Revised championship season announced by GUI

REVISED CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON ANNOUNCED

• Flogas Irish Amateur Open cancelled
• Four provincial championships, West, East, North and South are also cancelled
• Limited Bridgestone Order of Merit series with season ending AIG Irish Close
• Events will only proceed following rigorous risk management and consultation with the latest public health advice

Following the announcement of the Republic of Ireland’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business and Northern Ireland’s Plan for a Phased, Strategic Approach to Recovery, the Union is in a position today to provide an extensive update to its schedule of championships for 2020. 

After careful consideration the Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship has been cancelled due to the uncertainty prevailing around international travel and related disease control challenges.

The ‘big-four’ provincial championships – the North, South, East and West of Ireland – have also been cancelled after detailed consideration of any and all options for rescheduling. The Union wishes to place on record its thanks to the four host clubs for their support and helpfulness in trying to accommodate alternative plans. The Interprovincial Championship and the Underage Interprovincials have also been cancelled. 

A limited series of Bridgestone Order of Merit events have been rescheduled, with the Munster Stroke Play, Mullingar Scratch Trophy and Connacht Stroke Play all being rescheduled for August and September, following which the AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship will be the season-ender at Rosapenna on 9-11 October. 

The GUI and Provincial Branches have sought to provide as much of a balance of age categories as possible in scheduling and rescheduling other championships throughout August, September and October. 

Caddies will be prohibited in all events, and the format and terms of competition may be altered.

Championship entrants will be contacted directly regarding the status of each championship they have entered, and in the event they have entered a championship that is now cancelled they will receive a refund as soon as possible.

All entries for Championships which have either been rescheduled or for which the dates are being retained will continue to stand. Entrants who do not wish to participate may withdraw up to the closing date for entries and receive a full refund. 

All closing dates have been revised to two weeks prior to the start of the championship, so as to ensure continual review of public health measures. Draws will continue to be published seven days beforehand. 

The priority at all times – in all of these cases - will be the safety and wellbeing of all involved – participants, volunteers, spectators and staff. Events will only proceed following rigorous risk management and consultation with the latest public health advice from the relevant state authorities and the World Health Organisation.

The Union is also currently finalising a paper on its suite of All-Ireland and Provincial Inter-Club competitions, which will be circulated to clubs for their consideration and feedback early next week.

REVISED SCHEDULE OF GUI NATIONAL AND PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS FOR 2020

The following revised schedule has been drawn up following detailed consideration of the Republic of Ireland’s Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business and Northern Ireland’s Plan for a Phased, Strategic Approach to Recovery.

With regards to the Terms of Competition for all events, a revision of which will be published shortly, please note the following:

• Caddies will now be prohibited in all events.
• The closing dates for entry in all championships will be 14 days prior to the commencement. The draw will be published seven days beforehand..
• All events will state an estimated field size based on the return-to-play protocols agreed by the GUI, ILGU, Golf Ireland and the respective Governments and state departments/agencies of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. Nonetheless, the field sizes will be subject to change should public health restrictions so require.
• The Championship Committee for each event may require to significantly alter the Terms of Competition at short notice to preclude at-risk groups from participation, or cancel the event at similar short notice, subject to public health restrictions which are subject to change on an ongoing basis. Options open to organising committees will include changing formats and curtailing the number of rounds and days a championship is to be conducted over. We will work at all times to ensure the maximum level of notice of any such changes.
• A full risk management plan will be put in place for the staging of all events in line with public health advice. This may require the publication of supplementary Terms of Competition. The safety of participants, volunteers and staff will be paramount in our planning at all times.

We are therefore grateful for the patience and understanding of all participants as we continue to formulate our planning in response to the latest government advice.

List of Cancellations (as of Monday 11^th May 2020)

The following events have been cancelled. Where it applies, entrants will have their fees refunded as soon as possible, if not already actioned.

