FIPPA Newsletter - December 2008.
Welcome to this edition of the FIPPA Newsletter.
Breda Brophy
The First Lady of management
Pitch and Putt Union of Ireland Treasurer Breda Brophy is hugely dedicated to the administrative side of our sport. She also likes to play Pitch and Putt as much as she can. One of Breda's most memorable feats in Pitch and Putt was to captain Ireland to the 2008 World Cup. Here's her reaction.
Q) Congratulations on your superb non-playing captaincy of the World Cup winning team. How proud are you of this achievement?
A) It was a great honour for me to be selected as the non-playing Captain of the Irish team for the World Cup in Papendal. The players on the team were great and once everything was in place, their only intention was to win the World Cup. It was a great achievement and I am very proud of the fact that I was the First Captain to win the Cup and also the first Lady to Captain the Irish Gents International Team.
Q) 2. What did you and the team do to prepare?
A) The three members of the team Ray Murphy, Derek Courtney and Paul O’Brien are very exceptional players and they prepared in a professional manner, we discussed the manner in which we would approach the games ahead and who would play in the foursomes and the order of play in the singles. During the matches I was on the course and kept the players up-to-date on how each match was proceeding.
Breda Brophy
Q) What has the World Cup win done for Pitch and Putt in Ireland?
A) The win brought attention from some Media sources that have not mentioned our sport before. Also the team was awarded a civic reception in Templemore, home of Paul O’Brien.
Q) What were the turning points in Ireland’s win?
A) I do not think there was any particular turning point in the win, each of us encouraged each other to do the best we could and if one was not doing well everyone else got right behind him.
Q) A few words about Ray, Paul and Derek?
A) Well what one can say about Ray Murphy……. He has won everything in the game, he is the number one player in Ireland and has been for the last number of years and probably for the next few. He is a very quite person and has the respect of all the players in Ireland both on and off the field of play. Paul O’Brien was the real power house in Holland and he is sure to win a National title in the not-too-distant future. Derek Courtney is one of the gutsiest players I have seen, a real fighter and a real character.
Q) What did you think of the Papendal course?
A) The course in Papendal was well laid out and challenging. The 14th hole was tricky and it caught a lot of players out. With its trees along the side of the fairway and at the edge of the green, you had to pitch the ball low so that you would not catch the branches. I would love to have played it but I had no clubs with me.
Q) Does international Pitch and Putt have a future?
A) Definitely, more and more countries want to know about the game, some of them wanting to join the International movement and I think the World Individual Strokeplay Championship is going to be a real success. Ireland will also host its first International Open next year in Royal Meath (a gem of a course).
Q) What does PPUI need to do to expand and grow?
A) PPUI needs to expose our game to a wider audience. We need to increase participation levels, especially in areas where the game is not prevalent. Clubs need to look after new members and encourage them to play the game and maybe have midweek fun competitions to introduce to the game and other members.
Q) Tell us a little about Breda Brophy away from Pitch and Putt?
I am married to Pat for 35 years and have three sons Derek, Mark and Patrick and three grand children. I work in Accounts for a Scaffolding Company in Rathcoole, near Dublin. I am Secretary of Chapter 7 Irish League of Credit Union, acting Secretary and Assistant Treasurer of Blessington & District Credit Union Ltd, and am also involved in the Finance Committee of the local G.A.A. Club.
Q) Will you be captain in 2012?
I'd like to be, but who knows what the future holds.
(with John Manning)
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