Boards Golf Society - The European Club 20th April 11.00 AM 2019

SEORG

Try this one

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYBayxqpV60

Kiith

Do we play the extra two holes?

Aliasjones

Are the fairways awful narrow??
Not hitting that straight the last couple of rounds . Might have to go 3 wood off the tee aswell

BigChap1759

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Yes. There's a proper grass range.

Anyone remember where the range is - is it down the road from the links?

TitianGerm

Aliasjones wrote: »

Are the fairways awful narrow??
Not hitting that straight the last couple of rounds . Might have to go 3 wood off the tee aswell

The better question is "is there more sand than fairway"

Golfhead65

First up,A big thanks to Captain Benny on securing today's course and also apologise for bringing Benny,Kilth and Tiger down to my bad level of golf but if ever you can be happy after a bad day on the course it was today as that has to be the best course and experience of a golf course I've ever had and I've played quite a few top courses, next year's Captain has a hard act to follow..

FixdePitchmark

Easter weekend, one of the toughest courses on the east coast, a night shift, white tees. Not an ideal combination by a long shot.

But, that is the way at times, at the Boards Golf Society outings – everyone has made a savage commitment to get there, everyone has something they have done to go play a game of golf they probably shouldn’t. if you were to think everything through in a rational way. You would play every week at your club, with the same 4 lads, talking about “the football”.

Benny always promises “the sun to split the stones” – as I raised up the hill in Brittas Bay, the sun shining and the sea as still as you ever see on the east. I had a little laugh to myself. Thank the un-risen lord, Muhammad, princess Leia and Benny.

The European Club is tough enough without ideal conditions. You literally could not get nicer weather or condition in April. What a feeling after a little warm up to walk to that first tee.

Gerry Ruddy was there to meet us, you could not get a better welcome. Filling us all in on the information needed. Formal, but fun. It was so refreshing, it is golf at the end of the day, we all love golf. It is about the golf there. No fake formality, but balanced seriousness and fun and friendly.

I’ve played The European Club 4 times now. But it is a course that is hard to put your finger on. It is a links “yes”, it is coastal “yes”, it is part inland “yes”, it is hilly “yes”, it is flat “yes”, it is fair “yes”, it is tough “yes”. It is many things, but at times contrasting and confusing.

The best courses, don’t give everything up after 4 visits. It takes way more time and mistakes and life lessons and knowledge.

None of us in our group played our best – but we had a great day (offaly Medic, A Posk Punk, Doublecross.) We spent a good bit of the round giving the course too much respect at the wrong times and not enough at the right times. We had a bit of extra time on one of greens (the 12th) and we had a 100 yard long putting contest - what a bizarre but brilliant green.

I hit a bit of a wall at times – and had enough caffeine in me that I’d fail a Tour de France drug test.

With wind/sun burn, battered bodies and cards – we had a debriefing in the clubhouse. The course on a perfect day had mauled 90% of the field.

Golf is just so hard at times, and a course like that can make you question why, why, why – do the travelling and put the effort in. But that is why I love Links and courses like that. You can love and can hate them in equal measures – on the same day, the same round, the same hole.

It was great to catch up with some of the old faces and friends of the past in the Clubhouse.

There is talk of moving to yoga as opposed to golf. It is gathering a bit of momentum. But momentum needs movement and we couldn’t move. Golf or yoga with strangers form the Internet – time for a cold beer to think that one over.

Standing on the crazy 15th green after a daft 6, I was angry, such a simple hole (scratch) – I looked back along the incredible long coastal stretch of holes. The sea was picture perfect, the golf holes were stretched as far as the heat and sea haze would allow you and your imagination to see. I had a moment of caffeine induced enlightenment.

On Easter weekend – a little saying, my "auld lad" use to say to me came into my head – “this is heaven” – I guess only he knows for sure. But it felt like it for that short moment.

What a day lads – thanks to all involved.

Young_gunner

What was the winning score lads? Delighted ye got the weather for it!!

I’d to make do with the driving range in Mullingar!

gypsy79

Young_gunner wrote: »

What was the winning score lads? Delighted ye got the weather for it!!

I’d to make do with the driving range in Mullingar!

37 I believe. Some scoring

Golfhead65

gypsy79 wrote: »

37 I believe. Some scoring

If I'd have played another 18 I don't think I'd have reached 37 pts lol

Seve OB

Well after missing the first couple of outings this year due to family events, I was at least playing regular golf coming into this and pretty consistent to my handicap of 12. one 36 points and a few 33's on my home course. But I knew I was playing better than that as my putting has been dire, missing more putts from less than 2 feet than I care to remember. But my ball striking has been as solid as ever really.

