Opens every Tuesday.

18 Hole Singles Open to Men and Ladies

Entry Fee € 8 for Members

Entry Fee €10 for Visitors

Entry online at www.athygolfclub.com or Contact 0598631729

Our Open Week starts on 7th June until 16th.

You can book online from  17th May

Green Fees

Green Fees Monday to Friday €15

Green Fees at weekends and Bank Holidays €20

To book contact 0598631729

Societies

To book your Society contact the Club on 0598631729

Catering Available

JB Carr Trophy

Athy GC played their first round match in the above trophy at Craddockstown GC on Friday 22^nd March last. The day was one of the most difficult you could imagine for golf with a swirling blustery wind, very wet underfoot conditions & temperatures more common in January. Nevertheless the day was the same for both teams & suffices to say we were soundly beaten.

Results

Joe Crowley & Pat Hennessey lost 3&2

Tom Myers & Jim Fitzpatrick lost 3&2

Michael Sheridan & Miceal O’Grady lost 5&4

Jim S Kelly & Michael Doyle lost on the 20^th

Barry Kelly & Liam Kirby won 4&2.

I left the winning match last to mention to emphasise how indebted we are to Barry & Liam for preventing the whitewash. It must also be said that Jim S & Michael Doyle fought the good fight & by the time they succumbed on the 20^th the result was irrelevant in any case.  The other three pairs fought hard in their matches but ran up against pairings who were inspired , took full advantage of home venue & putted exceptionally well on greens which were the polar opposite of what we are used to in Athy. We found it so difficult to get the ball to the hole unlike in Athy & while in no way wishing to make excuses I feel we could have come much closer had we been lucky enough to be drawn at home.

I am indebted to all the players who represented the club in such a dignified & honourable manner & took time out to visit Craddockstown for a practice session in early March. This competition is an excellent one & deserves better than the March (many weathers) setting which it was allocated. I would also like to thank the Committee & those who organised fundraising to support the team – regrettably we were unable to “stretch” these finances. Lastly I would like to thank Con Doyle for his support on the day & throughout my short tenure as Team Manager. I wish all other teams representing the club better weather & better luck.

Michael Sheridan

Team Manager        

Why are Golf Courses 18 Holes in Length?

Like many developments throughout golf history, the standardization of 18 holes as the length of a "regulation" golf course did not happen as the result of a momentous decision agreed upon by many.

And again, like many developments in golf, the standardization of 18 holes can be credited to St. Andrews.

Prior to the mid-1760s - and right up until the early 1900s - it was common to find golf course that were comprised of 12 holes, or 19, or 23, or 15, or any other number. In fact the first British Open took place at Prestwick Golf Club in Ayrshire, Scotland when the competitors played three rounds over the then 12 holes course.

Then, around 1764, the links at St. Andrews, Scotland - what we now know as The Old Course converted from 22 holes to 18 holes.

The reason?   Well, everyone knows 18 holes are easier to take care of than 22!

Eighteen holes did not become the standard until the early 1900s, but from 1764 onward, more courses copied the St. Andrews model. Then, in 1858, the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews issued new rules.

In 1858, the R&A issued new rules for its members; Rule 1 stated 'one round of the Links or 18 holes is reckoned a match unless otherwise stipulated'. We can only presume that, as many clubs looked to the R&A for advice, this was slowly adopted throughout the golfing world. By the 1870s, therefore, more courses had 18 holes and a round of golf was being accepted as consisting of 18 holes.

Our course, established in 1906 was a 9 holes course until the new nine were opened for play in 1993. It would be interesting to find out which current members were with us when we were a 9 holes course.

Our course drains so well now that it might surprise you to know that during wet winters we either played competitions over 10 or 12 holes. We played the first four holes and the 9^th and maybe also the 8^th.

The old 1^st is now the 10^th, the old 2^nd is the 9^th, the old 3^rd is the 1^st and the old 4^th was played from a tee behind the current 1^st tee to a green, out the gap in the trees to a green to the left of the pathway as we walk to the current 11^th tee. The 8^th green was about 10 yards to the right of the current 11^th green and the 9^th is the current 18^th.

The other three holes were down along the river and were prone to heavy flooding before the committee in the mid 1960’s, led by the late Dick Norris installed a drainage system to catch the water before it flowed down to the river.

We are very indebted to Dick Norris and his colleagues at that time as we now have the driest inland golf course in Leinster.