A week when golfing people pulled together for the common good

The Ryder Cup is gone for this year and we won't have the Irish staging until 2006, but it's been a very good week for golf. Those of us who feared that the integrity of the game was in danger of losing out to financial concerns, have been greatly reassured.

And golf is important, just like all sport is important in that it fills a major gap in people's lives. Of course it is guilty of some outrageous hyperbole, but it has always been that way, something we sportswriters wouldn't attempt to deny.

Indeed on the eve of the All-Ireland football final I can still smile at the memory of a famous line written almost 40 years ago about the great Mick O'Connell. A leading scribe of the period informed his readers: "Such was the majesty of the Kerry midfielder, that one would have thought he had dispensed with the official ball and introduced one of his own." Earlier this week, in his capacity as chairman of a multi-national company who also happens to be deeply involved in golf, Michael Smurfit felt that the function of sports officials in the current climate was to "act responsibly." And they have clearly done so in their handling of the Ryder Cup.

In this context, it should be noted that the PGA and the PGA European Tour, stood to share £10 million sterling from next week's staging. And much of the PGA's money had already been earmarked. Like, for instance, the £75,000 sterling they promised the Ulster Branch GUI towards the new £2.1 million centre of excellence to be built at Templepatrick.

"We will not be seeking that money for another year, so I can't see the postponement being a problem," said Ulster Branch secretary Brendan Edwards yesterday. But indicative of the pressures on the PGA is that they already had to cope with serious flooding and a major foot-and-mouth outbreak in Britain this year.

Meanwhile, there is understandable uncertainty in the US where the golf industry is valued at $22 billion. In the magazine, "Golf World" Bob Wood, president of Nike Golf, admitted he doesn't know what the future holds. "It's almost too soon to figure out," he said. "But to this point in the year all the numbers relating to consumer confidence have not been great." A public golf executive conceded: "The game has a unique appeal. It can be someone's sanctuary for a few hours. But the wounds will heal slowly." As the magazine pointed out, there is a tremendous sense of golfing people pulling together, wanting to do the right thing. Nowhere was this more evident than in discussions between the respective officials over the Ryder Cup.

When Jim Awtrey, chief executive of the PGA of America attempted to apologise to the European Tour and the PGA over his country's withdrawal, he was almost rebuked for thinking that way. He recalled: "I'll never forget . . . They said 'Jim, don't do it. Don't even go there. It's going to be such a mess, let's start working toward next year." In happier circumstances, golf could do with more weeks like this.

Quote of the week

"I was stranded like everybody else, just me in my car, listening to the radio. Those were some of the happiest and most uplifting moments I've ever spent. The way this country has responded is just magnificent."

Ben Crenshaw (right), on last week's disaster.

When first-class tournaments only count

Like the individual who has had quite a remarkable hole in one, it is easy to imagine Jason Bohn thinking he had shattered all records when carding a spectacular 58 to win the Bayer Championship on the Canadian Tour last weekend. After all, the best that has been managed on the USPGA Tour are 59s by Al Geiberger, Chip Beck and David Duval.

But the official records apply only to "first class professional tournaments" and I'm afraid the Bayer Championship doesn't fit that category. Meanwhile, as far back as January 1956, English Ryder Cup player Harry Weetman carded a 58 on the 6,171-yard Crohan Hurst Course in Croyden, Surrey.

The all-time record, however, is attributed to Alfred Edward Smith (1903-1985) who had a round of 55 (15 under par) on his 4,248-yard home course on January 1st 1936. His card read: Out - 423, 424, 343 = 29; In - 233, 332, 541 = 26. Incidentally, nine holes in 25 (433,233,142) was recorded by Bill Burke in a round of 57 on the 6,389-yard par-71 Normandie course in St Louis, Missouri on May 20th 1970. So there.

A Beatles bag

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

A good-news story from New York . . . It concerns David Skolsky, who spotted a discarded leather golf bag in a skip near his home, 12 years ago. It prompted him to spray flourescent green, orange and red paint on the bag, just as an experiment. So it was that a lucrative hobby was born. At the latest count, he has painted 60 bags, including ones dedicated to Joe DiMaggio and Elvis Presley. And he has used them in the course of a round. "You get a lot of strange looks," he said, "but I'm handing out my business cards on the 18th." His latest project?

Meet the team that wasn't chosen

Earlier this week, I referred to the cancellation of the 1939 Ryder Cup matches and the challenge by the overlooked Gene Sarazen, to put up a team capable of beating the chosen one. Since then, I wondered about the sort of team which Tom Lehman, controversially omitted from this year's US side, could field against Curtis Strange's line-up.

Based largely on world rankings, this is the sort of line-up which would be available to him: Lehman, Rocco Mediate, Chris DiMarco, Loren Roberts, Joe Durant, Brad Faxon, Justin Leonard, Bob May, Billy Andrade, Kirk Triplett, Steve Stricker and Bryce Molder. With eight new caps, it would be clearly lacking in experience, but the side still contains some useful performers, including Molder, a US Walker Cup representative who turned professional recently.

Meanwhile, it is interesting to note that despite the direct involvement of the US in World War II after the bombing of Pearl Harbour in December 1941, they continued to select annual Ryder Cup teams up to and including 1943. The idea was to raise funds for the America's United Service Organisation (USO), which was done most successfully.

The most interesting of these matches was held at Detroit GC on Aiugust 23rd and 24th 1941 when an "official" team, captained by Walter Hagen, faced the so-called Bobby Jones's Challengers. As it happened, the partnership of Jones and Sarazen was crushed 8 and 6 by Byron Nelson and Harold "Jug" McSpaden on the opening day.

In singles combat, however, Jones proved that he retained much of the skill which had secured him the Grand Slam 11 years previously. With a 2 and 1 singles win over 1938 US Masters champion, Henry Picard, he inspired his players to victory by 81/2 to 61/2 before an attendance of 18,000. This was the only time a "challenging" line-up beat the official selection.

But the most lucrative fund-raiser was the brain-child of John Kelly, a champion sculler and father of movie star Grace Kelly. The 1942 Hale America National Open in Chicago, which raised $25,000, was won by Ben Hogan.

This day in golf history

On September 22nd 1973 at Muirfield, Christy O'Connor Snr played his last match in what was then a record 10th successive Ryder Cup appearance. In the third last singles, he halved with Tom Weiskopf, the reigning British Open champion. On the opening morning, O'Connor and Neil Coles had gained a 3 and 2 foursomes win over Weiskopf and J C Snead. As it happened that was the only time the Ryder Cup was played in Scotland.

Teaser

In a handicap match between A and B, A stated by mistake before the match began that his handicap was 10 strokes, whereas in fact his handicap was nine strokes. The match was played on the basis that A's handicap was 10 strokes. A won the match. The error was discovered after the result had been officially announced. What is the ruling? Answer: The match stands as played. No claim by B could be considered unless A had known he was giving wrong information about his handicap. (Rules 2-5, 6-2a and 34-1a).