Club News

Proposals/Ideas submitted to help celebrate HGC Centenary 2016

 A huge.’Mile Buiochas’ to all who have submitted ideas and suggestions as to how we might celebrate our clubs centenary.    Inevitably many ideas have been duplicated and some attract prohibitive cost.  At the moment we can report that a number of features are scheduled in the calendar for 2016 and that some more are in the process of being finalized.

We have established contact with West Kent GC who are also celebrating their centenary in 2016 and we are well on our way to agreement for competitions, visits and opportunities for both clubs members.

At the moment the following are in planning or underway:

• Club Crest with centenary years to be planted on bank of practice putting green
• New and updated Club Crest over the club entrance.
• Lockable storage for our archive material.
• Publication of Coffee Table Book of history, achievement etc. of HGC
• Special competitions to celebrate the Centenary
• Leinster Branch GUI have offered us Semi’s and Finals of Barton and Jimmy Bruen Shields.
• Curtis Cup is in Dun Laoghaire in 2016, we are seeking to exploit this with ILGU
• Club Livery is being examined with view to offering options to members and visitors.
• Logo Balls have been available this last 2 years; we are working on other golf items, pins, badges, pitchforks etc.
• We are seeking sponsorship for our activities.
• Improved and uniform signage around the club property

That is not to say that all decisions are finalized, rather that work is in progress., later we list other suggestions which are being worked on.

1.                 Event.                                                     How we will mark?

31^st Dec ’15                                       New Years Eve Function.                   1915/16 period dress ball?

9^th Jan ’16                                           Captains Drive-in                                Period golfing attire Comp. + Function

Mar ’16                                               Centenary Press Launch                    We expect earlier ‘product positioning’ to support                                                                                                                                            this.

5^th Mar ’16                                         Wooden Spoon Vs Sutton

17^th Mar. ’16                                      Centenary of clubs first Comp.         Centenary competition

27^th to Apr 2^nd                   Easter Week

24^th Apr.                                             Centenary of Easter Rising &             1916 Trophy  Members Comp.

First major competition in HGC       singles

22^nd to 28^th May                                Centenary Celebration Week            Various Comp’s including matches Vs.

West Kent GC, Edmonstown etc.

This week will allow for invitation   obligations etc. and member comp’s

June ’16                                              Centenary Captain’s Prizes.

10^th – 17^th July                                  Centenary Open Week

16^th July.                                            Open Week Prize Giving.                   Function

29^th/30^th July                                    1/4s, semis and finals od Barton & Jimmy Bruen Shields

26^th 27^th Aug                                      Captains Charity Weekend.

3^Rd Sept.                              Club Match play Finals                                      Centenary Function for Howth

(Fireworks Display , locals open evening)

 

9/10 Sept.                          Major Celebratory Function                              Black Tie Ball

 

We expect some further activities towards the end of the year.

Among t suggestions received and being considered are:  Those in italics are already being pursued.

• Black Tie Function for members and spouses/partners, sponsors etc.                 
• Period dress events.
• Invitation to former members of Howth Golf Club to return for a day’s golf and join the celebration of the the club’s centenary. This could be known as The Gathering at Howth Golf Club.
• CAR STICKERS – I LOVE HOWTH GC
• EXERCISE STRETCH MACHINES/SIGNS AT WAITING AREA
• HGC PINS/BADGES
• INVITATION GOLF – BROTHER/SISTER/FATHER/MOTHER EVENTS
• SPECIAL CELEBRATION MEALS
• CELEBRATION DRINKS
• VISITOR SPECIALS – PLAY 3 GET 1 FREE
• 2016 DRINKS GLASSES LOGO
• 2016 GOLF BAGS, 2016 HATS
• 2016 ECLECTIC SCORES 1 TO 18 WHITE/YELLOW/RED
• a midsummer black-tie ball? Or else a black-tie ball in October or November. 
• Senior / Junior / Intermediate / Minor Scratch Cup. Could be made into a high profile weekend with the top local golfers and a great open weekend for all abilities and attractive prizes.
• Period Dress Ball. Howth Yacht Club did this to great success for the Titanic anniversary. 1916 dress code, period menu and period décor etc.
• Practice area improvements.
• Course improvements!  Hope this goes ahead!
• Higher Profile Golfer of the Year competition with well published league tables
• To encourage a broader link to the community how about a one off Easter egg hunt – hiding 100 (or 2016!) eggs on designated parts of the course (obviously not greens or deep rough but even the practice ground or an easily bound area like the 11/17 fairways) for members children/grandchildren?
• Formal exchange/competitions with any other overseas club celebrating its centenary in 2016 – maybe a centenaries cup involving men, women and juveniles?
• A temporary exhibition showing the course through the past 100 years – encouraging members to submit photos or memorabilia from the last 100 years, how the course developed through different stages etc.
• Introduction of a Centenary medal to award outstanding contribution to the club at each year’s Captains dinner – including a plaque to record each year’s winner (might be a male and female version of this…)
• Finally to ensure the next 100 years a programme to get 100 new juvenile members in 2016 – perhaps holding free skills camps promoted to local schools for mid-term break or similar introduction courses to get 12-18 year olds into golf?
•  I would love to see a touring pro play the Course maybe Shane Lowry. I don’t know if the club could   have a pro-am day Thank you all for your participation, and remember we are still open to your ideas.
• Improved and more striking and impressive club entrance and house entrance.
• Has anyone an idea for a ‘Permanent Way to mark the centenary”?

 

Michael O’Hanlon, Veronica Baker, Paddy Cooney, Therese Gray, Don Harris.

March 5, 2014