Golf, Ireland, and Covid-19 in 2021

It is almost impossible to read any review of 2020 without the word ‘Covid’ or ‘virus’ appearing in the opening lines. That was the year we all had to endure and, as much as we have high hopes for 2021, the realists among us will know that there are several months of hardship ahead of us still.

This is as true in Ireland as it is anywhere.

 

We want golfers to return to this fantastic golf destination but those golfers will be thinking about how and when to visit, where to go, who to book with and what the implications will be of the vaccination programme – not just in Ireland but in their home country, too.

 

I particularly feel for those who had to postpone their 2020 golf trips and moved them to 2021. There must be a sense of desperation setting in.

 

If I had a crystal ball I would help you, I really would, but in the absence of such fortune telling powers I can do no more than direct you to the websites which will offer you the best and most up-to-date information:

 

1.    https://www.golfireland.ie/news?menuid=98
This is Irish golf’s official governing body and they update their ‘News’ feed regularly to spell out what is happening, not just with Covid-19 but with Irish golf in general.

2.    https://www.gov.ie/en/ 
For Irish government guidelines, this is the official place to go. It is up to date but also spells out what is and isn’t allowed in our five tier structure.

 

There are plenty of online resources out there but the newsfeeds for www.irishtimes.com and www.irishexaminer.ie are definitely worth checking. The Irish Times allows you five free articles a week before you have to tackle their paywall. The Irish Examiner doesn’t have any restrictions presently.

 

The current feeling is that there will be mass vaccinations in Ireland in May to July, and that the country will be much more accessible to tourism from that point as a result. That's not to say golf won't be accessible before then but, as this virus has shown, lockdowns and restrictions can happen fast… and comprehensively, and some peace of mind later in the year might be exactly what you need. 

 

All the same, businesses are following the relevant protocols so it is hoped we will be 'open for business' soon.

 

Remember, you will need a face mask (and I would recommend bringing several). Face shields don’t cut it unless worn with a mask. You are not allowed into shops (bars, restaurants, hotels included) unless you are wearing a mask. 

 

 

Christmas Golf Gifts 2020 - A Guide for Irish Golfers

Christmas shopping in 2020 is going to be a new experience both in terms of when we do our shopping and where. There has been an impressive push this year to promote Irish stores online and, with that sentiment in mind, here’s where to find everything you need for the golfers in your life... broken down into four headings:

1. Clothing

2. General

3. Golf Stores Online

4. Food/Drink)

Please don’t forget to support golf club pros by purchasing a voucher (or more) now that golf clubs have re-opened. 

1. Clothing

 

Rock Solid Apparel

Rock Solid Apparel is a young Northern Irish clothing brand. The company launched in late 2018 and the products available expanded quickly to include hoodies, sweatshirts, ¼ zip tops,

Raflewski Performance Academy Launches At PGA National Ireland

So here we are, in November 2020, and golf is about to return to our courses. Apart from golf on TV, for many of us golf ceased to exist over the past six weeks. We had other things to worry about.

But golf in Ireland has continued behind the scenes. The greenkeepers have been busy maintaining courses and preparing them for our return, while for others there were developments that had been planned for a while and couldn’t simply be postponed.

 

One of those is at Slieve Russell… and it’s something pretty spectacular. The

Top Ten Photos of the Year 2020

It is a frequent occurrence that no matter how much you plan, some of the best photographs come about thanks to a bit of luck. There are two photographs below that owe their existence to that luck.

It hasn’t been as busy a year as past years because… well, we all know why.

You can buy prints of many Irish golf courses through my website, including three of the shots listed below.

Here are the Top Ten shots of 2020, in no particular order... because ranking them would be like having to choose your favourite child.

1. Arklow 6th green 

The light was magical and there’s really no other Irish golf club car park – where this shot was taken from – that shows off the beauty and shape of the course you’re about to play.

