History
Eighty two years after it's inception, Baltinglass Golf Club could be said to have come of age. The addition of a new nine holes to the existing course has complemented an already outstanding facility.
The striking beauty of the countryside cannot but impress a visitor to Baltinglass Golf Club. Looking down towards the town the former Presentation Convent and the Church stand out.
Nestling in the Slaney valley stands the ruins of the Cistercian Abbey, founded by a group of Cistercian monks from Melifont on lands granted to them by Dermot McMurrough, king of South Leinster in 1148. The abbey became the focal point of learning and activity until it's suppression in 1541. The lands comprising of 59,000 acres included several castles and water mills. The golf course stands on part of the lands, which were owned by the monks.
After the Reformation, the abbey and lands were granted to the Eustace family and this was followed by a succession of landlords during the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. These included Sir Henry Harrington, Sir Charles Wilmot, Sir James Carroll, Sir Thomas Roper and the Stratford family who represented this area in the House of Commons and the House of Lords. It was Benjamin O'Neill-Stratford II, born in 1808, who lived at Stratford Lodge, site of the present clubhouse. In 1856 he built a balloon house beside his residence. This mansion was destroyed by fire but the balloon house was saved. He left Ireland and died at Alicante in Spain in 1875.
The balloon house was dismantled and the granite was used to build the bell tower at St. Joseph's Church, Baltinglass in 1887.
In the late 1920's the Land Commission acquired some of the estate from the descendants of Catherine Dora St. John.
In 1927 Baltinglass Golf Club was founded. Approximately 168 acres was acquired from the Land Commission on a "Trust Estate" lease under the Irish Land ACT, 1903. The original trustees were: Miss Violet Tynte, Rev. Albert Byrne CC (first captain), Dr. W.O. Lyons, Colonel Meade, J. Dennis, Patrick J. Ronan, Hugh C. Doyle and Major C. Mitchell.
Development of the course was confined to nine holes, which was designed by Lionel Hewson. Membership in the 1930's/1940's was very small varying between 20 and 30 mainly business and professional people. Individual members took care of course maintenance and it was not until the late 1940's that Christy Foley became the first permanent employee.
In 1954 with the club unable to meet it's financial commitments, a decision was taken to return 80 acres of land to the Land Commission. The popularity of golf improved in the late 1960's and early 1970's and by the early 1980's membership of the club was full and new entrants were mainly confined to the local area.
Various options were considered during the early 1990's to extend the nine-hole course. A lot of the initial groundwork was carried out by Fay Doyle, John Glynn, Fintan Doyle and Padraig Kavanagh whose dynamic leadership with the 1999 Club Captain, Dick Lynch, culminated in the calling of an Extraordinary General Meeting attended by almost 300 members.
The decision was taken, virtually unanimously, to extend the course to 18 holes. Approximately 80 acres of the land previously surrendered to the Land Commission was purchased on 20th August 1999 from Coillte. At this time the Minister agreed to return ownership of the original nine holes to the Club Members.
The plans outlined at the EGM were pursued vigorously by Padraig Kavanagh and the succeeding Captains, Dick Lynch, Ned O'Keefe, Dave Prendergast, Fintan Doyle and their committees. The contract for the development was awarded to James Darcy under the guidance of Eddie Connaughton, the course architect.
