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Most difficult / easiest course in Ireland

paulanthony

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?

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willabur

Have to agree that the European is the hardest course I have played, I think its a bit mean in places

Druids Heath also beats me up each time.

Grange castle is listed a few times as an easy course. while it has some generous fairways. I find it tricky enough to get a score going on it as it is long enough. The back 9 especially is not straight forward at all

BigChap1759

Leopardstown as easiest, it's basically a flat field - rekon European is a good shout for one of the toughest, especially in summer

blue note

swededmonkey wrote: »

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

What makes a course a championship course? I thought it was one of those things that golf courses say when selling themselves. Like restaurants using words like "artisan" or "local" , job interviewees using phrases like "close attention to detail" any business calling themselves "customer focused."

But I'd have thought that basically all courses describe their course as a championship course.

prawnsambo

blue note wrote: »

What makes a course a championship course? I thought it was one of those things that golf courses say when selling themselves. Like restaurants using words like "artisan" or "local" , job interviewees using phrases like "close attention to detail" any business calling themselves "customer focused."

But I'd have thought that basically all courses describe their course as a championship course.

Suitable for holding championship events I suppose. I would imagine that length would be part of it. Anything over 7000 yards could be classed as a championship course, assuming it was a good quality course as well.

BLUEYK

Should really split this into 2 categories, links and parkland. A weak links can be a beast on a bad weather day.

Toughest links I've played would be The European. Was battered by the end of it by course and weather.

Toughest parkland I've played is an interesting one. If you go back to the tips on courses that have 3 or 4 tees then they are monsters as some are built for pros. Length should not be the deciding factor but a fair test should be as an amateur that tests all your game. Off the tips in say Heritage, MJ, Druids Glen, etc means you melting the face off your low irons and woods/hybrids all day due to length. Someone mentioned Carlow in this thread, that's a beast no matter the weather and challenges all aspects of your game not just length. Par 70 and I reckon it's probably only 6,500 yards. 7000+ does not mean a challenge or a championship course.

With regards Championship courses and the ease of use of the name, a championship course should only be called that if it has held a top amateur event or lucky enough to hold pro events. Otherwise they should not be allowed to use championship in their name IMO.

Break80

Great to see The European mentioned so often. I played it this summer with this boards society.
It tore me to pieces. I think I had 9 points off 14. Ok I was rubbish on the day but I honestly think even if I was striking it well I wouldn,t break 20 around that course.
I feel better now other golfers find it tough.
Easiest would be a course I played in Blarney Co. Cork years back. All trees were GUR and you could drop out on your fairway side no matter how deep in the ball was.

FixdePitchmark

One course I didn't mention and was palmerston.

Daft place.

Way too hard and Celtic Tiger crazy.

yaboya1

European Club is without question the most difficult course I've played in Ireland. No matter what time of year it is, it's an absolute beast. You just don't get near playing to your handicap without playing really well. And if you don't play well, it can be as bad as a single figure amount of points for 18 holes.

Not saying it's the easiest, but I've always found Castleknock fairly straightforward. To give an example, I've had 36pts in Castleknock playing to the same standard that wouldn't get me above 20 in the European.

swededmonkey

blue note wrote: »

What makes a course a championship course? I thought it was one of those things that golf courses say when selling themselves. Like restaurants using words like "artisan" or "local" , job interviewees using phrases like "close attention to detail" any business calling themselves "customer focused."

But I'd have thought that basically all courses describe their course as a championship course.

Take the K club as an example. You've got one course far superior than the other. That's what I was getting at

newindublin

Hardest: European, Island

Easiest: Donabate, Nass, Black Bush

slave1

Easiest, Castle course in Lahinch, very enjoyable

gooseygander

Athy is quite easy.

davegilly

swededmonkey wrote: »

Take the K club as an example. You've got one course far superior than the other. That's what I was getting at

I wouldnt say far superior. I actually prefer the Smurfit Course over the Palmer to be honest. I think the Palmer lives off the ryder cup name quite a bit - and gets rated much higher than it actually is because of it.

[Deleted User]

davegilly wrote: »

I wouldnt say far superior. I actually prefer the Smurfit Course over the Palmer to be honest. I think the Palmer lives off the ryder cup name quite a bit - and gets rated much higher than it actually is because of it.

