The Royal Dublin Golf Club
Encyclopedia
The Royal Dublin Golf Club, founded in 1885, is Ireland's second oldest golf club. It is a private members' club.
The Royal Dublin is an 18-hole links course on Bull Island
, Dublin, Ireland
, one of the biggest golf
clubs in the country. Designed originally by the Harry Colt, the links was extended under the guidance of golf architect Martin Hawtree.
Captain William Bligh of 'Mutiny on the Bounty' fame was, in the early 19th century, one of those invited to solve the long standing problems of providing shipping with a safe, straight and deep approach into Dublin. As a result, it was decided to build a sea wall three kilometres out from the shore. The resulting sand bank, Bull Island, still continues to grow. The timber bridge was built in the autumn of 1819 and the Great North Wall, more popularly known as the Bull Wall, was completed by 1823.
The club owns the entire links, covering 65 hectares.
During the First World War, the course was taken over by the military and used as a rifle and artillery range. After the War, the clubhouse was in a very dilapidated condition and the course devastated. With £10,000 compensation, the clubhouse was re-constructed and the links re-designed by H.S. (Harry) Colt, the world famous golf course architect from Sunningdale, in 1920.
On the night of August 2, 1943 the Clubhouse was totally destroyed by fire. Because of delays in finalising development plans for the entire island, it was not until ten years later that the new Clubhouse opened (2 October 1954).
Major extensions were carried out in 1962, 1983, 1993 and 2007. The most recent programme involved extensive redesign and upgrading of the interior of the Clubhouse.
, running from Clontarf
to Raheny
. The clubhouse and main entrance are at the Clontarf end, and a service entrance at the Raheny end. The club owns its grounds, while the rest of the island is city property, and the Wooden Bridge and Bull Wall belong to Dublin Port
.
three times - in 1983, 1984, and 1985. In more recent years, The Royal Dublin was host to the Irish Amateur Open for three years and regularly welcomes participants in GUI cups and shields.
The club has won the Barton Cup
, the most prestigious competition in Leinster
golf, on at least two occasions: in 1946 and again in 2006.
Perhaps the greatest pioneer in the history of the game, Old Tom Morris, came to Royal Dublin and played two matches here on June 7, 1894. Also in that year, Royal Dublin hosted its first championship event, the Irish Amateur Open.
In fact the list of great golfers who have played the links is long and distinguished, and includes major winners like Ian Woosnam, Ian Baker Finch, Curtis Strange, Sandy Lyle, Corey Pavin, Bob Charles and Wayne Grady.
In addition, television commentator David Feherty won his first professional tournament at Royal Dublin- The 1980 Irish National PGA Championship. In fact Royal Dublin hosted the tournament from 1978 through 1980 and and was won by Christy O'Connor, Des Smyth and David Feherty respectively. The tournament continues to this day as the Irish PGA Championship which was won by Padraig Harrington the week before both of his British Open victories.
Since then the greatest golfers in the world - both professional and amateur - have come to play in some of Ireland's great tournaments at the famed links.
Famous non-professional golfers who have visited the club, include former Taoiseach
Bertie Ahern
, the former President of Ireland
, Mary Robinson
, current President of Ireland, Mary McAleese
, and the former American President, Bill Clinton
.
The Royal Dublin is an 18-hole links course on Bull Island
Bull Island
Bull Island or more properly North Bull Island is an island located in Dublin Bay in Ireland, about 5 km long and 800 m wide, lying roughly parallel to the shore off Clontarf , Raheny, Kilbarrack, and facing Sutton...
, Dublin, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, one of the biggest golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
clubs in the country. Designed originally by the Harry Colt, the links was extended under the guidance of golf architect Martin Hawtree.
History
The Royal Dublin Golf Club was instituted at a meeting held at No. 19 Grafton Street in May 1885, pioneered by a Scottish banker - John Lumsden. Originally called Dublin Golf Club, (it received its Royal designation in 1891 - when there were 250 members paying £2 annual subscription - the entrance fee was 8 guineas), it was located near the Magazine Fort in the Phoenix Park. After a year the Club moved to Sutton and finally in 1889 moved to its present home here on the Bull Island (the name is derived from the locality, Clontarf, which in Gaelic is Cluain Tairbh meaning the Bull's Meadow).Captain William Bligh of 'Mutiny on the Bounty' fame was, in the early 19th century, one of those invited to solve the long standing problems of providing shipping with a safe, straight and deep approach into Dublin. As a result, it was decided to build a sea wall three kilometres out from the shore. The resulting sand bank, Bull Island, still continues to grow. The timber bridge was built in the autumn of 1819 and the Great North Wall, more popularly known as the Bull Wall, was completed by 1823.
The club owns the entire links, covering 65 hectares.
During the First World War, the course was taken over by the military and used as a rifle and artillery range. After the War, the clubhouse was in a very dilapidated condition and the course devastated. With £10,000 compensation, the clubhouse was re-constructed and the links re-designed by H.S. (Harry) Colt, the world famous golf course architect from Sunningdale, in 1920.
