Hermitage Golf Club

left_hander

Hi all, 

I am looking for a new club to join (either next year or soon enough after), am based in South Dublin so the local clubs are mainly off-limits. One of the clubs I am looking at investigating is Hermitage - just wondering what its like. Membership was open a couple of years ago but not sure now as I enquired but ended up not joining anywhere during Covid. 

Next problem I have is I don't know anybody in the club, so not sure how easy it is going to be to get in either as I'll need proposers/seconders/etc. But I guess I'll worry about it another day and can find all that out if I proceed further - maybe I don't have a hope and its full, etc but I am sure I can find all that out as well.

Anyone able to shed any light on the club? 

Thanks in advance.

FixdePitchmark

Don't know much...but I don't think it will be cheap or easy .

Won't be far off the off limits you think..

One of the best courses in Dublin ..by a mile..1st division.

spacecoyote

What's your budget like in terms of annual subs and are you willing to pay a joining fee?

Might be worth giving a little more info and people could offer up some suggestions.

As per Fix, Hermitage is a superb course, but I'd imagine there is a joining fee and a fairly steep annual sub for it

left_hander

Hi,

Thanks for the replies - yeah, I sort of expect getting in to be a challenge. The options are limited enough and I don't want to be a commuter golfer if I can avoid it (e.g. I don't want to spend my time up and down the M7 to play golf in Palmerstown Estate for example)

In terms of budget, I can probably pay up to 8-9k of a joining fee (any more and I'll need to pay legal fees....:D) and don't mind a sub around 1500-1600 euro, or there abouts. Anything more than that is probably out of my budget. The joining fee will be a harder sell to the wife than the annual sub I suspect - I hardly drink at all and don't have any other expensive hobbies.

My main goals are

1. Getting in somewhere, within 25 minutes of home which Hermitage is for example - given the South Dublin clubs are full and also out of range, I need to look a bit further.
2. Being within striking distance of 9-holes at 8 o'clock during the height of Summer (as I have a young family)

swededmonkey

Have you considered Druid's Heath? Subs are c.€1500 and no joining fee and the commute would be suitable. Stackstown, Delgany and Bray would be suitable alternatives

left_hander

Druids Heath / Delgany / Bray are all 45 minutes each way for me.

Stackstown would be a viable option but I've played it a few times and I don't know, I didn't really like the course very much. I can't put my hand on why but I found it very unforgiving for a bad shot.

spacecoyote

If stackstown is viable distance wise then Edmondstown or Newlands could be an option

FazyLucker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862328#Comment_120862328

I'm watching this thread (I hope OP you don't mind) as in a not too dissimilar situation - Edmondstown has a waiting list and Newlands has a load of people on their waiting list already interviewed so I'd say he'll be waiting for either.

The only option I have come up with as viable is Grange Castle - but I believe it is over-subscribed and very difficult to get on the time sheets at peak times. I can't say I know that for a fact though, just a Google review where somebody said it'd be easier to get a trip to the moon than a round at the weekend or words to that effect!

I've sort of gone away from joining somewhere again as I don't think I have the contacts to get in anywhere close by despite having the money to do so. But I'll keep a watching brief and see how the OP gets on here.

Russman

Op, I would have thought your budget would allow for almost any club in South Dublin, bar maybe the likes of Castle, Milltown etc.

Depending on where you're coming from and what exactly you're looking for, there's a lot of choice I think. Rathfarnham is about €6k joining I think, not sure about Edmondstown but I'd guess its similar. Likewise I'm not sure what Newlands is these days or if its full. At the other end of the scale and not quite down the N7 like Palmerstown, you'd have say Beech Park, Slade Valley, Lisheen etc. For me, it would be about balancing up what I can afford, with say, getting in somewhere that you need to be on a timesheet even to play 9 on a Thursday evening, versus somewhere maybe 10 minutes further away but you can rock up after work and just head out if you fancy it. Swings and roundabouts. I was only talking to my boss the other day about golf and asking him had he played on the Wednesday evening and he said no he wasn't on the sheet, I asked would he not just go up and get out and he was saying, no you wouldn't get out. I couldn't get my head round that tbh, I'm in a "lesser" club and we slightly struggle for members at times, but I can head up any summer evening and always get out for 6/9/18. There might be only 20 cars in the car park, so its both a strength and a weakness, but suits me perfectly.

All that said, Hermitage is a super track, would happily play it week in week out !

FazyLucker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862368#Comment_120862368

This is the debate I am having too.

Do I spend an extra 15-20 minutes driving to a course where I know I can decide on a whim to go to play, but then again for every round in my case if I've to drive to Beech Park etc its an extra hour for every round of golf. Plus diesel for each round.

I meant to say Rathfarnham is full also, I enquired there recently as well. I'd imagine OP you're options are (like mine) either join as a pavillion member somewhere and bide your time before ponying up a big joining fee plus an expensive sub - or you join somewhere a bit further out in a heart beat (e.g. Grange Castle, Beech Park) and suck it up that you've to drive a bit further to it - living in a city, you can't have everything!

You also need to consider - if you live in South Dublin, Hermitage isn't exactly on your doorstep either and you might find you'll be in Beech Park or Lisheen Springs nearly as quickly.

