What courses in Ireland do you not like. And why?

The_Architect

Interested to see what people have to say on this topic... I'm looking more for top-end courses as opposed to courses that have obviously been built and maintained on a miniscule budget...

Thanks

Dr.Silly

Lutterlstown,

Very over-rated and sh1tty greens IMO

CaptainPendulum

I find Cork Golf Club a bit over-rated. Great name and tradition and some good holes. But there are a few (IMO) ridicilous/blind holes around the quarry and a lot of criss-crossing early on. Also, you can't hit driver on the range as it's not long enough.
BUT...easily the best steak in Cork!

Daithio9

The_Architect wrote: »

Interested to see what people have to say on this topic... I'm looking more for top-end courses as opposed to courses that have obviously been built and maintained on a miniscule budget...

Thanks

Is this just mindless drivel a la two wimmin chatting?, or are you actually trying to make some sort of point albeit in the most obscure way possible.

The_Architect

Daithio9 wrote: »

Is this just mindless drivel a la two wimmin chatting?, or are you actually trying to make some sort of point albeit in the most obscure way possible.

I want to know the reasons why people don't rate certain golf courses... Is it conditioning... Is it abundance of blind shots... Is it length... Is it bad holes?

Referring to your comment on another thread, I am not someone in disguise. I only noticed this message board recently and it seems to be quite active with people who play golf regularly in Ireland.

I'm trying to find out people's motives about what they enjoy about the game and why. I may be knocking my head against a brick wall in which case I will probably retreat and leave you to it. But for now, I'll continue.

You can participate, ignore me or continue to abuse me...

Daithio9

The_Architect wrote: »

I want to know the reasons why people don't rate certain golf courses... Is it conditioning... Is it abundance of blind shots... Is it length... Is it bad holes?

Referring to your comment on another thread, I am not someone in disguise. I only noticed this message board recently and it seems to be quite active with people who play golf regularly in Ireland.

I'm trying to find out people's motives about what they enjoy about the game and why. I may be knocking my head against a brick wall in which case I will probably retreat and leave you to it. But for now, I'll continue.

You can participate, ignore me or continue to abuse me...

I'd like to take option c) thanks, but that would be too easy.
Good luck with your "survey" and trying to syphon through the many and mixed responses you'll get.

The_Kew_Tour

Was never a big fan of Cashen course in Ballybunion. Maybe bit of it is fact I never played well their but never taught it deserved praise it sometimes gets.

The_Architect

adrian280582 wrote: »

Was never a big fan of Cashen course in Ballybunion. Maybe bit of it is fact I never played well their but never taught it deserved praise it sometimes gets.

The Cashen was just built on too severe land in an unsympathetic manner. The greens are far too small averaging about 300m2 (by way of comparison, most modern parkland courses have greens between 500m2 and 600m2) and the routing doesn't allow options. Too many all or nothing shots which make it not much fun for a handicap player in any kind of wind.

Daithio9 - Thank you for not taking the "easy" option of continued abuse. In fairness, I probably should have introduced myself properly but that too would have been too "easy".

Su Campu

Daithio9 wrote: »

I'd like to take option c) thanks, but that would be too easy.
Good luck with your "survey" and trying to syphon through the many and mixed responses you'll get.

Must be your time of the month

heavyballs

Su Campu wrote: »

Must be your time of the month

no that's the story every day with him,costs him a packet on the tampax:D

Atlantic1

CaptainPendulum wrote: »

I find Cork Golf Club a bit over-rated. Great name and tradition and some good holes. But there are a few (IMO) ridicilous/blind holes around the quarry and a lot of criss-crossing early on. Also, you can't hit driver on the range as it's not long enough.
BUT...easily the best steak in Cork!

I'm going to disagree with you there, Captain. I'd rate Cork as the best course in the county. The variety, the setting and the clubhouse. A wonderful spot.

But I completely agree with you about the steak! :cool: And that's just the small one. Have you ever tried the bigger one? :eek: No room on the plate for anything else!!!!

