The UCD Golf Society was founded in 1945 by Dan Lynch, Jack Eustace and Pierce Purcell. Purcell was elected as the inaugural President of the Golf Society in 1945, with Lynch first Honorary Secretary. The latter was responsible for driving the Society forward in its early years.

Purcell was a significant contributor to the UCD Golf Club (the student golf club) and Society. He was the first Professor of Engineering in UCD and was a crucial link between UCD and Portmarnock Golf Club, a relationship that now goes back more than one hundred years.

In its present form, the Society caters for former UCD students of all golfing abilities and none. Many members today were not UCD golfers as students. The Society has a fixture list of matches against other Societies, universities and golf clubs across Ireland, the UK and North America, as well as several outings that are open to all members. Matches are played on some of Ireland's premier golf courses, including Lahinch, Portmarnock, Royal County Down and Royal Dublin.

The Society endeavours to keep a close connection with UCD Golf Club and provides vital funds to the students each year via its Golf Classic and through accommodating ongoing funding from several companies and individual benefactors with links to UCD.