The Short Game

New brand of Coffey
Another Coffey has inscribed her name on an Ulster Championship trophy. This time it is Louise, who is following steadily in the footsteps of her cousin Alison, the former Curtis Cup player.

Last week, at Tandragee, Louise, from Warrenpoint, survived the drama of a shoot-out with her provincial team-mate Stephanie Meadow to win the Ulster Girls Championship title. The decider went to the second tie-hole where Coffey clinched the title with a solid par.

Coffey beat Ciara Walsh 2 and 1 in the semi-final, while Meadow, from Royal Portrush, beat 11-year-old Leona Maguire (Castle Hume) by two holes. The Plate final was won on the last green by Massereene's Lucy Simpson who beat Victoria Bradshaw (Bangor) by two holes.

Hang left for Clare

Ireland's left-handers head to Co Clare next month for their 15th annual National Championship at Dromoland Golf and Country Club on Saturday, August 26th. The usual format will apply, with competitors vying for the Bob Charles Trophy for best gross, the National Trophy for best nett and the Martin Quinlan Trophy for best senior (over 55). Entry is first come first served, with the tee reserved from 10am-2pm. Cost for members is €50, and visitors, including right-handers, are welcome. Visit www.left-handed-golfers.com, or contact Jerry Bradley at 093 55310 for details.

And if you feel you need to warm up for Dromoland, Craddockstown GC are holding an open Stableford competition for left-handed men and women on Tuesday, August 15th. The cost for visitors is just €15, and €5 for members of the club. Juniors also cost €5. Contact 045 897610 for details.

Rally for good cause

Babs Keating, the France and Toulouse hooker William Servat, his team-mate Trevor Brennan and Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh were among those in attendance at Westmanstown Golf Club for the launch of a golf day in aid of the Friends of the Irish Meningitis Research Foundation at the course on July 21st.

In what has been an extraordinarily successful event, 60 teams of four have pledged their support to an event being organised by the Brennan and O'Neill families in Leixlip. Among those taking part are several rugby stars from at home and Toulouse, including Munster and Irish legend Mick Galwey, as well as his fellow Kerrymen from their celebrated team of the 70s, among them Eoin Liston and Jack O'Shea.

Ronnie Brennan, brother of the former Ireland and Leinster lock who is about to enter his fifth season with Toulouse, and one of the event's organisers, said: "This is a cause close to the hearts of the O'Neills and Brennans and we have had a fantastic response. We'd like to thank all those who have supported the golf day, especially our main sponsor, Luke Moriarty of the Courtyard Hotel in Leixlip."

Giles honoured

Hollystown Golf Club paid tribute to their esteemed member and former Captain John Giles last week by dedicating in his honour the new pond and fountain at the front of the ninth green.

Giles has been a member of the club since its affiliation in 1999 and held the office of Captain in 2002. In his outstanding sporting career, John had the rare distinction of being a player, captain and manager of the Republic of Ireland football team. Over a 20-year period, he garnered 59 caps and scored five goals for Ireland. His outstanding years of service to Leeds United Football Club are testament to his enduring legacy in English football, with 521 appearances and 114 goals to his credit. These days John is a highly successful soccer journalist and an extremely popular analyst with RTÉ television.

Have a heart

The Cardiac Rehabilitation Unit in Beaumont Hospital will hold a Classic in Hollystown GC on Monday, July 17th. Funds raised will be used to purchase additional equipment and help develop additional space for the unit. The cost per team is €400 to include golf, meals and prizes. Sponsorship of tees and greens is also available at €100. Details from Brian Murphy at 087-6612688

Boom boom Caffrey

Men don't always out-drive women, as was witnessed at a recent classic in Druids Glen GC. Bernadette Caffrey, a member the Elmgreen Golf Club, at the recent Cappagh Hospital Trust Golf Outing, out-drove the men to win the longest drive competition by some distance. However, here comes the catch: for her effort she was presented with a "Bronze Male Statue on a plinth"! There were 144 golfers (141 men and three women) playing in teams of four. Playing off a handicap of 19, Caffrey's drive was well past the 200 yards marker on the par five 11th hole. But try as they might all the males, including Irish soccer international Niall Quinn, failed to match the Elmgreen woman's effort.

