MENTION Christy O'Connor's golf club and one immediately thinks of the four wood which he seemed to invest with magical powers. In the context of an announcement yesterday, however, it had far more elaborate connotations, involving affiliation to the Golfing Union of Ireland.

One of the country's most illustrious players is to have his achievements perpetuated by a club, bearing his name. The Christy O'Connor Golf Club will have its home at Oliver Barry's Hollystown course in north Co Dublin. "This is a magnificent honour which fills me with great pride," said O'Connor yesterday.

According to secretary/manager Noel McComish, the club already has 26 members. Appropriately, O'Connor himself will be the first president and an honorary life member while his good friend, Bobby Burke, is the inaugural captain. The women's section will have Geraldine Lynch as its captain and Christy's wife, Mary, as its first president.

It represents an extremely attractive proposition, particularly for those not already members of a club. For an entry fee of £40 and an annual subscription of £150, the new member will be eligible not only for an official GUI handicap but also for involvement in interclub competitions. Comparable status will also be available for women, pending affiliation to the ILGU.