When Deer Park and Stepaside were the only options!

waterville72

Just wondering if anybody remebers the early 90s when the only options for a game on the weekend in Dublin for non members were Deer Park and Stepaside. The wait in Deer Park for a number used to be outrageous. I can remember many Sundays when a bus journey into town at 10 am(earliest bus), then a dart to Howth, then an uphill 25 minute walk to Deer Park was followed by a 2 hour wait( I kid you not!) for a game.
"Number 21 for the 18" as you were making your way round the putting green for the fifth time.
Then when you did get out you were faced with a minimum 5 hour round. And the funny bit is that we did it week after week. The love of the game I suppose.

And Stepaside...with its merging of 1st hole groups and 10th hole groups on the first tee which led to 6( thats six!) hour rounds on a Sunday! The young guys nowadays dont know how lucky they are!
Anyone else remeber these great days?

minotour

I wasn't involved but can certainly imagine it, must have been painful but then it sounds like you didnt bat an eyelid as it was just the done thing.

How times have changed, Take it a step further and crack out Tiger Woods '10 on the Wii and never leave the house:D

drkpower

I was only reminiscing about that at the weekend.
Used to hike the lenght of Griffith Ave at about 7 am on a Sunday to get a bus to Deer Park to wait up to 3 hours to play a round in, sometimes, driving wind.
What the hell were we thinking?
I wasnt (and still am'nt) even any good at golf.....

What was the deal back tehn? Was it simply a lack of golf clubs?

waterville72

Yeah that was it really. Just very few pay and plays. It was all club golf then. Golf really only took off in the early 90s from what I remember.

It was just these two then along came Hollystown and the The Open Golf Centre which is gone now sadly.
That was the old Deer Park then when it was just 27 holes..Beechers Brook in the old back nine. Good track it was.

Swinging Looney

What about the old Par 3 course in Malahide (where "The Links" estate is now) and the old chestnut of Corballis. If you could just get someone to give you lift out there............

I wonder how many of us stood in line beside each other in Deer Park, never realising that Internet Forums would be where we would spend so many rainy evenings in the future!

Didihno

Played the par 3 there on saturday.
My God what a place it still is.
You cannot beat the view from the first tee on the 18, or even the Grace.
Still the queues were the reason I quit golf in the late 90's, only played about 20 times since, so understandably rubbish.
But, I have cured my golf rage. Mostly.

SoupyNorman

Sillouge was open around then too I think. I remember it had one tiny container at the 1st tee to pay and an endless stream of players waiting to hit off. Terrible course :-S

FixdePitchmark

"It was the best of times , it was the worst of times" - (joking)

Was looking through old threads to see stuff on Deer Park. Played The 18 Hole Course for the first time in years last week - had been up with friends to introduce them to the game using the great little par 3 course and nine hole courses a few years ago. But - went out and played 18 with a few beginners / casual golfers the other day.

Deer Park was the ultimate place to go and play golf publically in Dublin in the 80s and 90s. It was a funny place , you would go up, and there was this lady who ran the show like a Sister in a hospital - she would hand you a small cardboard disc - number 86 - 3 hour wait. (lol). There was sometimes a 4 hour wait - then a 5 hour + round.

It was very slow, as it was filled with (very) casual golfers , beginners, tourists , guys who decided to take up golf for the first time, kids like me.

I remember getting the bus, then, train, then the famous walk to the top of the hill to rent clubs and then - as you got into the sport more - carry your own. This was the life for many a "homeless golfer" in the 90s. It sounds like a nightmare in hindsight, it was at times - but they were the best days of your life. Out with friends or brothers or your "Da". Then you were old enough to go do it yourself - or with friends.

Lads stealing your ball from you on fairway was not an unusual sight. These lads would then sell them in the carpark back to you.

Of course - the Dad could get a few drinks if you wanted to to play more - or as you spent hours on one of the most used putting greens in the world. There is one thing about Deer Park - and anybody who has been there knows, the views are unreal. The Irish sea, Dublin Bay and Ireland's Eye. The old walk to land mass above and a rhododendron garden and the castle.

