The golfers of Sligo Grammar are riding the crest of a wave right now having won the Connacht Schools' matchplay title for the second time in two years. In fact, they have just pulled off the double of Connacht matchplay and strokeplay titles and are taking aim at an All Ireland double come the finals in April.

Their latest title was gained with a 3.5 to 1.5 win over St Brigid's of Loughrea and the members of that team are Michael Durcan, Stephen Brady, Steffan O'Hara, Rory O'Connor and Ciaran Templeton who boast handicaps of 1, 2, 5, 7 and 7 respectively.

PGA SPEND BIG FOR COTTON'S MEDAL

It has emerged that the Professional Golfers' Association was the purchaser, for �33,000 at a recent auction, of Henry Cotton's gold medal from the 1937 British Open. This boosts the PGA display at The Belfry which already includes the clubs used by Cotton to win his third Open in 1948 and Max Faulkner's gold medal from his win at Portrush in 1951.

HARRINGTON TAKES ADARE CAPTAIN'S PRIZE

You cannot keep a good man down!

Jackie Harrington, former Irish champion and international player, has just won Tom Kane's president's prize at Adare with a startling return of 43 points. That placed him six ahead of nearest rival John Feighan and should see his rather generous 8-handicap trimmed a little.

Another famous name has just made news at Ballykisteen as junior member Jill Pierse, who plays to a handicap of 8, got a hole-in-one at the ninth. She is, of course, daughter of the one and only Arthur Pierse and obviously talented!

MERRIGAN'S SKILLS ARE MUCH IN DEMAND

Patrick Merrigan is a very busy man these days as he works on golf course designs from Pescara, on the east coast of Italy, to Cork. The recent opening of Castle Dargan in a lovely corner of County Sligo, where he shared the ticket with Darren Clarke, was a big success and now he is at work in Clarke's home club at Dungannon. The membership has approved a major redesign of six greens as Phase 1 of a relationship that promises much.

McAULIFFE, NOLAN AND AND REIDY TRIUMPH

It is quite amazing how talented our lady captains are. In the past week alone three of them have found the energy to win at their clubs while keeping an eye on the wellbeing of their members. Esther McAuliffe scored a wonderful total of 38 points to win Mike Gill's president's prize at lovely Waterville, Marion Nolan had a fantastic score of 39 points in winning on Sunday at Beech Park and Brona Reidy had 39 points in Mary Jones's lady president's prize at Mount Juliet to "nish second to Sarah Newman who scored 40 points.

COUNTY SLIGO LOSES LEGEND IN DOT TAMPLIN

The County Sligo Golf Club has lost its oldest member with the passing of Dot Tamplin who joined the club in May 1926. She was born in Rosses Point in 1907.

She was a true legend and loved by all.