Golf courses and Tennis courts rang to a more familiar sound of club and racket on ball yesterday as clubs reopened for the first time in 2021.

Both sports resumed in Northern Ireland earlier this month but as the latest Irish Government’s easing of restrictions took effect, all 382 golf clubs affiliated to Golf Ireland and over 180 Tennis clubs have now welcomed members back to play.

Darren Bohill and Padraic Smith were first on the tee box at the County Louth course at Baltray. They began their round at 7.30 am before heading home to work.

“I missed the general comradery, the social element of playing golf, said Smith.

“My dogs have had enough walks for a while so it’s nice to carry the clubs around instead. The place is in fantastic condition and I’d say all the courses around the country are the same, they’ve had a good rest, it was really great to get out again.”

“I missed the interaction with my pals, the comradery of your friends and the sport itself, getting out and hitting that golf ball,” added fellow member Mia Quinn.

“I just love it out here, out on the golf course where nobody can get near you, it’s just heaven, my place of peace.”

As the sport’s governing bodies, both Golf Ireland and Tennis Ireland are prioritising members in the first phase of reopening, as was done in 2020.

This is to be kept under review and an update to clubs will be shared when visitors and members’ guests will be permitted in later stages of reopening.

It is hoped that a return to adult training in groups across other sports will be permitted in may, with an announcement expected later this week on that.

Indoor sport, gyms and swimming pools are still awaiting confirmation of when they might get onto the roadmap for recovery.

The return of fans to stadia will also take a while but there are shoots of hope from the UK and around the world, many examples of which and lessons from them will be learned at our Sport for Business return to Sport Conference on Thursday morning with over 200 registered to attend online already.

Find out more about the return to Sport Conference and reserve your place.

 

Golf Ireland and Tennis Ireland are among more than 30 National Governing Bodies of Sport and more than 250+ members of the Sport for Business network of sporting and business organisations working together across a number of key areas.

 

Sport for Business Partners