New challenges at Lahinch

Times move on, and things change. So it is that the goats which were used as an informal weather barometer on the Lahinch links for many decades are no more - victims of the foot-and-mouth prevention cull earlier this year - while the course itself, which plays host to the 100th Shell South of Ireland amateur championship starting today, will be quite a different test to that faced by competitors 12 months ago, when Graeme McDowell won the title.

As part of the continuing upgrading of the links, under the supervision of British architect Martin Hawtree, what is effectively a new 10th hole will be in play, while the 14th hole, previously considered a shortish par five, now plays as a long, testing par four. The result is that the par of the course has been reduced to 71.

Additionally, mounds have been developed to separate the 14th and 15th fairways - previously this was a shared fairway - which has put a greater onus on accurate driving, but which has also made it a safer stretch.

Yesterday, as part of the centenary celebrations of Ireland's oldest provincial championship, many past winners took part in a special champions' outing. Among those who played were Michael Guerin, from Killarney, who won the first of his three-in-a-row South titles in 1961, and Noel Fogarty, at 76, the oldest winner to take part.

The more serious business, however, starts with today's first round of the matchplay qualifying. Three former champions - Padraic O'Rourke, Mick Morris and Patrick Collier - are among those who must compete in the opening round, with the lower handicapped players entering the fray tomorrow.

Among that elite group are five members of the Irish team who reached the semi-finals of the European Championship in Sweden earlier this month: McDowell, Tim Rice, Noel Fox, Michael McDermott and Stephen Browne.