Trust issues aid warning

GOLF/Grants: Three newcomers and several familiar names were among 21 golfing recipients of grants yesterday totalling €241,000. But there was also a warning from Team Ireland Golf Trust that perennial applicants should not assume they would remain on the list indefinitely.

"We will be looking for competitive performances over the coming year," said Padraig Ó hUiginn, who represents Jim McDaid, the Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, on the Trust.

This is the third year of a scheme which has disbursed €529,000 to men and women who are attempting to establish themselves in professional ranks. The three newcomers are Suzie O'Brien, Hazel Kavanagh and Stephen Browne, now embarking on their first tournament season.

Though these three were among six players who received €20,000 each, a further 15 players on the list received cheques ranging from €15,000 to €1,000. Which leads one to think that the organisers might have achieved a more successful impact with bigger awards for fewer players.

It is argued that €1,000 will help finance a player through the qualifying schools. But if that happens to be the extent of an applicant's resources, their prospect of ultimate success would be decidedly slim. Even €7,000 would be of only token benefit, while the continued support of certain players could be seen to be doing more harm than good, in terms of giving them false hope.

When the awards were announced, however, during a lunch in Dublin yesterday, Minister McDaid emphasised the need to be publicly supportive of players' efforts, quite apart from financial considerations. "From a tourism standpoint, Ireland's reputation as a golfing destination is also enhanced by the performances of our golfers on the international scene," he said.