A Unique Place in Irish Golf – A History of Sutton Golf Club

Sutton Golf Club, located in Dublin, Ireland, was founded in 1890. The club’s history dates back to when golf was played over the Cush Point links land before its official establishment as members of the Royal Dublin Golf Club went in search of a new home before settling on Bull Island. The club initially combined both golf and sailing activities but eventually focused solely on golf. The early popularity of the club led to the opening of “The Golfers Hotel” at Sutton Cross in 1897.

The course has undergone several redesigns over the years, with the most significant changes occurring in the early 1970s by Commander Harris with the purchase of Connor’s Field and 1996 together with efforts to mitigate the effects of coastal erosion. The most significant changes to the course was the acquisition of Connor’s Field, the land across the railway line, which allowed for the creation of three new holes and the redesign of existing holes. This acquisition and redesign have contributed to the course’s current layout and challenge.
Robert Lyons and O’Mahony Pike Architects, were commissioned to design the new clubhouse in the late 1990s and opened in 2001. Patrick Merrigan got the nod for the new course layout of Connor’s Field over Peter Townsend who had also submitted plans.

The course is a 9-hole links course that has produced many fine golfers throughout its history. The Carr family is synonymous with the course most notable Joseph Benedict Carr who is an inductee into the World Golf Hall of Fame but others of note would include William Gill and Averell Digges La Touche, the Lauder sisters, J.P. Carroll and Eithne Pentony.