Helen's Bay golf club Down
Helen's Bay Golf Course
Helen's Bay Golf Club is one of the oldest 9-hole golf courses in Ireland, still located on its original site. Hence the mature tree lined fairways, strategically placed bunkers and superbly maintained greens and course. Helen's Bay has a high membership for a 9-hole course, so be sure to phone in advance when looking for a green fee.
When you get the opportunity to play this little gem you will appreciate what only time and care can achieve to create magic on a golf course. Helen's Bay's 4th is a hole you will remember long after you have left the golf course behind, at just 124 metres played over mature trees to a well protected green. There are several relocated tee boxes on the second nine and the course has spectacular views of the Antrim Hills across Belfast Lough.
Helen's Bay offers the visitors and members all of the facilities associated with a modern club, should you intend to have dinner in the evening be sure to bring a jacket & tie.
Green Fees Monday to Friday: | £25 |
Green Fees Weekends & B.H.: | £28 |
Green Fees with a Member: | £20/25 |
Green Fees for Opens: | £20 |
Practice Area: | No |
Club Hire: | No |
Buggy Hire: | Yes |
Soft Spikes: | No |
Full Membership Available: | Yes |
Full Membership Fee: | £690 |
Full Lady Membership Fee: | £405 |
Full 6-Day Membership Fee: | £580 |
Full Youths Membership Fee: | £195 |
Full Junior Membership Fee: | £50 |
Course Type | Parkland |
No Holes | 9 |
Members | 705 |
Designer | Nature |
Founded | 1896 |
Address | Golf Road, |
Telephone | 028-91-852815 |
mail@helensbaygc.com | |
Website | Helen's Bay golf club website |
Secretary/Manager: | Patricia Craig |
Captain: | Peter Gallagher |
Lady Captain: | Irene Aston |
President: | Frank Graham & Ruth Cochrane |
Junior Bots' Captain: | Alexander McComb |
Junior Girls' Captain: | Sophia Clarke |
Vice-Captains': | & |
Hon. Secretary: | David Marshall & Margaret Crawford |
Club Pro: | None |
Hon. Treasurer: | Ken Craig & Jean Wood |
Comp. Secretary: | Alan McGregor & Irene Aston |
Location Map
Lat:54.669685
Long:-5.736194
General Facts & Information
Course opening hours: Daylight hours | Clubhouse opening hours: 9.00am to 11.00pm |
Mobile phones: Not on course |
Dress Code: Neat and casual, jacket and tie required evenings |
Catering: Full catering, facilities | Days to Avoid: Tuesdays, Thursdays pm & Saturdays |
Green Fees and Societies Welcome: Other days | Pre-booking for open Tournaments:14 Days in advance |
Helen's Bay Golf Club Fixtures 2024 provisional*
Open & Major Fixtures 2024 (to be Confirmed) | ||||
Event | Start | Finish | Type | Duration |
Lady Captain's Prize | Tuesday 18 June | Closed | 1 | |
Captain's Prize | Saturday 22 June | Closed | 1 | |
Captain's Prize to the Ladies | Tuesday 10 July | Closed | 1 | |
Lady President's Prize | Tuesday 6 August | Closed | 1 | |
President's Prize | Saturday 10 August | Closed | 1 | |
Captain's Prize to the Juniors |
Friday 16 August | Closed | 1 | |
Captain's Prize to the Ladies |
Tuesday 10 September | Closed | 1 | |
L. & G. Singles Stableford | Friday 31 May | Open | 1 | |
Juniors Singles Stableford | Friday 9 August | Open | 1 | |
Ladies 3-Person Texas Scramble | Monday 12 August | Open | 1 | |
Ulster U-18 Girls' Foursomes | Wednesday 21 August | G.I. | 1 |
Card of the Course
Key | Data |
White | Par 68 SSS 67 5,598 yd?s |
Red | Par 71 SSS 71 5,300 yd?s |
Green | Par 68 SSS 66 5,369 yd?s |
Card
Hole No. | White | Green | Par | Index | Red | Par | Index |
1 | 296 | 293 | 4 | 12 | 288 | 4 | 9 |
2 | 376 | 368 | 4 | 4 | 336 | 4 | 3 |
3 | 384 | 379 | 4 | 2 | 396 | 5 | 13 |
4 | 136 | 113 | 3 | 18 | 120 | 3 | 17 |
5 | 355 | 341 | 4 | 14 | 352 | 4 | 7 |
6 | 359 | 343 | 4 | 6 | 343 | 4 | 5 |
7 | 312 | 290 | 4 | 16 | 290 | 4 | 11 |
8 | 217 | 200 | 3 | 10 | 195 | 3 | 15 |
9 | 355 | 344 | 4 | 8 | 342 | 4 | 1 |
Out | 2,790 | 2,671 | 34 | 2,662 | 35 | ||
10 | 316 | 302 | 4 | 9 | 297 | 4 | 14 |
11 | 391 | 381 | 4 | 3 | 342 | 4 | 2 |
12 | 408 | 390 | 4 | 1 | 405 | 5 | 8 |
13 | 140 | 120 | 3 | 13 | 129 | 3 | 16 |
14 | 329 | 324 | 4 | 15 | 325 | 4 | 6 |
15 | 386 | 386 | 4 | 5 | 341 | 4 | 6 |
16 | 312 | 290 | 4 | 17 | 281 | 4 | 12 |
17 | 171 | 161 | 3 | 11 | 171 | 3 | 18 |
18 | 355 | 344 | 4 | 7 | 347 | 5 | 10 |
In | 2,808 | 2,698 | 34 | 2,638 | 36 | ||
Total | 5,598 | 5,369 | 68 | 5,300 | 70 | ||
SSS | 67 | 66 | 71 |
Notable rounds
Men's Course Record: 67 Aaron Taylor 23/08/1997
Ladies Course Record: 70 Mrs. J. Allen
Members Achievements
Rafael Poli was selected on the Irish Boys Under-16 team for the Italian U-16 Boys' Championship played at Golf Club Biella “Le Betulle” from 29th to 31st August 2023, the other members on the team were Mark Cadden (Roganstown Golf Club), Calum Duane (Naas Golf Club), Evan Hogg (Belvoir Park Golf Club) and Isaac Oliver (Ballinasloe Golf Club) they were managed by Sara Rose Shelly and captained by Liam Troy.
Young Rafael Poli was selected on the Ulster Under-16 Interprovincial Team played at Ballykisteen Golf Club on 21st and 22nd August 2023.
The other members of the team were Stuart Nesbitt & Luka Rodgers (Royal Portrush Golf Club), Evan Hogg (Belvoir Park Golf Club), Rafael Poli Bruce McDonald (Lisburn Golf Club) and Charlie Smyth (Slieve Russell Golf Club)
They were Captained by Trevor Lewers (Portstewart Golf Club) and Managed by Tiarnan McLarnon (Massereen Golf Club)
Members who played representative golf for Country or Province;
D. J. Cameron* represented Ireland as a Senior International in1900;
History of Helen's Bay
Instituted 1896 affiliated 1897
The records of Helen’s Bay are not available until 1906. However, an article in The Irish Field on the 12th June 1909, gives an account of the origins of the club.
It tells us the club was formed in 1895 and it was expected to attract 30 to 40 members, to the surprise of the promoters, 150 members joined. The Marquis of Dufferin and Ava was a generous supporter and gave the club the use of 60 acres of his land. It is, bounded on the north by the sea.
Mr. G. Herbert Brown was the Captain for the first three years. The club remains unchanged to the present day.
What the Club tells us:
Helen’s Bay Golf Club was established in 1896 by a group of businessmen who met regularly in Belfast. In choosing the location for the Course they sought land of outstanding beauty and terrain that was within strolling distance of a station on the Belfast to Bangor railway line. Only a handful of houses existed in Helen’s Bay at that time and so competitions were often timed to begin ten minutes after the arrival of trains from Belfast.
