Palmerstown House Golf Club & Tulfarris Golf Club

bailey99

Hello, I got some good advice on Moyvalley Golf Club so thanks for that. I'm looking at a society booking in both Palmerstown House Golf Club in Kildare and Tulfarris Golf Club in Wicklow. I've never played Palmerstown but from the flyovers and photos online its look a really challenging course. Is it too difficult in people's opinion? What sort of condition is it in usually or currently? Thanks!

Tulfarris I played once, many years ago. It was in superb condition and I thought it was such an enjoyable track. I googled it and a number of reviews came up about the condition of the place. Very wet and boggy. Shouldn't have been open etc. Has anyone played it recently or is a member or can attest to the condition of the place? Thanks in advance.

downthemiddle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058414118/palmerstown-house-golf-club-tulfarris-golf-club

Tulfarris is good during the summer, not so good at other times of the year. Palmerstown has better drainage although it can also get wet in places.

awec

I have played Palmerstown a number of times. It is long and has plenty of water.

Personally I don't think I could cope with being a member there because I don't believe it's possible to complete a 4 hour round around that place. Aside from the length of the holes themselves, some of the walks from green to tee are massive, I would honestly say a 5 hour round is normal there at weekends, maybe even 5.5 hours.

Another problem I have is the course layout is not great for short rounds. The 9th green and 10th tee are literally on the opposite side of the course to the clubhouse. The layout of the course is like a big circle, you leave the clubhouse at the first tee and you don't get anywhere near the clubhouse again until the 18th green.

CalamariFritti

I only played it once but found Palmerstown is a lovely course on a lovely and big piece of land. But as you said it's not easy, there is a good bit of water in play some of it to carry. The one time I played it we had a member in our group. It may sound a bit condescending but probably true all the same - he dropped 'we have no ladies in the club, not we dont want to but too many forced carries'.

thewobbler

Played Palmerstown yesterday for the first time (in a 4 club breeze most of the way) and just loved the place. The par 3s and par 5s are among the best of each collection I’ve played. There’s a few so-so par 4s but they’re well spread out across the round. The bunkering is exceptional and the water just eeks in here and there as needed to always keep you thinking. And of course it needs cleared on approaches on multiple occasions. Conditioning not quite at Druids / Killeen Castle / Lough Erne levels but still much better than average.

In many places - due to that bunkering and water, on a flat piece of land, plus the wide fairways seemingly always flanked by OOB - it reminded me of a high end Portugal / Spain resort type course.

Our round was 4.40 maybe a few mins less. I get the impression it could get very slow.

Lovely clubhouse. Built for societies.

I’s rate it a few streets above Tulfarris myself. It plays more like a mid-range Spanish resort course. Not as tough. Not as strategic. Not as well designed.

awec

I should probably have been clearer in my post that condition wise it is amazing. Holes themselves are great. The only downside is the length and layout of it.

4, 9 and 10, 15 and 16 are among the most memorable holes for me.

The 11th hole is crap and probably the worst on the course. The 1st is fairly bland too now that I think of it.

spacecoyote

A society outing in Palmerstown will be a very long day out. You can pick tees to suit the group so the actual length of the holes is not a major issue. It's just the size of the piece of land. Big walks between holes. It was years ago when we played with Boards society, but think it was one of the longest days out with the society.

It's lovely course with some great holes alright.

I think it's very harsh to call Tulfarris a mid-range Mediterranean resort course, it's well above that. The holes down around the lakes are stunnings

I'd say that Tulfarris would be a better society course, especially if you get a good weather day

awec

I'm a fool and totally misread the OP and thought you were asking about which one was better to join. 😅

Electric Nitwit

I played Tulfarris in March (for the first time)

First four holes in sunshine but then the skies opened. We stuck it out, because we're idiots, but it did get very bad. Standing water on the fairways, often several metres wide and very boggy underfoot. I have very little experience of other golf courses so I don't know how normal that is, but I thought it was pretty bad

Shame, because I'd say it's a very nice course in the dry

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123513474#Comment_123513474

Standing water from 1 downpour is not normal.

slave1

I've played Tulfarris twice in the shoulder months, wet both times

copacetic

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123512549#Comment_123512549

actually the 9th green is the closest to the clubhouse (apart from the 18th). A longer walk than most clubs by far, but just 5 mins away down past the driving range. Have played 9 holes a few times. I love it there as you do get a proper separation between holes, with most adjoining ones sharing water at most. Wouldn’t like to be keeping my handicap there though as it’s really tough for the rating.