On 2nd December 2022, Golf Ireland released its 2023 schedule with a few noteworthy changes. All this builds the expectation that 2023 will be an exciting year for golf players and fans of the sport. After an impressive 2022 Golf calendar, the year ended with the Irish Golf Writers’ Association Awards, where top players like Rory McIlroy, Hugh Foley, Beth Coulter and Jimmy Kinsella received awards for their outstanding performance.

What most people didn’t expect is that there was a rise in golf betting in 2022. As golf tournaments became more popular, many people became interested and even placed bets on their highly-ranked players. Top Irish betting sites offer common markets like the tournament winner and head-to-head matchups and exciting prop bets like hole-in-one, albatross and over/under on the winning score.

Since the year is just beginning and the first championship starts in March, there’s plenty of time to learn about the different bets you can place in golf. But before anything else, why should you look forward to the 2023 golf schedule?

Mark Wehrly, Golf Ireland’s Championships Director, said, “The aim of the restructuring of our championships programme is to create a broader appeal for our events and to make them attractive, living up to the commitments in our strategic plan to deliver a streamlined, inclusive and equitable calendar.”

“The restructuring will also see us deliver our competitions in a smarter way and add value and opportunities for our players, who are at the centre of everything we do.”

Following a strategic plan and a high-performance review by Golf Ireland, there will be many changes this year. The AIG Irish Men’s Amateur Close Championship will now have 72 holes of stroke play for two years on a trial basis. On the other hand, the AIG Irish Women’s Close Championship will have a streamlined format with two turns of stroke play. The 16 top players will qualify for the match play rounds in the championship.

The Men’s Championship will happen from 18-20 August at the Malone Golf Club, while Connemara will host the Women’s event from 22-25 June.

An innovative and major highlight of the 2023 calendar is the introduction of a new tournament for women and girls. This will be the Golf Ireland Women’s Championship Series which borrows a lot from the success of the Rose Ladies Series in the UK. The Series will have four regional championships, which will be played one day each and make a complete 54-hole play season.

The championship will only consider players who are over 18 years and aims to attract top female golfers in their 20s, 30s and 40s. As for young girls, Golf Ireland will set up four Regional Girl’s Championships, two of which will be played in conjunction with the Boy’s Regional Championship during the summer season.

In 2022, the first-ever Irish Open for Players with Disabilities was held and was a great success. This time around, the championship will be a flagship event for the European Disabled Golf Association held at Roganstown on the 27th and 28th of June and will give players a chance to get even more points in the World Rankings. The entries for the event are already open, so you can easily check and register on the European Disabled Golf Association website.

The popular Golf Ireland’s Senior men’s championship has been improved with a new Seniors and Veterans’ Stroke Play Championship, which will be hosted at Powerscourt from the 16th to 18th of August. In regard to this, Golf Ireland will also bring back the Veteran Men’s Category with two 18-hole tournaments starting at the regional level in Leinster and Munster.

Amateur championships started by Golf Ireland will again take place in May, with the Flogas Irish Men’s Amateur Open happening on 11-14 May at the Island Golf Club. The next week, the Flogas Irish Women’s and Girls’ Amateur Open Championship will be hosted at Woodbrook from the 19th to the 21st of May.

In line with Director Mark Wehrly’s remarks on “creating a broader appeal for the events”, Golf Ireland will launch a programme for inter-club events, which will run all through the season. In the end, there will be an All-Ireland Final Series held at different venues, including Castleroy on 29-30 August for the Underage Series, Dun Laoghaire from 7th to 10th September, Knightsbrook on 14-17 September and lastly, Westport from 21st to 24th September.

Even though the first championships start around March and April, entries for all tournaments will be open by late January for all willing to participate to register.

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If you are new to golf, you may be surprised to learn that appropriate attire is required. Most golf courses have a dress code that must be adhered to, even if you are simply showing up for a golf lesson.

Not knowing what to wear to your first golf lesson can be stressful. Our goal with this article is to help you with that. Here’s a look at what to wear and avoid at your golf lessons.

