18 Hole Parkland
Course Facts: Address
Castlequarter
Gort
Co. GalwaySecretary/Manager: John Skehill Captain: Martin Whelan Lady Captain: Bernie Diskin Telephone: 091-632244 President: Maura O'Grady Public No: 091-631918 Vice-Captain: Michael Gillespie, &Anne Kerins Fax: 091-632387 Hon. Secretary: John Skehill E-mail: info@gortgolf.com Club Pro: Website: www.gortgolf.com Hon. Treasurer: Paddy Grealish Founded: 1924 Designed by: Christy O'Connor Jnr. Membership: 800 Course opening hours: Daylight hours Green Fees Midweek: €25/30 Clubhouse opening hours: Green Fees Weekends & B.H.: €30/35 Mobile phones: Not on course or in clubhouse Green Fees With a Member: €20/25 Dress Code: Neat casual, no denim Green Fees For Opens: €10/15 Catering: Full catering facilities Practice Area: Yes Days to Avoid: Club Hire: Yes Green Fees and Societies Welcome: Other days Buggy Hire: Yes Pre-booking for open tournaments: 14 Days in advance Soft spikes: No
Course Description:
Designed by Ryder Cup Hero, Christy O’Connor Junior, the course was officially opened in August 1996. Christy Jnr. Himself is particularly excited about his project at Gort and regards the 4th par 3 as among the best on offer at any course in Ireland. His famous uncle Christy Senior "Himself" and his good friends Eamonn Darcy and Des Smyth were loud in their praise of both course and club house when they played there on opening day.
The course is an inviting challenge to all golfers and as Des Smyth commented should prove "a great breeding ground for future players." The ultra modern clubhouse built at an approximate cost of £450,000 caters for the visitors every need. The spacious bar-restaurant overlooking the course offers fabulous views from all sides, where you can enjoy convivial bar facilities at a leisurely pace before or after your round of golf. The clubhouse also hosts a fine restaurant with excellent food available on request. Societies are welcome and group rates are available.
Open & Major fixtures 2008: Event
Start
Finish
Type
Duration
No fixtures until 2009.
Club History
Gort Golf Club, founded in 1924, and originally known as the Rockfield Club, spent its first 50 years on its home off the Galway Road. However, from the beginning, the annual winter flooding reduced the golf course to a veritable lake for up to six months each year causing much upset to the members.Finally in 1974/75, under the captaincy of the late Bob Forde and Gerry Cahill, the Club decided to move to a new location at Laughtyshaughnessy, where members could enjoy their golf in all seasons. However, it soon became clear that the 30 acre site could not properly accommodate the growing membership, and thus during the late 1980's and early 1990's successive committees searched long and hard for a more suitable location.
The current site, purchased from the Finnegan and Fleming families at Castlequarter, has an interesting history. It is recorded that one "Nehemias Follane, in respect of his travaile and pains taken for Her Majesty (Elizabeth I) - shall have 2 quarters (240 acres) in the New Toune, in the Barony of Kiltaraghe" (Kiltartan). The castle, built by the above Nehemias Follane, still stands on the property adjoining the course.
It is also an area of outstanding beauty, overlooking the Slieve Aughty mountains and the woods of Coole on one side and on the other the Clare Hills, and the world famous Burren. In the early 1980's, Christy O' Connor Jnr and his family came to live in the parish of Gort. The people of the area were pleased and proud that the considerable upturn in Christy's golfing career happily coincided with his arrival in South Galway.
He was made an Honorary Life Member of the Club in 1985 following his breaking of Henry Cotton's 50 year old record at Sandwich in the British Open where he finished third to Sandy Lyle. The links he has forged with Gort Golf Club are b indeed, as was evidenced when some 20 members of the Club travelled to the Belfry to witness his great triumph over Fred Couples in the 1989 Ryder Cup.
Visitors to Gort Golf Club have always been most welcome and we hope you will find the present course an attractive and fair challenge. Remember, the area also affords the visitor the opportunity of visiting Coole Park, home of Lady Gregory and Thoor Ballylee, one time home of W. B. Yeats. We are particularly pleased with Christy O' Connor Jnr's design at Castlequarter and we wish all our visitors, from home and abroad, many pleasant golfing hours here!!
Location
Three kilometers from Gort on the old Kilmacduagh Road.
Members Achievements
Gort Golf Club won the Connacht Final of the Irish Mixed Foursomes on 21st July 2007 at Athlone Golf Club. They beat Castlebar Golf Club in the Semi-Final by 3 matches to 2 matches. They met Curra West Golf Club in the Provincial Final.First up was Eoin Glynn with Teresa Gill against John Harte with Mary McDonagh, they lost by 6 and 5, they were followed by Paudie Grealish with Mary Kilroy who beat Brian McCormack with Breda Lawless by 3 and 2. Next up were Paul Smith with Josie Collins against Leo Kelly with Martina McDonagh, when the Gort pair had a narrow 1-hole win. The penultimate match say Pat Gill with Roz Burke beat James McDonagh with Emer O'Rourke by 2 and 1. The final match of Martin Callinan and Maureen Brennan against James Porter with Mary Madden went Curra West’s way by 5 and 4.
