The Short Game

It has been a golfing summer to remember for Killiney's Terry Purcell and her daughter Elaine. On June 18th, Elaine, then playing off 28, won the captain's prize at her club with a score of 38 points. Five weeks later, on July 23rd, Terry won the men's captain's prize to the ladies with a score of 72, off 18. Then last Thursday, in the weekly singles, Terry won class one with three up, while Elaine won class two on the same day with five up, off her new handicap of 27.

To cap it all, this mother and daughter pairing teamed up for the annual parent and child competition on Sunday and took the top prize with a score of 36 points.

Competitors in Waterford Golf Club's open fortnight were both surprised and delighted with the visit of European Tour professional Wayne Westner to their club. The likeable South African is recuperating in Ireland from a foot injury that is keeping him out of the European Tour programme for the moment, but that didn't prevent him linking up with club captain Michael Gaffney, Jack O'Donoghue and Kilkenny hurling star DJ Carey for a friendly fourball. Westner afterwards gave an impressive hour-long golf clinic to members and visitors.

For most golfers the enjoyment of the sport can be taken for granted. Others have to overcome great obstacles in order just to participate. Arthritis sufferers can be robbed of the pleasure of playing golf. Happily, however, many have been able to return to full participation through joint replacement surgery.

The "Hips of Steel Golfing Society" has been formed to bring golfers who have benefited from this surgery together to help raise funds for further research. The society's inaugural golf classic will take place at Luttrellstown Castle on Monday, September 14th. Any golfer who has had a joint replacement is welcome to take part in a singles stableford competition. Those interested should contact Maria Dwyer at 01-8340325.

Woodbrook five handicapper Gavin Pearse won the Carlow Boys' Scratch Cup from Tullamore's Enda McLoughlin. Both finished on 146 for the 36-hole event, but Pearse had the better score for the last 18. Corrstown's Paul Carey was third, just one shot further back.

Two excellent scores of 77 from Robert Lawless (Delgany) and Alan O'Sullivan (Royal Dublin) forced a play-off in the Leinster qualifying section of the Faldo Junior Golf Series at Royal Dublin last week. Five handicapper Lawless came through on the third tie hole when he got up and down from just off the green to snatch victory from O'Sullivan. Lawless now qualifies for two days of golf and coaching from three-time Irish Open champion, Nick Faldo, at the beautiful Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland from September 7th to 9th. Lawless will be joined by Forrest Little's Eoin Arthurs, who won the under-15 section with an 83, and Fiona Healy from Lucan, who took the girls' section, also with an 83.

Michael Sullivan from Woodstock Golf Club is making a habit of winning captain's prizes. A winner in Ennis last year, Sullivan made it two in a row when he won Dermot Merry's prize at Woodstock last weekend with an excellent score of 42 points. Sullivan had two points to spare over John Collins and Simon O'Donnell, and now qualifies for the All-Ireland play-offs at Roscrea next month.

The Gannon name has been synonymous with Co Louth Golf Club. First there was Mark, Frank and John and now there is a whole new generation of the family making the headlines. During last weekend's Bellew Cup on the Baltray links, John's son J P won the men's gross with a score of 38 points, while his daughter Jennifer took the women's gross prize.

Normally the pressures of office weigh heavily on club captains during Open Week. But not, it seems, in Arklow where club captain Tim Hurley and his wife Kay won the mixed scotch stableford competition with a score of 45 points.

Also in form during the week was 12-handicapper Michael "Butch" Byrne who teamed up with another 12-handicap player, Sean Darcy from Woodenbridge, to win the fourball v par competition. Two days later Byrne paired up with another Woodenbridge member, Ciaran Doyle, who plays off eight, to take the gross prize in the second fourball v par competition.

Both Beaverstown and Black Bush golf clubs will be seeking their first successes in the competition when they meet in the final of the Best Cup next month. Beaverstown beat Powerscourt 8-2 in their semi-final, while Black Bush qualified with a 6-4 win over the 1994 winners, The K Club. Corrstown made it two in a row in the McDonnell Cup when they won the play-off with The Island. After the two clubs finished with 6 1/2 points each after the second leg, Michael Timmons and Martin McIvor beat George Munnelly and Fergus Ledwith in the play-off at The Island.