Lough Erne loses the Irish Open 2017

Kevinmarkham

Interesting to see that Rory may have been part of the reason that Lough Erne has lost the Irish Open for next year. Rumours have been rife and it looks as if Portstewart will be the beneficiary.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/golf/irish-open/rory-mcilroy-may-have-had-role-in-switch-of-open-venue-34619087.html

Dr Devious

He obviously enjoys playing on the links in Co Kildare instead.:rolleyes::eek:

Hoof Hearted2

Lets be honest they never really "had it" to lose it, it's abit of a non story there Kev with a suitably negative attention grabbing headline.

ronnie3585

I think it's only right that the Irish Open is played on links courses. It will showcase the best we have to offer. Tour players can play a fine parkland course whenever they want, but our links courses offer something a lot more unique and special.

dwd

Interesting development alright, I can't imagine the owners of Lough Erne being too happy. I would agree with the sentiment of keeping the event to links courses both North and South, courses like the K Club and Fota Island are lesser cousins of the big resorts in the US, we should be show casing our links courses. I would love to see the Irish Open held at the European Club, now that would be a test, I know it probably never going to happen with it's location and I would think they would have to restrict the number of spectators also.

dan_ep82

Hoof Hearted2 wrote: »

Lets be honest they never really "had it" to lose it, it's abit of a non story there Kev with a suitably negative attention grabbing headline.

It said it was announced as the venue 2 years ago by the first minister something or other. All articles are meant to be attention grabbing. Some posts are also negatively attention grabbing.

I agree the links is what most people talk about on the worldwide forums when Ireland comes up, I just don't think our best parklands can facilitate the crowds so it does make sense.

Hoof Hearted2

dan_ep82 wrote: »

It said it was announced as the venue 2 years ago by the first minister something or other. All articles are meant to be attention grabbing. Some posts are also negatively attention grabbing.

I agree the links is what most people talk about on the worldwide forums when Ireland comes up, I just don't think our best parklands can facilitate the crowds so it does make sense.

Very insightful dan_ep82, are you an avid reader of the red tops?, most articles in reputable media sources are not attention grabbing and negatively phrased, but sometimes the the headlines are!.
This headline could have been phrased differently, but then the people who love a good non story wouldn't have been attracted to it.
Horses for course I guess!!!.

Seve OB

dan_ep82 wrote: »

It said it was announced as the venue 2 years ago by the first minister something or other. All articles are meant to be attention grabbing. Some posts are also negatively attention grabbing.

I agree the links is what most people talk about on the worldwide forums when Ireland comes up, I just don't think our best parklands can facilitate the crowds so it does make sense.

I think you have that arse about tit. Parkland courses like k club, fota, carton are all excellent venues from a crowd point of view. Contrast that with RCD last year and it was brutal from a spectator point of view, Baltray was a bit better, but not a lot

PARlance

Hoof Hearted2 wrote: »

Lets be honest they never really "had it" to lose it, it's abit of a non story there Kev with a suitably negative attention grabbing headline.

What do you mean by saying they never really "had it "?
It was publicly announced that they were to host the 2017 Irish Open.

I can't see how it's a non-story. The article is poorly written though in the fact that it's a little sensationalist without giving any facts to back it up.

PARlance

Better article here:
http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/golf/lough-erne-owners-fume-over-irish-open-call-392468.html

RoadRunner

is portmarnock no longer suitable for modern opens?

Telecaster58

That's a bit of a shame for Lough Erne.
That said, Portstewart is a superb golf course. Played it about 20 years ago in the Causeway Coast challenge and scored 36 points!

Benicetomonty

RoadRunner wrote: »

is portmarnock no longer suitable for modern opens?

Male only policy in Portmarnock doesnt do them any favours re: hosting a national event. Are they trying to rescind that did I hear?

davo10

A couple of things struck me about this announcement, firstly Lough Erne is a fantastic course but some of the walks between greens and tees would put the pros off, especially (I think) the 7th tee where there is a very long walk up a steep hill. Also, if I'm not mistaken, the end of Rory's time as the touring pro there was not exactly amicable. Lastly, it's a bit rich to say it should be links while at the same time hosting/taking the cash in the K Club, don't tell me the competition is there based on the course alone.

I hope this decision was made for golfing reasons and not McIllroy flexing his muscles.

