“After Mark Gannon from Co. Louth, Davy Jackson was the best amateur pitch and putter I ever saw." Colm Murphy- Former Ulster representative and team captain, Irish Senior Cup and Barton Shield winner.

In amateur golf, attention and glory is often bestowed upon those players who are equipped to hit the ball vast distances. The 'big hitters' are known in every club but the old adage, you drive for show and putt for dough is really what counts, especially in the cutthroat head to head battle of match play. In a stellar golf career spanning over six decades, Clandeboye's David Jackson, Jacko, Davy or Stonewall as some journalists liked to label him, has demonstrated over the years that the overriding importance of having a secure short game is more important than length.

Never one for drama, Davy has played golf with a calm, self-assured and unflustered manner that has gained admiration from many observers and frustrated many opponents on the way. This chronicle will explore some moments that emerged from an interview with Davy regarding his long association with the game.

His first experiences of golf came caddying at Knock Golf Club, near his home in Dundonald. His late brother Hugh a member of Scrabo was the assistant professional at Knock. Hugh would also later become the assistant professional at Balmoral under the mentorship of the late Fred Daly, who was the first Irish golfer to win the Open Championship in 1947 and the solitary Irish golfer to win it until Pádraig Harrington claimed the title in 2007.

Daly also enjoyed further success in the Open Championship with placings of 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 3rd in the years 1948, 1950, 1951 and 1952 respectively. Hugh also became a professional golfer on the European tour. Hugh had a distinguished career that peaked with an 8th place finish in the 1970 Open Championship and he also played in the World Cup with Christy O'Connor in 1970 and with Jimmy Martin in 1971.

He also represented Ireland in the Double Diamond International Competition that competed against the Home Nations, Europe and the Rest of the World. It was from this background and support from his older brother, of four years, that David started to make his mark after joining Scrabo.

Davy's first handicap at the age of 19 was 14 and over the next two or three years, it progressively began to whittle away to the low single figures. At this stage, the short game that became synonymous with his play began to take shape. Through consistent playing and practising, Davy's handicap continued to drop and he earned selection onto the Ulster team for the 1969 Inter-Provincial Championships in Killarney.

Selection was assisted by performances such as his 71 gross score at Clandeboye in 1968 during the Bangor Open week. Gaining selection onto the Ulster team was a huge achievement. This was illustrated by the calibre of his teammates. Decorated golfers such as; Robert Pollin, Johnny Faith, Brendan Edwards, David 'Nipper' Young, Colm McCarroll, Rodney Hutton and Michael Hoey were all also ready to do their bit for Ulster. In his foursomes match against Leinster, Davy was paired with Michael Hoey but suffered a 5/4 defeat to the established pairing of Noel Fogarty and D Gororan.

This was a great experience for Davy, at this stage of his career as Fogarty had amassed over 60 caps for Leinster and 26 for Ireland. He was a much-decorated winner the length and breadth of Ireland twice the East (1963 and 1967) and also winning the South (1967). He played in the Open Championships and famously took the revered Jack Nicklaus to the 19th hole in the Amateur Championship.

In his match against Connacht, Davy was again paired with Michael Hoey, the reigning champion of the North. They defeated the strongest pairing of Sean Flanaghan and international Arnold O'Connor 3 & 1 with a brace of birdies. Their standard of golf was impressive from this youthful pairing as they shot 70. Unfortunately for Davy in his singles match there was agony on the 18th green against seasoned campaigner Ivan Morris from Munster, he missed a short putt which resulted in the match going in Munster’s favour.

At this stage of his career, Davy was playing golf a few times a week with a few additional practice sessions. Further evidence of Davy's continued progress and standing within Ulster golf was evidenced when in 1970 he was chosen to play for a junior amateur team against a selection of Ulster professionals. David beat Paul Leonard convincingly 5 & 4 and in doing so assisted the amateurs in retaining the Russell Cup by 6-4 with two games halved.

Norman Drew, Fred Daly, David Carson and Dai Stevenson were amongst the professionals who played in this fascinating event. Paul Leonard went on to gain huge recognition only five years later in 1975, when he tied 12th in the Open Championship and his four-round score of 286 was only seven shots in arrears of winner Tom Watson.

The 1970 season was a particularly pleasing with great shooting in the qualifying stages in the West and the North. In the West, the bad conditions resulted in only five players from the first 50 starters shooting less than 80. Davy shot 78. In the North, he was the leading qualifier in the Valley course with 68 until the final three-ball arrived in with Brian Hoey eclipsing his score.

David Jackson. Image courtesy David Jackson

Stroke play scores in the 60s kept coming when in 1973 Davy shattered the course record round at Scrabo with a round of 67. This was a five-shot improvement on the previous record of 72 that was recorded by Bertie Wilson. Another course record that Davy was in possession of, albeit for a short time, was the 68 recorded at Spa. The record has to be one of the shortest to exist as one of the holes was altered the following day and so consequently invalidated his performance.

Throughout these years at Scrabo, Davy was now very much establishing himself as a very solid and consistent performer, nothing too flashy, just uncomplicated, measured golf, but a maestro with a wedge or putter in his hand. In 1974, David again displayed some excellent golf illustrated by his win in the Brooke Bond OXO 36 hole scratch competition hosted at Bangor and at Carnalea. He won with scores of two over par at Bangor and four under par at Carnalea.

In the same year he entered the North and after negotiating his way through the two intense qualifying rounds he was drawn against the finalist from 1973, W.J.J. Ferguson. Being pitted against the reigning champion was an ill-fated trend that was to follow Davy in subsequent years in the competition. Billy Ferguson's best days may have been over but he was still a player with immense pedigree. He won the West in 1959 and was also a beaten finalist subsequently in 1975.

