Starting Thurs., 8/18/10 - Get To Know Martin Toal

[Martin Toal]

Martin

Do you spend more time on Golf Club Atlas or The Cameron Collector?
GCA, comfortably. I don't really visit TCC much nowadays. I don't really follow the limited putters/headcovers/other stuff release schedules for Cameron stuff anymore either. Although I see there is a nice Del Mar Buttonback slated for release in October. 

[Padraig Dooley]

Martin

Do you spend more time on Golf Club Atlas or The Cameron Collector?
GCA, comfortably. I don't really visit TCC much nowadays. I don't really follow the limited putters/headcovers/other stuff release schedules for Cameron stuff anymore either. Although I see there is a nice Del Mar Buttonback slated for release in October. 

Yes, I'm looking forward to the Del Mar Buttonback as well!!

[Bill_McBride]

What are your favorite links courses in England?

Confession time - haven't played very many at all. I was a member of Silloth for 5 years or so, so that will have to be the one

Scotland?

Haven't played TOC, but the New and Kingsbarns were pretty good

Ireland, Northern and Republic?

RCD, is my favourite course anyplace, but Royal Portrush is also great. I also have a sneaking affection for Castlerock.

No need to be sneaky about liking Castlerock, I really enjoyed that course in my trip to the Walker Cup in 2007.  I particularly liked those holes that went up into the dunes, with the benched-in greens.

[George Pazin]

Martin, have you met any UK GCAers?

Though I have yet to partake, I strongly recommend looking into the Buda Cup.

[Scott Warren]

Good choice of 3 and 4 at Silloth!

When I think of the best three-hole stretches I have played in the UK it is hard to come up with many better than 2-4 at Silloth!

[Steve Kline]

Martin - I have a Scotty Cameron Mizuno The Reason. I bought it about 15 years ago And have used it ever since. I never had a putter cover for it so I can't say it is mint condition. I have heard it's a collector's item. Any idea what it is worth?

Have you played Donegal? Why do prefer Sligo to it?

[George Pazin]

Have you played St Enodoc or been to the Cornwall region?

[Rory Connaughton]

Martin, where did you go to medical school?

What county are you from (Down?)

Your GAA-Rugby comment was great.  On my first trip to RCD with my father (grew up in Dublin), he and our caddy were talking about "football" generically. it took me a few minutes to realize that what they were really doing was trying to figure out whether the other was protestant or catholic.  Finally my father mentioned the great Down teams of years gone by and our caddy became far more open with us.

[Will MacEwen]

Martin, where did you go to medical school?

What county are you from (Down?)

Your GAA-Rugby comment was great.  On my first trip to RCD with my father (grew up in Dublin), he and our caddy were talking about "football" generically. it took me a few minutes to realize that what they were really doing was trying to figure out whether the other was protestant or catholic.  Finally my father mentioned the great Down teams of years gone by and our caddy became far more open with us.

I had no clue those sports were culturally linked, although I should have guessed.

[Martin Toal]

Martin, where did you go to medical school?

What county are you from (Down?)

Your GAA-Rugby comment was great.  On my first trip to RCD with my father (grew up in Dublin), he and our caddy were talking about "football" generically. it took me a few minutes to realize that what they were really doing was trying to figure out whether the other was protestant or catholic.  Finally my father mentioned the great Down teams of years gone by and our caddy became far more open with us.

I had no clue those sports were culturally linked, although I should have guessed.

Oh, everything is socio-poltically-culturally linked some way.

When I was a lad GAA was green, and rugby was Orange

[Martin Toal]

Martin, where did you go to medical school?

What county are you from (Down?)

Your GAA-Rugby comment was great.  On my first trip to RCD with my father (grew up in Dublin), he and our caddy were talking about "football" generically. it took me a few minutes to realize that what they were really doing was trying to figure out whether the other was protestant or catholic.  Finally my father mentioned the great Down teams of years gone by and our caddy became far more open with us.

I am from Tyrone, originally from a town called Dungannon, original home of Darren Clarke. My father played (Gaelic) football for Tyrone for some years, and followed Tyrone all his life. 

I went to Queens University, Belfast and did medicine there. I had considered going to Trinity (Dublin) but ended up going where my classmates were mostly going. For you Americans, my University fees for doing medicine were precisely zero, and I even got a grant from the Govt to help with living costs.

