Pitch & Putt IrelandLiam Sherry RIP
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As a mark of respect to our late Vice-President Liam Sherry, the PPUI Office will be closed on Monday 11th February.
Pitch and Putt devotees everywhere are mourning the sad loss of P.P.U.I. Vice President Liam Sherry (R.I.P.).
A native of Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny, Liam worked for the E.S.B. in Co. Kildare. He first played Pitch and Putt in 1963 before switching to Baltinglass Golf Club where he won Captain’s and President’s Prizes.
In the middle of the 1980's the area of land close to Kilcullen Community Centre was a marsh with a swans’ nest in one corner. A series of conferences were held with a view to transforming that marsh into a Pitch and Putt course. At the second meeting, Liam Sherry was elected Secretary. As a founder member of St. Bridget’s Pitch and Putt club in 1987, Liam played no small part in masterminding the phenomenal rise of St. Bridget’s in the last three decades.
Having served as St. Bridget’s Secretary and Chairman, Liam’s innate enthusiasm for Pitch and Putt saw him appointed as Kildare County Board P.R.O., Competitions Secretary and Chairman. Terms as Leinster Council Secretary and Registrar followed before Liam was first elected to the Pitch and Putt Union of Ireland National Executive in 2001.
Liam contributed richly to the NEC during productive stints as National Registrar, Children’s Liaison Officer, P.R.O., Development Officer and Vice President.
A Kildare County Intermediate Strokeplay champion fifty years apart (1968 and 2018), Liam was a Leinster Matchplay championship runner-up to his Kildare colleague Frank Ryan in 1996.
A massive supporter of Kildare individuals and teams, one of Liam’s favourite Pitch and Putt moments was witnessing a Lilywhite double in the National Inter-County championships at McDonagh in millennium year. Liam saw success in Inter-County combat himself, winning the Leinster Intermediate Inter-County with Kildare at McDonagh in 2016.
Tireless in his efforts to develop Pitch and Putt, Liam was instrumental in setting up the Pitch and Putt Museum that adorns St. Bridget’s clubhouse.
A consummate gentleman to his fingertips, Liam was a witty commentator on all aspects of Pitch and Putt. Wherever a St. Bridget’s or a Kildare player was contending, Liam could always be relied on to be close to the centre of the action, full of the relevant stats.
An assiduous advocate of the P.P.U.I. Coaching System, Liam was responsible for nurturing local juvenile talent (such as the Byrne’s, Dillon’s, Cathal Dunne, Bernadette Coffey and Jason Hannon) that delivered many titles.
A member of the Competition Committee at the 2003 European Team championships in McDonagh, Liam was also interested in international Pitch and Putt and contested the 2016 British Open at Dagenham where he was prominent in the pre-tournament Matchplay event.
Hugely passionate about all aspects of Pitch and Putt administration, Liam was particularly consumed by the handicap system and was hugely diligent in constantly reviewing that perennial poser on the Pitch and Putt circuit.
Fittingly awarded the P.P.U.I. Hall of Fame Award in 2014 for his services to the sport, Liam was commended for his jovial, loyal and outstanding contribution in a huge variety of roles.
Universally popular on the Pitch and Putt scene, on course and off, Liam refereed the 2018 National Gent’s Matchplay championship final at Tullamore.
Hugely respected by his peers, Liam was a model playing partner in competitions, club, county, provincial or national, all of which he supported zealously.
A judicious observer of all facets of Pitch and Putt, Liam’s keen interest in gardening led naturally to an aptitude for greenkeeping, which helped St. Bridget’s to be a flawless host venue for many provincial and national championships and events.
As a central figure in one of Ireland’s most prosperous and welcoming clubs, Liam Sherry was synonymous with St. Bridget’s. He personified a gracious, astute and humorous Pitch and Putt administrator. He will be sorely missed. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dilis
Thanks to John Manning for the above.
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