He played out of Malone and was the lynchpin when they won three Irish Senior Cups in the early 1950s. He was a player of some repute with over 60 appearances for Ireland also in his locker.

Jackson was never one to be overawed and he beat Ferguson by a 3/2 margin. An integral part of this victory was the ability of Jackson to calmly pitch stiff and hole critical putts. This was again evident in the qualifying for the Senior Cup at the imposing course at Royal Co. Down. In difficult conditions, Davy was the leading Scrabo scorer with 75, followed by soon to be member of Clandeboye, future Club Captain, Senior Cup and Barton Shield Captain Sam Gillespie, with 77.

In 1977, Davy departed Scrabo to pursue new challenges and he arrived at Clandeboye, perched up in the sleepy village of Conlig, just outside Bangor. He represented the club in a Belfast and District match in May 1977 in a whitewash 7-0 victory. The strength of the Clandeboye team was demonstrated by their combined handicap total of 14. The team included Alan Cooley, a survivor of the first Belfast and District winning team from 1958!

Founded in 1933, Clandeboye had to wait until 1958 until they experienced their first meaningful success with a win in the Belfast and District Cup. Over the next few years the club began to gain momentum and they gained a reputation that was respected throughout Ireland. Their first Irish trophy was won in 1962 with the Barton Shield hosted at Royal Portrush. The pairings of Alan Cooley and Jim Derby with Fr. Frank McCorry and Bertie Wilson combined superbly to beat Sutton in the semi-final.

Alan Cooley and Jim Derby were one down with two to play against the formidable international alliance of J.B Carr and Brian Malone. At the 18th Jim Derby hit his approach shot to five feet and Cooley sank the putt for an eagle, the match and a historic victory. Joseph Benedict (J.B.) Carr is regarded as being Ireland's greatest ever amateur. In 2007, he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame having won 40 major amateur championships.

He twice made the cut in the Masters at Augusta National and won the Amateur Championship on three occasions. He played in nine Walker Cup competitions and was also team captain in two.

He was adept at matchplay golf and there was a great marriage of his incredible physical ability and his mental fortitude. To share a round of golf with someone of Carr's repute was an honour but to go one step further and beat him was something monumental. In the other game, Bertie Wilson and Fr. Frank McCorry had a half match against Jimmy Carroll and Teddy Firth in what was a ding-dong battle all the way. Such was Alan Cooley's loyalty to the club that he had travelled over from London, where he worked as an accountant to play for the team. In the final, Clandeboye defeated Lahinch.

In 1965, such was their dominance in the Barton Shield at Ulster level, that they beat the unfortunate Lisburn at Royal County Down by 14 shots. The All- Ireland Barton Shield was again won by defeating Donabate by six holes in the semi-final followed by the defeat of Little island, Cork in the final. In 1970, after a few near misses, the team won the prestigious Irish Senior Cup by defeating Limerick in the semi-final. The semi-final saw them through with a convincing 4.5- 0.5 scoreline with the star performer being Bertie Wilson. To defeat the 1969 Irish Champion Vincent Nevin, who had around 60 appearances for Ireland, one up, was a memorable moment for Wilson and the Clandeboye supporters. In an exciting final, they defeated Malahide.

Throughout this period, the club was represented by luminaries such as; Fr. Frank McCorry, Jim Derby, Alan Cooley, Bertie Wilson and Jim Benson. All of these players gained representative honours for Ulster. Another player of particular significance, who joined the club in 1971, was Joe Coey and who would play a leading role in the club’s success in the future.

Clandeboye’s Barton Shield All-Ireland winning team of 1962. Image courtesy Ed Quiery

In the Barton Shield competition of 1977, Davy partnered Bertie Wilson but they were beaten by the Warrenpoint duo of Ian Bamford and Kenny Stevenson. They shot an impressive 68 around Balmoral for a three-hole win. In the other match, Joe Coey and Terry McNeill were beaten by one hole by Peter O'Hagan and Pat Trainor. A win in the Wilson Scratch Cup also in 1977 was testament to Davy's ability to win against top-level opposition. In the draw for the 1978 Wilson Scratch Cup was a 14-year-old called Ronan Rafferty. He was a child prodigy and in a relatively short but successful amateur career, Rafferty was regarded as being the best young talent to emerge from Ireland, since James Bruen almost 40 years earlier. His distinguished amateur career culminated with Walker Cup representation in 1981, hosted at Cypress Point Club, Pebble Beach, California.

The first pivotal success for Davy, as a Clandeboye member was in the Co. Down Open hosted at Clandeboye. Over four rounds, international Ian Elliot of Royal Portrush recorded rounds of 73, 74, 73, 71 to win by two shots from Davy, who recorded rounds of 72, 74, 72, 75. One of Ireland's greatest amateurs, Garth McGimpsey was third with rounds of 72, 75, 72, 75.

Portrush in 1978 hosted an Ulster trial and David gained some consolation for the Co Down defeat by Ian Elliott by topping the leaderboard. With rounds of 73 that included a scintillating 33 shots for the back nine and a 77 for a total of 150, he was five shots clear of Elliott and McGimpsey. Other prominent Ulster players in his wake included Brian Kissock, John McAleese and Brian Hoey all on 156, while Kenny Stevenson shot 157 and Colm McCarroll 159.

