The Links Thread

Miley Byrne · 27-07-2020 11:09am

bmay529 wrote: »

Has the rate changed recently because I rang Lahinch about 6/8 weeks ago and was told the GUI rate was €170!!

I don't know about 6/8 weeks ago but it was €150 when I called in to them last week

billybonkers · 27-07-2020 11:34am

PARlance wrote: »

Ah ok, they've 100 up as rack rate on BRS for visitors.

That is the international rate. If you give them a call you'll get it for €30

http://www.strandhillgolfclub.com/rates_packages/

Enniscrone on Friday and Strandhill Sunday for me. Can't wait!

Luckycharm · 27-07-2020 4:49pm

Miley Byrne wrote: »

Lahinch GUI rate is €150 for anyone interested, don't want to hear whether it's good, bad, mediocre value.

It's a simply superb course

Played it twice last week, my favourite course in Ireland. Greens are very slow in comparison to my own course, really have to whack them. Rough has bad, hacking out if missed fairway.

Played Arklow following day, really like course but find it really tough and tight. Greens have much more undulation than Lahinch and were quicker. One day I will break 30 pts there!!!

Lad GAGA · 28-07-2020 10:30pm

Right guys for a special b day thinking of availing of one of these 'special' rates. Wouldn't normally pay more than €50 for a round of golf. So which would you recommend Lahinch or the Old Head? At the moment I'm leaning towards the Old Head.

frink · 28-07-2020 10:31pm

Lad GAGA wrote: »

Right guys for a special b day thinking of availing of one of these 'special' rates. Wouldn't normally pay more than €50 for a round of golf. So which would you recommend Lahinch or the Old Head? At the moment I'm leaning towards the Old Head.

Lahinch for me. As good as it gets

golfguy1 · 28-07-2020 10:36pm

Lad GAGA wrote: »

Right guys for a special b day thinking of availing of one of these 'special' rates. Wouldn't normally pay more than €50 for a round of golf. So which would you recommend Lahinch or the Old Head? At the moment I'm leaning towards the Old Head.

Try Waterville. Best of the lot

Beaulieu · 29-07-2020 10:30am

Lad GAGA wrote: »

Right guys for a special b day thinking of availing of one of these 'special' rates. Wouldn't normally pay more than €50 for a round of golf. So which would you recommend Lahinch or the Old Head? At the moment I'm leaning towards the Old Head.

Lahinch is pure -packed with history, quirky holes and a great town athmosphere to boot.
However...Old Head is simply outstanding in terms of "bucket list" material. The location of some of the holes is incredible and the scenery is breathtaking. For those reasons I would plump for Old Head. Kinsale (15mins away) is a great town too btw.

One thing to watch out for is fog...I'ld advise against an early tee time for the Old Head if you can.
Whichever you go for -memories last a lifetime and so well worth the €130/150 or so imho.

Franks12 · 29-07-2020 11:56am

Anybody gotten a GUI deal from Enniscrone? Other than the open comp on Thurs.

willabur · 29-07-2020 12:07pm

Franks12 wrote: »

Anybody gotten a GUI deal from Enniscrone? Other than the open comp on Thurs.

quoted 55 quid

Dbu · 29-07-2020 12:09pm

Lad GAGA wrote: »

Right guys for a special b day thinking of availing of one of these 'special' rates. Wouldn't normally pay more than €50 for a round of golf. So which would you recommend Lahinch or the Old Head? At the moment I'm leaning towards the Old Head.

Played the Old Head yesterday as a guest.
We had unbelievably good weather.
This is as good a golf course as I have played.
Obviously a lot depends on the weather of the day, but we were blessed.
Scenery is unbeatable anywhere
Condition of the course is first class with greens rolling beautifully

willabur · 29-07-2020 12:34pm

getting a spin on Portmarnock next week - whoop whoop

gypsy79 · 29-07-2020 1:34pm

willabur wrote: »

quoted 55 quid

Do they still do the 4 rounds for 140 as per their website?

ChippingSodbury · 29-07-2020 4:50pm

PARlance wrote: »

Booked in for County Sligo open week, looking forward to a return!

Are you playing every day???

Wave if you see me!!

PARlance · 29-07-2020 7:10pm

ChippingSodbury wrote: »

Are you playing every day???

Wave if you see me!!

I wish, just the Monday, for now.

ChippingSodbury · 29-07-2020 8:30pm

PARlance wrote: »

I wish, just the Monday, for now.

What time? I'm out late afternoon. Weather looks pretty good for Mon at the minute (dry and very little breeze)

Enjoy (and send more visitors

)

Lad GAGA · 30-07-2020 10:34am

Thanks for the opinions guys will try and book the Old Head for September and fingers crossed with the weather. We really are spoilt for choice in Ireland, with the whole covid thing you could play a number of brilliant courses at reduced prices for the next few months anyway.

