Colm Quinlan, regional officer for the Amicus trade union, told Reuters three rounds of talks with mediators had failed to resolve a confrontation which began early this year. The case will now be heard by Ireland's Labour Court.

"Based on our previous negotiations, I am not confident they (the club) will accept the recommendations of the court and if that arises we will embark on industrial action," he said.

6/29/2006 3:28:59 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

Our GolfPunks are doing the business this week.

Paul Casey is leading the European Tour event at Gleneagles, with Ross Fisher and Graeme Storm in close pursuit and James Heath is one shot of the lead and will be in the final group going into the final round of the Credit Suisse Open on the Challenge Tour.

Good work fellas and good luck tomorrow. KYN

6/24/2006 5:08:34 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

Back in his native Scotland yesterday just three days after he nearly won the US Open in New York, Montgomerie claimed that the upheaval in his private life was a major factor in his twice finishing as strongly as runner-up in the last four major championships.

But when it was pointed out to him that he is financially secure for life - he has earned a personal fortune of about £30 million - Montgomerie was quick to reply.

"I was financially secure for life and now someone else is," he quipped in reference to the divorce settlement from his former wife, Eimear, which is thought to have cost him around £12 million.

What?

6/22/2006 9:48:29 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

Lorraine Barton had used the golf cart to cover the few blocks between her home and the Tilden Post Office to retrieve her mail. On her way back, Police Chief Bobbie Jo Helmers attempted to pull her over for driving an unauthorized vehicle -- and the vehicles collided, the Belleville News-Democrat reported.

Barton said the mayor of the small Southern Illinois town gave her permission last year to use the motorized machine for local errands as a way to save gas. The newspaper said Mayor Don Keeton denied granting Barton's golf cart on-road privileges.

Helmers said Barton agreed to pay for the damage to the squad car. As long as the golf cart stays off the road or becomes an insured on-road vehicle, she shouldn't have any more trouble with the police.

6/22/2006 9:33:59 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

DIVERS from the Bushey and Borehamwood Sub Aqua Club will be attempting a spectacular rescue mission next month from a lake at The Grove.

Fifteen divers will be sent into the lake on the third hole of the luxury Watford hotel's golf course to retrieve as many golf balls as possible as part of a competition to help raise money for the Peace Hospice.

Entrants to the competition will guess the amount of golf balls that will be recovered and the lucky winner with the closest guess will win a pair of tickets to the final of the World Golf Championships taking place at The Grove in September and also lunch at The Glasshouse restaurant.

continued...

Maggie Grand, who is helping to organise the dive, said: "We have no idea how many balls are in the lake. We are thrilled to be able to offer such a great prize, and to be part of this very exciting event. The lake looks very murky, however, and I wouldn't fancy doing the dive myself!"

For full story click here

6/21/2006 5:52:41 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

Posted 6/18/06, 2:52 PM ET
I'm about to head out to the first tee to begin my round. >

6/20/2006 12:50:57 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

While millions around the world are still stood mouths agape at the flabbergasting end to the US Open yesterday, the golfing world has just shrugged its shoulders and licked its lips at the next titanic battle taking place this week between two teenagers in Kent.

Seventeen-year-old Irish protégé Rory McIIroy, and Essex wunderkind Ollie Fisher, 17, will both tee it up today in the British Amateur championship at Royal St Georges, and many would not be surprised if these two end up facing each other in the final.

Both teenagers enter the event on the back of some amazing form. Fisher, who became the youngest ever Walker Cup player last year, recently captured his first senior amateur title, winning the St Andrews Links trophy, Europe’s top amateur event, over the Old Course with a seven-under par total for four rounds.               

McIIroy responded in kind with a successful defence of the Irish Close title at the European Club last week to add to his second place in the Lytham Trophy and third place in the Irish Amateur so far this season.

Going into the championship, the youngster said: "I'm playing the best golf of my life."

