2021-12-162021-12-162019-11-01Kitching, N & Campbell, M. (2019) An examination of the elite development pathways for male golfers in Ireland, Managing Sport and Leisure, 24(6), 372-386.https://dspace.mic.ul.ie/handle/10395/3013Research question: In recent years, Irish men’s professional golf has enjoyed global success, resulting in an increased focus on golfer development and talent pathways in Ireland. Using the SPLISS model as a guiding framework, the aim of this study is to examine the organisational factors in the male amateur high-performance golf pathway that contribute to or inhibit international sporting success. Research methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed consisting of player (N = 597; n = 109) and coach (N = 27; n = 27) questionnaires, focus groups and semi-structured qualitative interviews with junior (n = 5) and adult (n = 2) players, parents (n = 2), coaches (n = 27) and physiotherapists (n = 2). Results and findings: While the system performed well in areas such as coaching and competition, a lack of programme planning and organisation resulted in poor communication and incoherent policy from regional to national level. Implications: This research represents a significant move forward in terms of a more detailed and nuanced understanding of the (pre) elite development pathways for golfers. A contribution is made to the small number of country/sport-specific studies using the SPLISS model focusing on the meso-organisational level.engThis is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of an article whose final and definitive form, the Version of Record, has been published in the Managing Sport and Leisure 1st November 2019 [copyright Taylor & Francis], available online at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/23750472.2019.1684834?journalCode=rmle21.https://www.tandfonline.com/GolfElite sport developmentPathwaysTalent developmentArticle10.1080/23750472.2019.1684834