Short game:THE 30th ILGU/Lancome Greensomes National Final, which took place at Killarney GC in early October, raised in excess of € 57,000 for various charitable organisations.
Over 4,000 participated in 24 qualifying events with three national charities; the Irish Cancer Society, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland and Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Crumlin all receiving cheques for €10,000.
Also benefiting from the proceeds of the Open Days were local charities Enable Ireland (Kilkenny), School of Divine Child, Douglas Meals on Wheels and South Infirmary Hospital Breast Check (Douglas), Breast Cancer Clinic (Limerick), Kare (Naas), Galway Hospice, Aware (The Island), Arc (Cork), Scoil Aodh Rua and Nuala Special Needs Classes (Donegal), World Transplant Games (Nenagh) and Carers Association (Kerry).
To date over € 2 million has been raised for deserving charities around Ireland. Clubs who hosted events in 2009 were Ballinrobe, Bandon, Castletroy, Clontarf, Cork, Co Cavan, Courtown, Donegal, Douglas, Galway, Hermitage, Kilkenny, Laytown Bettystown, Limerick, Malahide, Monkstown, Mullingar, Naas, Nenagh, Powerscourt, The Island, Tipperary, Tralee and Waterford.
Druids Glen launch new initiative
FOLLOWING the success of last year’s Druids Heath annual membership scheme, the Druids Glen Golf Resort in Co Wicklow have launched a new initiative that offers annual membership of Druids Glen at a cost of € 4,000 inclusive of VAT.
New members will enjoy playing rights on two championship courses – Druids Glen and Druids Heath – along with use of practice and clubhouse facilities.
New members of Druids Glen can participate in a busy programme of club competitions, many of which are member and guest format.
To obtain full details of the Druids Glen annual membership offer contact Derek Byrne at 01-2812510
Edwards to captain Walker Cup team
NIGEL EDWARDS has been appointed as captain of the Britain and Ireland team that will face the United States of America at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in the 2011 Walker Cup. Edwards will also captain the BI team as they take on the Continent of Europe in the St Andrews Trophy at Castelconturbia GC, Italy, next year.
A long-time member of Whitchurch GC, he has played in four successive Walker Cup matches between 2001 and 2007, winning four matches, losing five and tying three.
“I am delighted to have been invited to be the next Britain and Ireland Walker Cup captain. It is a great honour for me, my family and for Welsh golf, and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead,” said Edwards.
Edwards was instrumental in BI’s 2003 victory at Ganton, holing a 30-yard putt from off the green at the 17th to ensure overall victory and finishing as the leading points-scorer. In 2005 and 2007, the 41-year-old was part of BI teams which lost to the US by a point.
In addition to his Walker Cup successes, Edwards has been part of three victorious BI teams in the St Andrews Trophy and part of two winning European teams in the Bonallack Trophy against Asia/Pacific. He also won the Home Internationals and the European Nations Cup with Wales in 2002.
McGinley guest speaker at bash
THE GUI Champions Dinner takes place at Carton House Hotel on Friday, January 8th, to honour the champions of 2009, including the Irish Open winner Shane Lowry.
The guest speaker will be Paul McGinley, who captained Britain and Ireland to secure the Vivendi Trophy this year.
A very limited number of tickets are available for this black tie event.
RTÉ’s Greg Allen will be the master of ceremonies.
Tickets are €100 each with a drinks reception at 7pm and dinner at 8pm.
Details from GUI website.
Bolger takes plaudits in Rosslare Alliance event
ON A day which promised to deliver good scores, the golfers themselves didn’t disappoint as the Rosslare Alliance took place last week. In what was the latest in the series of six winter outings, Rosslare Golf Club was in top shape and not surprisingly the scores were of a very high standard.
Taking the plaudits in the gross category was Kilkenny’s Jimmy Bolger who returned 42 points, two better than the host club’s professional Johnny Young, while St Helen’s Bay’s Glen Robinson was third on 38 points.
The scoring was equally impressive in the nett section. Six handicapper Shay Clinton from Coollattin had the best of the day with 41 points, one clear of Rosslare’s Paud O’Brien (2) with another member of the host club, Dan Cash (5), third on 39 points.
In the team event, O’Brien, Philip White and Clinton took first place with 50 points.
The next outing for the Rosslare Alliance is on Monday, January 11th and places on the timesheet can be booked by phoning Rosslare on 053 9132032.
US RYDER Cup captain Corey Pavin was in London last Friday where he collected the PGA Recognition Award.
Pavin was the first American to receive the honour, following in the footsteps of a host of European stars such as Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Ian Woosnam and Colin Montgomerie.
Actors to star at Adare Manor
HUGH GRANT and Kyle Mac Lachlan have been confirmed to play in the JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am on July 5th and 6th next year. The film stars from both sides of the Atlantic will join many of the world’s top golfers at Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort.
THE FALDO Series, which is financially backed by the PGA, will break new ground next year when it makes its debut in Holland with the staging of the Faldo Series Netherlands Championship in July.
The inaugural Netherlands Championship will be hosted by de Goyer Golf and Country Club in Eemnes near Amsterdam and Faldo is hopeful that this unique blend of top-level competition and golf-specific education will benefit young golfers in The Netherlands in the same way that it has helped to nurture golfing talent in more than 20 countries worldwide. “Next year will be our 14th season and it is great to see more countries coming on board year on year,” said Faldo.