On the night of August 2, 1943 the Clubhouse was totally destroyed by fire. Because of delays in finalising development plans for the entire island, it was not until ten years later that the new Clubhouse opened (2 October 1954).
Major extensions were carried out in 1962, 1983, 1993 and 2007. The most recent programme involved extensive redesign and upgrading of the interior of the Clubhouse.
Location
The club is on Bull Island in Dublin Bay. Accessed via an old wooden bridge (or via the modern causeway for tour coaches), Bull Island is a sand bank formed as a result of the construction of a sea wall in the 19th century. The club occupies lands from the causeway to the centre of Bull Island to the Bull WallBull Wall
The Bull Wall, or North Bull Wall, at the Port of Dublin, extending from the estuary of the River Tolka and the district of Clontarf out nearly 3 km into Dublin Bay, is one of the two defining sea walls of the port, and faces the earlier-constructed Great South Wall...
, running from Clontarf
Clontarf, Dublin
Clontarf is a coastal suburb on the northside of Dublin, in Ireland. It is most famous for giving the name to the Battle of Clontarf in 1014, in which Brian Boru, High King of Ireland, defeated the Vikings of Dublin and their allies, the Irish of Leinster. This battle, which extended to districts...
to Raheny
Raheny
Raheny is a northern suburb of Dublin, the capital city of Ireland. It is an old area, centred around an old village, and is referenced back to 570 AD but after years of light settlement, with a main village and a coastal hamlet, grew rapidly in the 20th century, and is now a mid-density...
. The clubhouse and main entrance are at the Clontarf end, and a service entrance at the Raheny end. The club owns its grounds, while the rest of the island is city property, and the Wooden Bridge and Bull Wall belong to Dublin Port
Dublin Port
Dublin Port is Ireland's biggest sea port. It has both historical and contemporary economic importance. Approximatively two-thirds of the Republic of Ireland's port traffic goes via Dublin Port...
.
Events
The Royal Dublin has held the Irish OpenIrish Open (golf)
The Irish Open is a professional golf tournament on the European Tour, currently played at the end of July or early August each year. The event has been played in many locations on the island; its current home is the Killarney Golf & Fishing Club in County Kerry in southwestern Ireland...
three times - in 1983, 1984, and 1985. In more recent years, The Royal Dublin was host to the Irish Amateur Open for three years and regularly welcomes participants in GUI cups and shields.
The club has won the Barton Cup
Barton Cup
The Barton Cup is a prize in golf in the province of Leinster in Ireland. The competition was established in 1905. It was most recently won in 2009 by Gowran Park Golf Club....
, the most prestigious competition in Leinster
Leinster
Leinster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the east of Ireland. It comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Mide, Osraige and Leinster. Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the historic fifths of Leinster and Mide gradually merged, mainly due to the impact of the Pale, which straddled...
golf, on at least two occasions: in 1946 and again in 2006.
Famous Visitors
In 1890, just five years after its inception, the Club moved to its current home on Bull Island in Dublin Bay. The links made an immediate impact on the golfing world.Perhaps the greatest pioneer in the history of the game, Old Tom Morris, came to Royal Dublin and played two matches here on June 7, 1894. Also in that year, Royal Dublin hosted its first championship event, the Irish Amateur Open.
In fact the list of great golfers who have played the links is long and distinguished, and includes major winners like Ian Woosnam, Ian Baker Finch, Curtis Strange, Sandy Lyle, Corey Pavin, Bob Charles and Wayne Grady.
In addition, television commentator David Feherty won his first professional tournament at Royal Dublin- The 1980 Irish National PGA Championship. In fact Royal Dublin hosted the tournament from 1978 through 1980 and and was won by Christy O'Connor, Des Smyth and David Feherty respectively. The tournament continues to this day as the Irish PGA Championship which was won by Padraig Harrington the week before both of his British Open victories.
Since then the greatest golfers in the world - both professional and amateur - have come to play in some of Ireland's great tournaments at the famed links.
Famous non-professional golfers who have visited the club, include former Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Bertie Ahern
Bertie Ahern
Patrick Bartholomew "Bertie" Ahern is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 26 June 1997 to 7 May 2008....
, the former President of Ireland
President of Ireland
The President of Ireland is the head of state of Ireland. The President is usually directly elected by the people for seven years, and can be elected for a maximum of two terms. The presidency is largely a ceremonial office, but the President does exercise certain limited powers with absolute...
, Mary Robinson
Mary Robinson
Mary Therese Winifred Robinson served as the seventh, and first female, President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, from 1997 to 2002. She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate...
, current President of Ireland, Mary McAleese
Mary McAleese
Mary Patricia McAleese served as the eighth President of Ireland from 1997 to 2011. She was the second female president and was first elected in 1997 succeeding Mary Robinson, making McAleese the world's first woman to succeed another as president. She was re-elected unopposed for a second term in...
, and the former American President, Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.