Scottish golf is set to become somewhat more expensive in 2008. Muirfield has announced that it is raising its Summer greenfee from �145 to �160 (up 22 to 234) and a round on the Old Course at St. Andrews is going up from �125 to �130 (to 192).

Wentworth remains the most expensive game in Britain at �285, which equates to 420, but there is no news as to next year's rates.

CAPTAIN'S JOY FOR PHILLIPS AT KILLERIG

It's majors season in all Irish golf clubs and excitement abounds, but none more so than at Killerig where they had a 9-hole playoff for the captain's (Larry Doyle) prize before Ger Phillips was declared the winner. He had tied at 145 with Eoin O'Cealleachoir but opened a four-stroke advantage in extra time.

DEVELOPMENT FEVER SWEEPS THE COUNTRY

Portmarnock Links has applied for planning permission for a major new clubhouse, greenkeeping facilities and car-parking. The site is off the Golf Links Road which leads from the village into what is now referred to as Old Portmarnock.

The fifth fairway is going to be moved a little to accommodate the new elements.

Meanwhile, in most northerly Donegal, Frank Casey is pushing ahead to ever greater things at Rosapenna where he has just received planning permission to add twenty more bedrooms to his hotel along with six cottage suites in a courtyard setting. The gol"ng world is steadily rediscovering Rosapenna after somewhat an hiatus of decades.

SLATTERY PREVAILS AT CARLOW MARATHON

It took four days to decide the captain's (Brendan Laffan) prize at Carlow with three rounds of qualifying sending the top-99 into a second round and, from that, the top-15 had to go out for a final loop of nine-holes.

Colm Hayden, a former Carlow footballer, looked good until he three-putted the sixth and eighth; David McDonald, a former Leinster player, had levelpar for the nine but failed to find a birdie necessary to get into a further playoff; and it was left to Brendan Slattery to take the prize even with the luxury of three-putts on the last green.

O'SULLIVAN WINS NAME GAME IN THE KINGDOM

There's no taking the O'Sullivans out of Kerry and out of Dooks in particular. This is the old stomping ground of the legendary Dr. Billy O'Sullivan and it was his son Billy who drew our attention this time by winning the president's (Sean O'Sullivan) prize by one point from John Michael O'Sullivan!

Billy Jnr. is becoming a bit of a specialist in presidents' prizes as he won the very same event as a "fteen-year-old lad back in 1973!

Now, lets do the sums, 34-years between wins so that means he'll be back again in. . .

NORMAN STORMING TO NOTEWORTHY

FIRST Norman Vico Drew should be remembered this week. He was the first man to play in the Walker Cup, Ryder Cup and Canada Cup (now the World Cup) and his home is not far from this week's contest.

Hopefully, he will get along to see some action and take a bow.

MEASURE PROWESS AGAINST THE PROS

So, how is your game?

If you feel you have room for improvement it might be wise to measure your shotmaking form against the best on the US Tour as published in their latest run of statistics giving the accuracy rate for approaches from varying distances. Brian Gay is best from 200-yards or more getting within 36-feet and 5-inches of the flag on average. The "eld averages 53-feet and 3-inches.

Ernie Els has been doing best in the 175-to-200-yards range averaging 20-feet and 4-inches against a total field average of 33feet and 5-inches. Tim Clark gets to 15-feet and 1-inch on average from distances between 150-175-yards with the "eld achieving 27-feet and 5-inches. Sergio Garcia's average from 125-to-150-yards is 12-feet and 3-inches while the rest of the field averages 23-feet and 1-inch.

Woody Austin is sharpest of them all from less than 125-yards with an average of 6-feet and 9inches against a modest looking 20-feet and 6-inches for the field.

It all looks so easy. Go on!

Measure up.