With the return of qualifying golf at the weekend, the ability to submit casual scores has also been reinstated on the Golf Ireland app. Please note that if you are signed into a competition, you should not try to submit the same round as a casual play score.
We are pleased to inform Members that work has begun in earnest on the redevelopment of our 10th tee. This is part of our continued commitment to invest €1,000,000 into the course and facilities over the 5 year period 2021-2025.
As you will see from the photos above, this particular job is a large undertaking, however, we have completed the initial stage to remove the existing sod from the surface. Next week will see the re-shaping and levelling of the teeing area and the removal of the shrub bed to the right of the tee. The 10th tee should be back open and ready for play in early May but this is all weather dependent.
In the meantime, a temporary tee has been introduced on the opposite side of the bridge.
We will keep our Members updated on how works are progressing both on our social media channels and through the members’ weekly newsletter.
NOT JUST ON-COURSE IMPROVEMENTS…
While the golf course is the star of the show, membership of a golf club extends beyond 18 quality holes. Here at St. Margaret’s, investments are also being made in the clubhouse, both in the golf shop and also in the locker room /shower facilities.
The Golf Shop will be getting a complete refit and this work will commence over the next few weeks. Members will see a new and improved contemporary design here, enhancing the shopping experience at the Club.
In the locker rooms, the showers will continue to be out of use while necessary upgrade works are being completed. We envisage that this will only be a short-term closure and we should be in a position to re-open this facility before long.
The above are just a few ways we are striving to improve the Members’ experience at the Golf Club and we look forward to sharing further updates with you over the coming weeks and months.
I’m delighted to mark the start of my year as Captain by sponsoring the planting of 3 new semi-mature trees on our golf course. The trees represent my 3 daughters Aoife & Lauren both aged 11 and Sophie aged 10. My girls are constantly learning about the importance of trees and our need to help protect our environment. The trees are of a purple beech variety and will add a splash of colour to our course. Each of them has been planted within a 100-meter radius of the clubhouse. The first one is planted east of the pro shop towards the 4th fairway. The second is in the rough area to the right of the 10th fairway and the third is planted to the right of the 18th fairway on the hill as you look down the fairway from the green. The trees also mark the 3 decades of our club’s establishment as we look forward to celebrating our club’s 30th anniversary in 2022. My girls were delighted to help finish off the planting and they will be keeping a close eye on each of them as they grow and mature over the months and years ahead. I would like to extend a big thank you to Ronan Branigan of Synergy Golf and to our Green Keeping team for arranging the delivery and planting of the trees.
John Ferguson
Captain 2022
With the introduction of placing in areas cut to higher than fairway length (ie the rough), the course is now in non-qualifying condition for handicap purposes. This means that scores you enter in competitions will not appear on your Golf Ireland record and therefore won’t affect your handicap. General play scores are also not permitted in non-qualifying conditions and consequently, this option has been deactivated in the Golf Ireland app.
Eddie Hyland
Hon. Handicap Secretary.
The fallen leaves on the course are increasing the frequency in which golfers will be searching for balls compared to other times of the year. We would like to remind all members that the time limit is 3 minutes to look for a ball, after which time the ball is deemed lost if not located. The time was reduced from 5 mins to 3 mins in the 2019 update to the rules of golf in order to assist with the pace of play.
When a group arrives at the area in which the ball is expected to be, and it is not obvious where it is, one member of the group should start a timer – using your phone would be one such way to do this.
If the ball is found after 3 minutes is up, the ball may not be played, and the golfer should continue with a provisional ball if one was played.
The pace of play will naturally be that little bit slower at the current time, however, 4 hours still remains the benchmark to complete an 18 hole round.
Monday last 28th June was not any regular Monday here at St. Margaret’s.
It will be a day written in the Club’s history books as the date on which the Donal Heron shot an incredible 8 under par gross, taking only 65 strokes to get around our Championship Course from the black tees. A birdie at the first set the tone for the day and from there he steadily reached the 8th tee at one-under-par. Donal then proceeded to eagle hole 8, and a par on 9 gave him a score of -3 at the turn.
Recording another birdie on the 10th brought him to minus 4 for the day. A run of 5 straight pars kept his card bogey-free from holes 11 to 15, which included “only” a par at the par 5 12th 😉
Donal’s last 3 holes made what was already a great round into a truly outstanding round of golf.
A three-four-three finish secures his place as the new Course Record holder with an amazing 8 under par total. As one comment on our social media referenced, Donal should be playing in Mount Juliet this week, and certainly going eagle, birdie, birdie to close out a round for 65 is something Mr McIlroy or Mr Lowry would be extremely pleased with.
Congrats again on your phenomenal feat Donal! 👏👏👏
General Play (To be used OUTSIDE Competition times on Saturday and Sunday).
Rounds counting for handicapping purposes.
As the World Handicap System permits scores recorded in general play rounds to count for
handicapping purposes, please note the following requirements for such scores:
• The course must be In “Acceptable Score” condition
• Players must register their intention to return a general play score for handicapping purposes
BEFORE they start their round.
• The above guidance on using physical scorecards and electronic devices applies for general play
rounds.
The Golf Ireland app allows players to register the intent to return a score, electronically
certify scores by a player and marker, and facilitates verification/amendment of the player’s
Handicap Index, and therefore can be prescribed as the method for returning General Play
scores by any club, should the Club so determine. A club may also choose alternative methods
for accepting such scores provided they comply with the above guidance.