Totally agree, in a similar vein, I much prefer the more difficult Monty to the supposedly easier O’Meara in Carton. Druids Glen, Heritage and Palmerston have been mentioned here, I really like those three, but I have found some other easier courses difficult. Playing on inter club teams, I have struggled on shorter “easier” course and done better on longer tracks.

slave1

Hopefully when the slope ratings are applied to all of our course someone somewhere will list them all

Dublin Spur

Toughest - The Island

Not sure about the easiest

Golfgorfield

Very hard to say unless its based on either all off back tees etc.

if we are talking back tees, then European is the toughest links ive played, and ive played them all in Ireland anyway.
And parkland then Palmerstown house off the very back is damn near unplayably hard, but off the forward tees its quite easy!

Finlay Harp

RCD is the hardest I’ve played. Greenore one of the easier.

thewobbler

Difficulty is generally related to length, and the length of carries, hence the longer links on blowy days stick in the memory. Shorter ones like the Old Tom or Strandhill don’t generate the same fear.

Let’s leave aside fields with sticks.

From my society of dysfunctional alcoholics taking trips around Ireland, two courses come to mind as being of the easier variety. Moyvalley had enough length, but was wide open with inviting greens, and saw record Sunday morning scoring. Woodenbridge was another one, quite a bit shorter, where 36 points was at best a midtable finish. Sliver Russell is another one that, while tremendous fun, is relatively straightforward.

In terms of harder parklands, I doubt there’s many tougher for a first-timer than Kilkeel, with its blanket composition of blind holes, undulating undulations, and infestation of trees. It does get easier once you learn where to aim for. Concra Wood is similar first time out. You can see most of the pins on it, but it looks and feels daunting until you get used to it. But the two that threw me the most were Druids Heath - a horrible, cold and unforgiving layout that left me with a bad taste in my mouth, and Mount Wolseley, which I’d love to return to, to find out if it was just me on a bad day, but I just couldn’t work the course out at all, and the greens were insanely tough.

Finlay Harp

thewobbler wrote: »

Difficulty is generally related to length, and the length of carries, hence the longer links on blowy days stick in the memory. Shorter ones like the Old Tom or Strandhill don’t generate the same fear.

Let’s leave aside fields with sticks.

From my society of dysfunctional alcoholics taking trips around Ireland, two courses come to mind as being of the easier variety. Moyvalley had enough length, but was wide open with inviting greens, and saw record Sunday morning scoring. Woodenbridge was another one, quite a bit shorter, where 36 points was at best a midtable finish. Sliver Russell is another one that, while tremendous fun, is relatively straightforward.

In terms of harder parklands, I doubt there’s many tougher for a first-timer than Kilkeel, with its blanket composition of blind holes, undulating undulations, and infestation of trees. It does get easier once you learn where to aim for. Concra Wood is similar first time out. You can see most of the pins on it, but it looks and feels daunting until you get used to it. But the two that threw me the most were Druids Heath - a horrible, cold and unforgiving layout that left me with a bad taste in my mouth, and Mount Wolseley, which I’d love to return to, to find out if it was just me on a bad day, but I just couldn’t work the course out at all, and the greens were insanely tough.

I’m a member of Kilkeel and see you’re point especially the 1st.

Luckycharm

Parkland hardest Concara wood off the blues lost so many golf balls!!
Tulfarris off the blues found very long and never seems to be any run.

Links European Club hardest
Easiest links ; Strand hill

spacecoyote

Luckycharm wrote: »

Parkland hardest Concara wood off the blues lost so many golf balls!!
Tulfarris off the blues found very long and never seems to be any run.

Links European Club hardest
Easiest links ; Strand hill

Links has to be, in a lot of cases, driven by wind. A crew from Boards played there 2 years ago & was a gale blowing.

Think one of our crowd (Seve) won the open with maybe 32 points & it was classed as a reduction only comp because of how difficult it played.

If I remember correctly, only 2 people broke 30 points from our group

FixdePitchmark

I was rained off Concra , so didn't get ho play full course.

But looks savage.

Benicetomonty

spacecoyote wrote: »

Links has to be, in a lot of cases, driven by wind. A crew from Boards played there 2 years ago & was a gale blowing.

Think one of our crowd (Seve) won the open with maybe 32 points & it was classed as a reduction only comp because of how difficult it played.

If I remember correctly, only 2 people broke 30 points from our group

Wind makes every course more difficult. Obviously links courses are generally more exposed than parklands, but If you give me a 30mph wind on both types of courses, I dont know if Id be a whole lot worse on one over the other.

