bustercherry wrote: » As I say you have to ignore all the other factors of why you would play or join the club because that's what you are fixated on (and by all means it seems like a carr golf sh1tshow in the club). My response was in relation to posters comments reservations about the course and not the club. If I remember correctly they used to have the billboard us saying it had the best greens in Ireland, the greens were good but they hadn't' even the best greens in west Dublin. Castleknock was renowned for that sort of sales pitch nonsense. As I said think a lot of the perceived negativity "around the course" is just people pointing out it's not at the level as it has hyped itself to be rather than people saying it's poor. There is nothing particularly wrong with the course as such and the conditioning makes up for poor layout/blandness in places; but if it was a colour it would be a shade of beige. That's being said my views on the course wouldn't stop me considering joining it as a club. There are loads of factors like location, cost, tee sheet availability, interclub etc...
blue note wrote: » Firstly, Margarets being a much better course is a matter of opinion. In mine, they're fairly similar, but I'd go for Castleknock any day.Secondly, you're comparing the price of it to courses in cheaper golfing locations or the cheapest prices you can get other courses for. I'd assume you can get member guest rates / opens in Castleknock too. If you're to compare their regular green fee price to castleknock, I think Portmarnock Links is €80 for GUI and I don't know what the European is. But I'd be confident in saying that Castleknock is a lot cheaper. When you compare Castleknock to other Dublin clubs, it's fairly average in terms of price. But above average as a course (in most people's opinions).
blue note wrote: » When reading this thread it's interesting to contrast some of the comments with what people say when talking about the top links courses around the country. Firstly, there are different types of courses. Members courses should first serve the members. Private courses should serve the owners first, and part of this is keeping members happy. But essentially, an investment was made and their goal is to get the best return. This probably will involve filling the timesheet, including with green fees. Then there are the public courses where the goal isn't to maximise profit, but it's also not only concerned with the members. When you see societies out a little earlier on a Sunday than you'd like, you have to remember that the course is for them too. If you don't like it, look for a members course. Secondly, some courses are built to a high spec and some aren't. Some people won't care about big tee boxes and oversized bunkers and some will really enjoy playing on a course that feels expensive. Course layout is largely separate to this. So you can have an expensive feeling course that isn't amazing (Castleknock is an example of this to many people) and you can have a course that is fairly normal in terms of spec, but people adore the layout (I think Portumna is an example of this, but I haven't played there). That's all okay! But what I think is interesting is comparing people's indignation to the top links courses for not catering for non-members (the ones with GUI handicaps, which is conveniently the person moaning) while at the same time giving out about the more normal courses for catering to non-members. Such as castleknock taking in societies and the members suffering. Those two opinions are essentially in opposition to each other. You can make cases for them being different situations, but that's basically a fudge. If the top courses are members clubs, their primary concern is to their members. For the sake of the members they should be selling some green fees at the highest possible price so as to inconvenience members the least while bringing in as much additional income to the club as possible. That's the balance they should strive for as members clubs. Not making sure all GUI members can play them for less than €50.
Ollieboy wrote: » That’s a very unfair comment Eoghan and wasn’t what you said to me. You know the old saying, if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all. I think people have to realize the difference. St Margaret’s, Roganstown and Castleknock were designed for the premium market and if memory serves me correctly they all had 25 million budgets when built. This means they started with great green, bunkers, irrigation etc. I’ve opinions on them all and played them all many times. I don’t dislike any of them but I think some have a few week holes due to restrictions on space. Corrstown was developed by members for about 3 million and the members own it. Our members timesheet runs from 1st light till last at weekends. We have removed societies from the timesheet to give members even more access. But we are a different model for a golf club compared to the above. We could go out and sell green fees and in 3 years spend millions on redevelopment with no debt, but that’s not our business. All profits go back to membership or to the course. We are closed for new members except for 5 days so we must be doing something right!
eoghan104 wrote: » I was a member there for a year and hated it. Pain in the hole to get there and course is in poor condition in winter. Different strokes. Membership in Castleknock is far better value.
not yet wrote: » Is that 800 for 5 day membership? Played Corrstown earlier with a pal, 1150 full membership..
Seve OB wrote: » Any chance you can knock over to mine with a few takeaways
Tescosfinest wrote: » Sorry I'm on my 5th pint of Guinness in the pub
Seve OB wrote: » Yes that’s what I said
Tescosfinest wrote: » That's for 5 day membership I think
Seve OB wrote: » I meant the guys who moved from castleknock to Luttrelstown got that deal of 800
not yet wrote: » I'd agree with you, but it's getting to the point of not being able to get on the timesheet Sat or Sun in Castleknock. It's 10 min away for me which is the main reason I stay, that, and you could not meet a nicer bunch out on the course.
