County Louth studying proposed masterplan by Mackenzie and Ebert
The 14th at County Louth
County Louth Golf Club has received the first draft of a course masterplan from Mackenzie and Ebert International Golf Course Architects.
The company responsible was for such major projects as the enhancement of Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush for the 2019 Open Championship and renovations at Turnberry’s Ailsa Course and The Island, is currently working on projects for Enniscrone, Killarney’s Killeen Course, Luttrellstown Castle, Milltown, Royal Portrush, Royal Belfast, Royal County Down and Tralee.
What lies in store for the members at Baltray remains to be seen but the plan is to make “courtesy preliminary information presentations” to members in May,
There will then be a “Member Information Meeting” at the d Hotel Drogheda in late May when Martin Ebert and his team will present the masterplan in person.
It’s likely to be June or July before a Special General Meeting is called to vote on the proposed masterplan and the funding proposal.
As the club notes on its website, “County Louth Golf Club, or Baltray as it's known locally, was a vision of a Scotsman, Thomas Gilroy who had a profound influence on the development of golf in Ireland.
“Gilroy laid out the first links at Baltray in the Spring of 1892 and following the foundation of County Louth Golf Club in October that year he was elected the first Captain of the Club.
“The course was modified to a large extent when Tom Simpson and his assistant, Molly Gourlay, redesigned the course in 1938 but so successful were the alterations made at this time, the course remains relatively unchanged today.
“Noted in Irish golfing circles for the quality of its greens, visitors to County Louth are often perplexed that a links of such quality should have a rather modest international profile.”
It has played annual host to the East of Ireland Golf Championships since its inauguration in 1941 and hosted the Irish Open in 2004 and 2009.
The club has not undergone significant changes for some 20 years.