What’s Acceptable to Wear to a Golf Lesson

Men

If you’re a guy who’s taking your first golf lesson, you must make sure you are wearing some type of collared shirt. This is because most golf courses have a dress code that requires collared shirts for men. A short-sleeved polo shirt or a standard golf shirt are excellent choices for your first lesson.

As far as bottoms, men can decide between long pants or shorts. If the weather is on the cooler side, consider wearing either khakis or some type of slacks. If it’s in the heat of summer, any type of golf shorts are perfectly acceptable at most clubs.

As far as footwear goes, things are pretty flexible. Some golfers like to wear tennis shoes while on the driving range while others will opt for golf shoes. If you choose to wear golf shoes to your first lesson, opt for ones with soft spikes because metal spikes aren’t allowed at some courses.

Women

Women golfers have a few more options as far as the top goes. At most clubs, ladies can wear sleeveless tops as long as the shirt has a collar. Women can also choose to wear a turtleneck or crew-neck top if it has sleeves.

As far as the bottoms, ladies can choose from golfing pants, golf shorts, or a skirt. Another option is skorts, which is a combination between a skirt and shorts. As a general rule, skirts or shorts must come down to around the knee.

Footwear choices for women golfers are the same as men’s. Any type of golf shoes or tennis shoes is acceptable, as long as they are spikeless or have soft spikes. Socks that are about ankle high are also a good idea.

What You Should Never Wear to a Golf Lesson

Men

While some golf courses have relaxed their respective dress codes over the last few years, the large majority of them don’t allow any type of denim. So, unfortunately, this means no blue jeans or blue jean shorts. It’s also a good idea not to show up in workout shorts (aka basketball shorts).

As far as the top goes, men should never show up to a golf lesson in t-shirts or tank tops. While both of these are very comfortable, neither one is considered to be proper golfing attire. Remember, golf is a gentleman’s game and you aren’t at the gym.

For footwear, never show up to your lesson in flip-flops or sandals. If you do, make sure you have golf shoes to change into before meeting your instructor. It’s also smart to wear socks to prevent blisters from getting on your feet.

Women

While stylish off the course, women shouldn’t wear capris to a golf lesson. They also should avoid denim shorts and denim skirts, even though a few courses may allow them. They also should avoid shorts or skirts that are too short.

As far as the top goes, ladies should never show up wearing only a sports bra. While this is perfectly fine at almost any gym, it’s not considered proper golf etiquette.

To avoid footwear faux pas, don’t show up to your lesson in boots or heels. This is basic common sense, but as they say, common sense ain’t common these days.

Other Things to Bring to a Lesson

Like a lot of other sports, golf requires lots of accessories. Let’s go over some of the most important accessories to bring with you to your golf lessons.

1. Visor or Baseball Cap

While no headgear is required at a golf lesson, it’s not a bad idea to wear a baseball cap or a visor. This is especially true if your lesson is going to be outdoors. A quality cap or visor will keep both the sun and sweat out of your eyes.

2. Sunglasses

Again, sunglasses aren’t essential but they are nice to have on extremely sunny days at the driving range. I don’t wear sunglasses during my golf lessons because I feel it messes with my depth perception when looking at the ball. That said, a countless number of golfers wear sunglasses both on the course and during their golf lessons.

3. Golf Glove

This one is an essential item because you want to have a good grip on the golf club. During a golf lesson, your golf instructor will be asking you to make several swings. Without a quality golf glove, you’ll likely get an uncomfortable blister or two.

4. Sunscreen

It always pays to have sunscreen in your golf bag, especially during the warmer months. A nasty sunburn is not only incredibly painful but it’s also unhealthy for your skin.

5. Sweaters or Jackets

Either of these will come in handy during the winter months. You don’t want to get too cold on the driving range during your golf lesson. Just make sure that your sweater or jacket fits loosely and doesn’t restrict your golf swing in any way.

6. Bottle of Water

Most golf lessons range from 30 minutes to an hour. You’ll want to have water on hand to stay hydrated during your breaks. The last thing you want is to start cramping up during your golf lesson because of dehydration.

7. A Couple of Golf Towels

It’s nice to keep a couple of golf towels on hand for your golf lessons. You can use one to wipe sweat from your head and arms and the other to clean off your irons after using them.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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