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20 Oct 2025

GAA passes new regulations on shape and size of bas of hurleys

Hurleys

New regulations have recently been passed by the GAA regarding the permitted shape of the bas in hurling.

However, this will not lead to a general order to get rid of hurleys that are currently being used, it has been confirmed.

Instead, Pat Daly of the Hurley and Sliotar Regulation Work Group says that the regulations will be implemented over the coming years in line with new licensees in hurley manufacture and so there is no need for hurlers to panic.

Previous generations of hurlers would on occasion have had the shape of their hurl measured against a special implement to ensure that the bas was not too big.

The new dimensions passed for the shape of bas last month have been driven by an acknowledgment that the dimensions in the rule book had not been enforced and that modern hurls (or hurleys depending on your county) were operating outside of regulation and that the rule book needed to reflect this.

This prompted speculation as to how this would be enforced. For example, would hurling match referees carry out pre-game checks similar to soccer where a referee can ask to check the studs of players. However, this sort of scaremongering has been dismissed by Pat Daly.

The success of the smart sliotar licensee process provides the template for a similar approach to be made for the regulation of hurley manufacture.

Research shows that some of the best-known manufacturers have by their own admission been making hurleys with a larger bas greater than the permitted size since the late 90s. The stick has undergone a dramatic transformation since the new millennium.

The demise of ground hurling now because of the possession-based approach to the game has driven players towards a hurl with a bigger bas because their preference is to always lift and strike – this has also made some players opt for shorter hurls to avoid being hooked as they do not need the length to make a groundstroke.

At a May meeting of the GAA Central Council hurley dimensions as recommended by the Sliotar & Hurley Regulation Work Group were approved.

The following was agreed regarding hurley dimensions:

  • Juvenile (Child) up to and including 26” Hurley - Maximum Bas of 15cm
  • Junior (Youth) up to and including 30” Hurley - Maximum bas of 16cm
  • Senior (Adult) 30” up to and including 36” Hurley - Maximum bas of 17cm
  • Adult Goalkeeper Hurley maximum bas size of 21cm.

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