Golf Ireland announces 2021 Inter-Club formats; eight Competition Areas introduced

Castle’s Ross McKeever and Blanaid Nally celebrate their victory on the 17th green in the 2019 Irish Mixed Foursomes All Ireland Finals at Castletroy. Picture by Pat Cashman

The 2021 Golf Ireland Inter-Club format has been announced following a significant consultation process and review of current GUI and ILGU competition structures.

Golf Ireland Inter-Club competitions will be split into eight equal Competition Areas; one area in Connacht; three areas in Leinster (Leinster North, Leinster South, Leinster Central); two areas in Munster (Munster East and Munster West) and two areas in Ulster (Ulster North and Ulster South).

While it means an end to the traditional provincial finals in Leinster, Ulster and Munster for GUI events, a pennant will be awarded to the winning club in each of the eight Competition Areas .

These teams will progress to the All-Ireland Final series which will feature quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals across the entire suite of Inter-Club competitions. 

Subject to the evolving public health situation next year, the intention is to stage these All-Ireland finals series over five weekends in August and September, with a mixture of male and female competitions held over each weekend. 

Also in light of on-going public health considerations, measures have been put in place which will see all 2021 Inter-Club matches held on a home and away basis, over one leg, until the Area Final. 

The introduction of the World Handicap System from November 2nd will have an effect on eligibility for certain Inter-Club competitions.

To be eligible to compete in all Inter-Club competitions in 2021, a player needs to have a valid Handicap Index on 1 January 2021 and this will be the player’s qualifying handicap for the year. The three and four ‘card’ rules currently operated by the ILGU and GUI will no longer apply and specific handicap bands for all Inter-Club competitions will be published at the end of the year. 

Given the importance of the Inter-Club suite of competitions, the Transition Board of Golf Ireland has made a commitment for this new format to be reviewed following a three-year period.

Full details, including the Inter-Club Finals schedule and the specific Competition Areas can be found here.