Most difficult / easiest course in Ireland

paulanthony · 20-11-2019 4:34pm #1

Following on from the slope rating discussion (which should theoretically answer this question in due course) which courses do people think are the most difficult and easiest courses in Ireland? It might be interesting to compare with the slope ratings next year.

I have not played that many courses compared to many people on this forum, I suspect, but I think the most difficult I played was Portsalon (and the weather certainly didn't help). Plenty of blind shots and opportunities to lose your ball in the rough (even if you thought you knew exactly where it went).

Easiest was probably R&R Golf course (a public course near Dunboyne, Co. Meath) - relatively straight, not too much water, immature trees with very little undergrowth, hence not many lost balls.

What do you think?

Scott Tenorman · 20-11-2019 4:50pm

paulanthony wrote: »

Following on from the slope rating discussion (which should theoretically answer this question in due course) which courses do people think are the most difficult and easiest courses in Ireland? It might be interesting to compare with the slope ratings next year.

I have not played that many courses compared to many people on this forum, I suspect, but I think the most difficult I played was Portsalon (and the weather certainly didn't help). Plenty of blind shots and opportunities to lose your ball in the rough (even if you thought you knew exactly where it went).

Easiest was probably R&R Golf course (a public course near Dunboyne, Co. Meath) - relatively straight, not too much water, immature trees with very little undergrowth, hence not many lost balls.

What do you think?

It's been a good few years since i played the R&R but off the top of my head there is water on the 1st,2nd,3rd,5th,6th,7th,8th & 10th as well as a fair few OB spots throughout the course.

slave1 · 20-11-2019 5:12pm

Everything else being equal - weather insofar as possible - Lahinch, severe punishment in the long rough and fairway bunkers like flour, firm fairways so easy to run off, good few greenside bunkers set well back from green leaving that horrible distance to get close, greens huge with massive breaks and fast as feck.
Super course though!

ForeRight · 20-11-2019 5:16pm

Links courses are extremely tough in wind etc but not as bad on good days. One course I always found fierce difficult even in the best weather days is Druid Heath.

The_Kew_Tour · 20-11-2019 5:18pm

Doneraile Golf Course is a pitch and put course with the advancement in Technology

brick tamland · 20-11-2019 5:19pm

I imagine some of the Links will be the hardest

Trying to rack my brain for the hardest parkland I've played. Headfort New maybe

GolfNut33 · 20-11-2019 5:21pm

Which tee you're playing off makes a huge difference to its difficulty. Some tracks are less severe off the tips than others.

Benicetomonty · 20-11-2019 5:24pm

European club for me. Long and very difficult, especially the b9. County Down also very punishing if youre slightly offline.

I dont know if Ive ever played a course Id consider 'easy' but Ive always thought castleknock was very playable. Once you get by the 3rd hole, you feel like a score is doable.

DuckSlice · 20-11-2019 5:27pm

Achill golf club, 9 hole, must be one of the easiest course around. Its practically flat. and apart from some OB there is no hazards.

Scott Tenorman · 20-11-2019 5:52pm

Benicetomonty wrote: »

European club for me. Long and very difficult, especially the b9. County Down also very punishing if youre slightly offline.

I dont know if Ive ever played a course Id consider 'easy' but Ive always thought castleknock was very playable. Once you get by the 3rd hole, you feel like a score is doable.

Castleknock is a good shout for easiest

Stacksey · 20-11-2019 6:17pm

Scott Tenorman wrote: »

Castleknock is a good shout for easiest

Ever play Castleknock off the blues on a windy day? 5 Very tough Par 3's

paulanthony · 20-11-2019 6:28pm

Scott Tenorman wrote: »

It's been a good few years since i played the R&R but off the top of my head there is water on the 1st,2nd,3rd,5th,6th,7th,8th & 10th as well as a fair few OB spots throughout the course.

Sorry - yes I remember some water - I guess I meant from the perspective of the water not being massively threatening to your score (ie, lots of greenside lakes etc). It has been a while since I played but I remember it being more straightforward than most.

GolfNut33 wrote: »

Which tee you're playing off makes a huge difference to its difficulty. Some tracks are less severe off the tips than others.

I meant to mention this in the OP, I would refer to the middle (not championship) tees.

etxp wrote: »

Achill golf club, 9 hole, must be one of the easiest course around. Its practically flat. and apart from some OB there is no hazards.

18 holes only. And yes I agree, if these were included Achill would definitely be the easiest I have played (although I would add sheep to your list of hazards).

Johnny_Fontane · 20-11-2019 7:27pm

Easiest is a tricky one, but Castleknock is not a bad shout. You could throw in Clontarf as well. My mate once shot 71 with me in Swords Open so that must have been easy.

