18-Hole Parkland
Course Facts: Address
Abbeyleix
Rathmoyle
Abbeyleix, Co. LaoisSecretary/Manager: Malachy Fogarty Captain: Martin Kearns Lady Captain: Mrs. Kathyrn Bonham
Telephone: 057-87-31450 President: Martin Mahony & Mrs. Pat O'Halloran Public No: 057-87-31450 Vice-Captain: Tom Carroll & Mary Gee Fax: 057-87-30108 Hon. Secretary: Gerry O'Hara & Elizabeth O'Hara E-mail: info@abbeyleixgolfclub.ie Club Pro: None Website: www.abbeyleixgolfclub.ie Hon. Treasurer: Michael Moran & Teresa Bradshaw Founded: 1895 Designed by: Mel Flannigan Membership: 447 Course opening hours: Daylight hours Green Fees Midweek: €25 Clubhouse opening hours: Most days summer W/E winter Green Fees Weekends & B.H.: €30 Mobile phones: Not on course or in clubhouse Green Fees With a Member: €25/30 Dress Code: Neat and casual, no denim Green Fees For Opens: €12 Catering: Full catering facilities by prior arrangements Practice Area: Yes Days to Avoid: None Club Hire: No Green Fees and Societies Welcome: Midweek & weekends Buggy Hire: No Pre-booking for open tournaments: 14 Days in advance Soft spikes: No
Course Description:
Founded in 1895, this long established 9-hole course underwent major changes since the Millennium. Having celebrated its centenary in 1995 - an ambitious expansion was undertaken. This extension came to fruition in April 2001 with the opening of the new course of 18-holes. This changes the existing course to a certain extent and incorporated all that was natural and new in the new creation.
Designed by Mel Flanagan, the rolling parkland course is a joy and a challenge to play and will test any level of golfer. Visitors are always welcome and can enjoy a round of golf at a reasonable fee.
Open & Major fixtures 2008: Event
Start
Finish
Type
Duration
October Singles Friday 31 October Open November Fourball Stableford Hamper Saturday 1 November Sunday 2 November Open Fourball Stableford Hamper Sunday 2 November Open
Club History
Founded 1895 Affiliated 1905.
Affiliation was made to the GUI in 1905 under the Captaincy of Mr R. Hampton, B.A. who was the Head Master of Preston House.
The first site of the Club was probably on "The Island" between the Portlaoise and Ballyroan Roads. It is not known when the club moved to Ballymullen, but what is certain is, that the Club and its Links were based in Ballymullen in the years just prior to 1920.
Abbeyleix Golf Club was one of three Golf Clubs in Co. Laois at the time the others being The Heath Golf Club founded in 1890 and Portarlington Golf Club founded in 1908. Green fees were charged at 2 Shillings or the equivalent of 10 cents per day.
In 1921 the Club moved to Haywood, Ballinakill, Co. Laois. In 1927 the club was on the move again this time to Rathmoyle, Co. Laois. In 1932 the Club returned to its original location ay Ballymullen, and retained the site at Rathmoyle for winter golf for a short period from November 1934 to May 1935. However the Club went into decline and closed in 1937, however the Ladies had affiliated to the ILGU before it closed, the affiliation took place on 23rd September 1930.
The Club was re-established on 28th May 1948 at Rathmoyle, Abbeyleix. In 1949 applied for and received a licence to sell intoxicating liquor, and some would say it never looked back.
The Club retained the services of Mel Flanagan to undertake the redesign and extension to an 18-Hole course. The new course opened on 17th September and Paddy Murphy then President of the GUI officially opened the New Course.
The first record of Abbeyleix Golf Club is in "The Golfing Annual" 1905-1906. Its foundation date is given as 1894, with R. Hampton as Captain and Rev. A. E. Bro, The Vicarage, Abbeyleix, as Hon. Secretary. The course was a nine-hole 2,154 yd's, located at Ballymullen, a mile from Abbeyleix Station. In 1927 a meeting of the club decided to lay out a new course on a Mr. Weld’s land at Rathmoyle House. It seems the club went into decline during the war years and an application for re-affiliation to the GUI. In June 1949 with Rev. Edward O’Byrne, C.C., as Captain.
Location
Just outside the town on the Stradbally Road, on your right hand side.
Members Achievements Simon Cahill has the distinction of winning the last Captain's Prize on the old nine-hole course at Abbeyleix and the first Captain's Prize on the new eighteen-hole course. He secured his back-to-back Captain's Prizes with a fine opening eighteen of 63 followed by a 73 on the second day which was just enough to win by a shot from Tom Molumby.
