Pat Ruddy is owner and designer of the European Golf Club in Brittas Bay, Co Wicklow. He worked in journalism for a number of years and continues to contribute to Golfers Companion.
The club began with a group of informal players in 1987 and two years later became affiliated to the Golfing Union of Ireland. It officially opened its links at the end of 1993.
Membership: Just under 150 members at the moment, though a small club was the plan all along. On the shortest day of the year only 128 people can play the full 18 holes, so we won't increase the numbers much beyond this.
Status: Very much a Sunday morning club, although we do compete in senior and junior leagues and various cups and shields. Our standards range from Harry McKinney's two-handicap and upwards, with a strong emphasis on the quiet, friendly game.
Honours: We're brilliant at winning nothing, but the real honour is getting players from all over the world to come visit. We've had Nick Faldo and Ian Baker-Finch call in during the last year, and the small number of members means that there is great friendship and camaraderie.
Finest hour: Golf always comes first and the fact that Golf Monthly named us the 27th best among British and Irish clubs is some recognition of the work we've put in to keep improving on the course.
Worst moment: The summer of 1995, when things were going nicely, I got a call in the US saying our course was "under stress" after the drought which left us 183 days with no real rain. That was a moment of interest alright, but thankfully now we have an improved watering system to combat the problem.
Club hero: The late Jimmy O'Toole was our first captain and had a huge input into the club, from architect of the course to long hours from dawn till dusk getting things right. Current captain Fintan Russell from Galway is also a driving force behind the club and great overall sports enthusiast.
Greatest rivals: No such thing here, as we try to keep things awfully simple as a golf club and not a social club, and we have players from all over the country anyway. It's the simple tradition of the game that's important to us, and the rival aspect is not part of that.
