Boards Golf Society 2024

Alanm

Boards Golf Society 2024

Welcome to the Boards Golf Society thread for 2024.  As we approach the end of 2023, I wanted to introduce myself and let you all know what I've got planned for next year.  First of all, thanks to @RoadRunner and the committee for a fantastic year and for the nomination to be this years captain. I really enjoyed 2023.

A little bit about me first:  

I’ve played a fair few different sports over the years - rugby, soccer, badminton, tennis, long distance running, cycling and swimming to name a few.  While I’ve enjoyed all of them at various times, nothing has come close to the golfing bug.  My golfing history is different to a lot here in that I never played as a kid and didn’t really watch too much either.  There were no golfers in my family and my tv viewing was limited to occasional bits of BBC coverage/highlights.  

In fact, prior to 2014 my golf history was limited to a bit of pitch & putt and a couple of rounds hacking around leopardstown. In 2014 I played a few proper rounds and had some (many!) nights out with Beer and Indoor golf in ‘Metro Golf’ - this is where my addiction first really got going!

In 2015 I joined my first club, Citywest.  A fairly tight front 9 with a more open championship style back 9.  It was a great course to learn to play and I enjoyed my time there.  When Citywest closed in 2020, I moved to Lisheen Springs (formally South County) where I’ve been since.  I started out with a 21 h’cap and have slowly dropped pretty much every year since.

When I first joined the society in 2016, I knew nobody - everybody I played with that year and since has been really friendly and welcoming.  I've made some great friends and got to play many brilliant courses that I wouldn't have if it wasn't for the society! For anyone who isn’t a member now and is thinking about it, I’d highly recommend it. 

Anyway, that’s enough about me for now, here’s the planned schedule for next year:

A few notes and thoughts on these:

• Over the last couple of years, we’ve had a Friday mid-season social.  I’m going to try to do something similar except on a Saturday after either Ballyneety or Mullingar.  More details on this next year.
• I’ve never played Macreddin, from what I hear it’s quite the challenge to walk, so this will be the first "Boards Buggy Event"!
• Captain's weekend will be a counting double header.  Of course it’s not mandatory to play both, but I’m hoping we can get quite a few to make a weekend of it - there were quite a few who played both days down in Killarney this year! Some accommodation has been already been reserved in Gold Coast lodges for the Friday and Saturday night. We’ll also have an option to play Dungarvan on Sunday for those who want to play 3 in a row (this won’t be an official society outing, just a bit of fun)

An annual subscription of €35 will apply.  Invoices will be issued through ClubNet.  This entitles you to play and compete for the main prizes in every qualifying event.  Your best 5 results count towards Golfer Of The Year and the Ryder Jug team is made up of the top 10 along with 2 captains picks.  

For more information on the society and information on joining, please check out the thread: All About the Boards Golf Society, Joining information and Rules

That’s it for now, I’m looking forward to catching up with all new, existing and returning members in 2024. Fingers crossed for some good weather - I'll leave that with you @benny79

Alan.

MOD EDIT - Course list updated.

spacecoyote

Great write up @Alanm

Looking forwards to another great year with the Boards GS. No better man to steer us through 2024.

I assume we're doing strokes for all events and everyone has to play off scratch 😄

Few new courses on the list for me, looking forward to checking them off the list.

Macreddin is a cracker, and definitely a buggy course!!!

bobster453

Well done Captain @Alanm great write up and good choice of courses.

Captains weekend handy for me only 40 mins away..nice one.

Only bummer for me is having to wait til March to kick start.

Best wishes for the year.

Sorbet

Thanks @Alanm looks like a great list. I’ve been lurking the last couple of months reading the reports of the society and am very interested in joining for ‘24.

Have hacked around with a round or two a year for the last 30 or so years but decided to take the plunge and join a club in ‘23 (Stackstown in Dublin) and make a go of it. Have really fallen in love with the game and looking forward to playing some new courses in a friendly atmosphere and the society seems like just the place.

I previously joined the Boards Dublin City Marathon novice group and have seen first hand the benefit of being in a boards community so excited to take part.

I’ve previously sent my details to @Seve OB and registered on the app but if it is easier to re-send just let me know.

Looking forward to meeting you all in due course!

slingerz

Best of luck for the year. Looks to be a good setup

awec

Great stuff @Alanm !