So my first visit to The European, brought back the childhood memories of trips down to Brittas Bay. What a great setting. Great greeting from Pat and the rest of the staff, such a warm and friendly place to visit. I would agree with the sentiments that it's not really a links course, but there are some really cracking holes. I think 12th was my favourite. One thing I really love about great golf courses is the feeling of isolation, where you rarely see other golfers and you feel like you are in the middle of nowhere and the European delivers this feeling in spades. I really enjoyed a great day out as ever with the boards crew and my game with Golfgraffix, CharlieIRL and Big Chap (Who I was taking on in the winter matchplay).

Well obviously I was in the zone yesterday. Started with a solid 3 wood drive up the right, found the green with a wedge and carried on from where I left off previous rounds with a shocking putt from about 25 feet that must have went a good 10 foot past & of course I missed the one back :rolleyes: Next hole, missed the green short right, a decent chip over the bunker but still aleft me a good 15 footer....which I rolled in normal service resumed. solid golf for the next few holes, another couple of pars and the 6th I was long and found heavy rough, did well to hack out, my putt from off the green was well short but I rolled in another long one 12 foot or so for a bogey (and an unlikely half in the match). The 7th hole really threw me, a good 3 wood down the left side, now I see the OB all was up the right and trouble on left, I played a cautious 7 iron layup instead of going for the green (wrong idea), 85 yards out my approach trickled off the right but I chipped to less than 3 foot.....missed the damn putt... oh oh, here we go again
I feel I got unlucky on the 8th with a great drive that was just to well hit and went halfway up the hill at the dogleg, took me 2 to get out and still found trouble. I took 4 putts (2 from short of the green, came back down) for my only scratch of the day. Then I went on a rampage, 9 pars on the trot. Don't think I have ever done that in my life. I rode my luck a few times, most notably on the 16th where I was so far right with my drive off the tee that it was surely going to be a lost ball, but Golfgraffix found it.... in a rabbit burrow for a free drop. Played a 7 iron out to move it up the fairway, but I just flushed it so well, it travelled all the way to green for another easy 2 putt par
I felt unlucky on 18 when I cracked another great 3 wood but just caught the bunker, all I could do was get it out and playing into the green from a blind shot in the rough I left myself a monster putt from the right of the green for my ar putt. A shocking putt was followed by another shocker and I still had a 4 footer left for my 6 which thankfully I got.
Needless to say, I was delighted with my score, 37points off boards handicap of 11 which included 12 pars, a couple of doubles and a quadruple for a gross 82, but still feel I left a few out there I actually thought there was going to be a 40 points yesterday, conditions were really good, little wind, sunshine and warmth. Couldn't believe I won by such a margin.

Thanks to Captain Benny for organising everything and enjoyed the nice touch of the Easter egg prizes Looking forward to Esker Hills next month, another great course.

newindublin

Thanks to Break80, AlanM, and golfnut203 for the round, they were all excellent to play with. My game was not at it's best, so I do appreciate the help on often futile searches for a wayward shot. Also congratulations to SeveOB, that is a great score to be proud of.

The welcome at the first tee was excellent. I appreciated the course for its raw natural beauty, stunning at times, dastardly at others. I can't say that I would rush back though, I found it a very punishing round that demands an exact form of the sport. I didn't leave exhilarated, just defeated.

To sooth my bruised ego I played a casual round at the Montgomery Course at Carton House today. A bird and 5 pars, 9 bogies and few others later and all is right with the world.

Kiith

It really is an amazing course. Obviously, the weather helped a lot, but even of a rough day i'd say it's amazing to play. Started well with a birdie on 1. Poor drive onto the 10th fairway followed by a 7-iron to around 7 feet was a nice way to start the round. Did ok for a few holes, and had 10 points after 6. Unfortunately, i still had 10 points after 11, so that wasn't great Played well for the last few and ended up with 26 points, so was happy enough overall.

Thanks to Benny, Tigerwood1 and Golfhead65 for a great time. The golf wasn't always great, but the company was.

benny79

Sorry Lads Im only getting to post now! been a busy weekend!

1st Seve ob 37pts

2nd SEORG 32pts

3th FixdePitchmark 30pts


NP - Brian Rossiter LD - Princess Poppy

The 2's was won by Golfgraffixs

Hope you all enjoyed it! what a day we got I really feel The European is a special place. Sadly a family party the night before (which I totally forgot about) but a end to me having a good round! We dont meet up often but when we do it gets a bit wild.. but I had a great day nonetheless how could you not! I forgot how tough it can be but I know one thing for sure I will be back..


Talk soon

Regards

Benny

pakman

Really enjoyed the round with great company. The course was as difficult as I imagined but way more spectacular.

Some incredible views stood as the backdrop to my ball going into the rough, never to be found again.

If I ever learn how to hit straight shots I'll have to go back but it was a fantastic day regardless. I hope Esker is easier

Golfhead65

pakman wrote: »

Really enjoyed the round with great company. The course was as difficult as I imagined but way more spectacular.