The old game of deciding of someone was a Catholic or a Protestant is ingrained in people from Northern ireland, and is primarily a defence mechanism to avoid saying or doing something that would offend or attract a kicking. There are a few subtle ways of doing it, but name is a good start. Christian name trumps surname if the combination is ambiguous.

[Martin Toal]

Have you played St Enodoc or been to the Cornwall region?

George

I have never been in Cornwall. I hear that the golf is great though. Saunton gets good reviews over here too.

[Martin Toal]

Martin - I have a Scotty Cameron Mizuno The Reason. I bought it about 15 years ago And have used it ever since. I never had a putter cover for it so I can't say it is mint condition. I have heard it's a collector's item. Any idea what it is worth?

Have you played Donegal? Why do prefer Sligo to it?

There are 4 Reason putters, 100, 200, 300 and 400. I belive the 300 is the most collectible. Unless they are a special version made for a famous player or something like that, you will not retire on the proceeds of selling it. It would fetch a couple of 100 dollars if sold on ebay, I would think. If you want to get it refurbished, or pimped out, you can send it back to Cameron in CA and they will refinish it. They wil do so for any Cameron putter, whether Titleist or not.

[RJ_Daley]

Martin, did you watch any of the PGA on TV?  If so, what did you think of the faux links, effort to recreate a Ballybunion look? 

Do you follow the Euro PGA scene?  Name other fav players, and who you'd like to see picked for the Ryder in addition to who has earned their way on the team.

[Ralph Bresee]

Martin, where did you go to medical school?

What county are you from (Down?)

Your GAA-Rugby comment was great.  On my first trip to RCD with my father (grew up in Dublin), he and our caddy were talking about "football" generically. it took me a few minutes to realize that what they were really doing was trying to figure out whether the other was protestant or catholic.  Finally my father mentioned the great Down teams of years gone by and our caddy became far more open with us.

I had no clue those sports were culturally linked, although I should have guessed.

Oh, everything is socio-poltically-culturally linked some way.

When I was a lad GAA was green, and rugby was Orange

Mr. Toal, I live in Seattle where nearly everyone is politically correct. Forgive me, will you discuss the effect of religion on golf course architecture?
Rallph Bresee

[Martin Toal]

Martin, where did you go to medical school?

What county are you from (Down?)

Your GAA-Rugby comment was great.  On my first trip to RCD with my father (grew up in Dublin), he and our caddy were talking about "football" generically. it took me a few minutes to realize that what they were really doing was trying to figure out whether the other was protestant or catholic.  Finally my father mentioned the great Down teams of years gone by and our caddy became far more open with us.

I had no clue those sports were culturally linked, although I should have guessed.

Oh, everything is socio-poltically-culturally linked some way.

When I was a lad GAA was green, and rugby was Orange

Mr. Toal, I live in Seattle where nearly everyone is politically correct. Forgive me, will you discuss the effect of religion on golf course architecture?
Rallph Bresee

Ha. I am not sure whether there is an effect. Perhaps there was an initial effect as Irish golf was as a product of British visitors, sometimes soliders in the Army, in Ireland, and these were not welcomed by all. However, I think these days, people of all political persuasions enjoy the fine links courses equally.

[Martin Toal]

Martin, did you watch any of the PGA on TV?  If so, what did you think of the faux links, effort to recreate a Ballybunion look? 

Do you follow the Euro PGA scene?  Name other fav players, and who you'd like to see picked for the Ryder in addition to who has earned their way on the team.

I watched a lot of the PGA on Sky TV. We get pretty much the same length of coverage that you do, although with slightly fewer commercials, less bagpipe music and no Nick Faldo. As a viewer, I though WS was a more interesting watch than some of the older PGA venues used to be, where one narrow fairway with brutal rough looked much like another. I don't mind faux links, I have even played some, but I obviously prefer real links and am waiting patiently for Chambers Bay.

I probably watch less Euro PGA, mainly because it is on during the day, and evenings are easier for TV, but I will watch all of The Open.

I like McIlroy and Clarke, Schwartzel, Els, Donald, Quiros, Stenson, Wood, Oliver Fisher, Levet.

