Tuff tracks

golfnut1

Hey Guys
What do you think are the easiest/ most difficult courses in the country?
IMO Limerick and Adare Manor (the smaller) are lovely courses and i enjoy playing because they won’t crucify you if haven’t your “A” game with you.
On the other hand Waterville will and I love it for that reason.
Played it once on a lovely day and came off a broken man.
Serious track!! If you can off your handicap there you can play to it anywhere.
Not a member of any of the above
What are your experience’s?

mike12

European club is tough even if u have your A game. Think most links courses will kill you if you are a bit off your game.
Mike

golfnut1

mike12 wrote: »

European club is tough even if u have your A game. Think most links courses will kill you if you are a bit off your game.
Mike

Yeah never played it but heard its a monster

charlieIRL

Athlone, pure nightmare unless you are a low handicapper on top of your game.
New Forest can be tough enough as well.

For an easy spin, Mount Temple is handy enough score on.

golfnut1

charlieIRL wrote: »

Athlone, pure nightmare unless you are a low handicapper on top of your game.
New Forest can be tough enough as well.

For an easy spin, Mount Temple is handy enough score on.

Yeah athlone is a really good test
New forest is good too.
Never played mount temple

sssssiiiiimon

Eniscrone. In the rain and wind.

Last time I played it I cried a little.

golfnut1

sssssiiiiimon wrote: »

Eniscron. In the rain and wind.

Last time I played it I cried a little.

Ha ha. Yeah I hear you!
Super test

charlieIRL

sssssiiiiimon wrote: »

Eniscrone. In the rain and wind.

Last time I played it I cried a little.

i was in Enniscrone a few weeks ago (on a family break so no clubs) and on one of the days it was windy. Even then i still wanted to play the course. Looks very very hard.

DoctaDee

European is exceptionally tough, as is his other course in Donegal Glashedy, there's a degree of unfairness to them - 2 or 20 yards off the fairway makes no difference yer liable to get the same lie (if ya find it). Headfort New & The Heritage off the tips are a great test of golf and fair too.

Not necesssarily easy courses .. moreso courses I seem to score well on ... Naas, Rathsallagh, Dundalk, Seapoint

Dr_Colossus

sssssiiiiimon wrote: »

Eniscrone. In the rain and wind.

Last time I played it I cried a little.

+1, the first and only time I played it was in an open day back in May. Horrendous day with relentless rain accompanied by a gale force wind resulting in a small crowd of die hard golfers on the course. Probably wouldn't have played given the conditions but I'd traveled a good distance to get there. Fantastic course and layout and someday I'll be back in less inclement weather conditions.

Found the Montgomerie course in Carton House a grind and somewhat demoralising trying to stay out of all the deep fairway and greenside bunkers. Apart from all the bunkers it's somewhat forgettable and holes seem to blend into one another so it wouldn't be one of my favorites.

dnjoyce

DoctaDee wrote: »

European is exceptionally tough, as is his other course in Donegal Glashedy, there's a degree of unfairness to them - 2 or 20 yards off the fairway makes no difference yer liable to get the same lie (if ya find it). Headfort New & The Heritage off the tips are a great test of golf and fair too.

Not necesssarily easy courses .. moreso courses I seem to score well on ... Naas, Rathsallagh, Dundalk, Seapoint

+1 for the European and The Heritage off the back, both really strong courses. Royal Portrush is another that is rarely easy with some brutal holes even in relatively calm conditions. Back 9 in Concra wood is very challenging but front 9 is a bit more user friendly

golfnut1

dnjoyce wrote: »

DoctaDee wrote: »

European is exceptionally tough, as is his other course in Donegal Glashedy, there's a degree of unfairness to them - 2 or 20 yards off the fairway makes no difference yer liable to get the same lie (if ya find it). Headfort New & The Heritage off the tips are a great test of golf and fair too.

Not necesssarily easy courses .. moreso courses I seem to score well on ... Naas, Rathsallagh, Dundalk, Seapoint

+1 for the European and The Heritage off the back, both really strong courses. Royal Portrush is another that is rarely easy with some brutal holes even in relatively calm conditions. Back 9 in Concra wood is very challenging but front 9 is a bit more user friendly

The only one I have played that mentioned is glashedy course ballyliffin tuff course alright. Still think waterville is a different league in terms of difficulty. Tis an animal!!
Has anyone played it? Your opinion on it?

Mr. Larson

I've never had the privelege of playing either Druids course or the European Club off the back sticks but they aren't especially difficult off Whites, so I have to assume Blues are what everyone is talking about. Would like to know how a non-member gets to play either from the Blues because the masochist in me would love a go at it!!

golfnut1

Jabberwocky wrote: »

I've never had the privelege of playing either Druids course or the European Club off the back sticks but they aren't especially difficult off Whites, so I have to assume Blues are what everyone is talking about. Would like to know how a non-member gets to play either from the Blues because the masochist in me would love a go at it!!

Yellows and whites are tuff enough for me.
Hell sometimes I'd struggle off the reds!!

