least favorite courses

bitemybanger

We've all herd your favorite courses but whats your least favorite?
For me it has to be Dunboyne R&R followed closley by Corballis links

stockdam

Mount Ober

If you are talking about recognised courses (rather than the cheap and nasty that barely qualify as courses) then my least favourite is Dunmurry.

JuJuYNWA

Dunmurry is probably one of my favorite courses! Why dont you like it?

+1 for R+R, absolute hole.

Add both Bodenstown courses to the list, as for recognised courses i absolutely hate the K club Smurfit course.

milltown

Dunmurry for me too, although I will play it again to form an opinion not clouded by the megatons of sand they had spread on every single bit of the course the day before we played (and never mentioned when taking our booking).

Very worst though has to be Howth. From the moment we pulled into the car park we were approached by the old boys to ask what we were doing there, "I know you're not members, is there a competition on?". The tone was most unwelcoming. Having to argue with the guy in the shop to accept the open fairways card that was mentioned when booking. And the course itself just seems lethal! Teeing off blind over a hill when there's another fairway crossing the one you're on!!??

Mister Sifter

bitemybanger wrote: »

We've all herd your favorite courses but whats your least favorite?
For me it has to be Dunboyne R&R followed closley by Corballis links

I didn't think either of those were great either. For the money i paid, they were probably as good as could be expected though.

I was very disappointed by Navan when i played it, although it was in decent condition.

dewsbury

As a high handicapper group we found Esker Hills painful.

(Except for our one low handicapper who liked it)

Kaisr Sose

Highfield for me-crappy first few holes. First tee is unique-as its part of the roof of the clubhouse. Plus it misleadingly signed from the main road-its miles into it and no further signs -that reassure you that you are getting near it.
Bodenstown was in bits in the summer when I played it-they blamed the wet weather, but they just were not maintaining it.

fullstop

Letterkenny, worst course ever. That is all

f22

bitemybanger wrote: »

We've all herd your favorite courses but whats your least favorite?
For me it has to be Dunboyne R&R followed closley by Corballis links

Bit harsh on Corballis, has some of the finest greens you will find anywhere. Agree in that the 3 holes over the road are a joke, and that some criss-crossing of fairways can put you in fear of your life, but there are a few genuinely good holes there.

My personal dislike is for the likes of Malahide thats painted as some sort of gem by it members when in fact it's pretty featureless, too expensive and quite an unfriendly place to visit.

Hunty

St. Annes....................hole!

f22

Hunty wrote: »

St. Annes....................hole!

Forgot about there, featureless hole!

copacetic

lads, could be an interesting thread. lets keep it a little intelligent please. just calling places holes is not really a discussion.

davido

copacetic wrote: »

lads, could be an interesting thread. lets keep it a little intelligent please. just calling places holes is not really a discussion.

It is when you are talking about golf courses....

I think Hollystown is appalling, particularly for the money they charge.

copacetic

davido wrote: »

It is when you are talking about golf courses....

I think Hollystown is appalling, particularly for the money they charge.

one week ban.

Gary ITR

Kilcock was an awful kip the last time i played it. Couldn't see the ball on the fairway the grass was that long. Greens were so heavily sanded that they were like bunkers.

although it is now in the middle of reconstruction so lets hope for an improvement.
Also Newbridge is another kip.. cheap though.

Trampas

I remember Kilcock was so borning.

Just seem to be up and down

Brockagh

I think Corballis is a very good course, save those flat houles in the medow land. There are some great holes on the front nine.

I always thought Bundoran was poor.

PGA National is way over to top - far too American.

Davidth88

PGA National was very american when I played it. It was very ' corporate ' the holes seemed somehow sterile , I just can't put my finger on it.

R+R is cheap and isn't very well maintained. but you can always get a game there .

Bodenstown, when I last played it it felt/looked like the owner had just got a JCB for christmas as was trying it out , there were big holes everywhere , just wierd .

The service at Grange Castle is just terrible ( or was last summer when I last played there ) . The staff more interested in talking to their mates than serving you , in the end I had to ask if it was free today to pusuade them to take my money . Then someone tried to push in front of us at the 10th ( we were hard up against a four ball already ).......... so that place gets my vote I am afraid.

flanzer

milltown wrote: »

Very worst though has to be Howth. From the moment we pulled into the car park we were approached by the old boys to ask what we were doing there, "I know you're not members, is there a competition on?". The tone was most unwelcoming. Having to argue with the guy in the shop to accept the open fairways card that was mentioned when booking. And the course itself just seems lethal! Teeing off blind over a hill when there's another fairway crossing the one you're on!!??

