Golf Courses In Ireland To Re-Open On 18th May

The country's golf courses will re-open on the 18th May after a government announcement on easing the Covid-19 lockdown measures

Golf Courses In Ireland To Re-Open On 18th May
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The country's golf courses will re-open on the 18th May after the government announced easing of the Covid-19 lockdown measures

Golf Courses In Ireland To Re-Open On 18th May

Golf courses in the Republic of Ireland will re-open on 18th May after an announcement from the government.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced a plan for Coronavirus lockdown measures to be loosened and said that "some outdoor sporting activities will be allowed" from 18th May.

Irish Golf’s national governing bodies – Golf Ireland, the Irish Ladies Golf Union and the Golfing Union of Ireland said in a statement that they "have warmly welcomed the Taoiseach’s confirmation that golf courses can reopen for play on a restricted basis in the first phase of the Government’s roadmap for the easing of Covid-19 restrictions later this month."

They say that they are now finalising a protocol in the coming week of how the game will be played safely.

Play will be for members only and competitions will not be permitted, and crucially only members who live within 5 kilometres from their club will be able to play.

This is because the current travel restrictions of 2km lift to 5km today up until 8th June when they will be extended to 20km

This announcement only applies to golf courses in the Republic of Ireland and not Northern Ireland as well.

"The governing bodies will continue to work with the U.K. authorities and the Northern Ireland Executive to seek the safe resumption of golf for our clubs in Northern Ireland," the statement said.

The UK could be soon to follow Ireland in re-opening its courses after the chairman of the UK Parliament’s All-Party Group for Golf said that golf "can, and should, return quickly."

The R&A also announced its guidelines for how the game will be played safely upon return and said that the proposals had been given to the government.

Mark Kennelly, CEO of Golf Ireland said: “The golf community in Ireland welcomes the Taoiseach’s confirmation that our clubs can reopen on a restricted basis in the first phase of the Government’s plan to ease the Covid-19 restrictions.

"This means that golf will be one of the first sports to resume and will give golf club members the opportunity to return to play on a limited but safe basis.

“Golf offers the potential to play a significant role in the recovery from this crisis in public health terms. Our sport provides a valuable outlet for healthy outdoor activity which can be enjoyed with the appropriate safety measures in place”.

“We hope that, later in the year, golf can also make a valuable contribution to economic recovery, particularly in the domestic tourism sector.”

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Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV