Kirkistown Castle golf club Down

Members Achievements

Beth Coulter was one of the three Irish golfers who were selected as part of 2024 Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team for the match at Sunningdale between Friday 30th August and Sunday 1st September 2024, the other two were Sara Byrne (Douglas Golf Club), and Áine Donegan (Lahinch Golf Club) and Anna Foster (Elma Park Golf Club) was first reserve.

Beth Coulter was selected on the Irish Women’s team to play in the European Ladies' Team Championship (Real Sociedad Hípica Española Club de Campo, Spain from 9th to 13th July 2024, the others on the team were Sara Byrne  (Douglas Golf Club), Áine Donegan (Lahinch Golf Club), Emma Fleming and Anna Foster (Elm Park Golf Club) together with Annabel Wilson (Castlerock Golf Club) they were coached by Donal Scott, managed by Helen Jones from Royal Portrush Golf Club and captained by Naoimh Quigg from City of Derry Golf Club.

Beth Coulter was selected on the Irish Women’s Home Internationals that took place at Murcar Links between 7th and 9th August 2024. The others on the team were Sara Byrne (Douglas Golf Club), Aine Donegan and Aideen Walsh (Lahinch Golf Club), Emma Fleming and Anna Foster (Elm Park Golf Club) and Kate Lanigan (Hermitage Golf Club) they were managed by Helen Jones from Royal Portrush Golf Club, coached by Donal Scott and captained by Naoimh Quigg from City of Derry Golf Club. 

Beth Coulter was selected on the European team to play in the Bonallack Trophy against Asia-Pacific at La Manga Resort, Spain from 3rd to 5th August 2023.

Beth Coulter was selected on the Irish Women’s team for Espirito Santo Trophy played in Abu Dhabi from the 25th to 28th October 2023, the others on the squad were Sara Byrne (Douglas Golf Club) and Aine Donegan (Lahinch Golf Club), they were coached by Donal Scott and captained by Naoimh Quigg from City of Derry Golf Club.

Beth Coulter was selected to play at the Women’s Home Internationals at Machynys, Wales between 9th to the11th August 2023, the others on the team were Mairead Martin (Kanturk Golf Club), Emma Fleming and Anna Foster (Elm Park Golf Club), Kate Lanigan (Hermitage Golf Club), Sara Byrne (Douglas Golf Club) and Jessica Ross (Clandeboye Golf Club) they were coached by Donal Scott, managed by Helen Jones from Royal Portrush Golf Club and captained by Naoimh Quigg from City of Derry Golf Club.

Beth Coulter was, selected on the 2023 Golf Ireland Women’s High Performance Squad.

Beth Coulter was selected on the G. B. & Ireland team for the Curtis Cup in 2022 at the Merion Golf Club, East Course from the 10th to the 12th June.

Beth Coulter was selected on the Irish Women’s Team for the first time to compete in the European Nations Championship at Real Club de Golf Sotogrande for the 30th March to 2nd April 2022, the other members of the squad were Kate Lanigan (Hermitage Golf Club) and Aideen Walsh (Lahinch Golf Club) they were coached by Donal Scott and captained by Naoimh Quigg from City of Derry Golf Club.

Beth Coulter was selected on the Irish Women’s Team to play in the European Team Championships at Conwy, Wales from 5th to 9th July 2022, the others on the squad were Sara Byrne (Douglas Golf Club), Áine Donegan (Lahinch Golf Club), Anna Foster (Elm Park Golf Club), Kate Lanigan (Hermitage Golf Club) and Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden Golf Club) they were coached by Donal Scott, managed by Helen Jones from Royal Portrush Golf Club and captained by Naoimh Quigg from City of Derry Golf Club.

