Backspin Magazine course rankings for 2010

PhilipMarlowe

Portmarnock up to #1 in the links, Mount Juliet still #1 in the parkland courses.
Killeen Castle (11th), Concra Wood (23rd) and Bunclody (27th) feature.

Irish Golf desk has the 2010 rankings
http://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2010/1/31/portmarnock-and-mount-juliet-top-backspin-poll.html

http://www.backspingolfmagazine.com/index.php?/golfcourseranking/ seems to still have the 2008 rankings up...

jimjo

Good post Licksy.

I'm suprised Luttrellstown is not higher, surely better than clubs in the high teens.

No suprise to see Lough Erne in there, expect the course to rise in the next few years.

Glasson has dropped 17 places since the '08, from 15th in '08 to 32 in '10. Heard the place has gone downhill in the past few years.

Headfort new high up there at 8, some of the pro tee's there look unbelievable tough, maybe some of the senior scratch boys here might have played off them??

Will look forward to seeing the full 100 list

JustMac

I suppose everyone will have some comment to make on the place given to some courses.

I was relatively happy to see my home club Tralee got 13th place in the Links courses, though I have played 1 of the other links clubs that came in higher places so I can't really comment on how accurate the rating is. I'm glad it came in ahead of the Old Head (Never played there but by all accounts they had been very pompous and pretentious in their asking price for tee times and are now eating humble pie).

Now its been a few years since I played Rathsallagh but I can't for the life of me see how Killarney (Mahonys Point) is higher ranked in the Parklands courses. Mahonys Point is well kept but by my recollection there are few outstanding holes while every hole in Rathsallagh seemed to have some charm.

Daithio9

JustMac wrote: »

I was relatively happy to see my home club Tralee got 13th place in the Links courses, though I have played 1 of the other links clubs that came in higher places so I can't really comment on how accurate the rating is. I'm glad it came in ahead of the Old Head (Never played there but by all accounts they had been very pompous and pretentious in their asking price for tee times and are now eating humble pie).

For some strange reason the phrase "pot calling the kettle black" springs to mind.

JustMac wrote: »

Now its been a few years since I played Rathsallagh but I can't for the life of me see how Killarney (Mahonys Point) is higher ranked in the Parklands courses. Mahonys Point is well kept but by my recollection there are few outstanding holes while every hole in Rathsallagh seemed to have some charm.

I played Westport last summer and tbh I don't understand how that is rated higher than Mahonys, but there you go that's rankings for you.

jimjo

Got to agree with Daitio9 on this. JustMac your club charges juveniles €90 to play during the summer http://traleegolfclub.com/index.php/visitors/fees_and_charges I find that a little hard to stomach to be honest.

So dont know how you can comment on Old Head really..

JustMac

Points taken. (Eats a bit of humble pie himself)

Didn't really make a good point. I suppose even though I'm a golfer I never really agreed with the Old Head being allowed to put a golf course someplace which was previously often used by walkers. Especially since they now charge people for access to walk the place. (In Tralee's defense they don't do this those going to the beach have right of way which can slow things on the second hole.)

I agree that our own green fee is ridicously high but they have improved the course consisently over the last few years and have up, until the last year, consistently filled their target green fee spots. In fact I'm fairly sure that they could have got carried away in the good times and charged more and still filled all the spots. Our green fee rate has grown steadily as the course has improved. It doesn't look like the Old Head has a rate for juniors.

Anyway, should have kept the my original thoughts to myself.

PhilipMarlowe

I haven't played either course but Tralee always looks great in photos... kind of surprises me because it's not one of the 'names' that springs to mind when I think of the famous links courses but when I see the pictures I go into drool mode

JustMac

Licksy wrote: »

I haven't played either course but Tralee always looks great in photos... kind of surprises me because it's not one of the 'names' that springs to mind when I think of the famous links courses but when I see the pictures I go into drool mode

The scenery is outstanding, as is the course (But obviously I'm biased). If your ever in the locality drop me a PM and I'd gladly show you around.

PhilipMarlowe

*tips hat

zztop

I played Westport last summer and tbh I don't understand how that is rated higher than Mahonys, but there you go that's rankings for you.[/QUOTE]


Ballinrobe streets ahead of Westport.

Kevinmarkham

It's interesting that there are so few comments about Backspin's rankings, compared with Golf Digest Ireland's rankings - which generated a heated debate.

I don't agree with all of the positions, but there was a panel of 44 judges so it's going to be more accurate than most.

I still don't buy Portmarnock as the No. 1 links though.

Osgoodisgood

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

I still don't buy Portmarnock as the No. 1 links though.

I remember you saying that before.

What's your no1 and why?

f22

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

I still don't buy Portmarnock as the No. 1 links though.

I agree too, much as I love the course, how anyone could put it ahead of Royal County Down is beyond me. I've played some real gems here and in the US and nowhere would make me want to return again as much.

G1032

Daithio9 wrote: »

I played Westport last summer and tbh I don't understand how that is rated higher than Mahonys, but there you go that's rankings for you.

Played Westport many times and it's beyond me how it continually gets rated as among the best courses in the country. 1st hole is a complete joke. Very weak starting hole. 2nd only moderately stronger. Nothing special about the 3rd and the 4th is a very esay par 5. There are some great holes alright The 8th especially is a gem, and the 9th and 14th are two fantastic par 3's but the first 4 or 5 holes are very very weak imo and because of these it shouldn't be considered as among the best in the country. The 10th is also a poor hole. Anyway, rant over.

Kevinmarkham

Osgoodisgood wrote: »

I remember you saying that before.

What's your no1 and why?

There are several courses I'd put ahead of Portmarnock, but if you're asking for my number 1, I'll answer your question with a question: if you were told that you were allowed only one more round of golf in your life, where in Ireland would you play it?

My answer is Carne