I think Monty should pick Harrington, Donald and Rose. Harrington always gives 100% and is a 3 times major wonner. Donald is coming back to his best and Rose has won twice on the PGA Tour this season. But Poulter and Molinari would not be bad picks either.

[George Pazin]

Have you played/seen Celtic Manor? There's surprisingly little discussion of it on here, given its prominent role in the not-so-distant future.

[Martin Toal]

Have you played/seen Celtic Manor? There's surprisingly little discussion of it on here, given its prominent role in the not-so-distant future.

No, and to be honest I have no great desire to play it. I am not a fan of some of these courses created at no expense spared to host some of these events. The Belfry is a terrible course, Celtic Manor is somewhat better but still not great, and the K Club is not really very much better. Not sure about Valderrama. It may be a good course slightly over cooked.

Of course, it is all about the money, and this is totally unrealistic but I would much prefer to see some of the older lesser known courses get the event, courses like Ganton, Dornoch, Formby, Beau Desert, Noordwijk, Morfontaine, Hardelot etc.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Mr. Toal, I live in Seattle where nearly everyone is politically correct. Forgive me, will you discuss the effect of religion on golf course architecture?
Rallph Bresee

Welcome to the board Ralph.

Funnily enough you can make out an iteresting angle on this.

Eddie Hackett was Ireland’s greatest golf course designer.  His father was the first Catholic to become a member of a Golf Club in ‘the free state’ (I like that) circa 1920.  Eddie was to become a Professional at Portmarnock, surely the club of the 'old' guard'.  (Now of course they let anyone in  ).  Eddie Hackett was a very modest and devout man, who I believe attended Mass daily.  His courses were done with restraint and mostly built for a pittance because he wanted to provide golf for as many people as possible, with his fees mostly amounting to no more than a few pounds.  I know nothing to suggest that he wasn't the perfect model of what a Christian might be and I do think his beliefs influenced the way he went about his business.

Martin,

Did Keith Wood play too much like a back and not do enough of the dirty work expected of a hooker?

Will tell me you’re joking.  I understand Keith is now a confirmed golfer and should you ever meet him on the links – well let’s just say I think you’re lucky he is always a gentleman OFF the Rugby field.


Martin good to see you posting on here.  My grandfather was from Cookstown and no doubt when you were a student you helped keep the family solvent with the odd purchase from Tohill’s.


Have you played Malone and Royal Belfast and  Belvoir?  You could make a case for some of Colts finest work being in Northern Ireland if you include Portrush and RCD.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thank you Mr. Muldoon.

Martin, Tony brings up Eddie Hackett. Do you have an opinion on the work he has done around Ireland?

[Martin Toal]

Martin good to see you posting on here.  My grandfather was from Cookstown and no doubt when you were a student you helped keep the family solvent with the odd purchase from Tohill’s.


Have you played Malone and Royal Belfast and  Belvoir?  You could make a case for some of Colts finest work being in Northern Ireland if you include Portrush and RCD.

Tony

I have played Killymoon (Cookstown) many times, and Malone, and Belvoir. Only played Royal Belfast a few times.

When I was at Queens Uni, we played at the University Golf Society at Malone. I jave always liked it a lot and think it is a fine course (the old 18, that is). Belvoir is also an excellent course.

Another nice course in the area is Clandeboye:

http://www.cgc-ni.com/

RCD and Royal Portrush are both magnificent courses, with only a modest hole or two between them, so Colt has served us very well in NI.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Thank you Mr. Muldoon.

Martin, Tony brings up Eddie Hackett. Do you have an opinion on the work he has done around Ireland?

My pleasure Mr Mcintosh.

George have you got Ally in your sights?  Instead of just talking about GCA he's actually taken his interest  further.  Add to that he's a fine golfer and seems a really decent chap; so it's obvious the man is a scoundrel in disguise and should be exposed for what he properly is, by a GTK!



Martin, apart from a few GCA wingnut types, has anyone in Ireland heard of Eddie Hackett?  Have you played any of his courses?

[Padraig Dooley]

Tony

I would say nearly every golfer in Ireland has heard of Eddie Hackett.

Waterville and Carne are two of his best known.

[Martin Toal]

Dear All

It has been interesting being the focus of Q&A for a short while. Thanks to all who sent personal messages. Time to return to obscurity where I am usually more comfortable.