SHORT GAME: THE SECOND annual Faldo Series Ireland Championship will return to Ballyliffin Golf Club on May 22nd-24th, where young golfers from across the country will have the opportunity to qualify for this year's Faldo Series Grand Final.
The Faldo Series Ireland championship will be one of a number of tournaments to be staged throughout Europe in 2008 and will give young Irish golfers, male and female aged 11 to 21, a chance to benefit from the initiative's unique combination of competition and education.
Winners across each of the six categories (under-21, boys under-15 and under-18 and girls under-18) will be invited to join Nick Faldo for the Grand Final later this year.
Faldo said: "I am delighted that the Faldo Series will be returning to Ireland this year and thank Ballyliffin, a club with which I have had a long association. It is my hope that all of the Faldo Series players can build upon the experiences that we have to offer and perhaps even go on to emulate such as the likes of Rory McIlroy, a former winner of the tournament, who has already shown his impressive potential as a professional."
Application forms are available at www.ballyliffingolfclub.com.
Loreto past pupils' outing
THE LORETO Past Pupils Union was formed in 1932, membership being open to past pupils of all Loreto schools in Ireland. The first golf society outing took place in 1942 with 25 women playing at the Hermitage GC.
This year the society is holding its 65th annual outing, in the Hermitage GC on Friday, April 18th.
Times are available from 9.30am to 3.30pm, and the outing is open to all Loreto past pupils.
The timesheet is run by Judy Murray, who can be contacted on 01-4909113 or 086 3611788.
Masters consolation for Weaver
THE 2007 British Amateur champion Drew Weaver lost 2 and 1 to the reigning US Amateur champion Colt Knost in the Georgia Cup match that is held annually at The Golf Club of Georgia in Alpharetta, pitting the winners of the world's two premier amateur championships against each other over 18 holes.
Virginia Tech student Weaver followed up his British Amateur Championship win at Royal Lytham & St Anne's with an impressive display in the British Open at Carnoustie, where he narrowly missed the cut. Knost turned professional last autumn after a season in which he won the US Amateur, the US Amateur Public Links, all four of his Walker Cup matches, and the Mark H McCormack medal awarded to the world's top-ranked amateur player at the end of each season.
Weaver could console himself with the thought he will be teeing up alongside the best golfers in the world when he takes part in the Masters on Thursday at Augusta, for which he earned an invitation with his victory in the Amateur last year.
Ryan claims Alliance captain's prize
THE CONNACHT West Senior Alliance wrapped up another successful season with Claremorris man John Killeen's captain's prize at Galway GC last week. Top honours went to Tuam's Peter Ryan (3), his flawless 67 pipping no less than captain Killeen on the breakdown. Best gross went to Mark Staunton from Ballinasloe with a one-under 69. Roscommon's Ken Kearney made a nostalgic trip to the club with whom he added a Barton Shield medal to his array of titles to record a level-par card that won the visitors' section.
Golfer of the year honours for the Hartmann medals went to the 2007 West of Ireland champion and Irish international Joe Lyons (gross) and local veteran and evergreen Denis Melia (nett).
Enniscrone wins top course award
ENNISCRONE GOLF Club was an extremely popular winner of the Golf Course of the Year at the Ireland Golf Tour Operators Association Awards at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Powerscourt, recently in recognition of the work that has been put into developing the course in recent years.
James Laidler received the Secretary/Manager of the Year award, a fitting honour for his sustained work in keeping Royal County Down in the top echelons of Irish Golf.
The Jerry Donworth award for outstanding contribution to Irish golf was awarded posthumously to Joe Carr, an accolade that once again recognised the profound influence JB had on Irish golf in his illustrious life.
A new award for Resort of the Year was introduced, The Lodge at Doonbeg Golf Club beating off some strong competition to become the inaugural winner.
• JOHN CROWErecorded his first hole-in-one at the ripe young age of 52, when he holed out at the 14th at Killeen Golf Club recently during an outing with the KCR Golf Society.
Crowe, playing off 10, is also the owner of the popular KCR House, where he treated fellow members to a celebratory drink to mark the special occasion.
Trainor triumphs
SOUTH COUNTY'S Barrie Trainor, a winner in New Forest, won his second event on the Emerald Pro Tour when he shot 69 to edge out Black Bush's Mark Staunton by two shots on Friday at Knightsbrook, with John Kelly (St Margaret's) a further shot back in third, while last week's winner Darren McWilliams (Royal Portrush) also shot 72.
In the amateur section Phil Hanlon (13, Galgorm Castle) pipped Belturbet's Gary Morrow (10) after both fired 42 points.
Meanwhile, Pat Murray (+3) won the Munster Senior Alliance event at Adare on Sunday. The Limerick golfer fired a 73 to win by two from Tramore's Clancy Bowe (+2) and Cork's Peter Cowley (1). THE HILARY Golf Society season closed at Sutton GC on Friday last when local Mark Coates produced a six-under-par nett 64 off a three handicap to takes the day's top prize from clubmate Derek Downie.
Coates's score was not, however, enough to overtake Laytown and Bettystown's Paul Browne for the gold medal. Browne, at five-under, took that honour from Martin Kelly of Forrest Little. Alan Dowling (Hermitage) at one over won the Niall O'Brien medal for the best gross while Portmarmock's Jim Harnett won the seniors section.
Mulready wins Castle St Patrick's Cup
THE NUMBER of low handicappers at Castle has increased significantly in recent years and the south Dublin club had four men in the field for last month's West of Ireland at Rosses Point. One of that quartet, Jim Mulready, was in great form last Saturday as he returned 39 points off scratch to win the club's St Patrick's Cup by one point from one-handicapper Maurice Wallace.
RTÉ Sport's Gary Moran, whose weekly Irish Times column on golf collectibles and memorabilia starts today, aced the 149-yard third with a seven iron.
skeenan@irish-times.ie
