training aid, when you know, honestly, it's it's a bit of a rabbit hole and you know, I think over the years We've kind of learned to say, well, you know what, let's focus on things that are actually going to help the players get better.
Speaker 2:And a lot of it a lot of it's actually not massively technical, and I think that's. I mean, I think people associate coaching with Technical development, which is wrong, like you know, and I think that's something we've we've really focused on the last years and With our coaching program, to say, well, you know, what are the stats saying about the players in terms of their strengths and weaknesses? What have we observed in tournament play? No, are they. Are they actually practicing the right ways? And a lot of it is actually. It's actually helping them prepare Better for turning on, helping them to kind, of course, manage, helping them to kind of use their game to actually maximize it. Basically, you know, be more efficient in what they're doing.
Speaker 2:A lot of its strategy, a lot of its, you know, comes down to, you know, training better, you know playing the game better and, by and large, it's very little to do with golf swing, yeah, and I think I think that that's something that's helped us, because a lot of guys who come in are obviously good, very good players. They've got a strong association with a coach. So, you know, the last thing we want is to say, well, here, you know, we're gonna move you into our setup now and you're gonna be moved away from your, your personal coach. I mean, that's definitely not the case. It's more that, well, you know, let's work with your coach and that's actually add the other teams that you're not doing. Well, you know, yeah, so, anyway, that's that's. That's kind of the theory, you know it's it's. It's hard to get to get the balance right, you know.
Speaker 1:No, 100% and I think, like again, that's something that and not a lot of people would understand is that, like, if you get to a level that you're as well as you're strong enough to play for me Noosh are a college overseas, or whatever is like you.
Speaker 1:Like you, you've got there because you're a good player, which means you've worked with the coach in the past and like your job and the coaches job is always going to be just fine tuning and helping out alongside other people and not necessarily massive overhauls. But Something that that you started doing a lot recently, very unsourcely, media is kind of posting, like, I suppose, a bit of insights into, like what the week looks like for the players and schedules and all that kind of stuff, and it's something I find interesting and I'm guessing other people would do like. But when you go into the program, like you're pretty much setting out to start for the players that they have to like do X amount of block practice, ex about, like, on course, and gym work as well, like, so till the listeners a small bit about that. So, like, what's the standard week for player with you? Yeah, great question.
Speaker 2:Gary, and yeah, we're definitely trying to give everyone a bit more of an insight into what goes on. But I suppose the challenge I have, and generally all the team terms of working with the players, is that, unlike America, like everyone's doing a different, generally a different degree course, like even though a lot of the guys would tend to do a business or art courses with us in minute, and generally everyone's on a slightly different timetable. So the hard thing for us and for myself is the weekly logistics and timetabling because generally speaking, you'll get the team to get our early morning for class. So that's just generally. We do our gym sessions with Robbie or we do our, do our S&C work and then the afternoon can be mixed up.
Speaker 2:For some guys they can get down the golf course early, they can get their practice in. Some guys might be able to do it till later. So generally we try and have, you know, a set amount of structured time which is kind of non negotiable and that's usually kind of coach led. So you know whether that's S&C, whether that's golf coaching, whether that's playing a qualifier for the next event or playing competitively as a group, you know. And then after that we put more focus on what players are doing individually. So everyone has a pretty good individualized, what I call kind of performance training plan and that's that's really encompassing their goals for the year and then breaking that down into you know what areas they need to work on and what actually they're doing with each coach.
Speaker 2:And I have to say you know some of the coaches like, like Donald, does a lot of that kind of work with us at the moment and it's really really paying off because it's just making the program a bit more best spoke, a bit more individual to each player.
Speaker 2:So generally like you probably look at. Between eight and 10 hours of kind of training structure time a week is what the lads would be doing, minimum wise, but again, depending on what their practice plan is, if they need more putting, if they need more work on technical part of the game, you know, you know they might do more hours. So generally, generally, we would try and structure between eight and 10 of team time together, whether that's, you know, in the gym, whether that's coaching, whether that's playing, and even sometimes that's a chat with myself I'm planning, or a chat with the nutritionist or sports psychologist. That could be a one to one. So yeah, so I think I think you know it. What's good about it is it's become more individual but at the same time as a nice blend of training together, because I think, at the end of the day, we're all individuals.
Speaker 2:they're all individual golfers, they have individual needs, but at the same time, you know, it's much easier to practice and train together as a group 100%.
