Pitch & Putt club forced to close doors after 50 years

By Laura Lyne

AFTER a 52-year stint as one of Ireland’s most unique pitch-and-putt clubs, The Creek, located at Rockbrook in Rathfarnham has been forced to close its doors.

Opened by Billy Walsh in 1964, the Creek closed several weeks ago following a tough decision by Billy’s wife Jean, who has run the club since his death 20 years ago, due to the cost of insurance and dwindling numbers attending the course.

Jean told The Echo: “We were open for 52 years. My husband Billy started it in the 1960s. It first opened as a nine-hole course.

“Three years after, he added another nine holes. The one thing about The Creek was that you had to pitch a ball. If you didn’t, it would end up going down into the valleys.

“We had many a good player have a game over the years – there were so many memories.

“When Billy died 20 years ago, I decided to keep it going. The hope is that maybe somebody could help and possibly rent it. It really wouldn’t take that much to set it back up.”

The Creek was known for its challenging course, which criss-crossed the Owendore river in several locations, with a par score considered a highly successful feat.

Jean continued: “My days are very different without it now and I do miss being there out in the open every day, but it had just become too much.

“We had to close about eight weeks ago, and already you can see the wilderness growing on the site. It’s heartbreaking.

“Every person who played had a different story to tell. The course record, which was 39, was set in 1988 and remained since then. If I remember correctly, it was set by a man named John Farrell.

“I remember everyone that I met there. Since we’ve closed, I’ve had a lot of phone calls with memories of the place.

“There was no bus route up to it, but people would come from all over the place to play. It was certainly unique.”