The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
One Governing Body decision
OCTOBER is almost over and as we head into November and December, it’s AGM time again with many clubs holding their annual meetings and new captains taking over the reins.
One decision that many clubs will make in the coming weeks and months is on which way to vote in the upcoming ballot on One Governing Body for Irish Golf, which will be decided on Januray 19.
Both the ILGU and the GUI will hold respective meetings where affiliated clubs will be invited to vote on the proposal, but before the clubs can cast a vote they must know the wishes of their members which will be decided at each individual club’s AGM, so it’s make your mind up time. Perhaps if you’re undecided it might be useful to visit www.onegoverningbody.com to understand exactly what’s involved.
Personally, I’m totally against the idea, and it has nothing to do with equality. I feel that the ILGU and the GUI will lose their individual identities, and given their histories I think that shouldn’t happen and the status quo should be maintained, with the ILGU running ladies affairs and the GUI looking after the men.
Yes, they adopted that system in England since 2011 but do we always have to be followers, because not all of the ladies will want to join the men and vice versa?
The GUI, founded in 1891, and the ILGU, founded two years later in 1893, are the two oldest golfing unions in the world. Just think about that for a moment. Do we really want to make these two historic organisations extinct? I’m a traditionalist where golf is concerned and I think not.
Those wishing to make this new organisation happen claim that it will make golf “inclusive” and promote equality, but I beg to differ and I don’t see how having one governing body will attract any more people to the game.
Golf, in my view, has embraced equality for many years with ladies quite rightly enjoying the same priveliges and playing rights as men at every club in the country, so why the need to fix what isn’t broken?