FAO: ALL MEMBERS

Note: This update applies to golf club in the Republic of Ireland, other clubs included for information purposes.

Update to guidance for Golf Clubs in the Republic of Ireland during Level 5

Sport Ireland have today (24^th December) issued a further update to the current Level 5 measures, which will remain in place until 12^th January 2021. This will require golf clubs to urgently note the following additional points: 

·         Participants in sport and exercise in unsupervised/uncoached activity must be from no more than two households. 

·         Therefore, groups playing on golf courses during these Level 5 measures must be confined to a maximum of two households. 

·         This means that all tee times must be either two-balls, or alternatively three-balls and four-balls where players in the group are from no more than two households. A household for these purposes includes a household support bubble, guidance for which is available here:  https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/3516d-support-bubbles/. 

We have made Sport Ireland aware of the issues regarding the implementation of this change in the short-term as timesheets for golf club activities are likely in operation for at least the next several days. However, we are urging golf clubs to update their timesheet booking systems to take account of this changed guidance as soon as possible. 

These additional requirements from Sport Ireland come against a backdrop of escalating public health challenges with the incidence of COVID-19 rising exponentially in Ireland. Golf Ireland therefore strongly encourages golf clubs to implement this change, and in doing so continue to exhibit the high level of compliance that has made it possible for our sport to continue to remain open and accessible during the current Level 5 measures. 

The above update must be read in conjunction with our previous statement issued on 22 December – https://www.golfireland.ie/news-detail?newsarticleid=82&tags=Golf%20Ireland%20HQ;Covid-19.