Jack Nicklaus's charity work earns

him US golf writers' award

Jack Nicklaus, whose commitment to charitable giving has spanned four decades and is embodied in The Memorial Tournament and the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, has been honoured with the Golf Writers Association of America's Charlie Bartlett Award.
The award, named for the first secretary of the GWAA, is given to a professional golfer for his/her unselfish contributions to the betterment of society. Nicklaus will be honoured at the GWAA Annual Awards Dinner on April 8 in Augusta, Georgia.
The 69-year-old Hall of Famer, father of five and grandfather of 21, has focused his charitable concerns on children in need. His passion, along with that of wife Barbara, led to the creation of the Nicklaus Children's Health Care Foundation, which provides pediatric health care services for children in a five-county area of South Florida.
The primary beneficiary of the Honda Classic, the Foundation supports activities that advance and enhance the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of childhood diseases and disorders and supports not-for-profit programmes and projects aimed at children's health, safety, and well-being.
It provides programmess and services to more than 4,000 hospitalised children and their families, free of charge, through the creation of the Child Life Institute in 2007.
The Memorial Tournament, which Nicklaus founded in 1976, supports the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, as well as many other leading charitable organizations within Central Ohio.
Nicklaus, whose charitable commitments began shortly after launching his professional career in 1962, supports such diverse causes as The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, The Barbara and Jack Nicklaus Junior Golf Endowment Fund, The Everglades Foundation, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association and the Robert T. Jones, Jr., Memorial Scholarship Fund.
As a national chair of The First Tee, Nicklaus has twice spoken before Congress on the character-building virtues of golf, and, in conjunction with the PGA of America, he created a programme which has provided close to $2 million in grants to support instruction at over 160 First Tee facilities.
Nicklaus was awarded the 2005 Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest honour bestowed on any American civilian. In addition to the Bartlett Award, the GWAA has honoured him with the William D. Richardson Award (1978) and the ASAPSPORTS/Jim Murray Award (2006).
The GWAA will also honour Players of Year Padraig Harrington, Lorena Ochoa and Jay Haas, Ben Hogan Award winner Erik Compton, Jim Murray/ASAP Award winner Juli Inkster and Furman Bisher, winner of the William D. Richardson Award, at the dinner.
The 980-member professional organization takes an active role in protecting the interests of all golf journalists, works closely with all of golf's major governing bodies and the World Golf Hall of Fame and facilitates a scholarship/internship program which is currently helping students at 17 major U.S. universities.

Cherry Hills, Denver to host 2009 Palmer Cup

This year's Palmer Cup transatlantic men's student match between Europe and the United States will be held at Cherry Hills Country Club near Denver, site of Arnold Palmer's famous U.S. Open victory almost 49 years ago.
Cherry Hills CC pro emeritus Clayton Cole and head professional John Ogden told the audience at the Golf Coaches Association of America's annual awards banquet Monday night in Orlando that the club was excited to host the event and test the course, which is in the final stage of a renovation that stretches it by 400 yards and returns the bunkering to the original design of architect
The European side will try to retain the cup after its 14-10 victory last year at Glasgow Gailes. The U.S. holds a 6-5-1 overall lead in the annual competition.
No mention was made of the dates for this year's Palmer Cup match.

Scottish Golf Union to launch drive to

boost club's falling memberships

FROM THE SCOTSMAN WEBSITE
The Scottish Golf Union is set to launch a new drive aimed at boosting the country's ailing golf club memberships.
Hamish Grey, the chief executive of the Scottish men's amateur game's governing body, admitted that he is anticipating a three per cent drop in membership numbers when figures are released in the coming weeks.
That equates to a fall of around 6,000 people meaning
the SGU would lose almost £42,000 in revenue from annual subscriptions.
To combat the decrease, the SGU has outlined plans for a 'Scottish golf awareness week' in an effort to promote the benefits of membership and encourage more people to join a club.
The wide-ranging campaign, which will start the week after the Masters in mid-April, will also be used to launch the Scottish Golf Card, a scheme which, for a £10 charge, will give club members 50 per cent off green fees at participating venues across the country.