Seve OB wrote: » Yes. Think it’s normally about 1300 Corrstown is not in the same league so not really a fair comparison
Seve OB wrote: » I agree if you are a regular player, hence why I said above that if you were unsure of how much you would play. It is a great option for me as a second club who doesn’t play castleknock all that often. Also further up I did say If I was shelling out for unlimited golf that luttrelstown is much better. Found out that the castleknock guys who moved got a deal of 800 for the year, I would have jumped all over that if I had of known about it.
not yet wrote: » I personally don't think the 7 day flexible is good value. @ 35euro Sat or Sun it would run out if you played 40ish games.
Seve OB wrote: » it has gone up by €40 plus the levys €1,490+ GUI Levy €24+Comp Levy €20 +Insurance €27. So the way I look at it, if you want to get a handicap but are not sure how much golf you will play, it is the cheapest membership available anywhere @ just €71 and leaves you with €1,490 to spend however you please be that on new gear, boozing in the bar, eating in the restaurant or playing golf, and you can even use it to bring your buddies or society out
eoghan104 wrote: » Castleknock is a much better course than Margaret's by a long way. opinions and all that.... The €1,450 option in Castleknock is a great value membership for the modern type of golfer that isn't playing 3 times a week in their own club. For most people it is a much better value option than traditional golf memberships. It's also right beside the city centre and any comparable clubs are way more expensive.
bustercherry wrote: » Margaret's is a much better course by a long way.
bustercherry wrote: » Margaret's is a much better course by a long way. Castleknock may be the best option within a specific catchment area as a club. There are a number of other deciding factors (apart from the course) that a golfer would consider when choosing a club or whether to play an open. Ignoring all those factors and basing on course/green fee; Strandhill, Tramore, and Headford New for start (as played them in the last 2 months). I'd rather drive from Dublin to Strandhill, play and drive back than play Castleknock I see Portmarnock links is 55 or 45 as a member guest for opens on their website; and it's light years ahead of Castleknock. I'd be stumping up the extra just to play in that. In fact last year I was playing opens in the European for 50 euro (I know it's gone up this year) and I may be wrong but Castleknock was 45 at one point.
blue note wrote: » I didn't think anyone was comparing it to Kileen Castle or the K Club. I'd have it more in the bracket of the likes of St Margarets / Balbriggan to pick two I've played. All three are lovely courses, but I wouldn't be putting them down as top parkland courses in Ireland or anything. I would say that Castleknock is built to a higher spec. This doesn't make it better, but it can be nice at times. Expensive to maintain I suspect though. And to the other poster - when I said not "too hard" I didn't mean I thought it was at all easy. I think it's a good challenge and you feel like you earn your scores on the course. I always feel if I play well there I can score. That's a compliment to the course really.
Tescosfinest wrote: » Where are the better courses at the same price point? I don't think the like of Roganstown, Corrstown or Margaret's are a patch on Castleknock
bustercherry wrote: » It's always been an average course with good conditioning as there are too many bland holes (first 4 on the back 9 for example). It's no where near the level of a Luttrellstown (even when their conditioning slipped) or a Killeen Castle/K Club for example; let alone the elite courses like RCD/Portrush/BallyB etc.... I think a lot of the perceived negativity "around the course" is just people pointing out it's not at the level as it has hyped itself to be rather than people saying it's sh1te. I've enjoy playing it but there are better courses/value to be had if I was looking for an open. The club setup and carr golf is completely different though.
not yet wrote: » Not sure the are, think Both are priced around 1800
dk1982 wrote: » Agreed not as central as Castleknock. was just replying to the specific statement by Tescosfinest that neither of them are a patch on Castleknock. Also, full 7 day membership is cheaper in both Margarets and Roganstown than in Castleknock
eoghan104 wrote: » You probably are not alone in that thinking. Both are quite far from the city centre though and I assume more expensive for membership. To be honest neither can be considered "in the area"!!
not yet wrote: » A handful of members went to LT, that has been more then offset by new members since lockdown.
pinkdoubleeagle wrote: » From members up there
dk1982 wrote: » Personally I'd have Roganstown and Margarets ahead of it by a bit of a distance
