Membership at Grange Castle

digginz

Hi,

I've taken golf more seriously this summer and even tho I'm still no good I think the next step is to take a membership somewhere.

I'm tempted to take on a membership at Grange Castle for 2014. I've played the course and I like it but I've few questions:

Is it easy to find people to get the 3 cards signed?

Does people mix up easily during competitions? Is there any issue to add my name to a group of 2 or 3

spacecoyote

Hi,

I'm a member, and there are a few more of us on Boards.

Finding people to do your cards won't be a problem at all. If you need it, I'm sure any of the lads on here would be happy to play a round with you if they're free.

As to getting slots in the competitions, there is an online system, BRS, that you can use once you've got you GUI number. There is no problem with slotting in with anyone, just take an empty spot on the timesheet & play away.

You do generally have to be pretty quick on the draw to get a slot, particularly on Saturday mornings, as they tend to get a fair bit of society golf played late morning/early afternoon.

Best of luck if you take the plunge, its a great course to start your golfing career on IMO, as its fair, but with enough of a test to keep you interested.

newport2

digginz wrote: »

Hi,

I've taken golf more seriously this summer and even tho I'm still no good I think the next step is to take a membership somewhere.

I'm tempted to take on a membership at Grange Castle for 2014. I've played the course and I like it but I've few questions:

Is it easy to find people to get the 3 cards signed?

Does people mix up easily during competitions? Is there any issue to add my name to a group of 2 or 3

There'll be no problem. I was a member there for years, mainly just to get a handicap, so I didn't really know anyone. But any time I entered competitions there, there was no problem putting myself down with others. You can do the same to get your cards signed. Quite a laid back atmosphere to the club, so don't worry about it.

PARlance

Space has pretty much covered everything. I'm a member and would happily sign a card.

Just fill it out and I'll sign it

Messing, I'd be on for a round, you'll have no problem getting others either.

charlieIRL

have to head up here for a round before winter kicks in - its only about 50 minutes from me

Mister Sifter

charlieIRL wrote: »

have to head up here for a round before winter kicks in - its only about 50 minutes from me

In that case, so are about 100 other other course that would be infinitely better than Grange Castle. It's a bottom rung golf course aimed at beginners. It's definitely not a course you travel 50 minutes to play.

charlieIRL

Mister Sifter wrote: »

In that case, so are about 100 other other course that would be infinitely better than Grange Castle. It's a bottom rung golf course aimed at beginners. It's definitely not a course you travel 50 minutes to play.

maybe not, but i would be playing a course with a few of the members here who are mates of mine. No point playing a course on your own is there??

Danny dyers double

Will be joining here early next year

Mister Sifter

charlieIRL wrote: »

maybe not, but i would be playing a course with a few of the members here who are mates of mine. No point playing a course on your own is there??

I'd sooner play a decent one on my own than Grange Castle in company. Any day.

PARlance

Mister Sifter wrote: »

In that case, so are about 100 other other course that would be infinitely better than Grange Castle. It's a bottom rung golf course aimed at beginners. It's definitely not a course you travel 50 minutes to play.

I'm a member and I'd agree that I wouldn't travel 50 minutes to play it with all other things being equal.
There are far better courses out there if you're just looking for a good course to play.
I think the bottom rung is a bit harsh, and I'm not sure it's aimed at beginners, beginners could find far easier courses than playing 6,750 off the blues.
The front 9 is open and that does suit beginners, that back 9 is a good test.


A former juvenile member of the Castle joined with me this year, he is more than happy with the set up out there, played off 10 before he joined and hasn't and managed to tear the place up, still of 10.
He would agree that it's not up to Castle standards, far from it, but is still happy with the course and considers it a decent test.

For a once off round, there's not a chance I'd pick it over a high high % of courses out there with the value in greens fees to be had.
But for a fairly low cost membership and a decent course within an acceptable drive it fits the bill for me anyway.

There are a few of us on here that are members and I think Charlie is keen to check it out and maybe get a round in for that reason as we talked about it, we haven't been telling him it's Augusta

PARlance

Mister Sifter wrote: »

I'd sooner play a decent one on my own than Grange Castle in company. Any day.