Best Cup last eight

South Dublin clubs hold the balance as the Best Cup reaches the quarter-finals. Skerries and Beaverstown are the only two northside clubs left in the race for the 2006 title. The quarter-final line-up is: Skerries v Kilmashogue; Boystown v Craddockstown; Charlesland v Powerscourt and Beaverstown v Beech Park. Matches to be played by Monday, July 17th.

L & B underage

Juveniles from age five to youth at under-21 will be out in force at Laytown and Bettystown on Tuesday and Wednesday next for the annual L & B Underage Championship. Sponsored by Drogheda Concentrates, the event attracts some 250 boys and girls each year. Competitors from all parts of Ireland take part, with last year's winners coming from as far afield as Ormeau in Belfast to Galway and Limerick.

The schedule is: Tuesday: Boys under-14, Girls under-16, Boys under-12, Girls under-13, while the Pee Wee Trophy for boys and girls under-eight is scheduled for 2.30 followed by the under-10s. Wednesday sees the more serious players competing for the Joe Carr Trophy (boys u-15), Bettystown Trophy (boys u-19) and the Drogheda Independent Trophy for girls under-21. Time sheets are available at 041-9827563.

Grange future bright

Those involved in the underage scene in Grange Golf Club must have taken real pride in the performance of the juvenile and junior members at the recent Captain's (Pat McEnroe) Prize.

The overall winner of the prize was Bernie Wojnar, an 11 handicapper, with a 36-hole total of 141 after rounds of 72 and 69. The remaining prizes were taken by some of those not eligible for the main prize, even though they had lower scores, most notably juvenile member Jack Pierse and junior member Kevin McCarthy.

Juvenile Pierse, playing off nine, had a superb 36 holes. In round one he had a nett 64 and was a clear leader and then added a 71 the next day to have a final score of 135, but because of his category wasn't eligible for the first prize. McCarthy was third on 138, while Chris Wojnar - a nephew of winner Bernie - had a first round 70 and then a 68 in the second round, but again lost out because of his category and had to settle for fourth place.

Clune strikes

Perhaps there wasn't much of a surprise that Margaret Clune triumphed in the Lady Vice-Captain's (Mary Nolan) Prize at Kilrush Golf Club in County Clare last week. Tuning up for the event the previous week, the 33 handicapper had finished second to Lady Captain Niamh Whelan (12), only losing out on the back nine after both had shot nett 68s. But in the Vice-Captain's Prize, Clune fired an impressive 43 points to finish two clear of Clare Pyne (17), with Geraldine Burke (36) third with 40 points, while Margaret Clancy (12) was the gross winner.

Meanwhile, another Lady Captain proving her worth on the course was Mary McGettrick (20), who holds that position at Stackstown. She won the weekly singles competition on a countback over Agnes Grant (20) on 36 points.

And in Belmullet, Lady Captain Ann McGarry won the gross prize in Colin Faherty's President's Prize to the Ladies, an event won in impressive style by Kay Keoghan (19) with a superb score of 40 points, three better than Kathleen Lynskey (35), with Eileen Shaw (29) third on 36 points.

Sisters are doing it

Carlow member Margaret Ruth and Honora Fogarty from Castlecomer proved the best at the recent Loughnane Sisters Trophy event in aid of Offaly Hospice Foundation, held at Birr Golf Club.

Well over 100 sisters from all corners of the country took part, with scoring proving difficult, but Ruth - who plays off 15 - and her sister Fogarty (8) finished with 37 points to win by one from Gemma Butler (7), from the host club Birr, and her sister Pam Blanch, a 19 handicapper from Portarlington. In third were Mountbellew members Connie O'Brien (24) and Patricia Burke (35) with 33 points. The event raised €1,400 for the Hospice Foundation.