Golf: In golf, more than in most sports, timing is everything; and so it was that yesterday's phone call from Kildare County Council to the Golfing Union of Ireland couldn't have been better timed. The news conveyed was that the planning permission has been granted for the GUI's €5.5 million national golf centre - encompassing new headquarters, academy and museum - at Carton House, outside Maynooth, and the expectation is that work will start on the project by May.
"We'll commence work as soon as we can basically," said Gerry O'Brien, the Honorary Secretary of the GUI at the association's annual general meeting in the Portmarnock Links & Hotel yesterday. All in all, the confirmation that planning permission had been obtained generated a real feel-good atmosphere at a meeting where Albert Lee, of Mullingar Golf Club, succeeded Michael O'Donoghue as the union's 56th president.
The ambitious project is being funded by the sale of the GUI's current headquarters, Glencar House in Dublin 4, along with a once-off increase in the annual union subscription from €10 to 25 (effectively a levy of 15) for each member of an affiliated club and, it is anticipated, some grant aid from the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism towards the academy section of the plan.
Ireland's leading professionals, including Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley, have offered advice to the GUI on the requirements for the academy, which will be used to coach players at national and provincial level.
Four new clubs - Doonbeg in Co Clare; Crover House in Co Cavan; Seafield in Co Wexford, and Corballis Links in Co Dublin - were yesterday affiliated to the GUI, bringing the total to a record number of 410.
Meanwhile, a motion to allow full handicaps for all club fourball competitions was defeated by one vote, with Munster and Ulster combining to vote for the status quo, which makes it mandatory for three-quarters of a player's handicap to be used in such competitions. Leinster and Connacht voted in vain for change. However, Lee revealed that the Standard Scratch and Handicapping Committee would evaluate the situation throughout the year.
OFFICERS - President: A Lee (Mullingar); Vice-president: L Shanks (Royal Portrush); Hon secretary: G O'Brien (Clontarf); Hon treasurer: R McClure (Malone); Executive committee: M O'Donoghue (Galway), T Basquille (Strandhill), B Doyle (Carlow), B Hynes (Carrick-on-Suir), PJ Collins (Co Armagh), D Clarke (Athlone), F Buckley (Hermitage), S MacMahon (Adare Manor), E O'Connor (Donegal).
Irish team captain: M Gannon; Youths captain: M Burns; Boys captain: C Burke; Seniors captain: J Lynch.
