Millennium event open to all clubs in country

A special handicap competition aimed at all 385 clubs affiliated to the GUI, is to be staged to mark the millennium year. Details of the event, which will have its all-Ireland final on September 30th, 2000, were finalised at the union's annual general meeting in Malahide yesterday.

From a potential entry of 132,000 competitors, club winners in all four handicap categories will go forward to a county final. Then, the 32 county winners, involving a total of 128 players, will compete in singles stableford for the national title.

This will take place at Newlands, the home club of Paddy Murphy, who will be the union's millennium president. First, second and third in each handicap category will receive specially cast gold, silver and bronze medals.

In response to a request from clubs, the union have directed that in future, four-member groups competing in golf classics must be accompanied by a marker or split into groups of two. "Our concern is to see the rules of golf applied to these events," said Gerry O'Brien, the union's honorary secretary.

All players in this year's Junior Cup, Jimmy Bruen Shield and Pierse Purcell Shield, shall have returned a minimum of four cards in 1998 qualifying competitions. From a decision taken 12 months ago, they must also play off the lowest handicap achieved in 1998.

The GUI are buying a mobile administrative office - similar to a Dublin Bus Imp - at a cost of between £60,000 and £70,000 to streamline the running of union competitions throughout the country. It is anticipated that by April 2000, a record of every affiliated player's handicap will be filed at GUI headquarters.

This year's Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin (May 14th to 16th) has been extended to three days, increasing the field from 70 to 120. The Faldo Junior Series is to sponsor this year's Irish Boys' Championship, with the first three finishers at under-16, under-17 and under-18 levels going through to the international finals.Canon will sponsor the Irish Youths' Championship and invite the first three finishers to the European Canon Under-21 Championship at Sotogrande in October. A B international panel is to be introduced for players under 25.