Curtis Cup

trishasaffron

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/curtis-cup-at-dun-laoghaire-a-rare-treat-for-irish-golf-fans-1.2677485

Kevinmarkham

A good piece by Mr Reid, and some very valid points about ticket sales. Considering three of our own are on the team you'd think the numbers would be larger.

Golfgorfield

The Irish Golf media are a lot to blame i feel, how many articles and interviews etc etc went on when the 5 Irish lads made the Walker Cup??
They were hailed as "The famous 5", heroes, which they were, but in comparable term its as big if not a bigger achievement to have 3 girls on the Curtis team, one of whom is 32 years old, married and holds down a full time job along with helping on her husbands farm!
There has been very little made of it.
So Mr Reid complaining about this is a little silly given he hasn't, nor has many others given the girls the amount of exposure they deserve in the run up tho the tournament over the past 4 weeks.

First Up

Does anyone have the timetable for tomorrow's matches?

Golfgorfield

First Up wrote: »

Does anyone have the timetable for tomorrow's matches?

http://www.curtiscup2016.com/#!event-schedule/f0jip

delboykelly

I don't have a ticket. Can I just rock up and pay in at the gate for a couple of hours?

First Up

delboykelly wrote:

I don't have a ticket. Can I just rock up and pay in at the gate for a couple of hours?

Yes, cash taken at the gate. €16 per day which is decent value.

bmay529

Is there car parking?

LarMan

I drove past the club yesterday evening and there is a field right next to the golf club which is being used as a public car park.

Rikand

GB&I off to a good start.

2 wins in the first two matches and the third match was all square with 3 holes to play.

Wins for Mehaffey and Maguire so far. Dunne is in the 3rd match

First Up

I was there today - excellent day out, although I was mistaken about the cost - it is £16 or €24. A whopping rip-off and many NI and UK patrons were seriously pissed off to find that Sterling wasn't taken at the gate!

Yes there is parking (free) right next door. The signage is poor on the way in - if you don't know where the club is, you are on your own as nothing on the approach roads. Catering is basic but just about adequate.

Best thing is that you can follow the players really close (on the fairways) and crowds while decent leave plenty of viewing room. Only three matches at a time today and tomorrow so you need to be prepared to move around. The Upper 9 is pretty hilly so its a good day's walk.

Lovely atmosphere and lovely golf. Highly recommended.r

HighLine

First Up wrote: »

A whopping rip-off and many NI and UK patrons were seriously pissed off to find that Sterling wasn't taken at the gate!

Agree about the price being a rip off and in particular the exchange rate but how idiotic for people to be pissed off that sterling wasn't accepted at the gate... in the Republic of Ireland.

The Rape of Lucretia

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

A good piece by Mr Reid, and some very valid points about ticket sales.

"Which brings us back to the Curtis Cup . . . and why it isn’t, but should be, a sold-out affair!"

I am surprised he thinks it should be.

- its amateur golf, nich as a spectator sport at the best of times
- its women's golf, niche as a spectator sport at the best of times
- do people know it is on (I didnt), but maybe the lack of prominence is in line with the genuine interest

I am stunned 15k tickets have been sold.

trishasaffron

Update on state of play this evening

http://www.lgu.org/EZ/lgu/lgu/Curtis_Cup.php?PHPSESSID=2mp39r8vgmgs7pfor60ot173q2&art=1037&CShip=156&CPage=news

these players are the pros of tomorrow.

First Up

HighLine wrote:

Agree about the price being a rip off and in particular the exchange rate but how idiotic for people to be pissed off that sterling wasn't accepted at the gate... in the Republic of Ireland.

But the website clearly shows the sterling price and says cash is taken at the gate. It didn't affect me but a lot of people who took their info from the LGU website felt misled.

I really enjoyed the day. The slightly amateurish feel about the organisation didn't spoil it. I've been to three Ryder Cups, all the majors except the PGA and a host of US and European tour events. Today was right up there and a grand day out.

HighLine

First Up wrote: »

But the website clearly shows the sterling price and says cash is taken at the gate. It didn't affect me but a lot of people who took their info from the LGU website felt misled.

I really enjoyed the day. The slightly amateurish feel about the organisation didn't spoil it. I've been to three Ryder Cups, all the majors except the PGA and a host of US and European tour events. Today was right up there and a grand day out.

I was half thinking about going up tomorrow but to be honest, I just think the €24 entry is a bit steep. It's amateur golf after all. I remember being down at The European Club (2007-2009) for the Irish Professional Championship and it was free of charge.

Anyway, glad to hear ticket sales were high and it sounds like the event was good to watch.

First Up

HighLine wrote:

I was half thinking about going up tomorrow but to be honest, I just think the €24 entry is a bit steep. It's amateur golf after all. I remember being down at The European Club (2007-2009) for the Irish Professional Championship and it was free of charge.

To be honest, I went today under the misapprehension that is was €16. Had I realised it was €24 I might not have but I'm not sorry I did.

