European Amateur

AGC

Will be held on the Monty Course next year.

Brilliant event to have here

http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/golf/ireland-to-host-european-amateur-golf-championship-next-year-528559.html

gorfield

AGC wrote: »

Will be held on the Monty Course next year.

Brilliant event to have here

http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/golf/ireland-to-host-european-amateur-golf-championship-next-year-528559.html

Yep great event!! On a brutal golf course unfortunatly..:( logical location though given the facilities there!

anticonno16

gorfield wrote: »

AGC wrote: »

Will be held on the Monty Course next year.

Brilliant event to have here

http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/golf/ireland-to-host-european-amateur-golf-championship-next-year-528559.html

Yep great event!! On a brutal golf course unfortunatly..:( logical location though given the facilities there!

It's an ok track.

What's the cut off for this? I'm off 8.

dvemail

anticonno16 wrote: »

It's an ok track.

What's the cut off for this? I'm off 8.

lol, it will be a close one :rolleyes:

Benicetomonty

gorfield wrote: »

AGC wrote: »

Will be held on the Monty Course next year.


Yep great event!! On a brutal golf course unfortunatly..:( logical location though given the facilities there!

Deffo have to disagree with you there G, i think its a great course! Unless you mean brutal difficult! Tough but fair, as long as they keep the rough reasonable itl be a great spectacle.

Dr_Colossus

gorfield wrote: »

Yep great event!! On a brutal golf course unfortunatly..:( logical location though given the facilities there!

Agreed, bland and forgettable course in terms of every hole sort of blending into one another with none of them standing out as being particularly pretty or memorable. Granted it's a long tough track and usually well kept with a myriad of bunkers all over the place but doesn't exactly entice you back.
Just don't understand why it gets such positive reviews. There are so many better courses around to advertise golf in Ireland.

Nerdstrom

Quote:
Originally Posted by gorfield
Yep great event!! On a brutal golf course unfortunatly.. logical location though given the facilities there!

Agreed, bland and forgettable course in terms of every hole sort of blending into one another with none of them standing out as being particularly pretty or memorable. Granted it's a long tough track and usually well kept with a myriad of bunkers all over the place but doesn't exactly entice you back.
Just don't understand why it gets such positive reviews. There are so many better courses around to advertise golf in Ireland.

I would agree with Gorf and Dr C.

Its a shame we cant show off our great links' in our biggest international events. Thinking back to Irish open in Killarney, Carton, Adare, Fota. The European open in K club, Ryder cup in K club, Solheim in Killeen Castle. The American express WGC in Mount juliet. Although every now and then the Irish Open has visited Baltray, Portmarnock and Ballybunion, Its a shame it couldnt be more often.

Obviously the parkland courses I mentioned are wonderful venues for all sorts of reasons, but imo, we should be known, along with scotland, for our unique links courses which are picturesque, and challenging. And no other countries could say the same.

To get back to the point here, I find carton hs bland, and uninteresting. Deep bunkers, and severely undulating large sized greens would not have been hard to design. And I think its fair to say that when watching the Irish open there on TV it appeared to be utterly featureless

Diageo1

Cut for the irish amateur is normally around +1 so god knows what this will be for people not getting the invites from their national union.

waterville72

I think the Monty is a golf course that grows on you the more you play it. There are a lot of subtleties to the design which you just dont get in the first few times you play it. Its not much too look at granted. But its a super driving course and the approach shots have to be accurate on a lot of holes or you will struggle for par. A lot of greens have sides that roll off into traps and swails.
It gets a lot! easier the more you play it and becomes a lot more enjoyable to play it. Played it Tuesday by the way and its in super nick.

Johnny_Fontane

Huge fan of the monty...its an absolute beast, beautifully scuplted and they will make it very very difficult.

Very surprised that some of our esteemed members dont like it. Probably because of the way it played a couple of years ago for them.....

I think it was one of the big amateur tournaments, the wind blew, the conditions were savage and people were shooting in the 90's.

Trampas

Will conno enter?

gorfield

Benicetomonty wrote: »

gorfield wrote: »

Deffo have to disagree with you there G, i think its a great course! Unless you mean brutal difficult! Tough but fair, as long as they keep the rough reasonable itl be a great spectacle.

