The Links Thread

FixdePitchmark

Played The European Club today - was a full qualifying. Course has been exposed to basically flooding conditions - so held up remarkably well. Stunning course - I think I like it more, the more I play. Probably more enjoyable slightly forward as it was. I know a tough day there is too tough. Had one lost ball in a sleeper - but besides that , I'm beginning to see how important the tee shot is there.

mjsc1970

Nice to get that course on a decent day, I'd say it was very enjoyable.

Like yourself I too have played there on tough days and it's a real leveller, and walked off with my tail between the legs and say never again. It's not a course for the handicapped golfers on days like that. But on days like today I'd say it's class.

blue note

Anyone know if the winter series in Portmarnock is open to higher handicap golfers (18). I don't mind getting a handicap I can't compete from, I just don't want to spend 4 hours with people that might resent me for being there.

Benicetomonty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118420408#Comment_118420408

Single figures afaik.

To be honest, I would not recommend that an 18 hc player enter even if it was an option. You are off the absolute tips in Winter conditions; it's a fair course but, like any links, v poor shots are hammered, usually requiring a decent search, and sometimes provisionals.

if breaking 100 represents a good day for you out there, you will be resented by a plus figures hc player. I'm off 1 and have been made to feel totally inadequate out there very often.

blue note

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118420845#Comment_118420845

Thanks for that, I'll avoid it so. I've a couple of friends who are 5 day members, I might see if one of them fancy a round towards the end of the month. I've 2 weeks parents leave while we're weaning our child onto a child minder so should have some golf time.

I'd actually love a go from the blues. The whites there are the right length for me, but far too often I find myself playing clubs where the tees are forward and it's a driver wedge all day. I'd like a course being the wrong length in the opposite direction for a change and I'd get to hit my low irons and even my fairway woods. But I don't particularly want to be an annoyance on the course for the other golfers.

Benicetomonty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118421573#Comment_118421573

It's a great test from the blues, but a v humbling one, especially if the weather is poor. Ive had a couple of respectable scores there ( even in the prizes once) but the days can be v long if things arent going well - case in point was the 91 I shot yesterday! It's a 4.5 or 5hr round and usually a lot of provisionals involved, so no surprise that the better players can get fractious at times.

Certainly worth trying from the backs at some point though. You will hit every club in the bag, with an emphasis on long irons and fairway woods!

The par 3s are much more difficult from the tips, and some of the drives are made to look a lot more intimidating than they really are; on 7 and 15 in particular, you cant really see how much room you have to work with from the blues to the extent that you can from the greens and whites. Then you have the 13th hole, where the blue tee must be 70 or 80 yards further back from the whites between a rake of dunes. Even finding it an achievment, never mind trying to make a par!

blue note

Yeah, I've only played the course once and on a perfect summers day. But I do remember thinking that from the blues if the wind was blowing hard into me some holes would be boarderline unplayable. I think on 15 and 18 - is the fairway is over 200m from the blues? With a strong enough breeze I might not even be able to reach it. And to be honest, if I'm struggling to reach it I'm not sure how many members comps you could use those tees for. Whatever about the auld fellas who are only hitting their driver 170m, but there are plenty of decent, younger golfers with respectable handicaps that carry their driver about 200m. I'm not sure you can have many comps in a year where that many golfers can't reach the fairway on a couple of holes.

But l love hitting the longer clubs and hardly get to on most courses. I might try to figure out a way to play from them there some day. Sure maybe I'll get down to single figures and go for it!

Golfgraffix

The winter series has always been 9 and below, I presume it’s the same this year.

Scores have been quite good so far, considering most Tuesdays have been quite beeezy.

it can be a beast off the blues, in club comps we play them very rarely. All the medals are off the whites.

willabur

I see some 10 and 11 handicappers in the results

Looks like an interesting comp, might take a day off early in the spring assuming it is still running

fungie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118427925#Comment_118427925

They aren't strict with the handicap limit but don't let you take the piss either. So 10/11 is prob fine, 18 isn't.

willabur

I see they have a summer series also

Ronney

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118428928#Comment_118428928

By my calculation a 10.0 H/C would get a course H/C of 16 off the Blues so 90% being 14 shots. Not sure if the published results are actual H/C or shots received on the day

FixdePitchmark

It is very very tough - If you break 80 it is a very very good score. Amazing lads going out and being level and under from the back in winter and even wind - a totally different game.

