Gillis stayed course at Cork for 50 years

It is one of Ireland’s most iconic parkland courses and as such it is only fitting the Alister MacKenzie layout at Cork Golf Club has a superintendent of equal standing.

Aged 64, Anthony Gillis may not have been around when the great designer MacKenzie cast his eyes on the Little Island landscape back in 1924 but the club has been such a part of the Corkman’s life that he is celebrating his 50th year on the payroll.

Starting at Cork GC in 1964 as a teenager, Gillis has worked on every blade of grass in his half century there, a source of pride for the man born and raised on Little Island and still living just a half a mile from the clubhouse.