Galway
Salthill, County Galway
- AddressBlackrock, Salthill, Co. Galway, Ireland
Galway Golf Club has been in existence since 1895 when military men from the Connaught Rangers played on the first course at Renmore Barracks. The club moved soon after that to Gentian Hill before relocating again to Barna ten years later. The golf club’s third and final move took place in the mid-1920s when it purchased the Blackrock site.
The late Colonel O’Hara’s estate was purchased at auction in April 1924 and nine holes were operational the following year, with the full 18-hole layout not brought into play until 1930. Golf writer Lionel Hewson reported in 1935 that Harry Colt had designed the course but, in a brief history of the club written by former club captain Dr. C. O’Malley in 1969, it was stated that “a golf architect named Mackenzie (sic)” was the designer. Until it’s known for certain who the architect was, we’re classifying the design credit for Galway as “unknown”.
In recent times, a number of his greens have been extensively re-designed to keep pace with the modern game but the course still retains all of its original charm. It is a well-established parkland track, with tree and gorse lined holes laid out in two loops of nine which offer marvelous views of the Burren, Galway Bay and the Aran Islands.
The names Galway and O’Connor are inextricably linked in Irish golfing circles, as the course is where uncle Christy Snr and nephew Christy Jnr honed their skills. Both Ryder Cup men are Irish golfing legends and much revered in these parts.
The course has held many prestigious competitions over the years and such is its regard with the Golfing Union of Ireland, it was chosen as the venue in 2002 for the All Ireland Cups and Shields Finals.
Galway Golf Club has been in existence since 1895 when military men from the Connaught Rangers played on the first course at Renmore Barracks. The club moved soon after that to Gentian Hill before relocating again to Barna ten years later. The golf club’s third and final move took place in the mid-1920s when it purchased the Blackrock site.
The late Colonel O’Hara’s estate was purchased at auction in April 1924 and nine holes were operational the following year, with the full 18-hole layout not brought into play until 1930. Golf writer Lionel Hewson reported in 1935 that Harry Colt had designed the course but, in a brief history of the club written by former club captain Dr. C. O’Malley in 1969, it was stated that “a golf architect named Mackenzie (sic)” was the designer. Until it’s known for certain who the architect was, we’re classifying the design credit for Galway as “unknown”.
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Alister MacKenzie was born in England, but his parents were Scottish and the family holidayed every year close to where his father was raised in the traditional Clan MacKenzie lands of Sutherland.
