Tee to Green - June 2020 - Issue 189 - Digital edition

ISSUE 189 DIGITAL

June 2020

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Did you miss golf?

None of the above is happening this year.

No majors so far, no Captains’ Days so far and the weather has been superb which has kept us both sane and frustrated in equal measures.

May saw the return to golf for all of us.

Different dates across the island but we all got there by the middle of the month. As I write, I have played golf 3 times since we came back. The thing I realise the most is just how much I missed it.

Looking back I thought I missed it a lot but when I came back to golf after a near 10 week gap I immediately realised just how much I missed the sport.The competitive angle, even if that was only playing for a £1 with my golf buddies. I miss friendship

and the craic on the course with my best mates. I also miss golf on TV. Frankly the 2 pre-show events, Rory’s Skin game and the Tiger and Phil fourball with 2 NFL stars did nothing for me other than send me to sleep in front of the TV on Sunday evenings.

I think this crisis has made us all re-evaluate what the game means to us and how important it is. Some may be lost to the sport forever, as they leave their clubs to become nomad casual golfers while others will be empowered to become more involved with their local club and community.

Many clubs had local members working daily on a voluntary basis helping prepare the course for the restart and this has brought a community spirit to many clubs. Long may that continue.

Golf is back both locally and internationally.

We are getting ready for 3 weeks in June of tournaments to watch from The PGA Tour.

Most of the top golfers have entered some if not all of these events and it will be interesting to see how they perform without the usual atmosphere of a big event.

This is now the 3rd month of our magazine produced in digital format only. I hope you have enjoyed the content so far and continue to support us and our partners as much as you can. In this edition you will see a number of covid-19 related articles talking about the state of our game and things we need to think about. We have kept some of our regular features like “Thru the Ages” which has been so popular while having to stop other articles like “Captains Space” until we are fully back to some sort of normal.

We tempt you with some news on resorts in Spain and Portugal reopening and we list the rescheduled GUI events planned for the rest of the season.

As usual it’s all about what you want from us, so let us know. Join us on Facebook and twitter and keep up to date with all the local, national and international golf news as we come through this pandemic and start to find a new normal.

ISSUE 189

June 2020 EDITORIAL TEAM Editorial Directors: Neale Jenkins - njenkins@teetogreen.eu Grahame Jenkins - gjenkins@teetogreen.eu Advertising Manager: Claire Muller - claire.muller@teetogreen.eu

Simple Golf by Simon .....................p4 Major Tours to merge.....................p5 What’s in the Bag.............................p6 Stick to Rules....................................p8 Club Spirit .........................................p9 Golfing Staycation .........................p11 Time for help...................................p12

Hope you are all safe & healthy

A day in the life...............................p13 Through the Ages ..........................p14 Have Your Say! ...............................p19 Revised Championship.................p21

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At this time of the year you could expect the height of the season. At professional level we would be talking about the first 2 major winners and reviewing the 3rd major of the year. We would all be gearing up for Captains’ Day season, which for many clubs comes in June and we are often frustrated that the weather is not as good as we want.

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Resident Tulfarris Pro

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Monthly Lesson With courses open again but most practice grounds limited, we are still reliant on practice at home. The easiest thing to practice at home is putting. If you have a putting mat, then great, but a carpet will do just fine.

To hole a putt of any length there are two things - speed and line. One without the other is no good.

Point 1 - start line and starting the ball online are key. We must consistently get the ball starting on our intended start line.

Point 2 - speed is about the consistency of strike. The impact is key for both direction and speed.

Do not forget putting is very personal and is very player dependent. Impact is key to holing putts but starting in a consistent position is a great help for good repetition.

So, golf is back - but not as we used to know it. With social distancing measures and new guidelines set out by the government and golf’s governing bodies, we have been allowed to restart the game we love. This is such good news for members of golf clubs around the country. The health benefits for golf are plain to see, not only for physical health but from a psychological aspect too.

For me, the big question is, “when will we get to compete again?”.

As a professional golfer playing golf is playing the game to win money not just to have a good day out. Playing golf for fun is a totally different game. I guess that is why I have not been back out on the course yet. Now that I am competing in the Irish region of the PGA, its Pro-Ams and a few local professional events that make up the competitive season. When these will start again will depend on how things progress in the coming days, weeks and months. Fingers crossed we will play again this year.

The recent live match involving Rory and DJ v Fowler and Wolff not only showed us that golf can be done with social distancing and be safe for all but also showed us that the one thing which makes golf tick are the crowds watching. Like all top-level sports, the fans are key. Without fans the game lacks the intensity and the buzz surrounding these guys. The world’s top players will also find it hard to play at the top of their powers without the roars from the crowd.

One thing which stands out in this strange time is that all top-level sports must have the amateurs playing the same game for the continued success of their sport. Without you guys playing golf and becoming members of golf clubs the Rorys and the Dustins of this world simply would not exist in the same context.

Thank you for playing golf.

Tour Stories

I like to see the ball just outside the eyeline to promote a slight arc in the putting stroke

PHOTO 1

I also like to see the hands in a neutral position or very slightly ahead of the ball PHOTO 2

Get in touch on my social media channels for some golfing gossip, fun and information.

Twitter- @sthorntongolf Facebook- @simonthorntonglf Instagram- simonthornton9 This month we focus on Chris O’Connor Junior.

Q1. Who did Christy O’C Junior defeat at the 1989 Ryder Cup singles match?

Answers on page 20

Sometimes drastic changes do not take long to make a difference in your game. For 5 years since 2008 I had used a “2 thumb” grip with my hands next to each other on the grip, a large, heavy grip on a half mallet Scotty Cameron Combi-S Putter.

I had been an improving putter for a number of years but just wasn’t holing enough putts to make my GIR (greens in reg) count.

This could have been technical or psychological, but I had to do something. In June 2013 I decided to change everything regarding my putting, solely to try and get the ball to the hole.

With my coach, Kevan Whitson, we decided to change to a more orthodox style putter, an Odyssey Versa 1w with a standard size grip.

We then decided to hold the club left hand below right and promote a “top spin” stroke - all to get the ball to the hole.

A drastic change and one which felt very strange.

The very next week I won on the European Tour - change certainly did make a huge difference!

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Major Tours to merge??

Tee to Green reported from the PGA Merchandise Show in January, that there were rumours that discussions were taking place between the PGA Tour and the European Tour which could lead to a merger.

It was the worst kept secret during the show where over to finally getting financially involved in the Ryder Cup, 50,000 industry experts gathered to conduct their business. something that is a long sought-after position for the PGA Tour. So, expect to see some sort of partnership in the After some research, I contacted an influential source within months ahead. our industry, to ask him if there was an update now that things have changed due to Covid19. This source was keen Is a merger in the best interest in the European Tour to speak to me “off the record”, so his name is withheld. and in the future of the Ryder Cup? I can assure you that his views are widely respected throughout the golf industry.

I do not think it will not make a huge difference at the top of the game. The top players will continue to be encouraged European Tour will struggle to play in a number of Rolex events in Europe due to the huge prize money but the journeyman pro will struggle to His take on the rumoured negotiations suggested, due to get invites to these events with more Americans and PGA Covid19, it was even more likely that some sort of merger Tour members potentially coming over to play these events. will take place. He believes that the European Tour will struggle to find sponsors who can invest enough money to PGA Tour could own part of the Ryder Cup! attract the top European players and worldwide players to play the minimum number of events to remain members of It is also a worry that the PGA Tour will own a part of the the European Tour.

