Killeen GC

dwd

I was wondering if anyone is a member there, I'm thinking of joining for 2015 and wondering how busy the timesheets are for the weekly, competitions especially on a Saturday morning. And what the club is like in general. I've played the course a good few times over the last couple of years and it always seems to be in decent condition, anything that's worth knowing about the club? What would be the general time for a game be for the weekend competitions?

Seve OB

dwd wrote: »

I was wondering if anyone is a member there, I'm thinking of joining for 2015 and wondering how busy the timesheets are for the weekly, competitions especially on a Saturday morning. And what the club is like in general. I've played the course a good few times over the last couple of years and it always seems to be in decent condition, anything that's worth knowing about the club? What would be the general time for a game be for the weekend competitions?

few work colleagues are members there

they seem to have member comps both on saturday and sundays, and they guys play any time from early morning to early afternoon.

timesheet can get busy, especially as the shorter days are in.
weekly comp 10 holes on thursday evenings (summer time) called the rob seems to get a good turn out, just turn up and play... no timesheet, and i think there is a tuesday invitation comp every week

seems like a decent enough club, but i dont think there is much of a social element... it's to far from anywhere!
i think they do take societies on some weekends, so im not sure how that affects things

allybhoy

Joined 2 months ago with 3 mates, none of us were members anywhere before just casual golfers. We got a good deal and so far we are very happy. Saturdays and Sunday mornings are block booked for competitions. You want to play you just log on to the members area and book your slot. Even with 4 of us looking for a competition time we can usually all get out when we want without any issues so I would imagine you will be fine. As others have said there are midweek competitions aswell but we havent played in them yet. Oh, and you also get reciprocal playing rights in Rathsallagh which is a nice bonus as its a smashing course, we played it last week as we just wanted a casual round.

Apart from that, everyone up there seems really friendly, trying to make you feel welcome etc. Also not sure if you know (we didnt when we joined) but there is a practice area hidden around the back of the club house with a deep bunker and greens and a couple of driving nets, and then across the road from the course is a free to use driving range (BYOB).

dwd

Cheers lads, sounds good, it's definitely looking like a good option for me, I like the sound of the reciprocal playing rights for Rathsallagh and it's good to know about they've decent practice facilities. allybhoy what sort of times is it taking for a round for the weekend comps, is it around the 4hr mark or longer and do they go out in 3 or 4 balls?

allybhoy

dwd wrote: »

Cheers lads, sounds good, it's definitely looking like a good option for me, I like the sound of the reciprocal playing rights for Rathsallagh and it's good to know about they've decent practice facilities. allybhoy what sort of times is it taking for a round for the weekend comps, is it around the 4hr mark or longer and do they go out in 3 or 4 balls?

Depends, this weekend is 3balls last week it was 4 balls, im only new to competition golf so not exactly sure why (just got my handicap 2 weeks ago) but im presuming the difference is because of the format. Like for example for this weekend you book your time for outer 9 and the inner 9...im guessing again that this is due to the shorter days so you can play 9 saturday and 9 sunday, or 9 both days if you have the time...

Regarding how long it takes to play, id say you would be doing well to get around in under 4 hours, its a long track in fairness. One of our first rounds when the 4 of us were getting our handicap we got stuck behind roughly 5 groups of 4balls who were playing the competition and we found the progress slow in fairness. Think it was just under 4 and 1/2 hours...although ive played in a 2ball behind traffic up there aswell and got waved through aswell and finished in 3 and a half hours so its probably similar to every other club...hope this helps.

If you do join, send me a message on this and id gladly go out for a round with you.

PARlance

I've played quite a few opens in Kileen and by and large the pace of play is quite good. There's a nice flow to the course... Possibly a little bit of potential for hold ups between 6,7,8 (Par 3, Short Par 4, Par 3) but nothing crazy.

Seems like a great club down there, have been paired up with members and have been invited for a coffee/pint more often that any other course I've played.

I wouldn't say it's a long course, not that that's a downside. Tight enough on some holes, you can be chipping out if slightly off line.

Overall it's a course that I would happily join.

Only thing that bugs me about the place is the 10th green. If flag is back right and you land front right... Then you're left with a long putt over green -> first cut -> green. Stupid design tbh. You shouldn't be encouraged to leave the putter in the bag when you're on the green!

That's my biggest complaint about the place so I would recommend it.

spacecoyote

What's the cost for membership for the year. Only played the course once a few years ago & remember enjoying it. Would be a handy enough place to get to for me too

Edit - just looked it up, 835 current deal for the year, with reciprocal rights in rathsallagh & dundrum house. 100 bar levy, plus gui & insurance. So around a grand all in

Seems a pretty decent deal

Seve OB

PARlance wrote: »

I wouldn't say it's a long course, not that that's a downside. Tight enough on some holes, you can be chipping out if slightly off line.

Overall it's a course that I would happily join.

