The Links Thread

NotCarrotRidge

New to this thread, and the forum in general. Hello all.
I was on me holliers in Donegal last month, which coincided with my birthday. Herself got me a present of green fees in Dunfanaghy, and then insisted (I swear!) that I play an open there the following Wednesday. Loved it. It's quite flat, other than close to the turn, but with all the little bumps and hollows of links land. There are really only three blind holes but you get a look at two from the hole beforehand. Scenery is gorgeous as well. It wasn't overly punishing, so for a high handicapper who's a member of a parkland course, it was perfect.

Kevinmarkham

County Louth Team Events - €60pp

There have been so many conversations about green fee 'value'. While one person will see €100 to play The European Club as superb value for money, another will continue to proclaim it is a rip-off.

Easier to digest is the following: County Louth Golf Club are launching their OPEN 4 PERSON TEAM EVENTS today, Monday 31st. For €60 per head (including €10 spend in the restaurant) you get to play one of Ireland's top ranked links. Events will be held every Thursday from Sept 10th.

Does anyone want to complain about that? No, I didn't think so.

Bookings via www.countylouthgolfclub.com

DuckSlice

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

County Louth Team Events - €60pp

There have been so many conversations about green fee 'value'. While one person will see €100 to play The European Club as superb value for money, another will continue to proclaim it is a rip-off.

Easier to digest is the following: County Louth Golf Club are launching their OPEN 4 PERSON TEAM EVENTS today, Monday 31st. For €60 per head (including €10 spend in the restaurant) you get to play one of Ireland's top ranked links. Events will be held every Thursday from Sept 10th.

Does anyone want to complain about that? No, I didn't think so.

Bookings via www.countylouthgolfclub.com

They could have left it at 50 a head.. :D

Raisins

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

County Louth Team Events - €60pp

There have been so many conversations about green fee 'value'. While one person will see €100 to play The European Club as superb value for money, another will continue to proclaim it is a rip-off.

Easier to digest is the following: County Louth Golf Club are launching their OPEN 4 PERSON TEAM EVENTS today, Monday 31st. For €60 per head (including €10 spend in the restaurant) you get to play one of Ireland's top ranked links. Events will be held every Thursday from Sept 10th.

Does anyone want to complain about that? No, I didn't think so.

Bookings via www.countylouthgolfclub.com

The offer was already discussed on the thread.

Why the attitude? People are entitled to their opinion on whether previous green fee rates are good value or not without the whole “is this good enough for ya” shtick.

OffalyMedic

Kevinmarkham wrote:

Easier to digest is the following: County Louth Golf Club are launching their OPEN 4 PERSON TEAM EVENTS today, Monday 31st. For €60 per head (including €10 spend in the restaurant) you get to play one of Ireland's top ranked links. Events will be held every Thursday from Sept 10th.

I'm not working the 10th...hmmmm wonder will I find 2 / 3 to join me!

PARlance

OffalyMedic wrote: »

I'm not working the 10th...hmmmm wonder will I find 2 / 3 to join me!

Only if we can share the steak between 4 afterwards!

mighty magpie

I called into portmarnock pro shop there. €80 for hotel residents and GUI members the lady told me. €60 for their Tuesday events (single figures)

I thought it was €150.

blackwhite

mighty magpie wrote: »

I called into portmarnock pro shop there. €80 for hotel residents and GUI members the lady told me. €60 for their Tuesday events (single figures)

I thought it was €150.

Confusing Portmarnock Links v Portmarnock maybe?

mighty magpie

blackwhite wrote: »

Confusing Portmarnock Links v Portmarnock maybe?

Nope, big course. I can see 1st tee from my hotel room

Edit. Yeah I'm at the wrong course

Kevinmarkham

Raisins wrote: »

The offer was already discussed on the thread.

Why the attitude? People are entitled to their opinion on whether previous green fee rates are good value or not without the whole “is this good enough for ya” shtick.

It was for emphasis... not attitude. My apologies if that wasn't clear.

Raisins

“Does anyone want to complain about that? No, I didn't think so.”