That's a lucky escape for 2 or 3 guys I'd say.

Mister Sifter

ajcurry123 wrote: »

I'm a member and I'd agree that I wouldn't travel 50 minutes to play it with all other things being equal.
There are far better courses out there if you're just looking for a good course to play.
I think the bottom rung is a bit harsh, and I'm not sure it's aimed at beginners, beginners could find far easier courses than playing 6,750 off the blues.
The front 9 is open and that does suit beginners, that back 9 is a good test.


A former juvenile member of the Castle joined with me this year, he is more than happy with the set up out there, played off 10 before he joined and hasn't and managed to tear the place up, still of 10.
He would agree that it's not up to Castle standards, far from it, but is still happy with the course and considers it a decent test.

For a once off round, there's not a chance I'd pick it over a high high % of courses out there with the value in greens fees to be had.
But for a fairly low cost membership and a decent course within an acceptable drive it fits the bill for me anyway.

There are a few of us on here that are members and I think Charlie is keen to check it out and maybe get a round in for that reason as we talked about it, we haven't been telling him it's Augusta

How good/bad, hard/easy a golf course is, is hardly determined by its length.

digginz

ajcurry123 wrote: »

Space has pretty much covered everything. I'm a member and would happily sign a card.

Just fill it out and I'll sign it

Messing, I'd be on for a round, you'll have no problem getting others either.

Looks like I will try to go and sign up over the week-end then.


I ll give you 3 cards with 200shots on it. So I ll get a nice collection of vase when I start to play competition

PARlance

Mister Sifter wrote: »

How good/bad, hard/easy a golf course is, is hardly determined by its length.

Length is a factor, not the only one, but it is a factor, did I say it was the only factor? No.
Did I also say that the front 9 is open, yes!

I gave my thoughts on the course, I let people know that I'm a member but tried not to bring bias into it.

Anyway, I'd happily discuss its weaknesses if you want to expand on your previous one liner.
Otherwise, I'll let you off to play with yourself.

Mister Sifter

ajcurry123 wrote: »

Length is a factor, not the only one, but it is a factor, did I say it was the only factor? No.
Did I also say that the front 9 is open, yes!

I gave my thoughts on the course, I let people know that I'm a member but tried not to bring bias into it.

Anyway, I'd happily discuss its weaknesses if you want to expand on your previous one liner.
Otherwise, I'll let you off to play with yourself.

It's a bang average golf course that suits a certain golfing demographic (i.e. people who buy their golf gear from Heatons and second hand bags), a la Elmgreen, Corballis, Sillogue and the rest.

Put it this way, if someone offered to pay your sub for a year on any golf course you wanted in the Dublin area, safe to say Grange Castle would be in the bottom 5.

PARlance

Mister Sifter wrote: »

Put it this way, if someone offered to pay your sub for a year on any golf course you wanted in the Dublin area, safe to say Grange Castle would be in the bottom 5.

I wouldn't even justify your first sentence with a response.

It wouldn't be in my bottom 5 at all.
It would be down near the bottom, of hand there are 10 clubs around in that area that I wouldn't join if we were living in your fantasy world where someone is going to pay my subs.

A few are considerably more pricey than Grange Castle too, I would love to name them to prove a point but I think it's disrespectful to members and well... I don't get a kick out of trying to rise people from behind my keyboard.

Here's the important fact getting back to the real world for a bit, when I factored everything in it was my number 1 choice.

scubapro

It's a bang average golf course that suits a certain golfing demographic (i.e. people who buy their golf gear from Heatons and second hand bags), a la Elmgreen, Corballis, Sillogue and the rest.

Very funny statement there mister stifter (not to feed the troll) but to be perfectly clear for other viewers, play the course yourselves and makeup your own minds, Charlie look forward to having you up, there are a number of ordinary holes but there are 4 holes that spring to mind that wouldn't look out of place on some of the more expensive courses in the neighbourhood 4, 11, 15 and 16 invariably these all play into the wind and are a real challenge, the course is always in great shape considering the traffic it receives and is savage value.

newport2

Mister Sifter wrote: »

It's a bang average golf course that suits a certain golfing demographic (i.e. people who buy their golf gear from Heatons and second hand bags), a la Elmgreen, Corballis, Sillogue and the rest.

