Corballis

dan_ep82

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122579439#Comment_122579439

Yep, if they ask the par of the course I’ll just it was 18 holes and refuse any other questions

@willabur

So the green just behind it will still be used?

Agree with the sentiment on the danger on 10 at least

blue note

It's such a shame that they didn't do more than the 8th hole. Anyone could have predicted the additional danger the new layout would cause. And there's enough danger on that course already.

But the initial plan I heard sounded fantastic - the 8th was to be redesigned to roughly what it has been redesigned to, although I thought the green was going to be more tucked in. It would have turned a fairly boring hole into an interesting one. The tee box on 10 was to be pushed back as far as it would go and the hole become a par 4. Particularly with the setting for that green, you could have turned it into a beautiful hole. And would have lost a relatively boring par 3. And any change to 11 would have been a good thing, it's the only hole I disliked. It was to become a par 3 and there was plenty of potential for a great one. My preference would have been a longish one.

I assume the problem was who was going to pay for it. The members couldn't if they wanted to. It probably wouldn't be worth Carr golfs while to invest like that into the course, especially when they could lose the contract any year. And I can't see a council investing in a golf course being popular.

willabur

the new green for the 8th is tucked in. It's in the hallow at the back of the 11th tee box

RoadRunner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581906#Comment_122581906

<rant>Sad and angry about the loss of the 8th green, an institution of irish golf. My favourite green complex at the course. In situ >100 years. The original caravaners wanted to set up close to it to share in the serenity and civility of the game, the sights and sounds of the most tranquil corners of the course 😤

How come the buffer zone created by the campers when they moved in was good enough for them before but isn't any longer? There already was a massive net installed at the cost of the course. Could the course have gone further and purchased the few offending sites?

I'd say many campers now look with jealous eyes at the site of the old 8th, wasted, unused land now. What a caravan site that would be to hitch up right close to the new 8th green, sharing leisure time in the ambience, serenity and peaceful nature of the game again 😔 </rant>

blue note

I got out to play Corballis a couple of weeks ago. I remembered quickly what my difficulties with the place were. I had a playing handicap of 10 which seems crazy to me. Most courses it goes up slightly and I'll end up with about 14. From 14 you're playing bogey golf and hoping to pick up a few pars. From 10, you need to par every second hole to have a chance of 36 points.

1st hole - a little long, bounced onto the bank behind the greed and got stuck on a tuft of grass. No way of knowing how it was going to come out so I had to be careful not to hit it too hard and risk running through the green - I got a double for a point.

2nd - almost perfect tee shot, just slightly left of where I was aiming. Got to the top of the hill and couldn't find it. I can only assume it got a bad kick into the thick stuff. Scratch.

3rd - didn't get the fade on my drive and it ran into the rough. I took my medicine and tried to just punch out of the rough - I should have had a pop at the green. Club snagged, I didn't get it out. Ended up with a 6 for a point.

4th hole - I just ran off the green, gave the up and down a good go, but another 1 point bogey.

And that's Corballis - 4 holes in, no terrible shots and I've 3 points on my card. On the next two holes in fairness I hit bad irons from the tee, so I couldn't complain about getting two double bogeys. Still though, I'd 4 points after 6 holes and really didn't feel I'd played too badly. In fairness, I picked my scoring from there - 28 points overall. But you just don't get away with much at all on the course.

I got to play the new 8th which was nice. I like what they've done with the hole. I know people liked the old 8th, but I didn't agree. I'd probably have picked it out as one of the weaker ones to be honest. But the green is probably just out of range, but on the right day you might be able to get there. Your gut always tells you to aim at the hole, even from the tee I think it's the natural thing to do. But if you do that and go right you've ruined your hole. So your head will aim you left, but if you overdo it the water will come into play. The bunkers seem well placed too and it's nice that there's a proper bail out area left of the green. There's plenty of room to play a safe approach, but plenty of temptation to be a bit silly with your approach. But the one problem with the hole is the safety issue going right. I thought from the tee that the 11th tee box is in even more danger than before due to people aiming slightly more right. But it's probably out of range for the majority of people. The 10th tee box is in exactly the wrong place though. One of my groups bags was hit while we were teeing off on it. And another ball bounced just to our left. They'll surely have to put up nets there. And then you've the issue of the 11th tee box which those people will then have to play over. So I like the hole, I prefer it to the old one. But I think it's added danger to an already dangerous course.