In 1979, Clandeboye clashed with Royal Portrush in the Ulster Final of the Senior Cup but they were unfortunately beaten by the soon to be crowned Irish Champions. On a cold day in January 1979, David participated in the Prudential Assurance Top Player's Tournament at Malone that involved amateur and Irish professionals. Davy was part of a winning three-man team that included Phil Posnett and Roy Hanna. Whilst David shot 74, it is notable to mention that Ronan Rafferty shot 77 and prominent professionals Christy O'Connor Jr and Des Smyth both shot 75 with Jimmy Heggarty on 76 and David Feherty on 78.

Clandeboye Senior Cup. All-Ireland winners. 1970. Image courtesy Ed Quiery

David was now playing off a handicap of one and he was one amongst 29 other players in Ulster with this same standard of excellence. Nine players had attained the scratch standard and they were Johnny Dickson, John Foster, Brian Kissock, David Long, Garth McGimpsey, Ronan Rafferty, Hugh Smyth, Kenny Stevenson and Bertie Wilson. No doubt these names will live long in the memory of any golfing enthusiast.

In 1980, Clandeboye again locked horns with Royal Portrush in the Senior Cup quarter-final stages. Unfortunately for Clandeboye the result did not go their way. Davy's match was called in after being all square against Gerry McAleese. The game was notable for Johnny Dickson getting revenge on Clandeboye's Michael Martin after he had caused an upset in beating him two weeks prior in the North. The Royal Portrush team is certainly worthy of a mention; David Young, Johnny Dickson, Ian Elliott, Gerry McAleese and John Moss.

Incidentally, John Moss was the best man at Davy's wedding.

The new decade gave rise to plenty of optimism at Clandeboye. With established players, Jackson, Terry McNeill, Joe Coey, Bertie Wilson and Terry Magee amongst others, there was burgeoning talent amongst the juvenile ranks. 1980 saw the juvenile section win the Fred Daly Trophy beating Royal Portrush in the final. This was a pivotal victory as this event featured all of the best emerging talent across the province. It was anticipated that if a few from this team could make the transition onto the senior stage it would reap dividends for the club. In 1980, Peter Barry won the Ulster Boys' Championship and in 1981, Neil Coey, the son of Joe, won the Connacht Boy's Championship. As misfortune would have it, he met fellow Clandeboye member Karl O'Donnell in the semi-final.

There was some consolation for Karl, as both he and Neil were selected to play for Ireland at boy level. Colm Murphy, a name that connects the past with the present, was runner-up in the Ulster Boys' and the Ulster Youths. In 1982, the juvenile section again made up for the club's disappointment of being beaten at the semi-final stages of the Barton Shield, Senior Cup and Belfast and District. They won the prestigious Coca Cola Youth Tournament at Donaghadee, and this was a significant cause for celebration. The team was made up of- Malcolm Thompson, Colm Murphy, Peter Barry, Neil Coey, Karl O'Donnell and Richard Gilliland. Karl O'Donnell was a particularly resourceful match player and in his six international matches he was victorious in five. In the 1982 North, Davy again failed to avoid a hard draw when he was matched against the star of Holywood Golf Club, the late, great Johnny Dickson.

Dickson was a decorated player for Ulster and Ireland and he personified star quality with a beautiful flowing swing matched with the physique and stature of an athlete. In a tight contest it was Davy who emerged victorious at the 19th hole. Unfortunately, Dickson gained some revenge in a Belfast and District match at Holywood a short time after. Uncharacteristically, Davy was two up with three holes to play but a few rare putting errors cost him the match at the 18th. Sportingly, Dickson commented afterwards that it was a match that Davy shouldn't have lost. Incidentally, Gerry McIlroy, the father of Rory and a fine golfer in his own right, played in the same match. He defeated Karl O'Donnell on the final green.

In 1983, the Senior Cup and Barton Shield teams were beaten in the Ulster semi-final with the Belfast and District team beaten in the final. Some semblance of success still remained though with Davy retaining the Bank of Ireland (formerly the Co. Down Open. With the young players now keen and capable to challenge their more experienced statesmen, there was considerable depth and quality to the panel that began to take shape in preparation for the 1985 Senior Cup. The team was managed by the esteemed Joe Coey, a stalwart of Clandeboye and a very proficient golfer. He had played Senior Cup golf for many years and amongst his accomplishments was being a beaten finalist in the North in 1977, when he was defeated by David 'Nipper" Young.

Joe was a visionary and he had a game plan to make Clandeboye a force yet again. He wanted to build a competitive panel that the players would buy into. This would then create a competitive team spirit that would help raise their standards of play and mentality. Joe was a great motivator and his self-belief for success then transferred onto the panel. It is salient to mention that Colm Murphy, Neil Coey and Malcolm Thompson all made the difficult progression from the juvenile ranks to securing places in Coey's panel.

After many practice sessions the panel was whistled down to ten players and ready for the qualifying round hosted at Bangor. Disaster nearly struck at the first hurdle as the team made an inauspicious start to finish 8th and secure the final qualifying place! In the first round of match play Davy opened up with a 4/3 win against Strabane, followed by a 5/3 win at Shandon Park over Barry Wilson. These two matches had Davy playing at number five and four respectively but Joe, ever the master tactician, had Davy in at number two in the semi-final. Davy was again in top form with another 4/3 win over the capable Dermot Canning. The Ulster Final against local rivals Bangor was eventually played after a few cancellations due to inclement weather. Bangor had won the Irish Senior Cup in 1984 and their team remained the same. Messrs Nigel Woods, Garth McGimpsey, Brian Kissock, Alan McDade and former Clandeboye legend Bertie Wilson were determined to retain their title. Joe, thorough as ever, analysed the opposition and set out his team with tactical acumen.