Put it this way, if someone offered to pay your sub for a year on any golf course you wanted in the Dublin area, safe to say Grange Castle would be in the bottom 5.

Surely the guarantee that you won't be there will bump it up a few more places?

GreeBo

Lets drop it now lads please, that poster will not be posting again for a while.
However posting abuse against them is likely to cause you problems.

Macker1

Mister Sifter wrote: »

It's a bang average golf course that suits a certain golfing demographic (i.e. people who buy their golf gear from Heatons and second hand bags), a la Elmgreen, Corballis, Sillogue and the rest.

Put it this way, if someone offered to pay your sub for a year on any golf course you wanted in the Dublin area, safe to say Grange Castle would be in the bottom 5.

I'm a member at Grange Castle and your comment is out of order and comes across as snobbish . The course does have a percentage green-fee paying players but also has a large membership base of players at various levels. Some excellent players are quite happy to play the course and to be fair what does it matter where a player buys their golf gear. I do have issues with the course in regards to poor practice facilities and bunkers but I would never have an issue with people playing the game no matter where they bought the gear as long as the behaved in the appropriate manner whilst at the club.



Sorry Greebo......... I was already in middle of post and didn't see your post.

spacecoyote

to get back loosely on point with the thread.

I don't think that Grange Castle has any pretentions to think that its a bigger course than it is. Its relatively young, just over 10 years in existence and they've done plenty of planting on the back 9 that will eventually change the landscape of the course

Yes, it is a public course that gets a fair amount of footfall from societies & casual golfers, but given the traffic the course is almost always in good condition. The feedback I've always gotten from non members I've played with is that its probably the best Public golf course in Dublin, which I think is a fair judgement.

If I had one gripe, it would be with the quality of sand in the bunkers...but hey, they're a hazard & you're not supposed to be in them anyway

Yes, you will find tighter, more mature treks in the area, but there is still plenty to test the average handicap golfer. 

We've a fair few Cat 1 members, who evidently think there is enough there to test them, so some of the comments from the poster who shall not be named are unfair to say the least.

GreeBo

^ it would probably better serve your point if you didnt specifically name and put down another club in your post....

WHIP IT!

Why would people even bother replying to that headbanger? Entertained for a while though... ye have to wonder about lads who get their kicks out of sitting on an internet forum giggling away to themselves about the replies they get to their wind-up posts..

Anyhoo, I'm a member at GC myself OP and I think it's a grand set-up - decent course, regular comps, half-decent practice facilities, lots of members and very affordable... it's about five mins from my house so, personally, it's a winner for me...

As regards the 'difficulty' of the course... GC is a no-frills golf course but, considering the traffic it gets, it is always in good nick... and it's not short off the blue sticks... you rarely, if ever, hear of low-handicappers taking it apart I must say...

spacecoyote

GreeBo wrote: »

^ it would probably better serve your point if you didnt specifically name and put down another club in your post....

Fair point, will edit post

Danny dyers double

Just seen today that Grange Castle are offering à 16 month pay and play membership for 270 .

Would there be much point in joining around this time of year or would i be better off waiting till March or so ?

Jimdagym

Danny dyers double wrote: »

Just seen today that Grange Castle are offering à 16 month pay and play membership for 270 .

Would there be much point in joining around this time of year or would i be better off waiting till March or so ?

You will pay the same in march so if you were gonna join then, join now.

dwd

I've been a member in Grange Castle for 3 years now, and I have absolutely no complaints about the course, it's a decent track, with the back 9 definitely a much tougher stretch than the front. The course holds up pretty well all winter especially with the footfall it takes, and always find the members I've played with to be very friendly. My only criticism is that when I prefer to play, early on a Saturday morning can be dam busy, and can be tough to get a tee times unless you're up early the previous week when the timesheet goes live, or lucky to get a cancellation during the week

digginz

Danny dyers double wrote: »

Just seen today that Grange Castle are offering à 16 month pay and play membership for 270 .

