TheShortGame

Compiled by Shay Keenan and Kevin McKenna

Marino in Waterville

American football legend Dan Marino and his son Joey will lead a star-studded field for the annual World Invitational Father-and-Son tournament at Waterville in August. Marino, the famed quarterback of the Miami Dolphins in past years, will be joined by Tom Fazio and his son, Logan, who has overseen the recent changes to the excellent Kerry links. Also in the field are former US vice-president Dan Quayle and son Ben, and Irish partnerships include Dermot Desmond, JP McManus, John Magnier and Noel Fox.

The event is held from August 11th to 14th, played over 54 holes. It is a better-ball Stableford event with a maximum handicap of 24, with 75 per cent of handicaps applicable. After 36 holes there is a cut with the top 24 teams proceeding to the final. The prize is JB Carr's Irish Amateur Trophy, which he won three times. International winners compete for the Tiger Trophy, which Dermot Desmond donated for the event.

Boys at Portmarnock

The Boys Home Internationals between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales will be played at Portmarnock from Tuesday to Thursday, August 3rd-5th. This will be the second time the club has hosted the event. In 2000 it was the scene of England's third successive victory in an unbeaten run that was stretched to six with their win at Royal St David's last year.

Birdies at Troon

Wildlife and conservation at Royal Troon, venue for this year's British Open, will be highlighted in a booklet to be published by the R&A that will include a hole-by-hole guide to wildlife on the course. Visitors to The Open will be encouraged to look for more birdies and eagles than the golfers alone can provide.

Royal Troon is a good example of co-operation between the golf and environmental sectors to develop course-management programmes compatible with the needs of the course wildlife. The author is Jonathan Smith, golf course adviser to the Scottish Golf Environment Group.

Harkins goes for four

Ryston's Seán Harkins will seek his record-breaking fourth Irish Pitch and Putt Matchplay crown at Deerpark (Killarney) next month. The Newbridge man won in 1986, 1991 and in 1999. Carrigaline's Joe Doyle has also won it three times (1969, 1971 and 1972). What would make Harkins' feat all the more noteworthy is that he would be winning out of a third different club. When he beat Johnny Price in 1986 he was member of Shandon, as he was when he beat Cormac Caulfield in 1991. He represented St Bridget's when he defeated Seán Downes in 1999. With the same club he clinched his berth for Killarney 2004, outgunning Kildare's millennium intercounty winning captain Tom McCormack in the Kildare final regional qualifying round.

Liam Collins (CYMC/LC, Fairview) defends his Leinster Strokeplay crown at Castletown (between Navan and Kingscourt) next Sunday. The Dublin player will have plenty of opposition from the likes of James Carroll of the host club, Irish champions past and present Seán Downes (Stackallen), William Buckley Jnr (Erry), and David Hayden (Lucan).

Reigning Leinster Ladies Strokeplay champion Bernadette Coffey (Ryston ) faces a tough battle to hold on to her crown at Navan. She will need to be at her best to hold off the challenges from Catherine McCreevy of the host club and the Portmarnock pair of Geraldine Ward and Sheelagh Elmes.

Lynchs on form

It was a case of father showing the son the way home in Sutton's Wednesday semi-open fourball last week. Robert Lynch Snr, a former captain of Sutton Golf Club, was playing with his son Robert Jnr. And Robert Snr had a great run through the fourth, fifth and sixth holes (par 4, 3, 3). Robert Snr shot a remarkable six shots for the three holes with birdies at the fourth and fifth followed by a hole-in-one at the sixth. Needless to say they won the competition with 27 points for the nine holes.

Presidential affair

Talk about keeping it in the family, but that is exactly what they are doing in St Anne's Golf Club in north Co Dublin. When it comes to winning the President's Prize at the club in recent times it helps to be a relation of the president. Brendan McKeon is in the second year of his presidency, and 12 months ago he held his President's Prize to Ladies and the winner was his sister, Sheila O'Toole.

This year's event was held last Sunday and Brendan's prize was won by his wife, Freida. She won with a fine score of nett 70 off her handicap of 15. So good was her score, in fact, she lost 1.2 on her handicap and will now play off 13. Runner-up was Marian Toole, playing off 32, while Carol O'Reilly, playing off 13, won the gross with a score of 96 gross.

You can imagine the banter that took place on Sunday in the St Anne's clubhouse when it was confirmed that Brendan had to present his prize to his wife.

Heritage golf school

Cleveland Golf, in conjunction with the Fore Golf Technical Centre, will hold an equipment presentation of the latest Cleveland clubs at the new golf school at The Heritage Golf Club in Killenard, Co Laois, on Thursday from 4.30-8.30 p.m.

Cleveland are sending two Tour Technicians to provide information and advice on their complete range of drivers, irons, wedges and putters. A special short-game analysis programme and driver testing using the Fore Golf launch monitor will be on site for all guests.

The Cleveland tour van will also attend and it will house the full range of products for player testing and ball-flight analysis. All golfers are welcome to attend and use the state-of-the-art facilities at the golf school at The Heritage. For further information please call Fore Golf on (045) 430660. A similar event will be held in Cork on Friday, from 4.30pm-8.30pm at The Iniscarra Driving Range, just outside Ballincollig.

Harmon master class

Two of Headfort's most promising players are in for a treat next month when they will have lessons with the man who was such a force behind the success of Tiger Woods and Adam Scott. Ciara Walsh, the Headfort club captain, and Michael McGrane, have been invited to take part in the Red Bull Masters Class at the Portmarnock Links on June 1st. They are set to receive coaching from Butch Harmon for at least two hours. Brendan McGovern, the professional at Headfort, nominated Walsh and McGrane and they will be two of 20 junior Irish golfers to be invited to this unique event.

Strong ace

It was close but no cigar for 24-handicapper Pat Strong at Luttrellstown Castle on Saturday. Although she narrowly missed out on victory, she had something else to celebrate. She lost out on a countback to winner Vera Naughton (26) after both fired 37 points, but Strong recorded a hole-in-one on the par three, 16th hole.