Short Game

April dates for Irish Seniors Festival of Golf: THE ninth annual Irish Seniors Festival of Golf in the Algarve again promises to be a wonderful occasion, with the opportunity to play in four competitions over four different courses.

The week-long trip provides team and singles competitions for men and women over four of the finest golf courses in the Algarve from Saturday or Sunday, April 9th or 10th to Saturday or Sunday, April 16th or 17th.

Golfer will stay at the five-star Pestana Alvor Praia hotel, perfectly located on the beach, the participants will be playing in mixed team and singles events for both men and women over four superb golf courses – Pinta, Gramacho, Silves and Altos.

The Golfing Union of Ireland will be responsible for organising the draws and running the competitions. As the trip is limited to 120 golfers (the number of non-playing golfers does not matter) early booking is recommended to ensure your place on the trip.

Bookings can be made through:

Dublin: Tony Heverin Travel, 11 North Frederick Street, Dublin 1. Telephone: 01-8746443;

Belfast: Bryan Somers Travel, Saintfield, Co. Down BT24 7AA. Telephone: +44 (0) 28 9751 1232;

Cork: LTM Travel, 36 Eastgate Drive, Eastgate, Little Island, Cork. Telephone: 021 – 4976293. Email: roz@ltm.ie

The cost, to include golf, transfers and accommodation, is €939.

Ladies European Tour Access Series

THE 2011 Ladies European Tour Access Series (LETAS), featuring a minimum of five events across Europe, will begin with the Terre Blanche Ladies Open in France from March 16th to 18th, with a €25,000 prize purse.

There will be further events in France in April, May and October before it concludes with the Murcia Ladies Open in La Manga in Spain.

The LET Access Series launched last year as the official feeder tour to the Ladies European Tour. All female professional golfers and amateurs with a handicap of three or better are eligible once they are over 18 years. The top two players on the 2011 LETAS rankings earn membership for the Ladies European Tour in 2012, while players in third to 10th positions progress to the final stage of LET qualifying school, thereby skipping the first qualifying event.

Di Barnard, tour director of the LET Access Series, commented: “We are extremely encouraged at the level of interest that the LET Access Series has received. We are expecting to add more events to the schedule over the next couple of months.

“The success of the LET Access Series in 2010 has clearly contributed to the development of its players and enabled them to make great strides in their fledgling careers as they progress on to the Ladies European Tour.”

Full details are available on www.letaccess.com

GUI event on mental side of game

EVER wanted to know how the top golfers work on the mental side of their game and get the best out of their abilities? Well, this could be your chance.

Entitled “A Mind for Great Golf”, the event is brought to you by the GUI National Golf Academy and will offer six different rituals which can transform your game.

It takes place at the GUI headquarters at Carton House Hotel in Maynooth on Good Friday, April 22nd (8pm) with a two-hour presentation with Karl Morris, who is the mind coach to two major winners, Ireland’s US Open champion Graeme McDowell and British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen from South Africa.

The session is open to players of all standards from beginners through to top amateurs and professionals.

Tickets and further details are available by making contact with the GUI at information@gui.ie or by phone on (01) 5054000.

Kerry clubs offer Peninsula Pass

WITH golf courses around the country suffering from declining use and non renewal of memberships 2011 looks set to be another difficult year for the golf industry. Courses are now offering great value deals for membership and cut price green fee deals are a plenty.

Dooks, Ring of Kerry and Skellig Bay Golf Clubs have joined together to launch the “Peninsula Pass”.

For just € 99 you can play three rounds of golf, one on each course, a saving of over € 100 off normal rates.

Details of the Peninsula Pass can be found at www.peninsulapass.com or 064-6642000.

Walshe second at Canberra Classic 

GALWAY-born Alison Walshe warmed up for the start of the LET Tour when finishing second to Queensland amateur Ashley Ona in the ActewAGL Royal Canberra Ladies Classic over the weekend.

Ona held her nerve on the last hole and produced a great up and down from the back of the 18th green to secure the victory over a star-studded field.

Walshe, who was playing in the group in front of her, stormed home with birdies on the final three holes and just missed an eagle putt on the 18th to finish at 9-under par 208 after rounds of 71, 67 and 72.

Ona, joint leader with Sydney’s Frances Bondad going into the final round, got off to a flying start with birdies on the first two holes. She built up a three-shot lead with four holes remaining before Walshe produced the birdie finish.

Walshe was very philosophical with her efforts, saying, “She played great, I played well and kept it strong but she just played better. I am totally happy with the way I played today.”

Outright third was second-round co-leader Bondad (70) who finished two shots back at 10-under par, while Caroline Hedwall (72), Canada’s Jessica Shepley (72) and defending champion Kristie Smith (67) all shared fourth position.

Launch of women's amateur ranking

THE women’s world amateur golf ranking will be launched by the RA following the success of the men’s ranking, now in its fifth year. The women’s ranking will be published for the first time later this month when a new World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) website for both the men’s and women’s rankings will be unveiled.

The men’s ranking encompasses more than 1,800 counting events, ranking over 5,000 players representing 70 countries.

The launch of the women’s ranking will provide the women’s game with a way to compare amateur player performance in elite competition over a rolling 52-week period.

The women’s ranking has a calendar of 1,350 events with over 3,100 ranked players. “WAGR has been embraced by amateur associations and professional tours alike in men’s golf, and we are delighted to be able to offer this same service to the women’s game,” explained RA director Mike Tate.

Gillian Kirkwood, chairman of the Ladies Golf Union, said, “The LGU believes it (rankings) will become increasingly important around the world in informing decisions on team and field selection.”