BALLYMOTE GOLF CLUB
1930 – Present
There is a long tradition of golf in the Ballymote area. The club was first affiliated to the Golfing Union of Ireland in 1947, but golf has been played locally since 1930. The club has had different homes down through the years, starting off in Deroon, Ballymote in 1930. The founders back then included Dr. Pat O'Hart, J.V. Kerr, Joe Healy and Batty Cryan. Golf was played here for a number of years until the land was divided by the Irish Land Commission.
The second golf course was located in Carrigans, Ballymote on Pattersons land in 1942. An elderly lady, Mrs. Ellen Flannery was employed by Sam Patterson as a herder, but she was also responsible for cutting the fairways which she did with a donkey and a single berth mower. This course closed in the 1950's due to compulsory tillage.
Templehouse was home to the third golf course in Ballymote in 1954. A contract was drawn up with Alexander Perceval to lease the land for a sum of £35 per year which was paid in two instalments. The club members to sign the contract were Harry Horan, Tom Johnson, Dr. Taheny and Andy Rogers.
It was back to Carrigans again for the fourth golf course in 1966. This course was located within a mile of the town on a sharefarm in Upper Carrigans and was founded by such people as Paddy Mullen, Harry Horan, John O'Mahony and Alfie Banks.
It was during our years in Carrigans that Ballymote represented Connaught on two occasions in the Carrolls Pro-Am competition in Portmarnock, Dublin. The team in 1985 was represented by Paddy Mullen, Pat Ridge and Charlie Scanlon, and they were drawn with Christy O'Connor Jr. The team in 1986 was represented by Tommy Joe Hunt, Brian Kennedy and Stephen Cannon and they were drawn with Severiano Ballesteros.
At present the golf course now resides at Ballinascarrow Ballymote and has done for the last 11 years.It is roughly one mile from the town itself carved from undulating hills and beautifull green countryside. Over the course of that time it has grown and matured at an incredible rate. Many features have been added and improved upon. Many thanks to the Mullen family who play a big part in the Golf Club.
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