Club membership concerns over Ireland’s Independent Golfer programme

The manager of one of Ireland’s largest golf venues has called for an “informed discussion” with golf clubs before they vote on Golf Ireland’s proposed ‘Independent Golfer’ scheme, adding that it could put club membership at risk.

Independent Golfer is a scheme that allows golfers who are not members of a golf club to obtain a handicap index, allowing them, for example, to participate in open competitions without having to be a member of a golf club.

Versions of it have recently been introduced in England, Scotland and Wales. In England, iGolf membership currently costs £46 per year and golfers can obtain a Handicap Index under the World Handicap System (WHS).

According to Irish golferRecently, Golf Ireland hosted a webinar to introduce the plan, and Ballyliffin Golf Club general manager John Farren emailed the body to suggest that the plan would not only be detrimental to golf clubs across the country, particularly the smaller clubs, but that the World Handicap system is “already viewed with considerable skepticism by Irish golfers and this will further damage the integrity of competitive golf in Ireland.”

“This is a significant change to the operation of WHS in Ireland and clubs have not been properly involved or consulted on this proposal,” Farren wrote. “We believe that this proposal should be voted on at a general meeting of Golf Ireland as this scheme will have a significant impact on existing clubs and in particular the viability of smaller clubs.

“The presentation was completely biased in favor of the plan, which was presented as a fait accompli.

“The WHS is already viewed with considerable skepticism by Irish golfers and this will further damage the integrity of competitive golf in Ireland.

Ballyliffin Golf Club. Image from Facebook

“The proposed plan would allow golfers without a home club to create a Handicap Index in some way – these handicaps would not have the same level of scrutiny as club members’ handicaps.”

One of Farren’s concerns is that golfers who have club membership will sign up for the Independent Golfer card and leave their club, and that a lack of figures has been presented to show how many are members of clubs in England, Wales , Scotland and other countries have now done so. this.

In 2023, around 543,000 people played full-course golf in Ireland, of which just over half, 224,000, were not members of a club.

Such novice golfers could be encouraged to join a club if their interest in the game grew, but Farren suggested that a reduction in the number of ‘Open’ competitions could be the result, along with an end to the discount on green fees for Golf Ireland members. affiliated clubs.

“The introduction of such a scheme would force clubs to reassess the viability of ‘open’ competitions and discounted green fees for domestic club members,” he wrote, adding: “It was not made clear that these cards would only be available for permanent residents. of the island of Ireland – can international golfers visiting the country access these cards upon arrival at the airport or prior to travel?

Other concerns included whether the program would meet current Golf Ireland and WHS handicap committee requirements, which state that a Handicap Committee must have a minimum of four people on the committee, all of whom must be club members. counting scores for a handicap can be recorded, and that failure to inform a club that their course or courses are being used for “official Golf Ireland ‘qualifiers’ would be a serious breach of trust.”

Farren signed off his email to Golf Ireland by suggesting that the matter “requires full and transparent engagement with the clubs of Ireland before it moves forward and certainly deserves a more informed discussion before the clubs vote on whether to accept it.” ”