Membership Options in Wicklow

Barnaboy

Moving to Bray shortly and undecided on what to do about joining a club. I am fully paid up in my own place until the end of the year so no mad rush.

From my initial research many of the courses near Bray are full. Willing to travel but not too far.

Happened to play Arklow yesterday. Love the course and it is an option. Problem is that it is a fair spin. Longer than I expected.

Suggestions welcome.

Dtoffee

Delgany ? ..... members owned and very friendly club.

Barnaboy

Thought that I would add what info I have on courses so far.

Bray- 1,547 plus 2,500 joining fee. Waiting List in effect.

Woodbrook 1,623 plus 10,000 joining fee (unofficial. Sourced from third party site)

Old Conna 1,553 plus 6,000 joining fee payable over 3 years.

Powerscourt 2,520 per annum, no joining fee. Waiting list.

Greystones- No info on site, presumably closed to new memberships.

Delgany 1,895 per annum plus 6,000 joining fee. "The different membership types make the club accessible to as many as possible" Yeah, nothing says 'as accessible as possible ' like a 6k joining fee.

Wicklow 1,149, no mention of joining fee. Seems to be best value for money.

Paying 855 per annum in New Forest in Westmeath. So no matter what, this will be a nasty financial shock!

Barnaboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119447127#Comment_119447127

I'd seriously consider it, but hello money of 6 grand. Not a fan of this practice. Plus don't have that kind of money to spare.

slave1

I presume you will check out Blainroe?

Barnaboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119447844#Comment_119447844

Thanks Slave. Knew I'd miss some options. Checked it out, 1445. No mention of hello money. Decent option.

Slight issue is that they have a proposer and seconder.

Might explore it more.

BraveDonut

Bray are increasing the annual sub this year by 200 but reducing the bar levy by 50

swededmonkey

Druids Glen or the Heath would be viable options. But powerscourt would be my personal choice with two courses available to play

com1

Woodenbridge near Arklow - stunning course may be a bit far though

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119447129#Comment_119447129

To be a member in Powerscourt you have to buy a share and the price fluctuates depending on demand. It was €50,000 back in the good (stupid / bad) old days and was as low as €5,000 after the financial crash in 2009. Not sure what it is now but I've heard €10,000 and €12,500 mentioned. It's not a joining fee however, you can sell your share back to the club when you leave for the lower of the current market price or what you paid for it.

There is an option to play as a member without buying a share and that is essentially to step into the shoes of a member who can't or doesn't want to play, pay their annual sub for the year and off you go.

AFAIK both options have fairly lengthy waiting lists but I could be wrong.

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119448415#Comment_119448415

Always considered this a beautiful course to play once a year but I'd never be a member, the opening stretch is way too tight with balls flying across fairways and tee boxes, how there is not more accidents there is beyond me.

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119448256#Comment_119448256

The Proposer/Seconder is purely their constitution and not a hurdle if they are Open to members. It's a nice track.

I'd be phoning your shortlist and asking for a free round so you can go check out the course at the weekend, they should be open to that once you are genuine.

Barnaboy

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

Personally not in a financial position to pay a joining fee/shares. Moving in to a house that needs at least 100k to renovate. Every spare penny has to be on the house.

Blainroe looks fabulous and may be the one. Wicklow is the cheapest. Nice enough place, very short iirc.

Druid's Heath might be an option.

slave1

D Heath a tough course to play day in day out

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119449742#Comment_119449742

A bit counter intuitive maybe but have you considered Stackstown? It's only 15-20 minutes from Bray and for evening golf in Summer you'd be heading against the traffic.

Barnaboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119451472#Comment_119451472

Thanks for the suggestion. Grew up in the area. Know it well. Looked it up there pretty pricy at just under 1600 a year. And a waiting list. But it's the hills that might turn me off!

Xander10

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119449895#Comment_119449895

Agree, but how much is it out of curiosity ?

54and56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119451742#Comment_119451742

It's certainly a bit of a slog, #9 & #18 in particular but #14 and #16 keep the legs and lungs going also as does the road hole (#16 on the road / blue course if its being played) so its not for everyone but in fairness it's a very well run club and is kept in very good condition and the newly renovated clubhouse, particularly the outside terrace, is super.

The sloping fairways (#4 and #9 are particularly bad) and poor tee boxes on a lot of holes are my main criticisms rather than the bit of climbing.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119448635#Comment_119448635

Powerscourt is currently €25k to buy a share. Was €9.5k last year. No waiting list in place when I enquired earlier this summer.

Two different wait lists in operation for 2023 "leased" memberships. Pay €500 for pre-paid vouchers and get onto the priority waitlist, or else just go on the normal waitlist and hope for the best.

Woodbrook aren't taking any 2022 memberships, but may have some vacancies in 2023.

Dun Laoghaire looking for €15k joining fee, and have a waiting list in place also. Need to take out Pavillion membership to get onto the waiting list

DonkeyPokerTour

Used to be a member in Wicklow and played Blaineroe a fair few times. Just an FYI I’ve been in Brasil for the last 10years and in that time I’ve probably played both courses 2-3 times so things might have changed slightly.

Wicklow is relatively short but it makes up for it with some tough holes and very tricky greens. The back 9 can be tough as it’s very hilly. The walk from the 11th tee to the 11th green and 17th green to the 18th tee are the reasons most members have electric trolleys. But it’s a good test and the 6th hole off the “nose” (back tees) is amazing. https://youtu.be/MNIKY091xVw

Blaineroe is a beautiful course and certainly longer (~6200m vs ~6000yards) than Wicklow. However there greens are very “flat” generally just hit it at the hole and you won’t be far off. I always found it very easy to “score” in Blaineroe where as I found Wicklow much tougher can’t really explain why 🤷

In terms of you getting there Wicklow and Blaineroe are much closer than Arklow (I lived in Wicklow Town and Arklow was 30-40min for me. So I’d say close to an hour for you). Wicklow is probably slightly handier to get to but I don’t think you’d be too disappointed with either.

Finally no idea about cost/how to get in but Greystones is a great course, I’d guess it’s expensive (genuinely no idea) but it’s a tougher course than Wicklow or Blaineroe.

Barnaboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119463165#Comment_119463165

Thanks good advice. Played wicklow years ago, hardly remember it. Never played Blainroe.

Probably should play both before deciding.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119447129#Comment_119447129

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119463165#Comment_119463165

I can give you info on Greystones, but you are looking at a long enough waiting list and up front hello money.💲

Cause I know ya (although you don't come out with us anymore 😂) i'll bring you out for a game there sometime. Wednesdays are always semi-open and alternate singles one week and fourball the following (we should play a forurball over next month or so?). always a 9 hole singles comp after. there is a tuesday comp, kind of a society within the club, but everyone welcome to play in it. ladies day thursday. main day is saturday and will be singles for about 4/5 weeks with a generous mix of fourball/foresomes thrown in. between oct and march, comps drop to 13/14 holes. sunday morning always a singles and always 18, even during winter months.

i don't live anywhere near the place, but still travel (45 mins) there to play most saturdays. it's a great club. i find with a lot of the newer places they just aren't clubs, but to be honest, most places mentioned on thread so far, are all similar and great clubs.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119467309#Comment_119467309

i know pro in blainroe a good lad, Greystones stock, just like the pro before him. Blainroe is a lovely track, definitely a better course than Wicklow. Not sure about membership options, let me know if you want me to hook you up with contact.

Mad one for ya, South County, Lisheen Springs? it's probably not much further than Wickla. depends where in Bray you are heading for, but courses off M50 might be a good option, even as far as Naas Road. eg Beechpark

Barnaboy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119511214#Comment_119511214

Thanks Seve, really appreciate your advice and offer. FYI only stopped playing with the boards society as I am a founding member of our work society and committee member. Also play every weekend at home club. Risking divorce if I play much more 😉

I may take you up on the offer. I'll send you a pm.

Regards joining a club, can't really afford to be paying hello money atm. New house will need every spare penny I have. But I have a bit of time. Current membership runs to year end.

Skyfloater

Roundwood Golf club really is a strange set up. According to the Golf Ireland site it only has 77 members, and little or no green fee income. For example, tomorrow the timesheet is completely empty except for one slot at 2pm. It's like that nearly every day, and has been for years.

Does anyone know how it's still going?

Seve OB

played it in PP a few years ago. Weirdest greens ever. They were like a spongy bed of moss.

beautiful location but miles away from anywhere! some nice holes, some poor holes. It wouldn’t rank very high in my list and I wouldn’t be recommending anyone to play it.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119514930#Comment_119514930

It's main selling point is that it's never any hassle getting a tee time - even at weekends. Beyond that a lot of holes had the feel of one huge field on the side of a hills with some greens plopped around it and the fairways based on what strips the farmer decided to cut

Skyfloater

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119515740#Comment_119515740

It's hard to believe that it's not losing money at a rate of knots though, I keep expecting to see sheep on it any time I pass by.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119517408#Comment_119517408

I can’t imagine there’s a whole lot being spent on it.

Its 6/7 years since I last played it, but driving past doesn’t look like it’s changed much.

Clubhouse is a shell with next to nothing open, and the course maintenance looks like it’s just cutting greens, tee boxes and fairways - something the owner or his family would do at very little cost to themselves. Bunkers never gave the impression of having had much tlc

Barnaboy

Looks like Roundwood is off my list! Not that it was ever on it. Golf needs courses like this.

PokeHerKing

Blainroe would get my vote over Wicklow.

I think wicklow is a tricked up course that really should have been left to the goats. Its no country for old(or young) golfers imo.