Amateurs cash in Grants totalling €65,000 have been awarded by the Irish Sports Council to leading amateurs. Brian McElhinney (North West) and Rory McIlroy (Holywood) are the main beneficiaries, with €5,000 each.
McElhinney won the British Amateur Championship and was a member of the Britain and Ireland Walker Cup team and the Irish team in the Home Internationals.
McIlroy, who turned 16 in May, became the youngest winner of the Irish Amateur Close Championship, at Westport in June, following his win in the West of Ireland Championship and capped a wonderful season when representing Ireland in the Home Internationals and winning the Willie Gill Award for topping the order of merit.
Darren Crowe (Dunmurry), runner-up in the Irish Amateur Open at Carton House in May, received €3,000. Jim Carvill (Warrenpoint), who won both the East and South of Ireland titles following his reinstatement as an amateur at the beginning of the year, received €2,500.
Gareth Shaw (Lurgan), winner of the North of Ireland Championship, and Connor Doran (Banbridge) also received €2,500. Both played in the Home Internationals.
A total of 46 players from the three national panels - Senior, Youths and Boys - received grants.
Blacklion Classic
Blacklion Golf Club are hosting a charity classic on Wednesday, December 28th, in aid of the Niall Mellon project. The Co Cavan club are running the classic in conjunction with a football derby between Blacklion (Shannon Gaels) and Belcoo, who play for the Joe Maguire Cup on St Stephen's Day. All proceeds will help send tradesmen to South Africa to build a house.
The events are in memory of the Joe Maguire, father of the renowned chef Nevin.
The classic will consist of four-person teams, and the cost is €€200 per team, including a meal. Time sheet available at 071-9853024, 087-2533174.
Go west for value
Details of a new annual event for the West of Ireland were unveiled in Knockranny House Hotel in Westport last week. The three-day event is organised by the Parklands West Golf group and will run from April 24th to 26th next year.
The competition, a 54-hole single Stableford, open to men and women, will be played on three of the West's leading parkland courses: Westport (24th), Castlebar (25th) and Ballinrobe (26th). There will be daily and overall prizes.
The entry fee, €70 per player, highlights the value of the golf product in the West of Ireland for world-class courses. A recent survey by Ireland West Tourism showed tee-times in the West were 40 per cent cheaper than those on the East Coast.
To register for the Ireland West Golf Classic, contact Paul O'Neill, Parklands West Golf, at Westport Golf Club. Phone 098-28262. Email wpgolf@eircom.net.
Bradshaw in charge
Patrick Bradshaw has been appointed general manager of Blainroe Golf Club, Co Wicklow. Bradshaw has a long pedigree in golf management and is a member of the famous Bradshaw family of Delgany.
Patrick's brother Eamonn still works at Delgany, where the family have served since 1912. His uncle the three-time Ryder Cup player Harry is famous for the "ball in the bottle incident" in the 1949 British Open, while his father, Jimmy, was the long-serving professional at Delgany until 1989. His sister Teresa Thompson is the Leinster GUI executive secretary designate.
Patrick himself has been clubhouse manager at Delgany and tournament director with the PGA Irish Region. He has been general manager in Charlesland Golf Club for the past five years.
History of Skerries
Tomorrow will be a very special day for Skerries GC, who launch their Centenary Book in the Clubhouse at Hacketstown.
The production team of Tom English, Stephen Hope, Paul McCarthy, Michael Branagan and Charlie O'Leary have been busy all year chronicling the history of the north Dublin club from its earliest beginnings. The book features some notable figures from Seán Lemass to Dr Gerry Owens and includes a feature article by the former Irish Times golf correspondent Dermot Gilleece on the club's esteemed professional Jimmy Kinsella.
Photographs play an important role in the book, which has a painting of the 18th green on its dust cover. The book also lists all past members as well as major club victories.
Ennis on a roll
The year 2005 has been good for Ennis Golf Club, who have taken the ILGU Strategic Plan on board and have seen some great returns during the past 12 months.
There are more than 50 junior girls on the rolls and the increase has come for a number of reasons, including free coaching to children and the generosity of members in giving time - under the guidance of Jean Molony - to help the youngsters.
Among those who have excelled this season, under the coaching of Tricia Mangan, are Sarah Cunningham (15), who reduced her handicap from 12 to 6, reached the semi-final of the Irish Girls Championship, played in the European U-16 Championship in Austria in July and has made the Irish C panel this year.
Diandra O'Connell (16) went from 20 to 12, Rachel Pyne (15) went from 20 to 14; and Ciara Pender (15) - who is also national badminton champion - is down to 15. And all are on the Munster training panel.
Gallagher sparkles
Scoring was hot at Lahinch's Castle Course on Sunday as the Mid West Golf Alliance held their latest outing. Dermot Gallagher of Limerick shot an amazing 63 to spreadeagle the field. His score included a front nine of six-under-par 29 as he went on to win the gross section.
The nett category brought further joy for Limerick GC as one-handicapper Michael Kemmy was victorious with 64.