Davy was out at number three against former North champion and decorated international Brian Kissock and he won by a 4/3 scoreline. The defining match was between Glenn Kerr and the recently crowned Amateur Champion Garth McGimpsey. He had advanced through six rounds of match play to claim the title. Such was the manner of his victory, he was never extended further than the 16th hole and he had a resounding margin of victory of 8/7 in the final. Glenn went one up after 11 holes and proceeded to half the next seven to hold out for a memorable victory. Clandeboye had beaten the holders by a 4-1 margin. The Irish Finals were hosted at Kilkenny and Clandeboye had drawn Galway.

Joe and Neil Coey- Image courtesy of Keith McClure

Again Joe had done his homework and placed Davy at number five and again he delivered with a convincing 6/4 victory. The rest of the team were on fire and Clandeboye made light work of the Connaught champions. In the other semi-final, the journalists were predicting a win for Sutton over Tramore but it wasn't to be as Tramore played some exquisite golf to claim their spot in the final. The Tramore side had international player and winner of the South Michael Burns and a then youth international, Eddie Power. Joe Coey again astutely selected a formation designed to defeat the might of Tramore. Davy moved into number three and delivered the goods with a 4&3 win over Paddy Butler. This meant that Davy had gone the entire Senior Cup campaign undefeated and he was never taken past the 15th hole. What a contribution! Even though numbers one and two (Murphy, beaten one up by Burns and Glasgow beaten 2 & 1 by Power) were defeated for the first time in the campaign the next three players produced the goods. Ed Quiery was the dramatic hero, playing at number five. He pitched in at the third tie hole to bring the trophy back to Conlig amidst dramatic celebrations.

After the celebrations had calmed down, Davy and the team headed out to the European Club Championship at Aloha, Marbella in Spain, representing Ireland. Clandeboye finished a highly creditable fifth team out of twenty-one other countries. Out of 63 players, Davy finished in 18th position in the four-round strokeplay competition. A special mention goes to Ed Quiery, who finished fifth overall and was one of only four others to break 80 on each occasion with rounds of 78, 78, 73, 76.

What gives this performance added significance is that there were 23 international players competing. In 1986, the focus was to retain the Senior Cup and Joe Coey remained the team captain, with assistance from Maurice McDaid and this arrangement meant a lot to the players. These two men, Clandeboye members through and through, were highly respected and the panel was motivated to work hard at their game to retain their title. Joe had created a great team panel and the blend between experience and youth added great essence.

In the Ulster Final against Belvoir Park Clandeboye were in devastating form with wins from Murphy 7/5, Glasgow 4 & 3 and Jackson 4 & 3. For Davy, this was an impressive win over the very capable Perry Malone. Malone was regarded as being a big hitter and on many occasions he was in excess of 50 yards ahead of Davy off the tee. Unperturbed and seemingly oblivious, Davy again exhibited his incredible short game talents to demoralise Malone and to extinguish his challenge. Noted Irish News journalist Denis O'Hara reported that his short game was amazing to say the least. Kerr was one up and Quiery was two down when both of these matches were called in. Many miles away a crack County Louth team had defeated Elm Park by a 4- 1 scoreline in their respective Leinster finals. Wins came from Frank Gannon, 7 & 6, Val Smyth 4 & 3, Finbar Ronan one up with Tony Hayes and Barry Reddan both securing half matches. Such was the depth and strength of their squad that a certain Mark Gannon failed to make the team but assisted on the day by serving as a caddy.

After a few changes in playing order and personnel, the team that despatched Belvoir was the one that would challenge for Irish Senior Cup honours. Colm Murphy, who had made outstanding progress from being a prodigious juvenile competitor was again stepping out as Clandeboye's number one player. He had already experienced the drama of Irish Finals golf five years previously when representing Clandeboye in the Irish semi-finals of the Jimmy Bruen trophy against Galway at Lahinch. He then combined successfully with another 16-year-old, Karl O'Donnell, in a never to be forgotten match that was played in atrocious conditions to almost achieve a Houdini style recovery. After being five down with six holes to play they were beaten one up. Quite a remarkable achievement by these two young players on such a prestigious platform! This gave Murphy a great grounding and it went a long way in wetting his appetitive for future success. He was a talented and fearless young man who had accumulated considerable success and experience for one so young. Next to follow was Colin Glasgow, the 1983 West champion (he defeated Garth McGimpsey 2 & 1) Glenn Kerr, was next and he was a competent match player and importantly more than capable of rising to the occasion against quality opposition, as his defeat of Garth McGimpsey proved. Davy was next with Ed Quiery bringing up the rear. Ed was a very experienced player with pedigree running in the family. His father Dr. Ed Quiery was part of the Senior Cup team that was beaten in the 1958 All-Ireland semi-final at Ballybunion. He was also the team captain when Clandeboye famously won their first All-Ireland trophy in the Senior Cup in 1962.

In the semi-final at Galway, Clandeboye faced the might of County Louth (Baltray), an experienced team that was sparkling with provincial and international talent. On paper at least, it looked as though it would be a mammoth task for Clandeboye to retain their title. Colm Murphy was matched against Frank Gannon, brother of the redoubtable Mark. Frank, was no slouch either he had represented Ireland as a boy as far back as 1966 and he had represented Leinster since 1979. He had also won the lucrative Mullingar Scratch Cup in 1979. Colm, aged 22, respected his opponent but respected his own ability to deliver more. He liked to play quickly and to get on with his game and he took control of the match early on to carve out a 2/1 win. Glasgow was beaten 2/1 by Val Smyth, another vastly experienced opponent. He was an international player who had donned the green jersey on 12 occasions.