People always spoke with great love of the place. But, if I'm being honest - it was mainly lads who knew very little else about golf courses elsewhere. The 9s were very open and you could get away with massive slices , or play from another fairway.

The 18 hole course, that has changed over the years was a bigger test. A hard start and protected by raw distance (6915 yards as per website). It has a bit of character to it - well - I'm talking relative here. Holes 2 and 3 and 7 and 8 and 9 and 10 and 11 and 16 and 17 are holes that have something about them . Some of them a very good golf holes.

The 18 th was famous amongst Dubs - "That last ****ing hole would nearly bleeding kill ya" - Then in to, mill a few pints, "some of the best in Dublin" - not a worry in the world or even a car to care about. The simple life. No even phone call from the missus - only a pay phone in the bar :P

The greens were famous for being very good - the truth again, was they were a very dense grass - and could be let go too long sometimes - but this minimised the damage to them from the heavy public traffic and the occasional trolley going over them - by the unknowing beginner.

So - In a strange way - I was looking forward to the round immensely. It was not necessarily to do with the course quality . It was to do with childhood memories. Really, You know every blade of the place. The times you had your bottle of coke or bar of chocolate on the course, the place on the course you couldn't reach as a child , the first time you got to the corner of the 3rd, reach the last in 3. The fights with your brothers over golf, It is more than just golf. You never forget the chips from the chipper in Howth, after the walk - thankfully back down.


So - I don't know if I can write a hard review of the course that was my introduction to golf. Sadly some of the greens had been sanded and were in poor condition on others. But - I loved been back and remembering the course.

81 strokes - very poor up and downs - but the greens played part.

Had a chat with the Dad after - must be 15 years since he was there with me.

- He asked me, "Did you get to the corner of the 3rd" - - I said "Yes Dad" "6 iron." He said to me - when he can't sleep he thinks of that course and plays it in his mind. - he can't play golf any more.

You change , but you can never take away the great days of your past in golf.

That night - I played out every shot of my round.

Ben1977

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

"It was the best of times , it was the worst of times" - (joking)

Was looking through old threads to see stuff on Deer Park. Played The 18 Hole Course for the first time in years last week - had been up with friends to introduce them to the game using the great little par 3 course and nine hole courses a few years ago. But - went out and played 18 with a few beginners / casual golfers the other day.

Deer Park was the ultimate place to go and play golf publically in Dublin in the 80s and 90s. It was a funny place , you would go up, and there was this lady who ran the show like a Sister in a hospital - she would hand you a small cardboard disc - number 86 - 3 hour wait. (lol). There was sometimes a 4 hour wait - then a 5 hour + round.

It was very slow, as it was filled with (very) casual golfers , beginners, tourists , guys who decided to take up golf for the first time, kids like me.

I remember getting the bus, then, train, then the famous walk to the top of the hill to rent clubs and then - as you got into the sport more - carry your own. This was the life for many a "homeless golfer" in the 90s. It sounds like a nightmare in hindsight, it was at times - but they were the best days of your life. Out with friends or brothers or your "Da". Then you were old enough to go do it yourself - or with friends.

Lads stealing your ball from you on fairway was not an unusual sight. These lads would then sell them in the carpark back to you.

Of course - the Dad could get a few drinks if you wanted to to play more - or as you spent hours on one of the most used putting greens in the world. There is one thing about Deer Park - and anybody who has been there knows, the views are unreal. The Irish sea, Dublin Bay and Ireland's Eye. The old walk to land mass above and a rhododendron garden and the castle.

People always spoke with great love of the place. But, if I'm being honest - it was mainly lads who knew very little else about golf courses elsewhere. The 9s were very open and you could get away with massive slices , or play from another fairway.

The 18 hole course, that has changed over the years was a bigger test. A hard start and protected by raw distance (6915 yards as per website). It has a bit of character to it - well - I'm talking relative here. Holes 2 and 3 and 7 and 8 and 9 and 10 and 11 and 16 and 17 are holes that have something about them . Some of them a very good golf holes.

