Beech Park Golf Club
18 Hole Parkland   


Course Facts:
Address
Johnstown
Rathcoole
Co. Dublin
Secretary/Manager:  
Captain: Tommy Davis
Lady Captain: Kathleen Allen
Telephone: 01-4580522 President: Philip Knowles
Public No: 01-4580100 Vice-Captain: Frank Kennedy & Anna Condon
Fax: 01-4588365 Hon. Secretary: Eammon Burke & Ann Hackett
E-mail: generalmanger@beechpark.ie Club Pro: Zak Rouiller 01-4124725
Website: www.beechpark.ie Hon. Treasurer: Paul Paterson & Mary Lou Quinn
Founded: 1983 Designed by: Eddie Hackett
Not open for membership. Societies are welcome and group rates are available.
Membership: 892 Course opening hours: Daylight hours
Green Fees Midweek: €42 Clubhouse opening hours: 9.00am to 11.30pm
Green Fees Weekends & B.H.: N/A Mobile phones: Not on course or in clubhouse
Green Fees With a Member: €15 Dress Code: Neat casual, no denim
Green Fees For Opens: €15 Catering: Full catering facilities
Practice Area: Yes Days to Avoid: Wednesdays & Thursdays
Club Hire: Yes Green Fees and Societies Welcome: Other days
Buggy Hire: Yes Pre-booking for open tournaments: 14 Days in advance
Soft spikes: No    




Course Description:

Undoubtedly one of the best kept secretes in Irish Golf, Beech Park is one of the finest Parkland courses to be found anywhere in the country. Designed by the late Eddie Hackett it measures 5,763 Par-72 with a standard scratch of 70 off the white tees. Although only opened in 1983 Beech Park has matured rapidly much to the credit of the committees and members.

It opens up with a relatively straight forward, Par-4, followed by a testing 2nd.

By the time you reach the 346 metre 5th you begin to realize you are on a demanding golf course. Amen Corner starts at the long Par-5 9th where the tee shot is played through a funnel of trees with trouble all the way down the right. This is followed by a very difficult 338 metre 10th that frightens even the regular members.

The 11th is a lay up hole with a very difficult tee shot. The 171 metre 12th is played over water to a well-protected green. If you manage to negotiate these holes the 469 metre 13th will keep you focused again you are faced with a tight tee shot with water all the way up the right-hand side which you may have to take on with your approach to the green.

The 18th is one of the best finishing holes to be found anywhere in Ireland at 371 m and index 2 you will have used every club in the bag if you have recorded a satisfactory score.
Beech Park Golf Club has recently completed an extension and refurbishment of its fine clubhouse where the golfers will find their every need catered for. Visitors are always extended the warmest of welcome and you will leave Beech Park with a burning desire to return. 
Societies are welcome and group rates are available.





Open & Major fixtures 2008:

Event

Start

Finish

Type

Duration


No fixtures until 2009.
       




Club History

In March of 1983, nearly 400 members of Bodenstown Golf Club became golfers without a home. Having been tenants, at the nearby course for the previous ten years. A special GM was called and was attended by 420-members. The overwhelming majority decided to purchase 110-acres of the Kennedy Estate at Johnstown. The site was adequate to allow the late Eddie Hackett to design a magnificent 18-hole par-72 of 5,762 m off the back tees.

By July of 1983 Hackett with the enthusiastic help of many of the members, had a temporary 9-hole course in play and by the following summer the 18-hole course was in play. I remember my first visit to Beech Park Golf Club back then with the 2003 Captain Gerry Diggins, when we togged out in portal cabins and the fairways were so wet that your ball was plugging everywhere. Full credit must be given to the members and committees who worked endlessly to improve the course.

Each year they treated the fairways and replaced all of the original greens, to achieve what is undoubtedly one of the finest Parkland courses to be found in Ireland. They simultaneously undertook the construction of a fine clubhouse designed by Paul Joyce and have recently extended it.
The original members retained their affiliation to the GUI and played their golf in the many open competitions through 1983-1984. However it wasn’t long before they affiliated as Beech Park Golf Club.





Location

Veer left at the V-junction adjacent to the Poitin Still in Rathcoole Village continue up the road 3 kilometres and you will find Beech Park on your right hand side.






Members Achievements

Lady Captain Margaret McCann and Captain Kieran Gregory won the Irish Distillers Captain's Invitation at Rathfarnham Golf Club in August 2002.

Beech Park Golf Clob won the All-Ireland Jimmy Bruen Shield at Co. Sligo G.C. in 1994, when the team was J. Kennedy, E. Doyle, E. Lynch, J. Doyle, M. Moran, J. Teeling, E. Donegan, O. Conlan, S. Power, C. Browne, E. Donoghue, A. Holbrook, O. Casley, J. Delaney, L. Connolly, H. Donnelly, D. Murphy and N. Shannon they were managed by L. O'Brien.

They won the All-Ireland Jimmy Bruen Shield at Killarney G. C. in 1992, when the team was N. Shannon, E. Doyle, P. Barry, J. Teeling, S. Power, S. Stynes, J. Delaney, M. Moran, J. Kennedy, C. Crowne, A. Holbrook, P. McCormack, W. Cashin, D. Murphy, G. O'Keeffe, E. O'Donoghue, S. Dunbar and they were managed by L. O'Brien.