You’re a writer so I really didn’t see that as an attempt at emphasis but if that’s what you’re saying you meant I’ll accept that.

blackwhite

mighty magpie wrote: »

Nope, big course. I can see 1st tee from my hotel room

Edit. Yeah I'm at the wrong course

Two fine courses to be fair - wouldn't be disappointed to be out on either.

allybhoy

8 of us Played Strandhill last Saturday €40 a man, ridiculous value for that course. 4 of us are also booked in to play Old Head in early October, paying 130, which i know is mad money but we probably will never get the chance to play it again. Interestingly, they are doing a stay and play deal, €260 for a night in one of their 12 suites and a round of golf, which is actually really good value but we decided against staying over due to lack of dining and drinking options.

Dwarf.Shortage

allybhoy wrote: »

8 of us Played Strandhill last Saturday €40 a man, ridiculous value for that course. 4 of us are also booked in to play Old Head in early October, paying 130, which i know is mad money but we probably will never get the chance to play it again. Interestingly, they are doing a stay and play deal, €260 for a night in one of their 12 suites and a round of golf, which is actually really good value but we decided against staying over due to lack of dining and drinking options.

The food in the clubhouse is outstanding for what it's worth.

blue note

I'm going to Donegal with the wife for a couple of days at the end of September. I wonder would I get away with playing a 7am round of golf somewhere.....

redarmy

Ask her:D

Jim Stynes

I won’t be off work again until the mid term break at the end of October. A few of us from up in the North are looking to get away and play some links golf. Just one or 2 nights. Thinking of Donegal and maybe play ballyliffin/Rosapenna/Portsalon. I would like to maybe go the other direction and play Baltray, Portmarnock or some other courses down there. Does anyone have any idea if there are opens or deals on at that time of the year and are the courses normal playing conditions or lift clean replace.

Even the winter rates are ridiculous on some of those courses. I have heard Baltray are struggling financially so maybe they’ll release more opens and scratch cups that the normal man can afford.

Jim Stynes

blue note wrote: »

I'm going to Donegal with the wife for a couple of days at the end of September. I wonder would I get away with playing a 7am round of golf somewhere.....

Will it even be light enough at that time!

thewobbler

Jim Stynes wrote: »

I won’t be off work again until the mid term break at the end of October. A few of us from up in the North are looking to get away and play some links golf. Just one or 2 nights. Thinking of Donegal and maybe play ballyliffin/Rosapenna/Portsalon. I would like to maybe go the other direction and play Baltray, Portmarnock or some other courses down there. Does anyone have any idea if there are opens or deals on at that time of the year and are the courses normal playing conditions or lift clean replace.

Even the winter rates are ridiculous on some of those courses. I have heard Baltray are struggling financially so maybe they’ll release more opens and scratch cups that the normal man can afford.

I wanted to do the same. 3 hours back over from Downings was filling me with dread.

But the prices just didn’t add up. 2 nights self catering, Old Tom, Sandy Hills and Portsalon for €225 or so.

The Island wouldn’t budge down from €150 a round. That’s Portmarnick’s special rate too.

In the end, money talked.

paulos53

thewobbler wrote: »

Baltray doing an fourball on Thursdays in September.

€240 a team including €40 towards a meal.

I just had a look at the timesheet for the first week and there are very few slots booked. I was expecting it to be more popular

Jim Stynes

How do these courses survive and who are members of these places. I played Royal County Down a few times after getting invites and the odd reduced green fee. Amazing golf course but no way am I going to pay £250 for a round of golf there. It’s good but it’s not that good to justify the money and I doubt anywhere would be.

Dwarf.Shortage

Jim Stynes wrote: »

How do these courses survive and who are members of these places. I played Royal County Down a few times after getting invites and the odd reduced green fee. Amazing golf course but no way am I going to pay £250 for a round of golf there. It’s good but it’s not that good to justify the money and I doubt anywhere would be.

In a normal summer these courses have enough American's que'd up to sell as many green fee slots as they want to fill while still leaving enough tee time for members. I have a friend who worked in the Proshop of a top 5 links in the country (green fee €250) and he said in high summer a €30,000 green fee day at the weekend wouldn't be unheard of.