Only thing that bugs me about the place is the 10th green. If flag is back right and you land front right... Then you're left with a long putt over green -> first cut -> green. Stupid design tbh. You shouldn't be encouraged to leave the putter in the bag when you're on the green!

That's my biggest complaint about the place so I would recommend it.

I agree, don't think it is a long course either, but for some reason, games tend to be slow there

Disagree about the 10th though, it is not the longest par 5, I've been on it a few times in 2. is it any different to a green with a bunker in the middle. i've had to putt over the apron a few times, and never really minded

dwd

spacecoyote wrote: »

What's the cost for membership for the year. Only played the course once a few years ago & remember enjoying it. Would be a handy enough place to get to for me too

€999, €100 of which is a Bar/Restaurant Levy. I played there at the end of August, the course was in great shape, I really like the layout and like PARlance said it can be fairly tight in places and the green's are good too.

Seve OB

I've played it loads. It is far from the worst course, but I've never really loved the place. I don't know why, maybe because it is completely flat, a few hills and rolling fairways go a long way IMO.

Its pretty always in reasonable nic, would not call it great condition, but ok, certainly never bad. I guess when you play a good variation of courses, you can really spot the ones that pump the money into the course, making sure they have pristine greens, lush fairways, healthy bunkers etc from those that maintain it, to those that merely tick by. I'd say Killeen maintain their course.

It is probably worth the grand, there is a good "club" there, busy timesheets, lots of members comps, club teams etc which always goes a long way IMO. I'd much rather spend a grand there and be part of an active club than 2k, to join somewhere in fantastic condition, but with no club atmosphere.

PARlance

Seve OB wrote: »

I agree, don't think it is a long course either, but for some reason, games tend to be slow there

Disagree about the 10th though, it is not the longest par 5, I've been on it a few times in 2. is it any different to a green with a bunker in the middle. i've had to putt over the apron a few times, and never really minded

I had ~25ft eagle putt there the last time, my line was 10ft green -> 7ft apron -> 8ft green.
It was the first time I've ever been on a green were the better option was to play a chip... That's a bad design flaw imo. I putted, but if I was on for a good score I wouldn't have.

benny79

€1000 Is a bit dear in this climate sure you can get the PGA for that, much better valve out there obviously location is a fact, Played it a few times wasn't mad on it, maybe cas it was similar to my home course in ways, but my home course isn't as flat!

Anatom

benny79 wrote: »

€1000 Is a bit dear in this climate sure you can get the PGA for that, much better valve out there obviously location is a fact, Played it a few times wasn't mad on it, maybe cas it was similar to my home course in ways, but my home course isn't as flat!

PGA (Palmerstown now) is going to be €1,500 for new members from January. Current members stay at €1,000. It'll be interesting to see how many leave - not too many I'd say.

The €1,000 mark is fairly standard I'd have thought. Most clubs seem to be around there - give or take a couple of hundred quid...

I haven't played Killeen in years but it was always an enjoyable course. Not a huge challenge but a nice place. However, as Seve said, there's just something about the place that meant it never really grabbed me for some reason.

benny79

Give or take a couple of hundred is a lot in my book! Our membership is €800 and its coming down to €750 in 2016 & 650 in 2017 I know go figure! a bit weird. but people are still complaining most clubs in the area are around €650 mark. So it is a lot, sure the Heritage is €999.

It didn't take long for the PGA to up the prices! Played it a few weeks ago nice course but I wouldnt pay €1500 but thats just my me.

Anatom

benny79 wrote: »

Give or take a couple of hundred is a lot in my book! Our membership is €800 and its coming down to €750 in 2016 & 650 in 2017 I know go figure! a bit weird. but people are still complaining most clubs in the area are around €650 mark. So it is a lot, sure the Heritage is €999.

It didn't take long for the PGA to up the prices! Played it a few weeks ago nice course but I wouldnt pay €1500 but thats just my me.

Yeah, I'd go to Naas or back to The (now) Royal Curragh if it went up to that myself! I'm already a member so I'm alright for the next year, but we don't know what'll happen after next year at this point.

Clubs reducing subs by that much, and so far in advance, is unusual to say the least. Which club is it?

benny79

Athy, They are struggling a bit as they lost a lot of members due to the obvious. yet still won't drop the sub theirs no joining fee but agreed to drop it in the future!

Lovely course but badly run, but on my drop step.

Anatom

Hard to by-pass it so...

spacecoyote

To the guys who are members, how does the course hold up in the winter?

Kingswood Rover

Thought Athy have an offer of 500 notes for new members up on the website, Cill Dara 439 is the best value in the "greater metropolitan area" provincial towns winners to boot. Excellent club and facilities.

mafc

Kingswood Rover wrote: »

Thought Athy have an offer of 500 notes for new members up on the website, Cill Dara 439 is the best value in the "greater metropolitan area" provincial towns winners to boot. Excellent club and facilities.

Even better if you're 30 or under '
€339 special offer & that's what you pay until you reach 31.

benny79

yea thats for new members only and only for the first year!