Kildare woman breaks her mam's 10-year course record at Killeen

Living less than a good wedge from the course it was almost inevitable that Fiona Behan would take up golf.

Add in the fact that her mam, Joanne, was a low handicapper at the club, and it didn't take too long for the inevitable to occur when Fiona (and her sister, Siobhan) joined many of their family as members of Killeen Golf Club.

One of the hidden gems of the many golf courses in Co. Kildare, Killeen was founded back in 1980 by former Kildare GAA great, the late Paddy 'Boiler' White and while it has changed hands many times since, today it is a members' owned club, a spectacular 18 hole links course that will test the best of golfers.

But back to the main reason for our visit to Killeen last week. The course record at Killeen (Ladies) has been held by Fiona Behan's mam, Joanne, that was 74 and she has held that for no less than ten years, all the way back to June of 2015.
Daughters, Fiona and Siobhan have been trying to take that accolade from her for some time now.

Fiona, in particular, has been threatening in recent times to lower it and back in 21 June, playing with her sister Siobhan, they both stood on the 18th tee box 1 over par (gross) as they shaped up to play that very tricky Par 3, —a hole that has destroyed many a card with its water in front and bunkers at the back.

And while Siobhan got her par, Fiona went one better getting a birdie but more importantly, brining in a level par 72 gross.
And with it a new course record, dethroning her mam after a decade.

However the story doesn't end there.

Less than a month later Fiona broke her own record, a new set of irons making no less than a two stroke difference, as she posted a magnificent 70 gross, 2 under par, and another new course record.

Fiona said that she felt having attempting to break her mam's record for a couple of years, and finally achieving that in June, she felt more confident, was more relaxed and that bit of extra belief that she was capable of lowering her own record.

Fiona has been playing in Killeen since she was 13 and confessed that with her mam, her mam's partner, Eamonn, uncles, aunts, are all Killeen members, it was always on the cards she would take up the game.

“We are so close (to the course), when we were younger and playing during the summer holidays we just wheeled the caddy cars over the bridge and there we were on the first tee” she laughs.

Not surprising it was her mam who brought the girls out to play initially, “she (mam) was playing off 7 at the time.”

Fiona's first handicap was 36 but in the first year she lost no less than 17 shots, so the potential was there for all to see from way back. Four years after joining Fiona was down to playing off 4.

“When I went off to college my handicap shot back up, I have been hovering around 6 every since. My ambition this year was to get down to 4 and now following the two course records I am down to 2.9.”

Ladies golf is certainly flourishing at Killeen at the moment, there are presently some 85 Lady members and this year the club played in the Senior Cup for the first time, helped, no doubt by Fiona, sister Siobhan, playing off 6 and their mam off 8, along with others and while they lost to Naas in a very tight game, it is nevertheless an indication of the strength of lady golf at the club, along with a thriving junior section.

And what is the strongest part of Fiona's game?

“Probably my driving along with my putting” comes the quick reply.

Fiona's fourball partner in 2025 is Lady Captain, Margaret (Mags) Griffith, a very active Lady Captain but as she says herself “very busy but it is an enjoyable busy.”

Fiona is doing her Masters at the minute, on Data Science, her thesis being Multi Variance Weather Anomalies, plenty of scope in that I say quietly to myself.

Having reached her season's goal to get down to 4 this year, has Fiona set new goals for herself?
Bring a trophy back to the club answers Lady Captain Mags Griffith instantly.

“I'd love to get down to scratch.”

I wouldn't rule it out!

Killeen is open to new members, societies, green fees are always welcome.

The Club Professional is Shane McCabe and he can be contacted at the Pro Shop 045-866 003; while Seventh Catering provide an expert catering service.

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