As an addition to any player's curriculum vitae, the Irish Amateur Open Championship - which has witnessed Padraig Harrington and Keith Nolan (twice) emerge as champions since its revival three years ago - is one that would occupy a special place of honour.
Indeed, given the two most recent winners, it also provides a good guide to the chances of surviving on the professional circuit, should that route be pursued. With most of Ireland's top amateurs in the field, as well as an extremely strong invading force from no less than nine countries, the suspicion is that the eventual winner from next weekend's contest at Royal Dublin (there will be two rounds on Saturday with the top 36 players and ties from the original field of 70 progressing to another two rounds on Sunday) is likely to be a name for the future.
The home challenge is immensely strong: Walker Cup panelists Jody Fanagan, Noel Fox, Bryan Omelia, Ken Kearney and David Dunne are joined by current fellow-internationals Garth McGimpsey, Adrian Morrow, Paddy Gribben, Andrew McCormick and Michael McGinley, along with a number of youths' internationals. The handicap cutoff of 0.6 provides an indication of the sheer quality of the entry.
Apart from the large American presence (created by members of the MGA of New York, who face an Irish selection at Portmarnock Links today and tomorrow for the Governor Carey Cup, staying on for the championship a few miles down the Dublin coast), there is a strong continental presence.
One of the more interesting entrants is Spain's Gerard Pera, who won a bronze medal in the Mediterranean Games last year and is a member of his country's national team, while Italian Carlo Zaretti was runner-up in his national championship last season and also finished second in the European Young Masters competition.
Incidentally, the lowest handicapper in the field is Belgium's Didier de Vooght, who played in the European Championships in Portmarnock last year. He is a plus four handicapper.
Against the background of a £10,000 entrance fee at Greystones, it is interesting to note that Portmarnock are about to take in 25 new members at less than half that figure. But many of the members take the view that the relatively modest fee of £4,500 is still too high.
"A number of our members expressed the opinion that the entrance fee should not have been raised from the figure of £1,500, which applied up to the start of this year," said honorary secretary Moss Buckley yesterday. "Indeed the feeling was very strong that we shouldn't make admission prohibitive: that money should not be a factor in deciding who is accepted as a member of our club."
Portmarnock have had 90 applicants for the vacancies, some of which may be filled by five-day members. Newcomers would have to face a screening process involving a panel of 36. These include all surviving past captains and the current club committee.
There has been a dramatic jump in the number of Irish players competing in the AIB Irish Seniors Open which will take place at Woodbrook next week.
When the inaugural tournament was staged at St Margaret's last year, just four Irish players were included in the field - but there will be 22 of them attempting to repel the foreign invaders for the title this time.
The Irish players participating are: David Jones, Paul Leonard, Eddie Polland, Liam Higgins, Hugh Boyle, Joe McDermott, Michael Murphy, Gordon Parkhill, Hugh Jackson, Tommy Halpin, Denis O'Sullivan, Arthur Spring, Christy O'Connor Snr, Arnold O'Connor, Norman Drew, Kenny Stevenson, Adam Whiston, Tony Coveney, Bobby Browne, Gerry Egan, Billy Kinsella and Ernie Jones.