His brother Des was a professional who famously played in the Ryder Cup in 1979 and 1981. In the middle match Glenn Kerr produced a very assured performance to secure one of his great victories, with a stellar win by one hole over Finbar Ronan, who had won the East the previous year. Davy, playing his usual calm and collected game held the upper hand against interprovincial player, and former East finalist Tony Hayes with a 3 & 2 victory. In the final game, Ed Quiery was up against Mark Gannon, who replaced Barry Reddan after he sustained an injury in the practice round. He was a player of considerable consequence, a winner of the Irish Close and the West and East and multiple winner of the South.

He won the esteemed Mullingar Scratch Cup on two occasions, one of only a few players ever to do so. He was also a current international, and altogether he had amassed 91 appearances for his country. Ed fought hard but when up against someone regarded as having the best short game in Irish golf it would never be easy. In a tight match it was no disgrace for Ed to go down 2 & 1. With a 3-2 scoreline Clandeboye had achieved the remarkable with entry into a second consecutive All-Ireland final.

Opponents in the final were Limerick who despatched Athlone by a 3.5-1.5 margin. Limerick entered the final with relatively recent pedigree, having won the tournament in 1976, 1980 and 1982. Billy Rice had three winner's medals in his collection with Michael Galvin having two and Juan Fitzgerald one. They were also the first Irish team to win the European Team trophy in 1980. In the interim period between their semi-final victory and the final, Limerick constructed their game plan and they rearranged their line-up.

In their semi win their line up was;

Juan Fitzgerald
Billy Rice
Michael. Galvin
Ivan Morris
Dermot Morris

In the final it was:

Dermot Morris
Juan Fitzgerald
Ivan Morris
Michael Galvin
Billy Rice

Clandeboye meanwhile stuck with their tried and tested formation of-

Colm Murphy
Colin Glasgow
Glenn Kerr
David Jackson
Ed Quiery

Clandeboye, motivated from an excellent psychological victory over the strong Louth side in the semi-final, set about dismantling the challenge of Limerick in the final. Colin Glasgow and Glenn Kerr set the wheels in motion with convincing wins over Juan Fitzgerald and Ivan Morris with 4 & 3 and 6 & 5 margins respectively. The win by Kerr again exemplified his ability to deliver when it mattered with a superb win over a player that had represented his province in three decades. In the top match, Colm Murphy looked to be cruising when he arrived at the 16th tee box dormie three. However, Dermot Morris, who had won his semi-final match 4 & 3, was far from surrendering.

With some great putting on the next few holes, Morris managed to get a few holes back only for Murphy to hold his nerve and claim victory by one hole. Davy meanwhile, was in control of his match as he was ahead, three up with four to play when he was called in against interprovincial player Michael Galvin.

In the final game Ed Quiery was two down after thirteen against Billy Rice but he too was called in. For the first time since beating Bangor in the Ulster Final in 1985 the first three players won their matches and Clandeboye had done it with a 4-1 scoreline. The coveted trophy was retained and the club became the fifth club post-second World War to win back to back titles. In doing so, they joined the pantheons of Muskerry, Sutton, Malone and Shandon Park in this unique institution.

This was a particularly memorable period in the life of Clandeboye and for the committed stalwarts of the club that had ventured to Kilkenny and Galway to offer their invaluable support. The memories of these two monumental occasions are engrained into the fabric of the club. An Irish newspaper summarised the Clandeboye team, 'Colm Murphy has a wise head on young shoulders and he is an excellent lead-off man while David Jackson, brother of Irish Donabate professional Hugh, Glenn Kerr and tail gunner Ed Quiery are all cool, calculating and competent players'. It was undoubtedly a landmark moment in Davy's career. His contribution to the team effort was considerable, as he had gone undefeated in the matches for the two-year winning campaign, culminating in 12 wins. Having crusaded at a senior level without significant success, these two Irish winner's medals gave him the rewards that he had worked so tirelessly to achieve.

In the following year, there was immense disappointment when the team failed to qualify for the match play stages of the Senior Cup. In the qualifying stage at Knock, the team just didn't perform and the holders were out.

In the North of Ireland Championships in 1987, Davy qualified for the match play stages with rounds of 70 and 81. Survival was the name of the game in the second qualifying round, as strong winds and torrential showers lashed onto the difficult links. Even Garth McGimpsey struggled with the elements as he bogeyed six out of the final seven holes on his way to a 76. His 67 on the Dunluce course assisted in him qualifying as the leading scorer. An emerging talent from Dungannon, Darren Clarke demonstrated great form in the qualifying stage with two rounds of 72 to finish second, one shot behind Garth McGimpsey. Clarke had returned home from Wake Forest University where he was studying on a golf scholarship.

In the first round, Thompson from Zimbabwe was defeated 4 & 3 and yet again, Davy met a formidable opponent in the early rounds, this time it was A.D. Pierse. Arthur Darcy (A.D) Pierse had come through his first-round match by defeating the surprise package of the 1980 North, Clandeboye's Michael Martin. In 1980, Martin reeled off scalp after scalp to reach the final, only to be beaten by David Young but there would be no repeat of this success as Pierse took him 5/3. Arthur Pierse was a player of considerable quality. With a CV that included being a beaten semi-finalist in the 1980 Amateur Championship, a participant in the 1977 Open Championship, a winner of multiple Irish provincial titles, he also represented Great Britain and Ireland in the St Andrews and the Eisenhower Trophy in 1980 and 1982 respectively.

