The First 100 years (1905 2005)
The Hermitage Golf Club was founded late in the year 1905.
A group of members from nearby Lucan Golf Club, led by Mr. James Walsh, negotiated terms for the rental of Hermitage House and its surrounding 85 acres of mature parkland with the owner, Mr. James Crozier. A Clubhouse, located at a high point on the then course, alongside the main Dublin Galway road and the current 7th hole, would also become part of the deal.
James Walsh became the first Club Captain 1905-06.
Initially the Club was named The County Dublin Golf Club. Shortly afterwards this was changed to The Hermitage Golf Club taking its name from a cave in an inaccessible part of the course, alongside the River Liffey, reputed to have been the dwelling place of a hermit in days long gone by.
Mr. James McKenna, then professional at Carrickmines Golf Club in south Co. Dublin was commissioned to construct the course. James McKenna came with excellent credentials as a well-known golf Architect of the day having been involved in the lay-out and construction of such well known Clubs as Lahinch Golf Links, the Links at old Ballybunion and Waterville, Co. Kerry and later with the Killiney and Portmarnock Clubs.
The Golfing Union of Ireland quickly recognised the quality of the course and held the Irish Close Championship in the Hermitage in 1914. This was the first occasion for a parkland course to be chosen as previously Royal Dublin, Portmarnock, Royal County Down and Royal Portrush, all Links courses, had been used on a rota. Hermitage has also been selected to host many illustrious Championships over the years, which has included 4four Irish Dunlop Championships (forerunner of the Irish Open), the European Youth Team Championship and more recently the Girls Home Internationals.
Membership of the club expanded rapidly in the early years, attracting members of the racing and rugby fraternities in particular. Many of the Presidents of Ireland, based in Áras an Uachtaráin in the nearby Phoenix Park, have taken up membership and enjoyed the facilities and hospitality of Hermitage. Lady Associates, many of whom are now full members, were prominent from the beginning and played an active part in the clubs progress.
During the 1914-18 World War Hermitage House was leased by Mr. Crozier to the British Army as a convalescent home for injured soldiers. It is recorded that the requisition of one of the nines for the grow more food campaign was suggested at the time but, much to the relief of the members, never came about.
As the years passed the original wooden structured clubhouse began to show its age and by the mid thirties a decision was made to acquire the by then uninhabited Hermitage House as a replacement. Arrangements were agreed with Mr. Crozier and the House was prepared for the move made in 1938.
With this move from the southern perimeter to the new clubhouse located in the center centre of the course many changes followed in the numbering and direction of the golf holes. With this move more land also became available and the now signature hole on the course, the par-3 tenth hole, was constructed.
The first clubhouse was at the southern perimeter of the course whereas the Hermitage House was more central and overlooked the Liffey valley. This move was accompanied by changes in the sequence and direction of some holes, the acquisition of more land and the construction of the signature hole-the tenth, in front of the new club house.
Further course changes were made throughout the forties and by the mid-fifties all internal out-of-bounds were abolished.
By the early sixties an expanding membership yet again highlighted the need for even more space. A special General Meeting of the Club, convened in 1964, decided to establish a Building Commission to look into the matter under the Chairmanship of the Rev. James Cosgrove, then President of the Club. In 1969 a superb new clubhouse the likes of which was not to be found in any golf club in Ireland was opened. To quote Mr. Barry Nolan, a world traveled sports journalist of the day a magnificent edifice, it is unique in both design and construction
there is not a clubhouse superior to it in Britain or the Continent.
With an already magnificent and highly regarded parkland golf course and then a magnificent clubhouse it was inevitable that The Hermitage would attract more visitors from all parts of the World
and so it has been that Presidents, Film Legends, Leaders of State and Industry and many thousands of other visitors from all over the world have come to enjoy their game of golf and the hospitality of Hermitage. Notwithstanding this the Club has continued to improve both the course and Clubhouse the most recent example being a decision during the early 90s to replace all existing greens with modern sand based greens. A program of replacement, started in 1994, was completed in the 2002 ensuring they would be well established in good time to celebrate our Centenary Year in 2005.
(The above short history is based on extracts from a Centenary History of Hermitage Golf Club)
