Bandon’s John ‘Blondie’ Carroll still calling the shots

It has been a while since John “Blondie” Carroll was lacing up his boots in a Cork Celtic dressing room. Yet his years in a team environment, as well as a long-serving national golf selector, have made him an ideal fit as the Golfing Union of Ireland’s new senior team captain.

The Corkman, who since the end of his footballing playing days alongside the likes of Bobby Tambling, Alfie Hale and, for a while, George Best, in the League of Ireland, has represented Bandon Golf Club on amateur’s golf’s national stage, being capped as a senior international in 2000 and helping his club to two all Ireland victories, the Irish Mixed Foursomes in 2002 and the Irish Senior Cup in 2010.

As a selector, Carroll, 69, served three Irish team captains, most recently Tony Goode, contributing to a remarkable run of success which has brought four Home International crowns in a row, as well as a historic first medal at the World Amateur Team Championships.