Nostalgia alone would have you believe that professional golf tournaments have always been held in Ireland. But the reality is different, and, some 24 years ago, there wasn't even a single European Tour event held in the country.

But yesterday's announcement that the inaugural West of Ireland Senior Classic will be staged at the East Clare GC, in Bodyke, on August 14th-16th brings about a quite remarkable transformation.

Indeed, the addition of the "West" to the European Senior Tour calendar brings to five the number of fully fledged tournaments to be held on this island in 1998: the two regular PGA European Tour events, the Irish Open and the European Open; and three European Senior Tour events, the Irish Seniors, the British Seniors (at Royal Portrush) and now the West of Ireland.

Quite incredibly, Ireland will play host to three tournaments in August alone, with the British Seniors taking place a week before the West of Ireland and the European Open taking place the following week.

Bord Failte have invested heavily in promoting the new seniors tournament which will have £100,000 in prizemoney and be held on a course designed by Dr Arthur Spring. Tommy Horton and Jose Maria Canizares are among those who have confirmed their participation in the championship, as have two of Ireland's top seniors David Jones and Clare-born Joe McDermott, winner of the Irish Seniors Open at Woodbrook in May.