Golf Ireland celebrates 2025

Caption: Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Patrick O’Donovan, was at Gaelscoil O Doghair in Newcastle West, Co. Limerick on Monday for a Golf Ireland taster session. He is pictured alongside Golf Ireland CEO Mark Kennelly (right) and Munster Golf in the Community Officer, Robert Cussen, along with a teacher and pupils from the school. Photo: Inpho Sports / Tom O'Hanlon

 

Golf Ireland is delighted to provide their second annual year in review, which highlights another year of progress across the game with the strongest membership figures since its inception. 

These results include rising participation and continued investment in clubs and facilities, to outstanding performances by Irish golfers at home and abroad. Golf Ireland’s work with clubs, schools and communities ensured the game is more accessible and inclusive. 

2025 was defined by growth and opportunity, which underlined golf’s importance to the economy and the publication of the Golf Ireland Economic Impact Report, in collaboration with The R&A and Sheffield Hallam University highlighted its contribution. That amounted to €717 million in direct economic value and the support of 15,600 jobs.

Ireland once again proved a world-class host for major events with The Open centre stage to record attendances in Royal Portrush. The Road to The Open initiative captured the imagination, inspired new golfers and showcased a game that connects people of all ages and backgrounds. 

The progress made provides the platform for an even brighter future as Irish golf looks to 2026 and beyond. 

  

Growing membership 

It has been another year of growth across all membership. By the end of October affiliated membership figures had reached 236,384 on the island of Ireland. 

Initially that stood at 182,000 in 2020 and the 30% increase represents a sustainable growth, with the female cohort now standing at 20% of the overall figure.  

The largest membership figure since Golf Ireland’s inception has come as a result of an 8% overall increase this calendar year, while junior membership has jumped 25% in that same period.  

Meanwhile, these have peaked in tandem with rising iGolf figures as Golf Ireland introduced more people to the game through the independent golfer scheme. iGolf was launched in October 2024 to grow participation, and there are currently over 4,900 subscribers. Subscribers are in all counties with the majority based in densely populated areas, such as Dublin, Cork and Antrim. The average Handicap Index® for men is 19, with women at 31. 

iGolfers have played more than 30,000 rounds, over 90% of which were general play scores, and they contributed an estimated €1.4 million in green fee revenue to golf clubs. Over 240 iGolfers have gone on to become members of golf clubs, this means 4.7% of subscribers have used iGolf as a pathway to golf club membership.

 

Future proofing our game 

Last year, Golf Ireland launched Drive the Green, the action plan for advancing sustainability and climate action through the sport. 

103 clubs are involved in a bespoke sustainability leader’s programme, with Golf Ireland providing free access to their experts. This is aligned with the GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf and clubs are pledged to be more sustainable, with some receiving independent certification. 

Golf Ireland has funded the mapping and audit of 34 courses from a biodiversity perspective, identifying fauna, species and habitats. Leading ecologist Alan Lauder prepared an ecological report for each club, which includes analysis, recommendations and opportunities. 

In January, Golf Ireland collaborated with the Association of Turfgrass Professionals Ireland (ATPI) on the development of a sustainability portal to monitor pesticide use. This was developed in consultation with the Department of Agriculture. This sustainability portal is offered for free to clubs, together with free training for greenkeepers. 

Golf Ireland remains conscious of its carbon footprint and having installed a Solar Photovoltaic System at the Golf Ireland headquarters last year, c.49% of its energy needs in Carton Demesne are now generated through this. 

Golf Ireland collaborated with TOMRA Collection Ireland on the installation of Deposit Return Scheme machines at the AMGEN Irish Open in The K Club and the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Carton House, with funds raised going to community partners. 

In September, Golf Ireland and DP World Tour delivered the first Sustainability Golf Forum in Ireland during the opening round of the AMGEN Irish Open. A wide range of experts and stakeholders from golf, government and across sport gathered to discuss how sport can drive sustainability and positive change. 

