Sutton golf club Dublin

Members Achievements

The Ladies from Ballybofey & Stranorlar Golf Club won the Quarter-Final of the Women’s Junior Foursomes on Saturday 26th August 2023 at North West Golf Club when they beat Sutton Golf Club by 2-matches to 1-match.
In the top match Sharon Brady with Kaye Stewart lost their match against Jeanne Mahony with Karen Keogh by 5 and 4, they were followed by Bridie Faulkner with Stephanie Canning who had a 3 and 1 win against Elizabeth Guinan with Ita Slattery and in the bottom match Mary McHugh with Eileen Boyce delivered the essential point with a 2 and 1 win against Alison Newman with Belinda Ennis.

The Ladies of Sutton Golf Club won the Final of Leinster North Women’s Junior Foursomes in on Sunday 30th July 2023 when they beat Skerries Golf Club by 3-matches to 0-match.

Sutton Golf Club won the Leinster Final of the Barton Shield and went to Rosslare Golf Club as reigning All-Ireland Champions, they were drawn against a very strong Ulster Champions Warrenpoint on Wednesday 14th September 2005.

Mark Collins & Seamus McMonagle were first out against Paul Reavey & Barrie Trainor and recorded a loss by 3-hole in their match. They were followed by Alan Darbey & Sean Doherty against Jim Carvill & Colm Campbell when they recorded a 1-hole win over the Ulster pair. Alas it was not enough, but it is great to see Sutton Golf Club back with such a strong team after so many years, when they used be strong contenders when the late J. B. Carr, Hugh O’Neill etc. were at their best.

Emotional scenes and tears of joy were to be seen at Shannon Golf Club on Thursday 16th September 2004, when Sutton Golf Club won the All-Ireland Barton Shield to bridge a 54 year gap with "This one is for J. B."

They met Connacht Champions Athlone Golf Club in the All-Ireland Semi-Final, in the morning when Mark Collins & Seamus McMonagle beat Mark Roe & Marc Butler by 2-holes. They were followed by Derek Downie & Alan Darbey who beat Padraig O’Boyle & Ciaran O’Connor by a similar margin.

They met Ulster Champions Ballyclare in the afternoon to decide the destination of the green pennant. First up was Mark Collins & Seamus McMonagle against Johnny Foster & Simon McConnell who won their match by 2-holes. They were followed by Alan Darbey & Derek Downie who beat Robert Forsythe & Stephen Rea by 3-holes, to record a 5-hole victory and a memorable day for this famous club.

Sutton won the FBD Barton Cup in 2003 when the team was M. Clarke, A. Derby, J. B. Carr, B. Wallace, J. Taylor, S. McMonagle, P. Byrne, J. Cody, D. Downie, K. Martin, G. McInerney, K. O'Byrne, W. C. Thompson, S. Carroll, P. Lennon, J, O'Neill and J. Moran, they were managed by D. Furlong.

Sutton awarded renowned course architect Patrick Merrigan Honorary Membership in 2002.

Sutton won the FBD Barton Cup at their home course in spectacular fashion when they beat Baltinglass on the 5th play-tie hole on September 15th 2002. Alan Darbey rolled in a 15-Footer for a winning birdie. The team was Alan Darbey, Brian Wallace, Mark Collins, Paddy Fogarty, Kieran O'Byrne, Collin Level, Dougie Heather, James Moran (15-year old) Billy Thompson and John O'Neill.

Congratulations to Eugean O'Neill senior, who won the Druid's Glen-Irish Independent Golfer of the Month award for August 2001. Eugean started the month playing off a handicap of 19 and finished playing off 15. He lost his shots by winning his class in the Monthly Medal, with a net 62. Then he followed it by winning the President's Prize with a wonderful, 128 winning total. Eugean received a superb Robert Ballagh, limited edition of one of the holes at Druid's venue of the Seve Trophy in 2002.

