The Golfing Union of Ireland, Ulster Branch, and Hilton Hotels, in conjunction with the Sports Council of Northern Ireland yesterday announced that the new National Centre of Golfing Excellence will be located at the Stakis Hotel, soon to be rebranded the Hilton Templepatrick.
The centre, the first of its kind in Ireland, will offer a new golfing experience for the development of the game at all levels, boasting state of the art facilities. The centre of excellence will incorporate an indoor facility for coaching and practice, a driving range and an outdoor practice area including greens with different grass types reflecting the conditions of golf courses throughout the world.
Ireland's Mervyn Cooney, the president of the Pitch and Putt Union of Ireland, is favourite for the position of president when the EPPA holds its first meeting in Barcelona next weekend. The Barcelona meeting follows on from the inaugural meeting in Dublin last year when the EPPA was formed. The meeting will be attended by two representatives from each of the member associations. The main EPPA meeting will take place on Saturday when the venue for the 2001 European Championships will be decided. In the afternoon the executive officers will be elected to the first council and Cooney is expected to be elected president with Jose M deAnzizu (ACPP) the vice president and Erik Jorritsma hotly tipped for the treasurer's position. The EPPA will also recruit an executive secretary, who will be based in Dublin.
A remarkable hole-in-one story has come to our attention from the internet site of the Taylor Made golf equipment company which features the cleverly titled Webzine Pure Online.
Primarily it functions to inform readers of the company's new products and the latest exploits of their tour players who now include Paul McGinley. However, a couple of amateurs recently stole the headlines as husband and wife Ed and Diana Wayson both aced the 17th while playing together at PGA West in California. For good measure, Ed has since repeated the feat.
The Taylor Made home page is at www.taylormadegolf.com and if you register for "Pure Email" updates, you will be added to a monthly draw for free clubs.
Daire Connell has picked up where she left off last year and completed a hat-trick of Medal successes at Elm Park. The 23-handicapper took the Class Two honours for December with 36 1/2 nett over nine holes and she has won the first two monthly events of the New Year with similar efforts.
Renowned also as a competitive tennis player, Daire is delighted with her success and has her sights set on one of the major golf prizes which eluded her in 1999.
A combination of brains and golfing skill are required to succeed in the popular Quiz and Putt competition which is up and running at Charleville Golf Club. Teams of four answer questions in the usual table quiz format but at the half way point and again at the end there are bonus points on offer for successful putting on an artificial grass mat.
The preliminary rounds continue for the next three Saturday nights. Details are available from Charleville at (063) 81257.