Mr. Larson

Same as that, my fellow nut... but anytime I have played the European or Druids I have invariably looked over my shoulder back at the Blues and thought, Jesus, different ball game altogether.

brick tamland

Havent played some of the above but the toughest ive played is the Monty in carlton. So man deep bunkers on both the fairways and by the green. I was in so many it I could have brought a bucket and spade. Loved it though

Osgoodisgood

The Island from the back markers on a windy day.
Just the toughest round of golf I've ever played.
Fun too if you like some s&m golfing!

Doc Daneeka

I think its important to make a distinction between courses that are just downright tough but fair and those that are unduly punishing. Some courses can be very tough but they are also just bad golf courses.

Waterville is tough but rewards good shots and is a great course because of this. Not tricked up and reasonable room off the tee. Very few blind shots either which I think is good.

Fatswaldo

With Doc on this. Played Druids a few weeks back off the blues (with a member) and was a great experience. Think about the shots and it can be very rewarding. Blaze away with the driver or without thought and be cast into oblivion! (Ok so a litte dramatic, but you get the gist)

Nuri Sahin

Osgoodisgood wrote: »

The Island from the back markers on a windy day.
Just the toughest round of golf I've ever played.

+1

Brutal experience the day I was out there, likewise Portmarnock the one and only time I was there. I made a complete mess of that first hole with the strong winds coming in off the left and me fighting a slice at the time Funny enough the slice came in handy on back 9 especially 15 :pac:

European Club is a given as well. Even on a nice day it's still extremely difficult.

DoctaDee

brick tamland wrote: »

Havent played some of the above but the toughest ive played is the Monty in carlton. So man deep bunkers on both the fairways and by the green. I was in so many it I could have brought a bucket and spade. Loved it though

1st time I played Monty was -2 for front 9, not in a single bunker, back 9 was +8 was in every bunker !

Osgoodisgood wrote: »

The Island from the back markers on a windy day.
Just the toughest round of golf I've ever played.
Fun too if you like some s&m golfing!

Yeah I learned to play golf in The Island, because I'd nothing to compare it to, I assumed most coures were as challenging. That course could've hosted an Irish Open

golfnut1 wrote: »

The only one I have played that mentioned is glashedy course ballyliffin tuff course alright. Still think waterville is a different league in terms of difficulty. Tis an animal!!
Has anyone played it? Your opinion on it?

Actually played in a 3 day comp in Ballyliffin and was paired 2 days with a member from Waterville & Ballybunion - have still to take up their offer for both courses. Guy from Waterville won the overall

Jabberwocky wrote: »

Same as that, my fellow nut... but anytime I have played the European or Druids I have invariably looked over my shoulder back at the Blues and thought, Jesus, different ball game altogether.

I thank my stars everytime I play European that we're not off the blues !

conno16

Elm Green was playing very tough around that time that the local skangers broke in and dug up / burnt the greens
very difficult to pick a line when putting

however it is usually one of the easiest courses around
as is Elm Park

i've never really left a course feeling it was too difficult or tough
everyone needs to play within their own parameters, that should be calculated on a physical and psychological basis
therefore one should have a clear understanding of what is possible on a given day - reach those targets and you can take great satisfaction
if you dont reach those targets though, it should not have anything to do with the course being "tuff"

golfnut1

conno16 wrote: »

Elm Green was playing very tough around that time that the local skangers broke in and dug up / burnt the greens
very difficult to pick a line when putting

however it is usually one of the easiest courses around
as is Elm Park

i've never really left a course feeling it was too difficult or tough
everyone needs to play within their own parameters, that should be calculated on a physical and psychological basis
therefore one should have a clear understanding of what is possible on a given day - reach those targets and you can take great satisfaction
if you dont reach those targets though, it should not have anything to do with the course being "tuff"

Conno stop waffeling will ya.
Judging from some of your previous post I'm not at all surprised that you have never left a course feeling too difficult!!
HA HA

DoctaDee

It's just a fact of golf that some courses are beyond a player's handicap - this I think is where the Americans have the right idea with regard to their slope rating. Their handicap is adjusted based on the perceived difficulty or slope of the course compared to their home course.

Players of equal handicap do not necessarily have the same playing ability - I'd imagine that a 10 handicap in say The Island would equate to maybe a 7 in Donabate just down da road. One of the aspects when judging a course's toughness is how we scored on the particular course - sometimes yer behind the 8 ball handicap wise before even hitting yer 1st tee shot !

FixdePitchmark

Was a member of Enniscrone as a teen. The fearlessness of youth was great. Would fall over with fear these days up there, new underpants required too. I don't know if it is because I had no cart, but Maccreddin is one the toughest I've played in 5 years, along with Lahinch.