He also played in the Walker Cup in 1983 and was a regular international player from 1976. Pádraig Harrington provided a great tribute to Arthur by regarding him as "unquestionably the best driver of a ball that ever played in a left to right wind". The match was evenly poised with high-quality shots from both players through eight holes with Pierse one up. At the 9th hole, Pierse couldn't find his ball and it was Clandeboye member Billy McClure who alerted Davy to the inordinate amount of time Pierse was taking to locate it. Davy instructed Brendan Edwards, the GUI official who was accompanying the match to tell Arthur that he was heading to the next tee box. Was this an exhibition of gamesmanship being deployed by a player of Pierse's experience?

The next few holes were shared in birdies with each player effectively cancelling out each other's excellence. Pierse won the 15th and 16th and was in close at the next when Davy conceded the hole and the match. A defeat was disappointing but Pierse knew that he was in a tight game and he had to draw on all his experience to carve out the win, the mark of a true champion. In 1977, Davy played David Young in the North and he went on to win the title and so 10 years later he was again defeated by the player that would go onto win the title.

Pierse would progress to beat Darren Clarke 6/5 in the semi-final and then Roy Hanna 8/6 in the final. Around this time, Davy would receive some technical assistance from his brother and Michael Bannon, a former amateur talent and future mentor to Rory McIlroy.

In 1988, the Irish Close was played at Royal Portrush and although Davy's best success previously had been in 1976 with a quarter-final finish, he remained optimistic of a good championship. Davy could not have foreseen what was to unfold but the week would go a long way in making up for the many years of disappointments in provincial tournaments. After the qualifying round, the talent in the draw was considerable. Provincial, international and title winners were abound.

In the first round Davy beat an old foe Michael Malone, winner of the North in 1980, 2/1 by virtue of steady, quality golf. In the next round, there was some concern from Clandeboye members when the draw was announced. Davy had got Darren Clarke, an up and coming talent who played out of Dungannon. At this time, Clarke was emerging as one of the hottest talents in Irish golf and an Irish international playing off a handicap of plus four. The age difference of 25 years was not the only disparity between these two players. At a strapping 6.2" in height, Clarke had the imposing physique of a decathlete and the blond hair of a Hawaiian surfer. This juxtaposed with the bespectacled and diminutive Jackson, sporting his trademark cap, whose quiet demeanour made him look more like a spectator than player. In some observers' eyes, it was a match up of true David and Goliath proportions. No doubt Clarke, with his incredible ball-striking ability that resulted in him achieving colossal length, had his eyes on an early victory. Observers with a long memory of golf knew that Davy was not a player to be easily overawed nor underestimated.

Although slightly handicapped by his length off the tee against quality opposition, Davy made up for it with his composed approach and the touch of wizardry around and on the green. With birdies plentiful, Davy had four Clarke had eight, the match was looking to go in Clarke's favour when he was dormie two. A characteristic of experience tells you that it's not over until it's over and a visit to Big Nellie, the huge bunker at 17 and three putts at 18 put the contest into extra time. Clarke was displaying inconsistent form and with a birdie being followed by a bogie, Jackson was able to remain in the contest. The sizeable crowd that had been treated to an enthralling match would now proceed onto the first tie hole.

Clarke was such a big hitter that he seldom used his driver and so he opted for a three-iron at the first and for his second shot he hit wedge. Jackson, solid and efficient, hit driver and nine iron to half the hole. At the second, a par 5 Clarke hit a two iron and an eight iron onto the green. Davy hit two woods and the hole was halved in birdies. At the short par three, Clarke hit 9 iron with Davy hitting 7 iron and this secured another half. At this stage, the crowd began to swell with word filtering around the course that Clarke was being taken to tie holes. At the fourth tie hole, a long par four, Clarke hit a four iron and an eight iron onto the green with Davy selecting the driver and a four wood.

Again, regardless of vast differences in club selections they remained all square. At the fifth tie hole and overall the 23rd hole, Clarke foolishly went for the driver. It was to be his downfall. At this shortish par four of 374 yards he blocked it out to the right and it left him with a hard shot in over a mound. Davy meanwhile played down over the white stones and hit a nine iron onto the green. Clarke's ball hit the green but it ran through and up the bank towards the 6th tee and he took three shots to get down. The magic of match play had struck again by delivering an unexpected winner - Davy had claimed the prized scalp of the young pretender. This was a brilliant victory and Davy celebrated it in his usual modest manner but he was already focusing on the next round. However, before this could occur, when having lunch afterwards Godfrey Clarke, Darren's father asked an important question. Acknowledging that Davy was a very experienced player not known for rashness of voice or action, he asked did he think Darren was good enough to turn pro? Davy recalls his response was although he had an off day today he is obviously very talented. In 1990, Clarke won the Irish Close, the North, the South, the Spanish and the Scottish. Later that year, he turned professional.

Next up was Paul Russell, a youth international playing out of Co. Armagh. Summoning all his experience to remain settled after the excitement of the Clarke battle, Davy produced a controlled performance to win one up. The quarter-final stage beckoned and this was the furthest stage that Davy had progressed to in his long career. The players left remaining in the competition were McGimpsey, Corridon, Jackson, Power, Mulholland, Kearney, Pierse and Fitzgerald.