Difficult, European Club is up there no doubt, but Rosapenna (Sandy Hills) is my choice. I played it on a fairly windy day (say 2-3 club) with a couple of low single figure guys and it was murder. Two yards off the fairway was gone into hay and lost or completely hack out sideways. We all are members of Links courses but we shook our heads coming off 18. It was a bit silly actually.

brick tamland · 20-11-2019 7:34pm

There must a lot easier than Castlenock surely.

Top of my head most of the dublin public couses

Elm green
Silouge
Grange Castle
Swords open

prawnsambo · 20-11-2019 7:55pm

brick tamland wrote: »

There must a lot easier than Castlenock surely.

Top of my head most of the dublin public couses

Elm green
Silouge
Grange Castle
Swords open

Leopardstown would be an easy course. Very short.

billy3sheets · 20-11-2019 8:02pm

Corballis hardest and easiest!

Dav010 · 20-11-2019 8:12pm

European Club for me as well, not much fun when your shot is just a little wayward and the ball is never to be seen again. Last time I played the rough was high, I thought I was going to have to borrow a ball to finish.

Rikand · 20-11-2019 9:41pm

Most difficult - glengariff. Has to be one of the craziest 9 hole courses in the world and some of the uphill/downhill holes are nuts.

Fantastic scenery though. Incredible views

dan_ep82 · 20-11-2019 10:05pm

Moor Park - Easiest
Hardest Parkland I've played, Druids Glen

mike12 · 20-11-2019 10:06pm

European club for me. They are all hard if u are playing badly.

Mantis Toboggan · 20-11-2019 10:52pm

Always found the heritage a tough slog especially when the wind is blowing.
Easiest maybe Grange Castle or Athy.

blue note · 20-11-2019 11:39pm

I don't think I've played any of the really tough ones so there's not much point in me voting that way.

As regards easiest, I reckon it's the 9 hole in deerpark in howth. Played crap and had 6 pars. Other contenders would be the 18 hole in deerpark, elm green, dunmore east. Knightsbrook is a course with a reputation for being tough but I'd a great score there. I think it was just a day I was nailing it though, but I couldn't see the difficulty others were having.

And castleknock is a million miles from the easiest! Fast and slanty greens, long par 3s. It's actually a course I really like. And certainly not a contender for easiest in Ireland!

FixdePitchmark · 21-11-2019 12:42am

The Island
The European
The Heritage
Monty
Killeen Castle
Druids Heath

Probably wasn't playing well but Carlow and RCD another two.

Yes when I think about it.

RCD
The European
The Island

Probably my top 3

GreeBo · 21-11-2019 10:00am

Enniscrone is pretty tough most of the time, especially the further back you play from.

NufcNavan · 21-11-2019 10:02am

Concra Wood.

RoadRunner · 21-11-2019 11:10am

Deerpark easiest - but this may change soon, anyone know anything?

Hardest - the Island, Carne, European, Enniscrone.

Interestingly first time around Corballis it was the hardest, but after you learn how to play it, it becomes nearly the easiest! Maybe that's the same for all links?

(St. andrews also felt very forgiving on the day I played it)

TheRoomWrecker · 21-11-2019 12:13pm

Hardest in no particular order: The Heritage, European, Druids Heath
Easiest: Swords Open, Roganstown (always seem to put a score together there) Elm Green

As most said any Links when it blows is going to be a slog! and tee's also change things too as my home course of the green is a totally different animal off the tips!

frink · 21-11-2019 1:21pm

Easiest: Arklow (Links) Milltown (Parkland)

Hardest: Druids Glen & Heath (Parkland) European & Rosses Point (Links)

First Up · 21-11-2019 1:37pm

Surely Leapardstown is by far the easiest but I'm not sure it qualifies as a proper golf course.

I've never played well on Druids Glen or Heath but a links like Rosses Point, Lahinch or the European in bad weather is as tough as it gets.

swededmonkey · 21-11-2019 2:16pm

RoadRunner wrote: »

Deerpark easiest - but this may change soon, anyone know anything?

Since its been bought over, I've heard they're making 2 courses, one championship and another regular parkland. Alot of investment planned for the hotel and plans to build property also. Looks like another development geared towards American tourists. But given the owners experience, powers court etc, you'd like to think the regular course will be to a decent standard

shamco · 21-11-2019 3:55pm

Hardest
Links : The European Club followed closely by Sandy Hills
Parkland: Palmerstown House

Easiest: Elmgreen

Most difficult / easiest course in Ireland

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