Golf professional Damian Mooney is hoping he can help grow the game of golf in the local area, after taking up a position at Lough Erne Golf Resort.

The three-time Ulster PGA winner is now offering lessons, and with a lack of fellow professionals teaching in the vicinity, he is hoping he can inspire people to get back on the golf course.

“I am enthusiastic about it and I see the potential to develop it,” he said.

“I think there is a market there to bring people together. I want to promote the place and get it used by more people. There hasn’t really been anyone overly pushing teaching and learning.

“The clubs around – like Enniskillen, Cavan, Clones, Blacklion, Newtownstewart and Omagh – don’t have a pro, so there is a golfing population in Fermanagh and part of Tyrone that could benefit, and the facilities here are fantastic.

“There is a great short-game area, the driving range is small, but the floodlights are on until 9.30pm at night and it’s a bit underused in the evening from what I can see. The demand since I have been there has been through the day, but there is that option to expand that.

“Golf is benefitting at the minute because football, rugby and hockey are all on hold. I am here to pass my experience on and give a helping hand. I have had good support from the people so far, and they have been energetic to get me on my feet.

“I certainly have been made to feel very welcome. It’s good to be part of the team here.”

Damian started his golfing life at Dunmurray Golf Club before moving to Balmoral Golf Club and then Lagan View Golf Centre.

Despite playing much of his golf around Belfast, he has happy memories of Castle Hume before his arrival last month.

Twice Mooney tasted victory on the course when Fermanagh played host to the Ulster PGA Championship, the most recent victory coming in 2006 when he won by a massive ten shots after recording rounds of 65 and 66.

“I think I played the last 11 holes in ten under,” he recalled.

“It was one of those days when I was in the zone. It was great, and there was a good crowd watching that day. I still remember it, and I have had it quoted back to me a few times since I have been back here.”

Damian’s biggest success came when he spent a spell focusing on tournament golf, winning one event on the EuroPro Tour and regularly playing at the Irish Open on the European Tour.

“I have had a hole in one in the Irish Open at Carton House, but I won a tournament in the Azores on the Euro Pro Tour back in 2006, which was probably my highlight of winning things,” he said.

“I have played around the region of Ireland waiting for the Senior Tour to come around when I turned 50 a few years ago.

“Last year I missed out on getting a senior tour card by the very narrow margin of one shot. It was the top five who qualified out of maybe 1,000 entries, so it was very close, but I hit the crossbar!”

Having just missed out on qualification for the tour, Damian has now turned his full focus towards his new project. Although his early plans have been impacted by the current restrictions in place, golf lessons are still permitted, and Damian is hopeful that things will go from strength to strength as circumstances improve.

“I’m hoping to offer group lessons for groups, adult and child, seniors,” he said.

“Because of Covid-19, I can’t go offering group sessions at the moment, but that would be the plan when some normality comes about.

“I really hope then that when Covid-19 has taken a turn for the better, and people are a bit more positive, then I can develop it better at that stage.”