By all accounts a sparkling array of decorated and highly capable performers but when the draw was made the name Eddie Power emerged. Playing out of Tramore, Davy and Power had crossed swords albeit indirectly in 1985 when Clandeboye beat Tramore in the Irish Senior Cup Final. Power was now a current Irish International and notably the reigning champion. In the previous round, Power had defeated the talented Jim Carvill from Warrenpoint convincingly by a 4/3 scoreline. Davy was ahead from the sixth and three up after 14. Power rallied by birding the 15th and holing a 15 footer to stay alive at the next. The 16th hole was halved and the match ended at the 17th in Davy's favour 2/1. In the first round, Eddie Power had defeated another Clandeboye player John Verner, so this victory by Davy had added significance.

A place in the semi-final was realised and it was two Co. Down men that connected for a place in the final of the 1988 Irish Close Championship. Garth McGimpsey is unequivocally regarded as being in the top few Irish amateurs of all time. His career is unparalleled in the modern amateur game and his total of 14 majors in conjunction with over 200 appearances for Ireland is incomparable.

As the Amateur Champion of 1985, he got the privilege to play in the Masters and the Open Championship. His Walker Cup career as a player and subsequently as a Captain are integral to Garth securing his position in Irish golfing folklore. Garth was a Portrush expert and a formidable opponent. Davy not only had the daunting challenge of McGimpsey to contend with but also the bad weather, as it had well and truly returned. Strong winds and torrential showers made for difficult conditions but McGimpsey was unperturbed but was in scintillating form. He went out in 32 shots or four under after nine holes and was seven up. Davy was only two over with a ball out of bounds caused by a ball running into a ditch at the fifth green. With a few holes clawed back and a few halves, it was time for a handshake on the 13th green, a 6/5 victory for McGimpsey. This would have been exhibition type golf from McGimpsey in benign conditions but to play in demanding conditions over a course as testing as the Dunluce was simply remarkable.

Although beaten, Davy was realistic to acknowledge that he had witnessed something special and more than that he was intrinsically satisfied with his tournament. As a beaten semi-finalist, he received a prestigious GUI medal. Not long after this contest, McGimpsey was representing Great Britain and Ireland in the 32nd Walker Cup at Peachtree Golf Club, Atlanta, Georgia. In three matches against Phil Mickelson, he earned 1.5 points.

Shortly after his Close odyssey, Davy's next big challenge was when representing Co. Down in the County Match-Play Competition. Although McGimpsey was unquestionably their premier player, tactically it made sense not to put him out at number one in case he met Darren Clarke. So Davy was manoeuvred into the number one position and in defeating Darren 6/5 he has the unique record of having played two won two against him. Quite a remarkable feat.

On the competitive side, the next few years proved to be quite lean until 1993 when Clandeboye won the Ulster double in the Barton Shield and Senior Cup. In the Senior Cup they ousted Castlerock in the semi-final. Davy's win by 2/1 over former Irish boy international Simon Parkhill resulted in an overall 3-2 victory for Clandeboye. In the final they faced a celebrated Warrenpoint team. Their blend of experience and youth was led by former Irish international, Kenny Stevenson and Walker Cup representative, Raymond Burns respectively.

They were very ably backed by Gary McNeill, Pat Trainor and Seamus McParland. In the deciding fifth match, Davy holed an eight-footer for a birdie and the win to take Clandeboye to the Irish Finals hosted at Woodbrook. In the Barton Shield final Davy and Colm Murphy combined well to again defeat Warrenpoint's pairing of Raymond Burns and Pat Trainor by four holes. Clandeboye would represent Ulster in the Barton Shield as well as the Senior Cup.

It was significant that four players Murphy, Jackson, Glasgow and Kerr from the back to back success of 1985 and 1986 were still operating at this level and hopes for success were high. It is also very pertinent to mention that the hero of Kilkenny, Ed Quiery was the team captain. Unfortunately, in the semi-final of the Barton Shield Clandeboye met a Portmarnock side that included Adrian Morrow, the highly decorated international. Davy teamed up with Colm Murphy to gain a half match against Morrow but the second Portmarnock pairing of Dermot Snow and David Conway, both Leinster representatives, narrowly defeated Malcolm Thompson and Colin Glasgow by two holes. Portmarnock went on to beat Tramore in the final.

In the Senior Cup, Clandeboye overcame Co. Sligo in the semi-final by virtue of the top three players winning, Davy was one down when called in. Clandeboye found themselves matched with Castletroy in the final that included a certain A.D Pierse. On paper, Castletroy were very strong with Pierse leading the way with his plus two handicap, the lowest handicap of his distinguished career. He was backed up with three scratch and one 1 handicap player. This time there was to be no fairytale ending for Clandeboye, as Pierse collected his first Irish Senior Cup medal after defeating Davy 4/3 and contributing to securing a 4-1 team victory for Castletroy. Castletroy's ambition to win was demonstrated when they flew in Michael Barrett and Stephen Moloney from Glenville State College in West Virginia. They had not won a Munster title until this season and no expense was spared for Woodbrook. Barrett halved with Murphy, Moloney beat Glasgow 4/3, Pierse beat Jackson 4/3, Kavanagh halved with Kenny Campbell and Sheehan beat Kerr 6/5.

On turning 55, David's attentions turned to the Senior's category. His handicap was still low and the attraction of playing against players of his vintage in competitions was very appealing. In 2000 and 2001, Davy won the Irish Senior Championships at Westport and at Clandeboye respectively. This earned him selection to represent Ireland and in doing so followed in the footsteps of Clandeboye colleagues Bertie Wilson and Joe Coey, who had represented Ireland a few years previously. This was particularly significant to the Jackson family, as his late brother Hugh has represented Ireland with distinction as a professional.

