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Dungarvan Golf Club, County Waterford. (1924 – 1993)

The first nine-hole course was laid out on the Cunnigar, a peninsular of land just south of Dungarvan.

The club became a member of the Golfing Union of Ireland in 1924.

Due to coastal erosion together with difficulty of access at Cunnigar the club moved in 1929 to Clonea playing on a course close to the Ocean View Hotel.

Just prior to WWII the club moved to a nine-hole course at Ballinacourty where it continued until 1993.

In the late 1980s the club decided to purchase land nearer the town. The club eventually moved to its current location at Knocknagranagh in 1993.

A local entrepreneur purchased the former course at Ballinacourty and it became the current Gold Coast Golf Club in the 1990s.  

The first club played on a nine-hole at Cunnigar from 1924 to 1929.

The Dungarvan club moved to a new course at Ballinacourty in 1939 and continued at this location until 1993.

From the Golfer’s Handbook 1928; Dungarvan Golf Club; Membership 143; Hon. secretary – John A Cartwright, Mountain View, Dungarvan; Green-keeper, P Keane; 9-holes; Station at Dungarvan, one-mile; Visitors, 2s/6d a day; Sunday play; Hotel – Lawson’s.

Google Map showing Cunnigar.

Report on the new course in 1929.

From the Waterford Standard Saturday 1 June 1929; “PROPOSED GOLF COURSE AT CLONEA – Dungarvan Golf Club are contemplating a change of golf links. For the past six or seven years the members of the club have conducted all their tournaments on the peninsula known as the Cunnigar, a sandy strip of land that juts out into the sea from Helvic Head, a one-time Danish stronghold. It is mainly because of its inaccessible position that the club is endeavouring to secure a new course at Clonea. The Cunnigar, which derives its name from the rabbits which infest it, is separated from Dungarvan by a dangerous strip of water a quarter of a mile wide, a small boat being used to get across. In stormy weather the crossing is impossible and on more than one occasion golfers have been stranded on the Cunnigar, having to tramp seven miles along the shores of the Western bay in order to get back to the town. Golf can only be played for five months of the year on this remarkable course a mile long and less than quarter of a mile wide at its broadest point. If a player sliced badly off the sixth hole his ball would drop into the sea. During heavy storms the Cunnigar has been covered completely by waters of the Atlantic.”

Report on the opening of the Clonea golf course in July 1929.

Waterford Standard Saturday 13 July 1929. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD._1

The annual general meeting was held in April 1932, J H O’Sullivan, County Secretary, presided. The auditor’s report showed a net profit of over £57 for the year. The following officers were elected; President – E A Ryan, State Solicitor; Captain, J B Cooke; Hon. Secretary, A R Farrell; Hon. Treasurer, B Mulcahy; Committee – J Foley, J A Cartwright, J O’Dwyer and Dr. McCarthy.

Golfer’s Handbook 1933; Dungarvan Golf Club, Clonlea Course; Membership 160; Secretary – John A Cartwright, Mountain View, Dungarvan; Green-keeper, P Mullaney; 9-holes, SSS  72; Visitors, 2s/6d a day, 10s a week; Sunday play. 

Golfer’s Handbook 1937; Dungarvan Golf Club, Clonlea Course; Membership 160; Secretary, L F Lannigan; Green-keeper, P Carlton; 9-holes; Visitors, 2s/6d a day, 10s a week; Sunday play.

From the Waterford Standard Saturday 23 October 1937; “DUNGARVAN’S NEW GOLF COURSE – Dungarvan Golf Club is to have a new nine-hole course, which means the Clonea course will have to be abandoned. The new course will be on land bordering the sea, but inland in nature.”

Google Map showing Clonlea.

Report on the move to the new course at Ballinacourty in November 1938.

Waterford Standard Saturday 19 November 1938. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Former Coastguard Station to be used as the new clubhouse in February 1939.

Waterford Standard Saturday 25 February 1939. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Golfer’s Handbook 1947; Dungarvan Golf Club; Membership150; Joint hon. secretaries; W M Cussack and P F Gaynor; Green-keeper, P Carlton; 9-holes Par and SSS; Visitors, 2s/6d a day, 10s a week; Sunday play. 

Ladies’ general meeting in 1949.

Waterford Standard Saturday 2 April 1949. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Golfer’s Handbook 1951; Dungarvan Golf Club, Ballinacourty Course; Membership 180; Secretary; P Walsh, Abbey View, Dungarvan; 9-holes, Par 74, SSS 73; Amateur course record; J Egan and Dr Maguire; 9-holes Par and SSS; Visitors, 2s/6d a day, 10s a week; Sunday play.

Golfer’s Handbook 1956/7; Dungarvan Golf Club, Ballinacourty; Membership 130; Secretary; G Geraghty, New Line, Dungarvan; Green-keeper, J Carlton; 9-holes, 6,184 yards, Par 74, SSS 73; Amateur course record; J Egan and Dr Maguire; 9-holes, 6,184 yards, Par 74 and SSS 63; Visitors, 3s/6d a day, 15s a week; Sunday play.

Golfer’s Handbook 1961; Membership 130; Secretary; W S Kelly, Parkview, Dungarvan; Green-keeper, J Carlton; 9-holes, 6,184 yards, Par 74, SSS 73; Course records; Amateur; J Egan, 71; Professional; C Connolly, 73; Visitors, 3s/6d a day, 15s a week; Sunday play.

Golfer’s Handbook 1964; Membership 160; Secretary; J J O’Keefef, Mountain View, Dungarvan; Green-keeper, J Carlton; 9-holes, 6,14 yards, SSS 71; Course records; Amateur; R Fleury, 71; Professional; C Connolly, 73; Visitors, 3s/6d a day, 15s a week; Sunday play.

Golfer’s Handbook 1966; Hon. secretary; S Glanville, 2 South Terrace, Dungarvan; Green-keeper, J Carlton; 9-holes, 6,164 yards, SSS 71; Course records; Amateur; R Fleury, 71; Professional; C Connolly, 73; Visitors, 3s/6d a day, 15s a week; Sunday play.

Golfer’s Handbook 1972; Membership 160; Secretary, W J Elliott; 9-holes, 6,164 yards, SSS 69; Amateur course record, N D O’Kennedy, 69; Visitors, 37p (50p weekends), £2,50 a week.

Golfer’s Handbook 1975; Membership 240; Secretary; W Power; 9-holes, 6,182 yards, SSS 69 Amateur course record, N D O’Kennedy, 69; Visitors, 75p (£1 weekends), £4 a week.

Golfer’s Handbook 1982; Membership 244; Secretary W Power; 9-holes, 6,251 yards, SSS 69; Visitors, 75p (£1), £4 a week.

Golfer’s Handbook 1985 – 1988; Membership 489; Secretary, J Murphy; 9-holes, 5721 metres, SSS69; Visitors, £4 (£5).

Treble for Tom Booth in 1989.

Irish Independent Wednesday 20 September 1989. Image © Independent News and Media PLC. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Clubhouse destroyed by fire in September 1989.

Evening Herald (Dublin) Saturday 1 September 1990. Image © Independent News and Media PLC. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Golfer’s Handbook 1991; Membership 340; Secretary, N Hayes; 9-holes, 5721 metres, SSS 69; Amateur course record, J McHenry, 66 (1984); Visitors, £7.

Report on the opening of the present course in September 1993.

Irish Independent Monday 27 September 1993. Image © Independent News and Media PLC. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

Scorecard for the nine-hole course.