Membership fees are often actually very reasonable compared to the green fee, the issue is getting in.

thewobbler

Dwarf.Shortage wrote: »

In a normal summer these courses have enough American's que'd up to sell as many green fee slots as they want to fill while still leaving enough tee time for members. I have a friend who worked in the Proshop of a top 5 links in the country (green fee €250) and he said in high summer a €30,000 green fee day at the weekend wouldn't be unheard of.

Membership fees are often actually very reasonable compared to the green fee, the issue is getting in.

Yep, a million a month In green feels is not an unrealistic target in May June And Julys when the days are longest.

One has to assume that they’ve all generated substantial reserves. But keeping RCD in the condition we are used to would take some clump out of the reserves.

Dwarf.Shortage

thewobbler wrote: »

Yep, a million a month In green feels is not an unrealistic target in May June And Julys when the days are longest.

One has to assume that they’ve all generated substantial reserves. But keeping RCD in the condition we are used to would take some clump out of the reserves.

Am playing RCD for the first time in a few weeks and cannot wait. Fully aware it's expensive but also aware what a privilege it is that in this country, as Tom Coyne famously said "there isn't a golf course you cannot play with a bag of clubs and a debit card".

RCD's peers in the US you wouldn't get in the gate if you weren't a member of the absolute 0.01% echelon of society. I for one think we're pretty lucky with the accessibility of RCD and similar courses in Ireland.

Jim Stynes

Surely with the yanks not coming over at the minute and for the foreseeable then it might put pressure on them to lower them for GUI members. Do any of them have open weeks with normal green fees? I've never seen Portmarnock with deals on.

Dwarf.Shortage

Jim Stynes wrote: »

Surely with the yanks not coming over at the minute and for the foreseeable then it might put pressure on them to lower them for GUI members. Do any of them have open weeks with normal green fees? I've never seen Portmarnock with deals on.

The ones who don't need to won't. Portmarnock and The Island have both introduced GUI rate of €150ish, I played Waterville for similar recently.

You may think that's still too much but they don't care, €150 is bringing in the amount of business they want. If they made it €75 the timesheet would be wedged and the members complaining.

Jim Stynes

Dwarf.Shortage wrote: »

Am playing RCD for the first time in a few weeks and cannot wait. Fully aware it's expensive but also aware what a privilege it is that in this country, as Tom Coyne famously said "there isn't a golf course you cannot play with a bag of clubs and a debit card".

RCD's peers in the US you wouldn't get in the gate if you weren't a member of the absolute 0.01% echelon of society. I for one think we're pretty lucky with the accessibility of RCD and similar courses in Ireland.

It's obviously a personal view on it all but I wouldn't pay £280 for RCD. I actually play the small course quite a bit as we are only 40 mins drive away and it's great value at £25.

Dwarf.Shortage

Jim Stynes wrote: »

It's obviously a personal view on it all but I wouldn't pay £280 for RCD. I actually play the small course quite a bit as we are only 40 mins drive away and it's great value at £25.

That's completely fair and I wouldn't be planning on doing it many times myself. Nonetheless it is the right price for them to balance green fee revenue and protecting the interests of their members.

It kills me to spend a thousand euro on a phone but Apple are dead right to charge it.

Jim Stynes

Dwarf.Shortage wrote: »

That's completely fair and I wouldn't be planning on doing it many times myself. Nonetheless it is the right price for them to balance green fee revenue and protecting the interests of their members.

It kills me to spend a thousand euro on a phone but Apple are dead right to charge it.

Hopefully the weather is good for you. I have played it on a sunny day, rainy day and a windy day! It's definitely more fun when the sun is shinning! Bring plenty of golf balls with you! Lots of food places to eat in the town after your round as well!

FixdePitchmark

So at last got to North Donegal.
Thanks to some lads on boards here.

What a place , golf almost irrelevant as you walk picture perfect landscape.

We hit Portsalon golf course .

A fantastic layout with a spectacular setting. In Donegal when the sun shines , life is perfect for a day.