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Irish Open

  • 27-11-2013 02:20PM
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 301 ✭✭


    Does anyone know if a venue has been decided upon for the 2014 Irish Open or is it even on next year.


«1345

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,138 ✭✭✭✭PARlance


    Venue hasn't been decided yet (Fota and Carton are the two I've heard mentioned).
    I think the date has changed from last year, think it's June 19th now.

    Some positive news is that there are 3 spots available for The Open up for grabs
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/24683159


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 644 ✭✭✭Arsenium


    Jun 19 - Jun 22. Still waiting for a venue according to the european tour site.

    From another thread it seems it is between Carton and Fota.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 301 ✭✭Sean_pop


    Cheers.

    If its in Carton I will probably head to it. Fota seems a bit far away.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 301 ✭✭Sean_pop


    PARlance wrote: »
    Venue hasn't been decided yet (Fota and Carton are the two I've heard mentioned).
    I think the date has changed from last year, think it's June 19th now.

    Some positive news is that there are 3 spots available for The Open up for grabs
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/golf/24683159

    You must be very good to be looking to play the Open.
    What is your Handicap?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,138 ✭✭✭✭PARlance


    Sean_pop wrote: »
    You must be very good to be looking to play the Open.
    What is your Handicap?

    17....but I'm a good 17....

    :D

    When I said good news re 3 spots being made available for The Open I was referring to this piece of the article in my post

    "The European Tour's Irish, French and Scottish Opens will each offer three qualification places for golf's oldest major championship.
    Despite winning the Irish Open two weeks before this year's Open Championship, Paul Casey did not qualify for the tournament at Muirfield.
    The move to 72-hole qualifying is "fairer" for players, according to 1999 Open Champion Paul Lawrie, while two-time Open champion Padraig Harrington also welcomed the new series.
    "I really do think it will attract more players to the Irish Open, especially those who are not already exempt for the Open Championship, and some quality players will be in that category," said Harrington.
    "It's a nice boost for the European Tour from the R&A."


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 301 ✭✭Sean_pop


    Yeah that does make more sense. Agreed it should attract more high profile players who have not qualified for the Open. Big good to see.

    Do you know if they have secured a long term sponsor for the Irish Open?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,138 ✭✭✭✭PARlance


    Sean_pop wrote: »
    Yeah that does make more sense. Agreed it should attract more high profile players who have not qualified for the Open. Big good to see.

    Do you know if they have secured a long term sponsor for the Irish Open?

    Nothing stirring on that front however there was talk that the Chinese owners of Fota may offer open more sponsorship opportunities with their connections.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,101 ✭✭✭Dbu


    Sean_pop wrote: »
    Cheers.

    If its in Carton I will probably head to it. Fota seems a bit far away.

    Not if your from Cork:D
    Fota is a great spectator viewing course I have to say


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 998 ✭✭✭John Divney


    Bloody Carton again? It's about as unappealing for the camera and thus for tourism as it gets.

    I was watching the Scottish open thinking, my God the Yanks will be loving this, the changing skys against the mountains in the distance, the water, the beach, links golf!.

    We have great courses. need to sell the country, Carton does not do it.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 63 ✭✭Jimmymcnulty86


    You on twitter?, follow Brian Keogh irishgolfdesk, great for Irish golf news nd was talking bout this subject earlier in the week. He'll prob have it up as soon as confirmed


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 301 ✭✭Sean_pop


    Even though it would be a long way for me to travel I would prefer it to be in Fota. Nothing like a course with trees. Inland links courses don't do it for me. :(


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,138 ✭✭✭✭PARlance


    Bloody Carton again? It's about as unappealing for the camera and thus for tourism as it gets.

    I was watching the Scottish open thinking, my God the Yanks will be loving this, the changing skys against the mountains in the distance, the water, the beach, links golf!.

    We have great courses. need to sell the country, Carton does not do it.
    Sean_pop wrote: »
    Even though it would be a long way for me to travel I would prefer it to be in Fota. Nothing like a course with trees. Inland links courses don't do it for me. :(

    I was under the impression that it was this years open as well as next years was due to be played in Carton, but both were originally planned to be on the O'Meara...
    It was switched to Monty this year as they hadn't finished work on the 1st and 18th of the O'Meara.
    I agree with John, seeing it on Monty again would be a shame.
    If it was on O'Meara, then I think it would be a match for Fota, there are a lot of holes on it that would look great on TV.

    That said, the fact that there are now 3 qualifying spots for The (British) Open is another reason why The Irish Open needs to be on a proper links course (not Monty)...

