Kirkistown Castle Golf Club

Kirkistown Castle Golf Club was formed on 3rd September 1902 at a meeting held in the Market House, Portaferry. Major General W E Montgomery, Rosemount, Greyabbey had promised the lease of ground known as Sandgrass Farm at Cloughey for the purpose of a golf links. Mr. G L Bailie from Belfast designed the layout of the first nine-hole course with an aggregate length of 3,265 yards. The Club affiliated to the Golfing Union in May 1903 and the first recorded handicaps are dated 1 April 1904 for a total of 31 members. The greenkeeper was Mr. Frank Polley, a position he held for almost 50 years (he retired in 1952). Mr. Polley was responsible for the extension of the course to 18 holes in 1929 with a Par of 71. The Club's first Professional was Mr. Bertie Polley (son of Frank) engaged in June 1932 and this was followed by the formation of a Ladies Branch on 7th September 1932. Lady Norah Dunleath was elected Ladies' President. The legendary James Braid visited Kirkistown Castle on the 26th of September 1934. He spent the morning marking out alterations to tees and greens and the afternoon positioning and shaping bunkers. On seeing the location of the course for the first time he was heard to exclaim "If only I had this within 50 miles of London". The subsequent work on the course was completed by the end of March 1935. The wooden hut erected in 1902 was finally replaced by a permanent structure in 1936. This clubhouse was used as a distribution centre for children evacuated from the greater Belfast area during the Second World War and as a kindergarten school. Sand and gravel were excavated from the course for use in the construction of the airfields at Kirkistown and Ballyhalbert in 1941 and this is how the depressions in the front of the 1st tee and behind the 3rd green came into being. These areas were ground under repair until 1949. It was also in 1949 that Sunday Golf was permitted for the first time. Lieutenant Colonel Blair Mayne DSO and Bars (Colonel Paddy as he was famously known) was elected Captain in 1951. Fred Daly was elected as Honorary Member in 1953 and he organised an exhibition match in which he and Mr. John Glover played against Jimmy Henderson and Norman Dew. In 1956 the club negotiated a 999 year lease from Montgomery Estates so the future location of the club has been assured for a long time to come. Mr E J Meadowcraft of Portaferry was appointed as the first Secretary Manager of the Club in 1962. An extension to the Clubhouse was completed in 1973 and this introduced Bar facilities for the first time. The conservatory dining room was added in (1996) and then in 2001 a major development and refurbishment of the Clubhouse was completed in preparation for the Club's Centenary celebrations held throughout 2002. Mr Robert McDowell was the Centenary Captain having previously been Club Captain in (1984). The Club has come a very long way in its first 100 years without having to move a millimetre from its original and beautiful location on the eastern seaboard of the Ards Peninsula. This gives the club the distinction of being the most easterly 18 hole Golf Club on the island of Ireland. The seven just men who met in Portaferry in 1902 and formed Kirkistown Castle Golf Club would surely be very proud of what they created all those years ago.