The_Kew_Tour

The_Architect wrote: »

The Cashen was just built on too severe land in an unsympathetic manner. The greens are far too small averaging about 300m2 (by way of comparison, most modern parkland courses have greens between 500m2 and 600m2) and the routing doesn't allow options. Too many all or nothing shots which make it not much fun for a handicap player in any kind of wind.

Daithio9 - Thank you for not taking the "easy" option of continued abuse. In fairness, I probably should have introduced myself properly but that too would have been too "easy".

Ya your right, I suppose add in fact my iron play is pretty poor at present does not help and strains my short game to limit.

CaptainPendulum

Atlantic1 wrote: »

But I completely agree with you about the steak! :cool: And that's just the small one. Have you ever tried the bigger one? :eek: No room on the plate for anything else!!!!

Somebody started a thread on golf business ideas recently - easy - open a "Cork Golf Club Steak Restaurant" in the city and it would be jammers!

CaptainPendulum

Another course I'd add is the Smurfit course in the K Club. Found it like Disneyland!

The_Architect

CaptainPendulum wrote: »

Another course I'd add is the Smurfit course in the K Club. Found it like Disneyland!

I actually quite like the Smurfit course. In many ways, I think it is a better course than the Palmer.

The money they spent on it, the fake quarry on 7, the wrong drainage system - that was all an abomination. But the routing and actual design of the holes are pretty good and the style of the course with the fescue is quite appealing - It just doesn't go far enough.

As for Little Island, it is undoubtedly a good golf course and for me, the Alistair MacKenzie holes down by the quarry are the best.

conno16

killeen castle
over-rated

The_Architect

conno16 wrote: »

killeen castle
over-rated

I haven't seen it yet. Why do you think it is over-rated?

conno16

5* golf experience my ass

give it 5 years to mature first
i've seen better greens at elm green and thats even with the likes of arnold trampling all over them

Osgoodisgood

conno16 wrote: »

5* golf experience my ass

give it 5 years to mature first
i've seen better greens at elm green and thats even with the likes of arnold trampling all over them

Nonsense. I played there on Sunday and the greens were superb. I did notice a few unrepaired pitch marks from the day before which was annoying but the greens themselves were first class.

Trekker09

I was a bit dissapointed with Luttrellstown as well, but I think another visit is due as it was blowing a gale when I was there.

Par72

Can't stand Athlone. Couple of really stupid trick holes on it.

stockdam

I have one course in mind that's a fine course but I don't like it for one main reason.

I hate courses that have hard bumpy fairways and thick gorse just off the fairway. You can hit a great drive only to watch it take an awful bounce into the gorse ....... lost ball. It's the same for everybody but I don't like unpredictable bounces.

Daithio9

Su Campu wrote: »

Must be your time of the month

heavyballs wrote: »

no that's the story every day with him,costs him a packet on the tampax:D

Best to keep yer mouths shut ladies when you don't understand what's been said or the background to same, especially if your semi illiterate (no offense heavy).

Su Campu

Daithio9 wrote: »

Best to keep yer mouths shut ladies when you don't understand what's been said or the background to same, especially if your semi illiterate (no offense heavy).

Childish :rolleyes:

fullstop

Daithio9 wrote: »

Best to keep yer mouths shut ladies when you don't understand what's been said or the background to same, especially if your semi illiterate (no offense heavy).

:rolleyes:

People in glasshouses and all that...

Nuri Sahin

I've had the hmm... pleasure of playing Hazel Grove and Dublin Mountain GC.

Literally, 9 and 18 flags stuck into a couple of fields.

The_Architect

stockdam wrote: »

I have one course in mind that's a fine course but I don't like it for one main reason.

I hate courses that have hard bumpy fairways and thick gorse just off the fairway. You can hit a great drive only to watch it take an awful bounce into the gorse ....... lost ball. It's the same for everybody but I don't like unpredictable bounces.

