Funding boost for Irish golf clubs following Hallam report into economic impact of the sport
8th December 2017
Golf clubs across Ireland have received a government funding boost of €1.
96 million after a report produced by Sheffield Hallam University's Sports Industry Research Centre (SIRC) revealed the economic impact of the sport in the country. The report, produced earlier this year for the Confederation of Golf in Ireland (CGI), demonstrated the value of golf to the Irish economy was €379 million annually. Under the 2017 round of the Sports Capital Programme allocated by the Irish Government, 65 clubs and facilities will benefit from the five-fold increase in funding. In the 2015 programme, €332,826 was shared among 12 golf clubs. Chairman of the CGI Redmond O'Donoghue said: -This is a real boost for golf clubs in the Republic of Ireland. -The Golfing Union of Ireland and Irish Ladies Golf Union's commitment to supporting clubs through the CGI has made this increase in funding possible by providing clubs with the resources and support needed to enhance their funding applications. -The satellite account report that the CGI produced earlier this year in partnership with Sheffield Hallam University demonstrated the real value of golf to the economy with consumer spending on golf in the Republic of Ireland alone worth €379 million annually. Grants have been allocated for a range of capital programmes including golf practice facilities, junior golf academies, drainage work and general course improvements. This round of funding will bolster the golf sector in Ireland, which directly employs 9,030 people on the island of Ireland including 6,800 people within the Republic of Ireland. Professor Simon Shibli, Head of SIRC and author of the report, says: -Golf in the Republic of Ireland is more than just a sport. Our research demonstrates that it makes a measurable contribution to the nation's economy and that golf clubs play an important role in the social fabric of their local communities. The current macro-economic conditions in the Republic of Ireland present an ideal opportunity for the nation's golf industry to grow in future years. You can read the report, A Satellite Account for Golf in the Republic of Ireland here.