Some incredible views stood as the backdrop to my ball going into the rough, never to be found again.

If I ever learn how to hit straight shots I'll have to go back but it was a fantastic day regardless. I hope Esker is easier

In funny type of way it's as tough

Seve OB

Golfhead65 wrote: »

In funny type of way it's as tough

only played it twice, but yes, from memory, it is quite tight

Seve OB

Full results sheet

FixdePitchmark

Jaysus the points were terrible . Including myself

woodyg

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Jaysus the points were terrible . Including myself

would it be reasonable to say that might be the lower avg score in a long time if ever?
it really was a test of the brain on saturday, cheers Benny for day.
enjoyed the round with Poppy, Tim and Seorg.
Poppy can i buy that short game please?????

SEORG

A great day & what a course. Huge credit to Benny and all involved for organising the sunshine and getting such a quality course for us to experience.

This was my first time playing the European Club so my expectations were high from reading reviews on the forum and from other resources in the internet.
It exceeded them all, it's just stunning. The way the holes meander through the land it occupies is fantastic, at times, you feel like you are the only group on the course. Then you have the run of holes on the coast, all laid out in front of you.

I had a good day, no bunkers and only 2 lost balls (both happened to be on the 7th, I always seem to mess up a hole where I have a shot).
Looking back at my round I drove the ball well, hit a lot of greens in regulation and had some good up & downs. I did throw in three 3 putts, a couple of short ones missed.

Thanks to Princess Poppy, Timgolfer and Woodyg for the great company on the day.

Congrats to SeveOB on the great score, that was some run on the back nine and to Princess Poppy on winning the longest drive and the fine achievement of using the same ball for the full round.

Looking forward to the next outing.

The Big Easy

Thanks to Benny and the committee for getting us out on such a great course at a reasonable rate. I'd happily play links golf every day of my life.

Might be in the minority here but would love to experience it when it bares its teeth. We really had a glorious day to play it and I was rewarded with the princely sum of 24 points for my efforts. Haven't been playing a great deal lately, but had played the three days previously to tune up for this. All that achieved was a tender back, as I arrived overcooked. My love for golf is definitely returning though and I'm plotting my next rounds already.

Congrats to Seve on a really cracking score and nine pars in a row, must be one of his best days on a golf course. Great to see Fix back in the fold alongside his accompanying opuses. Great to see some familiar faces as always and some new ones I'm sure I'll get to know along the way.

Really enjoyed the round with Alias, Brian and Rainbow. Looking forward to Esker Hills, another course I've been wanting to play for a while, nice one Benny!

Yeah, the 5am yoga prep didn't seen to help, but it does keep frustration levels under control, even when the ball isn't. We'll get the Kundalini rising at the next event!

Seve OB

What I was telling you about Easy

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.euronews.com/amp/2019/04/10/russia-prison-chief-rejects-claim-jail-yoga-could-turn-inmates-gay

pakman

It sounded like in the clubhouse a lot of groups had putting comps from back of the giant green.

Did anybody make past the half way mark? We all thought we gave it a good hit but they all came up hugely short.

slave1

pakman wrote: »

It sounded like in the clubhouse a lot of groups had putting comps from back of the giant green.

Did anybody make past the half way mark? We all thought we gave it a good hit but they all came up hugely short.

That's why you've a 6 iron, use it like a putter

pakman

slave1 wrote: »

That's why you've a 6 iron, use it like a putter

Someone suggested bouncing it off the face of a hybrid or fairway wood

RoadRunner

Played with ronnoco13, OS_Head and pakman :pac:

Gorgeous course. Top tier. On a par with my favourite course that I've ever played (enniscrone). Just as arnie says, I'll be back! Great work to benny and crew.

Great company, with three lads I'd not met before. Felt ronnoco13 was on a good run coming up to the turn. Was putting every drive right down the middle. After another straight down the middle on 7 (when we were all OOB), someone made the comment (in jest) 'keep at it, I'm sure your driving will come good soon'. not long after that he started pulling them off line, all of them, and with it chances of a good finish.

The sun was out, the wind down. It was calm. The waves lapping up on the beach and skylarks overhead were the only sounds. The skylarks song is a distinctive continuous stream of warbling notes which you only get at the dunes when it's calm and nice.

"It sounds like that bird is trying to dial in to the internet" was a goofy comment that brought a smile which took a while to leave.

My golf was poor on the whole. But as usual had a few good shots in there too. I had trouble with short range putts on the day. The greens were lush, but the grass looked different to greens I've played recently. I think I wasn't paying attention to the grain of the grass until right near the end, which may have cost me heavily.

Got to play golf again on the monday in nice weather in castleknock which completed a perfect weekend of golf for me.