The County of Yorkshire has eight District Unions:
- Bradford & District Union (1932)
- East Riding Union (1947)
- Harrogate & District Union (1943)
- Halifax & Huddersfield District Union (1947)
- Leeds & District Union (1920)
- Sheffield Union (1910)
- Teesside & District Union (1956)
- York Union (1931)
Objectives
All of the District Unions were established to further the interests of amateur golf within its area by:
(a) providing opportunities for discussing matters of common interest amongst the Clubs of the Unions.
(b) arranging competitions among member Clubs.
(c) promoting, supporting, encouraging and guiding individual players within the Union in the pursuance of excellence in the game of golf.
Brief Outline of the History of Inter Union Matches
As can be seen by the dates of foundation of the individual Unions, the development of District Union Golf has been spasmodic and due to the enthusiasm of individuals and groups within each area but by 1956 the whole of the Yorkshire area was covered.
Although the objectives of the Unions are quite clear within each Unions' constitution, one way the Unions used to encourage and prepare local players for higher levels of competition was to arrange Inter Union matches based upon County level format.
In the early days matches between Unions were organised in an informal, friendly way but as the number of Unions grew to eight, it became more necessary to formalise the Inter Union Matches.
Ideas were promoted by the various Unions and in 1973, at a meeting between all eight Unions held at the Moor Allerton G.C. on the 23rd October, it was proposed by M. L. Bellows of Moor Allerton nd agreed to establish an Inter District Team Championship and, to administer this event, the Yorkshire Inter District Union Committee was established.
The first Team Championship was held at the Sand Moor G.C. on Sunday 29th September and has run successfully since. It is now considered as one of the Premier Events in the Yorkshire Golfing calendar. The original Team Championship Trophy was presented by the Yorkshire Post but in 1993 it was agreed by all eight Unions that a new trophy, more worthy of the Championship, should be commissioned. The Yorkshire Inter District Union Salver was first presented to the Bradford Union Winners of the 1993 Championship.
The Yorkshire Inter District Junior Championship was initiated in 1984 by J. W. Peet. former President of the Halifax and Huddersfield Union, who presented the J. W. Peet Bowl for the best individual junior on the day and the Inter District Union Junior Salver for Junior teams to play for on the same basis as the Senior event. The first Junior Team Championship took place at Halifax West End G.C. on 14th April 1985.
During the 1985 and 1986 Inter District meetings it was finally agreed by the eight Unions after many years of debate to formalise Inter Union matches and establish a League.
It was agreed that the results of the 1987 fixtures, as arranged, should be used to determine a League winner and by 1988 the fixtures between the eight Unions would be determined by the District Union and the first full League Competition took place during 1988.
The Yorkshire Inter District Union League Trophy was presented by the Sheffield Union.
By 1993 the Yorkshire Union of Golf Clubs and the District Unions' Committee forged clear links and there is now a County District Unions' liaison officer, who has been invited to attend District Union Meetings.
The composition and constitution of the Yorkshire Inter District Union is reproduced in full in the YIDU Year book.
