GUI, ILGUBrian KeoghGolf Ireland, Sinead Heraty, Pat Finn

GUI and ILGU officials thrilled by resounding "Yes" to Golf Ireland proposal

GUI, ILGUBrian KeoghGolf Ireland, Sinead Heraty, Pat Finn
GUI and ILGU officials thrilled by resounding "Yes" to Golf Ireland proposal
Shelly Bennett, (Dromoland) celebrates the result of the Golf Ireland Vote at the ILGU AGM on Saturday. Photo: Jenny Matthews)

Shelly Bennett, (Dromoland) celebrates the result of the Golf Ireland Vote at the ILGU AGM on Saturday. Photo: Jenny Matthews)

ILGU Chief Executive Sinead Heraty and GUI CEO Pat Finn hailed the Saturday's 94 per cent vote in favour of the creation of Golf Ireland as a clear mandate to take Irish golf into the 21st century.

After landmark votes at separate meetings, the GUI and ILGU will cease to exist after a two-year transition period and for the first time, Ireland will have an all-inclusive governing body from 1 January 2021.

While the ILGU clubs were expected to vote massively in favour of the proposal that required just 75 per cent approval there, 100 per cent of the 269 clubs that attended the women's AGM at the Red Cow Moran Hotel in Dublin gave the proposal a resounding "yes".

Given the recent concerns raised about the proposal at the GUI's Leinster Branch AGM, it was a surprise that 94 per cent voted in favour at Special General Meeting of the GUI held at Knightsbrook Hotel in Trim, when just a two-thirds majority was required.

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"I know on our side, we never expected 100 per cent so to get a unanimous vote so to get 100 per cent is incredible," Ms Heraty said. "And I also didn't expect it to be as high on the men's side.

"The 94 per cent figure is phenomenal and it just goes to prove that the clubs very much approve the direction that we are going in.

"It is great to have that kind of mandate going into a two-year transition. A 69 or 70 percent vote would have been difficult.

"It means there is absolutely no ambiguity in this and that's the real plus. It means we have the support of members on both sides and they are saying, yes, this game needs to move forward." 

GUI CEO Finn was highly pleased with the result given the clear opposition expressed to some aspects of the proposal by officials in Leinster Golf recently.

"Clearly we are delighted with the result,” he said. "I would never have anticipated that high a support level on our side. We did have one Branch opposed to many elements of the proposal. 

"They were vocally opposed and clearly indicated that to their clubs, so it was nice that the clubs supported the proposal and were happy to support it on that basis.

"It's been very hard work and a lot of bringing people on a journey with us and that hasn't been easy. 

"But in a certain sense, the next couple of years will be easier in that it is very clear what we have to do and there shouldn't be any great barriers to us doing it because of the overwhelming support from the clubs."

The significance of moment not lost on Shane Lowry, who congratulated the amateur bodies on the resounding "yes" vote after his win in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.

“For him to pick up on that was a class touch," Ms Heraty said. "It was a great weekend for Irish golf.”