Limerick Golf Club
Encyclopedia
Limerick Golf Club is located at Ballyclough, on the southern outskirts of Limerick City, in Ireland
. It is one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland
, founded by Alexander Shaw
in the same year as the Golfing Union of Ireland
, in 1891. The course and clubhouse are located on the original site of Roxboro Castle and grounds and boasts an 18 hole, mature, parkland layout. The design of the course evolved over a number of years and had contributions from course designers such as Lionel Hewson, John D. Harris and Dr. Alister MacKenzie
- who was the architect of Lahinch
and Augusta National. The current layout measures 6500 yards in length and has a par
of 72.
Limerick has one of the largest memberships in the country with over 1300 members, and a long tradition in competitive golf in Ireland - having won 14 national titles. The club's most recent such win was the All-Ireland Girls' Championship in 2010. It was the first Irish club to win a European title at senior level when capturing the European Club Championship in 1980. It has played host to many championships over the years - including an exhibition match in the 1930s which included the legendary Walter Hagen
and John Burke. It is now home to the Munster Mid-Amateur Championship.
The JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am, the biggest pro-am event of its kind in Europe, had its home at Limerick Golf Club from 1990, with the last staging in July 2000. The field included some of the biggest players in the game, such as Tiger Woods
and Mark O'Meara
, and raised over €19,000,000 for local charities. Both of these players returned to Limerick Golf Club in 2001 and were conferred with Honorary Life Membership. Tiger Woods presented the flag from the 18th green of The 2000 Open Championship, held at St. Andrews
, to the Club. This event grew too large for the Ballyclough course and moved to Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort
in 2005.
A new clubhouse was constructed in 2007 and was officially opened by The Open Champion
, Pádraig Harrington
, in September of that year. Harrington was conferred with Honorary Life Membership of the club.
The club shares its name with a Limerick Golf Club located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA, which is a public facility.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. It is one of the oldest golf clubs in Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
, founded by Alexander Shaw
Alexander William Shaw
Sir Alexander William Shaw was an Irish bacon manufacturer and the founder of Limerick and Lahinch golf clubs.He was born in County Limerick, the second son of John Shaw of Willowbank, bacon merchant. The family firm Sir Alexander William Shaw (27 October 1847 – 1923) was an Irish bacon...
in the same year as the Golfing Union of Ireland
Golfing Union of Ireland
The Golfing Union of Ireland is the governing body for men's and boy's amateur golf in Ireland. It represents over 430 golf clubs with over 180,000 members and is affiliated to The R&A, which is the global governing body of golf outside the United States and Mexico.The GUI was established in 1891...
, in 1891. The course and clubhouse are located on the original site of Roxboro Castle and grounds and boasts an 18 hole, mature, parkland layout. The design of the course evolved over a number of years and had contributions from course designers such as Lionel Hewson, John D. Harris and Dr. Alister MacKenzie
Alister MacKenzie
Dr. Alister MacKenzie was an internationally renowned, British golf course architect whose course designs, on three different continents, are consistently ranked among the finest golf courses in the world...
- who was the architect of Lahinch
Lahinch
Lahinch or Lehinch is a village on Liscannor Bay, on the northwest coast of County Clare, in northern Munster, Ireland. It lies on the N67 national secondary road....
and Augusta National. The current layout measures 6500 yards in length and has a par
Par (score)
The word "par" is a term in the game of golf used to denote the pre-determined number of strokes that a scratch golfer should require to complete a hole, a round , or a tournament...
of 72.
Limerick has one of the largest memberships in the country with over 1300 members, and a long tradition in competitive golf in Ireland - having won 14 national titles. The club's most recent such win was the All-Ireland Girls' Championship in 2010. It was the first Irish club to win a European title at senior level when capturing the European Club Championship in 1980. It has played host to many championships over the years - including an exhibition match in the 1930s which included the legendary Walter Hagen
Walter Hagen
Walter Charles Hagen was a major figure in golf in the first half of the 20th century. His tally of eleven professional majors is third behind Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods . He won the U.S. Open twice, and in 1922 he became the first native-born American to win the British Open, which he went on...
and John Burke. It is now home to the Munster Mid-Amateur Championship.
The JP McManus Invitational Pro-Am, the biggest pro-am event of its kind in Europe, had its home at Limerick Golf Club from 1990, with the last staging in July 2000. The field included some of the biggest players in the game, such as Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
and Mark O'Meara
Mark O'Meara
Mark Francis O'Meara is an American professional golfer who was a prolific tournament winner on the PGA Tour and around the world from the mid 1980s to the late 1990s...
, and raised over €19,000,000 for local charities. Both of these players returned to Limerick Golf Club in 2001 and were conferred with Honorary Life Membership. Tiger Woods presented the flag from the 18th green of The 2000 Open Championship, held at St. Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews
The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews is one of the oldest and most prestigious golf clubs in the world . It is based in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, and is regarded as the worldwide "Home of Golf"...
, to the Club. This event grew too large for the Ballyclough course and moved to Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort
Adare Manor
Adare Manor is a 19th century manor house located on the banks of the River Maigue in the village of Adare, County Limerick, Ireland, the former seat of the Earl of Dunraven and Mount-Earl, now a luxury resort hotel - the Adare Manor Hotel & Golf Resort....
in 2005.
A new clubhouse was constructed in 2007 and was officially opened by The Open Champion
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
, Pádraig Harrington
Padraig Harrington
Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:...
, in September of that year. Harrington was conferred with Honorary Life Membership of the club.
The club shares its name with a Limerick Golf Club located in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, USA, which is a public facility.