ILGU wins levy battle

An attempt by the Ladies Golf Union (LGU), the governing body for women's golf in these islands, to increase the annual financial contribution it receives from the Irish Ladies Golf Union (ILGU) by over £100,000 has been rejected.

Adopting a strong stance similar to that taken by both the English and Scottish unions, the ILGU rejected an LGU resolution seeking to increase the contribution per affiliated member from Stg£1.75 to Stg£4. If the resolution had been accepted by delegates to the ILGU annual general meeting in Kildare last week, it would have more than doubled the Irish union's levy from an estimated £90,000 to £200,000. Teddy Mayne, from the Kirkistown Castle in Co Down, was elected president of the ILGU for a two-year stint. Sybal Meharg, from Castlerock, who was president of the union in 1979, when Ireland won the European team championship at Hermitage, and in 1980, when Ireland won the Home Internationals, has been honoured as a life vice-president.

There are two changes in the selection committee: Bandon's Rhona Brennan (nee Hegarty), who played for Ireland between 1974 and 1981, and Mary MacGuigan of Roscommon replace Brenda Gearty and Oonagh Fitzpatrick. Jane Allen remains as non-playing captain of the senior team, while Ada O'Sullivan will again captain the girls team.

Meanwhile, as anticipated, the Royal and Ancient have appointed Peter McEvoy as captain of the British and Irish team for the Walker Cup match with the United States at Nairn in Scotland on September 11th and 12th. McEvoy, who made five appearances in the Walker Cup and captured the British Amateur Championship in 1977 and 1978, also captained the British and Irish team that won the Eisenhower Trophy world amateur team championship in Chile last November, when Paddy Gribben was the sole Irishman in the four-man team.

Gribben (Warrenpoint) is one of five Irish players included in the 22-man training squad for the match in Nairn. The others are Garth McGimpsey (Bangor), Eamonn Brady (Royal Dublin), Noel Fox (Portmarnock) and Michael Hoey (Shandon Park).