Golf Ireland: “We will be making the case for more public investment in golf”
Photo (L-R): Paul Haran (Golf Ireland Chair), Robert Oxley (The R&A), Mark Kennelly (Golf Ireland CEO), Simon Shibli (Sheffield Hallam University) and Tracy Bunyan (Golf Ireland COO).
Golf Ireland is seeking increased public investment in golf following research that revealed the game generated €717 million in direct economic value and supported 15,600 jobs in 2023.
A report carried out for Golf Ireland and the R&A by Sheffield Hallam University shows that golf-related consumer spending on the island reached €703 million and generated €277.6 million in tax revenue in 2023, putting in perspective the €58m government investment in the 2027 Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
The Open generated some £100m (€117.2) for the Northern Ireland economy in 2019, and with next month's return to Royal Portrush set to be even bigger, a potential staging of The Open at Portmarnock would be an economic winner.
"We will be using the findings of this report to make the case for more public investment in golf because I think what is clear is the return on investment, and not just in pure public finance tax terms, but the investment in terms of wider economic impact, is really demonstrated and proven in this report," said Golf Ireland's CEO Mark Kennelly.
Golf Ireland receives €2.5 million annually in government grants (€2m in the Republic and some €500,000 in Northern Ireland), while clubs were separately awarded €11.43m in sports capital funding in 2023.
But with an estimated 10pc of the population (561,522 adults) participating in golf at least once a year — up 46pc since 2014 — more facilities are needed.
"We definitely need to grow our capacity," Mr Kennelly said. "It doesn't always have to be the traditional full-length 18-hole course, because we live in a world now where there's a lot of competition for land use, and housing is a big challenge in Ireland.
"We see a lot of scope in developing what are called short courses, which are very suitable for people who are in the early stages of their golf development."
The staging here of The Open, the Walker Cup and the Ryder Cup over the next three years will only grow interest in golf.
Next week's KPMG Women's Irish Open at Carton House will feature a record 16 Irish women.
They include Elm Park's Anna Foster, who was just three shots off the lead after opening with a three-under 70 in the Amundi German Masters in Hamburg, where Lauren Walsh was the next best of the Irish after a 71.
At the Italian Open in Tuscany, Conor Purcell's level par 70 left him six shots behind leader Dan Bradbury, while a one-over 73 left Seamus Power 10 shots behind clubhouse leader Min Woo Lee in the Rocket Classic at Detroit Golf Club.
At the HotelPlanner Tour's Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge, Jonny Caldwell was four shots off the lead after a two-under 70 as Max Kennedy shot 72, Liam Nolan 74 and Dermot McElroy a 76.
In the European Amateur Championship in Sweden, a two-under 70 left Co Louth's Stuart Grehan joint fourth at halfway on three-under, just two shots behind Finn Sakke Siltala.
