They have horses in training but the Galway Races tend to clash with an important few days on the home front.
Anna Dawson began the defence of her AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship in Enniscrone yesterday.
As usual her father, John, was caddy just like he was 12 months ago when she held her nerve down the home stretch to hold off a stirring comeback from Holly Hamilton.
Hamilton won 11, 14, 15 and 17 to cancel out a 4up lead and bring the match to the 18th hole in Ardee. However, the Tramore golfer clinched the title on the final green.
“It was amazing. It was the best week ever,” said Dawson.
“I was four up and Holly came back, I just stayed calm, back to my fairway, green and hoping a putt drops.
“It was great. Especially with Dad there. It was really special to win it with him on the bag.”
One of Dawson’s first vivid memories of golf was in Faithlegg, when she offered some advice to Ireland international rugby player and British & Irish Lion Robbie Henshaw.
She was already an aspiring talent in Tramore, where her brother Robin Dawson began his path to the professional ranks. Her other brother Charlie also starred at underage level.
Anna walked in those footsteps, and she appeared on the scene when a new wave of talent was beginning to flood the Irish girls’ ranks.
Lauren Walsh would end up on the LPGA Tour while Sara Byrne, Anna Foster, Annabel Wilson and Aine Donegan have all gone professional too. Beth Coulter is also on the cusp of joining.
Dawson has been consistent in her rise, with the victory in Ardee last year the ‘icing on the cake’, with her trusty lieutenant by her side.
“He is on the bag every time. He loves it, I feel like if there is a time that he is not there, something is wrong,” said Dawson.
“He is great, he knows how we roll anyway. It is nice to have him with me the whole time.
“He wasn’t really saying too much in Ardee. We just chatted about anything and everything. It depends really, we could be talking about golf or about horses, anything.
“And then just going for the middle of the green then and trying not to attack too much, if that makes sense.”
Dawson is studying a Master’s in Digital Marketing at Maynooth University, having previously completed a Bachelor of Business Administration in University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
Her current course is part-time allowing her to focus on her golf game too, while she is also able to maintain some of her hobbies.
Away from the course she is a keen baker and previously linked up with the likes of Kevin Dundon and Darina Allen to sharpen those skills.
“My mom and granny were very good bakers and cooks. My granny used to babysit me when I was younger, she had a bakery where she would supply cakes to local shops back at home and I grew a love for it then,” said Dawson.
“I always make cakes nowadays as well, with mom. And I was lucky enough to go to Dunbrody House and Ballymaloe for work experience back in Transition Year.”
But this week, she is focused on one thing only, and that is winning another AIG Irish Women’s Amateur Close Championship.
She could become the first to go back-to-back in it since Ennis golfer Tricia Mangan did in 2006.
Dawson travelled to Enniscrone this week, looking to retain her crown in a battle against 89 other golfers and a testing links on the north west coast.
“It would feel amazing to win, definitely would love to do it again,” said Dawson.
“Hopefully, we will see how the week goes and if we were there in the same boat as we were last year this Friday, it would be amazing.”