Prior to 2001:

Sutton has a long and proud history in the National Championships, they won the All-Ireland Irish Senior Cup at Co. Sligo G. C. IN 1963, when the team was M. D. Heather, P. J. Carroll, T. P. Fitzpatrick, M. P. Fitzpatrick, E. A. Firth and J. B. Carr, G. Russell was captain that year.

They won the All-Ireland Irish Senior Cup at Ballybunion G. C. in 1958, when the team was E. A. Firth, J. B. Carr, P. J. Carroll, M. P. Fitzpatrick, T. P. Fitzpatrick and G. Connor was the captain that year.

They won the All-Ireland Irish Senior Cup at Malone G. C. in 1956, when the team was J. Larkin, M. P. Fitzpatrick, T. P. Fitzpatrick, J. B. Carr and E. A. Firth, A. G. Bogan was captain that year.

They had three in a row in the All-Ireland Irish Senior Cup at Co. Louth G. C. in 1950, when the team was T. P. Fitzpatrick, R. H. McInnally, J. B. Carr, and M. P. Fitzpatrick, Dr. H. R. Rogers was then captain at Galway G. C. 1949, when the team was M. P. Fitzpatrick, T. P. Fitzpatrick, J. P. Carroll, J. B. Carr and R. H. McInally the same team won their first at Royal Portrush 1948.

Sutton Golf Club won the All-Ireland Barton Shield in 1950, at Co. Louth C. C. when the team was, T. P. Fitzpatrick, R. H. McInnally, J. B. Carr, and M. P. Fitzpatrick, Dr. H. R. Rogers was then captain.

They won their first All-Ireland Barton Shield at The Royal Dublin in 1946, when the team was M. P. Fitzpatrick, K. M. Hogan, J. B. Carr and R. H. McInnally.

They won the All-Ireland Irish Junior Cup at The Royal Dublin in 1974, when the team was J. Carr, M. Morrissey, A. Levey, D. Heather and D. Fitzpatrick.

They won the  All-Ireland Jimmy Bruen Shield at Tramore G. C. in 1984, when the team was S. Carroll, Hugh O'Neill, B. Wallace, D. Furlong, M. Clarke, S. Russell, A. McWilliams, J. Bowen, D. Heather, E. O'Rourke, J. Stafford, A. Williams, C. Smith, A. Higgins and M. Fitzpatrick, they were captained by R. Doherty.

They won the All- Ireland Irish Junior Foursomes in 1986, when the team was David Firth, John Cody, Mark Coates, Andrew Toomey, David Stenson and Andrew Sargent, they were captained by Douglas Heather.

Sutton Golf Club were European Champions in the Aer Lingus Youths International in 1974, when the team was J. Carr, D. Heather, D. Fitzpatrick and P. O'Boyle, they were captained by F. S. Williamson.

Sutton Golf Club won the All-Ireland Irish Mixed Foursomes at Bangor G. C. in 1982.

Sutton Golf Club first won the Barton Cup in 1928, when the team was T. P. Cuddy, T. G. Cobern, D. R. Sidford, P. W. Maguire, G. A. Stanley, A. C. Klinger, W. G. Gill, G. T. Fitzgerald, W. A. Manico, S. H. Wilson, J. P. Pentroy and T. J. Geary.

They next won it in 1972 when the team was R. J. Lyons, A. McDonnell, W. C. Thompson, R. Doherty, P. O'Boyle, M. Hanway, N. O'Brien, J. Stafford, F. Cassidy, C. P. Smith, P. O'Reilly, A. McWilliams, M. P. Fitzpatrick and P. Bowen.

They next won the Barton Cup in 1982, when the team was D. Boylan, G. Stafford, W. C. Thompson, R. Doherty, J. B. Carr, F. Cassidy, T. Bracken, K. O'Byrne, P. Bowen, Hugh O'Neill, D. Heather, A. McWilliams, M. Hanway, B. Wallace, Gerry Carr and A. Williams, they were captained by J. Stafford.