Ryder Cup and that could lead to a demand to pay the By comparison, the PGA Tour is a giant. They have blue players in future events. The Ryder Cup remains the only chip companies lined up to ensure the prize money is significant sporting event where the best players in their rising every year and while there is likely to be a reset after sport participate with no direct financial reward. Long may covid-19 it is still highly probable that they will still have that continue. $millions available as prize money for every event next year and for years to come.

What interest will The PGA Tour have to grow the European Tour beyond the flagship events? Will American businesses Why would The PGA Tour want to invest in the look beyond their borders to invest in a European 40 week season so that players beyond the Top 100 in the world European Tour? can compete weekly and so that the sport can develop The European Tour own 50% of the European Ryder Cup throughout Europe? while The PGA Tour own nothing of the same in America.

So, investing in the European Tour opens the lucrative door What is clear is that the European Tour is heading into difficult times with many European Tour events struggling to survive. A boost in revenue provided by the PGA Tour may be hard to turn down.

Q2. Christy O’C Junior led The Open by an astonishing 4 shots after his 1st round 64 in Time will tell if these negotiations come to anything 1985. He finished T-3 but who won it?

Answers on page 20

and if they do form a partnership further time will tell if it is in the interest of golf throughout Europe.

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What’s in the bag?

Rory McIlroy FAIRWAY WOODS TaylorMade SIM (15 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 80 TX shaft; SIM (19 degrees), with Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro White 90 TX shaft

THE DRIVER TaylorMade SIM (10.5 degrees), with Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Silver XTS 70X shaft

IRONs TaylorMade P790 UDI (2)*, P760 (3, 4), P730 (5-9), with Project X 7.0 shafts WEDGES TaylorMade P730 (PW), Milled Grind 2 (54, 60 degrees), with Project X 6.5 shafts PUTTER TaylorMade Spider X Copper BALL TaylorMade TP5

McIlroy takes his 5-wood and his 2-iron to each event, and at some events early in 2020 also took a TaylorMade SIM Max Rescue club. He selects one of those clubs at each event based on course conditions.

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Golf is slowly making a return to our lives, and with everything around the house now looking pristine and in top working order, we’re all itching to get back out on the course before a new list of jobs materialises. The jobs list at Srixon Sports Europe is never-ending, but we love that. Since the lock down began, we’ve been working relentlessly to ensure that we’ve been able to offer the best possible service to all of our partners, from green grass pros to the high street and internet retailers.

In a time surrounded by uncertainty, we wanted to inform our customers and the rest of the trade about what we’re up to, and exactly what you can expect from us over the next few weeks and months:

Our Sales Team Our fantastic Sales Team have been working together tirelessly to ensure that our customers are ready and well supported as we begin to emerge from the last 2 months. In fact, we even recruited a new member to the team at the beginning of May, which highlights how dedicated we are to coming out the other side of this running at full pace. If you’re a Srixon/ Cleveland account and have any questions or concerns about anything at all, do not hesitate to get in touch via the contact details below.

Our Demo Days We’re ready to kick these off again, but we’ll only do so once the government has given us the green light. As with all other brands, we’ve unfortunately had to cancel a large proportion of our events this year. The safety of our staff, partners, the customers and the beautiful game itself is of the utmost importance, and we wouldn’t want to do anything that could put any of those in jeopardy. As soon as we’re allowed to, we’ll start re-booking events we’ve had to cancel, and will be booking new events in to see us through to the end of the year.

Our Workshop We’re delighted to announce that the workshop has been

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operational for a number of weeks now, as we strive to ensure that we don’t develop a backlog. As a result, we’ve managed to maintain a strong lead time. We recently invested heavily in our workshop which saw it benefit from brand new, stateof-the-art machinery and double in size. This expansion has meant that our skilled club builders have been able to work in a safe and socially distanced environment.

Our Warehouse/Shipping Our warehouse has remained operational throughout the whole of the lockdown period, and continues to ship products all over Europe.

Our Customer Services Despite working from home, our dedicated customer services team have been able to keep up their usual level of excellent service that our customers have become accustomed to. If you have anything you’d like to talk about, they can be contacted as usual on 01420 541709 or email sales@srixon.co.uk.

Everyone Else Srixon HQ may look like a bit of a ghost town right now, but there is still a hive of activity going on amongst all other departments, as we continue to work from home ready for golf’s full return. Even our Tour Staff Players are getting involved with our #GolfNeedsYou campaign to help encourage consumers to support their local golf stores and pro-shops once safe to do so.

The main message that we want to share from Srixon/ Cleveland/XXIO is that you’re not on your own. We’re here to provide help and assistance in any way that we can, in order to help you bounce back and hit the ground running.

Stay Safe, Stay in touch, and let’s ensure that we all do everything we can to ensure golf’s safe return as soon as possible.

#GolfNeedsYou

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Stick to the rules As golf starts again across the whole of the island, it is incumbent on all club members to adhere to the regulations set out by the governing body and the two governments. Golf is still seen as elite and many non-golfers will be looking for any excuse to have golf shut down again.

If there is a new spike of infections and it can be traced back to members flouting the rules, then golf will close again, and we will be without the sport we love for another prolonged period.

If all golfers stick rigidly to the plans set out in the ‘back to golf’ documents, then we all will be safer and we will see normality in society, and on golf courses, return quicker.

It is worrying that some golf clubs in the Republic of Ireland were full in the first week back. How is this possible with a 5km radius?

Many members in the North of the country are talking about starting their round of golf after the time sheet ends. This should

not be allowed to happen. If there is a new spike each golf club needs to show the governing bodies and the governments how they have controlled their golf courses and how they stuck to all the restrictions.

Hopefully, golf is back to stay. The health benefits of golf include, better mental health and fitness. The mental health aspect is vital for so many vulnerable people and golf can help. It can also help everyone of all ages stay fit.

In these strange times we need golf to be the shining light for all sports. Many non-members may join golf clubs, as they can no longer pay a green fee.

This could be the catalyst for a spike in golfers joining their local clubs, which would be very encouraging for the smaller clubs who have been losing members in the past five years.

At last, some good news amid the doom & gloom Kirkistown Castle Golf Club, like all golf clubs in Northern Ireland, was permitted to re-open its golf course on the 20th March 2020 following step 1 of the relaxation guidelines out of lock-down.

We are happy to report that within 48 hours KCGC had received over 80 applications to join this unique 118 year old golf club, situated on the most easterly point of Northern Ireland.

The unique links experience allows members and visitors to play the course 52 weeks of the year and the location on the peninsula allows members and visitors to enjoy the beautiful views of the Isle of Man and Scotland on a

clear day whilst playing this unique links course.

Tracey McDowell, General Manager, said

The new applications range from Cadets from 6 years old right through to full 7 day members. The rates for joining from June 2020 have been greatly received and Kirkistown Castle Golf Club are honoured to assist the neighbouring sports clubs with a new sports concession category.

“we have been blown away by the reception we have received to join this amazing club. With rates starting from £10 for Cadets up to £299 for full membership we are extremely happy that we have been able to be part of the return to sport after the COVID-19 lock-down.

We have also streamlined our application process with our new on-line portal, allowing potential members to apply from the comfort of their home.

Customer service is very high on our agenda and we pride ourselves on the service level that we give our members individually.”

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Club Spirit

course staff to help keep their golf course in tip-top condition.

Members love ‘spirit’. When one person volunteers many others will follow.

Over the past few months many members of golf clubs have felt it necessary to volunteer on their local golf course.

Clubs will still need a PGA professional to teach. They will still need a professional bar person to change kegs and run the bar stock. They will still need an administrator to collect subscriptions and run the office and they will still need the dedicated greens staff to keep the golf course in great condition but there are many other jobs where golf clubs can utilise volunteers

Some have weeded teeing areas, cut fairways, raked bunkers and some have painted the clubhouse and cleared car parks.

The one thing for sure is that many of these clubs needed the support of their members just to get the work finished.

Is this something that is likely to continue long after golf has returned to normality?

Every golf course is different, some have one person in the office, one bar person and four greenkeepers and some have four in the office, four bar staff and ten greenkeepers.

With golf clubs in a precarious financial position, it is likely that many will turn to their members asking them to serve behind the bar, rake bunkers, prepare accounts and generally help fix-up the clubhouses.

Back in the 1980’s it was common place for clubs to be run on a voluntary basis. I remember going to Skerries Golf Club where Jimmy Kinsella, the club professional, was serving behind the bar. In many ways this is the essence of being part of a club.

Many professionals saw it as their job to ‘muck-in’ with the

Long may it last.

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Golfing Staycations this Summer / Autumn With covid-19 dominating all our thoughts at the moment and likely to have lasting implications for our summer travel plans is it now time to think about golfing around Ireland as an alternative.

Of course we need further easing of the governments restrictions but assuming that we will be allowed to travel around this beautiful island by August then we should be asking where golf fits into those travel plans for the end of the summer season and into the autumn time.

Play Top Golf Resorts later this year for reduced green fee We have many golf facilities that consider themselves to be “resort” courses and many more that attract hundreds if not thousands of overseas golfers throughout the season. It is unlikely that many of these golfers will travel this year.So, Tee to Green want to ask if there is an opportunity to fill the courses, at reduced green fees to the local golfers.

too. The whole of the hospitality industry is in dire need of ‘new’ business.

What can Tee to Green do to help?

We are asking all clubs to open their courses for resident Irish golfers at a local reduced green fee.

Win – Win for golfers and the local community Grahame Jenkins, co-owner of Tee to Green said, “As we come out of this crisis the resort golf courses will be hard hit with no international tourists due anytime soon and probably not until 2021. We want to encourage all courses, not just the World ranked clubs, to think about the local staycation opportunities.

Golfers all round Ireland would love the opportunity to play some courses that would normally be out of reach and the local golf clubs all over Ireland need to increase green fee revenue when the restrictions allow. It’s a win-win for everyone”.

Tee to Green leading the way out of this crisis Who wants to play at last year’s Open Championship venue, Royal Portrush or play at Ballybunion? However, how many will pay the going rate of approx. £200/ €200 green fee? If all the resort clubs open their courses to the local community at a discounted rate, then not just the clubs will benefit but the local community with hotel stays and restaurants will benefit

Q3. Christy O’C Junior singles match in Ryder Cup 1989 was his only point in the event. Who won the Ryder Cup that year?

Answers on page 20

Tell us what you think about this idea and keep up to date daily by following our Facebook account Emailing info@teetogreen.eu and ask to join our database to receive your monthly digital magazine free

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With the 2020 Ryder Cup little over a year away, we take a look Follow us: www.facebook.com/teetogreeneu at the potential make-up of Padraig Harrington’s European side.

THE R&A LAUNCHES £7 MILLION FUNDING PACKAGE TO HELP GOLF IN WAKE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC The R&A today launched a £7 million funding package, The R&A Covid-19 Support Fund, to help golf deal with the impact of the pandemic.

The fund will be largely aimed at national associations and other affiliated bodies in Great Britain and Ireland.

With the global pandemic leading to widespread temporary course closures and drastic reductions in domestic and international travel, many golf clubs and facilities are facing serious financial difficulties.

The fund is being provided to help The R&A’s affiliated national associations to support those clubs and facilities, although some of the money may be used for other activities key to the future health of the sport.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “The pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on golf and many clubs are facing dire financial situations through no fault of their own.

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Time for Help There will be no international travel, no Home Internationals at any level, very few National Championships and wages of some Golfing Union employees will have been paid by the respective governments.

So, we ask the question: ‘Should Irish golf’s governing bodies return all, some or none of the affiliation fees paid by each individual member?’.

The times that we live in are extremely difficult. Many golf clubs, and businesses in general, are facing the prospect of diminishing returns.

Not all golf clubs will be able to stay open and some (hopefully not many) will have to close their doors for good.

How can the GUI/ILGU help during this crisis?

No Championships The GUI/ILGU have many expenses and they too have the problem of diminishing returns, but in 2020 their expenditure will be considerably reduced.

They are not running the North, South, East or West of Ireland Championships.

There will be no Home International golf for any of the age groups. The travel expenses of their officials in the past ten weeks must be close to zero.

Golf is in our DNA and we want to see the sport continue to thrive from grassroots right through to the top level on the professional tours. We have a responsibility to do what we can to help in such a crisis.

Some of the backroom staff will have been furloughed with a proportion of their wages paid by government.

“The R&A Covid-19 Support Fund will enable national associations and other key bodies to provide support to some of their members.

We know that many challenges lie ahead but club golf is the bedrock of our sport and hopefully this fund will help to begin the process of recovery.”

No Sponsorship

The R&A is working with its national associations and other selected organisations on communications, with each body being responsible for controlling and allocating its share.

The R&A reinvests the proceeds from the success of The Open, golf ’s original championship, in growing and supporting golf and already provides financial support to a wide range of organisations in addition to national associations, including the European Tour, the LET, the PGA of Great Britain and Ireland and the Golf Foundation.

Q4. Christy O’C Junior won the 1975 Carroll’s Irish Open to become only the 2nd Irish winner and first since the 1940s. It was the restart of the event after many years of not being played. Who came 2nd ( and if you get this one you are good ) Answers on page 20

Elite golfers will have no overseas Championships to play.

However, on the other side of the equation, the Golfing Unions will have lost a lot of sponsorship money and may find it difficult to attract new sponsors for next year.

They have been working diligently, lobbying both governments on a range of issues and they have had to work on different projects that I am sure they did not envisage.

Tee to Green believe that it is time for great leadership and the GUI/ILGU are in the best position to show all their members why we pay our affiliation fee.

If they gave 25% of the fee back to each club it would amount to approximately £2,000/€2,000 for a club with 400 members.

Technically, this money would belong to the individual members, but I am sure that in most cases the membership would allow their club to keep the funds.

If this is not forthcoming, we ask the Unions to consider some sort of reduction for 2021, to help clubs and their members.

In these difficult times, we think that the governing bodies should take a lead and reduce all the monies paid out to local officials, elite players, and expenses.

This money is now needed by every golf club in Ireland.

