Old Head is wiser after the event

AT 348 YARDS off the back tee, it is one of the less daunting challenges on the spectacular Old Head Links, which is to be officially opened next month. During a recent visit, however, I suspected there had to be something rather special about the 15th hole, to merit the intriguing name of "Haulie's Leap" on the scorecard.

My curiosity brought a knowing smile from Ray Cawley, general manager of this amazing project outside Kinsale. "I wonder if I should tell you, insofar as the man himself hasn't seen what we've done on the card," he said.

"The man himself" is Haulie O'Shea, managing director of the contracting company responsible for earth moving at the Old Head. And he clearly possessed a sense of humour, judging by Cawley's eventual willingness to fill me in on details of his memorable leap.

It happened when O'Shea was building the front tees on the 15th, which is one of nine holes negotiating the perimeter of the peninsula. The work entailed loading 20 tons of earth on to a 20 ton Volvo dumper which, of necessity, was positioned close to the cliff edge, with a 250 foot drop to the sea below.

When the load was in place, O'Shea duly climbed aboard to drive the truck away. To his horror, however, it began to slip on wet ground, inching ever closer to the edge. And as if in slow motion, the slide continued while the driver frantically wondered what he could do.

It quickly became clear that there would be no way of reversing the slide and as the 40 tons of metal and clay careered over the cliff edge, O'Shea managed to jump to safety. Interestingly, his mobile phone happened to be ringing at that precise moment before it found a watery grave.

In the event, the truck - it carried only third party insurance and its contents plunged to the breakers below, where it remains, impossible to salvage.

Towards the end of my visit, I was introduced to O'Shea, who was understandably embarrassed about the episode. Yet he could see the humour in what was potentially a deadly situation. Still a teetotaller, he remarked with a grin: "At least it didn't send me to drink." Before adding: "Maybe it's best forgotten."

Then, as he walked away, Haulie had a fascinating thought. "I wonder who was on the phone," he mused.

"IF I was fit, I believe the best of me is still to come. I only wish a fairy could wave a wand and make me better."

Jose Maria Olazabal, who was runner up in the Italian Open last Sunday, talking 12 months ago about his baffling foot problems.

IT is 78 years since the event occurred, yet New Orleans Country Club still considered it worth remembering through a special plaque near their 10th tee. That was where the great Bobby Jones hit a shot which, unusually for him, had more to do with good fortune than skill.

The year was 1919 and Americans were becoming increasingly familiar with the exploits of the richly gifted 17 year old. In the qualifying round for the Southern Amateur Championship, Jones hit his tee shot on the 150 yard first hole (now the 10th) to the right, where it bounced off the side of the green and into a shoe that had been left in a workman's wheelbarrow.

Unsure as to how he should proceed, Jones sought a ruling which was given by the club's professional, George Turpie. He determined that the teenager should not receive relief, which meant that the ball had to be played from the shoe.

Using a niblick, Jones proceeded to masterfully knock both shoe and ball on to the green and two putted for a bogey four. Many years later, USGA rules expert Frank Hannigan expressed the view that Turpie had been wrong in his ruling. And, as it happened, young Bobby failed in his attempt to win the title.

As an interesting footnote, Turpie had been Harry Vardon's caddie for the US Open victory of 1900 and later became John D Rockefeller's golf tutor.

BEFORE all his other golfing acquaintances jump on the bandwagon, I want it known that I played a round with the newly crowned World Snooker Champion. It happened at St Pierre, Wales last August when Ken Doherty, Kevin Norton, Bill Hartley and myself, teamed up for the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association's (WPBSA) annual charity day.

None of us performed particularly well, which I was happy to blame on the close attention of Terry Griffiths, who was darting around the course in a buggy, looking ever so officious. As with all gifted sportsmen, however, Doherty's keen, competitive instincts were often in evidence, even off a modest 16 handicap.

Stephen Hendry was also there, playing off 11. And I was reminded of the occasion when I asked him what was the most pressurised sporting situation he had ever found himself in. "That's easy," he replied. "When I'm driving off the first tee in a proam."

THOUGH the event is still two months away, Judy Bell, president of the US Golf Association, is already quite excited about a fascinating challenge on July 13th. In a note to the media, she enthuses: "People have been playing golf for more than 200 years, but no one has done what Annika Sorenstam may well do on the second Sunday in July not Babe Zaharias, not Nancy Lopez, not Mickey Wright, not Betsy King.

In fact the hugely gifted Swede, who was married during the winter, will be attempting to become the first player to win the US Women's Open for a third successive year. And Ms Bell has no doubts about its importance, internationally.

"This is a huge story," her letter goes on. "And it's worth noting that Annika will try for this momentous achievement on the same Witch Hollow course at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Oregon, where Tiger Woods won his record third straight US Amateur Championship last year." So there.

PADDY McKENNA, who died earlier this week was a very special man. Indeed it would be difficult to imagine greater stoicism than he displayed in coping with an illness from which he knew there would be no reprieve.

Towards the end, he insisted as treasurer of the Links Society that all financial matters should be put in order, despite the protests of his great friend, Cecil Whelan. And to the surprise of his colleagues at Donabate GC, he left the Hospice in Raheny last January, so as to chair the annual general meeting, in his capacity as club president.

Paddy, who was captain of Donabate in 1980, made a huge contribution to golf. So, it was highly appropriate that the game should have rewarded him with a prize very dear to his heart. On September 28th of last year, knowing the terminal nature of his illness, he won the Captain's (Ray Wilson) Prize at Donabate, with a typically courageous performance in difficult, blustery conditions. Playing off nine, he had a second round of 42 points to win on a countback with a 36 hole aggregate of 78.

Ar dheis De go raibh a anam.

IN BRIEF: Elm Park will have sponsorship from ACC Bank for the 27th staging of their annual Open Mixed Foursomes Matchplay tournament from Monday June 23rd to Saturday June 28th. Further details from (01) 269 3438 Woodlands Golf Club, near Naas, will have the official opening of their new course on Sunday, May 25th . . . Further to last week's news about Woodbrook's move to Softspikes, Paul Crowe tells me that The K Club will be imposing a ban on all metal spikes from June 1st . . . The highly progressive Oughterard club have organised a Golf Bonanza (36 holes Stableford) in association with the local tourist board and development association for June 27th and 28th. Further details from (091) 552808 Marty Carr of Carr Golf has an interesting deal for Ryder Cup fans. Further information from (01) 873 4244 Austin Spratt of West Waterford GC (058 43216) and Tom Whelan of Dungarvan GC (058 41605) have news of a joint venture sponsored by Yoplait - the Dungarvan International Fourball on June 7th and 8th.

TEASER: A player, believing his original ball may be out of bounds, plays a provisional ball which comes to rest in the same area. He finds a ball which he believes is his original ball, plays it and then discovers that the ball he played was his provisional ball. What is the ruling?

ANSWER: If a player reaches the place where his original ball is likely to be and plays another stroke with a provisional ball, the provisional ball is in play and the original ball is lost (Rule 27-2b).