EAMON CURRAN of Woodbrook, a former inter county footballer with Roscommon, assumed the presidency of the Golfing Union of Ireland at its annual general meeting in the Grand Hotel, Malahide yesterday, when the mood for change was much in evidence.
As expected, delegates rubber stamped the proposal that Ireland would break with Britain in the Eisenhower Trophy and compete as a separate entity from 1998. It means that this year's world amateur team championship in Manila on November 14th to 17th will be the last occasion that a combined British and Irish team will compete in the event.
Such a move by the GUI which could yet result in England, Scotland and Wales following suit was anticipated after a referendum, which had been conducted among clubs in all the provinces, gave the suggestion, originally propagated at last year's meeting, the seal of approval.
Padraig O'Rourke (Kilkenny) surprisingly lost his place on the Irish selection committee to Shandon Park's Brian Hoey. The other four selectors captain Frankie McCarroll, Mick Craddock, Jack Lynch and Eddie Dunne were all returned to their posts.
Another indication of the mood for change was demonstrated by the meeting's decision to ammend the GUI's constitution to include a clause for drug testing, making it mandatory for any player requested to provide a sample to do so.
Yesterday's AGM was Ivan Dickson's last one as secretary. He is due to retire shortly but he leaves the state of golf in Ireland healthier than ever and five clubs Manor GC, Aughnacloy GC and Burnfield GC in Ulster, Curra GC in Connacht and Ballyheigue Castle GC in Leinster were granted affiliation to the GUI. This brings the total number to 343.
And an indication of the GUI's determination to develop coaching structures throughout the country, covering juniors to seniors, was reflected by the decision to triple the amount of financial support available to coaching. It is expected coaching requirement will cost in excess of £65,000 this year.
Curran was captain of the Irish team for three years from 1985 to 1987, during which time they won the Quadrangular Tournament which, ironically, was scrapped at yesterday's meeting because of the increasingly congested nature of representative amateur events the European Championship and the Tripled Crown. He was Leinster Branch chairman from 1989 to 1993 and" he is a past captain of Woodbrook.
