Cause for celebration:

President Mary Rea, with captains Tom O’Dowd and Anne Hiney before cutting the 75th anniversary cake

GOLF Ireland will come into being in 2021, and as the game examines ways to encourage more women to get involved in club affairs, Edmondstown Golf Club is looking to the future with confidence.

The lovely Rathfarnham club, founded by the Jewish Community in 1944, celebrates its 75th anniversary this year and the 1000-plus membership is looking forward to a busy season with President Mary Rea succeeding Susan Hamilton Leddin as just the second woman in the club’s history to hold the office.

With the Edmondstown Pro-Am set for May 17 and more than 600 visitors expected to travel from the UK from July 6-7 to enjoy the annual Glancy Tournament – founded by Louis Glancy in 1934 and organised by the Association of Jewish Golf Clubs & Societies – a busy year lies in store.

Of course, Edmondstown now boasts members of all faiths, 75 years after two members of the Maccabean Golfing Society, many of whom were unable to gain membership of established clubs, discovered an old dairy farm in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains and declared, “This is the place.”

“I am the second female club President in the history of the club, and while it was a great surprise to me, it’s a great honour,” said 19-handicapper Mary, who was Lady Captain in 2011 and proudly sits on the club’s Management Board.

“We have always had a very pro-active women’s section in Edmondstown and both myself and the Lady Captain, Anne Hiney are members of the Management Board along with our Lady Vice-captain Colleen O’Neill and our Student Officer, Denise Murphy.

“We have always had an abundance of women willing to put themselves forward for Committee.

“Joining Edmondstown was the best thing I ever did – the members were so friendly and welcoming, and that remains the case today, and the members make a special effort to integrate new members to this day.”

Tim O’Neill, a past Captain and former Irish Consul to New York, was recently appointed Chairperson of Golf Ireland’s Transition Board.

So it’s little wonder that Mary is excited about the future of golf in Ireland under a single governing body for