Speaker 1:And yeah, look, I put Barry, socials are minute socials in the description of the pod, so if you want a bit more of the insight to actually get them there as well. But something that I wanted to ask you about, barry, as well, is that, like I spoke to a couple of past players in particular that have been in minute, which is something that they've all impacted is that you've been kind of instrumental in getting the RNA series up and running and kind of the involvement there and like it's something I suppose Pamela Cup and we kind of get to the end of it in a second, but like it's a massive base for like all these players to have like big tournaments to go and play against other colleges, like so how was that one born?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and like that's been a big part of, I suppose, my work, I'd say, the last three, four years and really it came out of collectively you know we're quite small in terms of university golf programs in Europe like, and really we've been I suppose we've been all punching, you know, I'd say, above our ways in terms of we've been fortunate to get one or two top boys or girls into our programs and then without a whole lot of competitive opportunity ordered in, you know, maybe the odd before per series we had, obviously golf Ireland have been running some college events, which has been great. That was kind of the start of it. And then even we used to go across the UK is playing the what's called the books tour, which is which was great at the time, which is basically the British universities student golf tour.
Speaker 2:So again, just we were able to go over and compete against the likes of Sterling would be would be very strong St Andrews, exeter, down south even you know, you know handburning him, all the kind of bigger golf institutions in the UK so effectively by, by kind of planning our own or kind of getting our best players to get more off and whether the UK guys are coming over to us to play in a golf Ireland into varsity event or whether we're going over there. We started to kind of create a decent competition platform and, and of course you know, the more you do that, the better, you know, start kind of having some good players and not, like you know I suppose over the years, guys like Gary Hurley, caleb, rafferty, ronan obviously these guys are always very good players but you know that competition helped them in the preseason and you know, then they go on and have great summers and play Walker Cubs or win national events and I think the ornate kind of said you know what we actually need to come in, there's a niche here to run a. You know the levels now is there's some just lots of good players staying at home and we should. You know, and that was kind of how it started they would have kind of our kind of bang in the drum for them to run a tour. You know we were able to say well, here. You know, now we're starting to get some quality players. So so that was the start of a guardian and we're very lucky with your name because you know now they're running the tour.
Speaker 2:But they also support ourselves and the leading golf institutions with funding like and that's, that's a huge, huge bonus for us. So you know we can, we can put some money into our program and also they support individual scholarships. So you know, most of most of the the top home base players will get funding from the ornate and again, that's brilliant because it goes towards their goal for our education. So so yeah, so I mean, they've been huge players for us and you know, I think I think the tour series was timely, started just before COVID and you know now it's the fourth year. Covid stopped us a little bit in our tracks, but you know it's getting well established and you know we're traveling to really good venues or playing in good weather and you know it's bringing the best players around Europe together. We're starting to see more Europeans and again, just the ornate running it, as you know, like it's it's, it just gives it that bit of credibility, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 100%. This was like, if you can get back by someone as strong as the ornate, like it's going to feed into that kind of, I suppose, the market at your own disposal. It's looking at elite players staying at home a little bit more and not getting lost in the college system in America and I like look, there's loads of people who have gone to America and have great success and there's other people have gone and it hasn't worked out. But minute is, it was always a good environment at the state. It has been growing in the last number of years like, and I suppose like it's really becoming an option now for, like the top amateurs to kind of seriously think about staying at home and kind of giving it a go in that circuit. I could know.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely. And again, regardless of what institution you decide to stay at, the great thing about the tour series is that it's an individual tour. So at the moment, any player, once they meet the criteria whether it's Waggar or ranking or handicapped they can actually go and play. So it's nice in that if a student wants to go and study anywhere in Ireland this particular course and they're very good at golf, I mean they can still go to that institution, even though there might be a golf program there, and then tap into the tour series. So that's a huge thing.
Speaker 2:And really I suppose that's geared more at the European players, gary, who don't have like there's not many golf programs. There's basically there's a very good one in Sweden and Hamstad who bring a. You know they have a very good team, they bring their team to all the events. There is another one in Malaga, in Spain, and then you've got pockets of institutions who support individual golfers. You know, you know some in Italy and somewhere around mainland Europe, but generally it's small enough. So the beauty is is that you know if you're Gary Murphy in University of, you know, bilbao or somewhere in Spain and there's no golf funding for you or no golf program, you know you can still get support to go play the event and I think that's that's important to keep to keep it that way.
Speaker 2:But at the same time we'll be adding, hopefully, a team, a team element to the tour series to give it a bit more of a collegial feel. That like you know, there's also a team competition within the tournament, because I think that's you know that's we look at college golf in America. It's all about the team and I think we can we can certainly harness the team aspect of it, but just in the early years that was the focus.
