The Links Thread

RoadRunner

Stunning courses this weekend with Friday at Portmarnock links (Links Swing), then Sunday at golf Royal Dublin (Lumsden cup 36-holes!). Couldn't ask for better courses, company or conditions. Played well on Friday. My long game was good on Sunday but the Iron game and short putting left me. 10 birdies in total 5 @ portmarnock and 4 on the second round at royal dublin.

WillyWonka

What’s the story with friends of carne this year? Sold out? Anyone going?

dk1982

Anyone have any joy with GUI rates for The Island or Baltray lately?

*Edit* both got back to me already.

The Island €95

Baltray €100

Beaulieu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117714209#Comment_117714209

Jeez -that's steep for Baltray. They do have a Minor Scratch Cup (h'cap 16.1+ for golfers 21yrs & over) on Sat 28th Aug for €75.

death1234567

Delete

frink

Played Waterville last week. Just a brilliant course. Very playable, doesn't beat you up and has everything you want in a links. Tops Lahinch and Portmarnock Old for me. Front 9 has a few bland holes but the back 9 is as good as it gets.

TXPTGR1

Looks like links codairly grim news for the future of a lot of links courses in that IPCC report yesterday

DuckSlice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117731474#Comment_117731474

Link?

TXPTGR1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117731656#Comment_117731656

It’s headline news on most news sites!basically saying that even if carbon emissions are drastically reduced (which we won’t come anywhere near doing) sea level rises are baked in- good luck to the likes of rosses point

DuckSlice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117731671#Comment_117731671

So no link then?

IAmTitleist

I've quite a week coming up in late August!

Playing the open comp at Royal Portrush on Monday 23rd followed by Royal Birkdale on Thursday, Royal Liverpool on Friday and Royal Lytham St Annes on Saturday.

Excited is an understatement.....

blue note

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117717305#Comment_117717305

Thanks for this. I've booked in. €75 isn't cheap for it, but I hear it's a super course. Am I in for a treat? I'm guessing it's a challenge!

DuckSlice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117732696#Comment_117732696

Loved Baltray, greens were class. Tough enough course to. I got the pace of the greens and was driving well so had a great score which is why i probably rate it high :D

blue note

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117732835#Comment_117732835

It being a scratch cup for higher handicap golfers, I'd be surprised if they don't set it up as easy as possible.

DuckSlice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117733070#Comment_117733070

Yea possibly, we played off the whites but i cant remember much difference between the whites and the greens.

CorkBoyInDub

Booked in for Tralee in a few weeks time. Really looking forward to it.

allybhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117733956#Comment_117733956

Enjoy it, if the weather is good you are in for a treat, We Played Tralee \ Ballybunion Cashen \ Ballybunion Old this week, Mon-Weds. The general consensus in our group was that Tralee was the slightly better course, although i think we were all knackered the day we played Ballybunion and its a punishing walk if your tired. Both amazing tracks.

Advice is to arrive earlier than usual and make use of the facilities, practice grounds and range there are unbelievable with complimentary balls and the staff are excellent. You can get breakfast and coffee from 10am in the bar also.

willabur

any luck with GUI rate with Tralee or was it full whack?

PARlance

Ticked another links off during the week. After a decade + of visiting Tralee, I finally went out to play 9 holes in Castlegregory... And I wish I had done so sooner.

Lovely 9 hole course, not on a par with the big boys down there but a great spot for a quick 9.

CorkBoyInDub

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117747207#Comment_117747207

There's a captains charity day on so the fourball was 'only' €240. Really lucked out. Fingers crossed we get the weather now!

dan_ep82

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117733070#Comment_117733070

It wasn't when I played it in the minor or the intermeidiate.

It was set up tough but fair. Very playable course and you end up wanting another go at it. Condition for me was always fantastic, it's genuinely worth the €75 imo. I played Ballyliffin a few weeks earlier for €80 and didn't think it was in the same category.

dan_ep82

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117747207#Comment_117747207

I had this in an email from them a few months ago, not sure if they extended it or not.

"We are offering a special GUI (Irish) rate of €120 per person for April, May, June.

 Waiting on management decision to extend the special GUI Rate beyond the end of June.

 

Kind regards

Anne"

Baltray for €75 is great value. Fantastic golf course. You might not get as much of the dramatic links thing as you do with the courses on the west coast, but it's a tough track, and always in great condition.

Kiith

Playing Enniscrone 3 times next week, and going to try and play either Roses Point or Strandhill the day before. Can't bloody wait.

slave1

In value terms, Strandhill and Enniscrone stand above all others.

Actually I'd throw Ballybunion Cashen in there too along with Portsalon

Ronney

Off to Carne this weekend,

Played there a good few times before but not for a few years.

Last time there was the Original Hackett 18 and New Kilmore 9 (Have played all 27)

Found the Below for WAD course a few pages back - Essentially the old Hackett Back 9 with the New Kilmore dropped in the Middle (out of sequence)

The Wild Atlantic Dunes course is as follows:

First seven holes are the old Hackett 10-16th (or the current Hackett 1-7)

Followed by the Kilmore 9 playing it from the 5th-4th

Then finishing with the old 17-18th (or the current Hackett 8-9)

Can anyone answer the below please:

What routing is the Hackett 18 now?

Also the Belmullet golf club site has a card for the Kilmore 18, what routing is this?

DuckSlice

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117776232#Comment_117776232

If you play just the Hackett its now the old back nine followed by the old front nine.

If playing the Kilmore 9 by itself you play it in order teeing off beside the clubhouse.

I think they have different course in play on different days so worth a call to see what's in play. you can still play all 27 holes in the one day. So it will either be the Hackett in play and you can play the other 9 by themselves or The WAD in play and you play the Hackett back nine by themselves.

Interested Observer

Was fortunate enough to play The Island last week so saw the new front 9 layout. I think the changes are positive. The new par 3 4th hole is a bit unremarkable but has lovely views out to sea. The old 7th/new 8th is a lovely hole imo, it's basically the old 7th reworked a bit, and similarly the new 9th is another really good hole but I will miss the old 8th. A lot of the bunkers have been reworked to be more rugged than before. Course was in ok condition overall, they had the greens quite slow because of the wind, the ball would blow about on them otherwise.

Ronney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117776803#Comment_117776803

Thanks for that,

Wonder why they changed the 9's on the Hackett 18. Always thought the old front 9 felt like the perfect warm up/teaser for the back 9.

Last time I was down played the old front twice followed by each of the other 9's and really enjoyed it.

Kiith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117776232#Comment_117776232

Bill Murray? ❓️