Fair?? Haha you clearly don't understand what a fair golf course entails.
It's just a shame that with all the incredible golf courses we have that ut has to go to the monty, the pros hated it so much they wouldn't play the Irish open unless it was shortened to less that 7000yds..... Go look at the video footage and ul see.
It's a perfect choice for the GUI as it's our national hq and the whole facility is fantastic but I along with many of the other players will compete just don't fancy the place... If it was a vote, i would have gone with palmerstown house, in my mind the most complete parkland in the country.

Still can't wait for the tournament though!

charlieIRL

Trampas wrote: »

Will conno enter?

he prob wouldn't stoop so low!!!

He wants to be on the pga with Tiger:D

Opics

anticonno16 wrote: »

It's an ok track.

What's the cut off for this? I'm off 8.

Thanks a lot. I almost spilt my coffee on the keyboard laughing

Whyner

Trampas wrote: »

Will conno enter?

Is that all you can think off? :rolleyes:

Benicetomonty

gorfield wrote: »

Benicetomonty wrote: »

Fair?? Haha you clearly don't understand what a fair golf course entails.
QUOTE]

Having played it many times (and struggled many times ) I'm still at a loss as to what you find so blatently unfair about the place! Sure it's long and there are bunkers everywhere but at least it's all out in front of you! The only blind shot on the entire course is the tee shot on 13 and that's only if you decide to go for the green in the first place.

Is it the depth of the bunkers? Nothing compared to the links courses that have been mentioned with such lamentation! The amount of them? Plenty of space before, left, right or in front of them if you've checked your yardages!

It has never been anything less than immaculately presented anytime I ever played it. The greens are excellent and not overly treacherous (with the exception of the 5th hole possible which is already difficult enough as it is). The year of the Irish amateur a few years back, they simply overgrew the rough. In my mind that was the only problem and it's easily corrected, like Carnoustie was in 2007 after disaster of 1999.
The pros shot good scores during the Irish Open - hell Bjorn shot 64 or 65 in the last round to win did he not?

Another thing I like about it is the run-off areas around the greens- they're cut down to fairway length so if you miss a green (and you will), you can chip/bellywedge/putt whatever way you want.

Whatever about the aesthetics, it's bizarre to call it unfair imo.

Nerdstrom

hell Bjorn shot 64 or 65 in the last round to win did he not?

He did alright, off the green tees!

Benicetomonty

Nerdstrom wrote: »

He did alright, off the green tees!

And whats the problem? Ballybunion in 2000 saw pros play off forward tees as well. And thats way shorter than Carton. What's your point?
Don't see why the ams can't play from the forward tees if they want to. If it'l help with the hissy fits

Nerdstrom

Benicetomonty Quote:
Originally Posted by Nerdstrom
He did alright, off the green tees!

And whats the problem? Ballybunion in 2000 saw pros play off forward tees as well. And thats way shorter than Carton. What's your point?
Don't see why the ams can't play from the forward tees if they want to. If it'l help with the hissy fits

The point is that while the european tour have no problem shortening a course by up to 600 yards if they see fit, the national golf unions/course staff do no think the same way.

The fact is that 17 of the tee boxes were on the back of the back markers in the 04 amateur, and the irish open I think maybe 1 back box was used? Not certain about the latter as i didnt play, but i heard it was only one back tee, and a few were two tees up.

So if the best players in the world see it as a test from 7000 yards, it should play no longer than that for the best am's in europe, but, as time will tell, thats not gonna happen

waterville72

Was it not sloucing down for the Irish Opens? I think it was with zero run. And as we all know The PGA & European Tours are about spectacles and TV viewing numbers so they need the birdies! Imagine how boring golf would be to watch if it was a US Open set up "every" week.

I can understand why they might toughen it up for the amateurs as its about identifying the best amateur player in Europe,in all facets of the game, over those four days.

The Monty off the back markers will identify that as you need serious length and accuracy from the tee aswell as all the skills from 120 yards and in.

If they wanted a spectacle and low scores Im sure they would consider something shorter but that necessarily wouldnt identify the best player in all aspects of the game i.m.o.

anticonno16

Had a look at entry requirements on www.ega-golf.ch

You need to be in top 1200 in the world before they even think about accepting you. Also need hcap better than 0

At that rate not too many from Ireland will get in surely?

Monty is a class course. Never been in a bunker on it.