All new courses for me except for Macreddin. Great course with some fantastic scenery and some very memorable holes.

slave1

Lovely selection, the golfing nerds will like Ballyneety practice area, great list of courses, Portarlington is oft overlooked but is actually a cracking course. Unfortunately I will be on a ship in the Caribbean for Captains so gonna have to make the early rounds count for GOTY

VW 1

The last 6 courses on the list will be new to me - really looking forward to trying to retain a jug place this year but something tells me the competition will be fierce.

Corballis with the society was a good experience, will be interesting to see how everyone fares with a full bag to choose from. Really looking forward to going back to portmarnock too, was my first outing with the society a few years ago and feel my golf has improved since then.

All the best for the year ahead Alan - looking forward to it!

RoadRunner

Great list of courses, at least 5 are new to me I think!

Just to note AlanM's incredible achievement last summer of a very impressive +1 WHS handicap for the first time. He then experienced a comical rise back up to 2 immediately after agreeing to be our 2024 captain. Banditry clearly a problem at all levels under WHS 🤣 All jokes aside tho, it's fantastic to have a captain with exceptional golf abilities leading us for 2024. Unlike previous recent captains though, he's a nice person off the course too! Do try to get your name in beside him at some point during the year to witness a remarkable experience of pure golfing consistency, quiet confidence and balanced temperament.

FixdePitchmark

Great Post Alanm, and lovely we have a great golfer leading the society..a society for all levels of golf.

It is great at this stage of the society we are able to still have a schedule that opens up new experiences for many.

Mullingar is a course I've wanted to play for 20 years and never got to.

Macreddin another eye catching one.

Weekend for captains is an excellent idea...and fact two counts will make it even more interesting.

Anyone looking in ..don't hesitate, boards can be a conduit to meeting great golfers , friends and playing great courses.

And , as was the case with Alanm , it can be a helpful backdrop to turning yourself into a great golfer.

Hopefully catch all next year at some point..

Seve OB

I often say that I’ll probably take a step back from all the boards outings year after year, but year after year a list of fantastic and unmissable courses pops up that you just can’t say no to! Well done on a great selection captain and I’m especially looking forward to the double header weekend, it’s a great idea.

5 out of 8 will be new courses to me and I’m really looking to playing them all.

I’m playing 3 times over the next 10 days (as long as the weather behaves) but then I’m out of action for 3 months with upcoming Hernia Operation. I’ll most likely may make an appearance at Corballis even if it is just to walk around as I might not be able to play.

I’ll set everything up in January when I’m out of work on the doss/sick 🤣 so for new members etc, don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten you. As ever, looking forward to seeing new faces and hopefully a few old ones may return….. getting sick of the regulars at this stage 🤣😂

Richiemaloney

Best of luck for the year Alan

Nice mix of course a few new ones for me , looking forward to the year ahead

Happy Christmas to all

charlieIRL

Fantastic list of courses and for the first time ever, I’ve played most of them, but I still can’t wait to get going.

Having now known AlanM a few years now, we know the society is in great hands and will thrive again this year.

see ye all soon.

a post punk

Great list of courses @Alanm ,you’ll make a great captain and having played with you a good few times over the years a great golfer to learn from👍 4 new ones for me which is great ! As ever this society keeps pulling you back in to travel the country rain , wind or occasionally shine!!

Great idea with the double header , the first day is always a friendly but competitive day out anyway so gives it an extra bite this year….. and in the space of 2 days the GOTY leaderboard could really be shook up this year.

Happy Christmas everyone

Heres to the new golfing year of 2024

Snackbox20

Excellent introduction Alanm and a lovely list of courses, I think 4 are new to me. Can't wait for the new year, and looking forward to another well run society year under your captaincy.

Best wishes for 2024.

coillcam

I'll have a look at the dates and see if it makes sense to join up. If not I'll try to join up if there's space when you visit Mullingar.

Best of luck with year ahead.

Jimmy Bottlehead

Congrats again to AlanM. Had the pleasure of playing two rounds with him last year and his play is a joy to witness.

I'm looking forward to the year ahead - only played two of the courses (Portarlington, which I liked, and Corballis which I wasn't such a fan of) so lots of new courses which I'm excited to see and play.

go1f

Great intro @Alanm. Nice mix of courses for the year ahead. I have been planning on giving golf a proper go for the last few years, but never got around to it, so 2024 is going to be that year. I've played some par3 over the last while and really enjoyed it but ultimately want to make the transition to golf.

