The Short Game

Arklow plays host: Arklow Golf Club is the venue for the the Qualceram Shires-sponsored PGA Southern Professional Championships on June 14th and 15th.

Arklow, a fine links golf course, is set up for this tournament along the same style as a British Open course with rough like hay, fairways cut tight and about 15 paces wide. Revetted, deep-faced bunkers and small, undulating greens provide the ultimate challenge for the professionals.

The field, for the 36-hole event, of 140 players includes defending champion John Murray (Malahide GC), Phillip Walton, Brendan McGovern, John Dwyer and Leslie Walker.

MacDonagh's 21st

The annual Bushmills Malt Causeway Coast Amateur tournament takes place over the Royal Portrush, Ballycastle, Castlerock and Portstewart links this week with over 1,100 players from around the globe. However, for Castlebar GC member John MacDonagh this year is a bit special as he is playing in this tournament for the 21st time.

In 1983, he saw an entry form on the notice board in Letterkenny GC, filled it in and has been a keen competitor ever since. This week, with 10 clubmates and some friends from Letterkenny GC, a 21st celebration is planned for Kelly's Hotel Portush in between the 72-hole event.

Hazel Grove best

Hazel Grove, last year's winners of the Best Cup, are on course for a repeat performance after their victory over previous holders Ashbourne in the second round recently.

Hazel Grove await the winners of the Stackstown-Kilternan tie, delayed due to the untimely death of the Stackstown manager, Alex Mullins, in the next round. Other second-round winners include The Grange, who beat Foxrock, Charlesland, winners over Malahide, Sutton, Skerries and Turvey.

Third-round draw: Charlesland v St Anne's; Hazel Grove v Stackstown or Kilternan; Powerscourt v Hollywood Lakes; St Margaret's v Howth; Woodbrook v Castle; Grange v Greystones; Black Bush v Sutton; Skerries v Turvey. Matches to be played by June 21st.

R&A exhibition

A special exhibition about the history of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club has been unveiled at the British Golf Museum to coincide with the club's 250th anniversary.

Four banners take the visitor on a tour of those 250 years, and a fifth celebrates the 150th anniversary of the world famous Royal and Ancient Golf Clubhouse

Conaty set for US

Dawn Marie Conaty, a member of the Ashbourne and The Island Golf clubs, will take up a scholarship at North Carolina State University in September. Conaty won the Irish Girls championship in 2001 and has been a regular on The Island's Senior Cup team in recent years.

Kennedy on the move

Stackstown's secretary manager Paul Kennedy will make the move from south to north when he takes over as secretary manager of Howth GC at the end of the month. Kennedy, a member and past president of Beaverstown GC, lives in Beaumont and will find the trip to Howth much easier to negotiate. By coincidence, his last duties in Stackstown will be to host the southside leg of the Irish Junior Foursomes, and on his first two days in Howth he will play host to the northside qualifying for the same event.

Hughes misses out

Carlow Lady Captain Mary Hughes just missed out last week on winning the Men's Captain's Prize to Ladies, put forward by Jim Fitzharris. Pat McArdle won with an impressive score of nett 65 off a handicap of 30. Hughes, playing off 20, was second with a score of 68, just enough to pip Eva Kennedy (35) on a countback. Two-handicapper Karen Delaney won the gross prize with a 71.

Changes at Mullingar

Mullingar is set for partial closure later in the year as they bid to improve their course. After the annual Scratch Cup, substantial work will take place on the back nine - primarily 11 to 17 - as they upgrade the greens and the tees as well as adding new features to some of the holes. Work on the course is costing about €400,000 and it is anticipated it will be completed by the end of the year. The work is being done in consultation with David Jones, the senior tour professional.

Sullivan wins in style

Winning in style and dramatically cutting her handicap last week was Norma Sullivan in Clonmel. Playing off 36, Sullivan fired an impressive 45 points for a six-point victory. Next best was Mary A Power, who had 39 points off 31, one point better than Margaret Renehan (15). So good was Sullivan's score that she knocked four shots off her handicap. It was the third time in as many weeks that the winners dropped four shots each.

Mangan makes mark

Blowing the rest of the field away on May 29th, around the Old Course at Lahinch, was Patricia Mangan of Ennis who won the Ladies Scratch Cup in style. She was a comfortable winner of the gross prize with a score of 74 to win by five shots from Ballybofey & Stranorlar's Daire McGowan. Third spot went to Mangan's clubmate Valerie Hassett on a score of 80, one better than Douglas' Valerie Shannon. In the nett section, Gort's Judith McGann, playing off 11, won with a score of 75, one ahead of Galway's Sarah Faller with Miriam Abernethy (7) of the Grange third a further shot back.

Keane competition

Claremorris is the venue on Saturday for the Connacht Senior Scratch Cup. On offer will be the John Keane Memorial Trophy, while also taking place will be a Junior Scratch Cup. Further information available from Chris Rushe on 094-9371527.

Bantry Bay classic

Bantry Bay are holding their annual classic from June 17th to 20th. The Thursday and Friday are reserved for the ladies with an entry fee of €60 for a team of three. On Saturday and Sunday it is the turn of the men with an entry fee of €200 for a team of four. Murnane & O'Shea are again the sponsors and there is a prize fund of €6,000. A number of overseas teams have entered. The timesheet is open, phone the club at 027-50579.

Moore lands double

She may well have seen her handicap cut by two shots, but it made no difference to Highfield's Maura Moore as she claimed back-to-back wins at the Co Kildare club. Having played off 34, she won the Wednesday invitational singles with 44 points. That saw her lose a couple of shots, but she was the one to beat again in the next event as she fired 65, off 32, to defeat Emer Keeling (34) with Nora Walsh (21) in third on 68.

Royal success

The Off-Licence Merchants Golf Society has been to the fore recently in running a very successful charity outing in aid of the Royal Hospital in Donnybrook. With almost 50 teams competing, the society raised €12,000 at its charity day in Hollystown.

Captain's places

There are still some morning places available for the Captain's (Tom Farrell) Prize at the North Dublin Golf Club Captain's Association outing in Hollywood Lakes on Friday.