kirkwoodgolf.co.uk The site for
golf news
you can't find
anywhere else!
Webmaster: Gillian Kirkwood
Contributing Editor: Colin Farquharson

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

WHY DOES IRELAND HAVE SO FEW PLAYERS
ON THE LADIES' EUROPEAN TOUR?

GOLF BUZZ BY JO MAES

Why are there no more Irish female golfers on tour?
The LGUI (Ladies Golfing Union of Ireland) issued a press release about the fact that Martina Gillen secured her playing rights for the 2008 season on the Ladies European Tour. She joins Rebecca Coackley on next year's Ladies European Tour as Ireland's sole representatives.
Claire Coughlan, last year's Q-school winner, lost out by one shot. Coughlan only made six cuts this year with prizemoney of just over 7K.
Obviously great news for the two Irish lassies but why only two Irish girls on the Ladies Tour? Now come on, what's wrong here?
The LGUI has 384 associated clubs with over 60,000 members and only two girls are on tour. For one, why have two separate unions? This is again something you will only find on the British Isles. In Europe, a golfer, be it male or female, is a member of their respective national federation. These are the countries that have numerous lady golfers on tour.
Also the discrepancy between the 384 clubs and the 420+ golf courses in Ireland means that there are still clubs that don't have a female membership. This does not allow for young talented girls, they must undoubtedly be out there, to start golf.
The question is now, Is there enough support for young girls to start golf and what kind of support do they get when they progress?
If you're out there and have more information on this, I'll be more than happy to share this with our audience.
Reactions to yours truly at jmaes@golfhub.ie

Ireland's golfing Playground of the Week: Connemara Golf Links

In a tale fit for Hollywood, Connemara was built by the local community of Clifden, at the urging of their parish priest. It was again Eddie Hackett who was responsible for the rugged lay-out resulting in golf at its most elemental.
End of the 1960's, Connemara's economic future was in jeopardy. Much of the land was agriculturally poor, the fishing industry seemed to have little or no future and tourism was still in its infancy.
Father Waldron, a young priest who came from Maynooth, wondered whether golf could be part of Connemara's salvation. By accident, the young priest stumbled on a piece of 'prairie' in the community of Ballyconneely and immediately visualized a golf course, set some fifty feet above the crashing surf gradually extending towards some Connemara rock.

Mr. Buzzy and equal privileges

Mr. Buzzy's country club didn't allow women on the golf course. Eventually, there was enough pressure that the committee decided to allow women on the course during the week.
The ladies were satisfied with this arrangement, formed a women's club, and became active. After about six months, the club board received a letter from the women's club complaining about the men urinating on the golf course. Naturally, they just ignored the matter.
After another six months, they received another letter reminding them of the previous letter and demanding action. After due deliberation they sent the women a letter advising them that they had been granted equal privileges!

Golfhub signs up 50 courses in Spain!

The cooperation between Golfhub and GolfSpain starts to bear fruits. The challenge in Spain is to connect all courses to the online network of Golfhub. At this moment, we have signed up more than 50 courses so where ever you are in Spain, you can always log on and find a course near you with a Real-Time tee time.
Just CLICK AND BOOK and you'll be on the tee in no time.Golfhub continues its expansion in Europe with currently courses in every country expressing interest in the Golfhub network.
What are the advantages of joining the Golfhub world-wide network?° It doesn need to cost any money.
It generates international and domestic bookings.
It is the most sophisticated golf booking system in the world that links to the 55 most used back office tee sheet booking systems including BRS, PC Caddy, CSS, Jonas ..
Golfhub is THE golf booking system and network used by the TUI European travel agents.
Contact Denise Gallagher or Jo Maes on 0402/30000 for more information or contact us on jmaes@golfhub.eu

TRUTH of the week:
If you are giving strokes in a match it's always too many: if you are receiving them it's never enough.
Yours sincerely,
Jo Maes
Golfhub Ireland
jmaes@golfhub.ie
Tel. +353.40.23.00.00
ground of the Week
Your golf postcard
These girls are HOT
Mr. Buzzy
50 Courses in Spain

Labels: