The Irish Golf Club Gazette: Eddie Hackett

Showing posts with label Eddie Hackett. Show all posts

4/03/2016

Course View - Old Head

Old Head Golf Links is built on a 220-acre diamond of land, jutting out over two miles into the Atlantic Ocean. The promontory is almost an island with numerous caves running beneath your feet as you play the course. The links and practice area occupy 180 acres and the remaining 40 acres of unspoilt cliff (rising in places to over 300 feet) frame the course.

Designed and constructed by a unique team, Ron Kirby - former designer at Jack Nicklaus’s Golf Design Services, Paddy Merrigan - Australian course architect and agronomist, Liam Higgins - one of Ireland’s best known golf professionals currently on the Seniors Tour, the late Eddie Hackett - former Irish golf professional and golf course designer, the late Dr. Joe Carr - Ireland’s most successful international amateur golfer and finally, Haulie O’Shea – building contractor.

Old Head, par 72, comprises five Par 5s, five Par 3s and eight Par 4s – stretching to over 7,200 yards from the tips, with a minimum of six tees per hole. Nine holes play along the cliff tops, and all eighteen holes provide stunning ocean views. With the ever-changing sea breezes, the course provides a stern test to the touring pro and the high handicapper alike.

Old Head Golf Links is designed as a walking course where Members and Guests are encouraged to walk the links with a Caddie. Old Head boasts one of the largest group of professional Caddies in the country, with approximately 160 Caddies working at the Club throughout the season.

The Old Head Caddie Programme is among one of the most extensive and professional worldwide.

Course Tour

12/01/2014

Golf Club Focus - Athlone

Club History

In 1892 the first Athlone golf course was laid out on the undulating terrain of the Batteries, a raised area west of the Shannon. It was the 'Athlone Garrison Golf Club' and during the early years it was mainly British army officers and R.I.C. personnel who were members of this nine hole course.

Soon, leading businessmen and professional people of the town began to take an interest in golf and in 1904 a new constitution was adopted and the club was renamed Athlone Golf Club. Those who played an important role in the development of the club at this time were P.V.C. Murtagh, J. Lyster, Dr. C. J. McCormack, J.J. Coen and P.B. Bingham.

Athlone Golf Club moved from the Batteries to Garnafailagh in 1920 because of the encroachment of urban development. The Batteries course however, left its mark on the history of Irish golf. Club member, John Dillon McCormack, won three Amateur Close Championships and represented Ireland twenty-four times. In 1924 he was selected on the Walker Cup team but could not play for personal reasons. It was almost eighty years later that a club member did play on the Walker Cup team, Colm Moriarty played at Ganton Golf Club in 2003.

Golf continued at Garnafailagh until 1938 when the move was made to Hodson Bay. This course was designed by Mr. J. McAllister and was officially opened on the 19th June of that year. The clubhouse, a pavilion style building, was situated beside the lake, close to the present sixteenth tee.

Down through the years a number of development programmes have been carried out. In 1972 the present clubhouse was opened, with Hawtree & Co., Course Architects, having advised on the new lay-out of the course to suit the location of the clubhouse.

On the advise of course architects, Mr. Eddie Hackett, improvements were made to the course in the eighties and in the early nineties the par 4 fifth hole and the par 3 sixth hole were both extended to par 5 holes.

In 2003 a three year course redevelopment programme commenced under Mr. Eddie Connaughton, Course Design Ltd. The work was carried out by S.O.L. Golf Construction Ltd. The redesign and construction of sand-based greens to USGA standards, the introduction of water features and the construction of the new par 3 sixth hole have further enhanced Athlone Golf Club, a club which has hosted many provincial and national championships, including the All-Ireland Cups and Shields Finals in 1998.

Also, in 2007, the All Ireland Mixed and All Ireland Ladies Championships were held in Athlone.

Club Honours

Barton Shield

All-Ireland - 1959

Connacht Winners - 1954, 56, 59, 65, 68, 73, 84, 86, 87, 88, 89, 94, 2004, 08

Senior Cup

Connacht Winners - 1954, 1956, 1968, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1986, 2003

Junior Cup

All-Ireland Finalists - 1900, 1983, 1988

Connacht Winners - 1900, 06, 59, 62, 69, 70, 76, 81, 83, 86, 86, 87, 88, 89, 95

Irish Mixed Fursomes

All-Ireland Winners - 1976

Connacht Winners - 1976, 1986, 2001

Pierce Purcell Shield

Connacht Winners - 1977

Connacht Shield Winners - 1955, 1976, 1980

Jack O'Sullivan Trophy Winners - 1994

Fred Daly Trophy

All-Ireland Finalists - 2004

Connacht Winners - 1994, 2004

Cecil Ewing Shield Winners - 1996, 2001, 2008

Jimmy Bruen Trophy

All-Ireland Finalists - 1997, 1999

Connacht Winners - 1995, 1997, 1999

Senior Inter Club Winners - 2009

www.athlonegolfclub.ie

10/25/2014

Club History - Malahide Golf Club

Malahide Golf Club was founded in 1892 by the Irish landscape painter Nathaniel Hone, R.H.A. and is one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland.

Its original layout was a nine-hole Links course on the dunes at Malahide. Sadly, it quickly became obvious to the members that serious erosion from the sea threatened their course and, as early as April 1906, three holes were opened on an adjacent site. Six holes were retained on the seashore until the late 1920's when due to constant erosion the Club was forced to abandon the links and move entirely inland.

This new golf course enjoyed a reputation as a charming and challenging layout with its famous Quarry hole and splendid views from the top of the course. However housing development in the popular Malahide area resulted in a move in 1990 to the current championship 27 hole complex, designed by Eddie Hackett, at Beechwood, Malahide.

From its foundation Malahide Golf Club played a leading role in the development of Irish golf. Affiliated to the Golf Union of Ireland in 1896, the club's first Irish Champion was John Francis Jameson (of whiskey family fame) who won the Irish Amateur Close Championship in 1910. The club gained some notoriety in 1947 because, in common with several other golf clubs, it recognised ladies as full members. The GUI threatened to expel the club from the Union and, in April 1946, following the club's refusal to comply, it was expelled from the GUI. This situation remained until March of the following year, when the Club changed its constitution, amending the status of Lady golfers to that of associates - a situation which remained in place until 2001.

In more recent times the magnificent achievements of Tom Craddock, winner of many trophies including both the Irish Open and Close Amateur Championships, twice a member of the Walker Cup team and holder of numerous international and inter-provincial caps, have brought great distinction to the Club. The late Paddy Caul was also an exceptional player at international and inter-provincial level.

Recent distinguished members include Philip Walton, Walker Cup player, winner of the Irish, Scottish and Spanish Amateur Championships, 4-time Irish PGA champion, and hero of the European Professional Golfers win in the Ryder Cup at Oakhill in the U.S. in 1995.

www.malahidegolfclub.ie

10/23/2014

Course Focus - Old Head Golf Links

The course is set up, depending on conditions, on a daily basis. Facilities include a warm up range with complimentary golf balls and a short game practice area. Old Head has a team of fully trained outside services staff to cater for your every need.

Old Head Tour the Course