The Beginning
When Tramore Golf Club was founded in 1894, the game was very much in its infancy, with only 30 courses in Ireland. The Club started as a 9-hole links course that was exposed to extreme weather conditions. Over the next 18 years the course felt the damage caused by multiple storms, causing the club to direct funds to repair the famous ‘Malcomson Embankment’. A few months later the course was once again badly damaged by ‘The Great Storm’ and the Club was forced to relocate.
The Years at The Graun (1912-1939)
The opening of the new course took place on 1st may, 1912 with the course not yet entirely finished. The Great War 1914 – 1916 brought suffering to the club with many members leaving on active service. Only 8 members attended the A.G.M and G.F.W. Jennings became both Captain and Treasurer. A bank Guarantee Fund was subscribed by eight loyal members and the telephone was disconnected – a sign of the lean times. The 1930’s brought better times, the course was re-designed to improve the layout and course usage increased, particularly by societies. Electricity was installed in the clubhouse and slot machines were introduced to the liking of many of the clubs members. These machines were prominent in the bar until the 1970’s and were a useful and considerable source of revenue to the cash-starved Club.
Newtown Hill
The move to Newtown Hill came in 1939. The War brought some difficult years with a scarcity of fuel, transport and even golf balls – this led to a drop in membership and club revenue. Despite the measure to keep the club alive, the committee also looked towards building for the future generations by planting 300 trees that stand proudly around the course today. Over the next two decades the club put measures in place to improve the course and achieved this by 1967. The committee now focused their attention to the proposal of a new clubhouse. Land was purchased adjacent to the pro shop and the new clubhouse was opened on 23rd May 1970, alongside a new practice range. This was a pivotal point in the clubs history which gave the members the building blocks to create the wonderful club atmosphere that is seen today.
In 2005, Changes to the infrastructure of the town meant that the entrance to the club had changed and Jeff Howes Golf Design was engaged to present a blueprint for an upgrading of the course. The proposal was a brave one which added a nine new holes and also saw the upgrading of the existing championship layout. Tramore Golf Club stands proud today with 27 holes and a championship layout that has propelled the club back to the forefront of Irish golf.
The Future of Tramore Golf Club
If it wasn’t for the members of the past, the club would not be as great as it is today. Tramore golf club looks to the future with the same approach, striving to make the club better for future members and visitors. The committee have a thorough plan in place for the continuous improvement of the two courses and its facilities, with extra revenue comes greater improvements for the club. There has been so many iconic members in the past who have given up their time to make the club a better place, today we see the same attitude that looks towards the future like those members of 1894.
