The voice at the other end of the phone sounded so angry that our conversation seemed certain to be brief. "Wait `till I tell you what they've done," said Paddy Lipsett in a broad Wicklow accent. "They've cut me on general play from 5.7 to 4.7. And me a 69-year-old."

It was only after we had talked a bit more and the voice began to soften that I realised he was rather pleased about the action of the handicapping committee. After all, it was impossible to read a results notice from Arklow GC in recent weeks without seeing his name among the prize winners.

By the time our conversation had reached an extended stage, he sounded very much at peace with the world and proud of his achievements. Indeed, his recent successes have been especially pleasing in view of a serious, life-threatening illness four years ago.

"I figured 12 times in competition for the month of February," said Lipsett. "And I've got prizes in my last six competitions." They were the last three Saturday fourballs; the seniors' gross (33 points) in a singles Stableford nine days ago; a team event (second) for the captain's drive-in last Sunday and a fourball (second) on Wednesday.

With that level of success, surely he expected to be cut? "I suppose you're right - the Lord has been good to me," he replied. "But it still hurts. Anyway, I don't feel I'm worthy of a five-handicap at my age. I should be nine."

Lipsett has been associated with Arklow GC since 1934 when he went caddying there as a six-year-old. "They were the days of hickory clubs when you'd ask a member `would you have an old head, sir,"' he recalled. "Then we'd burn out the old broken shaft and replace it with a bit of blackthorn."

Later, he became a full member in 1951 and had the distinction of winning his first Saturday competition, off 10. On arrival at the club the following Monday, he learned he had been cut to four. A devoted clubman, he was a committee member for 40 years, earning the reward of president in 1988 and captain in 1992. He has been an honorary member since 1996.

During his years as a fitter/turner with Arklow Pottery and playing off one, he thought nothing of hitch-hiking to the West of Ireland Championship at Rosses Point and the North of Ireland at Royal Portrush. "You'd always be sure of a lift home," he said simply.

Now, he has plans for team golf in Donegal in May and the Black Bush tournament in June. But in the meantime, he is due for an important medical check-up. "I'll be fierce disappointed if there's a problem," he said. "Still, I must be grateful for all the wonderful times I've had in golf." We wish him well.

ON BEING asked recently how he detected there was a problem with his putting, former US Ryder Cup skipper, Lanny Wadkins, replied: "The first indication was that the ball wouldn't go into the damned hole."

WHEN David Graham won the 1981 US Open, Merion measured 6,544 yards, yet only five players broke the par of 280. "Sadly, this classic old course has now been made obsolete by the distance today's players are hitting the golf-ball," said Jack Nicklaus earlier this week.

Nicklaus was, in fact, among those who shot 280 on that occasion for a share of sixth place. But he believes that golf equipment has improved to such a degree since then, it would be necessary to reduce the distance the ball travels by 20 per cent, to recreate that challenge.

"I don't think you are going to change the technology," said the Bear, returning to a subject dear to his heart. "You can't ask the kids today to go back and play a wood driver or non-perimeter weighted clubs. That would be like asking my era to play with wooden shafts."

He then claimed that golf's response to longer hitting was simply to grow the rough longer and try and take the driver out of the player's hands. The result was that at a US Open or a USPGA, a missed fairway simply meant pitching back with a sandwedge.

"I always thought the recovery shot was one of the prettiest shots in the game," he said. "That's how Arnold Palmer made his reputation. But for the most part, it has now been eliminated by high rough and narrow fairways." He concluded: "The only answer is to take 20 per cent off the golf ball."

THE CLUB captain, who was notoriously tight-fisted, looked anxiously at workmen enlarging the car-park with a bulldozer. Bushes and undergrowth were moved away, along with large quantities of earth. A passing member inquired: "New ball, was it?"

THOSE OF us familiar with America's obsession with celebrity, shouldn't have been surprised at the latest news about Casey Martin. He, you will recall, is the tournament player with a rare circulatory disorder who won a court case against the USPGA Tour permitting him to use a buggy.

Anyway, in the wake of his legal victory, Martin was "overwhelmed" by the public's response, when he arrived in Texas this week for a return to action in the Greater Austin Open on the Nike Tour. Granted there was the set-back of Newsweek magazine cancelling a proposed front-cover on him last weekend, because of the Iraqi crisis.

But there have been significant compensations. Like the two, major endorsement contracts he has just signed with Top Flite balls and a US insurance company, added to a clothing deal with Nike. Indeed Martin is doing so well that he is turning down repeated sponsors' invitations to appear on the "regular" tour.

All of which has happened, not because of his golfing prowess, but simply because he's different.

INFORMANTS tell me of a rather special, hushhush golf benefit which was held recently, featuring the socalled Big-Three - Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player. It seems that real estate magnate Donald Trump and Robert Wright, president of NBC television network, each paid over $60,000 to play six holes with the golfing legends.

It happened at The Floridian, the exclusive playground owned by billionaire Wayne Hinzenga. Among the items auctioned the night before the outing was the flag from the 18th green at last year's US Masters, autographed by Tiger Woods, naturally. Proceeds of the entire bash went to Gary Player's Foundation.

THIS DAY IN GOLF HISTORY . .. . . . . On March 7th, 1926, a 72-hole challenge match billed as the "World Championship", ended with Walter Hagen thrashing Bobby Jones by 12 and 11. The clash between the acknowledged champions of professional and amateur ranks, took place over two Florida courses, the Winfield Estates GC and the Pasadena GC.

Observers considered the margin to be absurd, given the established merits of both players. Still, there was no denying the majesty of Hagen's play, particularly on and around the greens. Rounds of 71 and 70 against 76 and 74 for Jones, left him eight up at the halfway stage and the end came at Pasadena's 7th which they halved in birdie three.

Clearly, the outcome didn't affect Jones's morale insofar as he went on to have one of his finest seasons, capturing the British Open and US Open titles. Hagen, meanwhile, won the USPGA Championship for a third successive year and a fourth time in all.

IN BRIEF: An enduring memory of the Smurfit Irish Professional Championship at The K Club in 1992, was the sight of Christy Darcy congratulating his son Eamonn in the moment of victory. Sadly, Christy died earlier this week and will be greatly missed by his many friends in Delgany GC. Ar dheis De go raibh a anam..... Mary King, the lady captain of Beaverstown GC, tells me that her section are staging a fund-raising Celeb-Am on May 11th .... Druids Glen will play host on July 7th to the 25th annual Golf Extravaganza in aid of the Irish Society for Autism. Four-person teams cost £595. Further information from (01) 8744684.

TEASER: A player conceded his opponent's next stroke and then, in attempting to knock the opponent's ball back to him, he inadvertently knocked the ball into the hole. The opponent, who had player three strokes prior to the concession, claimed a three for the hole. Was the claim valid?

ANSWER: No. The player conceded the opponent a four for the hole and, at that point, the opponent had completed the hole. It is irrelevant that the player subsequently knocked the opponent's ball into the hole, whether he did no inadvertently or otherwise.