    It's the best way to sell the country, it's madness not to be using them.
    The main issue seems to be crowds, and the inability for most of our links to cope with the numbers... surely they could think of some way of getting this to work. I'd still be happy to go down and support it even if I knew I didn't have full freedom to follow a group for 18 holes.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,736 ✭✭✭ssbob


    IMO it should rotate over a number of our courses and shouldn't be only links courses, we need to sell the parklands here too. Why can't we see Mount Juliet, Fota, Druids Glen, K Club, Adare all tied in with the amazing links courses this country has to offer.

    I know the funding isn't there but there was a stage when there was a WGC, Irish Open and European Open all taking place in Ireland.....


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 301 ✭✭Sean_pop


    It would be nice to see it in those courses. I don't mind really what course it is on as long as an Irish player wins this time round.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,476 ✭✭✭ShriekingSheet


    As I understand it, the reality is there is not much in the way of fairness and equality of spreading the event to different courses and areas, nor is it down to which venue might 'sell' Ireland well on the international coverage. It's more down to which course is able to finance the package required to deliver the event. The investment is huge, and a club needs to either (a) back itself to break even, or (b) accept the loss as a kind of 'marketing' cost, in that they might make it back in the medium term on members and green fees.

    There just aren't that many courses out there that can make that kind of punt. Take the older links courses for example, some of those that have the money and the course, but they don't quite have the infrastructure to get big crowds, and with their membership situation, they don't have scope for lots more greenfees or members.

    Of the two seemingly in contention, while Fota was in Nama, it now has big money backing from China (a country with rising take up in the game, and far too few courses). They'd make a reasonable business case to drive tourism from their home country in.

    Carton promotes itself as a resort, a base or camp for elite sports teams, a high end wedding venue, hotel and fairly thriving golf club. The two courses give them scope to do well with green fees and tourism, and the membership is busy but with room to grow. At a guess they're one of the small group making good money, and can justifiably invest as a marketing punt.

    I could be wrong in this, but that's my view.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,736 ✭✭✭ssbob


    As I understand it, the reality is there is not much in the way of fairness and equality of spreading the event to different courses and areas, nor is it down to which venue might 'sell' Ireland well on the international coverage. It's more down to which course is able to finance the package required to deliver the event. The investment is huge, and a club needs to either (a) back itself to break even, or (b) accept the loss as a kind of 'marketing' cost, in that they might make it back in the medium term on members and green fees.

    There just aren't that many courses out there that can make that kind of punt. Take the older links courses for example, some of those that have the money and the course, but they don't quite have the infrastructure to get big crowds, and with their membership situation, they don't have scope for lots more greenfees or members.

    Of the two seemingly in contention, while Fota was in Nama, it now has big money backing from China (a country with rising take up in the game, and far too few courses). They'd make a reasonable business case to drive tourism from their home country in.

    Carton promotes itself as a resort, a base or camp for elite sports teams, a high end wedding venue, hotel and fairly thriving golf club. The two courses give them scope to do well with green fees and tourism, and the membership is busy but with room to grow. At a guess they're one of the small group making good money, and can justifiably invest as a marketing punt.

    I could be wrong in this, but that's my view.

    While I agree with your point, I do believe that having Failte Ireland involved then part of it has to be about selling the island of Ireland as a golfing destination.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,080 ✭✭✭bustercherry


    It's amazing the amount of dung talked on here about promoting golf tourism, how the Monty looks on tv, selling the county etc...

    What about the people who actually attend the Irish Open? I thought Carton was one of the best venues I've been at from spectator point of view (over Portrush, St Annes and Lytham just to name places that were a nightmare). It's layout allows you to follow golfers and/or move around the course easily. The practice range and putting green are accessible to the spectators. Transport links are excellent. I could go on....

    Sure that doesn't matter to the real fans sitting at home watching it on the TV :rolleyes:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 899 ✭✭✭thewobbler


    It's amazing the amount of dung talked on here about promoting golf tourism, how the Monty looks on tv, selling the county etc...

    What about the people who actually attend the Irish Open? I thought Carton was one of the best venues I've been at from spectator point of view (over Portrush, St Annes and Lytham just to name places that were a nightmare). It's layout allows you to follow golfers and/or move around the course easily. The practice range and putting green are accessible to the spectators. Transport links are excellent. I could go on....

    Sure that doesn't matter to the real fans sitting at home watching it on the TV :rolleyes:

    Based on your logic, the Open Championship should never be held in Scotland again, for it's at least 5 hours away for the majority of UK citizens.

