Short Game

A round-up of other golf news in brief

West Waterford voted top club

WEST Waterford were voted the Club of the Year at the recent GUI Munster Region agm. The award is fitting recognition for the enormous contribution to, and promotion of the game of golf by West Waterford GC since its inception. Although the club was only established in 1993, they have made great leaps, especially in their programme which encourages the youth to get involved in the game.

Over the years they have won many titles, both regional and national, with their first national pennant coming in 2005 when they won the Junior Foursomes, quickly followed by similar victories in 2007 and 2008.

Séamus Power has also brought prominence to the club on the amateur scene, winning the Irish Youths Championship in 2005, ’07 and ’08 to match John McHenry’s record, and was runner-up in 2004, a year in which he also captured the Munster Youth crown.

This year West Waterford’s Senior Cup team brought the Munster Championship back to the club, the first pennant at senior level.

They went on to Tullamore for the Irish finals, where they comprehensively beat Ulster champions Castlerock in the semi-final, only to be narrowly beaten by Galway in the final.

Hilary Society's schedule to start in Laytown

STARTING its 57th year, the Hilary Golf Society have planned another busy programme with seven outing on their schedule for 2010.

The first outing is to Laytown and Bettystown on Sunday, February 7th, and other dates include Portmarnock Links on February 14th, Seapoint on March 7th, Royal Dublin on March 14th, Co Louth on March 28th, the European Club on April 11th and the final day at Sutton GC on April 16th with a shot-gun start.

At each outing there will be individual and team prizes, but the main award of the society is undoubtedly the Dave Pelz Gold medal awarded to the player with the overall best nett score over three outings.

In 2003 the society added the Niall O’Brien Silver medal, in honour of the long-time member and supporter, which is awarded for the overall best gross score.

Membership renewal for 2010 will be confined to members who hold a current GUI handicap of six or lower. There will be a limited number of vacancies for new members whose current GUI handicaps are four or lower.

The Hilary Golfing society was founded in 1953 by Sutton’s Michael Fitzpatrick when the need was identified for competitive golf and match practice in advance of the golfing season.

For more information contact: Alan Levey at 087-2341469 or Bill Thompson at 087-2446977.

R and A launch online database

THE Royal and Ancient has recently developed an online club database in advance of the groove changes which become effective from January 1st.

The information is a searchable database of all irons and wedges, as well as hybrids and fairway woods with lofts of 25 degrees or higher, which were in production prior to January 1st, 2010, and which have been submitted to, and evaluated by, either the R and A or the USGA.

“The purpose of the database is to assist golfers and rules officials in determining the status of their existing clubs, when evaluated against the current Rules of Golf and the new groove and punch mark specifications,” said David Rickman, the R and A’s director of rules and equipment standards.

“It is important to remember that the new specifications do not apply to any clubs manufactured prior to January 1st, 2010.

“And those clubs will continue to conform to the Rules of Golf for the vast majority of golfers until at least 2024.”

Details can be found on www.randa.org/rules/groovetest

Gillen and Delaney out to regain tour cards

MARTINA GILLEN and Tara Delaney will try to regain their 2010 tour cards at next week’s Stage II LET Qualifying School in La Manga, after a disappointing season saw them finish in 87th and 95th position respectively in the Henderson Money List.

Rebecca Coakley and Hazel Kavanagh have avoided the ordeal after having had career-best finishes of 34th and 45th place respectively in the 2009 List.

Stage II takes place from December 18th-21st.

Ashbourne duo finish eighth in Turkey

THERE was no joy for Ashbourne’s John Dwyer and his playing partner, Fran Meehan, an eight handicapper, in last week’s Virgin Atlantic PGA National Pro-Am Championship final at the PGA Sultan Course at Antalya Golf Club, Turkey.

The Ashbourne duo had to settle for eighth place despite an impressive second round of 66 in the 36-hole event.

Sadly, an opening round of 71 left them with too much to do over the final 18 holes and they finished on five-under-par.

Dwyer had been hoping for better luck in the event, as 12 months ago in partnership with Shane O’Brien he had finished in runners-up spot.

Taking victory in the 25th staging of the event were Far Grange Park GC of England (64, 66), who beat fellow countrymen Thurlestone (68, 62) in a play-off after both finished on 12-under-par 130, three ahead of Eaglescliffe (66, 67) with Dunstable Downs and Royal Mid Surrey next.

History rewrite for Newlands

PLANS are well advanced for centenary year at Newlands GC in Dublin. Centenary week will take place next July 17th-24th, and the club is close to finalising a programme of activities.

Col William H Gibson, author of Early Irish Golf, has unearthed information relating to the fact Robin Hood Golf Club, of which Newlands GC is a foundation, was instituted in 1910 and not 1920. Col Gibson has accepted an invitation to rewrite the club’s history to reflect this information.

The club is inviting members, former members, family and friends or anyone to submit information, photographs or memorabilia that might have an historic significance.

In particular, the club is anxious to hear from the family, relatives or friends of James LJ Hughes of Clontarf and Stillorgan; William Brassington, Tyrconnell Road; William Butler, club professional, Tyrconnell Road, and Patrick CS Roberts, Casimir Road, Rathmines. They were involved in the formation of Robin Hood GC in 1910, when it reformed in 1920 and the early years of Newlands GC. Contact Jim Whelan, honorary secretary, at 087-2378871.