​Get into Golf for Women is back for 2020, and this year the programme will provide another great opportunity for clubs and for those looking to get into the sport.  The programme provides a structured programme of lessons for newcomers to the game and is specifically designed for adults.   The programme is designed to support golf clubs in recruiting new members and in turn increase their membership figures and revenue.  Over the past seven years the programme has proven to make golf more accessible to the wider audience.  Since the ILGU first piloted the programme in 2013, the Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI) have continued to develop new resources and support clubs in running successful programmes.  Over the past number of years, participating clubs have had enormous success including a massive 60% conversion rate from participants into membership.

Rachel Thompson (Cork GC)

On average clubs are seeing a potential revenue return of €11,450.  Last year the ILGU and the CGI ran the biggest programme to date and 2020 promises to be another great initiative to drive participation.  Any clubs interested in the Women’s Get into Golf Programme need to apply to CGI before the end of February.

The ILGU Munster District meetings have been scheduled for Mallow GAA Hall on Saturday 15^th February.  The meetings are aimed for Junior Convenors, Handicap Secretaries and Honorary Secretaries and details have been sent to all clubs.  Munster Golf have announced a series of date for their Junior Golf Seminars.  Cork Golf Club will host the Cork seminar on Tuesday 3^rd March.

2020 will be a year of major changes.  In addition to the formal launch of Golf Ireland, the single governing body for amateur golf in Ireland, the new World Handicapping System is set to be launched in Ireland in November.  While all club golfers will continue under the current rules for handicaps for the current playing season, there will be a major transition to the new format.  Information, training and briefing sessions will be planned throughout the year to get committees and golfers up to speed with the changes.  The biggest change will be the “best average” system that will see the eight best returns from the last twenty rounds played used to calculate a players handicap index.  While this will not have any effect on Cups and Shields events in 2020 and 2021, it will be interesting to see what impact it will have on team and club competitions into the future.  Currently a golfers lowest handicap in the previous year is taken into account for Cups and Shields events so golfers will be keen to seen the impact of the new system.