The classroom swingers

Christy O'Connor Snr and former Dublin football manager Gerry McCaul have joined forces in their desire to spread the golfing gospel. When the Christy O'Connor Club - based at Hollystown - was affiliated to the GUI exactly 12 months ago, one of the maestro's desires was to encourage newcomers. And the route chosen was to introduce formalised golf into a school which, traditionally, didn't play the sport.

After assessment, Ardscoil La Salle, in Raheny, where Gaelic games and soccer are strong, met the O'Connor Club criteria, and McCaul, who is a member of Turvey Golf Club, fully supported the idea.

So, Peter and Christopher O'Connor, the teaching professionals at Hollystown, conducted special coaching sessions from which two pupils - Stephen Fisher and James Barrett - were subsequently offered free junior membership of the O'Connor Club. Indeed, the initiative has proven to be so successful that the next phase of the O'Connor Club's continuing youth policy is to offer similar assistance to an inner city school.

Hilary O'Herlihy - wife of broadcaster Bill - has dominated the weekly women's competitions at Foxrock Golf Club for much of the season, but she had added satisfaction in claiming the top prize with 39 points last week. The seven-handicapper had a hole-in-one at the eighth hole.

An e.g.m at Limerick GC has given the go-ahead for the fifth green at the club to be rede veloped. Captain Joe Quane hopes the green will be back in play by April.

That great golfing nursery Summerhill College will again figure in the finals of the Connacht schools championship.

Summerhill, Garbally College, Portumna CS and St Colman's College, Claremorris, have qualified for the Connacht finals after last week's preliminaries. For the winter months, however, books rather than golf clubs will occupy their minds, as the finals won't take place until Easter. Incidentally, the Connacht Boys' Under-17 final - between Roscommon and Galway - which was deferred from earlier this season due to a congested fixture list, will take place at Ballyhaunis tomorrow week.