Beth Coulter was selected on the Irish Women’s Team for the Home Internationals to be played at Ballyliffin Golf Club on 3rd to 5th August 2022, the other members on the squad were Sara Byrne (Douglas Golf Club), Áine Donegan (Lahinch Golf Club), Anna Foster (Elm Park Golf Club), Kate Lanigan (Hermitage Golf Club), Aideen Walsh (Lahinch Golf Club) and Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden Golf Club) they were coached by Donal Scott, managed by Helen Jones from Royal Portrush Golf Club and captained by Naoimh Quigg from City of Derry Golf Club.

Beth Coulter was selected to represent Ireland at the French Women’s Under-21 Championship played at at Saint-Cloud Golf Club from 14th to 18th April 2022, the other members of the squad were Rebekah Gardner (Clandeboye Golf Club), Kate Lanigan (Hermitage Golf Club) and Katie Poots (Knock Golf Club).

Beth Coulter was selected to represent Ireland at the German Girls’ Open at Golf Club St. Leon-Rot from 2nd to 4th June 2022, the others on the squad were Rebekah Gardner (Clandeboye Golf Club) and Katie Poots (Knock Golf Club).

Beth Coulter was selected on the Golf Ireland Women’s High Performance Squad for 2022.

Beth Coulter won the Hermitage Scratch Cup in 2022 when she shot a Course Record 66.

Beth Coulter was selected to represent the Ireland Women’s team in the European Amateur Team Championships at Royal County Down Golf Club from 6th to 10th July 2021 the other members on the squad were Sara Byrne (Douglas Golf Club), Aine Donegan (Lahinch Golf Club), Anna Foster (Elm Park Golf Club), Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden Golf Club) and Annabel Wilson (Lurgan Golf Club) they were coached by Donal Scott and captained by Laura Webb from East Berkshire.

Beth Coulter was selected to represent the Irish Women’s team at the Home Internationals at Woodhall Spa, England from 4th to 6th August 2021, the others on the squad were Sara Byrne (Douglas Golf Club), Aine Donegan (Lahinch Golf Club), Anna Foster (Elm Park Golf Club), Julie McCarthy (Forrest Little Golf Club), Lauren Walsh (Castlewarden Golf Club) and Annabel Wilson (Lurgan Golf Club) they were captained by Captain Laura Webb from East Berkshire.

Beth Coulte was selected to represent Ulster in the Women’s Interprovincial Matches at Shannon Golf Club from 25th to 27th August 2021, the others on the squad were Louise Coffey (Malone Golf Club), Kate Dwyer (Rossmore Golf Club), Rebekah Gardner and Molly O'Hara (Clandeboye Golf Club) and Katie Poots (Knock Golf Club) they were managed by Fiona Delargy from Cushendall Golf Club and captained by Paula Metcalfe from Malone Golf Club.

Beth Coulter was selected to represent Ulster on the Girls’ Under-18 Interprovincial Team at Mount Wolseley Hotel and Golf Resort on October 9th and 10th October 2021, the others on the squad were Rebekah Gardner and Molly O’Hara (Clandeboye Golf Club), Tara Laverty and Olivia Currie ( Royal Portrush Golf Club), Hannah Lee McNamara (Foyle Golf Club) and Kayleigh Mulholland (Moyola Park Golf Club) they were managed by Linda Bradshaw and captained by Barbara Fox from Bangor Golf Club.

Kirkistown Golf Club won the All-Ireland Irish Mixed Foursomes in 1986 at Portstewart Golf Club the team was Jimmy Brown with Sharon Smyth, Ronnie Miller with Queenie Stewart, Thompson Maginnis with Alix McVea, Sennie Thompson with Shellagh Shane and Sennie McMaster with Cynthia Allen and they were captained by Sidney Caruth. The Club Captain was Denis McDonnell and the Lady Captain was Joe Donaldson.

Members who played representative golf for their Province;

M. Bannon represented Ulster as a Youth in the Interprovincial Championships in 1979 playing 3-times won 2-matches and lost 1-match accumulating 4-points;

History of Kirkistown Castle

Founded 1902 Affiliated 1903.