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Phil Posnett - Secretary of the PGA North of Ireland

This month we asked the Secretary of the PGA North of Ireland, Philip Posnett, to give an insight into his role. Here is his response.

BE PREPARED! The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) is the umbrella organization, representing Professional Golfers in the UK and Ireland.It is made up of eight Regions with the PGA in Ireland covering the whole Island.

The PGA in Ireland is made up of 2 sections, the PGA in the South of Ireland, and the PGA in the North of Ireland and I am proud and honoured to be their secretary.

Over the last two years, we in the PGA in the North of Ireland have had in their ranks, Peter Hanna (Head Professional at Lurgan GC) and current Captain of the PGA in UK and Ireland. He is only the third Irishman to be afforded this honour.

Personally, I have been in the golf business all my working life which started in 1970, when I trained to be a PGA professional under head Professional Ian Murdock at Royal County Down Golf Club, Newcastle.

After qualifying I went to Carrickfergus Golf Club as their Professional in 1972 staying for 13 months before being appointed as head Professional at Shandon Park Golf Club in Belfast where I served for 17 years.

During this time, I held a European Tour Card for eight years and spent many years playing on both the British and Irish circuits. Upon retirement from the Professional game,(due to ill health), I went into the organisational side of golf setting up my own company Posnett Golf, I regained my amateur status and spent many happy years playing senior golf for Shandon Park, I then moved to Saint Patrick’s Golf Club, Downpatrick, nearer my home in Killyleagh.

When I retired, the boys in the PGA in the North of Ireland asked me if I would head up their operations in Northern Ireland and become their Secretary.I was more than delighted to accept and renewed my connection with the PGA in 2008.

The position I hold is a part-time. Most of my work is during the winter when I organise the PGA Ulster Golfers Alliance along with a few Professional only events.

I have always said the success of a golf day/tournament is not so much what you do on the day, but it is the preparation beforehand. A typical day on a winter event would be as follows.

The PGA Ulster Golfers Alliance , Ballycastle Golf Club Tuesday 18th February 2020

THE GAME WE LOVE Having set up the date with the local Professional (Damien McEvoy) and the club, I leave the house at about 5.30am for the drive to Ballycastle.

I pick up our Tournament Director from Belfast, Gary, and pick-up some coffee for the drive up. We aim to arrive atapproximately 7.45am, 45minutes before the first tee time of 8.30am.We set up our equipment andGary sorts the cards and local rules I have a meeting with the local Professional and the head Greenkeeper to establish all is set-up for the tournament.

We operate a two-tee start (8.30-10.30am) at these events. As the Professionals and their amateur teammates start to arrive for cards, the next two and a half hours are spent issuing cards, rules and making sure the players are going to the correct tees at the correct time.

Once players are on the course, we check timesheets and I usually tour the course to ensure the smooth running of the tournament and take a few photos for our magazine.

When the players arrive back in, Gary and I are set up to receive and process the scores and display same on our electronic scoreboards, which Gary has set up while the players are on the course.

The players have their post golf meal and when the field has all returned their scores aresult is declared.No prize giving is held so, all prizes are circulated after the event.

After clearing up and packing our equipment Gary and I leave the venue and head for home.However, the day is not yet finished as Ineed to send all the information to our press officers Tony McGee and Paul Kelly for circulation to the media.

All that is left to be done is sending the prizes to the Professionals and amateurs the next morning.

We are always the first there and the last to leave, a long day but most rewarding as this job keeps me involved in the game and in contact with the Professionals who are the backbone of the game.

On most other days I field phone calls from committee members and professionals alike, looking for support and advice. It is my job to point them in the right direction for help from a higher authority.

One of the highlights of my position is that I am the liaison between Kevin Stevens, the secretary of the GUI Ulster Branch, and the PGA in the North of Ireland. Over the years we have built up agood working relationship in which we work together for the good of the game we all love.

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As usual it is impossible to document all the historical facts that happened during ‘June Through the Ages’. This month we have had many emails concerning local, national and international historical stories. Please keep sending these in as it makes our job so much easier. We are delighted to have some of the local facts this month and with your help this will continue. Send your thoughts to info@teetogreen.eu On 1/6/1889 a committee was formed

by County Down GC and they took the decision to employ Old Tom Morris to lay out a course at an expense ‘not to exceed £4.00.

On the 2/6/1901 Benjamin Adams, a lawyer from Yonkers, New York and a member of the Board of Education was arrested for playing golf at Saegkill Golf Club on a Sunday. Five days later in court it was decided that golfers had the right to play golf on a Sunday and Mr Adams was released with no charge.

On 2/6/1927 the first gathering of the US and British Ryder Cup teams at Worchester Biltmore Country Club took place. This was followed by a night golf contest under floodlights.

On the 3/6/1927 the first Ryder Cup matches took place. The British team was captained by Ted Ray and the US team’s captain was Walter Hagen. The US team was victorious 9.5 - 2.5.

On 2/6/1930 Headfort Golf Club was officially opened. In 1930 the course was only 9 holes but now it has 36 holes.

In June 1931 Enid Wilson, from England, won her first of three consecutive British Ladies Championships. She beat Wanda Wilson 7/6 in the final at Portmarnock Golf Club, Dublin.

On 13/6/1932 Gene Sarazen kept his new ‘sand wedge’ hidden in fear that the R&A would ban it from being used in the Open. This was the first ‘sand wedge’ and Sarazen is credited for inventing it. He went on to win the 1932 Open and the sand wedge he used is now displayed in the USGA Museum in New Jersey.

On 12/6/1947 ‘Babe’ Didrikson became the first American to win the

Ladies British Amateur when she beat Jacqueline Gordon 5/4 at Gullane in Scotland. Didrikson won four majors as an amateur before during professional in 1948.

On 26/6/1949 Ballyliffin Golf Club played their first ever competitive match when they travelled to their Donegal neighbours, Greencastle Golf Club. They lost the match 6-1 but won the return home fixture 4-2.

On 28/6/1949 Arnold Palmer won the National Collegiate Tournament. Palmer was still only a sophomore at Wake Forest University when he shot 70-71 to beat Purdue’s Fred Wampler by one shot.

On 17/6/1962 Jack Nicklaus beat Arnold Palmer at Oakmount Country Club in an eighteen hole playoff to win the 1962 US Open. The win was Nicklaus’ first professional win and started the great rivalry and friendship between himself and Palmer.

On 16/6/1968 Lee Trevino became the first player to play all four rounds in a US Open in under par. At Oakhill Country Club Trevino shot 69, 69, 68, 69 for a total of 5 under par and won his first major by four shots from Jack Nicklaus.

On 10/6/1977 Al Geiberger shot the

first ever sub 60 round on the US Tour.

At Colonial Country Club, Memphis, he had 11 birdies and an eagle on the way to a 59. Geiberger went on to win the tournament by three shots. Two days earlier the President, Gerald Ford, had a hole-in-one in the pro-am.

On 29/6/1980 Roberto De Vincenzo won the inaugural US Seniors Open at the East Course of Winged Foot in New York. He finished at +1 and was four shots clear of Art Wall and Billy Campbell.

On 7/6 1983 ‘Seve’ Ballesteros asked

the USPGA commissioner, Deane Beman, to allow him to play nine events in Europe and fifteen in the USA. Despite being the current Masters Champion Beman refused his request.