They won the All-Ireland Pierce Purcell Shield at Tramore G. C. in 1996, when the team was T. Davis, W. Buckley, J. Delaney, A. Ronan, R. Lacken,, H. Daly, J. Cauldwell, J. Brady, T. P. Kelly, R. Ryan, P. J. O'Callaghan, T. O'Neill, J. Hall, J. Noonan, E. Donoghue, T. Holbrook, N. Frazer and S. Power.

Beech Park won the All-Ireland Irish Junior Foursomes at Castlecomer G. C. on 18th August, 1999, beating Downpatrick G. C. in the Semi-Final by 1 hole and went on to beat Cahir Park G. C. in the Final by 2 holes. The team was Trevor Bradley & Philip Smyth and Kevin Donohoe & Des Hickey, they were managed by F. Mooney. Well done lads.

Beech Park were Leinster Champions and All-Ireland were runners-up in the Irish Junior Cup in 1986, when the team was P. Culligan, P. McCormack, P. Doyle, H. Donnelly, J. Teeling, C. Browne, E. Kelly, R. Coghlan, E. Doyle, S. Dunbar and A. Kelly, they were managed by H. B. O'Neill.

Beech Park won the Metropolitan Cup in 2004, when the team was Tony Murphy, Harold Daly, T. P. Kelly, Damian Keogh, Peter Barry, Leigh Power, Noel Shannon, John Feeling, Anthony Carolan, Gerry Tucker, Eamonn Donoghue and Tommy Davis, they were managed by Jim Brady.

Beech Park won the Duggan Cup in 1991, when the team was J. Corbit, M. O'Toole, P. Heeney, C. Crean, T. Denning, C. Mullally, P. O'Dwyer, F. Kennedy, N. Shannon, E. Doyle, T. Collins, M. Healy, V. Hollowed and B. Shanly, they were managed by J. Noonan.

They first won it in 2000, when the team was E. Lynch, A. Ronan, J. Morgan, J. Dowling, J. Kennedy, T. Holbrook, B. Lawless, T. Murphy, N. Shannon, T. P. Kelly, E. Donoghue, G. Carolan and A. Holbrook, they were managed by N. Frazer.

Beech Park Golf Club won the Dublin Team Trophy at Edmondstown Golf Club in 1987, when the team was M. Joyce, J. Brannigan, J. Doyle, S. Stynes, N. Frazer, J. Duggan and G. Carolan, they were managed by T. Whyte.

They won it again in 2000, when the team was Tony Murphy, T. P. Kelly, Joe Kennedy and Eamonn Burke, they were managed by Billy Cashin.

They won the Leinster Final of the Jimmy Bruen Shield in 1991, when the team was R. Brady, J. Delaney, M. Moran, N. Shannon, J. Noonan, P. Mooney, A. Carolan, J. Brannigan, S. Power, A. Holbrook, P. Brady, E. Doyle, W. Cashin, J. Kennedy, M. Keane and D. Murphy, they were managed by L. O'Brien.

Beech Park won the Leinster Final of the Pierce Purcell Shield when they beat Woodlands. They went on to play Templemore in the All-Ireland semi-finals at Lahinch on 21st September 2000. The squad was Jimmy Brady, Harold Daly, Ray Ryan, Vincent Carney, Dermot Moran, Liam Devine, Noel Donohue (Vice-Captain), Jim Delaney, Tony Murphy, Jack Hall, Gerry O'Toole, Paul Gavin, Willie Duggan, Gerry Tucker, Tony Kenna, John Kennedy, Jim Brady, Brian Delaney (Captain), Pat O'Dwyer (President), Jim Noonan and Denis Hayes. The team-Captain was Jim Brady. They beat Templemore in the Semi-Final 3.5 to 1.5, but went down to Roe Park in the National Final. The team was J. Delaney with V. Carney, P. Gavin with J. Hall, G. Tucker with G. O'Toole, J. Noonan with W. Buckley and H. Daly with R. Ryan.

T. Murphy (11) 70, J. Kennedy (10) 71, T. Kelly (11) 65, and E. Burke (11) 71, 277, were the runaway winners of the Dublin Team Trophy at Edmondstown G. C., on 3rd September, 2000.

Beech Park won the Tile Style Trophy at Stackstown Golf Club in 1992, when the team was G. Hulsman, T. Tansey, C. Byrne, J. Kennedy and A. Walsh, they were managed by M. Palmer.

My very good friend Bill Gorman has just got membership of Beech Park, look out lads on the Pierce Purcell, team. Bill is capable of shooting anything, if he ever gets his game right he will be looking for his place, only yesterday, he shot 40pts. However he has been known to shoot 4 pts. over the front nine at The European Club and 5 pts. over the front nine at City West!

The Ladies of Beech Park Golf Club were Fourth Autumn Team winners in 1997, when the team was S. McEntaggart, S. Hulsman, M. Smyth, I. Keane, M. Nolan, S. McCormack, C. Gray, M. Harte, F. Murray and N. O'Brien, they were managed by M. Shannon and captained by Rita Hayes.