Speaker 1:But anyway, back to back to staying at home and the options.
Speaker 2:I mean, I think there's there's a lot to be said for for what you can do at home and I think there's a little bit of myth around. You know well before, over the years you would have gone to some really, really good players and they've said, you know, barring programs really good and great facilities, and now you get away for winter training and great coaches.
Speaker 1:But what do you play in?
Speaker 2:I mean what you know, what, what are we going to play in?
Speaker 2:Well, you know, I think between the tour series, amateur golf in Europe. I mean, if you're good enough, there's, there's plenty, there's plenty to play in. I mean, most of my, most of my top guys over the years would have been in the National Squad, gary, so they would have been able to, you know, tap into what we have to offer now with the tour series, a couple other big college events that we play in, and now they could go and get picked with golf or to go to South Africa or go play in, you know, whatever the event might be, and again, spanish Amaral and Orillia as well, exactly.
Speaker 2:Exactly, and most of my guys would play those events. Litham Trophy, another one kind of coming into the season, you know. So there's actually, if you look at it, if you get to a good level and you're in college home and if you come to ourselves, you know we'll support you to go play those events. And then you're looking at, you know, now you have a schedule of eight, 10, 11 tournaments from September to May, which is which is plenty and ultimately plenty to get you ready for the summer season.
Speaker 1:And what's the general criteria then? Like I suppose somebody would have to meet to talk to you about kind of going on the program, or is there one?
Speaker 2:Yeah, sure, yeah, there is. And I think, I think the hard one with the criteria piece is, you know, handicap is obviously something that is a hard one to at the moment. You know, we know the system is not an exact system but at the same time.
Speaker 2:I would say our criteria is very much around a player's track record of performances in the last kind of two years at underage level Very much. We'd look at that first. Gary, over handicap. So you know, have you, you know, have you shown some high performances in boys and girls level? You know, have you, have you won anything at underage level, you know?
Speaker 1:have you?
Speaker 2:have you been in contention in order of merits? Have you played on any representative teams? You know. So that will carry huge weight in the criteria.
Speaker 2:Yeah, listen, handicap we'd look at it, but you know it's not to be all an end, all yeah. So the main metric you know your track record of performances, and then we would kind of do a certainly do like a character assessment on players, because you know they're going to come to us. The big thing that we want to see is that you're coachable, that you're willing to put in the time, because we value coaching. You know massively and you know you have to be open to, I wouldn't say, criticism, but you have to be open to really wanting to get better and really wanting to kind of work on the areas with the coaches that are going to help you in your game. So you know coachability, attitude, commitment, work, ethic, like they're huge things that you'd like to see. That stuff is really more important than talent, because you know we've all seen it can have the most talented players in the world, but if they're not going to put them, put the time in, you know they're going to plateau really.
Speaker 1:Yeah, 100%, and I suppose like a big advantage of being at home college too is that you are going to get feedback from your own players on any potential players you are looking at.
Speaker 1:I suppose that they're going to play a similar championship, so that's definitely a helpful one as well.
Speaker 1:So anyone out there looking to go out here and make sure you're being nice as you're playing with any of the main players are in my go against you. But no, like it does seem to be a great program, barry, and like to be fair to you, as I said, I spoke to a number of players that have their Courtney playing with you or I've had a couple of past players on the pod and they speak very highly of you. All of that kind of work that's gone on in the backroom with me and Oost is obviously great and it's your main focus. But the next couple of months back to the start of the pod, like it's kind of leading into Parma Cup, so you have to get through the end of the R&A series and again a prize for that potential, like the Order of Merit there, could potentially be on your Parma Cup team. But what are you going to be looking at in the next couple of months in terms of players for Parma Cup.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and that will really kick off now. So I suppose putting the tertiary to the side is a bit of a change this year in the selection, Gary, and to be honest it's a benefit to our coaches and our team this year in that there's no automatic places from the Parma. In America there's normally six players, mainly female, from the Arnold Parma ranking. So they're going through a new ranking system in the States.
Speaker 1:They've kind of gone with a whole new system and it's just, it's taken time. You can't say it.
