NOT FOR the first time, we must look beyond the players this year to find Irishmen who will be actively involved in the staging of the US Masters. Either way, a return to Augusta will certainly be welcome for Jose Maria Olazabal's caddie, John Mulrooney, while a recent winner of Jimmy Bruen Shield honours, Mark Sheridan, will also be involved.
As it happens, Mulrooney from Bray and Sheridan from Carrickmines, hail from areas only about five miles apart. They will have sharply different tasks to perform, however, during Masters week.
When the Bulmers All Ireland Cups and Shields were staged at Woodbrook in September 1993, it became a red letter occasion for the Old Conna club. Only 16 years in existence at that stage, they set their sights on the Bruen Shield, largely through the enthusiasm of their manager, Tom Sheridan.
In the event, Tom and his son Mark were in separate pairings down the order. And both contributed handsomely to a memorable triumph for Old Conna, who beat East Cork 4-1 in the final. Soon afterwards, Mark decided on a career in greenkeeping.
So it was that he embarked on a four year degree course in England. He then decided to take a year's sabbatical and having spent the first six months at Pine Valley, is now midway through a similar stint on the greens staff of Augusta National. And he's looking forward to being reunited with his father during Masters week - when Tom will have badges, naturally.
"It's an amazing place: perfection is the by word in everything we do," he said. And did he enjoy the opportunity of playing regularly on such a great course? "I'm afraid not," he replied. "We're not allowed play it. In fact the official practice ground is also out of bounds for us."
But young Sheridan is clearly enjoying the experience of working with true masters of their craft. These are the experts who ran exhaustive trials with Penncross Bent grass for three years on their famous par three course, before using it to replace the Bermuda on the main greens in 1980. Their target was speed.
"It was probably the most revolutionary and dangerous decision I ever made," the erstwhile chairman, Hord Hardin, would later recall. Skilled engineers took meticulous measurements to preserve the original contours and undulations. The cost was enormous but the objective was achieved.
"Only three people (the course superintendent, the club chairman and a USPGA official) are told the speed of the greens for the Masters," said Sheridan. Then he added with a grin: "And I'm not one of them."
"Nuthin' on the planet's as smart as a woman. But my wife doesn't care what I do when I'm away - as long as I don't have a good time." Lee Trevino.
During some recent browsing my attention was drawn to a reflective piece by a predecessor of mine as golf correspondent of this newspaper. And since it concerned a sparkling performance by John Burke in the West of Ireland Championship, I thought it might be interesting to share it at this time.
Written by J P Rooney for the issue of April 22nd, 1936, it read: "John Burke is not a golfer who takes a fiendish delight in emphasising his superiority in a match of any sort. As a rule, he is content to win, if able. But we noticed at Rosses Point that from the word Go he went for his opponents.
"He did not seem to be minding or worrying about what the other fellow was doing; he played for his figures in the way the Americans do - and got them." Indeed he did particularly in the final where he thrashed the hapless Jack McLoughlin by 11 and 10.
Rooney went on: "The news has leaked out on the other side (of the Irish Sea) that he will likely be asked to play for Britain in the Walker Cup match in America - if indeed he has not already been invited to hold himself in readiness." Of this weekend's challengers at Enniscrone, one hopes the same will apply to Jody Fanagan, Peter Lawrie and Noel Fox.
Meanwhile, the man from The Irish Times made the confident prediction: "There certainly will be no one at Castlerock (in June) to prevent him from regaining the Irish Close title." Burke duly delivered with a 7 and 6 win over Rob McConnell. Ah, if only forecasting were as easy these days.
Hands up - how many of you were aware that Johnny Miller played competitive golf in this country? Yes, the man who won the US Open and British Open and has become, in my view, the best of the American television pundits. And no, it wasn't in the Irish Open nor indexed any professional tournament.
It happened when he was but a slip of a lad, in 1965 at Portmarnock. As a 18 year old, Miller played there for Brigham Young University in a match against the Irish Universities.
The item came into my head this week because of some rather interesting remarks from the bould Johnny, who believes that viewers of golf on television, are hooked on something akin to a bloodsport. He was referring specifically to the US Masters on which he can take a dispassionate view, given that the television contract is not with his employers NBC, but with the rival CBS network.
Miller likened Greg Norman's so called Masters meltdown last year, to watching a motor racing pile up. And he claimed: "Greg's been treated really, really specially by CBS, whereas I believe I have said what is accurate and historical about him.
"I've been fair. I've built him up; said he's the best player in the world; said he's got the best game and that he's had tough things happen to him. But there have also been a lot of miscues down the stretch in majors.
He concluded: "Greg is a very interesting guy to watch. It's like a car race. You want to see the best drivers win, but a lot of people in the stands want to see a car wreck. They don't want to see anybody die or hurt, but they love to see wrecks. And Norman gives us lots of wrecks."
"IF it's legal and not unkind, we can do it." That was how the laptop woman set out the broad paramers of golfs latest innovation. Introduced at the Los Angeles Open, GolfWatch is to continue at three further US events this season, the next being the Buick Classic at Westchester on June 19th to 22nd.
It is the brainchild of Jack Vickers, owner of Castle Pines GC in Colorado and for these details, I'm indebted to former Irish amateur international, John Carr. For $1,500 apiece, 1,000 GolfWatchers gain access to special "Expresslanes" inside the fairway ropes, along with other luxury amenities.
One US golfwriter is less than enamoured of the operation. Brian Hewitt observed in Golfweek: "Fat cats with Cheshire grins belly up to the concierge desk where a smiling woman offers to make dinner reservations via her laptop ... They are overheard to say of a leading professional, He golfs'.
"This is what I mean about golfing pagans. People who know the game never use golf as a verb, only as a noun. People who know the game `play golf.' People who don't, `go golfing'." He concluded: "GolfWatch, at its worst, is a playpen for a monied potpourri of mopery. At its best, it's an honest attempt to cater for the needs of corporate power brokers."
Though it's suspected that he sold only half his designated 1,000 memberships for Riviera, Vickers, he won't hear of failure. And the USPGA Tour are not about to complain, given that they're collecting a reported licencing fee of $500,000 per year.
IN BRIEF: Jimmy McClean informs me that Clontarf GC have had a splendid entry for their inaugural Seniors Open tournament, sponsored by Litho Supplies Ltd on April 8th ... Padraig Harrington has enlisted the help of the Boyne Links Alliance, of which he happens to be honorary life president, for a charity golf day at Luttrellstown GC on April 11th. Further details from (01) 490 7990 ... Statoil Ireland will embark on sponsorship of the Hermitage Women's Scratch Cup on May 4th ... Eighteen Dublin clubs will compete in the 23rd staging of the Anglo Irish Bankcorp sponsored Webb Cup at Dun Laoghaire GC on April 28th and May 6th. Further details from Pat Campbell (01)2808553.
TEASER: A player, to prevent falling, used a cane or club to enter a hazard to play his ball which lies in the hazard. Is the player in breach of Rule 13-4b which prohibits touching the ground in the hazard?
Answer: No, provided nothing is done which constitutes testing the condition of the hazard or improves the lie of the ball (exception to Rule 13-4).