But conditions are a key factor. I almost cried on Greenore in solid wind and rain for five hours two weeks ago to the day. Still seeing a physio for my body two weeks later , not joking. "I grow old , I grow old.........". I'm only bloody 34 (lol).

golfnut1

DoctaDee wrote: »

It's just a fact of golf that some courses are beyond a player's handicap - this I think is where the Americans have the right idea with regard to their slope rating. Their handicap is adjusted based on the perceived difficulty or slope of the course compared to their home course.

Players of equal handicap do not necessarily have the same playing ability - I'd imagine that a 10 handicap in say The Island would equate to maybe a 7 in Donabate just down da road. One of the aspects when judging a course's toughness is how we scored on the particular course - sometimes yer behind the 8 ball handicap wise before even hitting yer 1st tee shot !

Exactly right doctadee.
By the fact that there is a slope rate proves that some course are harder than others.

DoctaDee

This is the toughest course I ever played - verified by USGA slope rating of 153 and a SS of nearly 78, extending to nearly 7,400 yards http://www.oldcorkscrew.com/layout9.asp?id=229&page=7865

dnjoyce

DoctaDee wrote: »

This is the toughest course I ever played - verified by USGA slope rating of 153 and a SS of nearly 78, extending to nearly 7,400 yards http://www.oldcorkscrew.com/layout9.asp?id=229&page=7865

Well, if we're extending it out of Ireland :-) I played Bethpage Black off the back markers (not the US Open tees) and it was a real slog. Started grand because I was hitting fairways but even when you miss them by a few feet the green becomes unreachable on a lot of the back 9 due to the extreme length and deep-ish rough.

DoctaDee

dnjoyce wrote: »

Well, if we're extending it out of Ireland :-) I played Bethpage Black off the back markers (not the US Open tees) and it was a real slog. Started grand because I was hitting fairways but even when you miss them by a few feet the green becomes unreachable on a lot of the back 9 due to the extreme length and deep-ish rough.

Is Bethpage first come first served .. just queue up on any given day ? .. nearly sure I heard of lads sleepin overnight in a car to get a tee time .. bit like Deer Park Howth here years ago !

dnjoyce

DoctaDee wrote: »

Is Bethpage first come first served .. just queue up on any given day ? .. nearly sure I heard of lads sleepin overnight in a car to get a tee time .. bit like Deer Park Howth here years ago !

NY residents can book over the phone a week in advance but it is generally v difficult to do as tout companies jam up the phonelines trying to get times to sell on at crazy secondary market prices, but I played in Nov so it was easier. Went out there on spec on my own once about 2 weeks before it closed for the '09 US Open and waited from 5am til Noon and not a single person cancelled or didn't show! They have 4 other courses though so I just played one of them.

k.p.h

This sign is pretty famous by now.Some course I do be wrecked playing it on the PS3 :eek:

DoctaDee

dnjoyce wrote: »

NY residents can book over the phone a week in advance but it is generally v difficult to do as tout companies jam up the phonelines trying to get times to sell on at crazy secondary market prices, but I played in Nov so it was easier. Went out there on spec on my own once about 2 weeks before it closed for the '09 US Open and waited from 5am til Noon and not a single person cancelled or didn't show! They have 4 other courses though so I just played one of them.

Excellent - would love to do NY golf trip sometime. Slope and SS ratings for '09 US Open are comparable with Old Corkscrew .. our dick measuring excercise has provided no clear winner

k.p.h

The 4th at Bethpage Black is epic. The 17th is also a really hard Par 3 .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzGvoIrgOqM

Nuri Sahin

If talking outside of Ireland. Bethpage is the an absolute brute. Pictures, nor words do it no justice. Hoping to get out there in late January again. Played it a few times. One day I'll break 80.. or die trying :pac:

k.p.h wrote: »

This sign is pretty famous by now.Some course I do be wrecked playing it on the PS3 :eek:

Pfft, easy on Tiger Woods!

Tones69

DoctaDee wrote: »

It's just a fact of golf that some courses are beyond a player's handicap - this I think is where the Americans have the right idea with regard to their slope rating. Their handicap is adjusted based on the perceived difficulty or slope of the course compared to their home course.

Players of equal handicap do not necessarily have the same playing ability - I'd imagine that a 10 handicap in say The Island would equate to maybe a 7 in Donabate just down da road. One of the aspects when judging a course's toughness is how we scored on the particular course - sometimes yer behind the 8 ball handicap wise before even hitting yer 1st tee shot !

Ya could be right there, having said that, Im a 17 hcapper only playing 5 months, my friend is in the same boat. We hit smurfit in the K club yesterday and we both played pretty well surprisingly enough, i was staring at an 87 or 88 no prob then i made an absolute scutch of 2 holes lol, ended up 93 strokes but was still happy with the overall performance considering the course and the windy conditions, the css for that place does be 23/33 pts at times or 76/77

Tones69

El LoCo Ade wrote: »

If talking outside of Ireland. Bethpage is the an absolute brute. Pictures, nor words do it no justice. Hoping to get out there in late January again. Played it a few times. One day I'll break 80.. or die trying :pac:





Pfft, easy on Tiger Woods!

Would love to play it next summer or whenever the chance arose