The only other real option is to join a club down the country and play in open comps - but that one is probably not a great option if you are working Monday-Friday.

Anyway, I dont want to hijack your thread OP - just my tuppence.

slave1

Consider Castleknock, Luttrelstown or Lucan if centering in on that area.

left_hander

Thanks for all the contributions above - I don't mind you contributing at all FazyLucker as its a discussion board and good to get opinions and ideas, if it helps others in the same situation then great.

I'm off next week for 2 weeks so might go around to the clubs and talk to them in the pro shops and offices - I find ringing them in some cases pointless because they can't get any feel for who they are talking to. If you can call to them, you might get a better feel.

I'm definitely conscious that Hermitage isn't on my doorstep alright, and there is a valid argument that I might as well drive for a few minutes longer and get somewhere without a joining fee (e.g. Beech Park, etc) and more readily available golf. But I'm trying to be as green as possible and that is a consideration for me.

I'll have a look around when I'm on annual leave but I'm all ears if anyone has any other thoughts in the meantime.

Viscount Aggro

Hermitage is not that exclusive anymore.

Theres tradesmen's vans parked in the car park.

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862555#Comment_120862555

Whoa, steady on - lets just be very clear. I never said anything about looking for exclusive, or not wanting to be in a club with tradesmen - and I don't see why anybody would have a problem with tradesmen being in a club in any case, exclusive or not?

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862555#Comment_120862555

You could ask them lads to park out of sight..

Macker1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120863119#Comment_120863119

That's what occurred down at Knightsbrook in Trim.

spacecoyote

It is a little further out the road, but if you're considering as far as Beech Park, Castlewarden should be on your list. Has a driving range, pitching area with practice bunkers, chipping and putting greens. Nice, well kept course with tricky greens and friendly membership.

It's only about 10 mins further out the road than Newlands

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120863138#Comment_120863138

Knew it was somewhere...lol

Ryder

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120862165#Comment_120862165

stackstown is quiet unforgiving and easy enough to come away with a lost ball from a shot only slightly off target......but very accessible timesheet, friendly members and reasonably easy to get to in the middle of south dublin more than balance it, for me at least

the.red.baron

Is the main issue just they won't let you join

Not without proposers and a lengthy 2 year wait even with that

Even grangecastle has a long waiting list

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120863626#Comment_120863626

I haven't even approached anywhere to ask them yet, so no. I am just scouting out my options and don't want to waste anybody's time - if I'm not genuinely interested in joining somewhere, I don't want to even ask the question.

FYI - GC does not have a long waiting list, rather a very short one as I found out earlier.

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120863577#Comment_120863577

I can see why you would think that and I'd agree the people I played with were lovely and my kind of people. I just didn't like the course to be honest and to be honest.

left_hander

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120863138#Comment_120863138

Christ, imagine asking people to park a van out of sight. In Trim of all places, its not exactly Dublin 4 you are in!

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120863670#Comment_120863670

They do have a waiting list, you could do a pay and play membership but it's bad value, that is the waiting list

You won't be wasting anyone's time emailing them to find out if they have a waiting list

The rest, you could be years as a pavilion member even, that's the real list

It's a closed shop

Kaisersosay

Hermitage had all members using mats on the fairways last Winter if I'm not mistaken. That may or may not be important to you, but it would be a deal breaker for me.

I lived in Rathmines and joined Carton House. Never used it after work. 30 minutes each way drive time.

Hermitage is 10k entrance fee and 1620 per annum. The 10k can be split over a number of years. (Source: A Member but ring to confirm)

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120864210#Comment_120864210

and how much is carton house? did you need proposers?

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120865366#Comment_120865366

I played as a guest with a member and he said the sub was just north of €2k (2 years ago). He didn't mention a joining fee but said the €2k was excellent value for his circumstances. There were always tee time options on at least one of the two courses. Note to mention the top-class practice facilities and amenities. Not sure if there are any perks in the sub related to the use of non-golf amenities at Carton House. In terms of joining/proposers, he'd have had no issue as a businessman with connections and sponsored a couple of small comps too. For him, there were closer options for €1k but the two high-quality courses and facilities made it a no-brainer.

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120864210#Comment_120864210

I never imagined I'd say this - but I have noticed, that the course that have a good winter course maintenance policy - normally are the best conditioned courses you ever play.

FazyLucker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120866035#Comment_120866035

I see this both ways, I agree that normally winter pain of playing off mats means once they are gone you'll be absolutely playing on the best tee boxes you'll ever play on.

For me, I would absolutely HATE to play off mats all winter. I'd rather a course had a bad tee box or part of a tee box used for winter only rather than playing off mats.

It would be a deal breaker for me too. I'm looking at Beech Park now myself, not sure if its full or not. I think I played it once before and loved it. Its 25 minutes each way from where I live. Grange Castle has less than 10 people on the waiting list (I rang to ask), so might stick my name on it. I might do like the OP is doing and do a bit of a spin around a few of the local courses, just to see what their expected waiting lists are, etc. No harm doing it.

kod12

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120865964#Comment_120865964

Carton has gone up to over double now its now at €4.2k I think

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120867101#Comment_120867101

That's a fair wedge. I'd have my local club's joining fee and several years of a sub paid off with that.