A round-up of today's other Golf stories in brief...
European Club recognise value clubs
AT this moment of economic doom and gloom it is important to seek the bright spots in Irish golf.
For example, you can still enjoy a game of golf at 327 of our 427 golf clubs at a peak season weekend green fee of € 60 or less!
Now golfers from all those "good value clubs" can enjoy playing on one of the worlds top-100 golf courses in December as the European Club extends a welcome to players from clubs whose top green fee is listed at €60 or less in the GUI/ILGU Yearbooks.
On production of a GUI or ILGU card from any of these clubs a fourball may play at the European Club between December 8th and December 19th at €60 per person.
"Recognising that 327 Irish clubs charge green fees of € 60 or less, we decided to invite players from those clubs to come play with us at a very traditional Irish rate," said Pat Ruddy.
Pre-booking is necessary at 0404-47415.
Mernagh finishes on a high
THE golfing season may well be winding down to a close, but that hasn't stopped Rosslare's Val Mernagh ending the 2008 campaign in style with a couple of wins on successive days last week.
Last Tuesday she fired 34 points to win the 16-hole turkey competition at the Co Wexford club, winning by a single point from Geraldine Colley (20), with Emily Power (17) edging out Eleanor O'Connor (20) on the back eight after both shot 32 points.
Then the very next day Mernagh, who plays off a handicap of 27, made it back-to-back wins, when shooting 37 points to claim victory in the Open singles event, three better than Sheila Crosbie (15), with Vonnie O'Connor (18) third also with 34 points.
GUI National Academy offer
THE GUI National Academy is offering new members 15 months membership for the price of 12 at its facility in Maynooth.
Membership costs € 150 for 12 months but if you join before December 31st, 2008, you get an extra three months membership free.
Benefits of membership include 50 per cent reduction on the price of range balls, free use of the putting green - floodlit at night, 50 per cent discount on chipping green charges, 50 per cent discount on bunker complex charges and 50 per cent discount on explanar swing system.
For more information, contact the Academy at 01 5054040 or e-mail academy@gui.ie
McGrane shoots Laytown record
THE BOYNE Links Alliance opened its winter series with a course record at Laytown and Bettystown last week when Damien McGrane, the tour professional at Knightsbrook GC in Co Meath, shot a seven-under-par 63 to comfortably win the day.
McGrane, who is ranked 25th in the Race to Dubai, had eight shots to spare over Scott Kirkpatrick from Ardee with Gerry Burke from the Curragh taking third place.
Local scratch player John McGinn won the nett award with a three-under-par 39 points, winning on the back nine from James Heffernan from Co Meath on a countback.
The next outing is at Castlekncok GC on December 12th.
Freeman in form for final Leinster Alliance outing
THE Leinster Alliance held their last outing of 2008 at Knightsbrook on Sunday and the excellent layout provided a good test for those members who were prepared to brave the inclement weather.
Yet despite the testing conditions, scoring was still to a high quality with Tom Freeman, a three handicapper from The K Club, coming out tops with 38 points, just edging Bray's Paddy OSullivan (4). Des Roche continued his recent good form to bring in 37 points and claim third spot ahead of Hermitage's Peter Grey (7) who had the best of a host of 36s.
The gross prize went to Peter Kirby (scr) of Bray with a highly-impressive 36 points, one better than Kingsley Lewis (1) from Skerries.
• BALLYLIFFIN member Thomas Kearney scorched Cedar Creek municipal golf course with a 10-under-par 62, to claim his first professional victory at the San Antonio Open.
With a 13-under-par 131 total Kearney beat Bryan Novoa by 10 strokes and captured the $3,300 (€2,351) championship. John Elizondo and KC Lim were third at two-under-par 142.
