Former golfer to play a different round

TWO years ago James Clarke made a decision many will find it hard to understand – he gave up life as a professional golfer for a new career pounding the beat as a garda.

The former champion golfer got his new job off to a winning start at Templemore Garda College yesterday when he was awarded the Commissioner’s Medal for the student attaining the highest academic marks during training.

He was one of the 271 new garda graduates who received their parchments from Justice Minister Dermot Ahern.

James, 29, switched to professional golf after playing for the Irish boys and youths teams as an amateur.

During his amateur career he also went to the US where he played collegiate golf at Rhode Island University.

James then joined the paid ranks and was attached to the East Coast Club in New Jersey.

“After some time in the US I went to Glasgow and worked as the pro at the Hilton Park Club in Glasgow. I learned my golf at Hollywood, Rory McIlroy’s old club, and we played together numerous times.”

After two years as a golfing professional, however, he decided on a career change and cited a long family connection to the force as the primary motivating factor.

“My cousin Seamus joined the gardaí and my uncle Con Clarke was in the Special Branch in Harcourt Terrace in Dublin,” he said.

James, from Belfast, will be stationed in Carrickmacross.

Garda Raymond Moloney, Martinstown, Kilmallock won the Gary Sheehan Memorial Medal for best all-round student. Garda Kieran Murphy from Carrigrohane Road, Cork, won the Templemore Town Council Medal for social science studies.