Castlemartyr Resort

jtown

Hi all, due to play Castlemartyr shortly. Anyone play it recently and what should I expect

peepee

Played b4 christmas and it was in good nick as always. The course drains really well and is rarely very wet underfoot. Distance wise it is quite manageable for higher handicappers with three very shorts par 4's. Having said that it doesn't guarantee a good score! Pins can be tucked away. They have a nice pin placement guide on the scorecard. Rough is cut back so easy to find.

jtown

peepee wrote: »

Played b4 christmas and it was in good nick as always. The course drains really well and is rarely very wet underfoot. Distance wise it is quite manageable for higher handicappers with three very shorts par 4's. Having said that it doesn't guarantee a good score! Pins can be tucked away. They have a nice pin placement guide on the scorecard. Rough is cut back so easy to find.

Excellent, sounds like its fair enough. We are having an outing there so mix of all handicaps.

denishurley

When is the outing? I'm playing there Friday week for the first time so could report back if you're not going there until after?

jtown

denishurley wrote: »

When is the outing? I'm playing there Friday week for the first time so could report back if you're not going there until after?

Playing there end of next month now. Had to change dates.

denishurley

I'll report back to you so, bound to find a few places that should be avoided!

jtown

denishurley wrote: »

I'll report back to you so, bound to find a few places that should be avoided!

ssbob

Hoping to play Castlemartyr this coming weekend so will also report back should I get out. I enjoy the course a lot as it is very forgiving for a high handicapper like me and gives me chances for birdies:D

Holy Diver

I've played there twice (once off whites, once off blues) and found it most enjoyable both times. Really liked the undulating fairways and the condition was top notch.

The back nine is FAR more difficult that the front nine with quite a few long par 4s

jtown

ssbob wrote: »

Hoping to play Castlemartyr this coming weekend so will also report back should I get out. I enjoy the course a lot as it is very forgiving for a high handicapper like me and gives me chances for birdies:D

How was it? How did it go?

ssbob

jtown wrote: »

How was it? How did it go?

It didn't go due to technical difficulties at home with the Mrs......next week for definite

jtown

Playing there on the 24th if anybody has played it recently. How was it?

jtown

ssbob wrote: »

It didn't go due to technical difficulties at home with the Mrs......next week for definite

Did you manage to make it?

ssbob

jtown wrote: »

Did you manage to make it?

Ya played it yesterday, in great nick, the good weather helped, pity my bad play didn't help. I really like the course.

jtown

ssbob wrote: »

Ya played it yesterday, in great nick, the good weather helped, pity my bad play didn't help. I really like the course.

So its in good nick.. that's good to hear. Is the course long/ hard?

ssbob

jtown wrote: »

So its in good nick.. that's good to hear. Is the course long/ hard?

Straight up Par 72 course, some holes are long but there are a number of short(maybe driveable par 4's), Par 3's are a good test in that they are fair but hit a bad shot and it is hard to get out of the rough, some gorse also in play. Fairways are generous also. It's not a pushover by any means but it allows handicaps of all ranges to give it a go.

Whats your handicap?

jtown

ssbob wrote: »

Straight up Par 72 course, some holes are long but there are a number of short(maybe driveable par 4's), Par 3's are a good test in that they are fair but hit a bad shot and it is hard to get out of the rough, some gorse also in play. Fairways are generous also. It's not a pushover by any means but it allows handicaps of all ranges to give it a go.

Whats your handicap?

Playing off 9 - We are having a Society outing there on the 24th. Should be good so. Would it be as hard of Dromoland?

ssbob

jtown wrote: »

Playing off 9 - We are having a Society outing there on the 24th. Should be good so. Would it be as hard of Dromoland?

Haven't played Dromoland but know they are(were) both owned by the same company(people), the difference is Castlemartyr is an "inland links" style course so it is very open but doesn't have the winds to make it very hard.

You should have no probs playing to your handicap there. Play the Par 5's as par 5's though, greens are small targets.

jtown

We played there on Sat.. course in good condition, enjoyed the from 9 however we were playing off the blues for some reason. 50% of the society didn't enjoy it as was too hard. Par 3 off the blues are too long.. woods into them like!

The greens were pretty good however the starter said pins hadn't been move since Thursday so were worn around them. Someone said 170 people played on Sat alone.

ssbob

jtown wrote: »

We played there on Sat.. course in good condition, enjoyed the from 9 however we were playing off the blues for some reason. 50% of the society didn't enjoy it as was too hard. Par 3 off the blues are too long.. woods into them like!

The greens were pretty good however the starter said pins hadn't been move since Thursday so were worn around them. Someone said 170 people played on Sat alone.

Can't imagine why you would be playing off the blues.......was this requested by the society? Unless they are trying to give the impression that this is a tough course which it is not from the whites.....

You score well yourself?

jtown

ssbob wrote: »

Can't imagine why you would be playing off the blues.......was this requested by the society? Unless they are trying to give the impression that this is a tough course which it is not from the whites.....

You score well yourself?

No, I would have make the booking. Unless the society out before us requested it. Lot of people not happy with it. Played okay myself - has 32 points. 37 won the outing.

