Amateur news: Carnalea, Clones and Charlesland are among 10 first-time winners in this year's AIB Golf Club of the Year awards scheme.
In all, 16 clubs will be honoured at the awards ceremony next month at which the All-Ireland category winners and the AIB Golf Club of the Year will be announced.
Six of last year's provincial winners, including Co Sligo, the overall Club of the Year in 2002, are on the honours list for the second year.
The AIB Golf Club of the Year scheme, which was introduced last year, is a joint venture between AIB, the Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) and the Irish Ladies Golf Union (ILGU). The scheme focuses on the many non-playing aspects of club life that are essential to the long-term success of the club.
The awards scheme focuses on four areas of increasing importance for the club, namely junior golf, the environment, communications and clubhouse/course presentation.
The awards are presented on a geographical basis, with provincial and All-Ireland awards in all four categories. Finally, there will be one overall award for the club which the judges feel has performed best across all four category areas.
Speaking on behalf of the GUI, president Michael O'Donoghue said: "We were delighted with the response in the inaugural year and again this year. It is a wonderful award scheme and one which has been highly commended upon in the various clubs."
The provincial winners will again each receive AIB/GUI/ ILGU certificates, while the All-Ireland category winners will receive a certificate and development grant for €,500.
The overall Club of the Year winner will receive a special trophy and development grant of €6,000.
Meanwhile, Ann Heskin has been nominated president-elect of the ILGU. She will take over from Ita Butler in 2005. Heskin will, however, serve for just one year after a decision by delegates at last year's a.g.m. to shorten the term of office because of the hectic schedule demanded by today's game.
Heskin is steeped in the game of golf. She has served in every capacity, both as a player and administrator, and assumes the highest office at a time of change and progress in the ILGU.
Born in Cork, where she still lives, she played for Munster in the inaugural Interprovincial Championship in 1964 and continued through to 1984. That term included Munster's first win in the championship in 1980.
She followed her sister, Oonagh (Fitzpatrick), onto the Irish International team in 1969, although they never played on the same team together. Her final match for Ireland was in 1977.
Although she is a member of Douglas, Cork, Lahinch and Killarney golf clubs, her home club is Douglas where she won eight All-Ireland Senior Cup medals. She is also a five-time winner of the Munster Ladies' Championship.
In 1983, during her second term as Irish non-playing captain, Ireland won the European Team Championship at Royal Waterloo Golf Club in Belgium. On the same afternoon the Irish men's team won the European Championship at Chantilly in France to complete a unique double.
As vice-captain to Elaine Bradshaw in 1980, Ireland also won the Home International Championship. She was an Irish selector between 1987 and 1996.
Heskin is a current council member of the Ladies' Golf Union (LGU) at St Andrews, from which she retires at the end of this term. She also served as an LGU selector from 1991 to 1994 and was a member of the training committee from 1995 to 1998.
In 2002 and 2003 she was chair of the LGU selection committee. Having served on the Southern District Council from 1991 to 1993 (chair), she was elected to the ILGU council in 1994.
"Obviously I'm delighted to be honoured as president elect. The progress we are making will continue for everyone from the top players all the way down the line," said Heskin.
Meanwhile, Portmarnock GC have pledged their facilities to future stagings of the Darren Clarke Foundation, which had its second annual gathering last weekend.
The 17 participants, who were all winners of GUI or ILGU championships this season, represented an increase of three on last year.
In a 36-hole competition in testing, windy conditions at Portmarnock Links on Saturday and Portmarnock GC on Sunday, the leading aggregate was returned by Karl Gilbert of Malone. Clarke, who was in attendance over the two days, gave each competitor individual tuition.
"I'm delighted with the response," said Clarke. "Now that we have arranged proper funding for the foundation, our plan is to expand next year's activities to the provinces, but we will still have our national get-together."
Six competitors from last year took part, including Royal Dublin two-handicapper Niall Kearney, who was the leading under-15 with an aggregate of 152 over the two courses. But there was special interest in another Northerner, Rory McIlroy from Holywood. Playing off plus-one since winning his club's President's Prize with a six-under-par 63 last July, McIlroy displayed stunning potential for a 14-year-old.
Carlow's Tara Delaney, who was a member of the victorious Irish ladies' team at Cruden Bay recently, was the leading girl.
AIB CLUB OF THE YEAR PROVINCIAL WINNERS:
CONNACHT: Junior Golf: Claremorris; Environment: County Sligo; Clubhouse/Course Presentation: Portumna; Communications: Galway.
LEINSTER: Junior Golf: Tullamore; Environment: Charlesland; Clubhouse/Course Presentation: Elm Park; Communications: Carlow.
MUNSTER: Junior Golf: Mallow; Environment: East Clare; Clubhouse/Course Presentation: Tralee; Communications: Bantry.
ULSTER: Junior Golf: Dunmurry; Environment: Ballyliffin; Clubhouse/Course Presentation: Carnalea; Communications: Clones.