Speaker 2:you can't Exactly. So, in a good way, the Parma Cup people and the selection committees have decided that's. You know we're just going to. We're going to have 10 committee picks. So basically there's going to be 10 committee picks, there's going to be the R&A representative and then there's a coaches pick. So I'll have a coaches pick on the men's side and real on the women's side She'll have a coaches pick. So in a way, given the venue and you know yourself, lynxgolf, best coach of Ireland, horses for courses I think having the flexibility to pick the team and go through that with the committee and the selectors is definitely an advantage.
Speaker 1:I can definitely am to retreat on your panel that have played very well the blow on the soul. They like it if it blows and they like it if it's not blowing as well. So, yeah, that could definitely benefit you. Yeah, yeah, and I suppose, is that is that just going to be a case of you then speaking to the committee a lot? I suppose, like with the collegiate stuff in particular in the states, you're not going to see it Like you can see results, as it was, like everybody else, but relying on Aaron and stuff over there.
Speaker 2:I suppose, yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly, gary, that's, that's the thing, like I mean it's, I'm not going to be at hand in the event and that's where, like the three other coaches who are based in the US, obviously Aaron in the men's side, you know he'll be going to a lot of the bigger events and that's key because, listen, he'll just get to see the action up close, but a lot of it is a lot of the workload is actually, I mean we're able to tap into statistical reports, and you know that's interesting stuff.
Speaker 2:But you know there's there'll be no stone stone left unturned in terms of you know, looking at who exactly are our best performers. And then it's a case of you know, trying to get the pairings and the partnerships right and, given the format as you know, like probably 36 points, I'm going to say up for grabs with, with pairing. So you know you've got a mixed four sums and mixed four ball and then there's a four ball, guys and guys, girls and girls. So you know, if you get those partnerships right and they perform well, it gives you a huge chance to win it. Because you know the final day, singles everyone plays singles, which is brilliant, which is just pure, pure match play, and what haven't hopefully haven't the partnerships right, will give us a chance.
Speaker 2:So you know there's a good bit of workload that go in now to you know the big events kicking off and we'll be tracking every event and there'll be kind of a report on out as the as the season goes out and we'll be. We'll be having conference calls and lots of chatter on players and fit for team and stuff like that. But yeah, I love it. You know, again, if you're a golf fan and you like that kind of stuff you'd love it, gary. You know it's just great following following these guys.
Speaker 1:And listening to like reports and statistics and kind of wanting any chance. I could be like just an assistant, assistant or something.
Speaker 2:You know, I think we could draft you in, given the amount of work you do at amateur events. So, I think you might have a role to play with us this year.
Speaker 1:I just want to add a report, really Like I think I massively enjoy just going through and seeing like who does what where and everything else. But I know also, look, aaron, if you're really stuck in, aaron is unavailable I can travel to the US to watch an event to feel like you know we can work something out, you know.
Speaker 2:I'm sure we can Sure.
Speaker 1:But no, look, I'm massively thank you for your time and best of luck for the next couple of months. I suppose, leading up to that and obviously with the day job in minutes, you're going to be a busy, busy man and hopefully I catch you on the links watching the ads at some point over the summer.
Speaker 2:No, absolutely, gary. It's a great, great time to be on and no, listen, keep up the great work you're doing. I'm looking forward to this and, as anyone in coaching or managing golfers, you're helping us massively because we're getting to see everything straight away and who's doing well at what event. And now at least you're doing a great, great service amateur golf. So this I'm looking forward to keeping in touch, seeing you on the circuit and you know, I'm sure you'll you'll give plenty of plugs to the Palmer Cup because you know, and one thing I'd say to.
Speaker 2:Gary is, like you know, hopefully we'll see lots, of, lots of kids, lots of young golfers out Watching these guys. I mean, that's, that's exciting for me because, you know, generally speaking, especially when the Palmer Cups in the US, it's generally in a big country club that can be very private and I like to think that the hint is like an open it'll just be the open championship, open to anyone who comes to watch it. So, you know, definitely hopefully a plug out there to get as many juniors and youngsters out to watch it, you know.
Speaker 1:No, 100% that. It's the fifth of July, isn't it?
Speaker 1:The fifth of July, yeah so that weekend free, you can walk to fairways, eat nice cream, like it's. As you said, it's an extremely open place. They do it well for the South. I have no doubt they're going to do it extremely well for the Palmer Cup as well, where, like the course literally rolls into the village and start a town and you can, like you can, you can any young kids, their parents, you could just literally sort of donate in and see what's going on. And again, like the beach, it's too far away. So it's a lovely place to spend a couple of days, but the Irish will turn out in support Absolutely.
Speaker 2:Gary, you know, that's it. Looking forward to seeing you there.