Portmarnock Links

FixdePitchmark

Thinking of joing as a five day member this week.

Anybody a member , of have any insights ?

Thanks.

FixdePitchmark

Is it easy to get out on time sheet ?

Is club in safe hands (money wise) ?

Is the course being kept in good condition ?


Have played once, love it.

alxmorgan

Is Portmarnock for Real

175 euro what the F%uK ?

How do you get to play it ?

Who are the black art weirdos in it ?

Should we take it over ?

Who do they think they are ?

How can any club own our coast ?


Should there be a take over like that bank movement.

I wonder who said that ?

Kid Charlemagne

hes on about 2 diff courses there.

alxmorgan

Kid Charlemagne wrote: »

hes on about 2 diff courses there.

My bad - misread

FixdePitchmark

alxmorgan wrote: »

My bad - misread

You could say that again.

Reminds me of two American lads I met, who got off a plane and asked a Dublin Taxi driver could they go to Portmarnock Links.

They asked for club hire, and the guy said he would do them a deal at 200 euro each. They almost fell over, in wrong place.

It was a bit cheeky to call the new links that , crazy and they knew what they were doing I'd say.

ThunderCat

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Reminds me of two American lads I met, who got off a plane and asked a Dublin Taxi driver could they go to Portmarnock Links.

They asked for club hire, and the guy said he would do them a deal at 200 euro each. They almost fell over, in wrong place.

Have I got this right - they wanted to go to Portmarnock Links but ended up in Portmarnock Golf Club? Usually the Americans come over to play the old Portmarnock rather than the links at the hotel. I bet many have found themselves playing Portmarnock Links thinking that they are playing the course next door.

conno16

stupid americans

FixdePitchmark

ThunderCat wrote: »

Have I got this right - they wanted to go to Portmarnock Links but ended up in Portmarnock Golf Club? Usually the Americans come over to play the old Portmarnock rather than the links at the hotel. I bet many have found themselves playing Portmarnock Links thinking that they are playing the course next door.

Yes, they were Pilots and are on a tight budget.

We were talking about how the good old days are gone for pilots.

They ended up playing St Annes with me , Taxi man did not know Port. Links.

conno16

what did ye do with the taxi driver?

Benny Cake

Conno, pitchmark, are the two of ye related?

Golfgraffix

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Thinking of joing as a five day member this week.

Anybody a member , of have any insights ?

Thanks.

I have been a member for a few years and I have to say I love it, for me it's only 5 mins from the house so the extra cost is worth it.

I am on 7 day but with the kids being so young I only really play midweek these days.

Open day on every Monday, titleist winter series on Tuesday's and semi open every wednesday so plenty on mid week.

We all got a letter from Moira the D.o.G a few months ago fully explaining the financial situation, there were no long term promises but 2012 is safe.

Small membership and a very friendly bunch, I played Barton Cup the year before last but I am not sure what interclubs they are planning for 2012, medals every month with captains and presidents prizes.

Granted it is a little pricey but if you can afford it, it is well worth it, golf all year round on what is a wondererful always in great condition. The new 1st and 13th are really good additions

J

FixdePitchmark

conno16 wrote: »

what did ye do with the taxi driver?

Great Caddy.

FixdePitchmark

Benny Cake wrote: »

Conno, pitchmark, are the two of ye related?

In no way,

I hear he had a 126 on a course ?

I'm more 82

conno16

to repeat, that 126 was after (confirmed) interference with my clubs.

FixdePitchmark

Golfgraffix wrote: »

I have been a member for a few years and I have to say I love it, for me it's only 5 mins from the house so the extra cost is worth it.

I am on 7 day but with the kids being so young I only really play midweek these days.

Open day on every Monday, titleist winter series on Tuesday's and semi open every wednesday so plenty on mid week.

We all got a letter from Moira the D.o.G a few months ago fully explaining the financial situation, there were no long term promises but 2012 is safe.

Small membership and a very friendly bunch, I played Barton Cup the year before last but I am not sure what interclubs they are planning for 2012, medals every month with captains and presidents prizes.

Granted it is a little pricey but if you can afford it, it is well worth it, golf all year round on what is a wondererful always in great condition. The new 1st and 13th are really good additions

J

Thanks,

It would concern me that there is "no long term promises," it means that any sort of problem could put the place in real trouble or result in cut backs on course maintenance etc.

Just not the sort of confidence you would expect when you are investing 1500 euro of you own money.

Like the idea of a place with more long term goals.

Love the course etc.

PRAF

No long term promise doesn't sound good to me. Do they offer a flexible payment option?

You'd have to wonder does their business model work anymore. Would like to see them try to make a proper go at it as a members based club?

f22

They have a tiny membership of around 60, with no plans to expand. If they grew that and lowered fees to 1500 there would be queues to join the place (me included). Doesn't seem Moira wants the hassle of a large membership, though a nice healthy membership(300 to 400)/green fee balance might be more sustainable.

I had heard a few weeks ago it was bought out, turned out to be untrue.

Great course, no way worth 2.5k a year though.

FixdePitchmark

f22 wrote: »

They have a tiny membership of around 60, with no plans to expand. If they grew that and lowered fees to 1500 there would be queues to join the place (me included). Doesn't seem Moira wants the hassle of a large membership, though a nice healthy membership(300 to 400)/green fee balance might be more sustainable.

I had heard a few weeks ago it was bought out, turned out to be untrue.