Reganovski

Anyone interested in playing this in the morning? Open off the blues.

denishurley

Am playing Muskerry open in the morning, wouldn't mind a shot off this again in the near future though.

When I played last time my driving was too wayward and I kept going into the furze. On the seventh I got the weirdest par of my life as I drive into the furze, took an unplayable and put my third into the bunker but somehow chipped in from there.

ssbob

Played it on Sunday, place was in great condition, got away with murder on a few holes with some very bad drives, pity the rest of my play couldn't match it!

Take iron off the tee at the 4th, not worth all the Out of bounds!!!

Bunkers were in great condition aswell.

MP62

ssbob wrote: »

Played it on Sunday, place was in great condition, got away with murder on a few holes with some very bad drives, pity the rest of my play couldn't match it!

Take iron off the tee at the 4th, not worth all the Out of bounds!!!

Bunkers were in great condition aswell.

Isn't the 4th a par 5? you must be a huge hitter.

ssbob

MP62 wrote: »

Isn't the 4th a par 5? you must be a huge hitter.

Ya Par 5, but Out of bounds left and right, an iron would take all of that out of play or 3 wood if you are confident with it?

MP62

ssbob wrote: »

Ya Par 5, but Out of bounds left and right, an iron would take all of that out of play or 3 wood if you are confident with it?

I've only played the course once (about 3 years ago), but I don't recall OOB left, is that internal and new?, either way it's a strange way to play the hole so early in the round unless you're a very long hitter and can still reach in 2.
I could understand taking the conservative approach if you were protecting a one shot lead on the 72nd hole of a major and par would give you victory, other than that it's just weird.

ssbob

MP62 wrote: »

I've only played the course once (about 3 years ago), but I don't recall OOB left, is that internal and new?, either way it's a strange way to play the hole so early in the round unless you're a very long hitter and can still reach in 2.
I could understand taking the conservative approach if you were protecting a one shot lead on the 72nd hole of a major and par would give you victory, other than that it's just weird.

Ya the left OOB is internal and new in the last year due to guys cutting off the dogleg by going over the Par 3 3rd tee box therefore very dangerous.

I should take a conservative approach there due to my stupid slice and sometimes hook:D Probably a green I could reach on a good day but there is an awful lot of trouble around the green aswell for the wayward shots!

alxmorgan

MP62 wrote: »

I've only played the course once (about 3 years ago), but I don't recall OOB left, is that internal and new?, either way it's a strange way to play the hole so early in the round unless you're a very long hitter and can still reach in 2.
I could understand taking the conservative approach if you were protecting a one shot lead on the 72nd hole of a major and par would give you victory, other than that it's just weird.

I find your thinking on this weird. So just because its early in the round a high handicapper should go for the green in 2 with OOB in play off the tee ?

He's got a shot on the hole so why go for it in 2 at all ? Grand if its a fun round and you just want to enjoy it but if you want to score this seems weird to me.

I'd say Greebo will lose his life if he reads your comment

aster99

The way ssbob has suggested is a very sensible play on that hole. I'm off 6 and I wouldnt be going for that in 2. Too much risk to take driver. A high handicapper should make use of their shot on a hole like that. Walking off with a 6 would be no harm done but put it out of bounds off tee & you're throwing away points

ssbob

aster99 wrote: »

The way ssbob has suggested is a very sensible play on that hole. I'm off 6 and I wouldnt be going for that in 2. Too much risk to take driver. A high handicapper should make use of their shot on a hole like that. Walking off with a 6 would be no harm done but put it out of bounds off tee & you're throwing away points

That's what happened me Sunday, hit 2 out of bounds before I found the fw with my 3rd, laid up to 100 yards then with a rescue club......luckily it was a casual round but going back there again I will be playing safe off the tee.

Are the open's always off the blues down there?

aster99

I also learned my lesson there recently

The opens recently seem to be all off the blues, much harder course. The whites are a lot more forgiving

Reganovski

Let me confirm it for ye, hit 3-4 iron off the 4th tee
Hit my first out of bounds down left and hit my reload into the bunker. Got a good 7 in the end. But for a low index 2 irons, wedge and 2 putts will suffice.

Besides the 4th, 10th & 17th, I hit every fairway today. Despite this, I only managed to hit 4 greens in regulation. Every green missed was with a wedge in hand.

Their Open day is called "Tuesday Blues" and it's a great test from them. Really enjoyed, I think it's a great course. I'd join only for €2.5k joining fee.
It was good practice for the Scratch Cups on the August Bank Holiday Weekend.

ssbob

Reganovski wrote: »

Besides the 4th, 10th & 17th, I hit every fairway today. Despite this, I only managed to hit 4 greens in regulation. Every green missed was with a wedge in hand.

10TH is a huge fairway??? Unless you went into the bunker? Great hole though!

Reganovski

ssbob wrote: »

10TH is a huge fairway??? Unless you went into the bunker? Great hole though!

Hit my drive dead straight instead of a fade....ended up in the rough underneath the trees with no shot to the green :eek::(

ssbob

Reganovski wrote: »

Hit my drive dead straight instead of a fade....ended up in the rough underneath the trees with no shot to the green :eek::(

Disaster, that's long enough to reach those!