European Club Open Singles

WHIP IT!

Lads,

Open Singles at Euro Club tomorrow, anyone know what the Visitors' green fee would be?

Cheers

AGC

In this wind?!

I'd be looking to get paid to go.

Mr. Larson

Think it's 70EUR. At least it was last year.

Then another 40EUR for all the Pro V1's you would lose out there.

sodbuster77

Anyone know what the green fee is for the midweek opens? Is it still €70

link_2007

sodbuster77 wrote: »

Anyone know what the green fee is for the midweek opens? Is it still €70

http://www.theeuropeanclub.com/newsevents.html

According to this it's €60 until the end of March (assuming I am reading that right)

Benicetomonty

Open competition every day now, 60e to play. Must also concur with others in that you will probably lose a couple of balls as well, so factor that in! Hell of a course though, everyone should play it once, but won't be a regular fixture for most of us with that price tag

D Hayes

I'm down to play the singles competition in the European Club tomorrow. Weather forecast isn't great - wet and windy.

Am I mad to still be contemplating playing? I know there are loads of singles days coming up over next few weeks, but I've arranged the day off tomorrow and really looking forward to playing there.

I don't mind playing in those conditions, but I've heard it's a tough track in good conditions, let alone with a gale blowing.

Rang them today and they said no panic if I want to release my tee-time tomorrow. Very pleasant to deal with, by the way.

L.O.F.T

buysellswap wrote: »

I'm down to play the singles competition in the European Club tomorrow. Weather forecast isn't great - wet and windy.

Am I mad to still be contemplating playing?

Play another day, the course is hard enough without it blowing a gale. Even the very skilled would struggle out there tomorrow.

Mr. Larson

+1 to what L.O.F.T. says. It won't be any fun, trust me. Take advantage of their flexibility & reschedule. I've played there a few times and they are a very accomodating and friendly bunch. The course is my all time favourite too.

Mickiwi

Does anyone know if it just a open day in the European ie. you pay €60 to play; or is there a Open comp ie prize to the winner etc? I see they have one almost every sunday at the moment

D Hayes

Mickiwi wrote: »

Does anyone know if it just a open day in the European ie. you pay €60 to play; or is there a Open comp ie prize to the winner etc? I see they have one almost every sunday at the moment

Pretty sure that it's an open comp. Every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday.

ForeRight

Open singles stableford Tuesday and Thursday with the 2 days being the one open. Winner gets a 4 ball voucher for the European Club.

Sunday is a 4 man team event.

AGC

ForeRight wrote: »

Open singles stableford Tuesday and Thursday with the 2 days being the one open. Winner gets a 4 ball voucher for the European Club.

Sunday is a 4 man team event.

Nice deal for the European, get the fees in and give a prize out that costs them nothing

FixdePitchmark

What a great day for links golf out there.

amadain

Is it playable in wintertime....thought the first few holes might be soft/boggie ????????

Good deal for 60 smackers

Seves Three Iron

AGC wrote: »

Nice deal for the European, get the fees in and give a prize out that costs them nothing

Always struck me as a bit stingy as well. However, a year or so back I came 2nd in a seingles at Druid Heath and won a four ball for Druids Glen. Didn't cost them a bean, technically, but I went down twice myself to the Glen and a third time with a pal. Three free rounds in DG for coming 2nd in a comp. I know it's slightly different to what the European Club were offering but I couldn't complain.

I suppose if the Euro Club winner went back twice on his own he would get fair use from it. Playing on your own is not everyone's cup of tea admittedly.

Dr_Colossus

Seves Three Iron wrote: »

Always struck me as a bit stingy as well. However, a year or so back I came 2nd in a seingles at Druid Heath and won a four ball for Druids Glen. Didn't cost them a bean, technically, but I went down twice myself to the Glen and a third time with a pal. Three free rounds in DG for coming 2nd in a comp. I know it's slightly different to what the European Club were offering but I couldn't complain.

I suppose if the Euro Club winner went back twice on his own he would get fair use from it. Playing on your own is not everyone's cup of tea admittedly.

Looks like there are better prizes on offer at Druids Heath, I played an open competition in Druid's Glen earlier this year and ended up winning it. Delighted with the win but disappointed with the prize of a two-ball voucher for Druid's Glen, thought they could have at least made it a four-ball voucher since it wasn't costing them anything.

I believe all open competitions should have GUI vouchers on offer as prizes, they're the most convenient and versatile in terms of being able to use them practically everywhere. The club can dictate their value as they see fit as post them out so hassle free.
The idea of premium clubs issuing vouchers for their own course is somewhat appealing as you'd likely want to play there again but it's not always convenient for people there on a once off on holiday. Other courses issuing poor prizes from the resident pro shop or local ornament store are even worse as you often have to make multiple trips to collect and exchange which is far from convenient when the course isn't local. It's not the value of the prize that is important but it's convenience in terms of collection and practicality.

