IRISH LONG DRIVE MAESTROS FALL SHORT Ireland's four contenders came home with broken hopes and broken clubs after they fell short of the winning mark of 324metres in the Remax European Long Drive Championship.

Eddie Webb from Ballyhaunis reached the semi-finals but had the misfortune to break his driver twice, into three pieces the second time, and fractured clubs also ended the hopes of Ronan Kane of Luttrellstown and John Desmond. Matt Kennedy was the fourth Irish contender.

Good news for 2008 is that there will be county and provincial qualifying rounds in Ireland so contact golftour@02. ie.

KEANE TOPS THE CHARTS IN SHANNON Shannon golfers don't do things by halves when it comes to their Masters Tournament. Fifty players qualify for a 36-hole final on the basis of their six best cards in nominated events through the season and no inch is given. Not that four-handicapper Tony Keane needed charity as he was around in one-under-par gross for a "rst round 67 and added a 70 to prove himself a true Master and win by two from Thomas Halpin.

TIPPERARY PRIZES ALL STAY ON HOME SOIL They took no prisoners on scratch cup day at Tipperary as locals won all three titles.

Michael O'Brien won the junior with 76, Francis Fitzgerald won the intermediate with 83, and an 87 won the minor for Pat Cleary.

SADDLE UP FOP EAST OF IRELAND HAMPERS The East of Ireland Alliance resumes at The European Club on Wednesday, 17 October and its hamper league will allow each player count their best three cards out of nine in the chase for "nals places on 19 December. Entries to 0404-47415.

TUAM NEW VENUE FOR SCHOOLS' STROKEPLAY The Connacht finals of the Irish Schools' Strokeplay has been transferred from Tuam, where reconstruction work continues apace, to Ballinrobe next Wednesday. The southern section of the schools' matchplay has been transferred to Athenry on 3 October.

O'CONNOR WINS ON GREAT DAY FOR KERRY It was raining cats and dogs in Kerry in the morning but those who ventured out late at Ring of Kerry were the real winners as they were buoyed by news of an All Ireland win. Paul O'Connor won with 34points.

AMEN CORNER GOLF TIP OF THE WEEK Training Your Hands The key to controlling a golf shot is to control your hands. Your hands are the only part of your body in contact with the club and so it is very important that they know exactly what to do, otherwise when you hit a good shot it will be accidental.

You can train your hands by doing a simple exercise using a tennis racquet. The face of the racquet imitates the clubface but on a larger scale and so is easier to monitor.

Take the racquet and hold it in your left hand straight out in front of you so that the racquet face is at a right angle to the imaginary target line.

Move your left hand across your chest away from the target. The face is still in line with the target and does not turn or roll in any other direction.

Now, hold the racquet as you would when addressing the ball.

Similate your back swing and bring it into the same position as the first exercise. To achieve this position your left hand and the racquet face will have to turn. Once you have mastered this "turning" with a tennis racquet it will come naturally to you with a golf club.