Dundalk Golf Club

Benny Cake

Playing Dundalk next week with a society. Never played it before, just looking for anybodys opinion on the course, long/short, tight/open etc...

Thanks,

Benny

thewobbler

Benny Cake wrote: »

Playing Dundalk next week with a society. Never played it before, just looking for anybodys opinion on the course, long/short, tight/open etc...

Thanks,

Benny

Dundalk is a very pleasant track and a really good society choice as it's not overly daunting and is a good length rather than long.

It's an old style, tree laden course with a fair bit of upping and downing, but it never feels repetitive. You'll get to use your driver a lot.

It opens with a series of par fours that seems to get gradually longer. None of them overly tricky so long as you avoid the trees. There is a bit of an optical illusion on the 1st where you'll believe there is a slight dogleg left when it's actually right. Or maybe that's just me.

The best hole is the par 5 7th, which has the only significant water on the course and produces a great approach.

It's followed by the quirky par 4 8th over a hill, where your second shot is always blind unless you hit a murderously good drive.

The back 9 is probably easier, and the 18th is a weak finishing hole.


There's a range, a putting green and a chipping area if you get there early.

kingcobra

Benny Cake wrote: »

Playing Dundalk next week with a society. Never played it before, just looking for anybodys opinion on the course, long/short, tight/open etc...

Thanks,

Benny

Yeah Dundalk is a great course IMO and its yardage is perfectly fair i.e. not too long or not too short.
The front 9 is probably a little harder than the back and I always thought the opening four holes was the toughest stretch of holes on the course especially with a strong prevailing wind.
In general the course might be a little bit on the tight side and the trees around the course are big mature trees. But if you do play well the course is very straightforward.
Also, the greens are fairly good although they had a huge problem with them last year so they did extremely well to get them back into shape. By the way, I always thought the 18th was a good finishing hole! It's not overly hard but it does make things interesting for the end of your round.

Grembollino

How does Dundalk compare to Ardee GC or Mannan Castle GC in Carrickmacross in the same neighbourhood ?

Benny Cake

Thanks for the info lads, looking forward to the outing now...

Tones69

Nothing in the first 3 holes really, 1 and 2 are both 3 wood wedge/9 iron (3wood 8 for 2nd, cant hit driver with the stream or mound going across the fairway). The 3rd is dead straight with a big bump about 160 out i think? 4th is also dead straight but its long so ul need to be handy with a long iron. 5th very tight par 3 imo but nice. Great track in great cond with nice fast greens.

The 8th is a ridiculous hole,its only about a wood and a short iron too but totally blind second shot! Short par 4 but id say it yields a tiny tiny % of birdies, and a lot of bogeys

kingcobra

Grembollino wrote: »

How does Dundalk compare to Ardee GC or Mannan Castle GC in Carrickmacross in the same neighbourhood ?

Yeah I think Dundalk is better than Ardee anyway, just seems more interesting and a maturer course. I haven't played Mannan Castle though

Finlay Harp

Is Dundalk aka Blackrock?

kingcobra

Finlay Harp wrote: »

Is Dundalk aka Blackrock?

Yep that's the one

tayto lover

Grembollino wrote: »

How does Dundalk compare to Ardee GC or Mannan Castle GC in Carrickmacross in the same neighbourhood ?

It compares very favourably with them BUT it is not a patch on Greenore imo.

thewobbler

tayto lover wrote: »

Grembollino wrote: »

How does Dundalk compare to Ardee GC or Mannan Castle GC in Carrickmacross in the same neighbourhood ?

It compares very favourably with them BUT it is not a patch on Greenore imo.

Greenore has nice views and 3-4 quality holes. But it's also got poor routing, 6-7 average to poor holes and a couple of rubbish holes.

I'd rate Dindalk higher.

tayto lover

thewobbler wrote: »

Greenore has nice views and 3-4 quality holes. But it's also got poor routing, 6-7 average to poor holes and a couple of rubbish holes.

I'd rate Dindalk higher.

Disagree with that assessment. I think Greenore's 9th and 14th are the only poor holes while Dundalk's opening 2 holes are quite similar as a poster earlier said and their 18th is very poor. Greenore's Par 3 holes are much more difficult and challenging too imo although I do like Dundalk's 17th.

thewobbler

tayto lover wrote: »

thewobbler wrote: »

Greenore has nice views and 3-4 quality holes. But it's also got poor routing, 6-7 average to poor holes and a couple of rubbish holes.

I'd rate Dindalk higher.

Disagree with that assessment. I think Greenore's 9th and 14th are the only poor holes while Dundalk's opening 2 holes are quite similar as a poster earlier said and their 18th is very poor. Greenore's Par 3 holes are much more difficult and challenging too imo although I do like Dundalk's 17th.

Greenore is good, no better than that.

The 1st, a plain as you like 200 yard dunt, is an awful way to start any round of golf.

After that the front 9 is very entertaining, but it gives way to a rather dull and open back 9, which contains the daft par 3 14th, and one of the least inspiring closing holes in golf (with a drive over a green to boot).

It's a tremendous piece of land and a rather unique test of parkland golf being so close (on top of) to the sea. A top class architect and a small seven figure sum (maybe even less) could turn it into a great course. But too many flaws for it to be described as quality.

I prefer Dundalk because it has a natural rhythm. It has the timeless classic feel to it. I wouldn't put it on the same pedestal as Malone, Belvoir or Lisburn (course of the same ilk) but it would be an enjoyable course to play each week of the year.