Malahide Golf Club – A brief history of the club.

The history of Malahide golf club is filled with committed golfers striving to build and sustain an excellent golf club and course. The club was founded in 1892 by one of Ireland's foremost painters, Nathaniel Hone, with a shore links course close to the Grand Hotel in Malahide Village. Nathaniel Hone served as the first Captain. The 5th Baron Talbot de Malahide, Richard Wogan, served as the first President of the club.

The evolution of the course.
The original course was laid out on the estuary shore line beside Malahide Village in 1892. In the 1920s the estuary began to erode the dunes of the shore course and in a very few years what had been an excellent links course had become a beach. To replace the holes lost to the sea the club began to buy and develop adjoining fields inland. This started the development of the inland nine-hole course that existed until 1990.

Development of the course at Beechwood estate.

The club had long held the desire to develop a full 18 hole course, and in 1987 the Beechwood estate and 163 acres of land was acquired by the club. Course construction began in 1988 lead by Eddie Hackett – Course Architect. Central to the development of the course was the drainage of the land and the planting of 45,000 trees. A new clubhouse was designed and constructed to provide panoramic views over the new course and across the bay to Dublin Mountains. The current 27-hole course and clubhouse was opened by An Taoiseach, Charles J. Haughey on July 15th, 1990.

Golfing Excellence.
In the early years of the club, sportspeople from other disciplines transitioned to golf and enjoyed early success. Malahide's George Leatham was an accomplished cricketer before taking up golf. George won the captain's prize a record three times in a row from 1901 to 1903.

John Francis Jameson was the son of John George Jameson of the world-famous Jameson Whiskey family. John was the Captain at Malahide Golf Club in 1898 and won the Irish Amateur Close Championship in 1910. During the First World War, John was a lieutenant in the 4th battalion of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. After the war, John returned to golf and was capped three times for Ireland and captained the Irish side in 1924. Through his golfing career, John was coached by Malahide's excellent golf professional, John McKenna.

Other outstanding golfers include walker cup players Tom Craddock, Raymond Kane and Philip Walton.

Malahide golfers have won the Irish Amateur Close Championship 4 times and the Irish Open Championship in 1958.

* John Francis Jameson (of the Jameson whiskey family), Irish Amateur Close Champion 1910.
* Tom Craddock, Irish Amateur Open Champion 1958, Irish Amateur Close Champion 1959.
* Raymond Kane, Irish Amateur Close Champion 1971.
* Philip Walton, Irish Amateur Close Champion 1982.

Philip Walton represented Europe on the Ryder cup in 1995 at Oak Hills Country Club. He sank the putt that won the Ryder Cup for Europe.

The Club has a long history of members representing Ireland. Member Alison Taylor is currently on the Irish Senior Ladies Team.

Gender equality and solidarity.
Malahide Golf Club has been a leader of equality. From its founding year in 1892, women enjoyed equal playing and voting rights with men. While this equality showed great foresight and leadership, it was highly unusual during the first half of the 20th century. This solidarity between men and women at the club was tested in 1938 when the club was expelled for nine months from the GUI for continuing to provide full voting rights to women members. The club has thrived and evolved thanks to the full participation and contribution of all its members.