FixdePitchmark

Telecaster58 wrote: »

That's a bit of a shame for Lough Erne.
That said, Portstewart is a superb golf course. Played it about 20 years ago in the Causeway Coast challenge and scored 36 points!

Brilliant course and venue.

K club was a silly pick - in fact Lough Erne should be on it, and K club should never have been picked.

ForeRight

davo10 wrote: »

A couple of things struck me about this announcement, firstly Lough Erne is a fantastic course but some of the walks between greens and tees would put the pros off, especially (I think) the 7th tee where there is a very long walk up a steep hill. Also, if I'm not mistaken, the end of Rory's time as the touring pro there was not exactly amicable. Lastly, it's a bit rich to say it should be links while at the same time hosting/taking the cash in the K Club, don't tell me the competition is there based on the course alone.

I hope this decision was made for golfing reasons and not McIllroy flexing his muscles.

That's why he hits the gym so hard. When he flexes those big arms nobody is gonna mess with the big dog.

coylemj

davo10 wrote: »

Also, if I'm not mistaken, the end of Rory's time as the touring pro there was not exactly amicable.

But the place went bust during the crash and there's new owners there now, Rory is hardly holding a grudge against the course itself

Seve OB

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Brilliant course and venue.

K club was a silly pick - in fact Lough Erne should be on it, and K club should never have been picked.

So you won't be looking for a ticket then :P

FixdePitchmark

Seve OB wrote: »

So you won't be looking for a ticket then :P

Not a fan of the great Irish tax exile that resides.

galwaylad14

I know it's been mentioned here before but is there any hope of getting this event on close to the British Open? I know the Scottish Open is always the week before and they play it on a links and as a result get some of the top international players coming over. But could they not play the Irish Open on a links the week before this again? And have three weeks of links golf in a row? A lot of top players might play the 3 weeks together in order to be really into the swing of the links golf and well used to it in time for the Open.

Would agree with others who say we are giving up our unique selling point when we don't play it on a links course. There's dozens of top class links courses around, is it just a case that most of them are lacking in the infrastructure to host such an event?

davo10

coylemj wrote: »

But the place went bust during the crash and there's new owners there now, Rory is hardly holding a grudge against the course itself

If I remember rightly, he signed a sponsorship with Jumeriah not long after turning pro and they did not want Lough Erne on his collar, but Lough Erne refused to release him from his agreement and there was a bit of acrimony.

ForeRight

If only it was possible to see them all play off the backs in The European Club.
I'd love to see how they get on bring so familiar with the place myself

Keano

ForeRight wrote: »

That's why he hits the gym so hard. When he flexes those big arms nobody is gonna mess with the big dog.

Not funny and adding nothing to the debate.

ForeRight

Keano wrote: »

Not funny and adding nothing to the debate.

Ok sorry boss.

PARlance

davo10 wrote: »

A couple of things struck me about this announcement, firstly Lough Erne is a fantastic course but some of the walks between greens and tees would put the pros off, especially (I think) the 7th tee where there is a very long walk up a steep hill. Also, if I'm not mistaken, the end of Rory's time as the touring pro there was not exactly amicable. Lastly, it's a bit rich to say it should be links while at the same time hosting/taking the cash in the K Club, don't tell me the competition is there based on the course alone.

I hope this decision was made for golfing reasons and not McIllroy flexing his muscles.

They were more than likely going to reroute the course as the 18th is a poor finishing hole in terms of accommodating a grandstand, big crowds etc.

7 was being considered as the starting hole. That would still leave a Par 3 finish but there's much more room surrounding 6. That would obviously eliminate the walk but I don't think the Pros would make much of it in any case. Carts could have easily been provided too.

HighLine

Could you imagine the conversation between Ruddy and The European Tour about having an event down here in Wicklow... "It will cost you 5 million Pat." - "Ehh sorry lads, more like it will cost you 5 million to play it here"

It's always said about how The Irish Open should be played on links courses because they are such an asset for us.... Fact is, the majority of links tournament courses look poxy from a TV point of view. The Irish Open returning to Druids Glen, when it's in full bloom in late May, shown on modern HD screens. Now that is something I would like to see and would attract foreign visitors.

RoadRunner

Benicetomonty wrote: »

Male only policy in Portmarnock doesnt do them any favours re: hosting a national event. Are they trying to rescind that did I hear?