Golf Ireland hosted its first Club Sustainability Forum at Royal Dublin in October. This brought together golf clubs from across Ireland to learn about water management, biodiversity, decarbonisation and sustainability. 

 

Supporting clubs and volunteers 

Golf Ireland looked to maximise the impact of The Open, with the Road to The Open campaign, which was launched in conjunction with The R&A in March. This was an integral part of Golf Ireland’s Major Events Legacy Programme. 

Unleash Your Drive was launched and delivered in 76 schools with 3,214 students (51% female) taking part in the six-week programme focussing on a fun introduction to golf. By the end of the year, 20,000 students will have tried golf for the first time through Golf in the Community Officers, who will have engaged with 190 schools through taster sessions. 

Golf Ireland and The R&A took the Claret Jug on a 2,479km tour of clubs and communities ahead of The Open. 3,220 people engaged with the tour while it visited 23 golf clubs, along with eight communities and partners. 

GolfNines was launched throughout Ulster, to connect the established GolfSixes format to The Open. That Major provided Golf Ireland’s development team with an opportunity to deliver golf activities at the Swingzone in collaboration with The Golf Foundation. Eight days of golf skills and games were delivered to 7,000 fans.  

Golf Ireland launched its Volunteer Framework this year, to enhance support, recognition, and development opportunities for over 400 volunteers.   

The Volunteer Framework which was developed and designed through a consultative process by a dedicated working group is the result of an extensive volunteer survey carried out with national and regional Golf Ireland volunteers.    

Last year Golf Ireland delivered 41 targeted training programmes, alongside four regional Volunteer Appreciation Days attended by 180 volunteers.  

With volunteers actively engaged in over 750 roles, the framework promises to enhance the volunteer experience, offering opportunities for personal development, recognition, and increased satisfaction. 

There were 145 clubs who received grants to support junior development and the continued roll-out of the One Club Model across the country, with over 30 clubs making significant progress. 

In 2025 Golf Ireland developed a suite of additional services and supports for golf clubs aimed at enhancing their governance and management. This included a new bespoke Business Support Programme, free access to a Health and Safety Portal in partnership with Fit2trade, access to the Players 1^st Membership survey tool and additional resources including a Club Support Guide and a guidance document on disciplinary and complaints procedures.

 

Major Events Legacy Plan 

Golf Ireland submitted an updated Major Events Legacy Plan to Government covering the three pillars of participation, facilities and visibility.  

Funding for the participation pillar was doubled in Budget 2026 to €500,000, to enable them to grow the programme in the coming year. Golf Ireland has also engaged in discussion with the Government about the provision of accessible golf facilities.  

The Golf Ireland Economic Report confirmed the sport contributes €717 million in gross value added (GVA) to the Irish economy. The study found consumer spending on golf totalled €703 million, including €143 million on club memberships and subscriptions, while the game supports 15,600 jobs. Golf also delivered €277.6 million in tax revenue. 

The research highlights continued growth in participation, with the percentage of adults playing golf rising from 7.6% in 2014 to about 10% in 2023. These findings underline golf’s value not only as a recreational activity but as an important contributor to employment, tourism, and regional development. They also strengthen the case for ongoing public investment in facilities and programmes. 

Meanwhile, further research conducted by The R&A and Tourism Northern Ireland recently found that The Open at Royal Portrush generated more than £280 million in economic benefit for Northern Ireland this year.

 

Events and competitive highlights 

The Open at Royal Portrush saw a record attendance of 278,000 turn up at the Dunluce Links, the highest for any championship held outside of St Andrews. 

One week prior, the European Amateur Team Championships returned to Killarney, and just like 50 years ago a heatwave illuminated the Killeen Course, as Damien Coyne’s Ireland finished a brilliant fourth.  

There were 72 national and regional championships staged domestically with Caolan Rafferty’s victory in Portstewart completing an historic regional career Grand Slam, when he secured the North of Ireland.  

