castleknock 5 day

Seve OB

Tescosfinest wrote: »

That's for 5 day membership I think

Yes that’s what I said

Tescosfinest

Seve OB wrote: »

Yes that’s what I said

Sorry I'm on my 5th pint of Guinness in the pub

Seve OB

Tescosfinest wrote: »

Sorry I'm on my 5th pint of Guinness in the pub

Any chance you can knock over to mine with a few takeaways

Tescosfinest

Seve OB wrote: »

Any chance you can knock over to mine with a few takeaways

Yeah no problem but you will need to spend €9 on scampi fries

eoghan104

not yet wrote: »

Is that 800 for 5 day membership? Played Corrstown earlier with a pal, 1150 full membership..

I was a member there for a year and hated it. Pain in the hole to get there and course is in poor condition in winter. Different strokes.

Membership in Castleknock is far better value.

Ollieboy

eoghan104 wrote: »

I was a member there for a year and hated it. Pain in the hole to get there and course is in poor condition in winter. Different strokes.

Membership in Castleknock is far better value.

That’s a very unfair comment Eoghan and wasn’t what you said to me.

You know the old saying, if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.

I think people have to realize the difference. St Margaret’s, Roganstown and Castleknock were designed for the premium market and if memory serves me correctly they all had 25 million budgets when built. This means they started with great green, bunkers, irrigation etc.

I’ve opinions on them all and played them all many times. I don’t dislike any of them but I think some have a few week holes due to restrictions on space.

Corrstown was developed by members for about 3 million and the members own it. Our members timesheet runs from 1st light till last at weekends. We have removed societies from the timesheet to give members even more access. But we are a different model for a golf club compared to the above. We could go out and sell green fees and in 3 years spend millions on redevelopment with no debt, but that’s not our business. All profits go back to membership or to the course.

We are closed for new members except for 5 days so we must be doing something right!

eoghan104

Ollieboy wrote: »

That’s a very unfair comment Eoghan and wasn’t what you said to me.

You know the old saying, if you have nothing nice to say, say nothing at all.

I think people have to realize the difference. St Margaret’s, Roganstown and Castleknock were designed for the premium market and if memory serves me correctly they all had 25 million budgets when built. This means they started with great green, bunkers, irrigation etc.

I’ve opinions on them all and played them all many times. I don’t dislike any of them but I think some have a few week holes due to restrictions on space.

Corrstown was developed by members for about 3 million and the members own it. Our members timesheet runs from 1st light till last at weekends. We have removed societies from the timesheet to give members even more access. But we are a different model for a golf club compared to the above. We could go out and sell green fees and in 3 years spend millions on redevelopment with no debt, but that’s not our business. All profits go back to membership or to the course.

We are closed for new members except for 5 days so we must be doing something right!

Hey Ollie,

My comments were along the same tongue in cheek lines as I made already to the man deciding his opinion was the one that decides the argument.

You know I like Corrstown and the reason I didn't hang around was only location. Apologies as on reflection it is not clear I was being sarcastic to that guy again as with my Margaret's comment.

blue note

When reading this thread it's interesting to contrast some of the comments with what people say when talking about the top links courses around the country.

Firstly, there are different types of courses. Members courses should first serve the members. Private courses should serve the owners first, and part of this is keeping members happy. But essentially, an investment was made and their goal is to get the best return. This probably will involve filling the timesheet, including with green fees. Then there are the public courses where the goal isn't to maximise profit, but it's also not only concerned with the members. When you see societies out a little earlier on a Sunday than you'd like, you have to remember that the course is for them too. If you don't like it, look for a members course.

Secondly, some courses are built to a high spec and some aren't. Some people won't care about big tee boxes and oversized bunkers and some will really enjoy playing on a course that feels expensive. Course layout is largely separate to this. So you can have an expensive feeling course that isn't amazing (Castleknock is an example of this to many people) and you can have a course that is fairly normal in terms of spec, but people adore the layout (I think Portumna is an example of this, but I haven't played there). That's all okay!

But what I think is interesting is comparing people's indignation to the top links courses for not catering for non-members (the ones with GUI handicaps, which is conveniently the person moaning) while at the same time giving out about the more normal courses for catering to non-members. Such as castleknock taking in societies and the members suffering. Those two opinions are essentially in opposition to each other. You can make cases for them being different situations, but that's basically a fudge. If the top courses are members clubs, their primary concern is to their members. For the sake of the members they should be selling some green fees at the highest possible price so as to inconvenience members the least while bringing in as much additional income to the club as possible. That's the balance they should strive for as members clubs. Not making sure all GUI members can play them for less than €50.

Ollieboy

blue note wrote: »

When reading this thread it's interesting to contrast some of the comments with what people say when talking about the top links courses around the country.

