headfort golf

freddie1970

Just moved out to kells a few months back..and I'm thinking of signing up for membership at headfort it looks a lovely course I'm just wondering is it worth it...the joining fee is 2500 which can be paid over 10 years 250 a year..and 1000 membership..I have never been a member of a course before but as I do shift work I have a lot of free time during the week ..just wondering is it worth it ?

Dtoffee

Bite their hand off ..... two really great courses for €1250 pa, its a no brainer if you're a golfer.

If you just want to tip around once or twice a year, then no.

dan_ep82

freddie1970 wrote: »

Just moved out to kells a few months back..and I'm thinking of signing up for membership at headfort it looks a lovely course I'm just wondering is it worth it...the joining fee is 2500 which can be paid over 10 years 250 a year..and 1000 membership..I have never been a member of a course before but as I do shift work I have a lot of free time during the week ..just wondering is it worth it ?

There's actually two full 18 hole course's, Headfort New and Headfort Old, both in the top 100 of Golf Digest's Ranking along with a few other awards.

€50 of the membership fee you can use in the bar or comps (usually 7-10€)

You get playing rights in Portsalon , by all reports a good links in Ulster just awarded Best Hidden Gem in Ulster by Golfers Guide to Ireland

The two course's are quite different. The Old is tight but no water while the new is a little more open but water on nearly every hole, it also means you will always get out for a game.

Tuesdays are the Open Days usually played on the New Course, the weekend comps are split between both but last year both courses ran comps on the same day to give everyone a chance to get out early. It's not hard to get out early on either course for a comp but they do fill up fast enough so booking the day before might be an issue.

The New course 11th hole is replaced by a temporary hole at the minute to let it rest over the winter but otherwise all holes are open. The Old is using the forward tee's with some of the Tee's boxes using the AstroTurf stuff which I dislike, but the new is basically just using the society tee's. The first comp is the 1st of March so I'd imagine the courses will be ready for summer just before then.

For practice you have two putting greens (one for each course), a bunker practice area with green, driving nets and a small pitching area. Then adjacent to the Old Course is a Range with some markers. Its more or less a field they cut well with some markers up, you bring your own balls etc.

Both courses handle rain quite well but heavy flooding can effect the new, but it dry's out very quickly.

The pro shop is well stocked and has two PGA pro's and one Assistant Pro, all give lessons which can be had with flightscope aswell.

Food is well priced in the Restaurant, can't comment on the bar, very rarely drink at all.

Anything I missed just asked, I joined last year.

I can bring you out next week if you'd like to both courses and show you around, I pulled a muscle in the top of my back ( to add to a already bad week) but should be fit enough by then to knock a ball around. It's €20 as a visitor so a small saving at least.

scrubber72

Now that's how you sell your club. Good job Dan.

freddie1970

Hey thanks Dan I'm just new to the game but looking forward to getting few lessons and heading out looks a lovely course

dan_ep82

freddie1970 wrote: »

Hey thanks Dan I'm just new to the game but looking forward to getting few lessons and heading out looks a lovely course

I started just under a year and a half ago and have grown to love the game. I've only played a handful of courses (less than 20) but Headfort New is right at the top and Headfort Old is up there aswell.

The New would be the more difficult and longer course of the two although they have put new Green markers for those who find it a bit too long off the tee. The Old is still challenging from the tee box but an errant shot has a much high chance of still being in play and can is probably suited to a wider range of playing ability. That being said the New can be appreciated even if your playing bad and with the wider fairways and stunning scenery.

There's a huge range of members (1500 or so) from juniors right up to seniors with golfers new to the game like me and guys playing golf for the last 40+ years so you will fit in great.

For lessons I'd try Pat Faye, its who I currently get lessons from and I find him very good. The lessons are easily followed with simple swing thoughts that help produce the desired effect and he's very accommodating, whether its a quick lesson or a phone call when your on the range and something just isn't working or when you drop into the pro shop looking for some advice on a swing or if a club your looking at will suit you.

Joe, assistant pro, and Brendan , Head Pro, are meant to be very good aswell. Brendan plays alot of comps during the year ( and wins his fair share) but is meant to have one of the best short games in the club and Joe is making moves of his own during the competitions.

slave1

Great courses, I've often taken advantage of their €60 deal, play both courses with a golfer's grill inbetween, great day out...

tayto lover

Tee times offering rounds for 15 euro at the minute.
Both are lovely courses and very fair.
Portsalon is in Donegal. Lovely course too.

