The Links Thread

Gandalph

Yeah it was 9 when I first looked a few weeks back but looks like it has moved out to 13.

The Big Easy

Booked into the open at the European this Thursday, was really looking forward to it, but it looks to be a gale with serious amounts of rain all day.

What are the chances of them shutting?

I'll play if they're open, just a pity with the timing, but you're rolling the dice booking well in advance at this time of year!

benny79

Do links ever close 😂

awec

Played County Sligo and Strandhill recently, two amazing courses. Was my first time playing Co Sligo but I've played Strandhill 3 times now.

Co Sligo is just a class course, I can't think of a bad hole. I'd love to give it another rattle now that I've seen my way round it. Got caught out a few times, for example the 17th I didn't know there was a rough area in the middle of the fairway at the bend, so I got punished for what was otherwise a great drive.

Strandhill has a few more quirky holes. The 4th hole with the huge incline in front of the green is tough. The 12th? with the blind tee shot around the corner, then second shot through the tiny gap in the dunes, 3 times I've played that hole and I've a combined nil points on it. 15 another huge hill up to the green, then 16 with the massive tier in the middle of the green. It's a course where you generally need to score well on the front 9 as the back 9 is definitely more difficult.

swededmonkey

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123946742#Comment_123946742

Played strandhill with 2 members who referred to the 12th as the c**t. Hard to get in, but once you're there, its lovely and warm 🤣

MojoMaker

We'll be sure to pass that tip on to all our female members.

REFLINE1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123943383#Comment_123943383

Did you play it in the end? weather was rough yesterday!

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123950712#Comment_123950712

No, we didn't, we would've been the last group out and caught the worst of it. The European is hard enough without playing it in the middle of a gale.

They kindly let us rearrange for another day, hopefully have better luck with the weather then.

I wonder did many brave it and how rough it got on the coast?

REFLINE1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123950766#Comment_123950766

that was decent of them, it would have been pretty unplayable

FixdePitchmark

When Is the course actually closing ?

blue note

Someone said 8th December I think. I'm playing on the 4th. Probably not worth my while bending over to repair pitch marks. Also, probably won't be an issue.

the lawman

Played European on Sunday just gone. They have removed pretty every tree and shrub in the place already, felt strange driving in and seeing the first tee on the right hand side, usually trees blocked view to the course from carpark. They are redesigning the whole course but wouldn't reveal the designer name to me, said it will be announced in Jan26. Got a good feeling from the guys in the pro-shop, I think it's in good hands.

Still playing as tough as always but managed to shoot an 80 after having a solid 3 over on the front. The wind and cold picked up on back 9 and birds/pars were a tough ask! Will miss the glorious beast.

REFLINE1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124000894#Comment_124000894

Tom Doak would be my guess, they're trying to appeal to the US market and given the reception St Patricks got in world golf he holds a lot of appeal.

slave1

Presumably making it more playable…

Dr Turk Turkelton

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124000894#Comment_124000894

Played it for the first time last week and wanted to give it a shot before the renovations.

The lads I played with had both played it many times and loved it so it was a last hurrah for them.

To be honest from hearing people speak about it before I was expecting a beast but I didn't find it too hard, maybe if all the gorse was there I might have been singing a different tune!

the lawman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124001260#Comment_124001260

Its playing much easier now in fairness. All the rough is cut down and some of the eye lines off tees are easier to spot now too. Less disorientating I suppose. The 8th hole index 1 now doesn't have the reeds on the left and the trees on the right are all gone. Totally different hole and much easier.