Short Game

A round-up of golf news in brief

Terenure and Mount Anville deliver

The sixth annual Castle Schools Cup was hosted at Castle GC recently, featuring boys and girls from national and primary schools within the Dublin area.

This initiative to encourage school children from eight to 12 to play golf was organised and promoted by Haydon Chartered Accountants in partnership with Castle Golf Club.

The programme involved children from 30 local schools taking part in a team golf competition and was supported by former European Tour professional Gary Evans

Terenure College won the boys event, with Mount Anville Convent, Goatstown, taking the girls title.

Barry Fitzpatrick from St Mary’s, Donnybrook, won the boys individual, while Elizabeth Shields from Mount Anville won the girls.

Since its inception this programme has introduced over 5,000 schoolchildren and has helped to bring golf on to the curriculum for over 30 schools in Dublin.

Staunton sets Foxrock record

MARK STAUNTON of Fore Ireland broke the course record at Foxrock Golf Club by two shots carding a 63 to win the club Pro Am last week, two ahead of John Kelly (65) of St Margaret’s and four ahead of Peter Jones (67) of Coollattin GC.

The previous week Staunton missed the cut at the Euro Pro Tour with rounds of 74 and 75 at the Pandora Open, ruing many missed putts.

The 2007 Irish PGA Order of Merit winner was anxious put that second missed cut at Burhill Golf Club in Walton-on-Thames behind him when he played the south Dublin venue.

Despite missing a short putt on the fourth, many dropped as the day went on with birdies on the third, fifth, seventh, eighth, 10th, 12th, 14th and 18th.

The previous course record of 65 had been set by Brendan McGovern of Headfort Golf Club 16 years ago.

• IVAN DICKSON, General Secretary of the Golfing Union of Ireland from 1983 to 1996 has passed away after a short illness.

He had served as an Honorary Delegate to Central Council from his retirement in 1996 to the present day and attended GUI national and provincial events right up to his death. Prior to his appointment to his latter role, he was Secretary of the Leinster Branch.

Island to host PGA Region Pro-Am

FOLLOWING the success of last year’s inaugural event, The Island Golf Club is staging another Irish PGA Region Pro-Am at the links course in Donabate on Friday, July 9th.

Teams of three amateurs will be joined by one of Ireland’s top-40 professionals to compete for a range of prizes. The cost per team, which includes a meal, is €450. If you are interested in a fine test of links golf in the company of a professional, contact The Island on (01) 843 6205, or email: cathy@theislandgolfclub.com

• FÁILTE IRELAND have teamed up with three of Sligo's premier links courses, Co Sligo GC, Strandhill GC and Enniscrone GC to launch a new Sligo Links Golf Pass, enabling golfers and visitors to the region to play all three courses for a great value rate. The new pass which allows golfers to play at all three venues for only € 118. The Golf Pass can be purchased by contacting any of the clubs involved.

Irish managers prove the masters at Hillside GC

HILLSIDE Golf Club in Southport, was the venue recently as the Irish Golf and Club Managers’ Association took on their English counterparts, the Golf Club Managers Association.

And venue which is still used as a final qualifying course for the British Open turned out to be a happy hunting ground for the Irish visitors as they won the annual match by 8½ points to 3½.

There had been little to choose between the two after the opening day’s play, with the Irish leading by a point 3½-2½.

However, on day two of the competition it was all Ireland as they won by five matches to one to claim the spoils.

On the winning Irish team were Tom Prendergast, Pat McCarthy, Michael Delany, Michael Walsh, Michael Moss, Joe Considine, Declan Mangan, Paul Wisniewski, Ronan Burke, Donal Flinn, Hilary Madden and Michael Corry.

• TIPPERARY CRYSTAL are sponsoring a Mother and Daughter competition in Milltown Golf Club on Monday, June 21st.

There will be a shotgun starts at 9.30am and 2.30pm.

Prizes will be presented for morning, afternoon and overall winners.

Entrants must hold ILGU handicap. Entry € 30 per pair. Entry forms available on www.milltowngolfclub.ie or from club 01-4976090.

Lawrence rewarded for his efforts

LAYTOWN and Bettystown professional Bobby Browne was the Irish nominee for the recent PGA Professional Toby Sunderland award, which is an accolade which recognises the charitable efforts of PGA professionals.

Sadly Browne didn’t win the overall award but he had been nominated for his volunteer work in encouraging school children to take up the game via a free lesson, plus his role as a treasurer of the Teddy Bears Golf Classic.

This year’s overall winner, beating the six other District nominees, was Jonathan Lawrence, head professional at Farrington Golf Country Club, near Bristol, who was nominated for his efforts in raising significant funds for the South West Children’s Hospice. Apart from the award he also received £1,000 for the charity of his choice.

During the year Lawrence did a 15,000-feet parachute jump, cycled 880 miles from John O’Groats to Land’s End in seven days, ran the Bristol Half Marathon with club vice captain Alistair Shanks before running the Snowdonia Marathon.

• AT the captain's, Owen Morton, prize to the women in Sutton Golf Club recently, 19-handicapper Ann Lyons had a hole-in-one which helped her to win the competition with 36 points. The only other hole-in-one in the Ladies section at Sutton this year was achieved by her sister, Patricia Molloy.

Aces abundant at Woodbrook

ONE hole in one during an event is rare. A second one, even more so. But the recent Woodbrook Charity Pro-Am did have two aces – and both at the same hole.

They came at the 136-yard 17th hole.

The opening one came from professional Jim Geraghty (McGuirk’s Golf) who aced with a wedge, while a nine-iron was used by Wexford’s Martin Scanlan for his hole in one.

The event itself was won by Cahir Park professional David Ryan, who recorded a five-under-par 67 to win by two strokes from Glen Robinson (St Helen’s Bay) and Barrie Treanor (Team Ireland).