I have to agree with you on the problems with some of the members, even though I'm one myself!! I don't really agree with you though on the playability of it. Yes, you do cross paths but that's only on the first tee. Anyone I bring up, can't believe the views of Dublin, the North as far as the Mourne Mountains and South as far as Wicklow. And then there's the challenge of the hills! I see it as a workout!

On the snobby members, I brought a lad out a couple of years ago, who's as brash as they come, a mad outspoken b@stard, a sound chap though! On the 8th, Par 3, he shanked his tee shot straight onto the 3rd fairway. It was a blind shot going that way as the gorse protects the tee box and the 3rd fairway is much lower. We all gave a load shout of 'FORE'. When we got down, there was a foreball of old boys and one proceeded to make his way over to us. We were thinking, maybe his ball was in the vicinity. Then he comes out with in his poshest of accents, somewhat aggressive and to our amazement 'you'd want to watch yourselves, you know you nearly hit the captain there'. The brash chap that was with me, knowing we'd followed all rules, replied, 'The captain, you serious. Sure doesn't he pi$$ and sh!te like the rest of us!!!' A comical moment that put that old fella in his place.

Luckily enough the ounger aren't like that and you're all more the welcome to play up there!

Anyway, back on topic, Turvey is a pet hate of mine. Very bland and very rarely in good condition.

Mister Sifter

milltown wrote: »

Very worst though has to be Howth. From the moment we pulled into the car park we were approached by the old boys to ask what we were doing there, "I know you're not members, is there a competition on?". The tone was most unwelcoming. Having to argue with the guy in the shop to accept the open fairways card that was mentioned when booking. And the course itself just seems lethal! Teeing off blind over a hill when there's another fairway crossing the one you're on!!??

I've never played it, but i notice this month's Today's Golfer has it listed as one of three budget gems in Dublin. Malahide and Hollywood Lakes are the other two.

stockdam

JuJuYNWA wrote: »

Dunmurry is probably one of my favorite courses! Why dont you like it?

+1 for R+R, absolute hole.

I can't really explain and it's a personal thing. I said it's the worst of the better courses so that doesn't mean it's bad. It's probably because I've never scored that well round it. To be honest it's not a bad course.

I also have problems scoring at Moyola and another course that comes to mind is Fortwilliam.

+1 for R+R.....what does that mean?????

bitemybanger

+1 for R+R.....what does that mean?????[/QUOTE]

Rough and ready:D

Trampas

Relax and Recover

JuJuYNWA

+1 for R+R.

Means i also think the place is a hole! Reasons as follows....

Ugly drive upto an ugly clubhouse. Staff in the untidy and rundown clubhouse are extremely unfriendly. Putting green is like a shagg carpet. Tee boxes are not kept correctly. Stones are littered arund the fairway and in the "bunkers". Fairways in general are like inter rough. There is litter all around the course. The distance markers are not accurate. The actual greens are not much better than the practice one. There are a few places around the course where work was started but never finished. Tractor tracks all over the place....the list goes on ....

The only thing the place has going for it is it stays open when it shouldnt and everywhere else is closed. Its the only time i play it.

I dislike bodenstown/ladyhill for the exact same reasons, except maybe the greens in Bodenstown are a bit better and clubhouse is also to a better standard.

When playing these places i just get a feeling of "God why did i even bother?"

As far as i know, the three courses are owned by the same person.

I dislike the Smurfit course because every time ive played it it just hasnt been up to the same standard as the other big courses in the area (Palmer, Carton, PGA) and even in the summer it gets very damp in places.

Kaisr Sose

I am was told last year that the owners of Dunboyne R+R and Bodenstown are one and the same. :eek: There are consistencies in course maintence.

ASBO

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

I am was told last year that the owners of Dunboyne R+R and Bodenstown are one and the same. :eek: There are consistencies in course maintence.

Absolutley correct about the owner. as bad as they currently are I believe that it wouldn't take much to turn these into decent courses.. I also believe that you get what you pay for. €20 for a game that close to Dublin is fairly reasonable especially for people getting into the game..he's found a niche..I played Donabate twice last year,€45..way overrated.

PhilipMarlowe

Abbeyleix for me..... pretty enough location but too many fiddly holes, short holes, severe doglegs, greens hidden from view etc... then you get to 17 & 18 which are a lovely long par 3 and a great uphill par 4 finishing hole and you wonder what you've been doing for the last 3 hours of your life.

getfit

Played Abbeyleix once and had heard a couple of bad reports, so expected very little and was very surprised by how good it was.