Gort went on to compete in the All-Ireland decider back at Athlone Golf Club on Thursday 6th September where the All-Ireland green pennant went to the Leinster Champions the K Club.
The Ladies of Gort Golf Club were runners-up the All-Ireland Seniors Foursomes at Athlone Golf Club on 30th September 2007 when they were beaten by Donabate Golf Club by 2 ½ matches to ½ match. They beat Omagh Golf Club by 2 matches to 1 match in the All-Ireland Semi-Final.
First on the tee was Teresa Gill with Josephine against Cummins Ann Nolan with Joan Millar who halved their match, they were followed by Josie Collins with Celine Fahey against Julie McCarthy with Pauline Byrne who lost their match. Maureen Brennan with Margaret Whelan had a bad day when they lost by 7 and 5 to Michele Browne with Ursula Cousins.
Gort Golf Club were Runners-Up in the Cecil Ewing Shield Final in 2006 when they beaten by Ballina Golf Club in the Final by 7 matches to 3 matches. The first leg was played at home at Gort Golf Club on 16th September with the second leg played away on 30th September at Ballina Golf Club.
Denis Bourke with Aidan Sweeney lost to Ronnie Killeen with Kieran Cullinane by 3 and 2. They were followed by Keith Cunningham with Dermot Timlin against Gerry Finn with John Forde who won their match by 2 and 1. Next up were Kieran O’Rourke with John Irwin who lost out to George Fahy with David Burke by a single hole. Eddie Keigher with Padraig Glancy beat Tom Barry with Finbar Gantly Snr. By 4 and 3. The final match of Padraig Naughton with Ollie Bolton against Tom Finneran with Alan Hynes was decided by a single hole in favour of the Galway men.
The Second Leg took place at home on Saturday 30th September where local knowledge came to the fore. First up were Padraig Naughton with Ollie Bolton against Gerry Finn with John Forde who had a comfortable 4 and 3 win. They were followed by Kieran O’Rourke with John Irwin against George Fahy with David Burke who recorded a 3 and 2 win for the home side. Next up were Denis Bourke with Aidan Sweeney against Tom Finneran with Alan Hynes, this match was called in and a halve declared. Kieran Cunningham with Dermot Timlin had a very convincing victory over Ronnie Killeen with Kieran Cullinane by a 7 and 6 margin. This resulted in the final match between Eddie Keigher with Padraig Glancy against Tom Barry with Finbar Gantly Snr. being called in and a halve being recorded.
The Ladies of Gort celebrated Mary Hannon-Healy and Mary Kilroys' All-Ireland ILGU Australian Spoons title in 2005. This was the second year they had won.
Goth Golf Club won their first All-Ireland pennant when they beat Royal Tara Golf Club in the Final of the Pierce Purcell Shield at Lisburn Golf Club on 11th September 2003.
They had a very convincing win over Warrenpoint by 4 matches to 1 match in the morning the team on the day was Gerry Cooney with Cathal Duffy, who lost to Paddy O'Brien and Ciaran Loughlin by the bear minimum, Kevin Mulkerrins and Noel Murphy had to go to the 20th before claiming victory over Michael A. Murphy and Allen Foley, Gerry Broderick with David Samuels clinched their match on the 18th over Jack Kane and Peter Henshaw. Niall and Noel O'Shaughnessy lost out to Ger Toher and Joe Mitchell by 3 and 2. The final pair of Michael O'Grady and John Fordham clinched the pennant with a 2 and 1 win over John F. Byrne and Jim Bannon.
Colman Cooney has the distinction of recording the first hole-in-one in 2002. Colman playing off a handicap of 7 recorded his first hole-in-one in competition on the 6th January at the 8th a 151 metre index 13 par 3 using a seven-iron.
Gort won the Connacht Final of the Pierce Purcell Shield at Roscommon Golf Club when they beat Portumna Golf Club by 3 matches to 3 matches in the final. The squad was John Whelan, John Fordham, Michael Whelan, Steve Mahon, Pat Craddock, Gerry Broderick, Ciaran Conneely, Nial O'Shaughnessy, Michael Kilroy, George Power, Ray Quinn, Brendan Dolan and Jack Beakey.
They were, Captained by John Madden. They were, drawn against Rathdowney in the National Semi-Finals at Newlands Golf Club on the 20th of September 2001 where they lost to Rathdowney by 3 matches to 2 matches in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Gort Ladies won the All Ireland Ulster Bank Foursomes in 2000, when the team was Geraldine Connors, Francis Spelman, Cathy Curlette, Maureen Brennan, Josie Collins, Catherine Burke, and Bernie Larkin, they were captained by Kathleen Reeves.
