Corballis

RoadRunner

My experience of 11 is that it's a poor hole determined by chance. I forget the yardage you need to hit off the tee again for the layup.. but it feels like 2 different players hitting that yardage over the correct line, can face completely different outcomes.

El Guapo!

Played Corballis today for the first time. It certainly didn't help that the wind was absolutely insane, but I wasn't overly impressed tbh.

Way too many blind shots for my liking. And a lot of holes seem to be determined by chance. A good shot can be punished badly for no apparent reason.

The 8th is an awful hole. Seems very out of place.

On 11 I hit 6i which hit the green, ran up and took a look in the hole, and then ran off the back into knee high stuff.

On 13 I hit my tee shot to less than 2 feet. The ball sat there for a few seconds, then slowly rolled backwards and trickled off the green completely. What should've been an easy tap in birdie, turned into a difficult up and down for par.

The shared fairways later in the round (15 & 16?) are terrible in my opinion. Just a really bad layout with people hitting across each other.

Having said all that, it wasn't all bad. There were a couple of nice holes and the greens were in great condition. And at 25 quid for a round it's decent value.

I wouldn't mind playing it in summer on a calm day now that I know the layout a bit, but I wouldn't be in a hurry back other than that.

FixdePitchmark

I don't think anyone was ever suggesting Corballis is a great golf course ..but it is a great golf experience , with about 6 fantastic golf holes...Many of them are way too short ..but it gives you a fantastic miniature feel for the great Irish links courses ..It is a wonderful practice for the big guns.

It teaches you fantastic strategy and great discipline off the tee.

The greens are always fantastic, It is great value and the views are some of the best on a course in Dublin.

I personally like blind holes ..I like visualising holes and spaces I can't see.

I like the challenge that places on the shot and being creative with aiming points and the way the hole flows.

If you want a true full golf experience of that ..Next door at The Island is the place to be.

But if we are being honest ..the top links courses on the East Coast are practically becoming inaccessible..even winter rates are daft now.

I'm not sure where Links golf is going for amateurs in Ireland..it is all rather disappointing..Corballis may soon be the only access to reasonable priced Links golf in Dublin..

What is the winter rate at The Island ?

willabur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121311439#Comment_121311439

Corballis is love//hate

if its not for you its not for you?

Interested about your comment on 11, did you have a spotter? I know from previous posts you are new enough to the game so hitting the green with a 6 iron is a hell of a shot, if its coming in low or riding the wind then its not the right shot for the hole, doesn't matter how close to the hole it runs.

8th hole is bad alright but is a temporary measure while they sort out the situation with the car park. Agreed on 15 and 16 though 14 and 18 is far worse IMO

redhill

Do they still have Opens during the Winter months? And if so on what days

DangerMouse27

Myself and a few lads played Corballis a few years ago. Had great sport. Spotted a few randomers walking though and we followed them

😳😳😳

Lads. When did Ireland get a nudist colony? I'm certain it was Corballis. Played before Covid anyway. It was pure chance we never got back but I'd recommend the course.

El Guapo!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121350098#Comment_121350098

I agree it's a love/hate type of place. I've spoken to plenty of people who really love it. There were just aspects of it that I didn't like and, as you say, it just wasn't for me. Doesn't mean it's a bad course or anything. It's certainly not.

On 11, yeah we played with another guy who knew the course relatively well. He recommended I hit 6i. He hit his tee shot and then ran to the top of the hill to spot our shots when we teed off. There was a very strong wind at our back so that definitely helped. Wouldn't have made the green otherwise. It's a funny hole but again just comes down to me not being a big fan of completely blind tee shots. Other people love that stuff.

As I said though, it's not that I thought it was a bad course. Just wasn't really for me, and the poor layout on the later holes had me scratching my head.

I do think I'd enjoy it more the next time round having played it once before. But hopefully on a calmer day weather wise!

Bobson Dugnutt

The 11th is the worst hole I’ve played in Ireland. I like Corballis for what it is, but the bad holes are worse than even what you would find in a small town 9 hole.

A round can take hours there as well due to the number of par 3s, short par 4s and bunches of lads who never play links heading out. Lot of fore being shouted.

CSWS101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121351175#Comment_121351175

A bit dramatic that

Bobson Dugnutt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121355462#Comment_121355462

Name a worse hole in Ireland.

CSWS101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121355542#Comment_121355542

I wouldn't even have it as the worst hole on the course. 10 and 15 so bland. If you have a spotter up on the hill it's a risk/reward hole at the least. Lay-up is stupid but if you have any sense you'll know it's never the play.

willabur

A big problem with 11 is that the aiming pole is not in a good place, you can easily lose a ball going over the top of it. The conservative play is to aim 5-10 yards left of that with enough loft to stop the ball, there is a large catchment bowl there. Then its a 70 yard wedge onto the green. Going for it I find to be a fool hardy approach, even with spotters.