There's nothing I like better than hard, bumpy fairways - they are the essence of the game. I therefore don't mind unpredictable bounces. But I do mind where those unpredictable bounces more often than not end up with a lost ball. Tight gorse lined fairways are not generally a good thing on any course. A bit of width is what you need.

patwicklow

got to be Druids glen fantastic golf course and club house

Jimdagym

patwicklow wrote: »

got to be Druids glen fantastic golf course and club house

Did you read any of this thread, or even the title?

patwicklow

Jimdagym wrote: »

Did you read any of this thread, or even the title?

OH SORRY missed the not like ,word read it to quick
any way woodenbridge dont like that course

Daithio9

Su Campu wrote: »

Childish :rolleyes:

fullstop wrote: »

:rolleyes:

People in glasshouses and all that...

Quailty posting there lads, (really worth waiting for) and thank God for smilies (however inappropriately used).

Su Campu

Daithio9 wrote: »

Quailty posting there lads, (really worth waiting for) and thank God for smilies (however inappropriately used).

Smilies are handy when YOUR semi illiterate

fullstop

Daithio9 wrote: »

Quailty posting there lads, (really worth waiting for) and thank God for smilies (however inappropriately used).

Jesus why do you even bother coming on here if everyone else is wrong all the time? :rolleyes: (especially for you)

Daithio9

fullstop wrote: »

Jesus why do you even bother coming on here if everyone else is wrong all the time? :rolleyes: (especially for you)

Maybe I like fishing and the fishing here is plentiful, bit like shooting fish in a barrel if ya know what I mean.

thegen

Daithio9 wrote: »

Maybe I like fishing and the fishing here is plentiful, bit like shooting fish in a barrel if ya know what I mean.

Is that you Conno!!!!!!!!!!!!! N

Morrisseeee

I played Youghal there (for the 1st time) Saturday, and while its an interesting course, some fantastic views from the clubhouse, its just that you need American Football gear for a fair few holes, ie. there's NO protection at all on a few holes as they overlap each other, especially bad is the 2nd & 18th fairways. There was a continuous echo of 'four' all day long !

Kevinmarkham

Great idea for a thread - far too many courses out there that don't live up to expectations and reputations.

Interesting to see Ballybunion Cashen mentioned - as I'm just back from playing it - and my playing partners were drooling over the place. True, it's not "proper" links, but it is exhilarating...





All the photos here: Ballybunion Cashen

knockadoon

Played Moyvalley recently - there's a course that's a victim of the recession. Bunkers are in dreadful condition, fairways not cut properly, no delineation between fairways and rough, no drinks or bars in proshop except water. Pure awful - would never go back!

The_Architect

Kevin,

How on earth do you deduce that Ballybunion Cashen is not "proper" links?

Knockadoon,

Some architects & superintendants would kill to be able to get the look where there is no delineation between fairway and rough... Although I suspect not in the fashion that you are alluding to at Moyvalley...

ShriekingSheet

The Castle just doesn't suit my eye for some reason. I've never really looked forward to playing it. Too many "you really should be birdying this" holes, when in reality, it can bite you in a heartbeat.

I don't like the European Club, though it's great in many respects, some of it's set-up is a bit of a let down, relatively speaking, and I always get my ass kicked down there too!

Kevinmarkham

The_Architect wrote: »

Kevin,

How on earth do you deduce that Ballybunion Cashen is not "proper" links?

Perhaps I should have said that it is not a traditional links. As you pointed out yourself there are too many all or nothing shots - i.e. there are not many holes where you get to approach wind battered greens using bump and run. It is target golf, and some links purists dislike it for that reason.

There's a budget of 5 million to turn it back to a traditional format, which I think would be a shame.

Apologies for using the word 'proper' - the Cashen has some of the best dunes in the country.

The_Architect

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Perhaps I should have said that it is not a traditional links. As you pointed out yourself there are too many all or nothing shots - i.e. there are not many holes where you get to approach wind battered greens using bump and run. It is target golf, and some links purists dislike it for that reason.

