SHORT GAME

A round-up of golf news from around the country, compiled by Shay Keenan

Norris enjoys a good week

• IT was a good week last week for a couple of Greystones members who featured in the prizes twice. On Tuesday last Roisín Norris (19) won the 14-hole singles event with 28 points, four better than her nearest challenger, Mary Lockhart (8). But two days later the two teamed up alongside Monica Smith (28) and Orna Cummins (32) to finish second in the scramble event, losing out to eventual winners Kitty Ellis, Mary McNulty, Pauline Barry and Mary Clynch.

Three Irish players will play in the Ladies European Tour Qualifying School at La Manga in the Murcia region of south-east Spain at the beginning of next month.

Tour regulars Claire Coughlan from Cork and Hazel Kavanagh from Dublin, will be joined by amateur Tara Delaney from Carlow for the January 12th-15th event.

Delaney, winner of this year's ILGU Order of Merit competed on the 2007 Vagliano Trophy and 2006 Curtis Cup teams.

New Faldo Series format announced for next year

• NICK FALDO has announced a new format for the Faldo Series in 2009 aimed at making it more accessible to an even greater number of young golfers across Ireland, Britain, Europe and South America.

Moving into its 13th season, the Faldo Series in the UK will include nine championships across the region offering up to 80 players, boys and girls aged 11 to 21, the chance to compete over 36 holes at some of the best tournament venues in the country.

The entry fee has been reduced and each tournament winner from the five age categories will qualify directly for the Faldo Series Grand Final in Brazil. Furthermore, the leading players from the annual Grand Final in Brazil will be personally invited by Faldo to play in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills in China.

With support from the RA, the European Tour and the PGA, there are now Faldo Series Championships in Ireland, Iceland, Turkey, Russia, Poland and South America - as well as a full season of events in Asia.

Faldo commented: "Since launching in 1996 we have expanded from helping 400 players a year in the UK to over 4,000 annual players world-wide in over 20 countries. It's my goal to more than double those numbers in the next few years."

• THE K Club will hold a Junior Scratch Cup (5-11) on the Smurfit Course on December 21st and a Juvenile Open on December 22nd.

EWGA, EGU move towards merger

• The English Women's Golf Association and the English Golf Union have agreed to re-open talks about the possibility of a merger between the two organisations.

Representatives of the two governing bodies of English amateur golf will discuss the way forward at an informal meeting early in the New Year.

Sue Whittaker, who chairs the EWGA management board, said: "I am pleased the two Boards have agreed to re-open discussions about a potential merger.

"The EWGA and the EGU already work together through their joint development team and their membership of the England Golf Partnership. It is sensible to explore ways in which we might move towards a merger."

The EWGA represents about 120,000 women and girl members of about 1,780 golf clubs. The EGU has about 740,000 members in 1,900 golf clubs.

• Mark Cribben from PGA National and Shane Deegan from Spawell tied for the professional prize an the Boyne Links Alliance at Castleknock last week, both shooting 72 in very difficult conditions of wind and rain.

However, the best score of the day was carded by Stackstown amateur Richard Bridges, who returned 38 points off a one handicap to beat Tony Grey from Hermitage by one point with Greg Murphy from The K Club third on 36.

Graduation course proves a success

• Golf, GAA and Tennis were among the sports represented when the latest group graduated from the Club Managers' Graduation course at Blanchardstown ITB last month.

The Club Managers' Association of Europe (CMAE) is the professional Association for Club Managers. It supports the advancement of the club management profession, funds education programmes, provides support to educational institutions and encourages students who are interested in pursuing a career in the club management profession.

In addition, the CMAE is the pan-European "umbrella" organisation for a variety of national trade associations for club managers and secretaries. The most recent class included: James Burns (Milltown GC), Shane Hanley (New Forest GC), Ed Kenehan (Cuba Engineering), Ray Mooney (St Stephen's Green Hibernian Club), Derek Murphy (Glen of the Downs GC), John McMahon (Ballinrobe GC), Gay Nolan (Newlands GC), Noel Shaw (Celbridge GAA), Eoghan Williams (Fitzwilliam LTC).

Entry forms now available

• ASPIRING tour players can take their first steps to success with entry to the 2009 PGA Europro Tour Qualifying School . . . a tour won by Noel Fox in the season just finished.

Entry forms are now available for download on www.pga.info with first stage qualifying taking place at four venues on April 1st and 2nd next year.

The four venues will be Mentmore Golf and Country Club, Cumberwell Park, Forest Pines and Stoke by Nayland. Second stage qualifying will be at Frilford Heath from April 7th-9th.

Next season the tour has 16 scheduled tournaments carrying total prize-money of €842,501.

Fox's success in the 2008 season saw him win the Order of Merit with six top 10 finishes, including a tournament victory, and earnings of over €29,207.

Fox's success will see him play on European Challenge Tour in 2009 where he will be joined by Dale Marmion, Lloyd Kennedy, Alan Murray and Rob Steele who all qualified thanks to a top-five finish in the Order of Merit.

Over the years a number of players have graduated on to the European Tour including Richard Finch who became a two-time tour winner with victory at the Irish Open At Adare Manor last May.

Reid takes rookie award

• England's Melissa Reid, the top newcomer on the Ladies European Tour this season, has sealed the Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year Award, in association with the Bill Johnson Trophy. Reid was presented with the award by her childhood idol Annika Sorenstam at the season-ending Dubai Ladies Masters at Emirates Golf Club on Sunday.

With €136,606 in earnings from 15 tournaments, Reid finished the year €85,280 ahead of her nearest rival Caroline Afonso of France on the Ryder Cup Wales Rookie of the Year Order of Merit. Reid earned seven top-10 finishes in her first full season as a professional.