You pulled off a Seve!

A golf mentor and partner, always a gentleman on the course. Patient as ever through my first years of golfing with him, he consistently beat me but would never gloat and would always encourage me to improve. He was passionate about the game and the players from the past, his hero, our hero, was undoubtedly Seve Ballesteros. When confronted with a difficult shot, we'd always evoque his name. "You pulled off a Seve!" was often heard between us if you got out of trouble.

The day Seve passed away I called Seamus and we both reminisced about his victories, his legacy, his crazy talent for incredible shots in difficult situations and how he inspired us each time we played. At the end of our chat we were both choked up and couldn't speak...

Seamus' ability on the golf course went beyond striking the ball, he had many unique talents including a penchant for finding balls gone astray. Slice a drive into the bushes, no problem. Seamus would happily dive in like a dolphin and come out with not just your ball but 5 others. He'd always share his findings and insist you keep the best balls. Another talent was a vivid imagination for giving himself relief on a bad lie. Everything from rabbit holes to jabali scratchings to moles diggings were cited to request relief; at first I'd take him seriously but eventually I'd just stare at him as if to say really?, and we'd both burst in laughter. Perhaps not a talent but an eccentricity, he had the most eclectic collection of golf clubs. Peeking into his bag was like peeking into an antique shop, an amalgamation of different clubs from different decades, collected and carried around with joy and pride. He could tell you how he acquired each, and even describe great shots with each through the ages.I once saw him hit a hole in one at Lomas del Bosque. A long 190 yard par 3. It had a wide and undulating putting surface, so it wasn't until we reached the hole and gave up looking for the ball on the surface and its surroundings that I told him, let me just take a glance at the cup, you never know Seamus. Low and behold I spotted the ball quietly resting in the cup...I yanked the ball out and shouted hole in one!, we embraced in celebration. Seamus and I shared so much more than golf, but that's better left for another time, suffice to say golf triggered our friendship. Seamus, you walked off the 18th before I could say goodbye and although it breaks my heart, at least I know you're at the clubhouse enjoying a pint with Seve....you pulled off a Seve!

Séamus Mac Aogain passed away May 5th, 2022

https://rip.ie/death-notice/s%C3%A9amus-mac-aogain--longford/495071