Great course, no way worth 2.5k a year though.

Perhaps ,

Membership very low, won't be much going on with comps etc, only thing no trouble getting out.

I'm willing to pay extra for a good course , not too hard to get on, or maybe it will be ?

If something is bought out, what happens to the existing members ?

f22

Would guess your yearly membership would have to be honoured, with exception of closure for some reason (unlikely)

FixdePitchmark

f22 wrote: »

Would guess your yearly membership would have to be honoured, with exception of closure for some reason (unlikely)

Thanks (F22)

Why do you think it is unlikely to close,

It is in NAMA,

So I guess it is of little value if not a golf course , so will stay as a course, unless losing money, Is it losing money ? Anybody know this ?

PRAF

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Thanks (F22)

Why do you think it is unlikely to close,

It is in NAMA,

So I guess it is of little value if not a golf course , so will stay as a course, unless losing money, Is it losing money ? Anybody know this ?

Having been burned by paying my yearly gym membership by laser card (which closed 3 weeks later), I would strongly suggest you pay monthly and / or pay your annual sub by credit card.

If the business closes or if there is a change of owner, you may potentially have just kissed goodbye to your e1,500.

This comment applies to any form of annual subs you pay, not just to a golf club.

PRAF

f22 wrote: »

They have a tiny membership of around 60, with no plans to expand. If they grew that and lowered fees to 1500 there would be queues to join the place (me included). Doesn't seem Moira wants the hassle of a large membership, though a nice healthy membership(300 to 400)/green fee balance might be more sustainable.

I had heard a few weeks ago it was bought out, turned out to be untrue.

Great course, no way worth 2.5k a year though.

With a bit of creative thinking, they could even have 500 full members and another couple of hundred 5 day members. Despite the recession, getting into a quality links course is really difficult (e.g. the Island, Portmarnock etc.). They could fill the place with members, stabilise the business with sustainable membership subs, and then look to bring in some sort of entry fee once it is full. They could maintain a limited green fee business as well.

I really struggle to see how a business model based on Americans playing e100 to play Portmarnock Links is going to work in the long term.

link_2007

PRAF wrote: »

Having been burned by paying my yearly gym membership by laser card (which closed 3 weeks later), I would strongly suggest you pay monthly and / or pay your annual sub by credit card.

If the business closes or if there is a change of owner, you may potentially have just kissed goodbye to your e1,500.

This comment applies to any form of annual subs you pay, not just to a golf club.

Total Fitness?

FixdePitchmark

PRAF wrote: »

Having been burned by paying my yearly gym membership by laser card (which closed 3 weeks later), I would strongly suggest you pay monthly and / or pay your annual sub by credit card.

If the business closes or if there is a change of owner, you may potentially have just kissed goodbye to your e1,500.

This comment applies to any form of annual subs you pay, not just to a golf club.

Thanks,

Funny you say that, Golf is my new Gym. I've waisted so much money on Gyms, but have a longer term relationship with golf than a threadmill .

This is tough, had me heart set on 5 day, now my head is like a threadmill.

God boards is great for this stuff.

But in the old days, i'd have paid, would be on that first hitting the ball and be as happy as a golfer in rough.

Perhaps it creates procrastination in me, really struggling to go the toilet. (sorry bad joke).

Will go play it agan and think it over, have a chat with them in club house and go the gym and do some winter stretches.

PRAF

link_2007 wrote: »

Total Fitness?

Yes, had a good mind to break in and take home an eliptical trainer but decided against it in the end!

PRAF

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Thanks,

Funny you say that, Golf is my new Gym. I've waisted so much money on Gyms, but have a longer term relationship with golf than a threadmill .

This is tough, had me heart set on 5 day, now my head is like a threadmill.

God boards is great for this stuff.

But in the old days, i'd have paid, would be on that first hitting the ball and be as happy as a golfer in rough.

Perhaps it creates procrastination in me, really struggling to go the toilet. (sorry bad joke).

Will go play it agan and think it over, have a chat with them in club house and go the gym and do some winter stretches.

Don't let me put you off. Just ask can you play monthly. If they say no, you'd have to wonder why they won't allow that

Kid Charlemagne

would corballis links be close enough to there?
whats that like as a course?

presumably unlikely to close anyway....??

link_2007

PRAF wrote: »

Yes, had a good mind to break in and take home an eliptical trainer but decided against it in the end!

I was a member but left when my membership expired (mid January) due to getting a new job in town. Lucky escape or I would have been in the exact same situation as yourself.

FixdePitchmark

Kid Charlemagne wrote: »

would corballis links be close enough to there?
whats that like as a course?

presumably unlikely to close anyway....??

Nice, very cheap, not a championship course is all i will say.

mike12

Mate of mine has joined as a 5 day member, he knows the Golf manager well and they are very happy with how things are going, the hotel has made over a millon last year so no real chance of it closing.
But it is for sale.
They want to keep the membership low so they can offer stay and play at the hotel without upsetting members.
If they had €1500 for full membership and got 400 members it is €600000, i think the green fee is around 45 at the moment so thats over 13000 green fees to make that money or 36 green fees a day for the year.
Think they would be much better off heading down the membership route rather than fighting for green fees. They could keep an hour or 2 on the busy days for the green fees at the weekend.
Plus a big membership keeps the Pro shop going when they are cashing in all there vouchers for comps.
Mike