In a statement issued soon after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s address to the nation on Friday evening, Golf Ireland chief executive Mark Kennelly said: “The golf community in Ireland welcomes the Taoiseach’s confirmation that our clubs can reopen on a restricted basis in the first phase of the Government’s plan to ease the Covid-19 restrictions. This means that golf will be one of the first sports to resume and will give golf club members the opportunity to return to play on a limited but safe basis.

“Golf offers the potential to play a significant role in the recovery from this crisis in public health terms. Our sport provides a valuable outlet for healthy outdoor activity which can be enjoyed with the appropriate safety measures in place.

“We hope that, later in the year, golf can also make a valuable contribution to economic recovery, particularly in the domestic tourism sector.”

The governing bodies had been in talks with the Government and relevant agencies throughout April, engaging with them on a range of issues including the financial impact of the pandemic on golf clubs, the importance of allowing essential maintenance of courses over the past five weeks.

A comprehensive draft protocol on the safe resumption of play has been prepared which will be finalised next week, in consultation with the Government, and the intention is to furnish member clubs with that advice in advance of May 18.

“That advice will emphasise the absolute necessity of golf clubs adhering to the terms of the protocol for safe play,” the joint Golf Ireland/GUI/ILGU statement read.

“In the initial stage, play will be for members only and competitions will not be permitted. We would ask clubs to refrain from opening timesheets for booking until the protocol is published, as it will contain vital information on group sizes and timesheet intervals.

“The governing bodies will also continue to work closely with the Government in the coming weeks and months to seek support for golf clubs that have been severely impacted by the Covid-19 restrictions.”

Kennelly thanked “the golfers of Ireland for putting the health of their communities and fellow members first during this crisis” and urged them to “continue to strictly adhere to the protocols for safe golf which will be finalised shortly and to continue to follow the public health advice of the Government and health authorities”.

The governing bodies said they would continue to work with the Northern Ireland Executive and UK authorities to seek a safe resumption of golf for its clubs in the North, which remain closed.