Amateur golfBrian KeoghGUI, AIG Cups and Shields Finals

GUI green lights inter-club events; Jimmy Bruen and Pierce Purcell run as fourballs

Amateur golfBrian KeoghGUI, AIG Cups and Shields Finals
GUI green lights inter-club events; Jimmy Bruen and Pierce Purcell run as fourballs
Castlebar's Dave Walsh leads the charge at the 18th green after victory in the final of the AIG Jimmy Bruen at Carton House. Picture by Pat Cashman

Castlebar's Dave Walsh leads the charge at the 18th green after victory in the final of the AIG Jimmy Bruen at Carton House. Picture by Pat Cashman

GUI clubs have voted in favour of a limited schedule of inter-club competitions and events in 2020 though it remains to be seen if All-Ireland competitions will run to completion or concluded at provincial level only.

The GUI wrote to all of its affiliated clubs requesting that they consider whether they wished to participate in a curtailed suite of inter-club competitions later this year.

The results were clear cut with the majority in favour of going ahead with the AIG Senior Cup, Junior Cup, Jimmy Bruen Shield, Pierce Purcell Shield, the All Ireland Gold Medals and the Boys Under 18 Inter-Club.

Most clubs also gave the green light to some of the major provincial competitions — the Jack O’Sullivan (Connacht), Barton Cup (Leinster), Leinster Under-15 Inter-Club and the Ulster Cup.

However, strict social distancing will be in place and as a result, the AIG Jimmy Bruen and Pierce Purcell Shields will be conducted as four-ball competitions instead of foursomes to facilitate safe social distancing.

Event - Percentage of original entry in favour of proceeding

  • AIG Senior Cup – 169 clubs (85%)

  • AIG Junior Cup – 232 clubs (79%)

  • AIG Jimmy Bruen Shield – 242 clubs (78%)

  • AIG Pierce Purcell Shield – 253 clubs (76%)

  • All-Ireland Gold Medals – 114 clubs (65%)

  • Boys Under-18 Inter-Club – 108 clubs (92%)

  • Jack O’Sullivan (Connacht) – 27 clubs (78%)

  • Barton Cup (Leinster) – 81 clubs (62%)

  • Leinster Under-15 Inter-Club – 35 clubs (65%)

  • Ulster Cup – 67 clubs (70%)

What happens next? 

  • Draws and related information for these competitions will be published on Monday 29 June

  • Start date, not earlier than 20 July, strictly dependent on public health restrictions. Will be confirmed with the publication of the draws. 

  • Accompanying all draws will be a guidance checklist that all participating clubs must adhere to in order to prioritise safety of all concerned during matches. 

What will be different about specific events?

The plan that was circulated to all clubs at the time is available to view here: https://www.golfnet.ie/SiteAssets/Inter-Club%20Plan%20for%20Clubs.pdf. 

What will happen with AIG Senior Cup, Junior Cup, Jimmy Bruen and Pierce Purcell?

  • No stroke play qualifiers. Instead, the competition will be run in the same way in all four provinces, with all matches prior to at least the provincial quarter-final being played on a home/away basis with the team drawn at home hosting three matches and the team drawn away hosting two.

  • Tight schedule to complete matches, with rounds generally being run off within a fortnight of each other. It will be essential that all participating clubs work with us and each other to ensure that all rounds are played in a timely manner. The full rules and procedures around this will be published with the draws at the end of the month.  

  • Host clubs will NOT be required to provide post-match sit-down meals, caddies will not be allowed in any of the events, and there will be no requirement to provide complimentary practice rounds prior to matches. Practice, instead, will be discretionary, subject to each club’s capabilities, and if agreed, it should always be reciprocal. 

  • In order to facilitate safe social distancing, the AIG Jimmy Bruen and Pierce Purcell Shields will be conducted as four-ball competitions instead of foursomes. Matches will still be played off scratch and the handicap limits remain as before. 

  • The All-Ireland finals have been provisionally rescheduled for Donegal Golf Club on 15-18 October 2020, which will facilitate these national competitions being run to a conclusion provided that matches are played on time and) that public health measures remain favourable

  • Should these provisos prove impossible to meet due to circumstances beyond our control, it remains the intention as per the plan to conclude these competitions at provincial level.  

  • The intention is to hold the final of the Under-18 Inter-Club along with the four AIG events in Donegal in October, while the All-Ireland Gold Medal final remains scheduled for The K Club on 6 October, but with a new format that is fully set out in the plan (see here: https://www.golfnet.ie/SiteAssets/Inter-Club%20Plan%20for%20Clubs.pdf). 

Final confirmed entries

To view the final confirmed list of entries, click here: https://www.golfnet.ie/guilive#/competition/2216844/info.