D. Dunne had a hole-in-one at the 9th in his Captain's Prize on 5/9/99 Monica O'Reilly played for the Irish Girls in 1980
Card of the Course (yards)
578
501
429
49
465
396
121
109
101
293
287
246
381
370
278
148
136
133
256
248
202
470
396
324
343
331
315
356
340
303
361
334
294
268
263
209
362
346
324
141
135
129
494
473
407
492
480
454
238
199
182
420
406
338
70
70
70
Men's Course Record: 63 Ronan Purcell (3) 31/07/2005
Ladies Course Record: 75 Marian Riordan (2) 25/09/2005
Roll of Honour Lady Captains
1989 Mrs. P. Lally
1990 Mrs. C. Moore
1991 Mrs. M. Moore
1992 Mrs. F. O'Donnell
1993 Mrs. S. O'Donnell
1994 Miss P. Guiry
1995 Mrs. M. Mulhall
1996 Mrs. K. Kavanagh
1997 Mrs. M. Corby
1998 Miss M. Horan
1999 Mrs. Ita Ryder
2000 Fiona Bardon
2001 Mrs. Elizabeth O'Hara
2002 Gemma Downey
2003 E. Phelan
2004 Nancy Scully
2005 Nancy Scully
2006 Anne Dothery
2007 Ann-Marie Keating
2008 Bernie Kelly
2009
2010
2011 Mrs. Kathyrn Bonham
Lady Presidents
1989 B. O'Donnell
1990 G. Cahill
1991 J. Horan
1992 E. Robinson
1993 A. G. Rogers
1994 G. M. O'Brien
1995 K. Maher
1996 C. N. Moore
1997 N. O'Sullivan
1998 B. Reilly
1999 S. O'Donovan
2000 J. Horan
2001 B. Maher
2002 Liz O'Mahony
2003 M. Duggan
2004 Maura Horan
2005 Maura Horan
2006
2007 Zita Hayes
2008 Mia Mulhall
2009
2010
2011 Mrs. Pat O'Halloran
Men's Captains
1989 P. Purcell
1990 E. Thornton
1991 J. Bonham
1992 J. O'Halloran
1993 Br. J. Moran
1994 M. Mahoney
1995 T. Moore
1996 M. Fogarty
1997 H. Fingleton
1998 T. Keightley
1999 John Alley
2000 Peter Rodgers
2001 Chris Bardon
2002 Gerry O'Hara
2003 Brian Gee
2004 Larry Ryder
2005 Larry Ryder
2006 Michael Martin
2007 Declan Moore
2008 Pascal Whelan
2009 Tom Carroll
2010 Bosco Whelan
2011 Martin Kearns
Men's Presidents
1989 Viscount De Vesci
1990 J. O'Brien
1991 B. Horan
1992 B. O'Gorman
1993 W. R. White
1994 H. Cole
1995 J. E. Cahill
1996 G. Thompson
1997 F. O'Donnell
1998 C. Lally
1999 A. J. Cole
2000 A. J. Cole
2001 P. Purcell
2002 Sam Moore
2003 J. Maher
2004 John Alley
2005 John Alley
2006 John Alley
2007 Har Fingleton
2008 John O'Halloran
2009 Paddy Prendergast
2010 Br. James Moran
2011 Martin Mahony
Aidan Colhane (6) Lowest Men's H'cap
Holes-in-One Person Date Hole No. Distance Connie O'Donoghue
1st
178 yd's
Michael J. Collins
5th
183 yd's
John Murphy
4th
197 yd's
Jack Fitzgerald
9th
183 yd's
Timmy O'Connor
1 October 1999
1st
178 yd's
Dan Nelligan
28 July 2001
5th
183 yd's
Seamus Kneafsey
2 August 2002
4th
197 yd's
Recommended Adjacent Accommodation, Food & Drink for Golf, Business and Pleasure Click on the Links below for more information and company web-sites. Top Quality Hotels
Guest Houses
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Restaurants
19th Hole
Other Sites of Interest
Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Coolawowle Country House Garoon House Nulty's Cottages Self Catering Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Abbeyleix Manor Hotel Supershot The Heritage-Portlaoise Bregagh House Guesthouse Castletown House Coolawowle Self-Catering Lemon Tree Restaurant Sally Garden's Battlefield Live Heritage at Killenard Fanad House Guesthouse*** Ballaghmore House Treacy's Bar & Restaurant The Four Courts Bar Birr Equestrian Centre Castle Durrow Monaincha House The Brog Maker B&B The Gandon Inn Treacy's Bar & Restaurant Monaincha House & Health Spa The Gandon Inn Ristorante Rinuccini Lanigan Bar & Restaurant The Brog Maker Restaurant The Brog Maker Bar