Silloge Park Golf Course –1984 to 2009 – 25 years in the making

Silloge Park Golf Course opened as a 9-hole golf course in 1984. It was designed by Owen Ward of the Dublin City Council, Parks Department. The legendary Christy O Connor Senior opened the course and performed the first drive. 

The course was very different then. The first hole is now the Index 1, 8th. The ticket office was on the other side of the gap in the hedge behind the tee box. The car park was near the yard and the present 3rd & 4th were football pitches. The 2nd & 3rd then are now the existing 9th & 10th. As you walk down the hill on the 10th fairway you will see a bench at the end of the trees on the left hand side. This was the tee box for the original 4th hole. It went straight towards Ballymun and a big aerial was the line. The existing 11th & 2nd were the 5th & 6th. The 7th went out by the practise ground behind the present 2nd. This hole is no more. The original 8th is now the M50 southbound. You then finished the 9th which was from the existing 5th tee and it went to the existing 7th green crossing the 1st tee. Back then, you played our index 1 twice. 

The layout of the 9 holes was altered in 1988. The present 6th hole became the 1st.

The hedge behind the 6th green went the full length and prevented the present 7th being used in this layout. You then followed the existing 8th, 9th, 10 th, 11th & 2nd. The original 7th & 8th were still in place prior to the M50. The original 4th hole now disappeared. The final hole was still off the same tee box (5th) but the existing 5th green was introduced to complete the 9 holes.     

The ticket box was moved in 1994 near to today’s front gate with the start of the construction of the M50. It became a 18 hole course in 1995. The original 7th & 8th were lost to the M50. The football pitches became the 3rd & 4th. The hedge behind the 6th green was cleared in front of the 7th green to open a par 3. The newly constructed holes included 12 through to 18 and the first. Only 5 of the original holes are in use at present. 2009 will see a new 9th hole being introduced into general play.  

The clubhouse was built in 2001 and the legendary ticket office and coloured ticket system ceased. In the early days there were four greens fees. 18 holes was £ 5 (White ticket). 9 holes for £ 3 (Pink ticket). Unemployed/ retired 18 holes £ 2 (Green ticket) and finally Unemployed/retired 9 holes for £ 1 (Blue ticket). Green staff from those days will tell you that they knew how well the economy was by the colour of the majority of the tickets. The special rate was up to 4.30PM Monday to Fridays but was amended to 12 noon when golfers who when asked to show their labour card gave the excuse that they left it in work!!!

 

Special thanks to Philip Mitchell of Dublin City Council Parks Department who has tended the course since 1986.