Last night's annual delegates meeting of the GUI Ulster Branch at Shandon Park voted in favour of the decision made by Central Council not to apply next year for membership of the WPGA in order to go it alone in the Eisenhower Trophy.

In 1995, the suggestion was made that Ireland should enter a team of its own in the Eisenhower Trophy (World Cup) by 1998, but a year later the Central Council of the GUI suggested that the decision be deferred until a future date. "It was felt three years ago that if Ireland were to go it alone in the Eisenhower Trophy, that the other three unions would follow suit, but that was not the case. In the interests of good relationships, it is better to defer the decision and not to break our connections with the other three home unions. That is not to say, however, that at some future stage this will not come to pass," explained Ulster Branch chairman Billy Black, who was returned unopposed for another term in office.

Another decision taken at the meeting, which was attended by 114 clubs in the northern province, was that in future any club not turning up for a qualifying event in Ulster branch competition would not be allowed entry into that competition the following year.

The branch also refused a suggestion that the qualifying handicaps for the Pierce Purcell Shield, Jimmy Bruen Shield, Irish mixed foursomes and the Irish Junior Cup be the lowest handicap achieved in a calendar year preceding the qualifying date.