Looking To Join A Club in Cork

Deco1983

I'm new to north cork area after relocating with job move and was looking to maybe join a new club. From the web it looks like Mallow,Kanturk or Charleville would be my immediate options.

Never played any of them before to be honest so I would maybe need to try each before making a decision. Also asked a few of my golfing obsesssed friends from back home about these courses an was advised strongly to steer clear of Kanturk..he didn't elaborate on that one!!

Anyone have any advice or maybe recommendations on tracks that I may have missed

Cheers
D

ssbob

Deco1983 wrote: »

I'm new to north cork area after relocating with job move and was looking to maybe join a new club. From the web it looks like Mallow,Kanturk or Charleville would be my immediate options.

Never played any of them before to be honest so I would maybe need to try each before making a decision. Also asked a few of my golfing obsesssed friends from back home about these courses an was advised strongly to steer clear of Kanturk..he didn't elaborate on that one!!

Anyone have any advice or maybe recommendations on tracks that I may have missed

Cheers
D

What part of North Cork?

Deco1983

Outside Mallow town

ssbob

Deco1983 wrote: »

Outside Mallow town

Mallow then mate, it's a good track and you don't want to be travelling 25/30 mins for every time you want a game of golf.

Freemount09

Hi Deco,

Play them and see which you prefer !

I'm not a member of any of them but here's my opinions for what they are worth.

Mallow: Never played it ! But have heard only good things about it. Was supposed to play it last month but course was full the same day. Think its the most expensive of the 3 to join.

Kanturk: Got to drive the ball straight. Lots of trees there to avoid. Holes are pretty short. Greens are like upturned bowls. Course kept in good nick in general. Greens were like lightening a few mts ago - not as fast the last time I played there about 3 wks ago.

Charleville: The last time I played there remember thinking that my 2nd shot on most of the holes was a 7 iron and would have prefered more variation and use more of the clubs in my bag ! Course has been in good nick here too whenever I've played here ! There are 27 holes and I haven't played the other 9 holes in a while. Carpark usually busy (even at night) anyway so I'd say there's a good club athmosphere there ! (Other two might have this too but I don't drive past them so can't comment)

What are you playing off ? PM me or let me know if you want someone to go out with ?

Oh and welcome to North Cork !!

jimmystars

Check out the aspirant member. Good value. Best of the courses around imo.

http://www.mallowgolfclub.net/become-a-member

Deco1983

Cheers Lads - all good advice and information

Mallow and Charleville would be fairly close in drive time. What are the extra 9 holes in Charleville like?

Heard that Kanturk course was not the worse(Apart from the saucers!) but that it was not the most welcoming of clubs and that they had a bad rep from a incidents a few years ago that was still hanging around.

Anyone have the lowdown on Mallow and attitude to newbies or reputation?

Cheers
D

Holy Diver

Mallow is grand out. I joined recently and everyone has been more than helpful. You are going to get a few knobs in every club but as long that isn't the overall theme it matters not

Deco1983

Thanks Holy Diver

Freemount09

Deco1983 wrote: »

Cheers Lads - all good advice and information

Mallow and Charleville would be fairly close in drive time. What are the extra 9 holes in Charleville like?

Heard that Kanturk course was not the worse(Apart from the saucers!) but that it was not the most welcoming of clubs and that they had a bad rep from a incidents a few years ago that was still hanging around.

Anyone have the lowdown on Mallow and attitude to newbies or reputation?

Cheers
D

The extra 9 holes in Charleville are just as good if not better than any of the holes in the main course ! They are not short or poxy or an afterthought in any way.

The members I've spoke to the few times I've been there have been welcoming and nice.

I've played Kanturk three times once slightly offput by person in clubhouse, once good experience in clubhouse and the other time didn't get to go in.

But as I said play them all anyway before you commit to joining anywhere.

soundsham

Mallow for me Kanturk and Charleville are only fair

Holy Diver

Deco1983 wrote: »

Thanks Holy Diver

No prob - give a pm if you want to play a round at some stage

Zardoz

Freemount09 wrote: »

Mallow: Was supposed to play it last month but course was full the same day.

And therein lies the problem,its always full and busy .
Too many competitions ,too little free tee times.
Casual golf is almost impossible nowadays I'm afraid.

Deco1983

Quick update - played Charleville and Mallow in the last week and enjoyed both very much.I came away very very impressed with Charleville though.

C'Ship Course is tight and being accurate off the tee is key but you are rewarded for this I found. A lot of 150yard approach shots as eluded to by an earlier boards poster alright but didn't take away from a great experience.

The real plus of the day was a quick run over the extra 9 holes on the East course at Charleville...excellent...completely different experience...reminded me a bit of the O'Meara course at Carton house(greens a bit slow though)

Freemount09

Cheers for the update.

I'm leaning towards joining Charleville too. I think the extra 9 holes are a great bonus too and always guarantees you getting out for a few holes if some society / competition have the main course booked for a time that you want to play.

What did you think of Mallow ? I still have to get out there !

goodie2

I used to be a member in Kanturk while i lived there. Its an ok course. Greens very tricky. Found it boring after a while. I now live in Mallow so i joined there this year after they removed the levy. Its a harder course that will sort out your driving off the tee. Its a bit hilly for some people but a good challenge. I find the members all sound up there too and the grub is good and good value.I havent played Charleville in a while but when i did i found it very good and the extra 9 holes makes it interesting. I think either Mallow or Charleville and play them both a few times first to see. Best of luck.

