Clubs to Hire has launched Ireland’s first virtual golf club — www.flexygolf.com. The problem is that Golf Ireland does not approve.

FlexyGolf.com allows golfers the opportunity to join a club that will give them all the benefits of a normal club but at a fraction of the price.

Golfers who are not members of a golf club and those that do not have an official handicap can join the club and be allocated a WHS handicap by playing at one of two host clubs — nine-hole Blacklion Golf Club in Co Cavan or Highfield Golf & Country Club in Co Kildare.

They must play one of the host clubs at least three times every year and play a green fee of €17 each time to maintain their handicap.

Flexygolf.com will offer member competitions, events (including away events) and multiple benefits as well as a welcome gift.

The first 200 to join will get the early adopter’s rate of €119 for the first year with the price rising to €139 for subsequent members.

The joining fee includes the Golf Ireland affiliation fee which would be passed on to the governing body by one of the host clubs.

Tony Judge, a Director of Flexy Golf said: “I very much see FlexyGolf as a stepping stone for golfers to progress to an established club in the future, but our set up allows them to do that in their own time and at a very affordable price.

“Thousands of people took to the game in the summer of 2020 and participation rates went through the roof. We are simply giving these people the opportunity to be part of real and affordable club.”

The FlexyGolf club will offer multiple and additional benefits to its members and has the potential to become one of the largest and most active golf clubs in the country.

According to FlexyGolf, Ireland’s has just 180,000 registered golfers with Golf Ireland and they are targeting the estimated 50,000 casual golfers who do not enjoy the benefits of an official handicap.

FlexyGolf did not engage with Golf Ireland when setting up the club, claiming they attempted in the past to engage with the GUI and received no feedback.

In a statement, Golf Ireland said: “We are aware that an organisation has recently launched advertising flexible golf membership and official WHS Handicap Indices. This venture is not recognised by, or affiliated to, Golf Ireland which is the WHS handicapping authority for the island of Ireland.

“Golf Ireland’s commitment remains to support our affiliated clubs through the pandemic and assist them in retaining and growing their membership.”

Just as the ILGU and GUI campaigned against handicap manipulation at its affiliated clubs, Golf Ireland remains committed to stamping it out under the WHS.

“FlexyGolf.com is not recognised by, or affiliated to, Golf Ireland which is the WHS handicapping authority for the island of Ireland,” a Golf Ireland spokesman said. “The management of these handicaps by the affiliated clubs involved is being investigated.

“Our understanding is that FlexyGolf members will have handicaps from these clubs but these clubs do have a responsibility to review and stand over the integrity of their members’ handicaps under the Rules of Handicapping, this cannot be done by a third party organisation as seems to be the case.“

FlexyGolf director Judge was not surprised by the cool reaction from Golf Ireland.

“They’re protecting their position and I get it,” he said. “All we are saying is, look guys, we have Flexy Membership at these two golf clubs. All that’s happening is they are coming through our mechanism and becoming members of those golf clubs.

"There is no difference here, just a layer that is FlexyGolf which will organise events, have away events and do thing differently. We want to change things up a bit and make things more exciting.”

On the safeguards they would put in place to combat golfing bandits, he added: “If Joe Bloggs has a crazy score in an event somewhere, that card will go back through the WHS system via us to one our affiliated clubs, Highfield or Blacklion, and be subjected to the same scrutiny as any card from any member of that club.

"The club will then take the remedial action that will be needed just as it would be taken if you were a member of one of those two clubs.

“We are not looking for people to manipulate the system here. We are just looking to get people into the system. I could go up and join a club somewhere around the country, never play there and become a bandit playing around the country.

"There is absolutely no difference between what we are offering and anybody joining another club anywhere in the country.”