Golfing Union of Ireland
Encyclopedia
The Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) is the governing body
for men's and boy's amateur golf
in Ireland
. It represents over 430 golf clubs with over 180,000 members and is affiliated to The R&A, which is the global governing body of golf outside the United States
and Mexico
.
The GUI was established in 1891 and was the first national golfing union to be established anywhere in the world.
on 13 November 1891, which was attended by representatives of nine clubs, all of which were located in the province of Ulster. The founding clubs were The County Down, The County Club at Portrush, Royal Belfast, Killymoon, Dungannon, Aughnacloy, Ballycastle, Portsalon and Buncrana. Once a properly constituted organisation had been established to administer the game, golf in Ireland became more popular, evidenced by the fact that a further 97 clubs were formed between 1892 and 1900.
in 1852 and was to be seen knocking balls around Carnoustie with a cleek at the age of seven. He was educated at St. Andrews where he received tuition from both Old and Young Tom Morris. He moved to Ireland in 1885 and was by far the most consistent player there over the next ten years, holding the course record for most of the courses in existence in the country at that time.
The new handicapping system set out the range of handicaps in 10 classes from plus to 30 and laid down specific allowances for matchplay, whereby the weaker player would not be disadvantaged by the stronger. It also introduced the concept of using yardage measurements to establish the par score of a hole or course. This is the first time that the word par appears in golf, defined as the number of strokes in which a hole or round can be taken without mistakes.
, Leinster
, Munster
and Ulster
branches. Each provincial branch manages the golfing affairs of that province and all clubs in the province are affiliated to that branch. Branch delegates are elected by club members on an annual basis and each branch has delegates on Central Council. The head of the Central Council is known as President
of the GUI and the four branch chairmen are vice-presidents. The presidency is for a one-year period and rotates between the four provinces.
The four main officers of the Union are the President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and the President Elect. These four, along with two representatives from each of the provincial branches and the immediate Past President, make up the Executive Committee of 13. In addition to these voluntary positions, the GUI also has a number of employees, including a General Secretary who manages the day-to-day affairs of the Union.
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
for men's and boy's amateur golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It represents over 430 golf clubs with over 180,000 members and is affiliated to The R&A, which is the global governing body of golf outside the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
The GUI was established in 1891 and was the first national golfing union to be established anywhere in the world.
Origins
It is suggested that the origins of the Union lie in the desire by a number of golf clubs to create an Irish Championship. There were 28 clubs already established in Ireland before the foundation of the Union, although they were known as 'greens' at that time. The Union was established at a meeting in BelfastBelfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
on 13 November 1891, which was attended by representatives of nine clubs, all of which were located in the province of Ulster. The founding clubs were The County Down, The County Club at Portrush, Royal Belfast, Killymoon, Dungannon, Aughnacloy, Ballycastle, Portsalon and Buncrana. Once a properly constituted organisation had been established to administer the game, golf in Ireland became more popular, evidenced by the fact that a further 97 clubs were formed between 1892 and 1900.
Handicapping system
The Union introduced a handicapping system in 1897 and this was thought to be the most far-reaching advance in the promotion of the game. At that time, individual clubs implemented their own systems, based on the scores of their most consistent player; using him as a back-marker and allocating other players shots accordingly. The Union adopted a similar approach in developing the first universal handicapping system, and used one Thomas Gilroy as the back-marker. Gilroy was born in DundeeDundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
in 1852 and was to be seen knocking balls around Carnoustie with a cleek at the age of seven. He was educated at St. Andrews where he received tuition from both Old and Young Tom Morris. He moved to Ireland in 1885 and was by far the most consistent player there over the next ten years, holding the course record for most of the courses in existence in the country at that time.
The new handicapping system set out the range of handicaps in 10 classes from plus to 30 and laid down specific allowances for matchplay, whereby the weaker player would not be disadvantaged by the stronger. It also introduced the concept of using yardage measurements to establish the par score of a hole or course. This is the first time that the word par appears in golf, defined as the number of strokes in which a hole or round can be taken without mistakes.
Growth
The original charter of the Union prescribed that each affiliated club was entitled to send forward up to three delegates to every meeting. By 1911, 163 clubs had become affiliated to the Union and this became impractical. It became necessary to draw up a new constitution which provided for the establishment of a Central Council and four provincial Councils, a format which has endured to the present day. This new constitution was ratified in April 1913.Organisation
The GUI consists of a Central Council and four provincial branches, namely the ConnachtConnacht
Connacht , formerly anglicised as Connaught, is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the west of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for...
, Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
, Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
and Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
branches. Each provincial branch manages the golfing affairs of that province and all clubs in the province are affiliated to that branch. Branch delegates are elected by club members on an annual basis and each branch has delegates on Central Council. The head of the Central Council is known as President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of the GUI and the four branch chairmen are vice-presidents. The presidency is for a one-year period and rotates between the four provinces.
The four main officers of the Union are the President, Honorary Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and the President Elect. These four, along with two representatives from each of the provincial branches and the immediate Past President, make up the Executive Committee of 13. In addition to these voluntary positions, the GUI also has a number of employees, including a General Secretary who manages the day-to-day affairs of the Union.