Stuart Grehan made history as he claimed the Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open Championship and followed that up with the AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship. Anna Dawson clinched the AIG Irish Women’s Close Championship, while Louise Landgraf won the Flogas Irish Women’s Amateur Open Championship. Brendan Lawlor won his first ISPS HANDA Irish Open for Golfers with Disabilities. 

Golf Ireland’s Inter-Club competitions continue to grow. Participation figures put them among Ireland’s largest sporting events, with approximately 25,000 golfers of all abilities representing their clubs on the 4,654 teams, entered in 12 All-Ireland and 33 Regional Inter-Club competitions, staged by Golf Ireland. 

Hosts Douglas pulled off an historic double in the AIG Men’s and Women’s Senior Cups. It was the first time any club has completed the double since Royal Portrush in 1979. 

 

Irish glory on the global stage 

Rory McIlroy opened 2025 with wins at the AT&T and The Players before becoming only the sixth golfer to complete the career Grand Slam at the Masters. He added the AMGEN Irish Open and later helped Europe to a rare away Ryder Cup victory at Bethpage, where Shane Lowry holed a crucial putt on the 18th. 

Tom McKibbin closed the year with a standout win at the Hong Kong Open, securing his place at both the Masters and The Open in 2026. McIlroy also rounded off his campaign by winning the Race to Dubai for the seventh time. 

Irish professionals enjoyed a strong season. Sara Byrne, Anna Foster and Annabel Wilson all earned LET cards, while Canice Screene secured status from Q-School. Lauren Walsh continued her rise on the LET, highlighted by a third-place finish at the Wistron Open in Taiwan, lifting her into the top ten of the Order of Merit. 

Walsh is one of nine golfers supported by the Golf Ireland Professional Scheme, which provides funding, coaching and access to the National Academy, Quinta do Lago and the Sport Ireland Institute.  

Several players again moved forward in 2025: Liam Nolan advanced from no Challenge Tour status to a full category with the help of Golf Ireland invitations; Max Kennedy retained his status; and both John-Ross Galbraith and Mark Power earned their best categories yet. Byrne, Foster and Wilson also produced promising debut LET seasons. 

The scheme remains flexible, with players stepping in and out as needed. Galbraith and James Sugrue will return next year. Áine Donegan becomes the first graduate of the Professional Pathway, which supports amateurs preparing to turn professional within two years, while Beth Coulter is expected to join the paid ranks in 2026 after completing her studies at Arizona State University. 

Brendan Lawlor added another milestone with his second G4D Open title at Woburn. 

Irish amateur golf also enjoyed an excellent year. Ireland swept all three Senior Women’s and Men’s Home Internationals titles, won gold at the European Senior Men’s Team Championship in Austria, and earned bronze at the European Girls’ Team Championship after a comeback win over Germany. 

Great Britain and Ireland won the Vagliano Trophy for the first time since 2005, with Beth Coulter and Áine Donegan playing central roles under Captain Maria Dunne. John Doyle represented Europe at the Junior Ryder Cup during a breakthrough season in which he also competed at the AMGEN Irish Open. 

A record 16 Irish players featured at the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at Carton House, including nine amateurs. Róisín Scanlon won the Helen Holm at Royal Troon, Jessica Ross became the first Irish winner of the European Women’s Mid-Amateur, Julia Falvey Ryan won the Women’s European Individual Championship for Golfers with Disabilities, and Ian St John claimed the South African G4D Open. 

There were notable runner-up finishes for Gavin Tiernan at The Amateur Championship, John Doyle at the St Andrews Links Trophy and Olivia Costello at the Spanish Amateur. Joe Lyons finished second at the Portuguese International Mid-Amateur before going on to win the Portuguese Senior Men’s Amateur. 

Ireland was represented at the Walker Cup in Cypress Point by County Louth pair Stuart Grehan and Gavin Tiernan, rounding off a successful year across all levels of the game.

