Swerve hits Royal and Ancient

A young man named Merve has thrown the Royal and Ancient a bit of a swerve. This is not a poor attempt at a Limerick, but the story of a decidedly interesting application of Rule 6-6b - the one covering the signing of a card - during last week's Irish Boys Championship at Kilkenny GC.

The player in question is Mervyn Owens, a member of last year's victorious European Boys' Championship team, who, almost predictably, is known to his pals as "Merve the Swerve." Indeed he is so fond of the sobriquet that he decided to sign his card "Swerve": nothing more.

All of which immediately set off alarm bells for GUI general secretary Shay Smith, who knew that while initials were acceptable, a nick-name was another manner. And on phoning the R and A for guidance, he was informed that such a situation was new to them.

"The assistant Rules secretary, Grant Moir, told me the player's card was acceptable in this circumstance," said Smith. "But in his view, it wouldn't be so in the future. Indeed it seems likely that a decision will have to be issued on the matter." And what did Swerve think of it all? "He's rather chuffed to be making a little bit of history," said the GUI man.

Incidentally, it may be enlightening to note that the common practice of initialing a change or changes in the figures on a scorecard is not, in fact, necessary. Nothing to that effect is laid down in the rules of golf.

Meanwhile, some welcome, home truths were expressed at the presentation of prizes in Kilkenny by John Powell, the representative of the Faldo Junior Series, sponsors of the event. Under the sponsorship, the leading under-15, under-16 and under-17 competitors will go forward to the international final at The Belfry on October 5th and 6th.

Powell urged the youngsters to "make sure you complete your education." Then he added: "Don't even consider becoming a tournament player unless you have made at least two Walker Cup appearances."

The timing of his remarks was particularly interesting in view of Padraig Harrington's elevation a few days later to Ryder Cup status. And for those unfamiliar with Harrington's transition to professional ranks, he made the move after the Amateur Home Internationals at Royal Portrush on September 20th to 22nd, 1995.

As it happened, his professional debut was in the Smurfit European Open which started on September 28th, four weeks after his 24th birthday. By that stage, he was a qualified accountant but equally significant, in the context of Powell's remarks, was the fact that he had made three Walker Cup appearances - at Portmarnock (1991), Interlaken (1993) and Royal Porthcawl (1995).

"The history of the Ryder Cup is huge in Ireland. Christy O'Connor has played 10 times. That's a great heritage." - Padraig Harrington speaking to the world's media in Munich last Sunday.

Two years ago, Rudy Manfredi paid an entrance fee of $150 for a charity golf tournament in which the prizes included a rather splendid Mercedes C230 for a hole in one. And sure enough, as he stepped onto the tee at the 155yard third at Granite Bay CC in California, the car was on display.

Then the bold Rudy proceeded to hole his tee-shot and was duly acclaimed as the winner of the Merc, valued at $31,035. But when he went to collect the keys, it transpired there had been a mistake: the hole which was designated and insured for the prize was the 14th, not the third.

The upshot was that Manfredi sued the suppliers of the car and the Catholic Archdiocese of Sacramento, which sponsored the tournament. Meanwhile Jim Leisenring, the local professional, claimed he was tossed the keys and told: "This car needs to go on the water hole, which I took to be number three."

After suit and counter-suit, a settlement was eventually reached recently and though Manfredi didn't get the car, he collected a sum close to its value. His delighted lawyer said: "The greatest vindication to Rudy was the acknowledgment by everyone involved that he did actually get a hole in one." Which would have been a great consolation when his amateur status was revoked.

During a visit to Mullingar GC in July, I had the pleasure of playing with the club president, Jack Foy, a sprightly 79year-old with a charming home just beyond the boundary fence beside the 11th green. Among other things, he told me of his six years in the RAF during the second World War, in which he prepared aircraft for D-Day.

Earlier this month, through the kind intervention of friends, Foy was thrilled beyond words while playing the course on a Sunday afternoon. As he approached the ninth green in a mixed foursomes with the lady president Maeve O'Neill, there was a flyover by four RAF Bulldog trainers, which swooped down to 500 feet. And they did it specially for Foy's benefit.

The planes were here for the Abbeyshrule Air Show in Co Longford. And the show's leading organiser, Teddy McGoey, was instrumental in arranging the Mullingar flyover, which was also of profound significance to Anthony O'Neill, another member of the foursome. O'Neill, who was partnering his wife, is the step-son of the lady president. And as it happened, two uncles of his were killed while serving with the RAF during the last war.

As a former Bootle taxi-driver, Bryan McLauchlan came late to caddying, so it was a special thrill to be with Philip Walton for the Ryder Cup at Oak Hill in 1995. But by his own admission, he "couldn't stop shaking" as they attempted to close out Jay Haas for victory on the 18th.

He recalled: "When we get up to the hole, I can see that our five-wood, which I thought would get us up all the way, had caught the front and dropped back into the grassy bank. The ball's nestled down and we have an uphill shot. When I say nestled down, that is an understatement. It was buried so much we nearly stood on our ball looking for it.

"Philip had had a tip from Ian Woosnam, though, on how to play out of rough like this, especially the rough near the green. Woosie had finished second here in the US Open and had plenty of experience of that kind of rough, whereas Philip hadn't. In fact the tip had paid off all day. This was the big one, though. It had to be perfect. Short and he's still in; long and he's got a frightening putt down. He just nicked it out perfectly.

"It looked almost as though it would stop and then it ran up to about 12 feet. Jay played his fourth and it went a good five feet past. Philip only had to get his close. I whispered to him that the putt was going to come off the left. He took a deep breath and told me: `Bryan, I've got two putts for it. I think I'll take them.' That's what he did."

The tension of a great event is captured brilliantly by Norman Dabell in his latest book, How We Won the Ryder Cup: The Caddies' Stories, from Mainstream Publishing at £7.99 sterling. A perfect aperitif for Brookline.

According to John Elway, the legendary quarter-back of American football, we shouldn't worry so much about staying cool, calm and collected on the golf course. "It doesn't have to be a stifled game, one that is stoic, one where you walk around and show no emotion," he claims. "When you hit a good shot, there's no reason why you shouldn't enjoy it." Exactly.

This day in golf history . . . . On August 28th 1994, Eldrick "Tiger" Woods established several firsts while capturing the US Amateur Championship at TPC Sawgrass. At 18, he was the youngest winner and the first African-American champion in its 99-year history.

Woods also staged a record comeback from six down, to beat 22-year-old Trip Kuehne 1-up in the 36-hole final. In the process, he played the last 12 holes in four under par. His most significant birdie came at the famous, 139-yard 17th (then the 35th) where, following a pitching wedge tee-shot to the left edge of the island green, he proceeded to sink a 14-foot putt for a winning lead.

At the time, Woods had just entered Stanford University, where he remained for two years before turning professional in August 1996.

Teaser: Before the start of a round, a player discovers there are 15 clubs in his golf bag. He declares one of the clubs out of play, removes it from his bag, places it on the floor of his golf cart and begins the round. Is the player subject to penalty?

Answer: Yes, for starting the round with more than 14 clubs. Rule 4-4c has to do with declaring an excess club out of play on discovery of a breach after a round has started. There is nothing in the rules to permit carrying, during a round, an excess club declared out of play before the round.