Right cause given the right focus

A few years ago, a British colleague of mine who happened to be quite friendly with Greg Norman, became redundant from his position as golf correspondent with a national newspaper. When the Shark generously wondered if there was anything he could do to help, the scribe replied: "Yes. Give me your services for just one day and I'd be set up for life."

Neither party was too sure whether the suggestion was a serious one. Either way, it came to nothing. But I was reminded of it last Monday at Portmarnock Links, where the extraordinarily generous face of golf, never looked more appealing.

Initially, Darren Clarke set out to raise about £30,000 to £40,000 for the Omagh Memorial Fund. At the latest count, the total stands at £342,000. And none of the professionals got so much as a penny for his services or expenses. In fact, it cost Colin Montgomerie about £5,000 to come in his own plane, while Ian Woosnam was about £2,000 out of pocket.

"It was a wonderful example of everybody pulling together in a common cause," said Andrew Chandler of International Sports Management, who organised the players. "For instance, Aer Lingus didn't want it mentioned that they were giving the visiting professionals free flights, but we let it slip. And the hotel arranged everything without a hitch."

He went on: "Had we taken more time about it, we might have had 54 pros with a concurrent pro-am next door at Portmarnock GC, possibly with people like Ernie Els and Nick Price playing. We might have raised £1 million But in my view, last Monday was perfect. It was one of the most heart-warming and dignified occasions I have ever experienced."

Chandler concluded: "The only people not surprised by it all were the golfers. Despite the bad press we get from time to time, we know we're part of a very generous and caring sport. Monday proved that when the right cause is given the right focus, - which Darren did - there is no limit to what can be achieved." Just so.

"I read a survey which said that the average professional athlete retires at age 32. I have now won at almost double that." Gary Player, who will be 63 on November 1st, making a characteristically modest observation on his recent US Seniors' victory in the Northville Long Island Classic.

Cary Middlecoff, who died earlier this month, was a very fine golfer, as two victories in the US Open and another in the US Masters would indicate. But he was also viewed as one of the main culprits behind the latter-day golfing curse of slow play, which has made rounds in excess of four hours, commonplace, certainly among professionals.

A slowing down of the pace of play in Britain during the '50s and '60s, was blamed largely on the leisurely gait of Bobby Locke. But Middlecoff was different in that he took an inordinate length of time to set himself up for a stroke. It prompted exasperation from even the gentle Bobby Jones who was moved to comment that the alignment process was not a pretty sight.

The dilatory doctor - he was, in fact, a qualified dentist - also carried to extremes the idea of a barely perceptible pause at the top of the back- swing. In his case, it meant coming to a clearly visible stop. At that time, opponents were a lot less tolerant of slow play than they were forced to become in later years. So it was that Dick Mayer, who beat Middlecoff by 72-79 in a play- off for the 1957 US Open, felt obliged to take along a camping stool on which he rested while waiting for his opponent to play. Ironically, Middlecoff was involved in the longest play-off in US Tour history when darkness forced an agreed halt after 11 holes of sudden-death against Lloyd Mangrum in the 1949 Motor City Open.

When the idea was mooted six months ago, it was hoped there would be sufficient interest to launch a university course with 14 students. They needn't have worried. Buckinghamshire Chiltern University College have had a tremendous response for their inaugural degree course in golf studies. "We have had applicants ranging in age from 18 to 60," said Mark Readman, leader of sports studies at the university, of the three-year course which starts a week on Monday. "Some are already in the golf industry while others are looking for a career change."

The university readily acknowledge it as "a small course", but quite a few eyebrows were raised at the enthusiastic response. Prospective students were required to have the equivalent of at least two A levels, and as Readman put it: "We hope to give them a well-rounded view of the golf market."

Darren Clarke has now reached 21st in the World Golf Rankings, only three places outside the highest position by an Irishman. That was by Ronan Rafferty who claimed 18th position at the peak of his career. But there is a downside to the situation. It so happens that Clarke is the only Irish player in the world's top-100. Closest to him is Padraig Harrington who, at 106th, is down 28 places from 12 months ago. And the only other Irishman in the top-200 is Paul McGinley at 135th. All of which is going to have a decidedly negative effect when it comes to seeding for the forthcoming Alfred Dunhill Cup at St Andrews.

Forbes magazine estimates the personal wealth of Jack Nicklaus at $300 million. But there seems to be no let up in the problems of his publicly-owned company Golden Bear Golf Inc. Indeed, with Nicklaus holding three million shares and another 573,600 shares held in trust for his offspring - a total of 92 per cent of the stock - American observers claim that on paper at least, the family have lost about $65 million in two years.

According to a recent report in the US magazine Golf World, Nicklaus has successfully shielded his private money from his public company. He lives in the Lost Tree Village development near his offices in North Palm Beach, Florida, and travels about in his private Gulfstream jet.

Though there is no danger of his going broke, it seems that the man widely regarded at the game's greatest player, is saddled with a growing reputation as a less-than-great businessman. "He doesn't delegate decisions," claimed one former colleague. "Salaries within Golden Bear were way overpaid for the top-level guys who were Jack's friends," claimed another.

Referring to on-course battles, Tom Weiskopf once observed: "Jack knew he was going to beat you. You knew Jack was going to beat you. And Jack knew that you knew he was going to beat you." But in the boardroom, it seems that his business rivals are now taking a rather different view of the once invincible Bear.

This Day In Golf History . . . On September 19th, 1954, 22-year-old Barbara Romack beat 19-year-old Mickey Wright by 4 and 2 to capture the US Women's Amateur Championship. The field of 144 included all members of the US and British and Irish Curtis Cup teams, along with the champions of Belgium, Canada, Cuba, Mexico and a former champion of Argentina.

The inclusion of Cuba in that list would later take on a certain irony insofar as she was a passenger on the first plane to be hijacked to the trouble-torn Caribbean island in 1968. Meanwhile, towards the end of 1958, Romack joined the LPGA Tour which was then in its formative years and for her first professional victory in the Leesburg Pro-Am of 1960, she collected the princely (princessly?) sum of $350. Recalling those pioneering days, she said: "There were times when we knew one of our group was hard-pressed for money, yet too proud to say anything. There would be a silent collection among the players to help her get to the next stop. Sometimes, the club members would chip in. The money would mysteriously appear, sealed in a nondescript envelope, in the player's mail."

In Brief: Dublin professional Aideen Rogers has received a cheque for £25,000 on behalf of Ronald McDonald Children's Charities of Ireland, whose aim is "Lifting Children for a Better Tomorrow".

Teaser: A player's tee-shot came to rest and was visible from the tee by all players in the match or group. At that point, play was suspended. The player took cover and did not lift the ball. When play was resumed, the player's ball was missing or was found some distance from where it was seen to come to rest. What is the procedure?

Answer: It must be assumed that the ball was moved by an outside agency. Therefore, the player should replace his ball (or place a ball if his own is not immediately recoverable) at the spot from which his ball was moved, without penalty (Rule 181). If this spot is not determinable, Rule 20-3c ("Spot not determinable") would apply.