I would be inclined to ask the handicaps of the lads on your slot. A lad off 15 - would seriously struggle to break 100 out there.

It is a great day out , you are playing with players above your level typically - and that makes it worth watching.

It is slow and on more serious side , I did notice lads playing at that level are actually too focused for like "the craic" - even a chat is tough work with some of them.

Deporhostia

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118429037#Comment_118429037

Where can you see this? Ta

willabur

Facebook

blue note

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118429100#Comment_118429100

Well now I just want to play it even more!

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118434182#Comment_118434182

Lol - good on ya.

On first tee - with the up and coming + 4 lad from The Island

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abVJLOPBnXU

On a serious note - it feels a bit like above - (LOL)

Kiith

Was planning to play Dooks with my dad on Friday, but apparently they're closed to visitors till March 14th. Is that something that happens in other courses?

Would play Waterville, but the fairways are not in play which kind of sucks. Assuming a lot of the similar courses do the same?

Need to find somewhere else to play, so might try Tralee.

Frisbee

Does anyone know if Corballis is qualifying at the moment? Or is it still the temporary green on the 8th?

willabur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118456114#Comment_118456114

Its qualifying. The green is in play since October. Lets see what happens when the Caravan park is back open. From what I hear there is a stand off between Carr and the County Council over the issue. Carr contract is up so some level of commitment on the issue is needed.

That said even with a temp green in place comps were qualifying as it fulfilled the criteria of being within the min distance of the original green

Frisbee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118456133#Comment_118456133

Cheers! Last time I played was August and it wasn't qualifying and the reason they gave was the temp green.

willabur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118457411#Comment_118457411

They moved the green close enough to original green to qualify

fred funk }{

Played in the Portmarnock winter series yesterday. Golf wasn't great but course in amazing condition. We played off the very back which was long but there wasn't much wind. I struggled with my putting but was very impressed with the course. The bunkering is incredible. Highly recommended it and for €55 is a bargain.

FixdePitchmark

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118456133#Comment_118456133

Willabur - how is the general feeling on how the course is doing out there at present - improving or same or going down ?

willabur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118461308#Comment_118461308

In terms of the conditioning of the course it has never been better, I think that is as much to do with less traffic over what has been a very mild winter so far. Not hearing as much whinging about the timesheet these days. I can be flexible enough with regard to who I play with and what time I play on a sunday so it has been fine by me.

blue note

I literally sent a motion into the AGM moaning about the timesheet last week :) I don't mind not getting to play when I don't have my name down early and the timesheet is full. Except when you see the results published and the number who played is nothing like a full timesheet! I sent the motion in on the Friday and then got up on the Saturday morning to play with 3 people I didn't know. The weather was awful driving out, I suspected people would drop out. When I was due to go out, the 3 people I was down to play with were noshows. But it was okay because there was a no show in the group ahead, so I was able to slot in with them.

I'd love to know the rate of people that actually show up for their tee time. I suspect it's shocking. I'm regularly out on a Sunday in less than a fourball because someone didn't show up. Maybe my perception is off, but there were 80 in the competition last week. At fourballs starting at 8:00, if everyone showed up the last group would have teed off at 11:10. The timesheet was full for the morning, maybe one or two took their names off the night before, maybe a few played but not in the comp. But there are definitely a lot of no shows in the club.

I'm usually trying to get out early or get my name down with the brothers in law and if we don't book it when the timesheet goes up we haven't a hope. Even though if people took their names off and we kept an eye on the timesheet we'd definitely get a slot for at least 2 if we kept an eye on the timesheet. I can't imagine my motion will go anywhere, but I wouldn't mind it being mentioned that it's an issue.

The course is in great nick though. An advantage of all the no shows I suppose!

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118462889#Comment_118462889

That's were the BRS purse comes into play I guess. If it no show in our place the comp fee is taken from your purse. Have to take yourself out by 4pm day before at latest in my place. Stops people just booking and no-showing. Not perfect, but helps

willabur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118462889#Comment_118462889

I take it back, there is some whinging going on ;)

TXPTGR1

5-6 feet of dunes lost to the sea at strand hill last week- between that and rosses point 2 great links at risk

frink

Playing all 3 in Rosapenna next month. Which would people consider the 'worst' of the three.

Looking forward to the St Patricks, will want a fresh head for it.