About the ILGU

Formation of the ILGU

The Irish Ladies Golf Union was established at a meeting of the Girls' Friendly Society Lodge in Belfast on Friday, 15 December 1893. Two Ulster women drove the initiative — Miss McGee of Royal Belfast Golf Club and Mrs Mann of Royal Portrush Golf Club — acting after hearing that a Ladies' Golf Union had been formed across the Irish Sea in England earlier that year.

The ILGU was founded just two years after the Golfing Union of Ireland, established in 1891 as the first national golfing union anywhere in the world. Together, the GUI and ILGU became known as the oldest governing bodies in world golf, operating independently for over 120 years.

From its foundation, the ILGU depended heavily on volunteers who supported women's golf across Ireland, with a mission to support the playing, performance and development of female golfers nationwide. For more on Irish golf, see our homepage.

ILGU Structure and Growth

The ILGU operated from national headquarters in Sandyford, Dublin, organising Irish women's golf through five administrative districts: Ulster, East Leinster, Mid Leinster, Connacht, and Munster. Each district ran its own elected District Executive to support clubs and competitions in the region. This provincial structure mirrored the men's GUI organisation. For more on regional courses and travel, see our clubs & travel guide.

At its peak, the ILGU had approximately 50,000 members across 368 golf clubs, making it Ireland's seventh-largest sports association by 2008. Golf became the highest-participation female sport in Ireland, with women aged 8 to 88 playing regularly at ILGU-affiliated clubs nationwide.

The ILGU administered national and district tournaments annually for players of all ages and standards, and selected teams to represent Ireland internationally at Under-18, women's and seniors (over 50) level, including the Curtis Cup and European championships.

Notable Achievements

The ILGU's 128-year history produced remarkable champions. Members won 8 Ladies' British Amateur Open Championships, including Philomena Garvey's celebrated 1957 victory at Gleneagles — one of Irish amateur golf's most iconic wins. The ILGU also produced 22 Curtis Cup representatives who competed for Great Britain and Ireland against the United States in the biennial match.

Modern Irish women's golf reached new heights under ILGU governance. Leona Maguire became Ireland's first LPGA Tour winner in 2022 and represented Ireland at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, one of the ILGU's Olympic representatives.

The ILGU administered women's championships including the Irish Women's Close Championship, provincial championships in Ulster, Leinster, Munster and Connacht, and numerous scratch cups for elite amateurs — tournaments that remain central to Irish women's golf today under Golf Ireland. For current schedules and results, see our Irish golf tournaments calendar.

Golfing Union of Ireland

The Golfing Union of Ireland, established in 1891, governed men's and boys' amateur golf in Ireland. The GUI's formation predated the ILGU by two years, making Ireland the first country in the world with a national golfing union. Twenty-eight golf clubs already existed in Ireland before the GUI's foundation, though they were then known as "greens."

The GUI grew to 166,419 members by 2008, making it Ireland's third-largest sports association. The union administered men's championships, provincial competitions and Ireland's international amateur teams, and developed the handicapping system used across Irish golf.

Both the GUI and ILGU adopted the World Handicap System after its launch in Ireland on 2 November 2020, replacing the previous CONGU system and bringing Ireland into alignment with global handicapping standards. Learn more in our World Handicap System guide.

Formation of Golf Ireland

Discussions to merge the GUI and ILGU began with a consultation process in 2015. The two unions, both over 120 years old, recognised that combining into a single governing body would strengthen Irish golf's voice and streamline administration. After separate votes by GUI and ILGU representatives in 2018, both organisations agreed to form Golf Ireland.

The new combined body commenced operations in 2020, initially operating in a transitional capacity alongside the GUI and ILGU. The GUI ceased operations on 1 January 2021, when Golf Ireland became fully operational, holding its first general meeting and ratifying its first board and association president in February 2021.

The Confederation of Golf in Ireland — an umbrella body formed in 2013 by the GUI, ILGU and Professional Golfers' Association — was dissolved following Golf Ireland's formation. Golf Ireland now serves as the single governing body for all amateur golf across the island of Ireland, representing both men and women.

Golf Ireland Today

Golf Ireland continues the ILGU and GUI's legacy while unifying Irish golf governance, administering national championships, provincial competitions and international team selections for Irish amateur golfers. It also operates the handicapping system and supports club development nationwide.

Women's golf competitions that the ILGU pioneered continue under Golf Ireland's administration, maintaining the same standards and traditions established during the ILGU's 128 years of governance. Golf Ireland now organises the sport through four provincial branches — Leinster, Munster, Connacht and Ulster.

Golf Ireland oversees Irish representation in professional events, including the Irish Open, and amateur competitions that attract international fields — many of which generate betting interest. For current markets and bookmaker comparison, see our golf betting page.

The merger preserved the best practices from both the GUI and ILGU while creating efficiencies and improving support for clubs and golfers nationwide — two of the world's oldest golf governing bodies combining to create a modern, unified organisation serving all Irish golfers equally. For live tournament scores and results, check our live golf scores page.