On 20/8/1999 Payne Stewart won the US Open at Pinehurst no 2. It was his second US open and his third major title.

However, he was unable to defend his title because just four months later he died in a plane crash.

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Some of the best golfers the world has ever seen were born in this month.

Here are a few.

Jamie Anderson was born 27/6/1842.

Anderson was one of the original ‘greats’ of early golf. He is one of the few players who have won three consecutive Open Championships. He was a son of a ‘Old Course’ greenkeeper.

He died in 1905 in a poorhouse in Scotland.

Jock Hutchison was born 6/6/1884.

Hutchison won the PGA in 1920 and the following year he won his only Open at St Andrews. He defeated Roger Wethered by nine shots in a 36 hole play-off.

Babe Didrikson Zaharias was born 26/6/1911.

Zaharias is widely regarded as the greatest female athlete of all time.

Along with winning ten majors in golf, she won two gold medals in track and field during the 1932 Olympic Games and was an All-American baseball and basketball player.

Charlie Sifford was born 2/6/1922.

Sifford was the first African American to play on the US tour and won the 1975 Senior PGA. For his contribution to golf he was inducted into the Golf Hall of Fame in 2004, received the Old Tom Morris Award in 2007 and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014.

Phil Mickelson was born 16/6/1970.

Mickelson has won five major championships and later this year will be attempting to win a US Open to complete a career Grand Slam. On six occasions he has finished runner-up in the US Open.

Dustin Johnson was born 22/6/1984.

Johnson won the 2016 US Open at Oakmount Country Club when he beat Shane Lowry, Jim Furyk and Scott Piercy by three shots. He is only the third player in history to win a tour event in each of his first 12 seasons.

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page 16 As part of Covid-19 containment regulations the matches took place without spectators, with each player adhering to social distancing guidelines. In addition, all four competitors chose to play without caddies, instead using push carts from Europe’s most owned push cart brand BIG MAX, while keeping to the advice set out in the brand’s new Walk, Distance, Play Safe campaign.

Upon completion of the 27 hole competition, Bernd Wiesberger said, “It was great to get out on the course and raise money for charity at the same time.

We’re very lucky that golf has returned so quickly and I hope that many people will see how we were able to walk the course, keep our distance and play safely.

We were very grateful for our BIG MAX push carts to help us get around the course too. I think my caddy is disappointed we can’t take it when I return to play in the U.S. next month!”

TOUR STARS WALK, DISTANCE AND PLAY SAFE IN CHARITY MATCH The cream of Austrian golf, including world No.26 and 2019 Race to Dubai 3rd place finisher Bernd Wiesberger, took to the beautiful fairways at Schloss Schönborn G.C. this week for a ‘behind closed doors’ skins competition that saw over €28,000 donated to charity.

Wiesberger was joined by Ladies European Tour players Christiane Wolf and Sarah Schober and European Tour player Mathias Schwab. The match was played as a round robin 9 hole skins format leading to head to head matches between every player. Each hole was worth €300 with players donating their accumulated winnings to a charity of their choice. All the action is set to be televised over the next three weeks on Austrian T.V. where more fundraising will take place with proceeds donated to SOS Children’s Village and its COVID-19 aid project.

COSTA BRAVA CELEBRATES GOLF’S RETURN One of the jewels of European golf destinations, the Costa Brava, is celebrating all eight of its courses re-opening their fairways to golfers this week, after two months of lockdown measures.

Working with the Royal Spanish Golf Federation (RFEG) and various other industry associations, each course has implemented various safety protocols now familiar at venues across many European countries.

These include encouraging golfers to book and pay online, a ban on touching flag sticks and other course furniture, disinfecting equipment such as buggies and trollies after each use, and encouraging golfers to arrive no more than five minutes before their tee time.

Four-ball golf is permitted with all guests reminded of required social distancing at all times, with clubhouses to remain closed until further notice.

Wiesberger and Schwab used BIG MAX’s Fold Flat AutoFold FF push cart while Wolf and Schober opted for the brand new Ti LITE model. After the conclusion of the match, each player signed their BIG MAX push cart and these will now be auctioned off for the winner’s charity.

Thomas Reiter, owner of BIG MAX, was delighted to support the event on home soil. He said, “To have played a part in raising funds at this event is very special. We have been delighted to support several charity causes through the Covid-19 pandemic and we are running our Walk, Distance, Play Safe campaign to help the game to return safely. But to be able to help raise money and promote safe golf in our home country is a real honor. Austria is going through its most successful period as a golf nation.

Bernd is leading the way but players like Christiane, Matthias and Sarah show that Austrian golf is on the rise and I hope that this event will not only raise a great deal of money for charity, but also inspire more young Austrians to take up our great game.”

The golf courses that have now reopened are PGA Catalunya Resort, in Caldes de Malavella, Costa Brava Golf, in Santa Cristina d'Aro, Golf d'Aro - Mas Nou, in Castell-Platja d'Aro, Golf de Pals, in Pals, Golf Empordà, in Torroella de Montgrí - l'Estartit, Golf Resort Peralada, in Peralada, and Golf Torremirona, in Navata, as well as the Par 3 course Gualta, in Gualta.

The golf marketing consortium for the region (managed by the Costa Brava Tourist Board), is gearing up to welcome back golf tourists as soon as possible. Promotional initiatives such as the “Golf Pass” (allowing 3 or 5 rounds at any of the regions eight courses) should prove to be as popular as ever once flights resume.

The golf marketing consortium in the region is made up of 36 businesses, including the golf courses, hotels, transportation companies and tour operator agencies. This week one of the most popular hotels for golfers in the region, Park Hotel San Jorge, also reopened its doors to guests and is operating under guidelines and regulations established by the ministry of health.

Laia Cunill, marketing manager for golf at the Costa Brava Girona Tourist Board, said: “It is a huge relief to be able to announce that our golf courses are open again. We hope to welcome back golfers from across Europe soon, to enjoy our amazing courses and to experience the wonderful environment our region has to offer.”

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QUINTA DO LAGO SHARPENS ENVIRONMENT FOCUS WITH NEW STRATEGY As Europe’s premier modern golf and lifestyle destination, Quinta do Lago is a long-term supporter of golf’s drive to preserve the environment, and the Portuguese resort has underlined its commitment further by unveiling a new eco-strategy to boost its sustainability credentials.

Working closely with the Golf Environment Organisation (GEO) and following its ‘On Course’ environmental stewardship programme, the top sports and family venue in the Algarve has launched a multi-tiered plan with three key aims: to foster nature, conserve resources and support the community.

As well as improving sustainability on its three 18-hole championship courses, Quinta do Lago will adopt an enhanced approach to conservation across other business sectors of the resort including at its world-class sports hub The Campus, The Magnolia Hotel, its 12 bars and restaurants and general resort services.

“Our aim is for Quinta do Lago to become an inspirational, communityengaged and high-profile champion of sustainability,” said Sean Moriarty, CEO at Quinta do Lago.

“The great thing about the golf legacy is that it works so well together with the other different business units of the resort. Golf can be a leader in so many ways; from eco-system services, conservation of wildlife and health and well-being for all ages to creating jobs and adding value to the economy through local supply chains.

“As a resort, we are united in our approach to supporting nature and our communities - conserving resources at the same time – and we’re looking forward to unveiling our new strategy to residents and guests in the coming months.”