I have had some lessons recently which have helped a lot but I now need to get out and practice more on the course. I am also looking at potential clubs to join too.

I hope that joining the Boards Golf Society will help to ease my fear of taking a tee time with a random group instead of going out and playing solo, which I tend to do more often than not.

Also, thanks for your update r.e. new members @Seve OB.

token56

Best of luck on the year ahead Alanm!!!

I can't wait for this to kick off again, really looking forward to the courses. I've played 2 of them before, Corballis with the society last year but I'm looking forward to having the full compliment of clubs available this time, and Portarlington is only a 15 min drive from me, a nice course with an interesting run home which requires some smart play. I think I'm going to be ok for all apart from one date.

Hopefully a great year of golfing for everyone.

Break80

Best of luck for the year ahead Alan. Looking forward to it already.

I think I played Ballyneety once but no recollection of Mullingar, Macreddin or Portarlington so might be 3 new courses for me.

Dungarvan a great town for Captain's weekend. It's like a smaller Killarney with buzzin pubs and restaurants, and only an hour away for me.

I'm planning a lot of overnights after the golf this year. I look forward to the trips every year but the drive home after is a downer and starting to get dangerous for this ol'fella.

See ye in March, looking forward to it already.

conair01

Best of luck of luck Alan for the year.

After many years of stalling i joined the company golf society last year and caught the bug! Played Maccreddin last year - a challenging course as it was my first proper game. i hope by joining the boards golf society it will improve my game.

i have registered on the Clubnet app which is showing as pending a validation, is there anything else i need to do to complete the sign up process?

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121563989#Comment_121563989

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058280130/all-about-the-boards-golf-society-joining-information-and-rules

Everything you need to know and do is detailed out in the above thread

Jimmy Bottlehead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121560350#Comment_121560350

A fellow newbie! Welcome.

go1f

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121564151#Comment_121564151

Thanks Jimmy! Looking forward to it.

bobster453

I have played golf badly for over 30 years and can honestly say joining the society was one of my best decisions ever.

Not for the golf..still play badly..but for the company craic and banter that comes from playing with other golfing headcases.

And for the chance to play for the JUG..a milestone in every members life.

You will really enjoy it @go1f

Young_gunner

Guys, looking to get back into golf this year, but currently clubless, I was a decent 18 Handicapper a few years back but probably quite volatile now (I can still play some good golf but the wheels can come off!) - do you need a handicap to play in the Boards GS?

REally excited to get back into the game.

Happy golfing!

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121568012#Comment_121568012

No - your profile is fairly spot on. SeveOB normally allocates an initial handicap.

Kiith

Can't wait to get stuck back into the society, though i will likely miss Corbalis and Portmarnock with the 2nd baby due in early April. Great selection of courses again, and looking forward to playing some new courses. Will be tough again getting the jug spot, so will need to try and get as much practise in before Ballynteely.

Might sneak Corbalis...we'll see 🤣

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121569133#Comment_121569133

Sure its a short course Kiith 😉

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121569133#Comment_121569133

Jug will be interesting this year after the whitewash of last year (can we still take enjoyment from that :-)

RoadRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121570250#Comment_121570250

They'll be out for blood. I hope I'm there for it again this year.

bobster453

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121570250#Comment_121570250

Well some people in a certain country still talk about 1966 so I reckon we have a while of bragging yet😂

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121570540#Comment_121570540

And to be fair, that event in 1966 pales in comparison to the jug win

Kiith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121570250#Comment_121570250

Yeah, i guess we'll just need to add an additional group and beat them 7-0 this year 🤣

Break80

Need a new bulldog next year.

I'm hoping to make the team.

benny79

I love this time of year! The boards list gets announced.. Its like getting your Tour card! March cant come quick enough.. Cracking set of courses @Alanm Society in great hands and going from strength to strength. Weather sorted 😉

blue note

An exciting time of year when the Boards Soc thread goes up - Santa coming and a plan for part of your golfing year. Santa came and went, but we still have this to look forward to.

I played with Alanm in Tullamore two years ago and am very surprised to learn that he took up the game late and then got to that level. It feels like the opposite golfing journey to me 😂

And a great list of courses. Starting in Corballis - my former home club. I love the course, but I'm just accepting defeat and going to try elsewhere for a while. It's as fun a course as you'll find in the country.

