Best Club in Connacht ?

bobob

Hi guys. Would like to find what your thoughts are on this matter. Moving west in next few months and thinking of joining. Played Ballinrobe over the christmas holidays and very impressed with course and membership fee.

Kevinmarkham

Links or parkland?

There are too many great links in Connacht to ignore, but if links is not your thing then Ballinrobe would be regarded as the best parkland. Castlebar is tidy, Westport has a lot of adventure (from the 7th on) and views, Claremorris is entertaining (the newer holes still feel spartan), Castle Dargan (designed by Darren Clarke) is short and well mounded and watered...

... is the region near Ballinrobe the only area you are looking at?

golfnut1

Best course in connacht is carne no debate needed. If your near it, join it.

bobob

Parkland would be my perferance. Most likely around headford area so galway within range, not sure will i be up for sitting in traffic before playing though. Carne too far but i think its a great course also. Dont know much about the other local courses to Ballinrobe.

Almaviva

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Links or parkland?

There are too many great links in Connacht to ignore

There are ? Belmullet, Enniscrone, Strandhill, Rosses Point. All fine tracks, but hardly a surfeit.

Ballinrobe is nice and probably sounds like the one to suit you OP.

Dr_Colossus

Ballinrobe is my favourite parkland in Connacht, great facilities and staff are always very friendly. A great test of golf and course is usually in good condition however I played it on 29th Dec and was very surprised and disappointed with how wet the course was. It should really have been closed as greens were near saturation level with puddles even forming on the 4th. Very muddy from tee to green also and combined with the appalling weather it didn't make for an enjoyable round. In saying that though I'll definitely be back.

If you're going to be based around Headfort then Ballinrobe and Tuam would be of equal distance. Tuam is a decent parkland course but nothing out of the ordinary, Ballinrobe would be leaps and bounds ahead of it in terms of variety and course lay out.

Cregmore Park in Claregalway would be around the same distance also, it's a relatively new course and the one time I played it I found it very open. It's very forgiving off the tee but had good quality greens during the wet period I'd played it.

Going a bit further a field there's Athenry golf club which I really like although it's a good few years now since I played it. There's Galway Bay also which is about the same distance away as Athenry but Galway traffic and it's ridiculous speed limits may be an issue. Played it on the 30th Dec in atrocious weather but it cooped so much better than Ballinrobe with all the rain. Top quality course and from tee to green was nice and firm with the rough pretty soggy.

The above are possible course considerations so you'd have to look into membership options if interested. Don't really know what each club has to offer on that front.

samdeman

portumna/ballyconneely

G1032

Dr_Colossus wrote: »

Ballinrobe is my favourite parkland in Connacht, great facilities and staff are always very friendly. A great test of golf and course is usually in good condition however I played it on 29th Dec and was very surprised and disappointed with how wet the course was. It should really have been closed as greens were near saturation level with puddles even forming on the 4th. Very muddy from tee to green also and combined with the appalling weather it didn't make for an enjoyable round. In saying that though I'll definitely be back.

Bit unfair this I think.
Considering it has rained incessantly in the Mayo region for the last 5 or 6 weeks B'Robe has coped remarkably well with the rain. Greens/Tees and surrounds are all perfect.
Every course will have a wet patch here or there but B'Robe is in great condition for the rain that has fallen in the last while

Portumna is the best course in Connacht

Jul3s

God imagine that, a wet golf course in Ireland in the middle of winter, after one of the wettest autumns on record, what next?!.

scrubber72

Jul3s wrote: »

God imagine that, a wet golf course in Ireland in the middle of winter, after one of the wettest autumns on record, what next?!.

I reckon the Dr was referring to the fact that the course was open at all. I played the same day and I agree with his sentiment. Best links carne best parkland portumna

Webbs

To the OP if your around the headford area then I would imagine that Ballinrobe, Tuam, and at a push Claremorris, Cregmore, Athenry, Galway Bay are within reasonable driving distance (though the last 3 mean hitting Galway traffic so wouldnt be that good).
If it was me then it would have to be Ballinrobe as is a lovely track and wouldnt be too bad for you to get to

bobob

Thanks for all the advice everyone. Played Ballinrobe and Westport yesterday and today. Westport not a bad track, extremely wet though. Few nice holes but nowhere near as good as Ballinrobe. Greens there were unreal for this time of year, nice roll and quick enough too! In my opinion Ballinrobe is a contender for a top 50 ranking in the top 100. Very quiet there today, so got to take my time around the course. Staff were nice and a nice feel to the clubhouse. Filled in an application form this evening, so all thats left to do is find a house to move into. Thanks again guys.

scrubber72

Glad u enjoyed Ballinrobe. Its a crackin course. I was a member there but have to leave this year due to finances. Nice bunch there and groundstaff are very good at what they do. Wait until the course opens up fully and play it from the back sticks. Over 7000 yards.

