I came across an interesting article in the Irish Times dated 6 May 1911.
In relation to the valuable prizes offered by Messrs. Sutton and Sons, of Reading, the well-known seedsmen; to bona fide green keepers for the best six original essays (combined with practical home work) on “The Making and Management of Golf Courses” (“making” referring to the formation, and not the planning, of the course), the competition being open to all green-keepers, it is interesting to observe that Mr. Garden G. Smith (the editor of Golf Illustrated), who has judged the essays, has selected among the best six that of Mr. John Irving, green-keeper of the Portsalon (Co. Donegal) Golf Club.
Mr. Harry S. Colt (Sunningdale Golf Club) will shortly inspect the six golf courses, and judge the practical work of the chosen essayists, and finally decide the order of merit for the prizes, the first being a gold watch and £5 in cash, which, it is hoped, may be carried off by the green-keeper of an Irish course.
Does anyone know the outcome of this competition? John Alexander Irving (born in England) was the golf professional at Portsalon.
What is interesting to note is that Portsalon was altered shortly afterwards in preparation for the Irish Ladies' Close Championship of 1912. Here's another article from the Irish Times dated 30 March 1912;
The old ninth hole, which was beloved of all who knew it, has been reverted to. The Matterhorn green, the fourteenth, has been moved further to the right and one hundred yards further from the tee, which does away with the blind approach. The new fifteenth is played from a high tee, near the present sixth green, across the valley on to a green situated picturesquely on a small promontory near the old fourteenth green. It makes a really fine one-shot hole.
I am not trying to make a connection between and Colt and the subsequent modifications. I'm just wondering if Colt did make the journey to Portsalon. If he did, it's possible he made some recommendations, but then again, maybe he visited, made his decision and went on his way. It's just something to think about.
Dónal.