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Stillorgan Park Golf Club, Dublin. (1909 - 1917)
Founded in 1909.
Report on the new golf course in May 1909.
Wicklow News-Letter and County Advertiser Saturday 1 May 1909. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Result of the ladies medal for December 1909; Class One - Miss B A Mitchell, 92 net; Miss Muriel Coyle, 95; Miss K C H Clover, 104; Miss N Ormsby, 105; Miss O Powell, 106. Class Two - Miss N W Stokes, 101; Miss V Powell, 114; Miss T M Stokes, 131.
In 1911 the Secretary was A B Orr and the Captain T Staples. Committee; President, W J Shannon, Vice President, J E Macdermot, Vice Captain C C Haughton, H Mitchell, F C Peacocke, H Monahan, J Wilkinson, T J White, C E Howell, D W Alexander, R W Brown. The professional was John Murray. The nine hole course measured 2,800 yards, the following description is from The Irish Golfers Guide “five of the holes are of a sporting nature, and the greens are guarded naturally, the other four are closely bunkered. The course has been greatly lengthened, and numerous pot bunkers made” Annual subs were £2/2/0 there was a membership of 220 gents and 180 ladies. Visitors’ fees were 1/- a day, 2/- on Saturday. Sunday play allowed. Course records amateur, A B Orr 76, professional J Murray 73.
A ladies stroke competition was played for members with second class handicaps in July 1911; Mrs Forde, 106-26-80; Mrs Charlton, 108-27-81; Miss Morrow, 108-27-81; Mrs Crump, 110-28-82.
In 1914 the secretary was A B Orr. Club telephone Blackrock 96. The professional was J Murray. A 9-hole course on sandy soil with well guarded greens and natural hazards. There was a membership of 210 gents and 190 ladies. Entry fees were £2/2/0 and subs £2/2/0. Visitors’ fees on introduction were 1/- a day, weekends and Bank Holidays 2/- a day. Sunday play was allowed with caddies. There were stations at Stillorgan and Blackrock 1 mile away.
In 1916 it was listed as being an 18-hole course. The Secretary, President and Vice President were all as 1911. The Captain was W H Dowse and the Vice Captain W Charlton. Committee; R W Brown, T Staples, T J White, H C Owens, T P Callaghan, J E Mills and C L Barclay. The Professional was W Holley. There was no entry fee at this time. Subs were gents, £2/12/6 and Ladies £1/10/0. Course records amateur, T F Perrin 75, professional, W Holley 70. Visitors’ fees were as before. Officers and men of His Majesty’s Forces were golfers, were allowed to use the links free of charge during the war.
The following Location and Features of the Course descriptions are taken from "Stillorgan Park Golf Club – A Brief History 1908 /17" published in 1982. I would like to express my gratitude to the Foxrock & District Local History Club and the author Cornelius F . Smith for allowing me to use the information.
Location – “The clubhouse was at No1 and 2 Ulster Terrace, it is now 44/46 Stillorgan Grove. A steward and his wife served there.
The “Front Links” was on the field in front of Ulster Terrace, the Obelisk Park grounds. The “Back Links” site is now occupied by houses and gardens of Nos 2 to 34 Stillorgan Grove etc. It is between St John of God Hospital and Linden Nursing Home”
Features of the course – “There is a brick Grotto in the gardens at the rear of Stillorgan Grove, it is partly demolished now. This was an ornamental “folly” or gazebo for the grounds of the big house of the Viscounts Allen. The Grotto was a quaint feature and became a sort of hazard on the course. There still exists a small part of the sunken central alley of the formal garden which was availed as a bunker. Afterwards, indeed, it became a tennis court. The natural water hazard provided by the Glaslower Stream was a good feature of the course. It also fed an artificial lake along Stillorgan Grove, the club filled in the lake in 1916. Glaslower means the Lepers’ Stream. It rises in Leopardstown and flows across the golf course and down into the sea at Maretimo in Blackrock”
Willie Holley the Professional spent four years at Stillorgan Park to the 31st of December 1917 when the club was abruptly disbanded. He held the course record of 70 he also laid out the par 3 course in the grounds of St John of God’s. He subsequently gave 47 years service to the Castle Golf Club until retirement in 1965.
The Google Map below pinpoints the location of the former course.