Rumour has it that Padraig Harrington and his wife Caroline will be members of the Dun Laoghaire Golf Club when that body moves to its new home just a decent drive or two from tha Harrington home. The fact that the club will have a decent practice facility is one of the attractions and the offer of an honorary membership to the new British Open champion may have cemented the relationship.

SENIOR WINNER MAKES HIS FATHER PROUD

What a great age we live in when a man can win a seniors prize and run home to tell his daddy.

That was the case at Portmarnock last weekend when past captain Jim Harnett his a magnificent total of 40-points, off a handicap of six, and could hardly wait to visit his father, Con, who has been club captain and president and, let it be said, very proud of junior.

As though inspired by it all Jim was out again on Wednesday to win the semi-open with 44-points in partnership with John Keane (11).

This time he was pushed to the last putt on the last green as they won on the break-of-a-tie with their playing companions of the day Alistair Smith (60) and Michael Meagher (19).

KILPATRICK SCOOPS WILLIE GILL AWARD

This is unofficial. Richard Kilpatrick has won the Willie Gill Award for the best performance over the domestic Irish amateur championships. He amassed, by this writer' s calculations, 160points to win by five from Shane Lowry with Jonathan Caldwell third on 100-points.

Kilpatrick won 60-points for being runner-up, but top Irishman, in the Irish Amateur Open at Royal Dublin and 50-points for a win in the East of Ireland in one glorious fortnight. Lowry won the Irish Close and has had a great year in general.

The Gill Trophy commemorates the late Willie Gill who was an Irish international, honorary secretary and president of the Golfing Union of Ireland, and president of Portmarnock Golf Club.

AMERICAN GOLFERS TRADE PLACES

The National Golf Foundation in America has produced a rather startling statistic to the effect that 19 per cent of the leading employees in American golf clubs retire from or change their jobs every year.

Mobility of personnel is a key feature in the business end of the game over there.

ENGLISH GOLF UNION LOOKING FOR NEW CEO

They are looking for a "proven diplomat and relationship builder" with an "inclusive and collaborative style of leadership" to lead the English Golf Union when chief executive of"cer Paul Baxter retires in February 2008.

The new man will be paid more than �100,000 pa to deal with 740,000 golfers who are members of some 1,900 golf clubs in England.

Applications must be in by August 19 so any Irishman fitting the description, and having a wish to show the English how to do things, should get that CV in.

DRUMM BEATS PATH TO BOYS' TEAM

Rosslare professional John Young is a very proud man this week as his winter campaign to improve junior golf in the region has been rewarded with the selection of Chris Drumm on the Irish Boys' team following a great display in the interprovincials in Donegal where he won two singles and 1.5-points from three foursomes.

It was away back in 1929 that William Ffrench carried the Rosslare colours into battle for Ireland and the club' s return, albeit at boys' level, is overdue and very welcome.

HOPE LYONS WILL MAKE INTER-PRO TEAM

They are waiting with bated breath in Galway for the announcement of the Irish amateur team following the upcoming interprovincials at Co Louth on August 15-17. They are hoping Joe Lyons will make the team having won the West of Ireland before losing in the "nal of the South of Ireland during the week.

The Connacht team features four newcomers to this level of golf in the persons of Irish Boys' champion Stephen Healy (Claremorris), Kelan McDonagh (Athlone), Tommy McGowan (Strandhill) and David Scully.

HOLE IN ONE FOR McCARRON

Congratulations to Gerry McCarron who has holed-in-one at the sixth in Sutton.