willabur

There is a bit of a developing situation at Corballis. The conditioning of the course was always a bit middling, especially at the collection areas on the par 4s but it always had good greens, it was famous for it. This year however the conditioning has deteriorated to a shocking level to the point that there is a silent quitting situation where members have just chosen not to renew their membership. It is 40 folk at the last count with the number rising every week. Membership is sick to death of broken promises from the operators in relation to the upkeep of the course. The tee boxes are ruined, the fairways are dug up and bare, the greens are in a shocking state, bunkers are on the verge of collapse. Staff have walked because they are getting the blame but they say they have not been given the tools to do their job. All the while the fees have increased, the traffic has increased also - 5 comps a week plus a day packed with societies. In the summer the car park is full after 6 pm with people jumping on and playing without paying their green fee. The land just cannot handle the traffic, its being flogged to death by an operator that simply seems to only cares about green fees

So what to do? Its getting to a critical point! Stalwarts of the club are walking out, more to follow for sure. The membership have such little leverage with the operators I feel the only thing they can do is get the word out on it. Maybe if people gave honest reviews online about the place after their experience then it would change somethings.

Anyone here been there recently?

blackwhite

I'd suggest contacting some local councillors to apply pressure on the operator.

Carr Golf are ultimately answerable to Fingal County Council, so that's where the most leverage can be applied.

blue note

I've no idea what can be done. I don't like being cynical, but is it an engineered situation? As in they have too many members and want to get rid of them. Jameson links did this by shooting up the membership fee by a grand (while only offering 11 fully open holes). Corballis couldn't handle the loss of green fee income when they took in all the members over COVID. When I was there they pretty much closed off Saturday to members, but maybe that's not enough.

It's an awful shame. It's hard for the collection areas on the short par 4s to be good. They're just too small for the traffic. But the greens were always terrific. I'd worry the operators just don't see the value in maintaining it to that standard.

finglashoop

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123883310#Comment_123883310

I play regulary in winter in the race to 59 every Thursday.

Didnt corballis lose head greenkeeper and ops manger too

Played the august bank holiday and the place was in an awful state. As said above. Too much traffic.

Carr golf are brutal imo.

They give zero **** about members

FixdePitchmark

Always the case...private companies run places like that for profit...not love.

Bring back Fingal or DCC..

They were great guys providing a service to the local community and made a big difference to Dublin and golf development for people with less access to golf.....

Gandalph

It is in an absolutely shocking state at the moment. I'm a member and quite fond of the place, but as it stands; it is probably the worst condition course I have ever played. I can get over the state of the tees, greens and fairways…but holy **** the aprons off the greens are next level diabolical. I would be really curious to hear the feedback from the pro's at the race to 59 just gone.

MayoSalmon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123884548#Comment_123884548

Carr maintain plenty of courses including public ones too which are all in good if not great condition.

What condition is Seapoint in sure?! I suspect this issue is solely related to Corballis.

Gandalph

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123884548#Comment_123884548

I'm not advocating for Carr golf or anything but the contract term is too short with them, they only sign 36 month rolling contracts…no company is going to put any future proofing strategy in place with such a short length of guarantee.

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123885229#Comment_123885229

Future proofing should be built into the contract with Fingal County Council by way of KPIs around course condition and maintenance plans.

finglashoop

Lot of gur this morning and fairways in tatters

soverybored1878

Played there last month and thought the same. One of the holes on the front 9 (forget which) had barely any grass on it at all. I put it down to a dry summer. The place is crazy busy all the time though and surely no course can handle that amount of traffic. Societies, comps and the membership of what is essentially two clubs (Elm Green with reciprocal rights).

This smells of a price rise down the line. To be honest, the place is a steal for what it is. If they whack on an extra tenner and conditions improve, fine. Would still be brilliant value.

mjsc1970

Always felt they could turn it into the best 9 hole course In Ireland on the land that's there and do away with the poor holes