Mullingar Golf Club is a
private golf club located in
County Westmeath,
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. Originally founded in 1894, the golf club is situated on the
Belvedere estate located from
Mullingar
Mullingar ( ; ) is the county town of County Westmeath in Ireland. It is the third most populous town in the Midland Region, with a population of 20,928 in the 2016 census.
The Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543 proclaimed Westmeath ...
town.
History
The club was originally called the Westmeath Golf Club when it was founded in 1894, and the first members played on what is described as "a small course" on the site of Mullingar Race Course. In 1903, the club moved to a nine-hole layout just north of Mullingar town and golf was only permitted in the winter months as the farmer who owned the land needed the use of it in the summer which resulted in a major drawback.
[http://www.mullingargolfclub.ie/history-story/1935-the-beginning/#prettyPhoto ]
Land became available to the Golf Club at the Belvedere House Estate in 1934. The golf course architect,
James Braid, was hired to design and oversee the construction of the course at Belvedere, which was opened for play in 1937. The course has been upgraded over recent years and a new short game facility was opened for play in 2017. The signature hole is the par 3 second hole measuring 209 yards with an elevated green guarded on three sides by deep bunkers.
Mullingar Golf Club members in 1963 organised a Scratch Cup competition. The Scratch Trophy competition is now accredited with the Bridgestone Points System, which has elevated its status as an Irish championship competition. Past winners include
Joe Carr, the inaugural winner,
Darren Clarke
Darren Christopher Clarke, (born 14 August 1968) is a professional golfer from Northern Ireland who currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions and has previously played on the European Tour and PGA Tour. He has won 21 tournaments worldwide on a ...
,
Paul McGinley
Paul Noel McGinley (born 16 December 1966) is an Irish professional golfer who has won four events on the European Tour. At the 2002 Ryder Cup, he famously holed a ten-foot putt on the 18th hole in his match against Jim Furyk at The Belfry whi ...
,
Padraig Harrington,
Shane Lowry
Shane Lowry (born 2 April 1987) is an Irish professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and the PGA Tour. His notable achievements include winning the 2019 Open Championship, the Irish Open as an amateur in 2009, and the 2015 WGC-Bridg ...
and
Rory McIllroy.
Mullingar Golf Club is a private members club. The club members volunteer to help manage the affairs of the club through participating in committees. The club employs full-time staff to manage the business and to maintain all the facilities.
References
{{reflist
Golf clubs and courses in the Republic of Ireland
Sports clubs in County Westmeath
Golf Club
A golf club is a club used to hit a golf ball in a game of golf. Each club is composed of a shaft with a grip and a club head. Woods are mainly used for long-distance fairway or tee shots; irons, the most versatile class, are used for a variety ...
1894 establishments in Ireland
Sports venues completed in 1894