The 18 th was famous amongst Dubs - "That last ****ing hole would nearly bleeding kill ya" - Then in to, mill a few pints, "some of the best in Dublin" - not a worry in the world or even a car to care about. The simple life. No even phone call from the missus - only a pay phone in the bar :P

The greens were famous for being very good - the truth again, was they were a very dense grass - and could be let go too long sometimes - but this minimised the damage to them from the heavy public traffic and the occasional trolley going over them - by the unknowing beginner.

So - In a strange way - I was looking forward to the round immensely. It was not necessarily to do with the course quality . It was to do with childhood memories. Really, You know every blade of the place. The times you had your bottle of coke or bar of chocolate on the course, the place on the course you couldn't reach as a child , the first time you got to the corner of the 3rd, reach the last in 3. The fights with your brothers over golf, It is more than just golf. You never forget the chips from the chipper in Howth, after the walk - thankfully back down.


So - I don't know if I can write a hard review of the course that was my introduction to golf. Sadly some of the greens had been sanded and were in poor condition on others. But - I loved been back and remembering the course.

81 strokes - very poor up and downs - but the greens played part.

Had a chat with the Dad after - must be 15 years since he was there with me.

- He asked me, "Did you get to the corner of the 3rd" - - I said "Yes Dad" "6 iron." He said to me - when he can't sleep he thinks of that course and plays it in his mind. - he can't play golf any more.

You change , but you can never take away the great days of your past in golf.

That night - I played out every shot of my round.

Brill post Fixde, I love those memories of when we were young.

It's amazing how the memories are so crystal clear and you even more special that some of them are made with your Dad.

webels

I do that too. Play a course in my mind when I can't sleep. I usually get to about the 4th and then its lights out....

Felexicon

Excellent post. Very enjoyable read

Dealerz

I have great memories of playing deer park with my uncle at first light on a Saturday morning-first time hitting a golf club was up in deer park. That first drive with the tree below you is a great memory as my uncle doesn't play anymore.

After that then me and the lads used to play much later in the day and we used to listen for our number like everyone else with the par 3 being the substitute if it was too busy on the two 9's.

Golfgraffix

Wow, starting feel my age now.

I started as a 14 year old playing the 9 hole par 3 in St Ann's park in Raheny, then progressed to Deer Park. Had many of those Sunday morning with the little disk. We used to get there really early and with nothing else to do for the day we would swap our early tee time for lunch money and a later round.

I had forgotten all about the Malahide 9, that was fun, there was one really good hole with a huge quarry in front of the green, hole 3 or 4 i think.

1st proper club was Cold Winters, which is now the N2 and then to Hollystown, which was such a good club, not a bad course but by far the best club atmosphere i have ever had.

Funny how over the years your perception of what is good changes, i played Barton Cup against Deer Park this year and the greens were shocking bad, one of the team members (not playing) was telling me how good they were and i had not the heart to say they were the worse greens i have ever remembered playing on.

In saying that what a great piece if land, would live to get my hands on that and build a cracking 18 with some spectacular views.

J

markie4

Golfgraffix wrote: »

Wow, starting feel my age now.

I started as a 14 year old playing the 9 hole par 3 in St Ann's park in Raheny, then progressed to Deer Park. Had many of those Sunday morning with the little disk. We used to get there really early and with nothing else to do for the day we would swap our early tee time for lunch money and a later round.

I had forgotten all about the Malahide 9, that was fun, there was one really good hole with a huge quarry in front of the green, hole 3 or 4 i think.

1st proper club was Cold Winters, which is now the N2 and then to Hollystown, which was such a good club, not a bad course but by far the best club atmosphere i have ever had.

J

Thanks lads, real trip down memory lane. I played all of those courses too. Started out playing P&P on Howth summit with my Dad, Uncle & Grandad. Anyone else remember that course, mostly on the side of a hill? You turned off the summit road, parked the car, walked across 3-4 fields to the "entrance". Must be closed 25 years now, think the land was sold for fancy houses but I remember it as a great course, probably best that I can't go back and ruin my good memories.
Then it was St. Annes park during the summer holidays with my Grandad, again great memories. Then "graduated" to Deer Park, first the 12-hole par 3, then the nines, then the 18. Played the Fintans 9 last year with my Dad and it's amazing how agricultural the greens were, compared to what I remember. But the views were far better than i remember, don't think i was too concerned with them when i was a kid