 

Handicapping 

The results of a global survey issued by The R&A in September 2024 found GB&I players had more negative perceptions of WHS™ than in other parts of the world. Handicap manipulation was a key concern, and Handicap Committees need more support to carry out their roles effectively. 

As a result, Golf Ireland, in collaboration with other GB&I unions and supported by The R&A, launched a social media and e-newsletter campaign in April to help golfers and clubs better understand the WHS and their responsibilities.   

The campaign was used to clarify rules, educate and reinforce the point that manipulation or cheating is unacceptable. To support this campaign, digital flipbooks and newsletters were circulated to clubs and golfers to highlight their responsibilities under the WHS. In parallel, Golf Ireland undertook a four-week social media campaign with Off the Ball’s Golf Weekly.  

To address other criticisms of the system, such as lower handicap players feeling disadvantaged in competitions, Golf Ireland launched a pilot scheme that allowed clubs to adjust their Playing Handicap Allowances in competitions based on field size. 

Over 40% of clubs have successfully implemented changes to handicap allowances in the pilot year, with others expressing openness to doing so. The success of the pilot will lead the other unions to adopt the optional allowances.

 

LevelPar: Women and girls 

Get into Golf continues to be a positive way for thousands of women to learn how to play the sport in a supported environment across the island of Ireland. 40,158 women are now members of a golf club, along with 5,141 girls. This year 136 clubs took part with 3,487 participants and a 59% conversion rate.  

2025 also saw 175 clubs reach the Gold Standard in the Women in Golf Charter. These clubs are at the vanguard of change in making golf more inclusive, accessible and equitable for women and girls.  

220 clubs have signed the Charter, and Gold Charter clubs guarantee women and girls equal opportunities, from playing to volunteering to taking up leadership and management roles. This is essential in delivering cultural and structural change to make golf a game for everyone.  

Chip & Chat is Golf Ireland’s Women’s Social Golf Community, this year events were hosted across all four regions, with 13 different locations, and more to come before the end of 2025. 

A review of the girls’ golf programmes took place, in conjunction with the junior framework, with 125 clubs receiving support to deliver girls’ golf programmes. There were 20 girls’ festivals. These are one day events for girls who golf, to create a non-competitive environment where they can come together, have fun, have some coaching and build a community.  

Golf Ireland launched its inaugural women in golf leadership programme, Drive On. Led by Niamh McElwain, 17 women took part in a programme focussed on empowering women to deliver cultural change.  

Golf Ireland also continue their commitment to female inclusion with all national Golf Ireland events being Period Positive.

 

Equality, diversity and inclusion 

There was further growth in the Golf4All programme, which encompasses a range of initiatives to encourage people with disabilities to try golf and develop their skills. A total of 28 clubs received €33,000 in Golf Ireland grants across all regions.    

Golf Ireland and the Disabled and Inclusive Golf Association (DIGA) collaborated on eight regional social golf events this year, and Golf Ireland ran two for juniors with disabilities.    

The ISPS Handa Irish Open for Golfers with Disabilities continued along with G4D at the West and G4D at Ardee. Golf Ireland awarded prizes in nine sports classes which reflected international best practice for para sport. 

Golf Ireland’s support for golfers with disabilities grew this year. 23 golfers received support to take part in international competitions as part of the travel bursary. The Golf4All Coaching Grant also proved popular with 19 people taking it up.    

With the launch of a new Golf4All Capital Grant, 11 clubs were awarded €5,000 to make their club and course more accessible for people with disabilities. 

Golf Ireland ran GolfLikeMe Intro2Golf programmes for the first time, introducing disadvantaged groups to the game. Portarlington and the Golf Ireland Academy welcomed seven traveller women from the Laois Traveller Action Group for a six-week follow on programme. Castlebar hosted 11 girls from the local IPAS Centre who play every Friday, along with two men, as apprentice greenkeepers.    