Deco1983

Cheers Goodie

Played Kanturk in the last week and its not up to the class of either Mallow or Charleville I'd have to say. Green designs are irritating(possible unfair?) and a couple of the par 3's at least are after thoughts and are no better that an average par 3 course.

Mallow is fairly hilly but that gives it own challenges - a good test of golf i would say and enjoyed it very much and will go back again

Found people/members pretty rude in Kanturk too to be honest so have no interest in joining there

Miley Byrne

Deco1983 wrote: »

Cheers Goodie

Played Kanturk in the last week and its not up to the class of either Mallow or Charleville I'd have to say. Green designs are irritating(possible unfair?) and a couple of the par 3's at least are after thoughts and are no better that an average par 3 course.

Mallow is fairly hilly but that gives it own challenges - a good test of golf i would say and enjoyed it very much and will go back again

Found people/members pretty rude in Kanturk too to be honest so have no interest in joining there

In what way were they rude Deco1983? Was it on the course or in and about the clubhouse?

staker

Played Kanturk recently myself too. Those greens are tough,I'd imagine it'san easier course to play in the "wet season",where there's a good bite to the greens.I'm a member of Mitchelstown myself OP.Good test of all bats,and friendly too. €680 a year.

ondarack

staker wrote: »

Played Kanturk recently myself too. Those greens are tough,I'd imagine it'san easier course to play in the "wet season",where there's a good bite to the greens.I'm a member of Mitchelstown myself OP.Good test of all bats,and friendly too. €680 a year.

played in michelstown yesterday myself, liked the course but was very disappointed in the amount of freshly cut grass everywhere, it looked like it hadnt been cut in a couple of weeks and just cut it yesterday...made it very difficult to play in. Also on the 12th tee there were 4 women who jumped in front of us when it clearly says on a sign that priority is given to patrons coming from the 11th, which they werent and we were, really slowed down the rest of our game

staker

ondarack wrote: »

played in michelstown yesterday myself, liked the course but was very disappointed in the amount of freshly cut grass everywhere, it looked like it hadnt been cut in a couple of weeks and just cut it yesterday...made it very difficult to play in. Also on the 12th tee there were 4 women who jumped in front of us when it clearly says on a sign that priority is given to patrons coming from the 11th, which they werent and we were, really slowed down the rest of our game

That 12th box is a constant source of consternation alright. If there's a 12 hole comp in play inevitably the members walking off the 5th onto the 12th claim the right of way.
Really frustrating when this happens to the 18 hole player but you should've been waved through if you were being held up.
Played there myself this morning and yes there was still an lot of grass cuttings on the course,they're due to cut it down further again on Monday.

I'm pretty sure there's a 12 hole ladies comp on Thursday afternoons there too.

Deco1983

denisoc16 wrote: »

In what way were they rude Deco1983? Was it on the course or in and about the clubhouse?

sorry for delay was away on hols for a while - Up and around the by the clubhouse by couple of older gentlemen. Heard over the weekend from a friend of a friend that the h'cap messing that goes on in Kanturk is legendary...not sure if this is true

Miley Byrne

Deco1983 wrote: »

sorry for delay was away on hols for a while - Up and around the by the clubhouse by couple of older gentlemen. Heard over the weekend from a friend of a friend that the h'cap messing that goes on in Kanturk is legendary...not sure if this is true

To be honest 99% of the people you would meet there are spot on I suppose you will always come across the odd bad apple, so to speak. Of the handicap messing, while it does go on, I'm not sure if it's any worse than any other club to be honest. It has gained legendary status but I think it's not as bad as what people make out. Yes there are bandits there, but they are in a minority and wouldn't be applauded for it.

curly from cork

Played in Kanturk a few times recently as we had a match there. I found the staff to be be nice and helpful . Didnt encounter any hassle at all . Well kept tricky course with lethal greens ! Up turned saucers :eek:

Miley Byrne

curly from cork wrote: »

Played in Kanturk a few times recently as we had a match there. I found the staff to be be nice and helpful . Didnt encounter any hassle at all . Well kept tricky course with lethal greens ! Up turned saucers :eek:

Ya the greens are tricky alright. But as the course it relatively short, it's only defence really are the greens. They are small and hard to hold. But they run very true and are lightening fast during the summer months. They have been in great condition for the last few years. Plus the rough has been grown this year aswell so that added to the small, difficult greens make it a tricky enough course during the summer.

The_Kew_Tour

Doneraile is another option although its 9 hole course is in top shape

staker

Like Curly says I played Kanturk a few weeks ago and found it very hospitable both in the clubhouse and on the track.
Only grumble I had with the place is I couldn't hold the greens..:pac:
Like all courses there's always the one or two I suppose.

ssbob

staker wrote: »

Like Curly says I played Kanturk a few weeks ago and found it very hospitable both in the clubhouse and on the track.
Only grumble I had with the place is I couldn't hold the greens..:pac:
Like all courses there's always the one or two I suppose.

Couple of similar instances happened me elesewhere:

Fermoy GC: Playing last year with my brother who was playing his first round of golf, asked the pro if he could play off the reds just to get him started, pro said no problem, out on the course 3 women approached us saying that he shouldn't be playing off the reds, we explained our case then they accused him of cutting up tee boxes which he genuinely hadn't!!

Mitchelstown GC: Play here alot, a few weeks ago was playing 9 holes so were told to stay on the old side of the course and go from 5 to 12 but give right of way to players coming off 11, when going from 5 to 12 nobody was on the 11th green so we tee'd off, we were held up on the 14th tee which is beside the 13th fairway and a 3-ball approached us giving us dogs abuse about cutting in, I politely explained the story but they went off cursing mad, bit dissapointed cause I love the course!