2. Arklow 8th

This was the first shot I took with a new camera/lens combination (Nikon’s Z series

Sister Courses in Ireland and Oregon to Host Golf Championships in 2021

When Carne Golf Links first told me about their twinning with Gearhart Golf Links, in Oregon, I thought: now that's a brilliant idea. Two courses that help each other, swap ideas, promote the other locally and nationally, field teams against each other, and generally just create a positive channel of communication between them. What's not to like? Joint membership? Yep, that too.

Though separated by thousands of miles, these two courses with a unique connection will celebrate their alliance in the summer of 2021 by hosting national championships: The US

Saudi Arabia, Golf and Sportswashing

An announcement by the Ladies European Tour (LET) last month reignited a controversy about professional golf tournaments taking place in Saudi Arabia.

It may seem that the horse has already bolted following the European Tour’s Saudi International golf tournaments of 2019 and 2020, but the LET is also involved. The original plan was for the Ladies’ event to take place in March 2020, two months after the men, but Covid-19 put a stop to that. Until now.

 

In October, the LET announced not one but two ‘landmark’ tournaments for November (12-19), with prize money of $1.5 million on offer. 

A glossy video hit the airways showing female professionals giving lessons to young Saudi

The K Club Enters a Different World

The K Club may have changed hands in the past year and the two courses may have been renamed (Palmer North and Palmer South) but this week the golf on offer at this famous venue introduced something very different... K Golf World

Located next to the Palmer South course, K Golf World promises you the opportunity to play some of the best courses in the world at this most iconic of golf resorts. Weather? No bother, it's all indoors. 

K Golf World is a sophisticated, comfortable, suite of state of the art standalone golf simulators with eight spacious and high-tech bays, each accommodating a maximum of four golfers at a time, and all backed with the exceptional five-star service and attention to detail of The K Club.  

Here's the technical detail:

With two hyper-speed cameras operating at 3,000 frames per second, which also produce a stereoscopic effect, the K Golf World simulator system provides real-time footage of ball spin, club path and true impact — and one of the very few systems available that can measure actual spin data. The overhead monitors also track both ball and club data with unmatched accuracy, allowing golfers to swing freely because of their ceiling mounts. Swing analysis cameras are directly integrated with the software in addition to the tracking cameras, and the videos are displayed after each shot to give proof of what happened, making it suitable for all users, especially club fitters and coaches.

The user-friendly interface ensures you will always have the right data, right there in front of you, so you can drive your own continuous self-improvement with unrivalled graphic quality. And have one hell of an experience at the same time.

Star Attraction

You can go solo and enjoy your own virtual driving range, work on your short game and practice your drives, approach shots, chips and putts on any hole in the world. 

Yes, you and your friends can also play a virtual round and compete on some of the world’s greatest golf courses from the comfort of Ireland’s first custom-built public simulator facility, with its spacious and luxuriously furnished bays, bar and excellent food.

Imagine the enjoyment of playing the 17th island hole at TPC Sawgrass, the Postage Stamp 8th at Royal Troon, the tiny acre that houses the iconic 7th hole at Pebble Beach — and being back home in time for dinner. 

Bays are available from €40 per hour*. For further information and to reserve your time see www.kgolfworld.ie. K Golf World will open as soon as it’s safe to do so.

So even despite the lockdown, winter golf is looking brighter with K Golf World opening next month. Low handicappers to fair weather players, and those who won’t make it to Spain or Portugal this year, you still have the opportunity to head to County Kildare to experience golf with a difference... and leave your wet gear at home.  

*Masters discount - for the week of the Masters, starting November 12th -  15th - buy a K Golf World voucher and get an additional 20%. 

Donegal: The Power of New

It is surprising – to me at least – that Irish golfers are not that aware of the many ‘new’ things happening at Irish golf courses. We all knew about the massive upgrade at Adare Manor and many of us had heard that Skellig Bay was evolving into Hog’s Head, but the changes going on in Co. Donegal over the past three years have slipped by relatively unnoticed.