22 March Ulster Regional Series 2 of 3 (Ballyliffin)                       

7 Apr Connacht Boys Alliance No 3 (Ballyhaunis)

8 Apr – 14 Apr West of Ireland Amateur Open Qualifier & Championship (Co Sligo)           

10 Apr Ulster Winter Series 2 of 3 (Edenmore)                      

19 Apr Ulster Regional Series 3 of 3 (Slieve Russell)                                       

26 Apr Ulster Winter Series 3 of 3 (Galgorm Castle)                                     

30 Apr Connacht U15 Schools Development (Castlebar)

20 May – 22 May Irish Seniors Amateur Open Championship (Castlewarden)

23 May Leinster Mid–Amateur Open Championship (Balbriggan)       

25 May – 26 May Ulster Stroke Play Open Championship (Galgorm Castle)     

30 May – 1 Jun East of Ireland Amateur Open Championship (Co Louth)      

11 June Ulster Schools Junior Championship (Tandragee)

20 June Munster Mid–Amateur Open Championship (Nenagh)           

26 June Munster U14 Boys Championship (Cahir Park)

1 July Munster U13 Close Qualifier (Adare Manor)

4 July Ulster Mid–Amateur Open Championship (Rosapenna)                     

6 July Leinster U16 Close Championship (Ashbourne)

13 July Munster U13 Close Qualifier (Macroom)

13 Jul – 17 Jul North of Ireland Amateur Open Championship (Royal Portrush)      

19 July Ulster Scratch Foursomes Championship (Malone)

21-23 July Underage Interprovincial Championships (Mullingar)

22 Jul – 26 Jul South of Ireland Amateur Open Championship (Lahinch Old Course)

13 Aug – 16 Aug Flogas Irish Amateur Open Championship (Galway)

28 Aug – 30 Aug Men’s Interprovincial Championship (Ballykisteen)

12 Sept Connacht Mid-Amateur Championship (Roscommon)

List of revised fixtures (as of Monday 11^th May 2020)

The following is the revised list of fixtures for 2020. This includes all events confirmed on a rescheduled date or in their original date if still feasible. Please note this list is subject to continual review and any changes will be advised as soon as possible.

14^th July Ulster Under-18 Close Championship (Royal Portrush Valley Links)

20^th July Ulster Under-16/Under-14 Close Championship (Knock)

27^th July Irish Boys Inter-Club Leinster Qualifiers (Kilkenny & Millicent)

30^th July Irish Boys Inter-Club Leinster Qualifiers (Malahide & Woodbrook)

30^th July Connacht Junior Close Championship Qualifiers (Ballinasloe & Ballina)

4^th Aug Connacht Under-16 Inter-Club Championship (Ballinrobe)

5^th Aug Munster Under-15 & Under-17 Close Championship (TBC)

10^th Aug Ulster Under-14 Boys Championship (Donaghadea)

12^th Aug Munster Under-16 Boys Championship (Roscrea)

12^th-13^th Aug Ulster Seniors Championship (Slieve Russell)

13^th Aug Connacht Junior Close Championships Finals (Tuam)

14^th Aug Ulster Under-16 Boys Championship (Carnalea)

15^th-16^th Aug Mullingar Scratch Trophy (Mullingar)

17^th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Ulster Section (Ballycastle & Dungannon)

19^th-21^st Aug Irish Under-16 Boys Championship (Lurgan)

24^th-25^th August Ulster Under-18 Boys Championship (Warrenpoint)

26^th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Munster Qualifiers (Cobh)

27^th Aug Leinster Under-16 Boys Championship (Beaverstown)

28^th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Munster Qualifiers (Newcastle West)

28^th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Connacht Qualifiers (Boyle & Gort)

29^th Aug Irish Boys Inter-Club Munster Qualifiers (Ennis & Carrick-on-Suir)

Aug TBC Leinster Under-14 Boys Championship (TBC)

2^nd-3^rd Sept Connacht Under-18 Boys Championship (Loughrea)

5^th-6^th Sept Munster Stroke Play Championship (Cork)

12^th Sept Connacht Under-16 Boys Championship (Roscommon)

14^th-15^th Sept Munster Under-18 Boys Championship (TBC)

19^th-20^th Sept Connacht Stroke Play Championship (Portumna)

Sept TBC Munster Seniors Championship (TBC)

3^rd-4^th Oct Irish Mid-Amateur Championship (Nenagh)

6^th Oct GUI All-Ireland Gold Medals Grand Final (The K Club)

6^th-7^th Oct Leinster Seniors Championship (New Forest)

9^th-11^th Oct AIG Irish Amateur Close Championship (Rosapenna – Sandy Hills)

20^th-21^st Oct Connacht Seniors Championship (TBC)

20^th-22^nd Oct Irish Intervarsity Championship (Portsalon)

27^th Oct Connacht Under-14 Boys Championship (Strandhill)

28^th-30^th Oct Leinster Under-18 Boys Championship (Glasson)

· The Union is also working on plans to reschedule the Irish Seniors Close Championship, the Irish Boys Amateur Open Championship and the Irish Under-14 Boys Amateur Open Championship, but in the case of the latter two events they will be conducted as Close Championships (Irish entrants only) in 2020. All Irish entries for these will therefore stand, and overseas entries will be granted a refund as soon as possible. Details will be available on these as soon as possible.

· The Irish Colleges Match Play Final Series, and the Irish Schools Junior and Senior Championship competitions – all of which had progressed significantly prior to the restrictions being introduced – are still under review and the intention remains to conclude these if possible. Further details will be made available shortly.