Portmarnock links next - the course I play best on. My average gross score there is lower than Corballis (even with it being par 71 vs par 66), my average score differential is about 9 or 10 lower there than corballis. But more importantly.... I can have pints and walk home from it! It's a fantastic course. I really like a lot of the changes they've made to the course. I'm actually playing there tomorrow for my first round in a couple of months.

I haven't played the next three. I do hear that Portarlington is a bit of a hidden gem and Mullingar is supposed to be terrific. I have played Macreddin and it's a great fun course. It's a contender for the most difficult you'll play! And believe what they say about the walking. The walk from the 9th green to the 10th tee is about the length of a long par 5.

I'm from Tramore so the last two courses are quite accessible to me too. I haven't played West Waterford since I was a junior so won't pretend I remember it, but I hear only great things. I remember Gold Coast well though and it's a lovely course. If you enjoy views on a golf course you'll love this course. Pretty much the whole thing is on the coast. And it's not a difficult course, but that's not a derogatory thing to say about it. You'll certainly be tested, but after a round the previous day and some post round beverages, it might be nice to have a course that's not going to make your hangover worse. The great thing about those two courses for Captains though is that Dungarvan is a fantastic town for eating and drinking in. I don't know how fancy people get with food in this society, but the Tannery is one of my favourite restaurants. But you can't really go wrong eating and drinking in the town.

So anyway, it's an exciting list of courses and I'm going to try to make as much as I can. The fact that they're convenient for me is great, but having only played once every two months for the last 8 months or so I won't get my hopes up too much that I'll see you at them all. If I can make the first and last two I'd be delighted. If I can sneak in another one or two I'll pinch myself.

Seve OB

Well Easter holidays now booked in so I won’t be walking around Corballis with yiz 🌅🌞

see you all in April, or maybe some of you for a pint sometime before that

FixdePitchmark

Would the Tannery do the most favourite picks of BGS

1) Chicken Curry Rice and Chips

2) Beef burger

3) Chicken Burger

4) pasta

5) Fish and chips..

bobster453

Doubtful

A peculiar place imo

SET MENU €40

 5.30pm-6.30pm

Please note this table will be booked again later.

 

Soup of the day

Local beetroot, Toons Bridge feta cheese, olive dressing, dukkah

Chicken liver parfait, Waldorf salad, toasted sourdough

~~~

Crispy pork belly, roast cauliflower, golden raisins and mustard sauce

Pan fried pollock, saffron, pea and Sobrasada rice

Fried gnocchi, grilled scallions, crispy shallots, Asian butter

~~~

Sides €6

Twice cooked chips, house seasoning, aioli

Comeragh farm greens, Cáis Na Tíre cheese, garlic crumb

~~~

Poached pear, chocolate sauce, vanilla ice cream, brandy snap

Whipped lemon cheesecake, berry compote and biscuit

~~~

Tea / Coffee €3.50

Cappuccino / Espresso / Americano €4.20

Liqueur Coffee €8.00

Espresso Martini €15.00

(10% service charge for parties of 6 or more)

 

blue note

You'd never know what you'd get on the tasting menu fix.

kev_s88

Looking forward to joining back up for another year and a great set of courses organised by Alan. Missing Ballyneety unfortunately as i'll be in Japan (woe is me am i right? 🤣). But really looking forward to getting out to Corballis with a full compliment of clubs, and a bit of unfinished business in Portmarnock Links after the Jug loss there in 2022.

The other courses are all new to me so really looking forward to a bit of travel and some good golf. will definitely have to stay over once or twice and experience the full after golf craic of the society.

Heres to a great year ahead and good luck Alan with the captaincy

bakerbhoy

When will invoices be issued ?

Seve OB

@bakerbhoy gimme a few days.

scotty_golf9

Hi Lads, long time no see. Happy new years to you all. Im back after taking a year off from golf and i cant wait to get back playing this year. Im just wondering if theres still space in the society this year as i loved the first year i played with yeahs. Fingers crossed i can catch up with yeahs this year🤞🏻⛳️ and as a wise man once told me…. Golf is Life @benny79

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121672234#Comment_121672234

Of course

will get set up for the year very soon

benny79

Awh... Its always nice when the children come back home 😁

RoadRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121672234#Comment_121672234

Now, are you absolutely sure it was a "wise" man that told you that?

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121674375#Comment_121674375

Because I told benny that.

bobster453

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121677361#Comment_121677361

Wise man indeed😀

scotty_golf9

@RoadRunner In my generation, wise means old😂