In 2001, David played in the European Senior Nations' Cup hosted in Spain and he contributed to Ireland winning by three shots from Spain, with England a shot further in arrears. He also represented Ireland in the Home internationals hosted at Portmarnock. A win against G. Stowe from Wales 3/2 was a great start and it contributed to Ireland beating Wales with a 5/2 scoreline. In the match against England Davy came up against Roy Smethurst, the English champion. Smethurst had been in imperious form with a 6/5 win over his Welsh opponent and a 5/4 victory over his Swedish one. Over the challenging Portmarnock links, Smethurst almost did 'a McGimpsey' by being three-under for the front nine and he was three up. The match ended with a 4/3 victory in favour of Smethurst. At the end of the competition, it was universally agreed that Smethurst was the standout performer. The Golfing Union of Ireland presented all players with a beautiful piece of Waterford Crystal as a memento and Davy was also kitted out in full Ireland attire, including bag for the competition.

Now, in the twilight years of his career, Davy still plays off a 9 handicap and it is his well-honed short game that helps him out of trouble more than ever, as he continues to play a few times a week. Over years traversing many counties and courses, David has crossed paths with numerous names that form the foundations of elite golf in Ireland. Names from the past such as Madeley, Bamford, Faith, Wilson, Pollin, Kissock, O'Leary, Moss, Edwards, Carr, Mulcare, the Hoey brothers, Stevenson, the Gannon brothers, Long, McNamara, Rafferty, Branigan, Walton, Dickson, Pierse, McGimpsey, Clarke, Anderson, Gribben and Burns through to local talent in Murphy, Glasgow, McCormick and Caldwell. David with his familiar laidback attitude towards golf and more specifically modest towards his achievements appreciates the experiences that golf have given him.

On being pressed, he would like to have collected more Ulster jerseys but alas it wasn't to be. He has graciously accepted the high moments with the low ones and doesn't really ponder over what-ifs and could have beens, although if pushed he would like to have had another crack at that putt from Killarney!

He would regard his best performance as defeating Darren Clarke at the 5th tie hole, although he also has a played two, won one, record against John O'Leary. He famously won the Carroll's Irish Open in 1982 and played in the Ryder Cup in 1975. He would regard Garth McGimpsey as the best player that he ever played against, a player whose magnificent record is testimony to his incredible ability.

Davy also witnessed at close quarters the emergence of the considerably talented Rory McIlroy. In 2005, he accompanied Rory's father Gerry, as they watched Rory play the Valley course in the qualifying round of the North. Rory shot 71 even though he didn't know the course. The next day he shot a superlative 61 around the Dunluce course. This was 11 under par, while he was playing off a handicap of plus 4- he was 16 years of age!

Davy also played the son of the great Joe Carr, Roddy Carr, a Walker Cup player in 1971 in the West and was beaten on the 17th green. Roddy had just returned from USA who had been sent by his dad to help his game.

Davy was one up playing the 15th and then the tram liners started. For the first one it would not be an exaggeration for it to have been 50 feet, and then there was a 30 footer on the 16th and one of a similar distance in the 17th. That was the match over!

Although Davy played against many big hitters, he would regard Jimmy Clynch as the biggest. Jimmy played out of Laytown and Bettystown and he played interprovincial golf for Leinster. He attributed some of his prodigious length from rowing boats on the River Boyne, when he was a salmon fisherman. In 1980, he participated in the British Long Distance Driving Competition. After leading for much of the event with a distance of 303 yards, one foot and 9 inches he was narrowly beaten into second place by Brian Berry of Cotswold Hill. Incidentally, Nick Faldo won the professional event with 306 yards, one foot and nine inches from Bernhard Langer, who recorded 305 yards and six inches.

Clynch made headlines in 1987 at the West by being the only competitor to reach the 455-yard 17th in two shots into a gale-force wind! These distances may not appear terribly long with the modern equipment of today but in their day this was exceptional length.

Davy recalls an occasion when he was playing the 10th hole, a long par 3 at Warrenpoint, and there was a slight breeze. Davy hit five iron onto the front edge of the green and after finishing out the hole a ball flew over the green.

Knowing that Jimmy was playing in the group behind, Davy decided to wait on him. He found out that Jimmy had hit a 9 iron! In 1969 at the Interpros at Killarney, Davy played a few practice holes with him. The course has now changed but the first hole then was a 390 yards dogleg and it was decided that they would each hit four balls. Davy was hitting nine-iron for his second shot, whereas two of Jimmy's balls nestled in the greenside bunker and the other two on the green!

Davy Jackson- Image courtesy of Ed Quiery

As for hole in ones, Davy has amassed 18 in his career and they have been achieved at-

Kirkistown 5
Scrabo 4
Clandeboye 6
Donaghadee 2
Castlerock 1

Sport can unquestionably provide rich memories in a person’s life; being able to travel to new places and to meet different people certainly expands and broadens your life experiences. The important ingredient is enjoyment, but if you are able to achieve some success along the way well then that is a privileged bonus. For Davy Jackson, a highly proficient scratch player for a number of years, his life in amateur golf has given him many fabulous opportunities.

Naturally, there have also been occasions that have meant disappointment but nevertheless, he has embodied the important trait of accepting success and defeat with humility, the insignia of a true sportsman. This unassuming stalwart has made an indelible mark in the history of Clandeboye Golf Club, by playing quality golf with integrity and sportsmanship.

'David Jackson, who plays as though he is out for a stroll'

I feel that this quote from a local journalist perfectly articulates the manner with which Davy played this often incredibly frustrating game. I am very grateful to David for giving up his time and unreservedly assisting me with my interview. Thanks also to Clandeboye history makers, Colm Murphy and Ed Quiery for their evocative memories of the golden days.