The wonderfish

Best parkland in connacht would have to be Portumna.....very strong test of golf and always in great condition...watch out for the Deers

For what its worth Golf Digest top 30 parklands 2012, portumna at 25 is the only course from connacht.

http://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2011/11/14/golf-digest-irelands-top-100-ranking-2012.html

scrubber72

The wonderfish wrote: »

Best parkland in connacht would have to be Portumna.....very strong test of golf and always in great condition...watch out for the Deers

For what its worth Golf Digest top 30 parklands 2012, portumna at 25 is the only course from connacht.

http://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2011/11/14/golf-digest-irelands-top-100-ranking-2012.html

Westport at 28;)

The wonderfish

Ha...top 25 so

Kace

The wonderfish wrote: »

Best parkland in connacht would have to be Portumna.....very strong test of golf and always in great condition...watch out for the Deers

For what its worth Golf Digest top 30 parklands 2012, portumna at 25 is the only course from connacht.

http://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2011/11/14/golf-digest-irelands-top-100-ranking-2012.html

I would head for Westport any day of the week above Portumna. A monster from the back and some real card wreckers on the way home.

After that I would be straight off to the Point. Each to their own though.

macdonagh2007

Castlebar G.C. have the best green's in Connacht...the whole year round.

fintanforde

I had this posted in the Galway City Forum before I clocked this thread............

Anyone know what you have to do to join Galway Golf Club? How much does it cost, that kind of thing. I was a member of the local club, Ballinlough Castle, paying €300 per year membership. I'm playing off 24 now and want to keep at it. I liked the look of this course when I was passing it.

scrubber72

Galway in salthill good luck on that. Not sure how much but my dad was member long time ago1980s and it was very steep. No place near Galway city for the same money u were paying. Look up Cregmore park. 640 Euro is best price or Gort for 580. others ur looking at would be over 1000+

G1032

fintanforde wrote: »

I had this posted in the Galway City Forum before I clocked this thread............

Anyone know what you have to do to join Galway Golf Club? How much does it cost, that kind of thing. I was a member of the local club, Ballinlough Castle, paying €300 per year membership. I'm playing off 24 now and want to keep at it. I liked the look of this course when I was passing it.

Galway Golf Club..................:)
Don't know how much now but the 'hello' money would still be quite excessive I'd say. Thousands of euro anyway.
It's about who you know in there aswell. They are a very arrogant obnoxious lot in Galway GC.
I wouldn't join it if they gave me the membership for free.

fintanforde

G1032 wrote: »

Galway Golf Club..................:)
Don't know how much now but the 'hello' money would still be quite excessive I'd say. Thousands of euro anyway.
It's about who you know in there aswell. They are a very arrogant obnoxious lot in Galway GC.
I wouldn't join it if they gave me the membership for free.

like a lot of golf clubs around the country i suppose. which club not to far from the city would be welcoming? is there any gay friendly societies in and around the city? thanks

Davd

fintanforde wrote: »

I had this posted in the Galway City Forum before I clocked this thread............

Anyone know what you have to do to join Galway Golf Club? How much does it cost, that kind of thing. I was a member of the local club, Ballinlough Castle, paying €300 per year membership. I'm playing off 24 now and want to keep at it. I liked the look of this course when I was passing it.

Galway GC - 10K to join and about 900 per year after that. Only club in West still asking for that sort of hello money. Galway Bay is only about 1K per year at the moment with no hello money, so great value for what you get.

Davd

G1032 wrote: »

Galway Golf Club..................:)
Don't know how much now but the 'hello' money would still be quite excessive I'd say. Thousands of euro anyway.
It's about who you know in there aswell. They are a very arrogant obnoxious lot in Galway GC.
I wouldn't join it if they gave me the membership for free.

The hello money is quite excessive but if there are those willing to pay it, then why not. It used to be about who you knew as there would be 4 times the number of applications as spaces available, only about 20 are taken in each year. This is no longer the case though.
Have never experienced any arrogant obnoxious behaviour at this club but have heard this before. That said, I have come across arrogant/obnoxious behaviour at other local clubs but wouldn't label those clubs as arrogant/obnoxious.
Would definitely join if I got it for free... best greens around and overall course condition is excellent year round

Sligored

I like Galway golf club and think its a fine course- I do admit to feeling airs and graces around the place from some members

fintanforde

Thanks you guys. I called up last Monday but it was closed due to the rain. Their gaydar was well in operation, I felt they clocked me straight off, kinda felt uncomfortable. Maybe I was being uber sensitive but I don't think I'll be rushing back.:( Thanks again guys.

m r c

Having played a few, Strandhill is the best IMHO. I might not get much support but it is ahead of the point which gets all the attention in Sligo.

Jul3s

fintanforde wrote: »

Thanks you guys. I called up last Monday but it was closed due to the rain. Their gaydar was well in operation, I felt they clocked me straight off, kinda felt uncomfortable. Maybe I was being uber sensitive but I don't think I'll be rushing back.:( Thanks again guys.

Are you the only gay in the village?!.

fintanforde

Jul3s wrote: »

Are you the only gay in the village?!.

it sure feels like it. im new to galway and im not finding it easy to link up with fellow gay golfers. please feel free to pm me if anyone is interested in some gay friendly golfing

Sligored

m r c wrote: »

Having played a few, Strandhill is the best IMHO. I might not get much support but it is ahead of the point which gets all the attention in Sligo.

You have my full support- but I am biased. Glad you enjoy it

m r c

Sligored wrote: »

You have my full support- but I am biased. Glad you enjoy it

Ya joined there this year happy days.