    From my own perspective, I've got two bucket list courses in Scotland: Loch Lomond and Castle Stuart. People can harp on about the Open rota courses all they like, but not one of them has ever struck me visually like this pair.

    And if it wasn't for the Scottish Open, I'd be none the wiser (and a whole lot less likely to visit Scotland).

    The Irish Open is struggling both for sponsorship and big name players. The very least it can do to earn its government sponsorship is act as a tourism vehicle.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 644 ✭✭✭Arsenium


    It's amazing the amount of dung talked on here about promoting golf tourism, how the Monty looks on tv, selling the county etc...

    What about the people who actually attend the Irish Open? I thought Carton was one of the best venues I've been at from spectator point of view (over Portrush, St Annes and Lytham just to name places that were a nightmare). It's layout allows you to follow golfers and/or move around the course easily. The practice range and putting green are accessible to the spectators. Transport links are excellent. I could go on....

    Sure that doesn't matter to the real fans sitting at home watching it on the TV :rolleyes:

    I've had that very message drafted in my head loads of times over the past few days but never got around to posting it. Ok "dung" might not be the way that I'd have phrased it but I agree with your point :P

    From the car park on the way in you had full viewing access of the driving range and practice green. Getting in and out was a breeze and as you say you could follow any group in comfort. Even the tenner for a beer and a burger was acceptable !!

    I'd love to see it back at Carton. And to be fair I dont agree with a lot of the bashing of the Monty course in general. I like it and I enjoy playing it (on the few times I have). Then again it's just my own preference.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 273 ✭✭superhooper


    It would seem to me that like most decisions a balance must be found. How it would look on TV is important to many including The Tour itself, sponsors(Failte Ireland), and even to the TV companies who won't want to be televising some dump. I have been told (from former Tour employee) that the greatest weighting would be put on how much the Club can come up with cash wise.

    Personally I hope it goes to Fota as I wouldn't have to travel too far. Fota is on Cork's major road network and has its own train station. Maybe they could organise trains directly from Dublin.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 589 ✭✭✭PAULWATSON


    What about the people who actually attend the Irish Open? I thought Carton was one of the best venues I've been at from spectator point of view (over Portrush, St Annes and Lytham just to name places that were a nightmare). It's layout allows you to follow golfers and/or move around the course easily. The practice range and putting green are accessible to the spectators. Transport links are excellent. I could go on....

    Sure that doesn't matter to the real fans sitting at home watching it on the TV :rolleyes:

    You are right, however at the last Irish Open, only people with badges were allowed to the putting green. My favourite place to watch decent players practice.


    In general at all major events, concerts, sports, whatever, the "masses" are treated like scum to be fleeced. Go to the ladies irish open golf and observe the difference in attitude. Great event if the weather is good.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,133 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    PAULWATSON wrote: »
    You are right, however at the last Irish Open, only people with badges were allowed to the putting green. My favourite place to watch decent players practice.


    In general at all major events, concerts, sports, whatever, the "masses" are treated like scum to be fleeced. Go to the ladies irish open golf and observe the difference in attitude. Great event if the weather is good.

    I think it was a great venue for spectators.

    But agree prices inside were a disgrace. Food and drink etc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 589 ✭✭✭PAULWATSON


    I think it was a great venue for spectators.

    But agree prices inside were a disgrace. Food and drink etc.

    Think I paid €15 for two burgers and two cans. Seen a few people in the Hugo Boss lorry, good luck!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,133 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    PAULWATSON wrote: »
    Think I paid €15 for two burgers and two cans. Seen a few people in the Hugo Boss lorry, good luck!

    I paid more than that out on course. Over 20 euro for 2 burgers and 2 drinks.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 589 ✭✭✭PAULWATSON


    I paid more than that out on course. Over 20 euro for 2 burgers and 2 drinks.


    Shocking.

    Good event, with 90% of the crowd following McIlroy you can get a decent look at the other players, less chance of getting a belt from a flying nike club as well!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 301 ✭✭Sean_pop


    PAULWATSON wrote: »
    Think I paid €15 for two burgers and two cans. Seen a few people in the Hugo Boss lorry, good luck!


    Hugo Boss lorry was some rob.

    I went to it last year on the Friday and there was a bit of sun out so we decided to have a look for some sunglasses. The cheapest pair in Hugo Boss was €175.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,101 ✭✭✭Dbu




  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 301 ✭✭Sean_pop


    Should be fun. must get a round down there before the Irish Open!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 644 ✭✭✭Arsenium


    Dbu wrote: »

    Bah Humbug :(


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,101 ✭✭✭Dbu


    Arsenium wrote: »
    Bah Humbug :(


    not if your from Cork:D


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