History Timeline

“Most of Ireland’s older Golf Clubs can point to a moment in their history when survival was on the line but none as dramatic as that experienced by Dooks.”
John de St Jorre, Legendary Golf Links of Ireland.

Dooks Golf Club, situated in a panoramic setting in a corner of Dingle Bay which is on the Wild Atlantic Way was founded in 1889 and is one of the ten oldest Golf Clubs in Ireland.

Golf was first played on this particular stretch of true sea-side links by soldiers from The Curragh (where golf came to Ireland in 1883), who were billeted in nearby Glenbeigh for artillery practice on the Rossbeigh dunes.

  • Nine golf holes laid out at Dooks by the Royal Ordnance Corps. Dooks is just one of only ten golf courses in Ireland.

  • Great Southern Hotels takes over Dooks for a short while

  • Killarney to Valentia Railway establishes stop at Dooks.

  • The Club re-named ‘Caragh and Dooks Golf Club’

  • An additional 9 holes opened (first 18 holes in Kerry)

  • Friendly match between Dooks and Cork G.C.

  • Affiliated to the GUI. Club has 40 members

  • Affiliated to the ILGU

  • Lady Edith Gordon, first ever Lady Captain of a Golf Club, elected Captain of Dooks

  • Land owners give notice to vacate the Links when 75 year lease expires in 1965. ‘Save Dooks’ campaign starts.

  • Dooks purchased from the Beresford McGregor Estate for £7000

  • Members commence voluntary work to build a second 9 hole

  • Official opening of 18 hole Links

  • Dooks celebrates 100 years of golf

  • Changes to the Links, designed by golf architect Martin Hawtree, commence

  • New 18 hole layout opens

  • New constitution involving a 3 tier committee system adopted

  • Club acquires remaining Commonage shares

  • Dooks celebrates 125 years of golf

  • Dooks wins The 2015 Irish Mixed Foursomes & also hosts the National Final

  • New short game facility opens

  • Initial stage of the Dooks Golf Academy Opens

  • Club celebrates Lady Edith Gordon’s Captaincy Centenary