It has been reported that our eight top players on the European Tour are all unavailable for one reason or another.

This is one of those moments when one regrets that the power to select an Irish team was given over to the European Tour some years ago.

Before that, the Gol"ng Union of Ireland performed the duty. An Irish team must be named this week or we face the prospect of not being represented at all for the first time in 50 years. Unthinkable. If asked to name a team in the present circumstances one would suggest Rory McIlroy and Brendan McGovern. The latter ran Padraig Harrington into extra time in this year's Irish Professional Championship and then had to sit back and see his friend and hero win the British Open one week later.

Sadly, the "selectors" are unlikely to have the imagination, or the interest in Irish golf, to come outside the box in this way.

ERRITY UNTOUCHABLE IN CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP

Pat Errity is playing like a man possessed right now. He celebrated his win in the Club Championship at The European Club by going to Limerick and winning the Munster MidAmateur by three-strokes from Jim Carvill.

Erritty, who first came to fame as Leinster Youths' champion away back when in 1982, took no prisoners this time with an opening course record 68 followed by very professional rounds of 74 and 71. They never laid a glove on him.

And they were lucky not to be trying him on this week when he breezed around Delgany in 63 strokes including an ace at the eleventh!

PLAY UNLIKELY TO MOVE FROM MOUNT MISERY

Mount Misery is likely to continue as the venue for golf in Waterford for the moment at least. This was revealed to an "information meeting" when it was announced that only 130 of 380 respondents to a survey of the membership had indicated an interest in having the club move to a new location.

The debate has been raging.

Should they sell the entire 112-acre course, which has had legends like Willie Park and James Braid in as designers in the early days, or sell merely 12.8 surplus acres to help fund a 2-million-plus development programme on the course?

An EGM is to happen at the end of October when the case will be put that the changes could be carriedout in one closed Winter season, October to May, with the members being accommodated by neighbouring clubs for the duration of the work by Branigan Designs.

GREENKEEPERS HAVE THEIR CHOICE OF WORK

No Irish need apply? Is that what they mean at Foxrock Golf Club where they are advertising for greenkeepers who "must have fluent English"!

The current issue of Greenside shows that there is a vibrant market for greenkeepers with Beech Park looking for a course manager, the new Jack Nicklausdesigned Killeen Castle looking to assemble an experienced team, and The K-Club looking for lead greenkeepers and greenkeepers.

PIERSE MAKES SOME WAVES AT FLINT HILLS

Wow! Arthur Pierse is proving that life goes on after 50 as he followed-up his win in the British Seniors' Amateur with a great run to the last8 in the US Seniors' Amateur at Flint Hills in Kansas. The event was won by Stan Lee who had 12 top-10 finishes on the US Tour before reverting to amateur status.

FORTWILLIAM TOASTS LOYAL SHANNON Muriel Shannon was the toast of Fortwilliam Golf Club as they presented her with a beautiful gold bracelet to mark her completion of 40 years as ladies' secretary, 1966 to 2006!

Well done Muriel! A large group of past lady captains, about 30 of them, joined in singing a medley of Muriel's favourite songs and the girl herself, not to be outdone, blasted back with superb renditions of Delilah and Salome.

How can anyone else fill those shoes? They were toasting Siobhain Bogues, too, as she went around in level par to set a new course record and win the lady captain's (Anne McGrath) prize with 42-points. And, oh yes, one mustn't forget to mention that Ann Marrion had a hole-inone at the 10th in winning the president's (Dan McGrady) prize.

McGOVERN RULES THE ROOST AT CASTLEBAR

To win a captain's prize once is a dream for most players. But it has become something of a habit for Jim McGovern who has just won two-ina-row, and his fourth overall, at Castlebar. He won't win a fifth next year because he is set to succeed Val Jennings as captain!

The world record for captains' prizes won remains with the late and great Tommy Conroy who collected 21 at Boyle Golf Club through the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. He owned the old Boyle golf course and was a Connacht player back in the 1930s.

BLOOM TROPHY NESTLES IN RATHFARNHAM

Brid Connolly is one proud lady captain this week as she celebrates a Bloom Trophy win with her girls at Rathfarnham. It was the girls' first win in about 30 years and all the sweeter for that.

The final against Slade Valley was an epic affair as Christine Richardson and Grainne Moyles were called-in from the 21st because of fading light and returned on Wednesday to win on the last green. The other members of the team were Betty Murphy, Peggy Glasheen, Deirdre McDermott, Carol Cahill, Roz Burgess and Leila Byrne with team manager Ann Hanratty.

AMEN CORNER RULE 19: BALL IN MOTION DEFLECTED OR STOPPED

What happens if a ball in motion is deflected or stopped?

If a ball in motion is stopped or deflected accidentally by an outside agent, such as a caddy car, there is no penalty and the ball must be played as it lies.

There are two exceptions to this rule; the first is if a moving ball stops on an outside agent then a player may drop the ball as near as possible to the outside agent it stopped on.

The second exception occurs on a putting green. If a moving ball is de"ected or stopped by an outside agent, except a worm or an insect, the stroke is cancelled and the player must replace the ball and replay the shot.

HOLE-IN-ONE CLUB WINNERS

The winner of this week's hole-inone competition and the prize of a Ping collection polo shirt and a fourball in Druids Glen & a fourball in Druids Heath plus a lesson with resident PGA Pro is Paddy Bolger (handicap 17) who recorded his memorable shot on the 10th hole at Rosslare Golf Club.

This week's runners-up, who receive six golf balls, ball marker and pitch repair kit are: Joe Liffey (12), 7th Mannan Castle Alan Harrington (9), 12th Boystown Anne O'Riordan (13), 16th Charleville Caroline Kennedy (21), 18th Courtown Deirdre Leary (21), 1st Adare Clare Hurley (22), 6th Bally Bunion Conor Gleeson (18), 3rd Thurles Tommy Laverty (14), 12th Portstewart