BY A delightful coincidence, Max Faulkner was 80 last Monday, the day after his son in law, Brian Barnes, became the first player to retain the British Senior Open at Royal Portrush. And to mark this double milestone, Bernard Gallacher, one of his former pupils, arranged a get together at Faulkner's home in Storrington, West Sussex, yesterday, along with contemporary Ken Bousfield and Barnes.

"I didn't want the occasion to pass without formally acknowledging Max's immense contribution to the game," said Gallacher. "He gave me tuition when I first came on the tour, and though he only plays nine holes these days, the old skills are still very much in evidence.

Through his 1951 victory at Portrush, where he claimed to have been helped by a "mystery, guiding light", Faulkner claimed a special place in Irish golf for the fact that he won the only British Open staged in this country. His eccentricity also gained him many admirers, particularly an outrageous dress sense which was exemplified in the canary yellow plus fours, with matching shoes and socks, worn on the final day of that event.

He always seemed determined to make things difficult for himself. For instance, Peter Alliss claims that Faulkner never possessed a halfway respectable set of golf clubs. Said Alliss: "His equipment was invariably influenced by some new theory that Max was toying with, so you would find him with a mix of stiff and whippy shafts, and perhaps three one irons of assorted lengths."

Putters became an obsession: he is reputed to have made no fewer than 300 of them. The most notable had a featherweight, driftwood head and a shaft made from a billiard cue. He used it at Portrush, declaring that he would never again miss a short putt. As it happened, he putted superbly there, in rounds of 71, 70, 70 and 74 for 285 and a two stroke win over Antonio Cerda.

Though unquestionably a talented player, Faulkner was somewhat lacking in discretion. For instance, he admits that he still has nightmares about an incident before the final round at Portrush. When asked to autograph a golf ball on his way to the first tee, he presumptuously put "Open Champion" below his name.

Then there was the occasion, later that year, when he was at Pinehurst for the Ryder Cup. It was a time when, through careful analysis and endless practice, Ben Hogan, the reigning US Open champion, had finally succeeded in controlling a wild hook. As Hogan worked on the practice ground at Pinehurst, Faulkner thought he had spotted a flaw in the great man's method, as shot after shot tailed gently to the right in the famous, power fade.

"Ben," he said, "I think I can help you get rid of that fade." Hogan glared. "You don't see the caddie moving, do you?" he snapped. The following day, Hogan beat Charlie Ward by 3 and 2 while Faulkner lost by 4 and 3 to Sam Snead. But Faulkner's enduring skills were evident at Estoril 17 years later when, aged 52, he captured the 1968 Portuguese Open.

A REGULAR reader, John Grady of Thurles, wishes to share his chuckle at the advice given by three time US Masters champion, Jimmy Demaret, in the problem section of an American golf magazine about 25 years ago. Problem: "I'm having a bit of trouble with my one iron shots. They get out there about 235 yards and then fade about eight feet. What should I do?" Demaret: "Turn pro."

A BAVARIAN fir tree flourishes in the grounds of the Hesketh Club in Southport, to which, incidentally, former Irish professional champion Martin Sludds is attached. Its survival is particularly interesting at this time, given that it dates back to the Olympic Games of 1936, the last time golf was an exhibition sport.

It appears that Hitler, on the assumption that Germany would win the competition at Baden Baden, was anxious to present the awards. But he stayed away on hearing that the local favourites had been edged out by the two man British line up.

One of that triumphant duo was Hesketh member Arnold Bentley. now still hail and hearty at 85. He received a silver plaque and the fir tree, which was planted at the club where he has now been a member for 70 years.

JOHN MEHIGAN, a long time friend of mine, was outlining his golfing plans' for a holiday here later this month. From his home in Rancho Murieta, near Sacramento, California, he named a few fairly predictable venues, before adding: "And I'd like to play Seapoint."

With due respect to the design skills of Des Smyth and Declan Branigan, I wondered why Seapoint? "Because I saw it on TV here last fall and it looked like a fine, links challenge," he replied.

In fact, through the American cable system, he had watched edited highlights of the inaugural Irish International Matchplay Championship, won by Smyth at Seapoint last October.

Here was compelling evidence of the success of an admirable policy by Bord Failte in promoting golf tourism through investment in leading Irish tournaments. Mehigan wants to play Seapoint because he saw it on television 6,000 miles away. And it is clear from figures released this week that many other potential visitors have been reached this way.

Encouraged by 224,000 growing visitors to this country last year an increase of 20 per cent over 1994 - Bord Failte believe that they will haven boosted that figure to 300,000 by the year 2000. And they are keenly aware of the importance "of the country's splendid links terrain towards achieving that objective.

Out of roughly 40,000 golf courses world wide, only 150 are links. And Ireland has 39 of them - an impressive 26 per cent. Even more significant is the prediction that while the number of courses will almost certainly double during the coming years, the increase in links terrain will he only marginal.

Obviously, there is only a limited amount of links terrain, largely in these islands, Sweden, France and Australia. And in many instances, it is protected against developments.

Which is why Seapoint will always have a special appeal to our golfing brethren in the New world.

IN 1971, aged 16 years, two months and 20 days, Laura Baugh became the youngest winner of the US women's amateur title. A year later, she was voted Golf Digest's "Most Beautiful Golfer". By 1975, she had given her name to a line of sportswear and was earning an unprecedented $300,000 a year from endorsements, including a brand of toothpaste.

She turned down an offer to appear in the centrefold of Playboy, and was married twice in 1980, the second time to South African golfer, Bobby Cole.

A one time darling of the media, she declined to be interviewed recently after making her first LPGA tournament appearance since being treated at the Betty Ford Centre for alcoholism and an eating disorder. She shot 82, 74 and missed the cut by 11 strokes. But shrewd observers saw enough to believe that at 41, the former glamour girl of golf still has much to offer to the game.

In brief: The seventh Annesley Mixed Foursomes tournament for the Jack Lawless Memorial Trophy will start at St Anne's GC next Saturday ... Eamonn Darcy and Christy O'Connor Jnr will be playing in the £10,000 Motorola Charity Pro Am at Cork GC on August 12th. John McHenry will also be in the field if his damaged wrist clears up . . . Irish positions in the Sony World Rankings are: 89 Darren Clarke; 114 Padraig Harrington; 117 Paul McGinley; 160 Philip Walton ... After five years, the most stubborn par in Irish golf has finally fallen.

Playing off eight, 18 year old Ken Buckley shot a course record 68 gross (three under par) at Mount Temple to become the first player to break the par at the midland venue. In recognition of the achievement, owner Michael Dolan informs me that the club donated £300 to the Conquer Cancer Campaign ...

Teaser: A and B realised after playing their tee shots on a par five hole that they were playing balls with identical markings. To avoid confusion, A lifted his ball before playing his second shot, substituted a ball with different markings and played out the hole. Is this permissible?

Answer: A was not proceeding under an applicable rule, so the substituted ball was a wrong hall. In matchplay, A loses the hole (Rule 15-2). In strokeplay, A incurs a penalty of two strokes (Rule 15-2) and must correct the error before playing from the next tee; otherwise he is disqualified. Furthermore, in strokeplay, the player incurs an additional penalty of one stroke for lilting the ball without authority.