Seves Three Iron

Pissy enough prize from DG for you alright. Strange there's such a disparity. Maybe DH have cut back on their prizes in the last year or so also.

Earlier this year I got a 40yo yos voucher for second place in Concra Wood. Crappy enough pro shop so used it as a green fee voucher. As you say, I live miles away so didn't get to use it for six months or so. Not a great situation.

Personally, I look on opens as an opportunity to play a decent course, in a competitive round, at a knockdown price. Anything after that is a bonus.

Dr_Colossus

Seves Three Iron wrote: »

Personally, I look on opens as an opportunity to play a decent course, in a competitive round, at a knockdown price. Anything after that is a bonus.

Agreed, but winning a prize shouldn't be more hassle than it's worth and in such circumstances totally takes the pleasure out of it.
One of my best rounds of the year was during a scratch cup in Forrest Little which I was lucky enough to place in. Given it was a scratch cup I returned that evening for the prize ceremony and received a moderate looking golf bag which I was told could be exchanged in the proshop. All looked good but it meant I'd have to return to the club for a 3rd time to exchange the bag as the proshop wasn't open during or after the presentation. Anyway I returned to the club some weeks later and to my dismay there was literally nothing in the proshop (I even started a thread on the subject here somewhere). They wouldn't let me use the value of the bag towards green fees even so in the end I'd no choice but to receive a voucher for the "wholesale" value of the bag meaning I'd have to return a 4th time in the hopes of the shop having being restocked. That experience would certainly put me off returning to play an open competition in Forrest Little which is a shame as the club is otherwise very nice and I thoroughly enjoyed my day's golf there.

Anyway back on topic, I played The European Club for the first time during their open day for €60 last Nov. Would never pay the €180 advertised summer green fee rate so since my father was visiting and it was approaching his birthday I treated him to the round and booked us in. The day in question blew an almighty gale but I don't think I've ever had as much fun in the wind before. Difficult course made worse by the wind summarised by the 3rd hole which I think is the par 5 where I hit a good drive followed by two good 3 woods and still had a medium iron to the green.
The course was tremendous and staff incredibly accommodating and friendly as previously mentioned. One small gripe I'd have with the course setup is regarding the railway sleepers in the bunkers which can be dangerous and unfair but other than that a great experience and so good I played the course for a second time earlier this year in calmer and more manageable conditions. Would recommend playing the course but more as a special occasion given the hefty rate even for an open day.

amadain

Yes BUT

amadain wrote: »

Is it playable in wintertime ???....thought the first few holes might be soft/boggie

Alrite Chief

My ultimate European Club tip. And it genuinely works.

Bring a dozen top flights. When you send them into all the gorse and heath, as you do there, you will head in to find your ball. You won't find it. You never do there. But what you will find is several pro v 1's the American rich folk have lost. You will come home with buckets of them.

Seves Three Iron

The European Club is an expensive place to play but in defence of Pat Ruddy - and I by no means speak for him - he put everything into that place. If you read his book, 50 years in a bunker, he says he literally remortgaged his house, sold the 'fancy car' and cashed in every savings policy he had to make that place a reality. As most people know, it took years before he was even able to afford a club house. Whatever he gets out of it now, fair play. That would be my thinking anyhow.

Visited him a few months ago for a book I was writing and what a guy. Didn't know me from Adam but spent the day with me, free grub, free golf, bringing me around the entire course in a beat up old Nissan car and basically giving me the run of the place. Sound man. His son works there too, another good fella. Some people will moan about the cost of green fees there but I genuinely think it's a great golf story.

ForeRight

Seves Three Iron wrote: »

The European Club is an expensive place to play but in defence of Pat Ruddy - and I by no means speak for him - he put everything into that place. If you read his book, 50 years in a bunker, he says he literally remortgaged his house, sold the 'fancy car' and cashed in every savings policy he had to make that place a reality. As most people know, it took years before he was even able to afford a club house. Whatever he gets out of it now, fair play. That would be my thinking anyhow.

Visited him a few months ago for a book I was writing and what a guy. Didn't know me from Adam but spent the day with me, free grub, free golf, bringing me around the entire course in a beat up old Nissan car and basically giving me the run of the place. Sound man. His son works there too, another good fella. Some people will moan about the cost of green fees there but I genuinely think it's a great golf story.

One day i was there he pulled up behind me on a pathway that crossed a hole in that banged up silver nissan maxima. Stopped his car as I was addressing a shot then off he trotted when I hit.

