COVID-19 Timeline
Ireland's golf courses closed on March 24, 2020, as COVID-19 lockdowns shut sports nationwide. The Golfing Union of Ireland and Irish Ladies Golf Union managed phased return-to-play protocols from May 2020, balancing safety with access across Ireland's 400-plus courses during unprecedented restrictions that lasted into 2021. See our guide to golf courses and travel.
This timeline is based on publicly available records, GUI and ILGU communications, and news reports from 2020-2021. Specific dates and policy details reflect information available at the time and may not capture all regional variations or subsequent clarifications.
2020: Closures & Phased Reopening
Golf's first pandemic year swung between closures ordered on public-health grounds and cautiously staged reopenings, with golf among the earliest sports permitted to resume in each phase.
Initial guidance issued
The GUI and ILGU acknowledge the pandemic, recommend social distancing at clubs, and postpone championships and inter-club matches through the end of March.
Postponements extended
All GUI and ILGU championships, inter-club matches, coaching sessions and World Handicap System meetings are suspended through April 30. The Irish Girls' Open Stroke Play at Roganstown is cancelled.
Courses ordered to close
The GUI and ILGU direct all golf clubs, practice facilities and courses across Ireland to close immediately, initially until April 19. Only essential greenkeeping continues.
Return to Play protocol published
The GUI and ILGU set out how golf can resume safely under Phase 1 of the government's reopening roadmap, helping golf become one of the first sports permitted to return.
Phase 1 reopening (Republic of Ireland)
Courses reopen with booked tee times, members-only play, no four-balls, no competitions, flagsticks left in holes, bunker rakes removed, and clubhouses closed except for pro-shop and toilet access.
Phase 2 competitions ruled out
The Return to Sport Expert Group decides no competitive sport can take place during Phase 2, keeping club competitions banned despite the unions' plans to reintroduce them.
Phase 2 relaxations
Four-balls return at 14-minute intervals, guests are permitted, and junior coaching resumes in pods of up to 10 — casual golf only continues.
Phase 3 — near-normal conditions
Four-balls at 10-minute intervals become standard, closed and open competitions return, green fees resume, and clubhouse restaurants and bars reopen under guidelines. Northern Ireland enters an equivalent Step 3 the same day.
Autumn–Winter 2020: Second Wave
Rising case numbers brought a renewed five-level restriction framework, moving golf between open, restricted, and closed status again as counties escalated through the autumn and into winter.
Dublin enters Level 3
County travel restrictions mean golfers living in Dublin cannot travel outside the county to play, and golfers outside Dublin cannot travel in.
Republic of Ireland moves to Level 3
County-by-county travel restrictions apply nationwide; some counties escalate to Level 4 on October 15, though golf remains open under modified rules.
Level 5 — clubs close again
Following engagement with Sport Ireland, the GUI and ILGU confirm that afternoon that all golf clubs in the Republic must close under Level 5 restrictions. Essential maintenance only continues.
World Handicap System launches
The WHS launches in Ireland on schedule in the middle of the pandemic, replacing the CONGU system and aligning Ireland with global handicapping standards.
Northern Ireland clubs ordered closed
The NI Executive announces on December 17 that golf clubs must close from December 26 for a scheduled six-week period, subject to review after four weeks.
2021: Recovery Year
As vaccination progressed, restrictions lifted in phases and Irish golf returned to a full competitive calendar, with Golf Ireland completing its takeover of governance from the GUI and ILGU.
Restrictions gradually lift
As the vaccination rollout progresses, protocols relax in phases and the full inter-club competition calendar returns, including AIG Cups and Shields qualifying and the provincial and scratch cup championships.
Irish Open returns
The Irish Open returns to Mount Juliet, restoring Ireland to the professional golf calendar after the 2020 cancellation.
Golf Ireland completes the merger
Golf Ireland formally takes over governance responsibilities from the GUI and ILGU, unifying Irish golf administration under one organisation — a transition that had been planned before COVID-19 but was delayed by the pandemic.
Check current golf betting odds for the Irish Open and the wider professional calendar.
Legacy and Lessons Learned
COVID-19 changed aspects of Irish golf permanently. Online tee time booking, initially mandated by Phase 1 protocols, became standard practice at most clubs, and the contact-tracing infrastructure it enabled convinced many clubs to keep it after the pandemic. Electronic scorecards gained wider acceptance, and some clubs kept longer tee time intervals than before, favouring the slower, less-crowded pace members had come to enjoy.
Golf's status as one of the first outdoor activities permitted during restrictions highlighted the sport's value for physical and mental health, and the GUI and ILGU's crisis management — detailed protocols and clear communication — was recognised by clubs and Sport Ireland. Compliance across more than 400 courses and hundreds of thousands of golfers let the sport stay open through much of 2020-2021, when stricter breaches might have forced longer closures.
Since golf's full return, Irish golf is thriving: courses operate without restrictions, competitions run full calendars, and live tournament scoring resumed in 2021. Follow along on our live golf scores page.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did golf courses close in Ireland due to COVID-19?
Golf courses in Ireland closed on March 24, 2020, following guidance from the Golfing Union of Ireland and Irish Ladies Golf Union. The closure lasted until May 18, 2020, when Phase 1 of the Irish government's reopening roadmap allowed golf to resume under strict protocols. A second closure occurred in October 2020 under Level 5 restrictions in the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland clubs closed from December 26, 2020.
Were golf tournaments cancelled in Ireland during COVID-19?
Yes. The 2020 Irish Open at Mount Juliet was cancelled, eliminating Ireland's premier professional tournament from the calendar. All provincial championships were postponed — the South of Ireland, West of Ireland, North of Ireland, and East of Ireland. GUI and ILGU inter-club competitions, including AIG Cups and Shields, were postponed indefinitely in spring 2020. Scratch cups, including the Mullingar Scratch Trophy, did not take place in 2020. Most events returned to the calendar in 2021, with the Irish Open resuming at Mount Juliet in July 2021.
How did Golf Ireland manage COVID-19 protocols for golf clubs?
The GUI and ILGU published detailed Return to Play protocols aligned with government phases, covering tee time booking systems, group size limits, social distancing, raised hole cups to avoid touching flagsticks, removal of bunker rakes, clubhouse access restrictions, and competition guidelines. Clubs were required to appoint COVID-19 officers to ensure compliance. The protocols evolved through five phases in the Republic of Ireland and separate steps in Northern Ireland as restrictions gradually eased.