Once in a lifetime

FixdePitchmark

Was watching Shell's Wonderful World of golf there. Also have looked at it in magazines.

Couples was playing Michael Campbell at Kauri Cliffs -
Amazing how much money was around in golf before the bank crisis - an american hedge fund manager building a course in New Zealand , designer Dave Harman has since died of cancer.

(BTW Couples is amazing in these matches - does he ever lose)
It was a place that has always been in my mind to play - was in New Zealand, but not playing golf at the time. Love

Was thinking - not a chance I wouldn't play it now if I was there. But sometimes is the idea better than the reality ? They are a sort of one chance in a life time sort of thing. Will hardly get to play it now.

Anyway - there are so many once in a life time chances close to home - and they don't have to be once if you really really love golf and the course.

Felt a bit like that in Royal County Down and have played it 3 times now.

But - have you played somewhere unreal - would give anything to play again - or are you not bothered or it didn't live up to the hype ?

Sorry - don't know where all that came from, perhaps a golfer's mid course crisis.

djr15

My God that looks incredible.

Dealerz

Silogue in December!

Dublin Spur

Love Freddy Couples - favourite ever player

djr15

Ideal Fourball.
Mickleson- For sheer class and madness
Harrington-Lead the way in terms of Majors
McIlroy- Most talented golfer of all time?

The venue above would seem appropriate.

benny79

I have a bucket list of all the top courses I want to play in Ireland hopefully 1 r 2 a year done PGA Pamsterstown this year was ok didn't really live up 2 my expectations but then again I didn't really know what to expect! hope to play Royal Dublin or the Island & European over the crimbo. Was going to play RCD but you have to drop of fairways in prep for Irish open so may wait till after! This is my no 1 course I want to play...

We have some of if not the best courses in the world and I hope to make use of them all be it with cheap green fees

The_Architect

Cape Kidnappers (the photo in the original post) does look like an amazing location. And solid design by Tom Doak I'm sure.

There are plenty of courses I'd like to see before it though.

FixdePitchmark

The_Architect wrote: »

Cape Kidnappers (the photo in the original post) does look like an amazing location. And solid design by Tom Doak I'm sure.

There are plenty of courses I'd like to see before it though.

Sorry - don't get you.

Good spot - looked up photo and cape kidnapers was one of the first photos.

http://www.newzealand.com/ie/plan/business/kauri-cliffs-golf-course/

PARlance

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Sorry - don't get you.

Has name changed ?



http://www.newzealand.com/ie/plan/business/kauri-cliffs-golf-course/

Kauri Cliffs is the sister course of Cape Kidnappers, that's why google images will throw up pictures of both when searching one. But that image is Cape Kidnappers, it's used on their website.

FixdePitchmark

PARlance wrote: »

Kauri Cliffs is the sister course of Cape Kidnappers, that's why google images will throw up pictures of both when searching one. But that image is Cape Kidnappers, it's used on their website.

Interesting - the bridge is so similar to the one today - both amazing - must try find photos of other.
Looking them up these place are about 300 euro +

ForeRight

The original pic is definitely Cape kidnappers

Russman

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Interesting - the bridge is so similar to the one today - both amazing - must try find photos of other.
Looking them up these place are about 300 euro +

Now that looks amazing !!

Played a couple of rounds on TPC Sawgrass a few years ago and it definitely, for me, lived up to the hype. Awesome course & tough as f--k, especially when the idiot leading your group tells the starter we'll be fine playing off the back tees !!

FixdePitchmark

The owner was on that Shell's Wonderful World of Golf.
Was another age of golf course investment.

He owns both courses - yes both of them - a bit of imagination, drive, money and money you can do anything. Both courses rated in top 50 in world. With Cape Kidnappers sometimes in top 10.

Looking at his bio - it looks like as Dealerz said - we will stick to Sillogue and a Pint after - for the moment. :P

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Robertson

LuckyGent88

Played Cape kidnappers about 2 months ago when I had my father over for a visit.

Absolutely ridiculous golf course. Outstanding set up with magnificent scenery.
Paid 180 each for the round as greens were hollow tined but felt that was an ok price to pay. One of life's ambitions to play some of the top courses in the world so had to play it.

If your ever in New Zealand and want to play a round of golf for reasonable money, I would suggest arrowtown golf club in the queenstown region. Lovely short course with premium on accuracy and the views are amazing.
I'll try put up some pics when I'm back in ireland in a 10 days as the are on the fathers I pad.

mike12

I think Ireland is wonderful in that there are no once in a lifetime courses they are all available for us to play at a reasonable rate compare to top 100 courses from around the rest of the world.
Not sure exactly how many we have in the worlds top 100 but with a bit of planning you could play them all for less than a €100 average.
There are so many courses in the US that you just can't play or the green fees are 4-500 dollars. Also think playing a comp on a course rather than just a green fee is much better to get a true feeling for the place.

FixdePitchmark

Agree. Mike .

I've been on courses in Ireland going. I'll never forget this.

But then I can go back.

We are very lucky.

Montgolfier

Kiawh island or the old course in Saint Andrews played them both on wgt.com love to play them for real.

mightymal

ALOHA from Hawaii. I was able to play Kauri Cliffs about a year after it opened. They scheduled tee times every half hour. It was a long trek. After nice holes the pro asked 2 of us if we would like a cart since he new we were laboring. Glad he asked. the view from the tee box at number 10 was straight downhill.

My once in a lifetime course so far has been Royal Dornoch in Scotland.

Of course you gentlemen in Ireland have such great courses to choose from why would you want to leave. Ballybunion, Enniscrone, Carne, and the list goes on.