I found the short holes generally had an "interesting factor". I think the first Par 3 was short, but tee box was elevated and you had a stream in front and trees at the very back of the green, so anything but a dead on the green tee shot was severly punished. I think the 2nd was a Par 5 that had a massive trough in the fairway that if you hit too good a drive you ended up in a stream at the bottom of the trough. Seemed like the type of course where you really had to think your way around. Couldn't just hit driver, iron all the time. I didn't play particularly well that day, but still enjoyed the place. I've played in places a lot worse for twice the money!

blackbox

Worst course I ever played was Westmonstown. Across and back a level field with hidden trenches.

NB. That was many years ago - understandably I never went back, but they may have improved it since.

d2ww

Granted it is cheap, but Sillogue has to be one of the worst going. I have to disagree with those saying that Corballis is not worth a visit, when the new holes finally get built and we can say goodbye to the 3 across the road, it should be a cracker(for the price)
d2ww

f22

Licksy wrote: »

Abbeyleix for me..... pretty enough location but too many fiddly holes, short holes, severe doglegs, greens hidden from view etc... then you get to 17 & 18 which are a lovely long par 3 and a great uphill par 4 finishing hole and you wonder what you've been doing for the last 3 hours of your life.

Another that has similar faults is Mountrath. Never played anywhere with more blind shots and doglegs in my life. Walked off the course wondering why I bothered travelling down in the first place. The frustrating bit was playing pretty well and getting nothing from the round because we had no idea how to read the course.

krutt

I think Lee Valley near Cork is overated. I hate courses where you can hit the green of a par 4 quite easily off the tee. I also hate blind shots especially when you do not know where you are going and there is no map of the hole available. Also hate tee shots that go over greens.
But apart from that i love the game.
We are lucky enough to have an abundance of great courses here in Kerry and when the sun shines we believe we are in heaven!

Mister Sifter

krutt wrote: »

I hate courses where you can hit the green of a par 4 quite easily off the tee.

I like it when there is one on a course... as long as it's risk / reward.

WHIP IT!

Graeme1982 wrote: »

I like it when there is one on a course... as long as it's risk / reward.

Agreed... For me, every course should have one par four that you can have a crack at, one par four that's gonna take a great drive and your longest fairway club, one short tight par three, one long (200yd) par three, a par five that's 'reachable' and one that's definitely not 'reachable'...

Variety is the spice of life...

As regard courses - Bodenstown is top of my list. It's always been a bit of a dive but I went i na few weeks ago as Killeen was closed and I have to say, it's not even worth the 20quid. I'd sooner pay fifty somewhere decent.

Place in such bad condition you couldn't stand still on some tee boxes for fear of slipping over. as for the 'repairwork' going on? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Didn't like the K-Club Smurfit either I must say. Sloppy kip with some rather sterile holes.

I love Dunmurry although I know it's not everyone's cup of tea... One place I've never liked and it's quite popular - Millicent in Clane. Just don't like the place, it can be pricey too... It;s in good nick, don't get me wrong, greens are good - but I can just never remember enjoying a round much there...

Trampas

Bodenstown repairwork has been going on for years.

I like courses where risk and reward.

I am not the longest hitting in the world but can still hit it out there.

Courses don't need to be million yards long.

Par 5's with water or sand short of the green.

Some par 4's that are 300 - 350 yard mark but with tight drives and protected green with a path in through the middle so straight hitters are punished.

Means short hitters can reach it two and the longest hitters can go for it

A nice short par 3 with loads of trouble around can be great.

putts18

The worst course I have ever played was Ballina. We played it last May as part of a package deal which included Cairn and Enniscone. What a contrast! Ballina was in a deplorable state with fairway's that were ankle deep in places and this weird fertilizer on the greens which made them a funny colour and impossible to putt due to lumps of this stuff all over them.

I do not like Bray at all and I think Blackbush must be the most boring course in the country. In fairness to both of these, however, they are well maintained.

Henry Ford III

Most Irish courses are pretty good. There are a few gems. There are also quite a few overpriced "nouveau" type tracks.

I've never played an absolute dog of a course here.

Johnny_Fontane

two of the worst are Slievenamon near Fethard in Tipperary and Hollystown where I once paid €37.50 for the pleasure of trying to avoid getting killed

WHIP IT!

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

two of the worst are Slievenamon near Fethard in Tipperary and Hollystown where I once paid €37.50 for the pleasure of trying to avoid getting killed

Have to agree about Hollystown - have only played it once and was very disappointed with it. For a place that I'd heard was really nice, like Mr Fontane said - it's flippin dangerous! 27 squeezed into a space for 18!

