Pitch & Putt Ireland2025 European Team Managers announced
The Management Teams for the fortcoming Eurpoean Team Championships have been announced by the NEC of Pitch and Putt Ireland, Ger Holland (RGSC) will manage the Ladies Team, and Paddy Kelly (Trim) will manage the Gents along with his Assistant Michael Vaughan (Inniskeen).
Thanks to John Manning for the following profiles: -
Leading coach and former National Secretary Ger Holland began her Pitch and Putt career at the now defunct Dublin Postal club and claimed second place in the 1995 National Junior Strokeplay championship at Portmarnock. Ger captured that silver medal on the back eighteen from Mary O'Donovan (Collins) after the pair had tied on 122, four behind winner Rita Guerin (Navan).
Ger twice captured Best Gross in the Dublin Mixed Foursomes Stableford (Des Flanagan Memorial Trophy) with RGSC club colleagues Darren Thornberry at Glenville in 2015 and with John Lawlor at Ring Commons two years later.
She was runner-up in the 2020 Dublin Ladies Strokeplay Championship at Shandon to home player Maree O'Toole and in the 2022 Dublin Matchplay at Lucan, losing the decider to clubmate Siobhan Keely. The same two players also contested the 2008 final at Ierne, also won by Siobhan.
Ger has represented Dublin with distinction in the Inter-County arena. She featured on the Dublin team that clinched national honours in 2016 at RGSC with a total of 571 that was eleven better than runners-up Kildare. The Lilywhites reversed the placings the following year at Ryston as Ger again figured in the Metropolitans’ sextet.
The RGSC stalwart holds three provincial Inter-County silver medals, earned at Lucan in 2010, St. Bridget’s (2016) and Lough Owel (2017).
Twice a National Matchplay semi-finalist, losing to Geraldine Ward on each occasion (at Seapoint in 2016 and Tullamore in 2018), Ger posted a 109 aggregate at Old County in 2015 to win the All-Ireland Ladies (Over-55) Senior Grade Strokeplay Championship by three from Margaret Hogan (Tullamore).
In 2023, Ger narrowly failed to add a second All Ireland Ladies (Over 55) Senior Grade Strokeplay title at Glenville. On this occasion 109 left the Dublin lady in second place behind Geraldine Ward (Portmarnock).
In addition to sterling administrative service to RGSC, Ger has acted on the National Ladies Committee and Pitch and Putt Ireland Strategic Planning Committees.
Paddy Kelly (Trim) has been a familiar face on Ireland’s Pitch and Putt courses over the past couple of seasons, acting as an empathetic and judicious referee of our major championships.
Paddy linked with Evan Carry, Eamon Gibney, Paul O'Rourke, David Campbell and Evan Ganly on the Meath team that scored 447 to finish second (just a single stroke behind) to Dublin in the 2024 Leinster Inter-County championship at Oldcastle.
He teamed-up with Trim clubmate Bridie Cummins to capture first session honours in the 2024 Leinster Mixed Scotch Foursomes at Royal Meath with a stableford points return of 89.
Kildare County Board Intermediate Scratch Cup winner in 2024 at McDonagh, Paddy claimed St. Patrick’s Intermediate Scratch Cup the previous year.
Paddy contested the 2022 Leinster Intermediate Matchplay championship final at St. Bridget’s, losing narrowly by 2&1 to Ryston’s Daniel Condon.
Runner-up to Eamon Gibney (Castletown) in the 2023 Meath County Strokeplay championship at Stackallen, Paddy lifted Trim’s Intermediate Scratch Cup later the same year.
A loyal supporter of all championships and competitions, Paddy has also tasted success in the Short Grass and GRIP Scrambles alongside the likes of Mark Gibney, Trevor Cummins and David Campbell.
2022 Collinstown Intermediate Masters winner, Paddy has acted as an efficient Secretary of Meath County Board.
Qualified Pitch and Putt referee Michael Vaughan (inniskeen) was the inspiring team manager of the Ireland side that won Pitch and Putt’s World Cup at El Vendrell, Spain in October 2024, defeating Portugal in the final.
Michael was crowned 2018 Leinster Intermediate Strokeplay champion at Bagenalstown, carding a three-round tally of 145 for a six stroke winning margin over Darren McNally (Bagenalstown).
Third in the National Intermediate Strokeplay championship at Stackallen in 2014, Michael has twice been runner-up in the same championship, the only player in history to achieve this distinction.
Michael scored 154 at Stackallen eleven years ago in the National Intermediate Strokeplay championship to finish a single stroke out of the Owen Farrell (Trim)/Creagh Courtney (Deerpark) play-off.
At Tullamore in 2016, Michael’s brilliant 142 aggregate in the National Intermediate Strokeplay championship was denied by a dazzling display by St. Patrick’s left hander Dayle Donohoe (141).
At Glenville two years later, Michael contested a play-off for the National Intermediate Strokeplay title (with Larkspur Park’s Michael Kirby) after a tie on 161. The Tipperary player prevailed in extra holes.
Michael served Louth Down Monaghan Regional Board as Competitions Secretary before graduating to the NEC, first as Leinster Competitions Co-Ordinator (2022 and 2023) and latterly as National Competitions Co-ordinator (2024).
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