Huge funding boost for Irish golf clubs

The Irish government has said it will invest £1.7 million into more than 60 golf clubs under a sports club funding programme for 2017.

This represents a huge boost for the industry as in the 2015 programme just 12 golf clubs were given less than £300,000.

The announcement comes as Scottish Golf is calling for a funding boost so it can invest more in the industry – and warns that the annual subscriptions members of golf clubs pay will soar without this.

In Ireland 1,726 sporting clubs and organisations applied for almost £50 million of funding under the 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme.

Grants have been allocated for a range of capital programmes including golf practice facilities, junior golf academies, drainage work and general course improvements.

“This is a real boost for golf clubs in the Republic of Ireland,” said Redmond O’Donoghue, chairman of the Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI).

Annual golf subscriptions set to soar in Scotland

“The funding confirmed by the ministers will directly benefit 64 member clubs and more than 20,000 golf club members. It also represents a six-fold increase on the support provided to golf clubs in the last Sports Capital Programme.”

He added: “The Golfing Union of Ireland and Irish Ladies Golf Union’s commitment to supporting clubs through the CGI has made this increase in funding possible by providing clubs with the resources and support needed to enhance their funding applications.

“The satellite account report that the CGI produced earlier this year in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University demonstrated the real value of golf to the economy with consumer spending on golf in the Republic of Ireland alone worth £335 million annually.”

A spokesman for the CGI stated that this round of funding will bolster the golf sector in Ireland, which directly employs 9,030 people on the island of Ireland, including 6,800 people within the Republic of Ireland.

Dozens of sports applied for and will receive funding, with golf being the second highest beneficiary in total, as only tennis (£2.3 million for 51 clubs) secured more money.