Mayo club to host provincial golf events next year
Golf Ireland have today launched the 2024 championships programme, with Castlebar GC set to host at least two provincial events.
While the venues have not been confirmed for all events on the calendar, Castlebar GC has been confirmed to host the Connaught Under 18 Boys' & Girls' Open from July 17 to 19 as well as a Connaught Under 15 Boys' & Girls' Schools event on May 7.
Among the major events nationwide, Golf Ireland’s amateur open championships will take place in May and June. The Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open will be first up, being played at Co. Sligo Golf Club from May 9 to 12. Woodbrook will again stage the Flogas Irish Women’s Amateur Open Championship from June 15 to 17, specially positioned at this date ahead of the British Women’s Amateur at Portmarnock.
The Irish Girls’ Amateur Open Championship and the Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Championship will return as standalone championships. The former will be held at Belvoir Park from May 17 to 19, while the latter will be played from April 3 to 5 at a venue to be confirmed.
For the first time, the AIG Irish Women’s Close Championships will combine three competitions – an Over 18 Women’s Stroke Play Championship and Under 18 Girls’ Stroke Play Championship (both played over 36 holes on the first two days), with the Irish Women’s Close Championship which will be played over match play on days three and four.
In addition to the championship being contested by the best 16 players in score order across the Over 18 and Under 18 fields, separate plate competitions for the next 16 players in each of the fields will be run over the final two days.
The AIG Irish Men’s Close will be staged at Dun Laoghaire Golf Club for the first time from August 16 to 18, and will be keenly anticipated following the club’s superb staging of the AIG All-Ireland finals last September.
The seniors' championship suite will see the combined Irish Senior Men’s and Women’s Close at Kilkeel (August 13-16) and the Irish Senior & Veteran Men’s Close and Senior Women’s Open at Lough Erne (July 3-5). The Irish Senior Men’s Open is in the calendary from May 22 to 24, with the venue to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
Roganstown and Swords Open will stage the third annual ISPS Handa Irish Open for Golfers with a Disability on June 11 and 12.
Entries for all championships will open in late January, while Golf Ireland will also once again launch an extensive programme of inter-club events when entries open in the coming weeks.
“We’re excited to look ahead to the 2024 championship season and are very grateful to once again have a superb roster of venues playing host to our events,” said Golf Ireland’s championships and rules director Mark Wehrly.
He added: “Ireland is renowned internationally for both the quantity and quality of championships played annually, and our team in headquarters and in the four regions, in addition to our army of dedicated volunteers, are as keen as ever to deliver another great season on the back of a memorable 2023.”
Find the full schedule here.