The Kerry Cup

11/05/2014

INSIDE THE KERRY CUP: COACH RICH PARKER

The Kerry Cup 2014 ended on the 10th green in an exciting playoff between Josh Goldberg and Taylor Kay-Green. As the sea of Kerry Cup participants-60 strong- made their way down the 10th fairway toward the clubhouse, I walked with four participants who were reminiscing about their experience together. None of the four knew each other a week earlier when they arrived in Waterville for the first
annual Kerry Cup and yet they seemed like life-long friends
a week later. The friendships they had developed in just six days together were an integral part of The Kerry Cup experience. “I was amazed at the relationships the kids formed with each other in such a short time together,” said Rich Parker, Head Coach from Dartmouth College. “ I truly believe there is so much more to The Kerry Cup than golf. …It was hard to say goodbye by the weeks end to a lot of the kids.”

Whatever affection the kids had for each other paled in comparison to the admiration the kids had for Coach Parker and that he in turn had for them. “Coach Parker loves kids, and we love him,” said one of the boys. “His enthusiasm for the game is contagious and he’s the funniest man I’ve ever met,” said another.

In his playing days, Parker was a widely recognized player throughout New England and beyond. Parker had notable success on several professional tours, and was the PGA Player Of The Year in New Hampshire in 1999 and in Vermont in 1997. He qualified for the 1990 U.S. Open at Medinah and competed well, and he won the Greater Portland (Maine) Open in 2003 and The 2001 Massachusetts Open in 2001.

Parker’s gifts as a player are eclipsed, however, by his strengths as a mentor to kids and his abilities as a teacher of the game. During his first year at Dartmouth in 2005, Parker led the Big Green to three runner-up finishes in five tournaments, including a second place finish at the New England Intercollegiate Golf Association Championship. Since then he has made Dartmouth one of the premier golf programs in the nation among selective colleges and universities.

The Kerry Cup is fortunate to have Rich Parker in our ranks of exceptional coaches as he embodies the passion for the game and playful spirit that has come to characterize the Kerry Cup experience. As Parker said, “The Kerry Cup is a life-changing experience for both the students and the instructors and Waterville, Ireland is a special place. To attend a golf program in Waterville, Ireland is something that I could only dream about as a kid.”

Pictured below: Coach Rich Parker, Dartmouth College

10/20/2014

The Kerry Cup 2015 registration is now open! Be sure to tell your coaches, friends and team mates about The Kerry Cup and the amazing golf experience that it is. This year's dates are July 12-18th and we have a great line up of coaches and speakers. Visit www.thekerrycup.com and click on "register now" to enroll.

10/14/2014

As we get ready for The Kerry Cup 2015, here is an excerpt from a great article in the Needham times about our 2014, winner Taylor Kay-Green. Congrats Taylor!

We'll be posting details about 2015 soon!

Taylor Kay-Green spent far more time on the gridiron than the links growing up.But during his freshman year at Needham High, the lifelong Needham resident

07/26/2014

To all 2014 Kerry Cup participants:

Only two weeks ago we were all enjoying the splendor of Waterville and the thrill of Kerry Cup competition! I write to thank all of for making the inaugural launching of this program such a success. You all deserve the credit for this. Programs are only as good as the participants, and I could not have hoped to attract a better group of kids in our first year. I hope that you all enjoyed the week, that you will come back, and that you will share your experience with your friends, team mates, both in conversation and through Facebook and other forms of social media. You are the pioneers of this program and just as you were responsible for making the first year such a success, you have the opportunity through your support to assure the program’s success long into the future.

I would be remiss then if I didn’t thank all of you for your suggestions and comments. Be assured that I heard you and will make the appropriate adjustments to strengthen the program next year and in the many years to come.

So, thanks for the pleasure of your company and good luck in your future endeavors. Take what you learned and apply the lessons not only to your experiences on the course but also to your personal and academic endeavors. And last, please don’t hesitate to contact the coaches or me if we can help you in any way. The central purpose of this program is to serve as a resource to you as you chart your road to college. I hope that you felt that The Kerry Cup did this for you.

Enjoy the last weeks of summer and good luck!

Warm regards-

Michael Maher

01/05/2014

Registration for The Kerry Cup is now open! Go to www.thekerrycup.com and click on the registration link.

The Kerry Cup takes place from July 6-12, 2014 in Waterville, Ireland and is available to 60 rising 9th-12th grade students. The Kerry Cup provides accomplished junior golfers the opportunity to be instructed by prominent college coaches from elite academic schools to compete against talented junior...