Benicetomonty

Have to agree with last two posters. Its a perfectly worthy host course. With regard to European Tour setting pins, everyone knows they set the majority of courses up easier than they could play. They appreciate that thousands of viewers are watching and theyre not going to purposely present a golf course that Rory McIlroy cant break par on-I mean, whats ur average 20 handicapper going to say to that? Except that no way am I going there to pay whatever and shoot 120! The argument that Carton is unfair because of its length is ridiculous. The amateur that was playd there had a gale blowing, thats why some scores were high. Also, i dont have the stats on me but there surely has been courses longer than the Monty that have hosted this tournament before? Big hittin just another (and increasingly important) facet of the game. Great that it, along with every aspect of your game, will be tested on a quality course next August!

gorfield

Benicetomonty wrote: »

Have to agree with last two posters. Its a perfectly worthy host course. With regard to European Tour setting pins, everyone knows they set the majority of courses up easier than they could play. They appreciate that thousands of viewers are watching and theyre not going to purposely present a golf course that Rory McIlroy cant break par on-I mean, whats ur average 20 handicapper going to say to that? Except that no way am I going there to pay whatever and shoot 120! The argument that Carton is unfair because of its length is ridiculous. The amateur that was playd there had a gale blowing, thats why some scores were high. Also, i dont have the stats on me but there surely has been courses longer than the Monty that have hosted this tournament before? Big hittin just another (and increasingly important) facet of the game. Great that it, along with every aspect of your game, will be tested on a quality course next August!

1. Did you play the Irish amateur at carton?
2. Have you played in the European amateur?

Never did anyone mention the length was the problem! It's simply a flagship tournament on a very bland and featureless golf course.... Uv missed the point old chap.

Benicetomonty

1. Did you play the Irish amateur at carton?
2. Have you played in the European amateur?

Never did anyone mention the length was the problem! It's simply a flagship tournament on a very bland and featureless golf course.... Uv missed the point old chap.[/Quote]

1) Nope. But I live in Maynooth and attended not only that but both Irish Opens. 2) I have not. What are you getting at?
Im quite aware of your golfing prowess G but if you think that makes you the voice of reason when it comes to rating golf courses, then I'll respectfully disagree. I've already stated how I could understand why people might find the course aesthetically dull. You, however, have declared the course unfair and Im contesting that. Because it isnt.

newport2

Have to say I've never seen a course divide opinions as much as Monty's. I really like it, but some people I know don't. Very contrasting opinions irregardless of handicaps

anticonno16

gorfield wrote: »

Benicetomonty wrote: »

Have to agree with last two posters. Its a perfectly worthy host course. With regard to European Tour setting pins, everyone knows they set the majority of courses up easier than they could play. They appreciate that thousands of viewers are watching and theyre not going to purposely present a golf course that Rory McIlroy cant break par on-I mean, whats ur average 20 handicapper going to say to that? Except that no way am I going there to pay whatever and shoot 120! The argument that Carton is unfair because of its length is ridiculous. The amateur that was playd there had a gale blowing, thats why some scores were high. Also, i dont have the stats on me but there surely has been courses longer than the Monty that have hosted this tournament before? Big hittin just another (and increasingly important) facet of the game. Great that it, along with every aspect of your game, will be tested on a quality course next August!

1. Did you play the Irish amateur at carton?
2. Have you played in the European amateur?

Never did anyone mention the length was the problem! It's simply a flagship tournament on a very bland and featureless golf course.... Uv missed the point old chap.

What did gorfield shoot there in 2004 Irish Am?

Me thinks well above 80?

MrTrebus

I played it yesterday for the first time and Im not sure what to make of it.
The fact the wind was HOWLING yesterday didnt help, but I really dont know how I feel about it.
One thing I DIDNT like was the fact that you could be a couple of yards off the fairway and your ball was gone !!!
whatever that long grass is called (apart from what I was calling it) was horrible.Tee off and be a little off the fairway and that was it, ball lost !!!!!

now, having siad that, the course itself was in great condition
However, I dont see what the issue would be with either the Pros or Amatuers playing it.
If your good enough to be able to control the ball flight then the length/wind etc shouldnt be an issue. I didnt see anything there that would be too difficult for a quality golfer.
Plenty of space for the top guys to place a ball !!!

I would play it again, but Id like it if the weather was a little better