There's a budget of 5 million to turn it back to a traditional format, which I think would be a shame.

Apologies for using the word 'proper' - the Cashen has some of the best dunes in the country.

I see where you were going with that... The ground game is indeed a rare entity on the Cashen Course, one of the reasons it doesn't stack up. However, part of that is due to design and part is due to the fact that the land was just too severe... Contrary to what people would have you believe, huge dunes are not always the best land for golf.

I have seen the plans for the proposed renovation which I believe are on hold. I had not heard a budget but I can promise you that if it costs €5 million, then someone (or more likely more than one party) has made some very wrong decisions.

stockdam

The_Architect wrote: »

There's nothing I like better than hard, bumpy fairways - they are the essence of the game. I therefore don't mind unpredictable bounces. But I do mind where those unpredictable bounces more often than not end up with a lost ball. Tight gorse lined fairways are not generally a good thing on any course. A bit of width is what you need.

I don't mind hard fairways either but when the ball runs off the fairway into gorse and is lost after splitting the fairway then that sucks.

The_Kew_Tour

Yes I hate bumpy fairways too. You should not get punished for hitting a good striaght shot.

I played in Liverpool recently in pretty ****e course, you were better off in the rough as fairways were bumpy and rough was pretty ok with and not that tick.

UpAgainToday

Atlantic1 wrote: »

I'm going to disagree with you there, Captain. I'd rate Cork as the best course in the county. The variety, the setting and the clubhouse. A wonderful spot.

But I completely agree with you about the steak! :cool: And that's just the small one. Have you ever tried the bigger one? :eek: No room on the plate for anything else!!!!

Just so were crystal clear here you did mean to say best course in the county and not country right?

The_Architect

adrian280582 wrote: »

Yes I hate bumpy fairways too. You should not get punished for hitting a good striaght shot.

Golf would be no fun without a small element of chance. Almost all of the greatest courses in Great Britain and Ireland have what you would term "bumpy" fairways or natural micro-undulations, most in the fairway and all around the green complexes.... What they also have is sufficient width to ensure that you do not continually end up in the rough after hitting a drive where you meant to place it.... However, this is different from hitting a straight shot - would you disagree if I placed a bunker right in the middle of the fairway?

1united

Crover House & Belturbet courses in Cavan, two awful courses. Not a big fan of warrenpoint either although a lot of people rate it highly, too many fairways crossing over each other, just sticks in my memory as a bit of a disappointment having looked forward to playing there. Ballina similar.

Mister Sifter

Clontarf is probably my least favourite course. The condition is usually fine, but there are 4-5 holes on it that are just crap. The stretch from 12-14 is a joke.

Would have made a cracking building site.

The_Architect

Mister Sifter wrote: »

Clontarf is probably my least favourite course. The condition is usually fine, but there are 4-5 holes on it that are just crap. The stretch from 12-14 is a joke.

Would have made a cracking building site.

One of the stranger proposed land-swap deals in recent memory. Clontarf had initial design input from Harry Colt but there's very little left of him from what I can see. Still, it would have been a shame to say goodbye to what is there.

Another Harry Colt course was the old Dun Laoghaire. That was a very misplaced land-swap.

Mr check raise

Played Tramore the twice in the last week in practicew an they have really made a mess of it with he new nine. They took out a couple of lovely par 4s and the condition of the course was just shocking

jimjo

1united wrote: »

Crover House & Belturbet courses in Cavan, two awful courses.

If I'm not mistaken those two are small 9 hole courses, one near the slieve russell. Think I stayed at the other place at a wedding once. Maybe a bit harsh to compare them to other courses on here as I'm sure they wouldn't claim to be of, or near for that matter, championship standard. But fair enough if really dont like them.

I was never keen on Rathcore, played it twice last summer and both times the place was in poor condition. The place needs an injection of money, not the only one mind.