Additional information
| Author(s) | Rankin, D. Helen |
|---|---|
| Dustwrapper | |
| Illustrations By | |
| Irish Interest | |
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Greenisland Golf Club 1894-1994 The First 100 years
Greenisland Golf Club was founded on 9 June 1894. The club owes its foundation to a group of gentlemen golf enthusiasts and the assistance of the Belfast & Northern Counties Railway Board of Directors. The railway was initiating programs to build along the coastline between Belfast and Carrckfergus and offered builders free railway tickets (‘villa ticket scheme’) for ten years for any houses built along this stretch. This helped suburbs like Greenisland to grow. The course is located on Knockagh Hill, part of the Antrim Plateau facing Belfast Lough. The land was originally part of the Carrickfergus Estate owned by the Earl of Shaftesbury but had been split into parcels of land by the Land Purchase (Ireland) Acts of 1870. Christopher Day was appointed professional at the club and he would reside there with his wife, he resigned in 1896 as the club had no longer a need for his services.
The club has been on its original site since its establishment and was designed by Alec Day, the Royal Belfast professional. George Baillie had advised on the suitability of the land prior to the members obtaining a lease on the property. Berkeley Deane Wise, a civil engineer and architect of the Belfast & Northern Counties Railway supervised the railway labourers who laid out the original course and became the first Honorary Treasurer and Trustee of the Club.
In the thirties the club looked to redesign the land again and H.S. Houston’s plans were accepted but the Sunday golf rule was an issue for the landlord of the ‘Badlands’ and it necessitated the redesign so the whole course would be on their own land and this was done by Hugh McNeill who lost out to Houston’s designs the previous time. In 1974 having secured additional 22 acres of land Frazer Midleton from Paisley, Scotland was hired to redesign the course which opened in 1977.
A notable player for the club was David McNeilly who won the British Isles Ford Amateur Championship in 1978. McNeilly would eventually caddie for legends like Nick Faldo, Padraig Harrington, and Matteo Manassero.