Sutton Golf Club first won the Metropolitan Cup in 1973 when the team was F. Thompson, Hugh O'Neill, S. O'Leary, S. O'Byrne, S. Carroll, P. Cowley, A. McDonnell, F. Burns, P. O'Reilly, C. Moriarty, T. Smith, F. Cassidy, T. Walsh and B. Scannel.

Sutton won the Metropolitan Cup in 1983, when the team was S. Carroll, D. Toomey, R. Doherty, E. O'Rourke, A. McDonnell, S. O'Leary, J. Cassidy, A. McWilliams, E. A. Firth, D. Furlong, B. Wallace, A. Higgins and C. Smith, they were captained by P. Bowen.

They last won the Metropolitan Trophy in 1991, when the team was J. Cassidy, D. Nagle, B. Wallace, C. Moriarty, S. Halpin, A. McWilliams, A. Toomey, J. Cody, K. O'Byrne, R. Hannon, S. Campbell, N. Cassidy, P. Bowen, J. Stafford, D. Furlong and D. Stafford, they were captained by Gerry Carr.

Sutton Golf Club first won the Uden Cup in 1970 when the team was, D. Toomey, P. Hughes, D. Quinn, S. O'Byrne, J. McDonnell, C. McMahon, J. Fitzsimmons, J. Meehan, J. Cassidy, D. Dixon, B. O'Reilly, J. Stafford, A. McDonnell, M. Morrissey, N. Tanham, J. Duffy, A. C. Sullivan, M. Daly and J. Geary, they were captained by H. Quirke.

They next won it in 1988 when the team was, J. Derby, F. Cassidy, G. Monaghan, O. Lennon, J. O'Connell, J. Cody, S. Campbell, K. Thompson, R. White, J. McNally, T. Shanahan, D. Fogarty, C. Fagan, O. Morton, N. Cassidy, B. Dixon, G. O'Driscoll and B. Rooney, they were captained by D. Menton.

They last won it in the Millennium when the team was D. Murphy, S. Moriarty, H. Martin, M. Griffin, D. Hunter Jnr., S. Campbell, P. Carroll, N. Hughes, D. Toomey, F. Kennedy, M. O'Neill, C. Saunders, B. Grimes, B. Fitzsimons, G. Stewart, D. Hunter Snr., D. Corrigan, D. Forgarty, J. Flanagan and C. McMullan, they were managed by T. Higgins.

The Ladies of Sutton Golf Club won the Boyne Trophy in 1998 when the team was A. Beggs, M. Harte, P. McGinn, A. Moriarty, P. McFeeley, B. Bennett, C. Dixon, M. Firth, M. McMahon, B. Hourihan, A. Hogan and H. Quinn, they were captained by M. Smyth.

They were 4th Team winners in 1996 when the team was F. Smith, N. Nolan, M. Harte, D. McDonnall, P. Flannigan and P. Patton, they were captained by H. Quinn.

They were 5th Team winners in 1994 when the team was M. Delaney, M. Harte, P. Kearney, P. Flanagan, A. Traynor, S. McWilliams and K. Berry, they were captained by A. White.

They won the Towensend Cup in 1992, when the team was A. White, P. McGinn, B. McAleese, A. Moriarty, D. Cuddy, E. Gunning, S. O'Neill and E. Mulvihill, they were captained by K. Doherty.

J. B. Carr played 20 Walker Cup matches from 1947 to 1967. J. B. is a legend in International and Irish Golf, having won three British Championships, just about everything in Ireland over four decades. J. B. played off scratch at the tender age of fifteen he was honoured by the R & A when he became Captain in 1991-19 he has had sixteen holes-in-one in his time, and I can assure you he was one of life’s gentlemen.

His son Roddy played Walker Cup in 1971 at St Andrews, where he won 3 of his matches and halved the other.

