Golf Ireland CEO Mark Kennelly has outlined an extensive domestic and international programme for the year ahead, highlighting continued growth in participation and a strong pipeline of major events.
Speaking at the launch of the new season, in Carton House last night, Kennelly pointed to what he described as a “phenomenal programme,” with 20 national and 67 regional championships scheduled across 75 venues nationwide.
The scale of activity is further reflected in inter-club competition, with 12 national and 33 regional championships planned. In 2025 alone, 25,000 golfers took part in inter-club competitions, underlining what Kennelly described as a sustained appetite for competitive golf across Ireland.
A key development for the year ahead is the introduction of four new regional Women’s Amateur Championships, with early entry levels indicating strong demand. This aligns with wider participation trends, including a 25 per cent increase in junior membership.
Overall, Golf Ireland has seen a significant expansion in participation since its formation, with club membership now 30 per cent higher than in 2021, reinforcing the sustained growth of the game across the island.
Kennelly emphasised the strategic importance of leveraging major events to drive further growth in participation.
Among the headline events is the Walker Cup, which will take place at Lahinch later this year, marking only the third time the event has been staged on the island of Ireland in over a century. The tournament is expected to build on the momentum generated by recent global showcases such as The Open Championship at Royal Portrush and the upcoming Ryder Cup at Adare Manor.
There will also be major interest in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open at the K Club in August and the Amgen Men’s Irish Open at Doonbeg in September
“The focus for Golf Ireland is to build out our growing the game strategies and leverage these major events to move the dial on participation,” Kennelly said.
The governing body also acknowledged the role of commercial and community partnerships in underpinning the sport’s development, with sponsors including AIG, Flogas, ISPS Handa, Revive Active, Sport Ireland and Bridgestone, alongside charity partners such as Special Olympics Ireland, and Play in Pink.
From a Sport for Business perspective, the figures point to a sport in growth mode, with strong alignment between participation, event hosting and commercial engagement creating a platform for continued expansion.
Join us again tomorrow for more on the launch event including a study on the Social Media strength of the sport from our friends at Olytico.
Sport for Business in partnership with Golf Ireland and ForeFront Sports will host the Annual Sport for Business Business of Golf Event in August. Get in touch with us via rob@sportforbusiness.com if you would like to be involved.
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