Someone had access to a crystal ball when deciding that the inaugural PGA National Golf Week - in Ireland and Britain - earlier this year coincided with a certain Tiger Woods winning the US Masters. It was a marketing man's dream, and the result was a very successful week of lessons aimed at young and old who were contemplating taking up the game.

So, it is hardly surprising that the PGA (Professional Golfers Association) have decided to repeat the excercise in 1998 with a similar plan of campaign to entice beginners to golf. This year, an estimated 12,000 people throughout Ireland and Britain participated in the Golf Week and, of those, some two-thirds continued to play. National Golf Week '98 has been pencilled in for April 11th-19th, immediately after the US Masters and, equally importantly, co-inciding with the Easter school holidays. The PGA's plan is to hold a week long programme of "fun and friendly competitions and activities" for those wishing to participate.

The feed-back from the Irish Region PGA, based in Dundalk, was that the National Golf Week was an unqualified success. Participants in next year's exercise will receive a free copy of a book called The New Golfer.