Kirkistown Castle was formed on 3rd Septemberember 1902 at a meeting held in the Market House, Portaferry.  Mr John Greer was appointed Captain, General Montgomery was appointed President and Dr McDonald was appointed Honorary Secretary.
According to the Minutes of a meeting held on 10th September 1902 “The Greens Committee obtained the services of Mr GL Bailie(Belfast) to survey the ground and lay out a 9-hole course.  This course has an aggregate length of 3265 yards and included some ‘very sporting holes’.  The committee have arranged for the commencement of the preparation of the ground for play and hoped that a few holes would be playable by the 20th inst”.
The course was extended to 18 holes in 1929 and the present course layout was designed by James Braid in 1934.  On seeing Kirkistown Castle for the first time James Braid was heard to exclaim “If only I had this within 50 miles of London.”
The high points of the course command magnificent views of the Isle of Man to the east, the Mourne Mountains to the South, Scrabo Tower to the north west and Scotland to the north east.
This popular golf course in Northern Ireland, Kirkistown Castle Golf Club was formed on 3rd September 1902 at a meeting held in the Market House, Portaferry. Major General W E Montgomery, Rosemount, Greyabbey had promised the lease of ground known as Sandgrass Farm at Cloughey for the purpose of a golf links course.
Mr. G L Bailie from Belfast designed the layout of the first nine-hole golf course with an aggregate length of 3,265 yards
The Club affiliated to the Golfing Union in May 1903 and the first recorded handicaps are dated 1 April 1904 for a total of 31 members.
The greenkeeper was Mr. Frank Polley, a position he held for almost 50 years (he retired in 1952). Mr. Polley was responsible for the extension of the golf course to 18 holes in 1929 with a Par of 71.
The Club's first Professional was Mr. Bertie Polley (son of Frank) engaged in June 1932 and this was followed by the formation of a Ladies Branch on 7th September 1932. Lady Norah Dunleath was elected Ladies' President.
The legendary James Braid visited Kirkistown Castle Golf Club on the 26th of September 1934.
He spent the morning marking out alterations to tees and greens and the afternoon positioning and shaping bunkers.
On seeing the location of the golf course for the first time he was heard to exclaim "If only I had this within 50 miles of London".
The subsequent work on the golf course was completed by the end of March 1935. The wooden hut erected in 1902 was finally replaced by a permanent structure in 1936. This clubhouse was used as a distribution centre for children evacuated from the greater Belfast area during the Second World War and as a kindergarten school.
Sand and gravel were excavated from the course for use in the construction of the airfields at Kirkistown and Ballyhalbert in 1941 and this is how the depressions in the front of the 1st tee and behind the 3rd green came into being. These areas were ground under repair until 1949.
It was also in 1949 that Sunday Golf was permitted for the first time. Lieutenant Colonel Blair Mayne DSO and Bars (Colonel Paddy as he was famously known) was elected Captain in 1951. Fred Daly was elected as Honorary Member in 1953 and he organised an exhibition match in which he and Mr. John Glover played against Jimmy Henderson and Norman Dew.
In 1956 the club negotiated a 999 year lease from Montgomery Estates so the future location of the club has been assured for a long time to come. Mr E J Meadowcraft of Portaferry was appointed as the first Secretary Manager of the Club in 1962.
An extension to the Clubhouse was completed in 1973 and this introduced Bar facilities for the first time.
The conservatory dining room was added in (1996) and then in 2001 a major development and refurbishment of the Clubhouse was completed in preparation for the Club's Centenary celebrations held throughout 2002. Mr Robert McDowell was the Centenary Captain having previously been Club Captain in (1984).
The golf club has come a very long way in its first 100 years without having to move a millimetre from its original and beautiful location on the eastern seaboard of the Ards Peninsula Northern Ireland. This gives the club the distinction of being the most easterly 18 hole golf course in Northern Ireland and on the island of Ireland.
The seven just men who met in Portaferry in 1902 and formed Kirkistown Castle Golf Club would surely be very proud of what they created all those years ago.