Four local authorities have joined forces in Northern Ireland to launch a major new tournament for golfers from home and abroad. Ards, North Down, Lisburn and Down have united under the banner of "Kingdom of Down" to promote tourism in their area and their spring campaign tees off with the Kingdom of Down tournament. The tournament, which is being promoted throughout Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, will be played at Bangor, Donaghadee and Ardglass from May 3rd to 5th. Competitions are open to men and women with a prize fund of over £3,000. Details of all-inclusive packages are available from Kingdom of Down 02840-662126.
The UCD graduates proved too strong for the present Belfield student when they won the annual match at Royal Dublin last week by five matches to three. Led by former amateur champion Peter Lawrie, who beat the South of Ireland champion Mark Campbell 2 and 1 in the top match, the graduates went on to record wins from Noel Fox, Ronan Flood, David Sheahan and Jody Fanagan. The students' victories came from L Hynes, B McSweeney and W Fox.
Local player Joe Moore had a comfortable two shots to spare over the field in the second Hilary outing of the season at Laytown and Bettystown on Sunday. One-handicapper Moore shot a 64 to win the Esat-sponsored competition from Sutton's Kieran O'Byrne with another Sutton player, Simon Russell, two shots further back in third place. Richie McDonnell finished on 69 with Martin Kelly (Forrest Little) and Ronan Flood (Stackstown) next on 70. Moore won the net prize and O'Byrne took the gross while Moore also led home the winning team of Philip Ring and Lennie Fitzgerald.
Societies entering the Dublin United Societies annual competition are reminded that all outstanding subscriptions, competition fees and team sheets for this year's competition must be returned to the honorary secretary of DUGSA, Jack Tinnion, on or before Monday, March 13th.
The holes-in-one were flying in over the last week but not all the lucky golfers saw their moments of glory. Arthur Harvey knew he'd connected well with his five-wood to the sixth in Muskerry. Confident that his ball was bound for the green he busied himself retrieving his tee and wasn't looking as the ball ran into the hole. Tom Hennessy needed only an eight-iron to cover the 165 yard 17th at Fota Island, Aidan O'Shea aced the second at Dooks and completing a quarter of Munster aces, Gerry McKeon holed out at the fourth in Limerick.
Pat Stakelum, a member of the famous three-in-a-row Tipperary hurling team that won All-Ireland titles in 194951, will become the first Millennium president at Thurles Golf Club.