• Where an App/electronic device is being used to return a general play score for handicapping
purposes as an alternative to a physical scorecard, the player and the marker should verbally
agree on the scores immediately after completing the round.
Some problems experienced to date:
Creating scorecard – You must be in the vicinity of the course to CREATE a scorecard and SUBMIT a score.
Check you have enough time to complete registration BEFORE you play and submit your score AFTER you finish
Selecting Marker – This is the TEE Marker (Black/Blue/Red/White) you intend to play from.
The club staff will verify which TEE MARKERS are in play (Usually Blue/Red/White). BLACK tee markers are not in play for casual golf.
If an incorrect Marker (TEE) is selected and cannot be changed, start AGAIN.
Select ATTESTER (a player who will verify your score on completion of the round).
The ATTESTER will get a message to verify your score and he/she should check their messages in the app.
You can send a reminder from the MESSAGE section of the app.
Putting in SCORE for individual holes. Use the + and – buttons to select the score including pick ups, three dots beside + and – signs.
When your round is completed SIGN the app and ENTER the name of the ATTESTER.
Click FINISH and check if APPROVED.
If you have further questions please email handicaps handicaps@stmargaretsgolf.com
Extract from Golf Ireland site regarding acceptable scores etc.
COVID-19: Guidance for Clubs and Golfers on playing rounds and submitting Acceptable Scores for handicapping purposes.
For golfers and golf clubs, the below checklist provides a summary overview of requirements in order for golf activities to count for handicap purposes. Please note in particular that the guidance below on using physical scorecards and electronic devices has been updated following a review by the Joint WHS Committee of competition activities in 2020. Guidance has been sought from The R&A to ensure the below requirements comply with the Rules of Golf and the Rules of Handicapping.
All counting rounds and acceptable scores for handicapping purposes must conform with the following:
R&A guidance on the Rules during the COVID-19 Pandemic
The Rules of Golf Golf Ireland’s Living with COVID Protocol
The Rules of Handicapping
All scores must be promptly returned to the Committee on the day of play in accordance with Rule 3.3B(2) of the Rules of Golf and Rule 4.3 of the Rules of Handicapping. For more information on the World Handicap System and the Rules of Handicapping, see www.golfireland.ie/handicap-system
Removal of rakes from bunkers
In accordance with Golf Ireland’s Living with COVID Protocol rakes must be removed from bunkers.
The Club Committee may introduce a local rule allowing placing in bunkers using the wording in
Model Local Rule E-3.
Modifications to Flagsticks
Golf Clubs must continue to employ the protective measures around flagsticks and hole depths that were used in 2020.
Using Physical Scorecards without cards being countersigned.
If physical scorecards are used, in all cases the MARKER should enter the player’s scores on a scorecard (it is advisable that each player keep their own score as well as the score of the person they are marking). At the end of the round, the marker should ask the player to verbally certify his/her scores, and then write the player’s name in the player’s signature slot. The marker signs the card in the marker’s signature slot.
Electronic Devices as an alternative to physical scorecards.
Committees may continue to determine that an electronic score return is sufficient without the return of a physical card, but this should happen only where the software or solution which the Committee employs:
• Allows the hole scores to be electronically certified by the player and his/her marker
• Has a facility to register intent to return a score before the player starts the round on the day of play only
• Allows verification/amendment of the player’s Handicap Index
Electronic Devices used alongside scorecards:
If the electronic solution used by the Committee does not have this functionality, it may still be used, but used only to assist the Committee in the same way as players may in the past have returned scorecards and entered scores on a computer terminal. A physical scorecard should also be returned to the Committee.
Eddie Hyland
This week Golf Ireland released their app for iOS and Android, which will allow members to submit casual rounds for handicapping purposes. If you wish to submit a score to count towards your handicap index, you must register your intent before you tee off and be located at the golf course.
Once you have completed a 9 or 18 hole round, you will be able to input your scores onto the app. You must choose a playing partner in the app to verify your scores. They will be sent a notification to authorise the score (they must be registered on Golf Ireland).
Please see the links below to download the app.
This week we received our ranking in the Irish Golfer Magazine’s Top 100 Courses on the island of Ireland. There is always hot competition to be named among the country’s elite courses, and we are very pleased to be named in 80th place. With the wealth of quality courses in Ireland, especially world famous links courses, being selected in the top 20% of approx 430 courses nationwide is a major achievement. In a Dublin context, only a very small number of parklands managed to make the grade. For this we must thank the greenkeeping team, who over the past several years have worked tirelessly to bring the course back to the standard we have today. A worthy piece of recognition for your endevours lads.
We’re not content to stand still and we are confident that we can climb even higher on this list. With the continuous works and substantial investment into the entire facility, our reputation as a first-class golfing venue will continue to be strengthened among the golfing community at large.
You can view the full list by clicking here.
St. Margaret’s Golf & Country Club, located in North Co. Dublin, announces it will invest €1m in the club over the next five years. The investment is set to enhance the quality and standards across all areas of the golf club including significant changes and improvements both on and off course. In addition, the return of a joining fee will increase membership value for its loyal members.
Under the management of Synergy Golf, the club’s motto has been to always improve and over the past six years this has been evident with the clubhouse and golf course all undergoing significant makeovers. Since the end of 2014, over €1.2m has been invested leading to improvements in every aspect of the facility. Now a further €1m is planned over the next five years with the club outlining its ambitious plans to continue its pursuit of excellence to members last week. Quality always awaits members and guests at the club, but these enhancements take it a further step forward to its overall goals.
News of the investment was covered by much of the golf media.