SGU under fire for not using reserves

to fund area team championship

FROM THE EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS WEBSITE
By WILLIAM DUNCAN
The Scottish Golf Union has come under fire over its refusal to dip into reserves to fund the country's top team tournament.
As revealed in the Evening News last week, the game's governing body in Scotland wants to make changes to the Area Team Championship, won a record 13 times by Lothians.The SGU's proposals were discussed at a workshop prior to Sunday's annual general meeting at Tulliallan and the matter proved a lot more controversial than talk of a possible amalgamation in Scottish golf.
"The consensus was that the majority of the 16 Areas want the event to run as it was originally proposed for this year," revealed Ken Wood, the Lothians President. "What I also said at the workshop was that, between now and the end of August, the SGU's proposals should be discussed with the Areas with a view to making changes from next year onwards."
Hamish Grey, the SGU's Chief Executive Officer, said the proposals had been drawn up in a bid to cut savings. At the moment, the Area Team Championship costs the SGU more than any other event to run due to the grants that are given to the Areas.
"Even if the proposed changes were made, it would still be the third-biggest funded event behind the Scottish Amateur and the Scottish Boys," added Grey.
"It's not just about this year - it's about getting a sustainable championship for the next few years. It's fair to say that no-one likes cuts but we have got to look at reality here and what we can afford."
According to Wood, the Areas believe the SGU should be dipping into its healthy reserve funds to ensure that this year's event takes place in its current format.
"The Areas themselves, including the Lothians, have already gone into their reserves but the SGU appear hell-bent on not going into theirs," he said.
"What are reserves there for? And the money we are talking about here is certainly not going to finish the SGU."
The SGU Board discussed the matter following the agm and further details are expected to emerge later this week.
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that Gullane will host the Scottish Amateur Championship in 2010. It will be only the fourth time the East Lothian course has staged the SGU's flagship event, the most recent being in 2004, when Fifer George Murray lifted the title.
The two other Scottish Championships held there were won by Charlie Green (1983) and Craig Everett (1990).

Padraig Harrington gets a par 3 from top

of mountain in South Africa

PRESS RELEASE
Double Open champion Padraig Harrington has become the first professional golfer to conquer the world’s most amazing par-3 hole.
The Irish star took the helicopter to the top of Hanglip Mountain at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort on the Big 5 Entabeni Safari Conservancy in Limpopo Province in South Africa for the challenge of the Extreme 19th.
There he hit driver to the green the shape of Africa some 400m below.
After hitting four practice balls Harrington smashed his competition ball into the bunker surrounding the green before flying back down and splashing out to just about 18 inches and holing the putt for the first par by a professional.
Harrington said the Extreme 19th is one of the most amazing holes he has ever played.
He said: “This is golf in 2010…this is the type of innovation and excitement we need to get more people playing golf. There aren’t many new innovative ways to play the game but this is certainly one of the best. And now I’ve got bragging rights over all the other professionals who have played this and not managed to make a three. I love everything about it.”
Harrington is the ninth of the designers from the unique 18 signature course at Legend Golf & Safari Resort to play the Extreme 19th .
The Signature Course has been designed by 18 of the world’s leading golfers, with each of them designing one hole.
The list of signatures who have been honoured to work on the project reads like a who’s who of world golf including Trevor Immelman, Sergio Garcia; Bernard Langer, Colin Montgomerie, Justin Rose, Vijay Singh, K J Choi, Retief Goosen and of course Padraig Harrington to name but a few.
But Harrington is the first to conquer the Extreme 19th with a par three.
After hitting four practice balls to judge the distance and wind, one of which he hit to just five feet from the pin, Harrington was a little disappointed when his chosen competition ball took a slight gust of wind as it travelled the 25 seconds hang time before landing off the horn of Africa in the sand.
But after pacing the 35 yards to the pin he played a wonderful shot before placing and cleaning his ball and sinking the short putt with a steely determination that has seen him win three Majors.
He said: “I now really do have bragging rights across the world on practice tees with Justin Rose, K J Choi, Michael Campbell, Retief Goosen, Sergio, Luke Donald, Raphael Jacquelin and Trevor Immelman. This is one of my proudest par 3’s.”
And he went further by suggesting that the Extreme 19th would make a great play-off hole and even a great hole for a special made for TV event.
He said: “I think this hole is awesome! I love the whole experience, the helicopter, the views, the drama, the green the shape of Africa. The whole concept is fantastic and I’m looking forward to coming back and taking on the challenge of the Extreme 19th again.”
Harrington took the helicopter to the Extreme 19th as part of his trip to inspect the 10th hole he has designed at the Legend Golf & Safari Resort – the first hole he has ever designed.
And after inspecting his par 4, 10th, Harrington said he was delighted with the finished product, but that he may like a few more bunkers adding.
He said: “I’m delighted to have been involved in this project especially as it’s the first golf hole I’ve designed.
“I love the drama of playing towards the mountain and when a few trees have been moved from the left of the fairway golfers will have a great view of the ‘Tiger line’ down Harrington’s Alley...the best way to the green. The fairway bunkers are great but I think I’d like just a few more in there. It’s great to be able to put a bit of your golfing personality into a hole and I’ve tried to do that here. “
The unique 18 signature golf course is due to open for play in March 2009 and is taking bookings now and is already one of the most talked about courses in Africa. But the challenge of the Extreme 19th is one you can take now at Legend Golf & Safari Resort. While the Entabeni Safari Conservancy is also inspiring visitors – including all 112 Miss World contestants who recently spent six days there.
For more information about Legend Golf & Safari Resort please go to www.legendgolfsafari.com