The Public House Launches Golf Ireland Brand Identity

Golf Ireland, the new governing body for golf in Ireland, launched their brand identity to staff, volunteers, and key sporting media. The new brand reflects the modern and inclusive approach that golf club delegates voted overwhelmingly in favour of last year. 

Looking beyond commonly used golfing formulas, and interested by the variety of shapes occurring on golf courses all around the island of Ireland, greens and bunkers became the inspiration in the development of the new Golf Ireland identity. Combined with a fresh colour palette and a type that communicates premium quality, without feeling elitist or highbrow, the new logo represents the unity and inclusive nature of the new entity, which will take over from the Golfing Union of Ireland and Irish Ladies Golf Union in January. 

Prior to that, all clubs will become members of Golf Ireland on 9th October 2020 in order to facilitate the first regional appointments. 

Speaking at the launch, Mark Kennelly, chief executive, said: “The establishment of the Golf Ireland brand is just part of our journey in 2020 but an important one in terms of setting out how this new, modern and inclusive governing body will work. Our dedicated team of volunteers on the Transition Board, combined with the staff of the ILGU, GUI and CGI will continue to deliver the timeline to ensure Golf Ireland is fully established by the end of this year”.

Led by a member of the Golf Ireland Transition Board, Fiona Scott, a Branding Sub-Committee which included Pat Finn (CEO, GUI), Sinead Heraty (CEO, ILGU), Pauline Bailie (Transition Board, Golf Ireland), Carla Reynolds (Communications Manager, ILGU) and Alan Kelly (Communications Manager, GUI), selected The Public House to develop the new identity.

Fiona Scott said: “The new brand is fresh, modern and inclusive which will broaden its appeal and attract younger players to the sport. I’d like to thank the team at The Public House as a valued partner in the project.” 

Colin Hart, founder and creative director at The Public House, said: “Golf Ireland is future-proofing our favourite sport in Ireland as a leading destination globally. The Public House is proud to have helped them to give a long term personality to the brand whilst communicating all the values that they stand for.”

The Public House was appointed as the creative agency of record for Golf Ireland in August 2019. An interim website was launched here while a new Golf Ireland website and app are being developed to launch in conjunction with the introduction of the World Handicapping System in November 2020. 

The Public House is an independent strategic and creative agency based in Dublin, with clients including Jameson, Paddy Power, EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum, and Independent News & Media. The agency is known for its strategic rigour and creative edge that delivers for its clients, with a philosophy that ‘Boring Doesn’t Sell’.