Golf Ireland’s programme for Youth at Risk, Growth on the Green, reached Munster in 2025. This is a QQI Level 3 in Personal Effectiveness done through golf or youth at risk. It continued into its third year in Edenderry, in collaboration with Laois Offaly ETB and the Acorn Project in Edenderry, with 11 young people completing the programme. It also took place at Rathbane, 11 young people also completed the programme in Limerick.    

Golf Ireland were honoured with three awards at the Active Disability Ireland Xcessible Awards. Golf Ireland received Silver and Bronze Xcessible Awards, highlighting significant commitment to embedding inclusive practices. Golf Ireland became only the third National Governing Body in Ireland to earn Silver status, underscoring the dedication to advancing inclusion.   

Golf Ireland also received a Special Recognition Award under the “People” category, acknowledging promoting a team of staff and volunteers who champion and drive inclusivity.

 

Looking ahead 

Lahinch will welcome some of the world’s best amateur golfers for the Walker Cup in September while the 2026 Arnold Palmer Cup will take place in Tralee. 

The Island plays host to the Jaques Léglise and Junior Vagliano matches, as former Ireland Men’s Captain, Niall MacSweeney, makes his debut as Jacques Léglise Captain. 

Woodbrook is the destination for the Men’s and Women’s Home Internationals. Ireland will look to create more history at PGA National Slieve Russell in July, when the County Cavan club is home to the European Ladies’ Team Championship. 

Golf Ireland’s G4D team will also be in action at the European Team Championships. Players from each of the four sports bands will compete for places on a team seeking to repeat their 2022 gold medal heroics. 

On the professional front, The KPMG Women’s Irish Open takes place at The K Club in August while Doonbeg hosts the AMGEN Irish Open in September. 

Golf Ireland will continue its rapid expansion into schools across the island, with more golf in the community initiatives. There will be a continued effort to drive sustainable growth in membership, alongside the expanding iGolf subscriptions. The next phase of Drive the Green will accelerate with the sustainable Golf Ireland leaders programme, supported through a team of experts, across all subjects. 

The ongoing investment in elite performance will continue. Golf Ireland are very fortunate to have considerable support from Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland and the Olympic Federation of Ireland, who all provide funding, services and other areas of support. 

2026 is another huge year for golf on the island of Ireland during which Golf Ireland will launch a second Golf Ireland Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan is supported by annual operational plans which set out the timelines going forward. 

Golf Ireland will endeavour to build on the successes of the past and help to grow the stars of the future, as the eyes of the sporting world return to our shores in 2027 for The Ryder Cup in Adare Manor.  

“Golf in Ireland is in a very strong place. Club membership is growing and sustainable, participation is growing, and more people than ever are experiencing the game for the first time through initiatives like Get into Golf and iGolf. Our goal has always been to make golf more open and welcoming, and the progress we’ve made this year shows this approach is working,” said Golf Ireland CEO Mark Kennelly. 

“The findings from our economic impact report underline the scale of golf’s contribution to Irish life. This is not just in sporting terms, but as a driver of tourism, jobs and local investment. With a value of over €700 million to the economy, golf is one of Ireland’s great assets, and we have a responsibility to nurture it for the future. 

“This has been another outstanding year on the course. We’ve hosted world-class championships, seen Irish teams, professionals and amateurs perform with distinction, and continued to build pathways across every level and ability in the sport. The strength of Irish golf is rooted in the depth and dedication of our clubs and volunteers. 

“From the year that’s been, it would be remiss of me not to highlight one achievement, that of Rory McIlroy, and his sensational win in Augusta which sees him go down in history as one of only six players to claim a Grand Slam.  

“As we look ahead, our focus remains clear, we want to grow participation, support our clubs, and ensure the game is sustainable and inclusive for the long term. With major events returning to our shores and participation continuing to rise, we are very optimistic about the future of Irish golf.”