Members who played representative golf for Country or Province;

J. B. Carr represented Ireland as a Senior International from 1947 to 1969 playing 138-times won 78-matches halved ten and lost 50-matches accumulating 166-points. He represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1939 to 1970 playing 44-times won 29-matches halved six and lost 9-matches accumulating 64 points (no results for 1939);

John Carr represented Ireland as a Senior International from 1981 to 1983 playing 27-times won 16-matches halved four and lost 7-matches accumulating 36-points. He represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1981 to 1983 playing 7-times won 2-matches and lost 5-matches accumulating 4 points. He represented Leinster as a Youth Interprovincial in 1975 playing 4-times won 4-matches and lost 0-matches accumulating 8-points;

Roddy Carr represented Ireland as a Senior International from 1970 to 1971 playing 18-times won 7-matches halved two and lost 9-matches accumulating 16-points. He represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1970 to 1971 playing 11-times won 4-matches halved two and lost 5-matches accumulating 10 points;

J. P. Carroll represented Ireland as a Senior International from 1948 to 1962 playing 28-times won 14-matches halved three and lost 11-matches accumulating 31-points. He represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1956 to 1962 playing 14-times won 8-matches halved four and lost 2-matches accumulating 20-points;

Willy Gill represented Ireland as a Senior International from 1932 to1937 playing 24-times won 13-matches halved one and lost 10-matches accumulating 27-points;

M. Hanway. represented Ireland as a Senior International from 1971 to1974 playing 11-times won 7-matches halved one and lost 3-matches accumulating 15-points. He represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1967 to 1975 playing 30-times won 17-matches and lost 13-matches accumulating 34-points. He represented Leinster as a Youth Interprovincial from 1967 to 1971 playing 9-times won 3-matches and lost 6-matches accumulating 6-points;

D. P. Heather represented Ireland as a Senior International in 1976 playing 12-times won 3-matches halved two and lost 7-matches accumulating 8-points. He represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1976 to 1987 playing 13-times won 7-matches halved one and lost 5-matches accumulating 15-points. He represented Leinster as a Youth Interprovincial from 1975 to 1978 playing 12-times won 8-matches and lost 4-matches accumulating 16-points;

A. D. LaTouche* represented Ireland as a Senior International in1904. He represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1904 to 1905 playing 2-times won 2-matches and lost 0-matches accumulating 2-points;

 

R. A. McInnally represented Ireland as a Senior International from 1949 to1951 playing 12-times won 7-matches and lost 5-matches accumulating 14-points;

 

D. Heather represented Ireland at international Youths level in 1978 playing 3-matches, won 1-match and lost 2-matches accumulating 2-points;

M. Coates represented Ireland at Irish Boys level in 1988 playing 2-times won 0-matches and lost 2-matches accumulating 0-points;

D. Stenson represented Ireland at Irish Boys level in 1988 playing 4-times won 0-matches halved one and lost 3-matches accumulating 1-point;

E. A. Firth represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1956 to 1961 playing 16-times won 7-matches halved one and lost 8-matches accumulating 15-points;

M. P. Fitzpatrick represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1956 to 1957 playing 12-times won 6-matches halved two and lost 4-matches accumulating 14-points;

J. L. Morgan represented Leinster at Senior Interprovincial level from 1904 to 1905 playing 2-times won 1-match and lost 1-match accumulating 1-point;

D. Fitzpatrick represented Leinster as a Youth Interprovincial in 1975 playing 3-times won 2-matches and lost 1-match accumulating 4-points;

M. Collins represented Munster as a Senior Interprovincial from 2000 to 2005 playing 18-times won 9-matches halved one and lost 8-matches accumulating 19-points;

A. P. Mullery represented Connacht at Senior Interprovincial level in 1956 playing 6-times won 2-matches and lost 4-matches accumulating 4-points;

W. C. Thompson represented Connacht at Senior Interprovincial level from 1977 to 1980 playing 16-times won 4-matches and lost 12-matches accumulating 8-points;

Carol Smyth played for the Irish Girls' in 1968, and Joyce Mahon played for the Irish Girls' in 1969 and 1970;

History of Sutton

Instituted 1886 affiliated 1903

There is some confusion as to when, where and who first played golf at Sutton. The best account is that written by J. P. Rooney in the "Irish Field" on the 13th of February 1926, which reads "The first meeting of the Sutton Club was called for the purpose of forming not a golf club but a yacht and boat club. It was held at Glenburn, Sutton on September 6th 1894, the presiding genius being Mr. J. H. Fleming. The club was inaugurated on a motion of Mr. R. P. Jacobs and it was Mr. E. S. Lauder who gave it its name. Mr. Lauder was appointed Commodore".

