The Short Game

New role for Miller -Former Irish international and Lions rugby star Eric Miller has embarked on a new career, but this time it is in the world of golf. The 48-time capped Irish forward is one of the few Chek Golf biomechanics in Ireland, who specialise in helping golfers at all levels to get the most out of their game.

Miller has joined forces with the Green 18 Golf Academy at The Courtyard, Beacon South Quarter, Sandyford, Dublin, as a strength and conditioning coach specific to golf. He will join the PGA professional at the Green 18 Academy, Padraic O'Rourke, whose speciality is customised fitting and honing technique for Green 18 customers.

"Not many people in Ireland are doing what I am doing," said Miller. "I hope to be one of the first full-time coaches giving golf-specific training. The bulk of the exercises can be done at home or anywhere with the minimum amount of equipment involved."

Bradshaw's proud boast

Can you think of a better way of celebrating your 80th birthday than having a hole in one, especially as it is your 15th ace?

This is the proud boast of Billy Bradshaw, a trustee and member of Greystones GC, Co Wicklow, who plays off a handicap of 21. His latest ace was at the 175-yard fourth hole at Royal Co Down recently. Using his new Titleist driver he hit the ball over 160 yards of gorse onto the green, but did not see the ball going into the hole.

Playing with his son William, the trip to the north was a birthday present from his family to celebrate the big 80. Said Bradshaw, a Dublin solicitor: "We searched all around the green and beyond but could not find the ball. William said had I checked the hole, and when I did he jumped up and down shouting it's there. It was a great feeling."

JB Carr entry forms out

Entry forms for the ever popular JB Carr Trophy, which this year will be sponsored by Newbridge Silverware, are available from the host club, Woodenbridge.

The JB Carr is a men's team event for the over-60s played in the Scotch Foursomes format. Unlike most other interclub events, this is not played on a home and away basis. Instead, all five matches are played at one venue - first on a county-by-county basis, and then into the All-Ireland play-offs.

The JB Carr Trophy was inaugurated by Woodenbridge GC in 1996 and has effectively become the senior club over- 60s championship of Ireland, with some 200 clubs from every corner of Ireland participating. The semi-finals and finals are held in Woodenbridge GC in September.

Details from www.woodenbridge.ie

R&A bursaries awarded

Students from Belgium, Iceland, Italy, New Zealand and Zambia, including 18 from Ireland, are among those awarded bursaries by the R&A, which are intended to enable golfers to combine their studies with competitive play.

Individual bursaries range in size from £500 671)to £3,000 (€4,029). The R&A's total annual spend on university golf exceeds £320,000 (€430,000), and includes grants to support programmes at 12 universities in Britain and Ireland.

The Old and Eden Courses in St Andrews will provide the venues for the R&A bursars' tournament in April. For the first time, World Amateur Golf Ranking points are at stake in this event, and the winning male student will gain an automatic place in Europe's 2008 Palmer Cup team to play against the United States at Glasgow Gailes at the end of June. In the women's event, the winner will be offered a place in the field at one of the LET's tournaments this season.

LIST OF BURSARS: Rachel Cassidy (Stirling/The Island), Louise Coffey (Ulster/Warrenpoint), Sarah Cunningham (Maynooth/Ennis), Cian Curley (Maynooth/Newlands), Niamh Kitching (Limerick/Claremorris), Alex McCloy (Ulster/Ballymena), Anne McCormack (Maynooth/ Roscommon), Kelan McDonagh (Maynooth/Athlone), Naoimh McMahon (Limerick/Shannon), Louise Mernagh (Maynooth/Woodenbridge), James Monaghan (Maynooth/The Island), Aedin Murphy (Maynooth/Carlow), Ciaran O'Connor (UCD/Athlone), Gillian O'Leary (UCD/Cork), James Patterson (Queen's, Belfast/Royal Portrush), Catherine Tucker (Limerick/Limerick), Brendan Walton (Maynooth/The Island), Simon Ward (Ulster/Co Louth).

Masterful Masterson

Padraig Masterson from Balbriggan edged out local Paul Browne in the first of the Joe Duffy BMW Motors-sponsored Hilary Golf Society outings of the season at Laytown and Bettystown on Sunday.

New member Masterson, off a two handicap, won the nett on a countback from Browne (5) after both finished on 67, while scratch player Alan Dowling took the gross with a 69.

Sutton's Douglas Heather took third place from Clem Walshe of St Anne's, who eagled the par-four third. Robert Giles from Greenore won the professional prize with a 72 while also figuring in the team with Conor Russell (Sutton) and Conrad O'Donovan (Royal Dublin) with 60 to win on the back nine. The next outing is on February 17th at Portmarnock Links. Contact Simon Russell 086 8571866.

Cullen clinches victory

How often have you heard it said that the early bird catches the worm? Well, that was the case when the Emerald Pro Tour visited Knightsbrook in Trim last Friday and Gary Cullen, one of the early starters on the day, claimed victory. A back nine of two under par for a level par total of 72 was one better than Greystones' Alan Murray and Sutton's Conor Russell.

Among the amateurs good scoring was certainly the order of the day, with Belturbet's Jim Joe Foster, playing off 16, firing an impressive 40 points on a testing course to win by a single point from Michael Grady (10) of Kilkee, with two-handicapper Mark Clifford of Lucan third on 37 points, thanks in no small measure to an eagle on the par-five third hole.

Next up for the tour is a visit to Castleknock this Friday. Contact Ciaran Tighe on 086 080 7280, or email ciaran@allingolf.ie

Maxwell triumphs

A huge attendance of 106 turned up at Castleknock GC on Sunday for the latest winter outing of the Leinster Alliance, sponsored by Tipperary Crystal. And on a course which was in excellent condition and which measured over 6,700 yards, scoring was impressive as 13 golfers bettered the day's standard scratch.

In the nett category, victory went to Boystown's Karl Maxwell, playing off nine, whose 39 points was just good enough to edge out Paul Higgins (7) of Corrstown on the back nine, with Terry Smith (7) of Bray third on 38 points. Kingsley Lewis, a one handicapper from Skerries, was best in the gross section with 35 points, one better than Gerry Carney (4) of Beech Park, while Lucan scratch player Tony Goode was third, a point further back.

The Alliance's final outing is to Royal Dublin on Sunday, March 9th.

Kelly's splendid 65

Good scoring was the order of the day as the Midland Senior Alliance visited Tullamore GC on Sunday for their latest outing. Taking the spoils in the gross section and continuing his good form of late was Maurice Kelly, playing off a plus one handicap. The Killeen golfer, who won the Spanish Seniors Championship a couple of weeks back, went around in 65 for a three-stroke victory over Ronan O'Grady (2) of the host club, while a further two shots back in third place was Des Morgan, a plus two handicapper from Mullingar.

In the nett category, 63 was the wining mark achieved by Tom Tyrrell, playing off four from The Heath. He had four shots to spare over his closest rivals, Birr's John Dwyer (4) and eight handicapper Gary Mooney from Tullamore.

Next up for the Alliance is a visit to The Curragh on Sunday, February 24th.

skeenan@irish-times.ie