​​It should have been a breakthrough year for golfing bodies in Ireland but like so many other sports the goalposts have moved.  Both the GUI (Men) and ILGU (Ladies) recently held their final Annual General Meetings, and it looked like the biggest item on the agenda for 2020 was the transition to Golf Ireland, the new single governing body for the amateur game in Ireland.  Instead, both bodies along with the Confederation of Golf in Ireland.  The national bodies have directly engaged at the highest level with government agencies to establish recovery support measures.  As part of their efforts to support golfers and clubs, a club survey will follow next week to help Unions identify the economic impact on the sport and the GUI, ILGU & CGI hope to outline immediate supports available.  In a statement issued to all clubs over the weekend the Unions acknowledge the challenges that golf clubs across the island are experiencing. “This will not be an easy time for our sport but we endeavour to monitor options available and engage with the relevant sporting bodies to represent you, our member clubs.  In line with this, we have been asked to outline the financial impact of the current crisis on our member clubs. In the coming days, you will be asked to complete a survey which will allow the GUI/ILGU to best represent the sport and begin to put recovery measures in place.  All sporting activity in Ireland has now ceased, and all golf clubs in the vast majority of European countries and many other countries worldwide – have also been asked to close.  We thank our member clubs for adhering to this recommendation.  The last thing the Unions would ever have wanted to do is recommend our clubs to close, but at a time of global emergency, golf must show solidarity with those around us, in our towns, villages and communities across the island.”  A large concern for most clubs will be how to manage their current cash pressures and what areas can be looked at during times of uncertainty.  While most clubs will be hoping to retain members and their valuable annual subscriptions, green fee, society and classic income will undoubtedly be lost over the next few weeks and possibly months.  While club will hope to recover some of this in the summer, those clubs dependent on golf tourism may have a tough seven or eight months ahead.  While ILGU/GUI do not typically offer any form of financial advice, a simple guidance has been compiled.  This guidance, available from the Golfnet website has been adapted to include advice from numerous organisations such as The R&A, GCMA, BIGGA, Deloitte, KPMG, PWC and Local Enterprise Boards.