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Short Outline on the
History of Galway Golf Club
BY JOHN CUNNINGHAM
The history of the course which overlooks Galway Bay
and has quite the most spectacular views of the stretch
of Atlantic made famous by Bing Crosby, by the way, while
accepting Walter Hagen’s advice about taking time
to smell the flowers and look at the unrivalled scenery,
there is also a very good par 70 test of golf awaiting you
on your visit.
Galway's most famous golfing ambassadors are multiple
Ryder Cup players, Christy O'Connor Snr. and Christy O'Connor
Jnr. Both of whom learned their golf around these parts.
In so far as can be established, the first recorded
game of golf was played in Galway in 1895. Colonel H.F.N.
Jourdain, a British Officer then stationed in Galway (for
Ireland was then part of the British Empire) laid out what
he termed a short nine hole course on the eastern side of
the city. After some moves, Galway Golf Club found its present
permanent home at Salthill and it should be mentioned then
no less a hand than that of the world-famous golf architect;
Dr. Alistair McKenzie, outlined the positions of tees and
greens in the early twenties of the last century.
In recent years it has undergone extensive re-design
of a number of the greens to keep pace with technology,
but it still has the charm and challenge of a course which
has an abundance of trees, and particularly handsome gorse
which sports a yellow bloom for months of the year. However,
you won't want to see too much of that!
In the dim distant past, one member of the club, who
was recorded as a bit of a bore disagreed with some others,
bought the land and put them off the course! However, you
can be assured of a traditional Irish welcome at Galway
Golf Club…. a Céad Mile Failte (a hundred thousand
welcomes).
The History of The Galway Golf
Club is divided into chapters for ease of use. Click on
your preferred chapter to view.
The Chapters are in PDF Format.
Click on LINKS below to download.
To save a chapter to your computer,
RIGHT CLICK on the links below, Click "Save Target
As", then save as you would any other document.
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The chapters
listed below delve in more depth into the following areas:
Chapter
1 Renmore
Dealing with the foundation of the club in 1895 at it’s
initial location on the grounds of Renmore barracks and
it’s move to a new site on Gentian Hill shortly afterwards.
Chapter
2 Barna 1905-1925
In 1905 Galway Golf Club moved from a small site at Gentian
Hill to a more substantial site a couple of miles away in
Barna. The club remained here until 1925.
Chapter
3 Twenty Five Years A-Growing
1925-1950
In 1925, the Club moved to its present home at Blackrock,
Salthill. The course architect was no less than the great
Dr. Alister McKenzie, designer of the majestic creation
that is Augusta National, home of the U.S. Masters!
Chapter
4
Ladies Golf and Galway 1895-1995
By Kitty O’Riordan
This chapter deals with the valued contribution that the
ladies of Galway Golf Club have made to the Club and to
the national golf scene.
Chapter
5 Bob Wallace By John Cunningham
Bob Wallace, uncle of our present Pro; Don Wallace, was
a legend in Irish golf circles. Here John Cunningham paints
a colourful portrait of the affable character who was the
Club Professional in Galway Golf Club from 1946-1973.
Chapter
6 The O’Connor Clan
Two of Irish golf’s most successful and well-known
Pros must be the ‘Two Christys’; Christy O’Connor
Snr. and his nephew Christy O’Connor Jnr. who grew
up within a wedge of the seventh tee. Go here to read about
their remarkable achievements.
Chapter
7 Modern Times: 1950-1995
A synopsis of the Club’s development from 1950 1995
(the year of our centenary).
Chapter 8 ADDENDUM:
'Course Wildlife', by Peadar O'Dowd.
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