*Lahinch Golf Club Operations Manager, TJ Ford.
EVERYTHING has “come together just in time” for Lahinch Golf Club ahead of its staging of the Walker Cup in September.
By Daragh Small
Operations Manager at Lahinch Golf Club, TJ Ford lives and breathes golf and is excited for the Walker Cup to be played in the west of Ireland for the very first time.
A second round 66 put him right in the frame but TJ finished seventh and missed out on the perfect season at his beloved Rosses’ Point. Five years later he has no regrets, he took his chance in 2022 and got to experience life as a full-time amateur, but the professional ranks never appealed to him.
He still lives and breathes the game, where he works as an Operations Manager at Lahinch as they prepare to host the first ever Walker Cup to be played on the west coast of Ireland.
On the refurbishment works in Lahinch, he said, “The clubhouse opened a month ago so we’re making final touches. It looks incredible and the feedback has been fantastic. It was a long two years doing different phases of it but it’s all come together just in time for the first weekend of September.
“It’s coming around quickly, only a year turnaround from Cypress Point instead of your typical two years, but the R&A have been on-site and they’ve been great to work with. They’re so used to running events like this, it’s just like clockwork. It’s been great dealing with Susan Simpson, Euan Mordant and the R&A. They’ve been great in the preparations coming up to it. It’s going to fly in, so still a lot to be done, but we’re getting there”.
The 28-year-old cut his teeth in Co Sligo, both on and off the course. It was where he was first introduced to the game and he also held the Acting General Manager role towards the end of 2022.
Ford grew up in the village and was around to experience Co Sligo’s wins in the AIG Senior Cup and Barton Shield. He came through when Barry Anderson, Stephen Brady and Gary McDermott were also starting to make their names in the amateur game.
Ford played rugby too and after a few successful years on the field with Sligo Grammar and Sligo Rugby Club, he joined up with the Connacht Underage Academy.
However, it was golf that was always his main focus and in particular, the West of Ireland at Co Sligo. “As a Rosses’ Point man, the West has a special place in my heart,” he said. “I have golf balls signed by Rory McIlroy from when he was 15 and 16-years-old, winning West of Irelands. I remember going around as a young fella with, for some reason a Spanish towel, and I got every player in the field that I could find to sign it.
“If a young fella came up and asked me for an autograph now, I’d be mortified, but it felt so big and it’s the championship that I obviously would have loved to win. I haven’t done as well in it as I’d like, the last few years”.
Ford went to study in Maynooth University where he was joined by the likes of Stuart Grehan, Robin Dawson, Ronan Mullarney and Sean Flanagan.
And it was that year, in 2021, when he defeated Alan Fahy 5&4 to claim his inaugural Irish championship, with the South of Ireland in Lahinch. “That whole year was definitely when I played my best golf,” said Ford. “I won the South in July and I’d been playing good golf before that, the West was on in September because of Covid. It was a Stroke Play tournament, and Hugh Foley won it. I got close to winning and just fell off with a few holes to go. Hugh played incredible, he deserved that”.
“I made my Home Internationals cap that year and it was also the first time Connacht won Interpros in Shannon in a long time. I had my first championship win, the Connacht Interpros win and the Home Internationals all in this space of a few months, which was incredible. The next year I took a career break. I ended up not playing well that year and not that I had any ambitions to go pro before that, but that shed light on how difficult it would be, to be professional with your livelihood on the line”.
Ford had been working with The Revenue Club before his interim role at Co Sligo and then in January 2023 he joined Lahinch.
His day-to-day involves everything from golf operations and customer service to food and beverage, budgets and marketing.
There has been massive change in the Clare links, having hosted the Arnold Palmer Cup in July 2024 ahead of this September’s Walker Cup. A clubhouse renovation has recently been completed along with an irrigation project while there are also plans for the redevelopment of the Castle Course.
“With the Irish Open in Doonbeg the week after the Walker Cup, it’s a really exciting time and the South this year is going to be an incredible field,” said Ford.
“Dean Robertson has indicated to his panel that if they want to be considered for Walker Cup, it’s a good idea to play in the South. “It looks like there’s ten or so guys entered at the moment from GB&I, so it’s going to be as good a field as there probably ever has been in the South so that’s going to be an extra special week.
“US Am is on the week after, but it’s the last big domestic event before Dean is selecting his panel so it’s going to play a really big part in that Walker Cup selection.”
The preparations continue with Walker Cup Committee Chair Padraig Slattery, Captain John Gleeson and Lady Captain Miriam O’Keeffe and General Manager Paddy Keane all heavily involved.
While this weekend Ford will have some time away, as he is able to turn his attentions back to his own game and the Connacht Stroke Play.
Ford has plenty of links to Galway Golf Club, his grandmother Dympna Ford was previously President there, while his grandfather Tom Ford was President and Captain.
And he went close last year, as eventual winner Cian O’Connor finished just two shots ahead of Ford in the final standings. “It would mean a lot,” said Ford. “I have a lot of family history with Galway. My dad and grandparents played there, so my grandparents have been captains and presidents of the club. I would have spent a lot of time as a junior golfer sitting in the buggy with my granddad, playing a few holes and I have really fond memories of the club.
“It would mean a lot to play well in Galway again and hopefully get across the line. I think it’s a fantastic course, really testing and requires a lot of precision so I’m really looking forward to it. Hopefully the weather plays ball. We had our Barton Shield qualifiers there two weeks ago and the course is in amazing condition so I’m really looking forward to it. It should be a great weekend”.