They won the Connaught Irish Junior Cup in 1973, The Jimmy Bruen Shield in 1978, The Connacht Shield in 1965, 1990 and again 2001 and the Connacht Junior Cup in 1990
The men reached the All Ireland Millennium Challenge.
Jimmy Hannigan didn't let the pressure of being Captain in the Millennium year get to him. He lost three shots off his handicap in less than a month, going from 15 to 12, in June 2000.
Gort won the Cecil Ewing in 1999 and 2002.
D. Forde played Connaught Youths in 1991.
Card of the Course (metres)
Hole No Blue White Green Par Index Red Par Index 1 346 339 329 4 13 248 4 9 2 418 397 372 4 5 361 4 3 3 373 370 365 4 3 271 4 11 4 333 325 318 4 11 318 4 1 5 155 126 111 3 15 86 3 17 6 292 271 259 4 17 257 4 15 7 417 407 400 4 1 402 5 5 8 161 151 141 3 9 117 3 13 9 516 478 463 5 7 376 5 7 Out 3,011 2,864 2,758 2,436 36 10 318 308 303 4 10 301 4 6 11 380 360 343 4 2 343 4 2 12 303 295 285 4 14 256 4 12 13 168 160 150 3 6 117 3 14 14 495 482 452 5 16 387 5 8 15 313 303 295 4 8 290 4 10 16 156 151 142 3 18 142 3 18 17 472 440 427 5 12 381 5 4 18 358 344 322 4 4 236 4 16 In 2,963 2,848 2,719 36 2,453 36 Total 5,974 5,707 5,477 71 4,889 72 SSS 71 69 68 71
Men's Course Record: Am: 68 Alan Devlin
Ladies Course Record:
Roll of Honour Chris McDonagh 1989 Ladies Captain Niall Finnegan 1989 Men's Captain Bob Forde 1989 President Geraldine Connors 1990 Ladies Captain Paddy Fahy 1990 Men's Captain Noel Geoghegan 1990 President Margaret Kelleher 1991 Ladies Captain Val Burke 1991 Men's Captain Michael Cunningham 1991 President Bernie Larkin 1992 Ladies Captain Johnny Cummins 1992 Men's Captain Gerry Cahill 1992 President Mary Geoghegan 1993 Ladies Captain Val Hoarty 1993 Men's Captain Tommy Ruane 1993 President Mary Kealy 1994 Ladies Captain Sean Mullins 1994 Men's Captain Paddy Fahy 1994 President Maura O'Grady 1995 Ladies Captain Coleman Counihan 1995 Men's Captain Dr. P. Joyce 1995 President Catherine Burke 1996 Ladies Captain Gerry Cooney 1996 Men's Captain Christy Fennessy 1996 President Rose Finnegan 1997 Ladies Captain Michael Cunningham 1997 Men's Captain Nuala Spellman 1997 President Mary Carry 1998 Ladies Captain Pat Craddock 1998 Men's Captain Bernard Gillane 1998 President Tina Joyce 1999 Ladies Captain Christy Moran 1999 Men's Captain Sadie McInerney 2000 Ladies Captain James Hannigan 2000 Men's Captain James Regan 2000 President Ellen Dolan 2001 Ladies Captain Richard Joyce 2001 Men's Captain Tom O'Doherty 2001 President Agnes Fahy 2002 Ladies Captain Noel Forde 2002 Men's Captain Tomas O'Quigley 2002 President Jane Joyce 2003 Ladies Captain Joe Byrne 2003 Men's Captain Chrissie McDonagh 2003 President Maureen Brennan 2004 Ladies Captain Brendan Dolan 2004 Men's Captain Michael O'Grady 2004 President Susan Madden 2005 Ladies Captain Charles J. Foley 2005 Men's Captain Niall Finnegan 2005 President Patricia Skehill 2006 Ladies Captain John Madden 2006 Men's Captain Paddy Grealish 2006 President Mary Coen 2007 Ladies Captain Albert Hynes 2007 Men's Captain Ronnie Killeen 2007 President Judith McGann (12) 2008 Lowest Ladies Handicap Alan Devlin (1) 2008 Lowest Men's Handicap
Holes-in-One Person Date Hole No. Club Used Distance Gerry Cooney 1 June 1998 8th 7 Iron 151 m Christy Moran 1 October 1998 5th 9 Iron 126 m Paddy Jordan 1 March 1999 5th 4 Iron 126 m Gerry Cooney 1 May 1999 16th 5 Iron 141 m Josie McInerney 1 October 1999 5th 8 Iron 126 m Pat Bourke 6 December 2000 13th 8 Iron 160 m Christy O'Connor 13 December 2000 13th 3 Wood 160 m Paudie Grealish 7 January 2001 5th 9 Iron 126 m Ellen Dolan 7 January 2001 5th 8 Iron 86 m Colm Cooney 6 January 2002 8th 7 iron 151 m