By SHAY KEENAN
Co Clare greats link up for a three-day challenge
BALLYBUNION, Doonbeg and Lahinch have joined forces to offer golfers the opportunity to play three of the world’s top-100 courses over three days. The event, the Great Irish Links Challenge, will take place from Sunday, May 22nd, to Wednesday, May 25th, with play alternating between the courses on the Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
The event opens on Sunday at The Lodge at Doonbeg with a reception and closes at the same venue with an awards dinner on the Wednesday evening.
The intention is there will be one overall winner, although there will also be daily prizes at each of the three courses.
In all it is hoped to attract 600 golfers for the competition.
Entry for the Great Irish Links Challenge is €545. The fee includes the reception, golf, daily transport to the courses, prizes and the final dinner.
It does not include flights or accommodation.
Paul McGinley, a great advocate of links golf, believes the challenge is a wonderful idea that should attract many entries from overseas.
“Ireland is lucky to have so many great links courses,” the former Ryder Cup star said. “To have the opportunity to play three of the best in three days is fantastic. I believe it will be a wonderful event.”
Full details on the website greatirishlinkschallenge.com or phone +353 65 905 5602.
Dowling caps stunning year
IT’S never easy for a low handicapper to end up winning the Golfer of the Year crown. However, in Hermitage, Alan Dowling, playing off plus one and the lowest handicap player competing, did manage to win the coveted GOY title.
Among his successes were a win in the September medal with a score of 70, playing off scratch, while he also took the Class 1 prize in the July medal with a 68 off plus one and was also the gross winner in the October medal.
Several times a winner of the Club Championship, Dowling has also been a Senior Cup regular for many years and has won the Carlow Scratch Cup.
Turner wins Asian Tour card
NIALL Turner, the former Muskerry amateur and now Team Ireland professional, gained his tour card for the Asian PGA Tour in Thailand in fine style last week.
Turner finished on seven-under-par 281 after rounds of 73, 70, 69 and 69 to finish in 33rd position with 40 cards available.
Turner was in 44th position entering the final round, but he produced a great three-under-par 69 to move up 11 places.
The card enables him to play the Asian Tour for the 2011 season, with the possibility of playing in some European Tour co-sanctioned events.
The event was won by Lucas Lee from Brazil, who overcame a nervy closing five holes to win.
Lee, who held a five-shot lead going into the final round, bogeyed three of the last five holes for a 74 and a total of 17-under-par 271 to defeat Australia’s Tim Stewart (68) and Scotland’s Ross Bain (70) by one shot at the Springfield Royal CC.
Study the rules at The Belfry
HAVE you ever thought of brushing up on your Rules of Golf and being taught by the best referees in the business? Well if so, this could be your chance.
Golfers of all standards and abilities are being given the opportunity to learn from some of the game’s top officials.
PGA tournament staff, who have officiated at all four Major championships, the Ryder Cup and European Tour events, are set to pass on their expertise at two Rules of Golf courses at The Belfry.
The courses will include in-depth analysis of the basic rules as well as televised rules incidents and practical demonstrations.
In order to cater for all levels there will be an Introduction to the Rules of Golf and an Advanced Rules of Golf and Refereeing course, which will include an optional examination for those delegates interested in taking their refereeing education even further.
The courses will take place at the PGA Headquarters at The Belfry.
The Introduction to the Rules of Golf is on Friday, March 11th, and costs around €145, while the Advanced Rules of Golf and Refereeing is on Friday, March 25th, for the same fee. To do both courses will cost €265.
Details and bookings can be made by making contact by email at amanda.cox@pga.org.uk or by calling 0044 1675 470333.
Ward in form in Portmarnock
SIMON Ward from Co Louth shot an excellent seven-under-par 65 from the challenging blue tees to win last week’s Titleist Winter Series at Portmarnock Links. Ward finished three clear of Gavin Lunny from Naas (68), with Dara Lernihan from the Castle taking the gross prize, also with a 68, from David Rawluk from The Island on 72. Ward’s round included eight birdies and just two dropped shots, at the third and 12th, in halves of 33 and 32.
AFTER over 35 years as head greenkeeper at Westport, John Garavan retires this week and can look back on a job well done. He leaves his position secure in the knowledge he has played a major role in securing the reputation of the championship course in Carrowholly as one of the premier parkland golf destinations west of the Shannon.
One can only imagine how his job changed over the years. Back in 1974, when John took the reins from Charles Cannon, Gary Player won the Masters and the British Open, Lee Trevino took the PGA Championship and Hale Irwin collected the first of his three US Open titles in the “Massacre at Winged Foot”, where he emerged as the battered victor with a seven-over-par total of 287.
JLS getting into the swing
BOY-BAND JLS are more accustomed to climbing up the charts, but recently they climbed on board Derek Murray’s ForeGolf truck in Naas for a custom-fitting session and general all-round introduction to the game of golf.
While in Ireland last week the chart-toppers booked time with Murray, who said “the guys are only starting out but needed to get the right gear ahead of playing on their time off while they record their next album”.
The self-confessed golf novices, better known for pulling dance shapes and holding a note with the younger generation, have seemingly caught the golfing bug and want to give it a serious go.
Several hours were spent with the 2010 world clubmaker of the year before JLS (Jack the Lad Swing) “got some new clubs custom-built and shipped up to Belfast so they could take them home and start playing some golf,” said Murray.