Mister Sifter

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Have to agree about Hollystown - have only played it once and was very disappointed with it. For a place that I'd heard was really nice, like Mr Fontane said - it's flippin dangerous! 27 squeezed into a space for 18!

greens are shocking also.

mtbdude74

Graeme1982 wrote: »

greens are shocking also.

Guys, guys...you've put me off joining Hollystown....just as I was about to put my cheque in the post.. Guess I'll be staying in Brittas for 08.

mccutchie

I wouldnt let one or two opinions put anyone off. Go for a game and make your own choice. Think you guys are being harsh on hollystown. I would never say its 27 squeezed into 18, especially compared to many other courses. What I would say is that it is way overplayed. I've witnessed guys playing hollystown and they should be arrested for the way they treated the course in general and the greens. Too many societies full stop, playing golf for the sake of it. No interest whatsoever.

I've played it on a summers evening and could not complain, greens etc were in excellent nick, and in fairness they have an excellent blue 9, especially off the back sticks.

I think it suffers from overplay, and for what you get the green fee is overpriced.

fireplace1982

I thought city west was one of the worst kept and semi-abandoned ever, big disappointment.

Adiaga 2

It's not that bad but I'd say my least favourite course that I've played over the last couple of years has been Dublin City. Fairways cross on a few holes on the back nine which is annoying and a bit on the dangerous side. And I can never read the greens there. They look ok but my ball either doesn't take the break or breaks in the opposite direction to which gravity is supposed to take it! (Could also be that I'm not a very good putter.. )

copacetic

mccutchie wrote: »

I wouldnt let one or two opinions put anyone off. Go for a game and make your own choice. Think you guys are being harsh on hollystown. I would never say its 27 squeezed into 18, especially compared to many other courses. What I would say is that it is way overplayed. I've witnessed guys playing hollystown and they should be arrested for the way they treated the course in general and the greens. Too many societies full stop, playing golf for the sake of it. No interest whatsoever.

I've played it on a summers evening and could not complain, greens etc were in excellent nick, and in fairness they have an excellent blue 9, especially off the back sticks.

I think it suffers from overplay, and for what you get the green fee is overpriced.

+1

Mister Sifter

Overall, Hollystown is fairly enjoyable, but whenever i go there is always something wrong with it. The last few times it has been that the greens are badly diseased. The last time was like putting on moss.

As for Dublin City, i really enjoyed the one round i've played there. The criss-crossing of fairways is a little annoying, but there are a few cracking holes.

The second shot over the gulley on the front nine and the one down hill, through the trees over the road on the back nine are both excellent.

Adiaga 2

Graeme1982 wrote: »

As for Dublin City, i really enjoyed the one round i've played there. The criss-crossing of fairways is a little annoying, but there are a few cracking holes.

The second shot over the gulley on the front nine and the one down hill, through the trees over the road on the back nine are both excellent.

I agree. I was just being picky...and p!ssed off that I can never read the greens there. I like both those holes you mention too. Definitely risk/reward - so much trouble around both those greens. I like the par-3 (8th I think). The green is like a plateau with really steep hill infront and all round to the left. Played a lovely 5 iron to that green first time I played it. Pitched into the bank on the right and fed back onto the green about 10' from the pin. (If I'd meant it, it would have been the best shot I ever hit! ) Then took three putts then..

f22

Hollystown have a fantastic greenkeeper. Played Barton Cup there over the past couple of years and was blown away by the greens. It's not the best or most challenging course in the world but you get what you pay for.

WHIP IT!

f22 wrote: »

Hollystown have a fantastic greenkeeper. Played Barton Cup there over the past couple of years and was blown away by the greens. It's not the best or most challenging course in the world but you get what you pay for.

But that's just it - for what you get, I think Hollystown is expensive...

cson

You lot have obviously never played Curra West or worse again, Ballaghadereen. Playing in the junior comps in Connacht, you'll encounter some of the worst ****e imaginable. In Ballaghadereen, I met a lad out cutting the tee boxes with a push mower - you know the ones you have for cutting your back lawn. And the bunkers had building sand in them, the grey coarse stuff.

Having said that though, you're welcomed in those clubs and not seen as an inconvience which is how I've felt in some select clubs on the east side of the country. Plus, their community run clubs for the most part and just wouldn't have the money thats floating around other clubs.

Par72

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Hazel Grove, maybe you haven't had the . . pleasure!?! Set on an almost vertical hillside it is the worst course I have ever played.

Kilternan was pretty awful too, at least it's closed now and the suffering has ended.


Also, the course in the middle of Leopardstown Race Course is appalling.