From the very beginning Helen’s Bay has been a Club of men and women co-existing happily; the first Captains in 1896 were husband and wife Herbert and Kathleen Brown. The lay out of the 9 hole course today remains much as the same as it has been throughout its existence. The original Clubhouse was a quaint old estate cottage provided by our landlord the Clandeboye Estate, and to this various make-shift extensions were added during the first half of the last century. It was eventually replaced in 1970 with a modern Clubhouse, and this in turn was further modernised and extended in 1995 ahead of the Club’s centenary in 1996
Roll of Honour
Member | Year | Hon. Position |
Miss G. P. Gribben | 1989 | Ladies Captain |
R. D. N. Blair | 1989 | Ladies President |
W. M. K. Clark | 1989 | Mens Captain |
T. H. McKinstry | 1989 | President |
Mrs. A. C. L. Miller | 1990 | Ladies Captain |
R. D. N. Blair | 1990 | Ladies President |
I. S. Jamison | 1990 | Mens Captain |
T. J. Weir | 1990 | President |
Mrs. D. Graham | 1991 | Ladies Captain |
G. H. Smiley | 1991 | Ladies President |
A. S. Foster | 1991 | Mens Captain |
T. J. Weir | 1991 | President |
Miss. J. V. Hull | 1992 | Ladies Captain |
G. H. Smiley | 1992 | Ladies President |
S. E. James | 1992 | Mens Captain |
T. J. Weir | 1992 | President |
Mrs. J. D. Prifti | 1993 | Ladies Captain |
G. H. Smiley | 1993 | Ladies President |
R. G. Brennan | 1993 | Mens Captain |
T. Oscar Rollins | 1993 | President |
Miss. M. R. Gilliland | 1994 | Ladies Captain |
W. E. Evens | 1994 | Ladies President |
R. D. Cooke | 1994 | Mens Captain |
T. Oscar Rollins | 1994 | President |
Mrs. V. McNabney | 1995 | Ladies Captain |
W. E. Evens | 1995 | Ladies President |
M. D. M. Rea | 1995 | Mens Captain |
T. Oscar Rollins | 1995 | President |
Mrs. J. S. Graham | 1996 | Ladies Captain |
W. E. Evens | 1996 | Ladies President |
P. B. Clarke | 1996 | Mens Captain |
R. E. Dorman | 1996 | President |
Mrs. G. Clark | 1997 | Ladies Captain |
R. Rollins | 1997 | Ladies President |
Dr. W. H. K. Haslett | 1997 | Mens Captain |
R. E. Dorman | 1997 | President |
Mrs. O. E. Shields | 1998 | Ladies Captain |
R. Rollins | 1998 | Ladies President |
J. R. Craig | 1998 | Mens Captain |
R. E. Dorman | 1998 | President |
Mrs. Geraldine Kelly | 1999 | Ladies Captain |
Mrs. Ruby Rollins | 1999 | Ladies President |
Willie Alexander | 1999 | Mens Captain |
David D. W. Lindop | 1999 | President |
Miss Adelaide E. Nelson | 2000 | Ladies Captain |
Miss Joan Hull | 2000 | Ladies President |
R. A. Taylor | 2000 | Mens Captain |
David D. W. Lindop | 2000 | President |
Mrs. Louise Davison | 2001 | Ladies Captain |
Miss Jane Hull | 2001 | Ladies President |
W. E. Evans | 2001 | Mens Captain |
David D. W. Lindop | 2001 | President |
Valerie Ferguson | 2002 | Ladies Captain |
Joan Hill | 2002 | Ladies President |
Michael E. Field | 2002 | Mens Captain |
F. A. Edgar | 2002 | President |
Jane Allen | 2003 | Ladies Captain |
M. R. Gilliland | 2003 | Ladies President |
John Coote | 2003 | Mens Captain |
F. A. Edgar | 2003 | President |
Jane Allen | 2004 | Ladies Captain |
M. R. Gilliland | 2004 | Ladies President |
Mary Corry | 2005 | Ladies Captain |
M. R. Gilliland | 2005 | Ladies President |
Frank Graham | 2005 | Mens Captain |
Frank Edgar | 2005 | President |
Jack McIlduff | 2005 | Mens Captain |