Card of the Course (yards)
 
Hole No White Yellow Par Index Red Par Index
1 318 309 4 11 267 4 11
2 354 344 4 3 305 4 9
3 353 341 4 7 300 4 7
4 133 119 3 17 96 3 17
5 344 323 4 1 240 4 13
6 346 337 4 5 299 4 3
7 472 460 5 9 402 5 1
8 147 132 3 15 123 3 15
9 448 436 5 13 404 5 5
Out 2,915 2,801 36   2,436 36  
10 338 326 4 4 294 4 6
11 282 269 4 12 230 4 12
12 171 151 3 10 116 3 16
13 469 458 5 6 433 5 2
14 293 282 4 14 266 4 4
15 129 119 3 18 93 3 18
16 345 332 4 8 304 4 8
17 449 438 5 16 376 5 10
18 371 362 4 2 330 5 14
In 2,847 2,737 36   2,442 37  
Total 5,762 5,538 72   4,878 73  
SSS 70 69     71    

Men's Course Record: 65 Craig Martin Kilkenny G. C. (1) 03/08/2006
Ladies Course Record:


Roll of Honour
Bonnie Duggan 1990 Ladies Captain
Jim Brady 1990 Men's Captain
Michael Murphy 1990 President
Cora O'Toole 1991 Ladies Captain
Denis Hayes 1991 Men's Captain
Michael Murphy 1991 President
Noreen Howe 1992 Ladies Captain
Jimmy Duggan 1992 Men's Captain
Thomas F. Whyte 1992 President
Carmel Howe 1993 Ladies Captain
Philip Knowles 1993 Men's Captain
Jim Noonan 1993 President
Maureen Brennan 1994 Ladies Captain
Paddy Doyle 1994 Men's Captain
Jim Noonan 1994 President
Una Goulding 1995 Ladies Captain
Maurice Keane 1995 Men's Captain
Brian Freely 1995 President
Ann Breen 1996 Ladies Captain
Oliver Casley 1996 Men's Captain
Brian Freely 1996 President
Rita Hayes 1997 Ladies Captain
Anthony Carolan 1997 Men's Captain
Paddy Weldon 1997 President
Maeve Shannon 1998 Ladies Captain
Maurice Palmer 1998 Men's Captain
Paddy Weldon 1998 President
Pamela Gibney 1999 Ladies Captain
David Burbridge 1999 Men's Captain
Con Crean 1999 President
Mary Hehir 2000 Ladies Captain
Bryan Delaney 2000 Men's Captain
Pat O'Dwyer 2000 President
Joan Doyle 2001 Ladies Captain
Noel Donohoe 2001 Men's Captain
Jim Brady 2001 President
M. McCann 2002 Ladies Captain
Kieran Gregory 2002 Men's Captain
Jim Brady 2002 President
Gerry Diggins 2003 Men's Captain
Adrienne Kelly 2003 Ladies Captain
Denis Hayes 2003 President
Margaret Reynolds 2004 Ladies Captain
Joe Lawless 2004 Men's Captain
Denis Hayes 2004 President
Marie Daly 2005 Ladies Captain
Eamonn Mooney 2005 Men's Captain
Jimmy Duggan 2005 President
Laurie Creevey 2006 Ladies Captain
Noel Shannon 2006 Men's Captain
Jimmy Duggan 2006 President
Marion Nolan 2007 Ladies Captain
Tony Murphy 2007 Men's Captain
Philip Knowles 2007 President
Mags McNamara (12) 2008 Lowest Ladies Handicap
Martin Maher (2) 2008 Lowest Men's Handicap


Holes-in-One
Person Date Hole No. Club Used Distance
Noel Lyons 4 October 1997 15th   129 m
M. McGrath 01 August 1999 12th   116 m
C. Kinsella 27 January 2002 12th   151 m
Liam Fayne 1 June 2002 8th   147 m
Elizabeth Mooney 16 July 2002 16th   96 m
Vincent Carney 8 September 2002 4th   133 m
Philip Knowles 21 September 2002 15th   129 m
Harold Daly 9 April 2003 4th   120 m
Owen Doyle 31 May 2003 8th   137 m
Eric Kenny 29 August 2003 4th   119 m
Jim McNamara 23 August 2003 4th   119 m
Teresa Conway 11 November 2003 8th   123 m
Heuston O'Neill 18 January 2004 8th   132 m
Tom Collins 1 May 2004 8th   155 m
Alan Ronan 2 May 2004 15th   129 m
John Derby 8 May 2004 15th   119 m
Danny Ryan 8 September 2004 15th 7-Wood 129 m
Liam O'Brien 9 October 2004 4th   133 m
Patrick A. Brady 21 November 2004 15th   119 m
James Prendergast 27 November 2004 4th   133 m
William Donnelly 13 March 2005 15th   129 m
Eamon Donoghue 2 April 2005 15th   129 m
Thomas Stauton 25 May 2005 12th   146 m
Eddie Keegan 13 June 2005 4th   133 m
Betty Aylward   4th 9-Iron 96 m
Bill Gorman        




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