His pet project concerns the promotion of golf in Connacht through the establishment of a Centre of Excellence at Ballinrobe Golf Club. "It is a long way from parts of Connacht to Carton House, " he says, "and a centrally located facility in our own province should do wonders for the game."

The intention is to move the Connacht headquarters from Basquille's home town of Castlebar to Ballinrobe and install all-weather chipping and putting greens and a major practice ground and academy. Leading architect Sean Dockery, whose late father P�draig was one of Sligo's greatest ever footballers, is already busily working on the project.

Basquille, the third Mayoman to become president of the Union, following Gar Golden of Westport and the late Mixie Murphy of Ballina, is very proud of the situation at Carton House and of the interplay with Maynooth University where golf scholarship students are given an alternative to travelling to America.

"They can study for academic qualifications - which is a very wise course set by P�draig Harrington and Peter Lawrie - before turning professional, and then go over the road and work on their games at the Union's National Academy and avail of the assistance of national coach Neil Manchip and Irish professional champion David Mortimer."

The man has the dogged and cheerful determination that only a battle-weary Mayo football fan can have. He never surrenders hope and enjoys the journey. He always seeks to serve others as he did when helping to promote Castlebar Celtic in the 1960s when he was also secretary of the Mayo League.

Way back then golf was a fairly modest game in Connacht with only 28 clubs, and just three of those boasting 18-hole golf courses: Athlone, County Sligo and Galway.

Stone-built clubhouses were the exception rather than the rule. Now there are 41 clubs and 23 of those have 18-holes or more and swanky facilities. The game continues to grow with Leitrim about to gain two new courses and Longford one more.

A thing that pleases Tommy Basquille is that golf remains an affordable game in Connacht and well within the financial reach of all-comers. It is hard to credit in this age of high prices, but the most expensive greenfee by far in the province is Euro90 at weekends at County Sligo.

The average greenfee is about Euro35 and perfectly satisfactory games are to be had for just Euro15 at Ballaghaderreen, Boyle and Dunmore.

The promotion of junior golf and of golf for everyman and woman is central to the GUI mission and central to Basquille's golfing life. Thankfully, Basquille will not be lost to the game when his term as Union President runs-out next February. He is vicepresident of Strandhill Golf Club, where he was captain in 1993, and his son Declan will be club captain next year. So his love affair with golf is set to go on, and on, and on. Golf is the lucky winner.