Would there be much point in joining around this time of year or would i be better off waiting till March or so ?

You might want to consider the full memberships. That s about 28 round in 15 month.

I m joining on Sunday and already have a round booked for it

Danny dyers double

After thinking long and hard about this im going join on a full membership as paying 280 and 17euro each round just doesnt make sense , Especially as i will play the course at least once a week and 2 or 3 times a week when the longerevenings are back .

Iv a few questions for any members on here if yous would kindly answer them .

Do you need a club member to sign your 3 cards or can anyone with a GUI card sign them ?

If i didnt play in the club comps Saturdays would i still be able to get a Tee time or does the time sheet full up quickly since its a public course ?

To play a few holes midweek do you need book in advance or can you just arrive up and play ?

What are the payments per month on the payment plan ?

Cheers in advance

PARlance

Danny dyers double wrote: »

After thinking long and hard about this im going join on a full membership as paying 280 and 17euro each round just doesnt make sense , Especially as i will play the course at least once a week and 2 or 3 times a week when the longerevenings are back .

Iv a few questions for any members on here if yous would kindly answer them .

Do you need a club member to sign your 3 cards or can anyone with a GUI card sign them ?

If i didnt play in the club comps Saturdays would i still be able to get a Tee time or does the time sheet full up quickly since its a public course ?

To play a few holes midweek do you need book in advance or can you just arrive up and play ?

What are the payments per month on the payment plan ?

Cheers in advance

Hey Danny,
I'm a member there and would be happy to sign a card. But your can be signed by anyone with a GUI.
You can play in the club comps as a means to get your cards. Ask the lads in the shop to stick you in a slot.

At this time of year, there aren't a lot of free slots for casual rounds.
It's men's comp, women's comp and then usually a society. There would be a few slots after that and there's not much demand for them.
Once the evenings get longer you'll get out in the evenings. If it's a cracker of a day, everyone and their dog will be out. These were the only days that I found it hard to get a casual slot at the weekend.
Casual players tend to try to get out early enough, not many will want to tee of after 5 or 6 at the weekend.

You always have the other 7 holes to play as a worst case scenario.

I rarely booked midweek, it's always best to have a quick look at the timesheet though.
If you want a midweek 18 and are working office hours then you'd want to book the slot a couple of days in advance.

I haven't a clue what the payment plan is... And I'm on it!!!!
I just throw in a few bob every month

ForeRight

Danny you can get anyone to sign your card who is a GUI member.
You have my number and I'd be happy to go out this week and do a card for you.

Danny dyers double

Cheers Parlance for your quick reply . Iv made my mind up on joining but your answers to my questions have nailed It on for me , So ill hopefully see you soon for a round .

@ Foreright , Yeah that would be great , Im hoping to go around and join up Friday week . I know 6 or 7 members from the Golf socitey that have GUI cards so i wont have a problem getting my cards signed . But It would be a plesure to get out with you again so if your free any weekend in the coming weeks

Macker1

Danny dyers double wrote: »

After thinking long and hard about this im going join on a full membership as paying 280 and 17euro each round just doesnt make sense , Especially as i will play the course at least once a week and 2 or 3 times a week when the longerevenings are back .

Iv a few questions for any members on here if yous would kindly answer them .

Do you need a club member to sign your 3 cards or can anyone with a GUI card sign them ?

If i didnt play in the club comps Saturdays would i still be able to get a Tee time or does the time sheet full up quickly since its a public course ?

To play a few holes midweek do you need book in advance or can you just arrive up and play ?

What are the payments per month on the payment plan ?

Cheers in advance

Unless things have changed it was €150 upfront and then monthly payments of €70. Insurance is an extra €20 afaik

spacecoyote

You won't have any trouble finding someone to sign a card for you out there alright. Sure there are a few boardsie members, any of whom would be happy to go out for a round with you I'm sure.

You won't be able to use the online booking facility until you have your GUI membership number (which you'll get after handing in your 3 cards), so in the interim best bet is to ring the clubhouse & ask the guys to slot you in.

Best of luck with it, I'm sure we'll cross paths out there in the not too distant future