DuckSlice · 30-07-2020 11:01am

Played the 27 holes in Carne on Monday for a bargain at €50. Have played them all before but love that course. The last nine after food and a few beverages were tough to keep the concentration on

Played Strandhill yesterday for €30, was an open comp but we didn’t care about that. Some great holes on Strandhill. Even the holes that are flat-ish were very impressive. Brilliant sloping greens on nearly every hole. Great course and will be back.

willabur · 30-07-2020 11:59am

etxp wrote: »

Played the 27 holes in Carne on Monday for a bargain at €50. Have played them all before but love that course. The last nine after food and a few beverages were tough to keep the concentration on

Played Strandhill yesterday for €30, was an open comp but we didn’t care about that. Some great holes on Strandhill. Even the holes that are flat-ish were very impressive. Brilliant sloping greens on nearly every hole. Great course and will be back.

Do you mind if I ask how you managed to get it for 50 quid? They quoted me 80 quid for 27 - playing on my own on a friday morning

DuckSlice · 30-07-2020 1:06pm

willabur wrote: »

Do you mind if I ask how you managed to get it for 50 quid? They quoted me 80 quid for 27 - playing on my own on a friday morning

Not sure, but we booked it about 2/3 months ago when it wasn’t to certain what going to happen with golf etc. I didn’t make the booking so not sure did my friend bargain when booking.

Benicetomonty · 30-07-2020 1:22pm

https://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2020/7/30/blue-chip-links-courses-bracing-for-multi-million-euro-losses

davegilly · 30-07-2020 1:54pm

Benicetomonty wrote: »

https://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2020/7/30/blue-chip-links-courses-bracing-for-multi-million-euro-losses

Not really surprising.

And the 150 green fee most of them have dreamt up isnt going to attract too many Paddys either to pay the bills.

the.red.baron · 30-07-2020 2:56pm

Benicetomonty wrote: »

https://www.irishgolfdesk.com/news-files/2020/7/30/blue-chip-links-courses-bracing-for-multi-million-euro-losses

good enough for them

gougers

no doubt they will get a few grants thrown their way

blue note · 30-07-2020 3:26pm

How are their costs so high that they're in this much trouble? Their revenue must be off the charts compared to normal clubs. Are their costs really that high too?

Seriously, where is all that money spent?

carq · 30-07-2020 3:28pm

Exactly

Hard to feel sorry for clubs that have been price gouging for years.
will be interesting to see what members will make of a 5k levy .

Bad business model if you are reliant on busload of Americans dropping 300 euro to keep the lights on.

30-07-2020 3:41pm

I would have thought most of the Clubs mentioned would be pretty cash rich.

blue note · 30-07-2020 3:42pm

carq wrote: »

Exactly

Hard to feel sorry for clubs that have been price gouging for years.
will be interesting to see what members will make of a 5k levy .

Bad business model if you are reliant on busload of Americans dropping 300 euro to keep the lights on.

I wouldn't go along with the gouging sentiment. They have a product and can charge what they like for it.

And I wouldn't agree that it was a bad business model. Essentially they were in he tourism sector rather than a local sports club. I don't see a problem with this either, no-one expected a global pandemic.

I am surprised that they don't all have reserves to cope with this, unless they've recently had big renovations. With such huge income, I'd have thought that they'd have amassed it. But they must have huge costs to go with it. I just wonder what they are?

I'm guessing there's extra on course upkeep. I suspect thinking about it now that there's probably far more spent on course improvements too. And there must be far more staff per golfer in the club as well.

Thinking about it I can see lots of places where the costs would be a lot higher. But still, I just can't see how they all wouldn't have sizeable reserves.

carq · 30-07-2020 4:18pm

blue note wrote: »

I wouldn't go along with the gouging sentiment. They have a product and can charge what they like for it.

And I wouldn't agree that it was a bad business model. Essentially they were in he tourism sector rather than a local sports club. I don't see a problem with this either, no-one expected a global pandemic.

I am surprised that they don't all have reserves to cope with this, unless they've recently had big renovations. With such huge income, I'd have thought that they'd have amassed it. But they must have huge costs to go with it. I just wonder what they are?

I'm guessing there's extra on course upkeep. I suspect thinking about it now that there's probably far more spent on course improvements too. And there must be far more staff per golfer in the club as well.

Thinking about it I can see lots of places where the costs would be a lot higher. But still, I just can't see how they all wouldn't have sizeable reserves.

Agreed, maybe gouging is a strong term but they definitely price out the average golfer.
it does strike to me as 'rich' pardon the pun that they hit members with a levyt.
If a club like portmarnock cant survive this pandemic given their income it would be shocking.

Whiplash85 · 30-07-2020 4:19pm

A lot of revenue is merchandise. While your average American would spend €200 on green fee they would probably drop more again in the PRO shop. Ballybunion built a bigger shop for that reason. Golf clubs have been buying loads of logoed stock which will be hard to shift now.

ShivasIrons · 30-07-2020 5:11pm

the.red.baron wrote: »

good enough for them

gougers

no doubt they will get a few grants thrown their way

Explain how it is gouging? What price should be charged and please give a detailed explanation why?

ShivasIrons · 30-07-2020 5:13pm

carq wrote: »

Exactly

Hard to feel sorry for clubs that have been price gouging for years.
will be interesting to see what members will make of a 5k levy .

Bad business model if you are reliant on busload of Americans dropping 300 euro to keep the lights on.

Please explain how it is gouging? Please explain in detail what prices should be charged?

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