Good call. Found this from last year:
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/portmarnock-golf-club-to-consult-members-about-admitting-female-members-1.2205591

coylemj

RoadRunner wrote: »

Good call. Found this from last year:
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/portmarnock-golf-club-to-consult-members-about-admitting-female-members-1.2205591

Sounds like a classic 'softening up' process.

Now lads, we're not going to do anything in haste, we just want ye to think about it..... Meaning that nobody can say 'no' because they're not being asked to make a decision, then they will become so attuned to the proposal that it will go through on the nod in a couple of years time.

slave1

Irish Opens should be on links, that's what visitors want to see and it's a great opportunity for Ireland to shine across the world.
Personally, I was very surprised to hear it was going there in the first place, how the crowds could be handled given its mad layout and transitions is beyond me.

thewobbler

It's an awful shame for Lough Erne and for that part of the island.

Some of the comments about the walks between holes are lunacy. If a man can't walk 70 yards uphill (from 5 to 6) then he's not going to last 4 days of a pro tournament. There is no other climb of note on the course.

My take on Lough Erne is that it would have looked utterly magnificent on TV, much better than any links course. Those lakes, islands, vacant countrysides, as well as the impeccable conditioning and multiple approach shots over water, would give it a truly Loch Lomond air from a 42" screen.

But I don't know if it was ever a suitable course for the event. I've always said that Faldo mucked up badly by finishing on a (very average) par 3, buys it's become very clear that by ring fencing the club house / hotel with 2 par 3s, he actually didn't consider tournament golf at all. The current layout would have no natural start or endpoint for a tournament.

I would be surprised if the hotel takes it upon themselves to rebuild 17 as a par 3, making 18 into a drivable par 4 (if you've got big stones). This move would solve the problem for future.

But the other problem would always have been access. There would have been - for upwards on 80% of visitors - just single bridge to funnel traffic across the Erne, which is already the root at the bottom of Enniakillen's existing bottleneck. It truly would have been appalling, and made worse by almost everyone having 2+ hour journeys when they finally cleared it.

CMOTDibbler

thewobbler wrote: »

But the other problem would always have been access. There would have been - for upwards on 80% of visitors - just single bridge to funnel traffic across the Erne, which is already the root at the bottom of Enniakillen's existing bottleneck. It truly would have been appalling, and made worse by almost everyone having 2+ hour journeys when they finally cleared it.

I suspect that's the reason. For these events to be a success, you need crowds and if it's inaccessible, you just won't get them.

Boskowski

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Brilliant course and venue.

K club was a silly pick - in fact Lough Erne should be on it, and K club should never have been picked.

Surely the 10th anniversary of the Ryder Cup played a big role there?

Leslie91

Seve OB wrote: »

So you won't be looking for a ticket then :P

I will be... anybody on here got any access to comps for saturday and sunday?

PARlance

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

I suspect that's the reason. For these events to be a success, you need crowds and if it's inaccessible, you just won't get them.

So why give it to them in the first place if that's the reason?

CMOTDibbler

PARlance wrote: »

So why give it to them in the first place if that's the reason?

I don't know. It seems the new European tour CEO made the decision and it's not clear what the reasons were. If there were access issues, that would be a factor as well as whether they would get the same kind of support from the players as last year. This year doesn't look as good either and maybe that was a factor.

whoops_jimmy

According to a local pro lough erne lost it for two reasons. 1 was money as the new owners were not willing to put the money into sup port it. 2 was Rory has no love for the place since the original owners were taking over by nama.

fullstop

ForeRight wrote: »

If only it was possible to see them all play off the backs in The European Club.
I'd love to see how they get on bring so familiar with the place myself

Won't happen. Killeen Castle were looking for it a couple of years ago and wanted to play it off the blacks (7700 yards), but the tour said if they got it they wouldn't be allowed to play it at that length, among other stipulations.

First Up

whoops_jimmy wrote:

According to a local pro lough erne lost it for two reasons. 1 was money as the new owners were not willing to put the money into sup port it. 2 was Rory has no love for the place since the original owners were taking over by nama.

Does that mean they have taken down all his photos? You couldn't go anywhere in the place without him looking at you.

Ronney

fullstop wrote: »

Won't happen. Killeen Castle were looking for it a couple of years ago and wanted to play it off the blacks (7700 yards), but the tour said if they got it they wouldn't be allowed to play it at that length, among other stipulations.

Tour pros are a delicate breed, thing up in Portrush they played of some forward tees and any sign of a bit of wind and rain they are crying out for delays!