Entries are now open for the 2024 Inter-Club competitions at All-Ireland and Regional level, after Golf Ireland unveiled the biggest set of changes in generations following a three-year review of the programme.
Since it became operational in 2021, Golf Ireland has conducted a suite of competitions inherited from the legacy unions, the ILGU and GUI, but on launching the programme in 2020 the Transition Board committed to a review which would seek to create a programme with a single and cohesive purpose.
As a result of the review, there will be 12 All-Ireland Inter-Club competitions (five for men, five for women and two mixed), in addition to a comprehensive series of regional events which will include competitions for a wider range of handicaps than ever before.
The programme includes a number of competitions that will remain largely as they were, as well as new competitions that will take the place of others previously organised at All-Ireland level. A new Mixed Four-Ball competition at All-Ireland level will be inaugurated, aimed at players currently not participating in the Irish Mixed Foursomes.
New competitions will also be rolled out at regional level for men and women, with the introduction of the first inter-club competition employing a nine-hole format for women with handicap indexes over 36 following strong support during the consultation process for such a competition.
The review also considered in detail the structure of the competitions and the eight competition areas at All-Ireland level which were introduced in 2021. The outcome is the retention of this model with some changes to the way in which the All-Ireland Quarter-Finals are organised, responding to feedback from clubs and team captains.
The changes come after a wide-ranging consultation over the first three years of Golf Ireland’s operations, with structured feedback from club officials, team captains, golfers, competition volunteers and staff.
Following this process, a comprehensive set of options on a wide range of issues were considered by Golf Ireland’s Championship Committee, after which detailed proposals were sent to the Board which have now been approved and will be implemented from 2024.
In addition to the changes to the suite of competitions at All-Ireland and regional level, specific competitions will see changes in team size and format. A three-year review cycle has been initiated which will envisage continual consultation with all stakeholders, and with the launch of entries today (1 December), over a month earlier than previously, the intention is that the draws for all competitions will be published much earlier than before.
Entries for underage competitions, previously opened and closed at the same time as all other competitions, will now open later in spring season to allow junior clubs more time to consider their participation. These two measures again responds to feedback received during the consultation period.
Club officials who will be entering their club’s teams in the 2024 Inter-Club competitions are strongly encouraged to consult the information pack that has been prepared on the changes, and which is available on the Golf Ireland Club Hub – click here.
The closing date for entries in the Inter-Club competitions is Friday 19 January 2024. It is intended that competition draws will be available by week-ending Friday 16 February 2024.
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