It seems decidedly odd to be heading down to the West of Ireland Amateur Championship at Enniscrone this weekend, with the sun shining and Easter long gone. And by way of adjusting to things, Noel Fox is already there since yesterday, preparing for the defence of the title.

This is a highly significant time in the history of the host club. While staging the West for a third successive year, they will have the official opening on Sunday of their restructured clubhouse, at a cost of £150,000. Then, when the country's leading category-one players have departed the scene after the final of the championship next Wednesday afternoon, work will begin on construction of an additional nine holes, to a design by Donald Steel. This is a measure of the progressive nature of the club.

"I really enjoy the challenge of Enniscrone, for the demands it places on the longer clubs, especially if the wind blows," said Fox. "In fact the layout tests every aspect of your game."

Prior to Fox's success there, it was a most rewarding venue for the Fanagan family. Jody captured an Easter West at Enniscrone two years ago and less than two months later his sister Suzanne won the Irish Close there.

Jody Fanagan, who was beaten on the 19th by Fox in last year's semi-finals, is in a strong field which faces the first round of strokeplay qualifying tomorrow. "My experience in the West over the last two years provided a great insight into the Enniscrone club," he said.

The Milltown player explained: "It was obvious that major sacrifices had been made so as to get the course in the sort of condition you would only expect on a links in midsummer. For instance, the members spent lengthy periods lifting balls into the semi-rough so as to save the fairways. The result is a credit to all concerned."

Fanagan had gained Walker Cup status prior to his Enniscrone triumph and Fox now has his sights set on emulating that achievement. The Portmarnock member was fourth in the Duncan Putter recently but has decided to opt out of another qualifying event, the Lytham Trophy, this weekend, so as to go west.

"I was always going to defend my title," he said. "But that doesn't make me any less determined to make the Walker Cup team. I believe there are sufficient opportunities available next month in the Irish Amateur Open, the St Andrews Links Trophy and the British Amateur."

By way of emphasising his determination to perform well in the Amateur, he is travelling next weekend to Royal Co Down to see the changes to the 17th and 18th, while familiarising himself once more with the subtleties of a truly great links.

Paddy Gribben, the European Strokeplay champion, is playing at Lytham, as are members of the Irish Youths' team prior to next week's international against Wales at Harlech. But the field for the West is well up to the usual standard, with the interesting addition of nine members of the Finnish and Norwegian national squads.

Arguably the top three-ball of the qualifying rounds, goes out tomorrow at 9.06 a.m. and on Sunday at 12.51 p.m., when Fox, fellow international Andrew McCormick and Arthur Pierse, the champion of 1980 and 1982, are in action. Three three-balls later, there is Garth McGimpsey, whose three victories were at Rosses Point, Adrian Morrow and Eddie Power, who won the Irish Close at Enniscrone in 1993.

Good venues tend to produce good champions. On that basis, a fine tradition seems certain to be upheld over the next five days.