One of the new (Pat Ruddy) holes on the Old Tom
course at Rosapenna.

I conducted a poll on Twitter asking if people knew that Tom Doak was redesigning

€600,000 R&A Funding for Irish Clubs Announced

110 clubs took advantage of the funding that was made available to Irish golf clubs during the 1st phase of the Covid19 pandemic. Personally, I can't decide if I'm impressed or disappointed at that number of 110. It's approximately a quarter of Irish golf clubs, and I'd expected more clubs to take advantage of the 'free' funding. 

Here's the press release from Golf Ireland with the details.

 

• Almost €600,000 secured for golf clubs across Ireland
• 110 clubs awarded grants
• Boost for clubs after difficult year

 

A total of €596,550 will be awarded to 110 clubs which applied for The R&A Covid-19 support fund. Since its return, golf had been under immense pressure in a number of respects and a second closure will now heighten that pressure.

 

The phased nature of its initial return, beginning with limited tee time capacity for members only and without revenue-raising potential through green fees, open competitions, shop sales or catering meant that clubs were required to operate their facilities without any revenue streams to support the significant ongoing maintenance requirement. 

 

Notwithstanding this, the level of compliance with the Covid-19 Protocol had been extremely high, however many golf clubs and facilities will be facing serious financial difficulties as the global pandemic continues.

 

The R&A launched a Covid-19 Support Fund earlier this year with the aim of assisting National Associations in GB&I to support their affiliated clubs. Golf Ireland was responsible for administering a funding package of £555,000. 

 

The application process has now been completed in Ireland, using a criteria that targeted small to medium sized clubs and specifically those that could showcase immediate financial need. Of the clubs that applied for funding, 96% of clubs were successful in their applications.

 

Clubs who were successful in their application will receive a grant, ranging in value, and have met specific criteria including the following:

• The club is eligible for relief from income tax and corporation tax for clubs under the exemptions provided for Games/Sporting bodies in ROI and clubs registered under the Registration of Clubs Act in NI. 

• The club is member owned.
• The club is in urgent need of The R&A funding in order continue to provide facilities for the normal playing of the game for their members and visitors.
• The club has no entrance fee or an entrance fee of less than €1,500/£1,500.
• The club’s membership income is lower than €600,000/£535,00 and/or green fee/society revenue is lower that €100,000/£90,000 as reported in the clubs 2019 financial statements. 
• The club does not provide a financial return to stakeholders/owners.
• The club's subscriptions are paid up to date for 2020 to both the GUI & ILGU.

 

Clubs successful in their application for funding must commit to signing the Women in Golf Charter and create an implementation plan to achieve the gold standard within an agreed timeline. In addition clubs must be compliant in all safeguarding regulations and will receive a safeguarding audit.

 

Mark Kennelly, CEO of Golf Ireland said: ‘‘Covid-19 has significantly impacted all areas of our society, sport and golf are no different. We are extremely grateful for the on-going support of The R&A throughout this turbulent period. While there are challenges ahead for golf, the funding supports made possible by The R&A will help those clubs most in need at this time. Clubs have demonstrated a need for this funding which will assist them in recruiting and retaining members while also ensuring appropriate safety procedures are in place at their facilities”.

 

“The R&A Covid-19 Support Fund will enable clubs to invest in areas which will make them more sustainable. Investment will be made to the way services are provided to club members and guests including to online platforms and/or facilities that will ensure the safety of all going forward.” 

 

Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said, “The pandemic is continuing to have an impact on the day-to-day operations of golf clubs and many of them have suffered loss of income due to circumstances not in their control. We have a responsibility to help protect golf from the effects of this crisis where we can and so we hope that our Covid-19 Support Fund will allow affiliated national associations to support clubs in dealing with the challenges of the pandemic and begin the process of recovery.”  

The Best 9-Hole Courses in Ireland?