He was very pleasant in the club house afterwards and we had a good long chat about all sorts. telling me stories about lads in helicopters arriving down that morning from mount juliet to play their round only to realise that their tee time was not until the next day. They didnt want to jump in ojn the time sheet as it was a little busy so off the went on the chopper back to play mount juliet.

Next day the chopper arrived again and they played.

The fella who was the main man in the group was a russian businessman. he had just sold a 10% stake in his mining company in russia and recieved 2 billion euro for that 10%.


Cruel reality check as I hopped into my banged up rusty bucket of poo of a car to drive all the way home hoping I didnt have to stop and shell out for petrol.

WHIP IT!

ForeRight wrote: »

One day i was there he pulled up behind me on a pathway that crossed a hole in that banged up silver nissan maxima. Stopped his car as I was addressing a shot then off he trotted when I hit.

He was very pleasant in the club house afterwards and we had a good long chat about all sorts. telling me stories about lads in helicopters arriving down that morning from mount juliet to play their round only to realise that their tee time was not until the next day. They didnt want to jump in ojn the time sheet as it was a little busy so off the went on the chopper back to play mount juliet.

Next day the chopper arrived again and they played.

The fella who was the main man in the group was a russian businessman. he had just sold a 10% stake in his mining company in russia and recieved 2 billion euro for that 10%.


Cruel reality check as I hopped into my banged up rusty bucket of poo of a car to drive all the way home hoping I didnt have to stop and shell out for petrol.

Least you didn't turn up on the wrong day though..... heh heh... stoopid Russians...

mike12

It is just behind RCD on my list of favourite courses, it would be a great course to have an Irish open on if it was more accessiable by road. In my opinion it is the best links in Leinster so for 60 euro it is expensive but at the same time a must play.
Mike

onlyfinewine

WHIP IT! wrote: »

Least you didn't turn up on the wrong day though..... heh heh... stoopid Russians...

Stoopid Russion Billionaires???

Unglika Norse

ForeRight wrote: »

Winner gets a 4 ball voucher for the European Club.

I wouldn't see a thing wrong with getting a voucher that is worth e720 in the summer as a prize.

amadain

mike12 wrote: »

It is just behind RCD on my list of favourite courses...... In my opinion it is the best links in Leinster.....

How many great links courses in Leinster.....8 ?

Seapoint, Co Louth (Baltray), The Island, Portmarnock, Portmarnock Hotel & Links, St. Anne’s, Royal Dublin and The European.

onlyfinewine

Unglika Norse wrote: »

I wouldn't see a thing wrong with getting a voucher that is worth e720 in the summer as a prize.

I just wonder if any four-ball is worth 720 Euro? And they were not even the dearest. Old Head was 1200 Euro per tee time. (1 to 4 players)

Even in Celtic Tiger days it was a big spend and when you factor in the cost of transport and meals these days you are talking about very close to a grand.

When you leave the place all you take with you are your memories! I agree they can be priceless. Except they can be less pricey in other courses.

Is there any limit to the amount that should be paid for a game of golf ?

onlyfinewine

amadain wrote: »

How many great links courses in Leinster.....8 ?

Seapoint, Co Louth (Baltray), The Island, Portmarnock, Portmarnock Hotel & Links, St. Anne’s, Royal Dublin and The European.

What about Laytown / Bettystown, and Rosslare?

FixdePitchmark

onlyfinewine wrote: »

What about Laytown / Bettystown, and Rosslare?

Rush
Sutton
Corballis :P

"great"

WHIP IT!

onlyfinewine wrote: »

Stoopid Russion Billionaires???

It's ok, I was making a joke.
You didn't quite get it - and that's fine...

Fixdepitchmark
Rush
Sutton
Corballis

"great"

Aw Man, don't slag Rush - I love Rush! Great little nine-holer, always a treat.

link_2007

onlyfinewine wrote: »

What about Laytown / Bettystown, and Rosslare?

Is this place nice?

I have an aunt that lives in Bettystown and I have been promising to visit her. Could kill the two birds with one stone.

AGC

Lovely course. Have played it plenty of times and never in bad condition

mike12

amadain wrote: »

How many great links courses in Leinster.....8 ?

Seapoint, Co Louth (Baltray), The Island, Portmarnock, Portmarnock Hotel & Links, St. Anne’s, Royal Dublin and The European.

There are only 50 in the whole country and there are 6 great ones in Leinster, 2 portmarnocks, The Island, RD, Baltray and the European which i think is the best and it would be rated a lot higher in all top 100 lists if it had the history or hosted an Irish open like some of the others.
Mike