So said Alexandra Armas, the executive director of the Ladies' European Tour, when announcing that the Solheim Cup will be staged in Ireland in 2011 and at the same time displaying a profound ignorance of the history of golf.

With one dismissive sentence she sought to wipe out the glorious achievements of more than a century of wondrous golf by Irish lady champions from May Hezlet, through Philomena Garvey to Mary McKenna and the present day as Ireland provided half of the players in the most recent Curtis Cup team. In one moment she sought to erase the collective achievements of the 18 women who have played for Britain & Ireland in the Curtis Cup and won a plethora of championships along the way. Maybe she forgot these things or maybe she just doesn't know her golf.

Amazingly, so far as can be seen, nobody raised an eyebrow at the comment. But there is plenty of time between now and 2011 to put that straight and for her to polish-up on her diplomacy.

Maybe she will take the opportunity to put things straight during either the Irish Ladies' Open or the newly-created Northern Ireland Ladies' Open which are to be played over the next few years as Ireland pays the ransom money for being chosen as the venue for the Solheim Cup.

Meanwhile, preparations are now at a late stage for the Lancome Irish Ladies' Championship which returns to Lahinch for an eleventh time on 19-23 May and it promises to be very exciting with the 12year-old Maguire twins, Lisa and Leona, looking likely to create an even bigger impression than they did when making it into matchplay last year at The European Club.

While Tricia Mangan will be seeking to become the first person to win the title three years in a row since Claire Hourihane did so in the early 1980s, the ILGU are clearly showing respect to the two youngest competitors in the history of the event by pairing Lisa with former champion Deirdre Smith and Sinead O'Sullivan, and Leona with the vastly experienced Helen Jones and Sinead Keane.

The twins signified that they are prepared for the big test when finishing second and third behind Marion Riordan in the Lahinch Ladies' Scratch Cup last weekend.

Sheer magic from players so young.

It's also great to see that Mary McKenna has been tempted out of retirement to play in an event which she won at this venue way back in 1974.

There's no doubting the local interest which will be shown as she plays her qualifying rounds in the company of local heroine Valerie Hassett and Charlotte Crowe.

Tricia Mangan will be respected by all in her bid for the treble but, despite the departure of Claire Coughlan and Martina Gillen into the professional game, she will have an awesome task in seeking to overcome the likes of Munster champion Gillian O'Leary, former champions Eileen Rose Power and Sinead Keane, Maura Morrin and the new queen of Lahinch, since she hit a course record 69 in winning the scratch cup last weekend, Marion Riordan.

A MEN CORNER EXPLAINING THE RULES

Q. What happens when the ball is resting against the flagstick but not in the hole?

A. According to rule 17.4, when the "agstick is in the hole and a player's ball is resting against it but not fully in the hole, the player, or another person authorised by the player, may remove the "agstick from the hole. If the ball falls into the hole when the "agstick is removed the player is deemed to have holed out with the last stroke. However, if the ball does not automatically fall into the hole and is moved by the "agstick, it must be placed on the lip of the hole without penalty.

Rules from 2004 R&A Rules of Golf GOLF TIP OF THE WEEK Golf Swing: Using your Head with Emmanuel Riblet, Golf Pro, Premier Golf Santry Your head is a key element in your swing. It needs to rotate during your backswing to allow your shoulders to move, and again after impact to assist in your follow through.

For guidance on your head movement during your swing, put a pencil in your mouth and observe how much it moves away from the ball on your backswing, and past the point of contact on your follow through. This will encourage you to rotate your body faster at impact and so gain more distance when you hit the ball.