Joe_ Public

Just watching the highlights on Sky. The course looks really well and the crowd quite reasonable, I'd have thought, for this event. I thought the original 16 price quoted was in euro, does seem a bit steep to me.

bmay529

I went to see it yesterday and thought it well organised, a good day out and DLGC looked at its best. A couple of thoughts
1. Getting there: Take exit 5 off M50 and head for Bray, after roundabout take the first turn right at the traffic lights. There are clear signs for Curtis Cup and it is easy to find.
2. €24 is expensive but worth going
3. The car park entrance is next to the club entrance. Be prepared for a long uphill walk to the course
4. These girls are the best you will find, pros of the future, and so good and many so slight. They hit the ball with what seems like so little effort yet it goes a mile and drops like a feather. A real lesson in the value of timing for men (me) and worth seeing.

First Up

It can also be reached from the Enniskerry Rd. Take the left fork at the petrol station and take the next sharp left. That beings you to the club and car park entrance in about a mile.

Senecio

Play is currently suspended. Heavy rain has left the greens with standing water. Looks like it's starting to let up but it might be a while before we're back on the course.

Senecio

Here's the first green

Senecio

Back on the course now for about an hour and the GB&I girls are on a march. 2 up in the first match and 3 up in the next two.

Senecio

It appears I'm talking to myself but I don't care.

We were treated to a display fine golf this afternoon. These girls really are the real deal and I'm sure they will be the stars of the future. It was incredible to watch just how well they struck the ball.

Now to go out and hack it around in the medal tomorrow

First Up

Senecio wrote:

Now to go out and hack it around in the medal tomorrow

I went out today determined to be inspired by those long smooth swings. Didn't work.

Very tempted to go up tomorrow for the singles.

Beaulieu

Heading up now...always enjoy watching the ladies play (seriously!)

First Up

It should be a great day. I wonder if the Slow Play issue will go any further. I must say that on Friday it was ridiculously slow, with both teams equally guilty. Every shot - starting with drives - took forever. On the greens it was unbelievably slow. Even with only two balls in play they took about ten minutes to hole out. Both players reading each line, using all sorts of measuring techniques, talking about it, reading the line again. One of the Friday fourballs took over five hours.

No wonder it is getting worse at club level if people are watching this nonsense and think they should follow suit.

First Up

They won it! Looked tricky for a bit but 3 1/2 points in the bag. I hope it gets the coverage it deserves but RTE engrossed in GAA.

Beaulieu

Great day out - super golf and real drama towards the end. Great crowds too and everyone (apart from some of the US players) seemed in great spirits. €24 for an amateur event though is taking the proverbial no matter how high the standard of golf is.

Mantis Toboggan

Just watching the highlights now, loving all the face paints, we need to see more of that in the ryder cup.

Kevinmarkham

First Up wrote: »

I wonder if the Slow Play issue will go any further. I must say that on Friday it was ridiculously slow.

No wonder it is getting worse at club level if people are watching this nonsense and think they should follow suit.

Was up there yesterday and there was some very slow stuff going on. One of the Americans took ages to hit a putt, going through about three different routines. And, sorry to say, Leona Maguire on the 1st hole was either of the opinion it was a Sunday stroll or conducting a bit of gamesmanship. It took her ages to walk up to her ball on the green and mark it.

Beaulieu wrote: »

Great day out - super golf and real drama towards the end. Great crowds too and everyone (apart from some of the US players) seemed in great spirits. €24 for an amateur event though is taking the proverbial no matter how high the standard of golf is.

I agree that €24 is too steep. (It was Stg £16 a ticket which is where I think a lot of the confusion arose). Make that €19 - i.e. under 20 - and you'd more than make up for the €5 loss in €€ with increased numbers.

Tyson Fury wrote: »

Just watching the highlights now, loving all the face paints, we need to see more of that in the ryder cup.

Funny - I've seen so many tweets/comments blasting the face paint as being stupid. As for the Ryder Cup, dressing the WAGs in matching outfits is quite ridiculous enough, thank you!


Some photos from Dun Laoghaire yesterday are up on my blog.

First Up

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Funny - I've seen so many tweets/comments blasting the face paint as being stupid. .

I'd like to see how a Ryder Cup player would look with the flags of all countries represented on their faces.

Joe_ Public

Womens golf is definitely making big strides. Watched the last round of the LPGA last night and it was absorbing stuff, won in a play off by 18 year old Brooke Henderson denying 19 year old Lydia Ko with a stroke of genius on the first play off hole. The future is in very good hands there.

But even watching on tv, the slow pace is unsettling. There was one player in particular having taken an age to play a putt would then, having knocked it to within gimme range, would proceed to mark her ball, look at it for several seconds as if not sure it's actually her ball , then very deliberately replace it so that the manufactures mark is facing exactly 45 degrees due north west or something like that. The kind of stuff that makes you want to scream at the telly!