Set amongst 2,000 acres of the picturesque Ria Formosa Natural Park and located just 15 minutes from Faro airport, Quinta do Lago is famous for offering residents and guests a variety of lifestyle pursuits and a strong sense of community in an unparalleled location.

The resort created its own farm last year to provide its restaurants with homegrown organic produce and has now announced a series of further measures to help foster nature, including placing information boards on the golf courses and nearby nature trails advising people of the wildlife living nearby.

Improved irrigation and introducing native plants in and around the golf courses to control and remove invasive exotic species; building ‘bug hotels’ for insects – helping to control garden pests so reducing the use of insecticides – increasing the number of bird-nesting boxes and constructing bee houses; removing single-use plastics at its restaurants; and using a new fleet of electric golf buggies across the resort are among the initiatives being introduced to help conserve resources.

And, as one of the biggest employers in the Almancil area with more than 500 staff employed throughout the year, Quinta do Lago also appreciates the importance of supporting the local community in its new eco-strategy.

As well as offering affordable golf to juniors taking up the game and support in playing regional and national tournaments, a series of other events and activities will be available including guided nature walks through the golf courses, educational trips to the resort farm and working closely with the animals living in and around the resort.

Mark Tupling, who was recently appointed as golf course superintendent at Quinta do Lago and will oversee the implementation of the strategy on the golf courses, said: “Quinta do Lago is stunning and I believe the programme that we’ve announced will help to enhance the natural surroundings of the resort and the location even further.

“As a trained agronomist, I am an advocate for environmentallyresponsible approaches to life and this is something I also aspire to uphold in the way I manage golf courses. Quinta do Lago is blessed to border the Ria Formosa – one of the world’s largest nature reserves – and working with environmental organisations is a key focus of mine in promoting the benefits that golf courses offer in nature.”

Quinta do Lago boasts a combination of world-class golf and lifestyle facilities including three 18-hole championship golf courses and The Campus, a world-class sports hub designed for professionals and amateurs alike to keep fit.

Complementing the sports and leisure amenities is a choice of 12 first-class bars and restaurants that deliver a range of delicious world cuisines, including the acclaimed Bovino Steakhouse and recentlyopened Dano’s Sports Bar & Restaurant, and accommodation at the recently-acquired boutique The Magnolia Hotel.

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Technology driving choice with

Golfers can find the perfect golf grip digitallywith the Golf Pride®online Grip Selector tool.The industry leader in grip innovation now boasts its largest and most technologically advanced collection of performance golf grips ever.

By heading to www.golfpride.com/fit golfers can determine which grip technology and size will best suit them by selecting the size of glove they wear or taking a measurement of their hand size, assessing the climate they regularly play in, whether they prefer a soft or firm feel and the surface texture they desire.

modernised classic styles preferred by the world’s best putters. The PRO ONLY putter grip family consists of three models, each with their own unique shape and featuring a colourco-ordinated star on the end cap;these were refined with direct player testing to deliver the highest level of feedback.

Other key products in the lineup include the Tour Velvet Plus4®, the MCC™ and MCC Plus4® hybrid, the fully cordedZGRIP®, the ultra-soft CP2 Wrap® and CP2 Pro®, the Tour Wrap MicroSuede, the Tour SNSR putter grip series and many more.

Among the technology available, is the all-new offering for this June, with Golf Pride expanding its popular MCC® family of hybrid grips with the new MCC Teams collection. The initial launch will consist of 15 unique colour combinations to choose from, so that golfers can represent their favourite team while out on the course.

“We are incredibly excited to be able to offernot just our most extensive range to date, but the most technologically advanced selection of swing and putter grips we have ever created,” commented Conor Dillon, EMEA Regional Manager, Golf Pride.

If you prefer a technology that allows for more consistent hand placement to provide more consistent results, ALIGN Technology offers a raised-ridge on the back of the grip that guides hand alignment and is the company’s fastest growing grip technology of all time. The innovative designensures consistent hand placement every timeand the raised ridge helps tocreate greater clubface awareness andproduce more consistent results. The technology was first introduced in the popularMCC® and MCC Plus4® hybrid grips and is also available in the all-rubber Tour Velvet®. More recently, a fully corded Z-GRIP ALIGN was developed to complete the full range of feel preferences.

As the leading manufacturer of putter grips on Tour, Golf Pride has

GETS ‘BEST GOLF SHOES OF 2020’ MEDIA BOOST

“With golfers unable to get out on the course at the moment, this is a great opportunity for them to learn more about the importance of the grip they use and find out which of our grip technologies best suits their game.

“Now with more choice than ever before, our online Grip Selector is a fantastic tool to help golfers play their best,” he added.

Each week, Golf Pride is the leading grip played from tee-to-green on the PGA TOUR with morethan80% of pros choosing Golf Pride swing grips in each event, without any paid endorsements.

For more information on Golf Pride’s entire 2020 product offering, visit http:// www.golfpride.com.

European golf media brand. The editor described the shoes as ‘standing out from the crowd’, with distinctive looks that are quite different to other shoes on the market.

The UK’s top-selling golf magazine, Today’s Golfer, put the brogue-style ELDORADO model among the best spikelsss golf Premium spikeless golf shoes introduced by Italian golf fashion shoes of 2020. The shoes were credited by the magazine as brand Duca del Cosmapicked up plaudits from specialist golfing being ‘a joy to wear, right from the very first round’. media on both sides of the Atlantic in recent weeks, as they The ELDORADO was also acclaimed by the widely respected published selections for the ‘Best Golf Shoes of 2020.’

Golf World magazine in its review of new spikeless shoe models. The shoe was described as being ‘perfect if you prefer The influential Golf Digest rated both the men’s classic LA SPEZIA and women’s FESTIVA models among its annual shoe classic styling, but still want the benefit of a spikeless shoe’. guide for American golfers to select from. It highlighted the “Having such influential golf publications profile shoes from quality all-leather upper and waterproof benefits of the shoes, our SS20 range gives our brand and the retail stockists who plus the styling designed for both on and off course wear. support us a great boost,” said DiederikMoreu, International Sales Director at Duca del Cosma. “The total reach among The BELAIR waterproof shoe was selected as an Editor’s golfers on both sides of the Atlantic is more than eight million Choice product among the best new gear for 2020 by Golf Monthly, the world’s longest running golf magazine and leading and they can see

page 19

2019

This month, Srixon is sponsoring this section where the person who writes the letter that gets published will win a dozen Srixon balls. This is your UNIQUE chance to get something off your chest.

Have a rant or just pass comment on anything relating to golf…so get writing and send to info@teetogreen.eu

Make it easy!

As more and more clubs are holding open days, be it mixed, seniors, ladies/gents, and I for one would like to play.

However, if you go online to book a tee time, you do not know if your playing partners are ladies or gents.

Then you ring the club contact number. The problem is you are put through all the steps. 1 bar, 2 restaurant, 3 office, finally the pro shop, line is busy. Please leave name and number.

Would it not be possible and colour code the timesheet or just add L or G after name to MAKE IT EASY for everybody involved Betty Editors’ comment:I think this is a great idea if the system is set up to make this work. We also question if it’s right for a “stranger” to be able to join a 2 ball. Surely we are all supposed to stay in the same cluster of golfers until we get to the next phase of easing the restrictions.