Its probably my least favourite hole on the course, as some one else said two similar shots would have two very different consequences. Tho same can be said for most of the front 9 holes. a foot in or out of th erough can be the difference between a 2 pointer and a blob

blue note

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121351175#Comment_121351175

While I wouldn't agree with the dramatic way you're making your points, you do have points. 11th is an awful hole. I don't mind a layup leaving you a tough approach - I quite like the choice on the tee of a tough tee shot or a tough approach. But more than anything what makes the approach tough on that hole is the probability of ending up in a divot or a sanded divot from the tee shot. Plus the fact that the approach will be blind. My most common miss on that hole is a slice short right of the hole and the rough there is some of the easiest on the course. I don't know if you can quite call it a risk / reward hole when you might be better off not pulling off the hero tee shot as opposed to laying up as intended.

The speed of play on the course is also a problem. Part of what annoys people is that they see how short it is and think rounds should take 3 hours, but with holes crossing over and far more looking for balls here than on most courses, it's just not the case. Overall the rounds take about the same as a normal par 72 parkland course, but it can be a bit stop start.

Lots of shouting fore is an issue. Not shouting fore is also an issue. The 7th fairway is the most dangerous part of the course in my view. Lots of trouble on the hole, people can't see when the fairway is clear and just wait until it should be and hit. But there are loads of dangerous spots on the course.

Other than the 11th, are the other bad holes "worse than even what you would find in a small town 9 hole?" No they're not, that's nonsense. There are a couple of dull enough holes, but that's about the worst you can say about them. I'm still convinced that a lot of people's passionate dislike of 15/16 is confusion with the old holes out that direction. People heard that there are terrible holes in that part of the course and convince themselves that 15 and 16 are those holes. 15 isn't great, but a bit dull is the worst I'd really say about it. The approach on 16 is an interesting shot - into the wind with a bunker short left, a narrow green with a huge run off left and thick rough right, a two tier green. There's plenty to think about on that approach. Other than the fact that those two holes cross they're not awful holes.

willabur

worst hole in ireland is a hilarious shout

willabur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121351000#Comment_121351000

mon, wed and fri

PokeHerKing

I don't think you could call any hole on corbalis the worst in the country. Given the location and its links.

I mean there's literally paddocks mascarading as golf course up and down the country.

Hyperbole aside, I dislike the two holes could be 15/16 that essentially share a wide fairway.

Maybe they should have made it an epic 9 hole.

willabur

@Golfgraffix posted here previously his idea of turning it into a 12 hole course (with 18 tee boxes) - really fun idea. Think it starts with first hole teeing off from the club house with the green up at the 12th tee box

Golfgraffix

This was my idea, a little tight in places and assuming they own the land down by the current 15 green. All gorse at the moment

Golfgraffix

One could be a great hole, green location is pretty much there already. Take the top layer of grass off in places for some fill elsewhere and leaves some nice looking exposed sandy areas

FixdePitchmark

Really interesting ideas Golfgraffix..and amazed you actually took time to do that.

But could you be overcoming too much of an elevation for the 1st green ?

Golfgraffix

No it sits perfectly in a little dell

willabur

there used to be a green there, which is well below the level of the 12th tee box.

I think the layout is really interesting. A few comments from my end. The 10th would be a huge hazard, the amount of golf balls onto the road would be huge.

Anything that crosses the walkway from the carpark to the beach could be tricky too.

I love loads of elements of it, 4, 5 and 7 are brilliant golf holes

Golfgraffix

When playing around with the routing I was originally thinking of back to back par 3s where 10 is now in the plan

willabur

Anyone play corballis recently. Was out last Tuesday, first time in a while.. The course is in very poor condition. Conditioning of tee boxes, fairways and greens (once the pride of the course) have gone down several levels. Heard Peter lawrie on off the ball last week say something similar, the course is getting far too much traffic..

FixdePitchmark

As you know willabur - the course has had ups and downs, condition wise over the years. But last few times I was there, I was disappointed. But there were lots of other times it was as poor in the last 10 years.

When Fingal were looking after it - it was fab and the staff had great pride in the place.

But - there are a few other factors at play in golf over last few years. The number of people playing golf and in particular winter golf has had a rather dramatic increase. When I started out on my Links journey over 10 years ago - in winter you would have course to yourself - winter Links golf was a sort of odd ball extreme sport. But the general attitude and numbers have gone up massively.

Whilst golfers generally hate winter programs (temp greens / mats) - I think as a larger body of a golfing community - we have unrealistic expectations of what course can take - we have had a very wet year - a very cold period - and as far as I can see record amounts of golf on courses.

Maybe - someone can speak more specifically about Corballis - but in general I think courses are struggling with weather and the amount of golf.

Its been a while since I was out there - but it is more , because it is far more busy - play is very slow (imo)

willabur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121725992#Comment_121725992

you are not wrong, I have been a member there for 5 years now and played it plenty before that time period. Its a sentiment shared with other members I know, some of them much longer serving members than myself, that it is at an all time low in terms of conditioning.

Traffic IMO is the biggest issue. They have done a great job in marketing the course on social media and that is something that probably drives alot of people who otherwise wouldn't consider winter golf to go give it a try.

brick tamland

Anytime I've tried to played it over winter (weekends) its always completely booked up with societys, 3 or 4 every Saturday . Without tarring all societys with the same brush, all that society traffic wont help the course is my guess

willabur

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121728818#Comment_121728818

try walking around after the waves of saturday societies, saturday afternoon in corballis is a special kind of hell