SevesThreeIron

The Headfort New is as good as what's around, a really top course. It's a typical Christy O'Connor design, beautiful to look at but long and brutish. As said above, you can always play it from shorter markers of course.

Thought about joining the place a few times myself but I'm just outside that easy commute distance. If you're close and you've got a few quid to spare, it's a no brainer.

freddie1970

dan_ep82 wrote: »

I started just under a year and a half ago and have grown to love the game. I've only played a handful of courses (less than 20) but Headfort New is right at the top and Headfort Old is up there aswell.

The New would be the more difficult and longer course of the two although they have put new Green markers for those who find it a bit too long off the tee. The Old is still challenging from the tee box but an errant shot has a much high chance of still being in play and can is probably suited to a wider range of playing ability. That being said the New can be appreciated even if your playing bad and with the wider fairways and stunning scenery.

There's a huge range of members (1500 or so) from juniors right up to seniors with golfers new to the game like me and guys playing golf for the last 40+ years so you will fit in great.

For lessons I'd try Pat Faye, its who I currently get lessons from and I find him very good. The lessons are easily followed with simple swing thoughts that help produce the desired effect and he's very accommodating, whether its a quick lesson or a phone call when your on the range and something just isn't working or when you drop into the pro shop looking for some advice on a swing or if a club your looking at will suit you.

Joe, assistant pro, and Brendan , Head Pro, are meant to be very good aswell. Brendan plays alot of comps during the year ( and wins his fair share) but is meant to have one of the best short games in the club and Joe is making moves of his own during the competitions.

Could you pm me pat fayes number

freddie1970

What is it like compared to delvin golf course ...although headfort would be close to its that much more expensive

slave1

freddie1970 wrote: »

What is it like compared to delvin golf course ...although headfort would be close to its that much more expensive

O Jesus, there is no comparison, Delvin is a very short course with poor greens and that's being complimentary, either of the Headforts on a bad day are heads and shoulders above Delvin at its best...

freddie1970

Very good so it's worth the extra few bob so...the fishing sounds interesting to might be fun to have a crack at that as well

freddie1970

The free fishing at the headfort that is

dan_ep82

freddie1970 wrote: »

The free fishing at the headfort that is

Yep you get the fishing in on it too, a few members use it.

I'll send on Pat's number this evening, just don't have the phone on me at the minute.

You can see the blackwater you'd be fishing in some of these pictures I took in September

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=92339829&postcount=781

tayto lover

You should look for the PR job Dan.
Brilliant stuff.

dar_cool

Just to drag up an old thread but I joined here few months back after taking a year out for family/ house stuff. But the condition of both courses is unreal even in this very wet period. Greens/bunkers on both courses are like summer greens. The new course usually gets wet over the winter but so far is dry as a bone. Looking forward to long evenings!

slave1

Must be to do with the dry summer as the new course around the third is often under water in Winter

dan_ep82

slave1 wrote: »

Must be to do with the dry summer as the new course around the third is often under water in Winter

I thought I saw work being done the last time I played there around the tee box where it’s usually a problem.

slave1

We had a February outing cancelled there a few years back as the 3rd (could be the 4th, the one over the stream/river) green was under water along with 2nd fairway!!

dan_ep82

slave1 wrote: »

We had a February outing cancelled there a few years back as the 3rd (could be the 4th, the one over the stream/river) green was under water along with 2nd fairway!!

The 4th,

Must have been a hell of alot of rain as I never seen it flood like that and I seen this on the Old 14th ,about 4ft of water.

Golfhead65

dan_ep82 wrote: »

The 4th,

Must have been a hell of alot of rain as I never seen it flood like that and I seen this on the Old 14th ,about 4ft of water.

Listen we live in Ireland ! It rains a lot, every course gets flooded from time to time .if you want to play dry golf all year move to Dubai or south of Spain, some **** goes on here about golfclubs and it's all about our club this your club that...bull**** I've played headford twice 1 practice and once senior cup match and all I can say is that it's top notch...get on with it and IF we had the weather this is the best country in the world to play golf

dan_ep82

Golfhead65 wrote: »

Listen we live in Ireland ! It rains a lot, every course gets flooded from time to time .if you want to play dry golf all year move to Dubai or south of Spain, some **** goes on here about golfclubs and it's all about our club this your club that...bull**** I've played headford twice 1 practice and once senior cup match and all I can say is that it's top notch...get on with it and IF we had the weather this is the best country in the world to play golf

By the way I was a member for 2 years and only played it two weeks ago.