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Short Outline on the History of Galway Golf Club

November 7, 2018

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 C�ad Mile Failte (a hundred thousand welcomes).