The attractive proposition of Rome in November provides another incentive - apart from the actual title at stake - for protagonists in the Irish Senior Cup at the All-Ireland Cups and Shields Finals, sponsored by Bulmers, at Dundalk GC later this week.
The winners of this particular title will be chosen to represent Ireland in the European Club Championship in Rome on November 19th-22nd. Connacht and reigning national champions Co Sligo, Leinster king-pins Portmarnock, Ulster champions Royal Portrush and Munster number ones Limerick are the quartet who will go into battle in Friday's semi-finals for the Senior Cup.
Indeed, two clubs have an opportunity to claim the double of Barton Shield, which takes place on Thursday, and Senior Cup: Co Sligo (who achieved the feat at Tramore last year) and Limerick.
In fact, foreign travel will be very much on the minds of Ireland's top amateurs. Apart from the winners of the Senior Cup competing in the European club championship, the GUI has also agreed to send a two-man team to the Simon Bolivar Cup at the Lagunita Country Club in Caracas, Venezuela. As it happens, the Venezuelan tournament clashes with the European event, so a decision on who actually makes the trip to South America has been deferred until after this week's club showpiece in Dundalk. Co Sligo's quest to repeat their double success of last year is led by internationals Ken Kearney, the Irish Close champion, and David Dunne. Kearney has been undergoing intensive physiotherapy on an ankle injury - sustained after his national title win at Westport last month - and, even during last week's Home Internationals in Somerset, he required daily treatment. However, he will be fit to assist his club in their attempt to retain the two crowns.
Woodlands Golf Club haven't taken long to make their mark on inter-club competition - and they chose one of the most difficult routes of all to claim their first piece of silverware last Saturday.
Formed just five years ago, Woodlands ventured up to Mullingar to beat the home club in the final of the Bloomfield Cup. "A really marvellous achievement," enthused team manager Noel O'Connor.
It's a tough task to beat Mullingar on their own parkland course, but Woodlands - situated eight miles from Naas - rose to the challenge and eventually forged a 3-2 win. Andrew Behan and Tony Quinn won the top match against Gerry Purcell and Pat McCartan on the 19th; then Alan Cronly and Tony O'Reilly were 6 and 5 winners over John Kane and John Kelly. With Mullingar's pairings of Edward Reilly/Des McLoughlin and JJ Garry/Jim McCartan winning their matches, it all rested on the match involving Woodlands' Donagh Kane and Colm Craven and Mullingar's Gary Duffy and Stephen Lyons. And it was the Woodlands men who finally carved out a one-hole win to claim their first ever club prize.
As good value goes, it would be hard to beat the women-only Oyster Pearl Golf Society's programme.
Recently launched by Christy O'Connor Jnr, the society - with a membership cost of £100 which includes prizes and all fees - will have six outings to some of the finest courses in the West of Ireland: Ballinrobe, Castlebar, Connemara, Athenry, Rosses Point and Galway Bay.
Apart from being good value, it's also for a good cause as the Leukaemia Trust benefits. Contact 091-529 609 for information.