Q5. Christy O’C junior only won 4 times on the official European Tour. The last victory was the 1992 Dunhill British Masters. Who did he beat in the playoff to win?

Answers on page 20

La Manga Club Ignites Resurgence with Golf Opening The tourist, leisure and sports complex located in southern Spain and considered one of the best resorts in the Mediterranean, has reopened one of its three 18-hole golf courses La Manga Club, one of the largest resorts in southern Europe, gradually returns to some kind of normality with the reopeningof part of its extensive golf offer. The resort, owned

by GrupoInversor Hesperia, reopenedon May 16th, the North Course, one of its three 18-hole championship golf courses.

The reopening of the facility has been carried out under the strictest security measures and protocols, following all the indications established by the governing health authorities and by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation to guarantee everyone's safety.

Complying with the 30% capacity rule by the Spanish Government, a maximum of 120 players per day may play on the North Course, starting from Tees 1 and 10. Players also need to adhere to the recently implemented new rules and guidelinesin order to optimise everyone's safety and for the proper use of La Manga Club sports facilities during Covid-19.

Given the global situation generated by Covid-19, La Manga Club, like the rest of the country's hotels and resorts, was forced to close its facilities last March. During the period of confinement, a skeleton team has been working intensively to ensure the perfect maintenance of the facilities and to ensure that the courses continueto be in optimum condition.

Something that clients have already been able to experience and enjoy.

After a successful re-opening, the resort's general manager, Nick Montgomery, states that “people were looking forward to enjoying their favourite sport outdoors, in an idyllic and safe environment such as La Manga Club. I have never seen such happy golfers.

We emphasize that all players and employees take on full responsibility for all of the newly implemented rules during Covid-19.”

page 20

MOTOCADDY MARKS A DECADE OF INNOVATIVE DOWNHILL CONTROL MODELS -Latest range offers DHC models across the full line of compact M-Series trolleysTen years after introducing its first Downhill Control (DHC) model, top-selling electric trolley brand Motocaddy is extending the pioneering option across all of its compact M-Series trolleys released this year.

The brand new line up of M-Series models with Automatic Downhill Control are the M1 DHC, M3 PRO DHC, M5 GPS DHC and the premium M-TECH trolley with luxury finishes. Each compact trolley can maintain a constant speed while moving down a gradient and comes with an electronic parking brake and all-terrain wheels. The soon to be released M7 REMOTE trolley will also offer the innovative DHC feature and is set to take ‘hands-free’ golf to a new level.

Both the M3 PRO and M-TECH models also feature highresolution full colour LCD screens, while the award-winning M5 GPS version is the world’s first compact-folding electric trolley to include a fully-integrated GPS system built into a super-responsive touchscreen display, viewable in all weather conditions. These M-Series models share a revolutionary ‘SlimFold’ design that offers a smaller folded footprint for easy car boot transportation and storage. The trolleys are powered by a whisper-quiet motor and super-lightweight waterproof Lithium batteries. All Motocaddy trolleys – including the simple-to-use M1 model – feature a USB charging port, Adjustable Distance Control and free Accessory Station as standard.

“Extending DHC models across the M-Series provides golfers with more than just a greater choice of styles and functions to confront slopes on the fairways,” said Marketing Manager Oliver Churcher. “DHC trolleys can also help them avoid potential injury by reducing the strain on knees, hips and ankles when going down hills. That’s one of the reasons why the popularity of DHC trolleys is rapidly growing at pace, especially in the UK market,” he added.

Back in 2010, Motocaddy launched a twin-motor model designed to offer golfers hands-free golf and take more of the strain out of playing hilly courses. It proved popular among golfers in countries like Switzerland, Germany and Austria who appreciated

its stability on courses where a traditional trolley would freewheel down a slope.

Compared to the modern versions, the original DHC trolley was heavy in weight, since it incorporated two motors working in unison. It was also heavy on power, requiring a big Lead-acid battery, so tended to creep down the hill when parked.

The big breakthrough came in 2015 with the development of new Motocaddy technology that made it possible to use a single motor to achieve even better results than the twin motors. In conjunction with the lighter motor able to control speed on the steepest slopes, the addition of the brand’s exclusive solenoid electronic parking brake proved to be the ultimate game changer.

Motocaddy M-Series DHC models – 2 “It’s a more technological equivalent of a car handbrake,” said Motocaddy Director Paul Straker who worked on the original DHC designs. “We also added a limited slip to the differential in the gearbox, which avoided the prospect of power pulsing from one wheel to another and creating spin, especially in wet conditions. The additional of all-terrain wheels also made a crucial difference,” he added.

Since 2016, Motocaddy has incorporated DHC options across several of its best-selling trolleys in the UK market, powered by a streamlined Lithium battery that proved to be the final piece in the jigsaw as the practical value and unrivalled control became more evident to regular golfers. An increasing number of them also appreciated that the benefit of DHC technology was not confined to ‘hilly’ courses, as every golf course has varying degrees of slope - even if only around tees and greens.

“According to our research, DHC models are seen by golfers to make the game more relaxing and enjoyable. Gone are the days when they need to position the trolley at an angle to secure it on the slope or worry about the trolley freewheeling down a hill,” added Churcher.

ANSWERS: 1 .Fred Couples 2 Sandy Lyle 3. neither won it as it was a 14-14 tie. Europe did retain the trophy but the headline the next day in a UK national newspaper summed it up “Flat beer at the Belfry” 4. Scotland’s Harry Bannerman was 2nd only 1 shot back from Junior 5. Tony Johnstone Well done to those who got them all!

page 21

REVISED CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON ANNOUNCED - Flogas Irish Amateur Open cancelled - Four provincial championships, West, East, North and South are

also cancelled - Limited Bridgestone Order of Merit series with season ending AIG Irish Close - Events will only proceed following rigorous risk management and consultation with the latest public health advice

REVISED SCHEDULE OF GUI NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR 2020

Following the announcement of the Republic of Ireland’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business and Northern Ireland’s Plan for a Phased, Strategic Approach to Recovery, the Union is in a position today to provide an extensive update to its schedule of championships for 2020.

With regards to the Terms of Competition for all events, a revision of which will be published shortly, please note the following:

After careful consideration the Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship has been cancelled due to the uncertainty prevailing around international travel and related disease control challenges.

The ‘big-four’ provincial championships – the North, South, East and West of Ireland – have also been cancelled after detailed consideration of any and all options for rescheduling. The Union wishes to place on record its thanks to the four host clubs for their support and helpfulness in trying to accommodate alternative plans. The Interprovincial Championship and the Underage Interprovincials have also been cancelled.

A limited series of Bridgestone Order of Merit events have been rescheduled, with the Munster Stroke Play, Mullingar Scratch Trophy and Connacht Stroke Play all being rescheduled for August and September, following which the AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship will be the season-ender at Rosapenna on 9-11 October.

The GUI and Provincial Branches have sought to provide as much of a balance of age categories as possible in scheduling and rescheduling other championships throughout August, September and October.

Caddies will be prohibited in all events, and the format and terms of competition may be altered.

Championship entrants will be contacted directly regarding the status of each championship they have entered, and in the event they have entered a championship that is now cancelled they will receive a refund as soon as possible.