At the time, the Portmarnock club had been formed and figures prominently in the early minutes of the youth club, for we read that at a meeting of the committee of the latter which was held in 1894 a letter was read from Mr. Pickeman, secretary of Portmarnock, inquiring upon what terms the yacht club would permit their clubmen to ferry members of the golf club across the channel. In reply, the yacht club wrote that the committee were willing to allow use of their path, landing stage, man and boat at a charge of sixpence per head"

It is likely had the committee of Portmarnock agreed to these terms, golf would not have started at Sutton at the time as the members would have availed themselves of the privilege of going across the channel at a reduced entrance fee, and later events would not have happened.

On January the 20th, 1896, a committee was elected to set up the golf club and the golfers began to oust the yachtsmen. The first committee was Rev. James Wilson, the rector of Sutton, E. Pentland, J. Holden, J. L. Jamison and J. H. Fleming. On the 2nd January 1897, the name of the club was changed from Sutton Boat and Golf Club to Sutton Golf Club. The first Captain was Mr. Dilworth who originally planned the course.

What the Club tells us:

It is generally agreed that Sutton Golf Club was founded in 1890 although history records that golf was played over the Cush Point links land before that date. It was an ideal location as it could be reached by rail from Dublin. Such was the early popularity of golf at Sutton that a hotel “The Golfers Hotel” was opened at Sutton Cross in1897.

In the early days Sutton was actually a combined golf and boat club but as an early history records “by degrees the golfing fever gained ascendency over the sailing men …”.

In playing the couse today it is difficult to imagine how it once was. Up until 1971 the complete nine holes were contained on the sea side of the railway line. It was only in the 1970’s that the current layout began to evolve with three holes on the other side of the railway line. (Folklore has it that in the early days if someone shouted “fore”, everyone on the course ducked”!)

From the outset the course put a premium on accuracy and that is why it has produced so many fine golfers throughout its history. It did not have to wait long for its first stars. In 1904 it celebrated its first member Averell Digges La Touche being selected for Ireland. This was followed in 1911 with Georgina and Rhoda Lauder becoming the first ever sisters to be picked for the Senior Irish Ladies team. A first major team trophy in 1907 was followed by the club being awarded Senior status the following year.

The club had many distinguished members over the years including JJ Keane a double All Ireland winning Dublin footballer who went on to found the Olympic Council of Ireland and Dr Karl Mullen who led Ireland’s rugby team to Triple Crown and Grand Slam success in 1948.

It was however the arrival of JB Carr as a juvenile member in 1935 that was to be start of a remarkable era in the clubs history not alone in Ireland but worldwide. He was to be the foundation of a number of remarkable Sutton teams that won three senior Cups and three Barton Shields in a five year period; saw as many as three Sutton players represent Ireland on the same team; provide both finalists in both a South of Ireland and a West of Ireland Championship; and generally dominate Irish golf over two decades, a remarkable achievement for a nine hole club!

In relation to the course itself undoubtedly the biggest change was the acquisition of Connor’s Field, the land across the railway line. This provided the opportunity to create three new holes in the “Field” and to open up the existing land to create better and more challenging holes. The initial layout of Connor’s Field lasted until 1996 when the opportunity presented itself to redesign these holes and to fully realise the course that is played on today.

Over the years Sutton has had three clubhouses the third of which was officially opened in 2001. It is a wonderful clubhouse that makes the most of the stunning location of the golf club. A fitting addition to a club and course that has played a major role in the history of golf in Ireland.