Firstly, there are different types of courses. Members courses should first serve the members. Private courses should serve the owners first, and part of this is keeping members happy. But essentially, an investment was made and their goal is to get the best return. This probably will involve filling the timesheet, including with green fees. Then there are the public courses where the goal isn't to maximise profit, but it's also not only concerned with the members. When you see societies out a little earlier on a Sunday than you'd like, you have to remember that the course is for them too. If you don't like it, look for a members course.

Secondly, some courses are built to a high spec and some aren't. Some people won't care about big tee boxes and oversized bunkers and some will really enjoy playing on a course that feels expensive. Course layout is largely separate to this. So you can have an expensive feeling course that isn't amazing (Castleknock is an example of this to many people) and you can have a course that is fairly normal in terms of spec, but people adore the layout (I think Portumna is an example of this, but I haven't played there). That's all okay!

But what I think is interesting is comparing people's indignation to the top links courses for not catering for non-members (the ones with GUI handicaps, which is conveniently the person moaning) while at the same time giving out about the more normal courses for catering to non-members. Such as castleknock taking in societies and the members suffering. Those two opinions are essentially in opposition to each other. You can make cases for them being different situations, but that's basically a fudge. If the top courses are members clubs, their primary concern is to their members. For the sake of the members they should be selling some green fees at the highest possible price so as to inconvenience members the least while bringing in as much additional income to the club as possible. That's the balance they should strive for as members clubs. Not making sure all GUI members can play them for less than €50.

A really good post.

Different courses are aimed at different markets.

We are very lucky to have so many in this country and so many different quality and affordability.

I’ve said it for a long time, the cost of golf is going to go up and this year might make it happen quicker.

Timesheets everywhere are jammed at the moment and I’m not sure how long this can last. Courses will suffer a lot of wear and tear.

I personally think Castleknock will up fees and we won’t as a example but I think Castleknock location, quality and original investment means it is a 2k plus membership category. I personally wouldn’t pay that for it, but I would pay the fee at Carton House but I’ve got roots somewhere else.

2021 will be a very interesting year and I think the issues and complaints will increase.

We get a lot of calls every day and I can only imagine that’s happening at all clubs.

bustercherry

blue note wrote: »

Firstly, Margarets being a much better course is a matter of opinion. In mine, they're fairly similar, but I'd go for Castleknock any day.

Secondly, you're comparing the price of it to courses in cheaper golfing locations or the cheapest prices you can get other courses for. I'd assume you can get member guest rates / opens in Castleknock too. If you're to compare their regular green fee price to castleknock, I think Portmarnock Links is €80 for GUI and I don't know what the European is. But I'd be confident in saying that Castleknock is a lot cheaper. When you compare Castleknock to other Dublin clubs, it's fairly average in terms of price. But above average as a course (in most people's opinions).

As I say you have to ignore all the other factors of why you would play or join the club because that's what you are fixated on (and by all means it seems like a carr golf sh1tshow in the club).

My response was in relation to posters comments reservations about the course and not the club. If I remember correctly they used to have the billboard us saying it had the best greens in Ireland, the greens were good but they hadn't' even the best greens in west Dublin. Castleknock was renowned for that sort of sales pitch nonsense.

As I said think a lot of the perceived negativity "around the course" is just people pointing out it's not at the level as it has hyped itself to be rather than people saying it's poor. There is nothing particularly wrong with the course as such and the conditioning makes up for poor layout/blandness in places; but if it was a colour it would be a shade of beige.

That's being said my views on the course wouldn't stop me considering joining it as a club. There are loads of factors like location, cost, tee sheet availability, interclub etc...

blue note

bustercherry wrote: »

As I say you have to ignore all the other factors of why you would play or join the club because that's what you are fixated on (and by all means it seems like a carr golf sh1tshow in the club).

My response was in relation to posters comments reservations about the course and not the club. If I remember correctly they used to have the billboard us saying it had the best greens in Ireland, the greens were good but they hadn't' even the best greens in west Dublin. Castleknock was renowned for that sort of sales pitch nonsense.

As I said think a lot of the perceived negativity "around the course" is just people pointing out it's not at the level as it has hyped itself to be rather than people saying it's poor. There is nothing particularly wrong with the course as such and the conditioning makes up for poor layout/blandness in places; but if it was a colour it would be a shade of beige.

That's being said my views on the course wouldn't stop me considering joining it as a club. There are loads of factors like location, cost, tee sheet availability, interclub etc...

As you said, you were ignoring those other factors and basing on green fees. And you compared their green fees to clubs in meath, sligo and waterford. And compared them to member guest rates / open rates in Dublin / European club. And compared the course to the k club / kileen Castle which are much more highly rated courses outside of Dublin and considerably more expensive.

In fairness, I've hated some ads too. That perf with surf ad on at the moment discourages me from buying surf even though it might be perfectly good at cleaning my clothes and priced competitively. The billboard you saw for Castleknock may have had the same effect on you.