All entries for Championships which have either been rescheduled or for which the dates are being retained will continue to stand. Entrants who do not wish to participate may withdraw up to the closing date for entries and receive a full refund.

All closing dates have been revised to two weeks prior to the start of the championship, so as to ensure continual review of public health measures.

Draws will continue to be published seven days beforehand.

The priority at all times – in all of these cases - will be the safety and wellbeing of all involved – participants, volunteers, spectators and staff. Events will only proceed following rigorous risk management and consultation with the latest public health advice from the relevant state authorities and the World Health Organisation.

The Union is also currently finalising a paper on its suite of All-Ireland and Provincial Inter-Club competitions, which will be circulated to clubs for their consideration and feedback early next week.

The following revised schedule has been drawn up following detailed consideration of the Republic of Ireland’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business and Northern Ireland’s Plan for a Phased, Strategic Approach to Recovery.

• Caddies will now be prohibited in all events.

• The closing dates for entry in all championships will be 14 days

prior to the commencement. The draw will be published seven

days beforehand..

• All events will state an estimated field size based on the return- to-play protocols agreed by the GUI, ILGU, Golf Ireland and the respective Governments and state departments/agencies of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Nonetheless, the field sizes will be subject to change should public health restrictions so require.

• The Championship Committee for each event may require to significantly alter the Terms of Competition at short notice to preclude at-risk groups from participation, or cancel the event at similar short notice, subject to public health restrictions which are subject to change on an ongoing basis. Options open to organising committees will include changing formats and curtailing the number of rounds and days a championship is to be conducted over. We will work at all times to ensure the maximum level of notice of any such changes.

• A full risk management plan will be put in place for the staging of all events in line with public health advice. This may require the publication of supplementary Terms of Competition. The safety of participants, volunteers and staff will be paramount in our planning at all times.

We are therefore grateful for the patience and understanding of all participants as we continue to formulate our planning in response to the latest government advice.

List of Cancellations (as of Monday 11th May 2020) The following events have been cancelled. Where it applies, entrants will have their fees refunded as soon as possible, if not already actioned.

11 June Ulster Schools Junior Championship (Tandragee) 20 June Munster Mid–Amateur Open Championship

(Nenagh) 26 June Munster U14 Boys Championship (Cahir Park) 1 July Munster U13 Close Qualifier (Adare Manor) 4 July Ulster Mid–Amateur Open Championship

(Rosapenna) 6 July Leinster U16 Close Championship (Ashbourne) 13 July Munster U13 Close Qualifier (Macroom) 13 – 17 Jul North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship

(Royal Portrush) 19 July Ulster Scratch Foursomes Championship (Malone) 21-23 July Underage Interprovincial Championships

(Mullingar) 22 Jul – 26 Jul South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship

(Lahinch Old Course) 13 Aug – 16 Aug Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship (Galway)

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28 Aug – 30 Aug Men’s Interprovincial Championship (Ballykisteen) 12 Sept Connacht Mid-Amateur Championship

(Roscommon) List of revised fixtures (as of Monday 11th May 2020) The following is the revised list of fixtures for 2020. This includes all events confirmed on a rescheduled date or in their original date if still feasible.

Please note this list is subject to continual review and any changes will be advised as soon as possible.

14th July Ulster Under-18 Close Championship

(Royal Portrush Valley Links) 20th July Ulster Under-16/Under-14 Close Championship (Knock) 27th July Irish Boys Inter-Club Leinster Qualifiers (Kilkenny & Millicent) 30th July Irish Boys Inter-Club Leinster Qualifiers (Malahide & Woodbrook) 30th July Connacht Junior Close Championship Qualifiers (Ballinasloe & Ballina) 4th Aug Connacht Under-16 Inter-Club Championship

(Ballinrobe) 5th Aug Munster Under-15 & Under-17 Close

Championship (TBC) 10th Aug Ulster Under-14 Boys Championship (Donaghadea) 12th Aug Munster Under-16 Boys Championship (Roscrea) 12th-13th Aug Ulster Seniors Championship (Slieve Russell) 13th Aug Connacht Junior Close Championships Finals

(Tuam) 14th Aug Ulster Under-16 Boys Championship (Carnalea) 15th-16th Aug Mullingar Scratch Trophy (Mullingar) 17th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Ulster Section (Ballycastle & Dungannon) 19th-21st Aug Irish Under-16 Boys Championship (Lurgan) 24th-25th August Ulster Under-18 Boys Championship

(Warrenpoint) 26th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Munster Qualifiers (Cobh) 27th Aug Leinster Under-16 Boys Championship

(Beaverstown) 28th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Munster Qualifiers (Newcastle West) 28th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Connacht Qualifiers (Boyle & Gort) 29th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Munster Qualifiers (Ennis & Carrick-on-Suir) Aug TBC Leinster Under-14 Boys Championship (TBC) 2nd-3rd Sept Connacht Under-18 Boys Championship (Loughrea) 5th-6th Sept Munster Stroke Play Championship (Cork) 12th Sept Connacht Under-16 Boys Championship (Roscommon) 14th-15th Sept Munster Under-18 Boys Championship (TBC) 19th-20th Sept Connacht Stroke Play Championship (Portumna) Sept TBC

Munster Seniors Championship (TBC) 3rd-4th Oct Irish Mid-Amateur Championship (Nenagh) 6th Oct GUI All-Ireland Gold Medals Grand Final (The K Club) 6th-7th Oct Leinster Seniors Championship (New Forest) 9th-11th Oct AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship

(Rosapenna – Sandy Hills) 20th-21st Oct Connacht Seniors Championship (TBC) 20th-22nd Oct Irish Intervarsity Championship (Portsalon) 27th Oct Connacht Under-14 Boys Championship

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(Strandhill) 28th-30th Oct Leinster Under-18 Boys Championship (Glasson) • The Union is also working on plans to reschedule the Irish Seniors Close Championship, the Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship and the Irish Under-14 Boys Amateur Open Championship, but in the case of the latter two events they will be conducted as Close Championships (Irish entrants only) in 2020. All Irish entries for these will therefore stand, and overseas entries will be granted a refund as soon as possible. Details will be available on these as soon as possible.

• The Irish Colleges Match Play Final Series, and the Irish Schools Junior and Senior Championship competitions – all of which had progressed significantly prior to the restrictions being introduced – are still under review and the intention remains to conclude these if possible.

Further details will be made available shortly.

European Tour: Six-week ‘UK Swing’ resumes The European Tour season is set to resume in July with a six-week ‘UK Swing’ tournament and run to December.

UK Swing events 22-25 July: Betfred British Masters, Close House Golf Club, Newcastle 30 July - 2 August: English Open, Marriott Forest of Arden, Birmingham 6-9 August: English Championship, Marriott Hanbury Manor, Hertfordshire 13-16 August: Celtic Classic, The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport 20-23 August: Wales Open, The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport 27-30 August: UK Championship, The Belfry, Sutton Coldfield Rolex Series 8-11 October: Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, The Renaissance Club, North Berwick 15-18 October: BMW PGA Championship, Wentworth Club, Virginia Water 3-6 December: Nedbank Golf Challenge, Gary Player CC, Sun City, South Africa 10-13 December: DP World Tour Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Dubai, UAE

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