Leslie Mann | 2005 | President |
Ruth Cochrane | 2006 | Ladies Captain |
D. Graham | 2006 | Ladies President |
Peter Johnston | 2006 | Mens Captain |
Leslie Mann | 2006 | President |
Myra Logan | 2007 | Ladies Captain |
Dorothy Graham | 2007 | Ladies President |
Terry Cromey | 2007 | Mens Captain |
Leslie Mann | 2007 | President |
Pam McBride | 2008 | Ladies Captain |
Dorothy Graham | 2008 | Ladies President |
Dermot Rollins | 2008 | Mens Captain |
Leslie Mann | 2008 | President |
Pauline Clarke | 2009 | Ladies Captain |
Georgina Clark | 2009 | Ladies President |
Robert Sinclair | 2009 | Mens Captain |
Bill Eakin | 2009 | President |
Leonora James | 2010 | Ladies Captain |
Georgina Clark | 2010 | Ladies President |
Peter Smith | 2010 | Mens Captain |
Peter Clark | 2010 | President |
Eileen Patterson | 2011 | Ladies Captain |
Adelaide Nelson | 2011 | Ladies President |
Richard Mann | 2011 | Mens Captain |
Peter Clark | 2011 | President |
Cecil Linehan | 2012 | Ladies Captain |
Adelaide Nelson | 2012 | Ladies President |
Robert Coey | 2012 | Mens Captain |
Peter Clark | 2012 | President |
Mary Cregg | 2013 | Ladies Captain |
Adelaide Nelson |
2013 | Ladies President |
Peter Martin | 2013 | Mens Captain |
Robin Longmore |
2013 | President |
Ruth Croft | 2014 | Ladies Captain |
Gerladine Kelly | 2014 | Ladies President |
William Pollock | 2014 | Mens Captain |
Edwin James | 2014 | President |
Jo Farrell | 2015 | Ladies Captain |
Gerladine Kelly | 2015 | Ladies President |
Dennis Farrell | 2015 | Mens Captain |
Edwin James |
2015 | President |
Liz Jackson | 2016 | Ladies Captain |
Geraldine Kelly |
2016 | Ladies President |
Denis Logan | 2016 | Mens Captain |
Michael Rea |
2016 | President |
Ann McCarty | 2017 | Ladies Captain |
Jane Allen |
2017 | Ladies President |
Niall James | 2017 | Mens Captain |
Michael Rea |
2017 | President |
Linda Wilson | 2018 | Ladies Captain |
Alan Shannon | 2018 | Mens Captain |
Robert Cooke | 2018 | President |
Barbara Edwards | 2019 | Ladies Captain |
Robert Cooke | 2019 | Mens Captain |
Alan Thomson | 2019 | President |
Helen Baird |
2020 | Ladies Captain |
Mary Corry | 2020 | Ladies President |
Derek Johnston Jnr. |
2020 | Mens Captain |
Barry Ditty | 2020 | President |
Helen Baird |
2021 | Ladies Captain |
Mary Corry |
2021 | Ladies President |
Derek Johnston Jnr. |
2021 | Mens Captain |
Barry Ditty |
2021 | President |
Mary Field | 2022 | Ladies Captain |
2022 | Ladies President | |
Roy Jackson | 2022 | Mens Captain |
Frank Graham | 2022 | President |
Linda McAuley | 2023 | Ladies Captain |
Ruth Cochrane | 2023 | Ladies President |
Gareth Magee | 2023 | Mens Captain |
Frank Graham | 2023 | President |
Sophia Clarke | 2023 | Junior Girl's Captain |
Alexander McComb | 2023 | Junior Boy's Captain |
Irene Aston | 2024 | Ladies Captain |
2024 | Ladies President | |
Peter Gallagher | 2024 | Mens Captain |
2024 | President | |
2024 | Junior Girl's Captain | |
2024 | Junior Boy's Captain | |
Jane Allen (6) | 2024 | Lowest Ladie's H'cap |
Rafael Poli | 2024 | Lowest Men's H'cap |
Holes in One at Helen's Bay
Member | Date | Hole No. | Club Used | Distance |
Tom Craig | 26 August 2000 | 17th | 3-Wood | 201 m |
M. Davison | 2 September 2000 | 13th | 8-Iron | 127 m |
T. Graham | 14 September 2000 | 4th | 8-Iron | 124 m |
Judith Caruth |
7 April 2012 | 13th | 7-Wood | 127 m |