It was fantastic news when Golf.com published their recent Top 50 Best 9-Hole Courses in the World, and Ireland had four entries. Cruit Island, Mulranny, Castlegregory and Bushfoot were all included and anyone who has played them will know why. 

Mulranny came in at 16th, and the Golf.com review read as follows:

“Expert’s take: Guarded by electrified fences, the greens are surprisingly large and full of character. Punchbowl and plateau, embankment and benched, their sites are well varied, often at the end of some astutely occupied seaside terrain. The hardly believable left-to-right cant of the short 8th, perched beyond hidden burn with village in the distance above, will be a favorite.”

Mulranny 6th green, with the famous barbed wire 

fencing around the putting surface.

Castlegregory was at 21st:

“Expert’s take: Another brilliant seaside links test, Castlegregory is everything

Sands of Time - End of an Era at Cork Golf Club

These are the final days of Matt Sands' 32 year career at Cork Golf Club. As General Manager he has steered the club through both difficult and glorious times, and retiring must leave some mixed feelings for him. 

With a course attributed to the great Dr Alister MacKenzie, he was always managing a course that, at times, feels like a work of art. Managing the club and its members is a different matter entirely. 

You can read my interview with Matt, for the Irish Examiner, here. I have been writing for the Irish Examiner for a few years now and I have learned that they rarely adopt the article headline that I give them. On this occasion though, I felt I'd nailed it with 'Sands of Time'. 

Nope... instead the newspaper ran with 'What next for retiring Cork GC manager Matt Sands? ‘Play more golf, I suppose’'

Hmmm! I'm going to put that one down as a win for me.

Best of luck with your retirement, Matt. It is well deserved.

Galgorm Castle - What a September in Store

For most of us, 2020 has been an 'annus horribilis'. Little wonder with Covid-19 leading the charge to a different way of life and putting fear and doubt into most people's minds. 

Golf has benefitted as things started to reopen. The current figure from the GUI is that golf has attracted 12,000 new members since May. Plenty of clubs have seen over 100 new members.

On the flip side, one of major Irish casualties was the cancellation of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Mount Juliet. It had to be done but it was sad to see it go and the initial thought was that there would be no event in 2020. But that wasn't the case.

Take a bow, Galgorm Castle, which is part of the five star Galgorm Spa and Golf Resort. In what should be an 'annus mirabilis'... or perhaps that should be miraculis... the resort on the outskirts of Ballymena will host not one but two two European Tour events in September. The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open is scheduled for the end of the month (24th - 27th) but the Challenge Tour's Northern Ireland Open supported by the R&A will be the forerunner as it hosts competitors from the 3rd to 6th September. Galgorm Castle has hosted the NI Open for 10 years so knows full well how to host a big event.

It is great news for Irish golf even if Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and some other big names don't make it back from the US. Maybe the spotlight can fall on Galgorm Castle instead - it is a fine parkland course.

The Northern Ireland Open supported by The R&A will be played behind closed doors but European Tour Productions will have daily highlights programmes broadcast through www.europeantour.com as well as the tournament website www.niopen.golf. Tournament highlights will also be shown on Sky Sports with daily updates on local TV networks. For live scoring during tournament week, visit www.europeantour.com

Roll on, September.

The Island Golf Club Upgrades - 2020

When I first started writing about golf courses I never thought that I'd end up talking to and meeting some of the world's great golf architects.

Over the past three years I have spoken to Tom Doak about his Renaissance Club, on Scotland's Golf Coast (East Lothian), met Martin Hawtree during his work on Castlerock, and had lunch with Gil Hanse, at Narin & Portnoo (now open for play).

I have played golf with Ally McIntosh several times and chatted to both him and Ken Kearney during a Top 100 ranking meeting.

Talking to these guys just demonstrates how differently I look at a golf course. Golf course design is a discipline quite a distance from my sphere of interest.

And that was my concern when it came to The Island Golf Club, and the changes being

Ireland's Top 100 Golf Courses... with a difference

Strandhill, a popular and high ranking choice

Rankings always stir debate. Usually that debate is well behaved and considered, but sometimes it gets out of hand with insults being flung in all directions. That's partly the Social Media age where people feel they can say what they like, how they like. Gone is the age when people acknowledged that others were allowed to have an opinion different to their own.

I knew full well that would be the case when I started the project to produce a list of Ireland's favourite golf courses. I called it a Top 100 because that's what catches the attention and, by inviting three other golfers to join me in selecting their favourite 25 Irish golf courses, I was fulfilling that brief. As it turned out there were 48 courses mentioned in all.

The purpose was to get four golfers to pick their FAVOURITE courses... and not what

Beaufort GC - Unfounded Rumours and Powering On

The power of a rumour has become ever more potent in the digital – and specifically social media – age. One wrong word, one slip, one misinterpretation… and your world can turn upside down. Facts are misconstrued, quotes are taken out of context, spite bares its soul.

Take a President starting his own idiotic rumour that Covid-19 can be tackled by injecting disinfectant and many of us are waiting for the first deaths by bleach ingestion to be announced. His fixation with hydroxychloroquine has already caused the death of an engineer in Arizona who consumed a fishtank cleaning chemical believing it contained the Trump-touted cure. OK, so the word ‘rumour’ should probably be replaced by ignorance… but the two often go hand-in-hand. 

On the golf front we’ve all heard rumours about this and that and it’s not always easy to separate fact from fiction. I read an article some eight years ago that suggested Co. Sligo had been selected to host the Irish Open, and foolishly tweeted about it. Someone was having a laugh, started the rumour and I compounded it. 

At the moment the most dangerous rumours circling Irish golf are the ones claiming that courses are closing. Such rumours are like sharks scenting blood and no sooner does the rumour start than more predators emerge to get their teeth into the story. 

An old pic of Beaufort Golf Club

What we do know is that Killorglin GC has gone and so too Castleisland GC**. They were near neighbours (30 km apart) and they closed within a week of each other. I know of one other course that is supposed to have closed… although I won’t fall into that trap again… and there are undoubtedly rumours swirling around others.

Interestingly, a club that is located between these two Co. Kerry courses, Beaufort Golf Club, is another venue rumoured to be closing. Last Saturday was the first time I heard about this one… and the only reason it came to my attention was because the golf club contacted me to make it clear the rumour was false.

“There are rumours being spread that we are closing,” said Fiona Dunne, Marketing Manager at the club. “This is far from the truth. I want to put to bed that we are not closing and we are looking forward to a successful second half of the year, welcoming members old and new, and visitors too once we are allowed to re-open. Maintenance work is being carried out on a continuous basis, alongside the implementation of our BRS booking system and a refurbishment of the Pro Shop.” 

The club is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a special membership offer as all anniversary celebrations have been put on hold. No doubt there will be some celebrations in the future, especially when the rumours of closure have ceased.

**Killorglin and Castleisland members are in the process of forming a new club to be based on the Killorglin course.

Does Golf Go Above and Beyond?

Douglas Golf Club

There are calls across the UK to open golf courses to the general public. 

There is a movement in the UK that’s gathering momentum and it is already being muttered about over here. Should golf courses be opened to the general public?

Caroline Lucas, former leader of the UK Green Party, was one of the first to suggest it, specifically in more urban areas where green spaces are more limited… and where parks have been closed because people aren’t following the rules. 

It makes sense, doesn’t it? Golf courses are vast green and pretty spaces where no one is hitting balls these days and people can enjoy fresh air without getting close to others.

You know what… I wholeheartedly approve of the idea. It’s fabulous.

On one condition.

These people respect the environment they are in. And that means the following:

1.     Every single dog crap has to be removed and disposed of responsibly, and not chucked in the nearest bush. Chances of that happening? 2 out of 10.

2.     No ball throwing for dogs onto greens where putting surfaces could be gouged by claws. In Scotland, where there is a ‘right to roam’, people typically walk their dogs on paths through the golf course, but at Prestwick – the birthplace of the Open Championship – they have a ‘neighbour’ who likes to throw tennis balls onto the green for his dog, thereby causing considerable damage. Chances of no ball throwing onto greens? 4 out of 10.

3.     No sunbathing or picnics on fairways, by ponds/lakes or in the woods. That’s one of the main reasons you got kicked out of the parks in the first place, you dummies. Chances of that happening? 6 out of 10.

4.     People don’t dump their rubbish wherever they choose. Chances of that happening? 0 out of 10.

5.     Natural habitats and wildlife are not disturbed by dogs or humans. Chances of that happening? 1 out of 10.

6.     No kids (or adults) cycling over greens, playing football, frisbee or any other ‘sport’ on fairways or greens. If there’s going to be any sport you can sod off and let us play golf. Chances of that happening? 0 out of 10.

7.     Dogs and/or children are not allowed to play or dig about in the bunkers, thereby damaging drainage, the banking or edges. Chances of that happening? 4 out of 10.

8.     No one brings a golf club with them to ‘practise’. No one brings a dozen balls and then leaves a series of unrepaired divots and/or unrepaired pitchmarks on the green. Chances of that happening? 3 out of 10.

9.     People obey all of the above rules. Chances of that happening? Absolutely zero.

Based on the above, any suburban course, be it Milltown, Castle, Elm Park, Mahon, Douglas, Shandon Park, Williamstown, Rathbane would be very generous to open its gates to the general public. It would be a strong showing of community spirit and social responsibility for these clubs (and all clubs for that matter) to make their courses so accessible… but then you also have to consider mundane details like insurance, security and health & safety.

Castle Golf Club

And who is going to monitor the general public when they are enjoying the golf course surroundings? And who picks up the tab for the damage caused? Based on recent Twitter and Facebook posts, it is abundantly clear that it only takes a few morons on quad bikes or bicycles, with beer cans and/or dogs to damage a course and get every golfer's temperature up.

Ireland is fortunate to have cities that are nothing like the size and spread of those in Birmingham, London or Manchester, where green spaces are few and far between. I see the point of the arguments being made because it would be a fabulous gesture in these difficult times and I know that some courses have indeed opened their gates but the demands to open up Irish golf courses will be nothing like as intense. And, as restrictions are relaxed - in the next fortnight with luck - we golfers will be the first to experience courses where greenkeepers have been working so, so hard to keep everything in the best condition possible. 

COVID-19 and Irish Golf

Galway Bay Golf Resort 14th green

The anxiety surrounding the Covid-19 virus has been growing stronger by the day and will continue to do so as the days become weeks and weeks become months. The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open is the first event now listed to be played on the European Tour, at the end of May, but no one is expecting the tournament to happen. We have a long way to go.

We all know what has been happening with pub closures, the cancellation of large events (sports, music, weddings etc.), the requirements for employees to work from home where at all possible... never mind the lay-offs. ‘Social distancing’ will undoubtedly become an official term in dictionaries around the world, people will get into the habit of washing their hands properly and families will discover new ways to entertain themselves thanks to the varying demands of self-isolation.  

At the same time life must go on and, for now, we are still able to enjoy the open spaces around us. Golf is a ‘good news’ story in that regard. Yes, clubhouse bars, restaurants and Pro shops – even the clubhouse itself – may be closing but plenty of courses remain open and payments can be made online or over the phone. In terms of social distancing and forming a group of no more than four people, golf is the perfect opportunity to get outdoors for some physical exercise and stimulate mental wellbeing with friends and/or family. The government has emphasised the importance of both of these.

Yesterday's joint statement from the GUI and ILGU included the following:

The GUI & ILGU recognise the significant impact that the current Coronavirus / COVID-19 crisis is having on golf clubs across Ireland. While areas within golf clubhouses may not be available due to the need for social distancing, the sport remains open and accessible.

Golf club members can still play and enjoy their golf while acting within the guidelines issued by the Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland and Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland. Visitors (e.g. societies, open days) either require some form of screening or should be discouraged for the time being."

The restrictions do not prevent casual rounds of golf taking place. Indeed, golf is a great sport for people generally to get out and about, exercise and enjoy fresh air. It is played in an outdoor setting where the risk of contracting Covid-19 is low.

Strandhill's 5th hole

Golf clubs are aware of the difficulties presented by this virus and are taking the necessary precautions. The HSE has not yet placed any specific restrictions on golf clubs (clubs in Spain and Germany are now closed, for example) and while this may yet come, for now you can take time out to play a few holes.

Clubs are adapting to the new climate by introducing a number of essential precautions as well as offers to keep golfers playing the game. Essential precautions include removing rakes from bunkers, taking away bins, benches and ball-washers, and requiring flags to be left in the hole and untouched (the bottom of the cup insert can be turned upside down so the ball can easily be retrieved and you can use a glove to do this). They are simple steps but all designed to stop the spread of the virus through unnecessary engagement and contact. This includes how you pay (online, phone, contactless).

It is no easy task to attract golfers as concern grows, but Galway Bay Golf Resort has introduced a heavily reduced green fee as well as strict clubhouse and golf course protocols… none of which is arduous.

“During these very difficult times we feel it is important for the community to keep active and safe,” says Dave Wensley, Sales Manager at Galway Bay Golf Resort. “We have therefore reduced our green fee to €30 for 18 holes, seven days a week. This reduced rate applies because we can offer contactless payments in the club. Visitors can also call us to pre-pay and then head straight out at their allotted time without coming into the clubhouse.”

Galway Bay Golf Resort's 10th hole

The GUI/ILGU's statement indicates that large groups of visiting golfers should be discouraged, and while I agree with dissuading large groups from turning up my own feeling on the matter is that members and visitors are the same when it comes to playing golf and embracing the relevant protocols. As long as everyone follows them and signs in on arrival (for tracing purposes) then golf courses are still there to be enjoyed.

Whether clubs remain open just for members or for everyone, the ‘rules’ remain the same: use a hand sanitiser frequently (clubhouses - if open - are stocking them), change your shoes in the car park, wash your hands thoroughly, don’t shake hands, keep your distance especially on the tee, and avoid touching your playing partners’ clubs or ball. 

At Macreddin, golfers are limited to one person per buggy.

If, as assumed, far worse is to come then it will come as no surprise when golf courses close their doors. In the meantime, playing this game remains an outlet to get outside and enjoy limited and careful social interaction, mental relaxation and physical exercise. 

Golf Ireland Launches Its Brand Identity

On Monday this week, Golf Ireland launched its logo... as seen here.

I wrote this piece for the Irish Examiner, explaining the launch and the background to Golf Ireland. If you are an overseas visitor to my blog then you won't have any idea what Golf Ireland is all about. The article will explain it in depth but, basically, it's the new body that combines the separate Men's golfing union (GUI) and Ladies' golfing union (ILGU). Remarkably, Ireland is the last country in the world to have two separate unions based on gender.

I posted a Tweet showing the logo and inviting feedback from the Twittersphere. It wasn't positive.

"As a Venn diagram it would have been tricky in the junior cert."

"Take away the words and what are you left with. Spud-men? Mating amoeba? Two elastic bands?"

"With a squint of the eye it looks like someone is carrying something. Spud man with golf bag."

There wasn't one response that was complimentary.

Logos and branding are so difficult to get right and even more difficult to explain to the 'man on the street'. I was at the launch and listened to the rationale behind the logo's creation. Green shapes, bunker shapes, intertwining, moving away from the typical golf logo (of ball/flags/golfer silhouette)... sure, it made sense when it was explained in detail but if the typical golfer doesn't have this information to hand and they look at the above logo... what are they going to think?

Well... what do you think?