I must say, even in perfect conditions, I find links golf to be challenging. After spells of nice weather, the ground gets so hard thats its almost impossible to control the ball, both off the tee and with approaches into the green. Sure, you might get it out there 300 yards plus, but the mounded fairways become v difficult to hit and the ball often gets catapulted into the rough. Assuming you find it, you then face a short iron approach thats probably going to jump and is definitely going to bounce and roll a good 20 yards minimum, making hitting the greens in regulation a real achievement. If you miss, youre left with a hack out of the fescue or a precision nip off of a very tight lie that is the stuff of nightmares for your average chipper.

I love links but will always feel more optimistic on a parkland, even if there happens to be a dearth of wind on the former. It always amazes me how well the pros play on links courses, especially on perfect days. The accuracy, skill and patience is incredible. Il never, ever forget watching Harrington winning the Irish PGA at the European Club a while back; he wouldnt even be regarded as an especially straight driver of the ball but he played that 18th hole 3 times (twice in a playoff) and hit it right down the middle every time on, what is for me anyway, as intimidating a drive as Ive ever seen. Its just a different game altogether!

idle

Not sure where I’m going with this post but bear with me.

This links/parkland talk has got me thinking. I’m a member of a links course on the west coast (having been a member of a parkland course for a number of years) and I absolutely love it. But there are days when the golf is atrocious (more often than not) and the conditions are really really tough (again more often than not). These days are hard going, mentally.

I recently played in a society outing on a parkland course and, while I didn’t play particularly well, it was a pleasure not to be beaten up for 18 holes. Taking big divots with short irons and seeing the ball bounce once and stick was a welcome change from trying to punch a 4 iron approach under the wind and judging the 70 yards of release.

I guess what I’m wondering is, those of you who play on a links course, do you sometimes wish you were on a tree lined parkland course? And those of you who play weekly on a parkland course, would you swap it for a life on the links? Knowing there’s going to be a lot of tough days? Apologies for the rambling.

Toughest: Carne (in high wind and heavy rain) Would love another round there in better conditions
Easiest: don’t know

swededmonkey

Kilkeel is a great course but could really benefit with some significant investment

Finlay Harp

swededmonkey wrote: »

Kilkeel is a great course but could really benefit with some significant investment

Tell me about it. A decline in membership coupled with some strange management decisions isn’t helping.

Luckycharm

idle wrote: »

Not sure where I’m going with this post but bear with me.

This links/parkland talk has got me thinking. I’m a member of a links course on the west coast (having been a member of a parkland course for a number of years) and I absolutely love it. But there are days when the golf is atrocious (more often than not) and the conditions are really really tough (again more often than not). These days are hard going, mentally.

I recently played in a society outing on a parkland course and, while I didn’t play particularly well, it was a pleasure not to be beaten up for 18 holes. Taking big divots with short irons and seeing the ball bounce once and stick was a welcome change from trying to punch a 4 iron approach under the wind and judging the 70 yards of release.

I guess what I’m wondering is, those of you who play on a links course, do you sometimes wish you were on a tree lined parkland course? And those of you who play weekly on a parkland course, would you swap it for a life on the links? Knowing there’s going to be a lot of tough days? Apologies for the rambling.

Toughest: Carne (in high wind and heavy rain) Would love another round there in better conditions
Easiest: don’t know

I am a member of tight tree lined parkland course, agree in bad weather don't
get battered as much. Hadn't played much links till last couple of years.
Main differences for me is I feel I can open up shoulders a bit more on a links. For example I generally fade the ball but my course suited to a draw. It is good to know there isn't a tree 20ms in front of you when lining up your natural line. Links greens tend to be slower as well (due to high winds)
Bar the obvious using your putter off the green more in links, other main difference I find is when ground hard, I find it very hard to hit my recovery woods off the fairway as bounces back and don't get underneath the ball.

willabur

Really not sure about opening shoulders on links, if the rough is up then its the last thing you can do

Whiplash85

For me Cashen would be by far the most difficult I have played. It's beautiful but I find myself getting very frustrated and almost disinterested hole by hole. No matter how bad I play on most courses I can rattle in a few pars but Cashen never provided much by way of crumbs of comfort.

Killarney is another course that shall I say does not suit me. Played it twice. Sucked twice. Every driving hole nearly calls for a fade. I draw the ball so just doesn't suit the eye when standing up on the tee.

Doonbeg is tough but made easier now since Greg Norman designed it. 3 and 4 putts were quite common for most accomplished of putters but thankfully sense prevailed. It's much more playable now with new green complexes than it once was albeit still a very tough course. The bunkers on this course are the deepest I have ever encountered along with the fluffiest of sand and they are everywhere. It is a classic 2nd shot course which is a lot of fun.