18 Hole Links/Parkland
Course Facts: Address
Cushendall Road
Ballycastle
Co. Antrim BT54 6QPClub Manager: Stephen Emerson Captain: A. J. Boyd Lady Captain: Valerie Sayers Telephone: 028-207-62536 President: None Public No: 028-207-63536 Vice-Captain's: G. Dowds & M. T. McKiernan Fax: 028-207-69909 Hon. Secretary: Brian Dillon & Rita McCormick E-mail: info@ballycastlegolfclub.com Club Pro.: Ian McLaughlin 048-207-62506 Website: www.ballycastlegolfclub.com Hon. Treasurer: J. B. Black Founded: 1890 Designed by: Membership: 646 Course opening hours: Daylight hours Green Fees Midweek: £25 Clubhouse opening hours: am to pm Green Fees Weekends & B.H.: £35 Mobile phones: Not on course or in clubhouse Green Fees With a Member: £10/£15 Dress Code: Neat casual, no denim Green Fees For Opens: £13 Catering: Full catering facilities Practice Area: No Days to Avoid: Sundays & bank holidays Club Hire: Yes Green Fees and Societies Welcome: Other days Buggy Hire: Trolley Pre-booking for open tournaments: 14 Days in advance Soft spikes: No
Course Description:
Ballycastle belongs to one of the most glorious stretches of links-land in all of Ireland. The Club, founded in 1890, lies at the foot of one of the nine glens of Antrim, Glenshesk, beside the seaside town of Ballycastle on the Causeway Coast. It is one of the four courses played annually every June in the world famous Black Bush Causeway Coast Tournament.The excellently maintained 18-hole course offers a variety of terrain combining parkland and links holes. The opening five holes are parkland with natural hazards provided by the Margy and Carey rivers. The demanding 2nd par-4 hole requires an accurate drive over the Carey River while the 3rd par-3 hole is adjacent to the 13th century Friary. From the 5th hole there follows a stretch of links alongside the beach as far as the 9th hole, a challenging par-4 with a narrow approach to an elevated green. The 10th is a memorable par-3 pitch across a chasm with unsurpassed spectacular views across the sea to Rathlin Island. Holes 11 to 16 are played over an adjacent upland with clear views of Fairhead, the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland and Ballycastle Bay. Coming home the elevated 17th tee offers panoramic views of Glenshesk and Ballycastle, while the hole is a testing par-3 to a well-bunkered green. It leads to the par-5 eighteenth hole and the Clubhouse where warmth hospitality, good "craic" and friendship awaits.
Although not a long course Ballycastle offers a challenging enjoyable game. Accurate iron play is essential for good scoring while the undulating greens will test your putting skills.
Voted the No. 92-ranked golf course in Ireland, by “Golf Digest Ireland” in 2008.
Open & Major fixtures 2008: Event
Start
Finish
Type
Duration
November Seniors 50+ Wesnesday 26 November Open 1 December Seniors 50+ Wesnesday 17 December Open 1 Singles Friday 26 December Open 1
Club History Instituted 1890 affiliated 1891 Founded on the 8th May, 1891, Golf magazine on 8th January, 1897, gives the following account “the making of this pretty little nine-hole course was mainly due to the energy of Comdr. Causton, R. N., later in charge of the Coastguard in the district, and Lt. Cutfield, the present Coastguard officer and about four years ago a club was formed with Captain Causton as Secretary, which post he still retains”.
Ballycastle was one of the nine founder members of the GUI in November 1891. Ladies have been playing golf at Ballycastle as far back as 1897, with the Causton played for monthly.
Causton fell in love with the game when he was introduced to the game at Portrush. He received permission from Miss Boyd, and set about setting out, with three or four others, what has become one of Ireland’s finest Links.
Location
A2 between Portrush and Larne
Members Achievements
Rory McCormick won the Under 15 Ulster Boys' Championship in 1999;Anne Boyd played for the Irish Girls' in 1967;
Aine McCoy played for the Irish Girls' in 1968 and 1969;
Rita Sheehan played for the Irish Girls' in 1971;
Patricia Atkinson won the Irish Girls' Close Championship in 1963;
Christine Scarlett won the Irish Girls' Close Championship in 1964.
Card of the Course (yards)
Name Hole No White Green Par Index Red Par Index The Margy 1 456 446 5 9 446 5 7 Glenshesk 2 358 348 4 3 348 4 1 The Abbey 3 168 153 3 13 131 3 15 Carey 4 410 402 4 1 400 5 13 Dunrainie 5 264 254 4 17 246 4 17 Hog's Back 6 310 301 4 15 285 4 11 The Beach 7 416 400 4 7 341 4 9 Knocklayde 8 331 303 4 11 296 4 5 The Dooans 9 359 341 4 5 306 4 3 Out 3,072 2,948 36 2,799 37 The Chasm 10 115 109 3 12 106 3 14 Rathlin 11 346 325 4 4 320 4 2 Fairhead 12 495 486 5 14 411 5 18 Vincey's Pitch 13 138 138 3 16 133 3 10 Tim's Corner 14 363 363 4 2 302 4 4 Kinbane 15 409 401 4 8 342 4 6 Culfeightrim 16 298 290 4 18 281 4 16 The Pitch 17 180 179 3 6 160 3 12 Dalriada 18 511 505 5 10 446 5 8 In 2,855 2,796 35 2,501 35 Total 5,927 5,744 71 5,300 72 70 69 70
Men's Course Record: 64 Fred Daly
Ladies Course Record:
Roll of Honour Mrs. G. Duff 1989 Ladies Captain F. Fleming 1989 Men's Captain Mrs. P. Rooney 1990 Ladies Captain H. Sayers 1990 Men's Captain Mrs. P. Russell 1991 Ladies Captain J. Andrews 1991 Men's Captain Mrs. T. Dillon 1992 Ladies Captain J. B. Black 1992 Men's Captain Mrs. R. McCormick 1993 Ladies Captain D. Taggart 1993 Men's Captain Mrs. M. O'Rourke 1994 Ladies Captain S. Killough 1994 Men's Captain Mrs. A. McGill 1995 Ladies Captain B. J. Dillon 1995 Men's Captain Mrs. J. Lynn 1996 Ladies Captain M. Campbell 1996 Men's Captain Mrs. J. McHenry 1997 Ladies Captain A. Iliff 1997 Men's Captain Mrs. K. Bell 1998 Ladies Captain P. Fleming 1998 Men's Captain Mrs. H. Guy 1999 Ladies Captain S. J. McLean 1999 Men's Captain Mrs. D. Boyd 2000 Ladies Captain Mr. H. A. Fraser 2000 Men's Captain Moira McCarry 2001 Ladies Captain E. A. McIlroy 2001 Men's Captain Zita O'Doherty 2002 Ladies Captain W. E. Wallace 2002 Men's Captain Margaret McWhirter 2003 Ladies Captain Colin Hendrie 2003 Men's Captain Margaret McCurdy 2004 Ladies Captain Jimmy McConaghy 2004 Men's Captain Fiona Glass 2005 Ladies Captain G. M. McConville 2005 Men's Captain Mary Jameson 2006 Ladies Captain R. D. J. Fothergill 2006 Men's Captain Margaret Blaney 2007 Ladies Captain James P. McCaughan 2007 Men's Captain F. McGivn (1) 2008 Lowest Men's Handicap F. McComb (7) 2008 Lowest Ladies Handicap
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