It's the title that's really the most important thing and this for me is the big one this year. This the one I want to win most."

The GolfPunk office is just hoping that the pair can keep going on as if they both live up to their potential then European golf will only be the healthier for it.

You can keep up to date with their progress and the scores from the British Amateur by clicking on this link: here

6/19/2006 3:15:48 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

The coyote killed Munchkin, Stephen and Dianna Purciello’s cat. The couple says they are not upset with the coyote. They say they are upset with the golf course's management for not telling them about the coyote until it was too late.

"She was my special baby," said Dianna. "No one even knew there was a coyote."

The couple says they never thought they would lose their favorite cat to a wild coyote.

But last week, a maintenance worker found Munchkin’s remains in the middle of the club golf course.

The Purciello's say they're upset because the Island Country Club Golf Course knew about the coyote as early as October but did little to protect residents and their pets.

"If there's a predator on the golf course, just alert people to that fact," said Stephen.

"I’m very sorry for the loss of their pet," said golf course superintendent Wayne Kappauf.

Now, course employees are hoping to catch the coyote by setting up traps around the course.

"He’s pretty sneaky because he's actually taking the bait out of the traps. He's pretty clever," said Kappauf.

Link: here

6/19/2006 1:34:38 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

Britain's first family-orientated golf course is to be officially unveiled.

Sport minister Patricia Ferguson MSP will be guest of honour at the Hermitage Family Golf Course in Edinburgh, which is specifically aimed at children, beginners and disabled people.

Lying on 14 acres of converted grazing land, it offers relaxed turn-up-and-play access, free club hire and no dress code on its fairways. The course's 12 holes range from 60 to 250 yards in length, and snake around a clubhouse.

Hopefully, everybody will get involved - let us know when the first family competition is.

6/19/2006 1:18:20 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

I bring this up because today, after our Webcast Live went on the air, silence soon greeted our audience. Suddenly the proverbial 'We're having technical difficulties' message went out. So what constituted this?

We're not ashamed to admit it, but a golf cart ran over the fiber optic cable that provided sound. The wire got entangled in the cart wheel, leaving Roger Twibell speechless.

No word whether the golf cart survived.

Link: here

6/16/2006 12:45:37 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

A national golf magazine made and distributed the take-it-easy on Colin Montgomerie buttons for the 2002 U.S. Open just down the road at Bethpage Black.

The buttons were a call for golf fans to put an end to the full Monty treatment — namely, the American tradition of heckling and harassing a certain Scottish golfer who bears an uncanny and unfortunate resemblance to Mrs. Doubtfire.

If you'd like a deal on one of those buttons, get in touch with Montgomerie. He has them by the thousands.

"I don't know why they made so many," Montgomerie said, smiling.

For full details click here:

6/16/2006 10:37:27 AM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0] 

This blog is more of an inside joke than anything else but some of you might be able to sympathise.

I recently spent several days researching golf courses in Wales via the valuable mine of information that is the internet. I would, however, have had more luck using a yoghurt pot and a large peice of string.

Several (hundred) of Welsh golf clubs are a bit slow to embrace modern technology and advertise the wonder of their golf course to the world via the web and so it's great to see that the government is grabbing the bull by the horns. If only the bull had made it to the seminar....

GOLF clubs throughout Wales are being encouraged to make greater use of Information Communication Technology, as part of a drive by the Welsh Assembly Government to boost the economic benefits of the Ryder Cup 2010.

Representatives from clubs in North and mid Wales attended a seminar organised by WAG at Northop Golf Club, Flintshire, to learn more about the benefits of ICT in helping them attain a stronger business footing.

It was the first in a series of such events being held throughout Wales to help clubs boost their income and improve the management of their establishments.

Estimates suggest that golf-related tourism alone could rise by more than 40% as a result of the staging of the 2010 Ryder Cup in Wales, with an additional 30,000 visiting golfers attracted each year to Wales.

6/14/2006 5:38:46 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [0]