No fans Irish Open.

joebloggs32 · 01-07-2020 1:52pm #1

A hypothetical question really, but if the European Tour are holding events without fans, what courses in Ireland could come into the equation of holding the event that otherwise wouldn't be considered to host it.

How about bringing it to Waterville for example, the European Club, maybe the Old Head or dare I say it Trump Doonbeg!
What course would you like to see it on

DuckSlice · 01-07-2020 1:54pm

Love to see it come to Carne or Enniscrone.

callaway92 · 01-07-2020 3:41pm

joebloggs32 wrote: »

A hypothetical question really, but if the European Tour are holding events without fans, what courses in Ireland could come into the equation of holding the event that otherwise wouldn't be considered to host it.

How about bringing it to Waterville for example, the European Club, maybe the Old Head or dare I say it Trump Doonbeg!
What course would you like to see it on

They can't though, hence why all tournaments are in the UK (for Quarantine reasons)

The Austrian one this week is an anomaly.

Golf is my Game · 01-07-2020 6:52pm

callaway92 wrote: »

They can't though, hence why all tournaments are in the UK (for Quarantine reasons)

The Austrian one this week is an anomaly.

Thought the UK and Ireland were one area with no quarantine and thats why we still havent open travel with the rest of the EU like the do among themselves.
Its a good question though. Love Enniscrone but maybe its a bit short for them. Same for Lahinch. If it has to be a links then The European Club has to be the one that would be intersting to see them on. A lot of the top courses might be more open to it without the crowds because there wont be the damage that they bring to it and members have to put up with after. Probably one of the big private inland ones would be interested to as again they wouldnt have to worry about the crowds and would raise their profile again like Mount Juliet or maybe Concra is supposed to be good and theyed probably get a good deal. The usual worries about accomodation, access, and how to handle crowds that seems to wipe a fair few in ireland wouldnt apply so there are more options and would be interesting to see it on one that normally wouldnt be an option.

callaway92 · 01-07-2020 6:57pm

Golf is my Game wrote: »

Thought the UK and Ireland were one area with no quarantine and thats why we still havent open travel with the rest of the

If they fly here they have to. Only if they come in via NI they can get away with not self isolating.

RikkFlair · 01-07-2020 8:26pm

Ballybunion old course, actually 20 years ago this week since it was host.

GreeBo · 01-07-2020 11:03pm

I'd love to see it on an old, short windy links that's only failing is lack of crowd space!
Only concern would be if it was too difficult it might put some of them off for next year, even if it was somewhere else.

Enniscrone is a good shout, would hate to see it in some parkland, portmarnock would be good, hell get it back to woodbrook!

DuckSlice · 02-07-2020 8:36am

GreeBo wrote: »

I'd love to see it on an old, short windy links that's only failing is lack of crowd space!
Only concern would be if it was too difficult it might put some of them off for next year, even if it was somewhere else.

Enniscrone is a good shout, would hate to see it in some parkland, portmarnock would be good, hell get it back to woodbrook!

Played Woodbrook in 2017 and loved it, thought it was a great course.

GreeBo · 02-07-2020 9:16am

etxp wrote: »

Played Woodbrook in 2017 and loved it, thought it was a great course.

Might be a -30 winner if the wind didnt blow though

Golf is my Game · 02-07-2020 10:04am

Yes I played woodbrook too but about 10 years ago. Grand out members course and nice clubhouse and stuff, but wouldn't think the course would really be up to the level of the pros. Especially when we aren't short of courses here that are really class.

redhill · 11-08-2020 12:11pm

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/53735007

ThunderCat · 11-08-2020 12:31pm

Corballis/Island composite. Play the first 9 in Corballis and then nip through the bushes at the side of the 9th green onto the 8th? tee box in The Island.

slave1 · 11-08-2020 1:03pm

Golf is my Game wrote: »

Thought the UK and Ireland were one area with no quarantine and thats why we still havent open travel with the rest of the EU like the do among themselves.

callaway92 wrote: »

If they fly here they have to. Only if they come in via NI they can get away with not self isolating.

Coming from the "mainland" via NI to ROI does not mean they "get away" with it, and the requirement is restricted movements at present not self isolation.
What you are referring to are folk from NI travelling to ROI where there is no restriction, we have to have this as any number of folk live in NI and work in ROI and also in reverse.

slave1 · 11-08-2020 1:07pm

Has to be a links course that can't handle numbers, Enniscrone a good call, Tralee or European but Ruddy would not go for it I'd say.
Tralee or Enniscrone.

Remember there is still a requirement for facilities like practice area's and clubhouse/parking which would rule out a lot of courses, like Carne for one.

DuckSlice · 11-08-2020 1:18pm

slave1 wrote: »

Has to be a links course that can't handle numbers, Enniscrone a good call, Tralee or European but Ruddy would not go for it I'd say.
Tralee or Enniscrone.

Remember there is still a requirement for facilities like practice area's and clubhouse/parking which would rule out a lot of courses, like Carne for one.

Its really annoying that Carne does not have a good practice facility. Its usually an hour in the car to get there so a warm up would be nice before the round. I know there is a range you can use your own balls on but that's effort.

Would Enniscrone's practice area be big enough?

martinkop · 11-08-2020 2:21pm

etxp wrote: »

Its really annoying that Carne does not have a good practice facility. Its usually an hour in the car to get there so a warm up would be nice before the round. I know there is a range you can use your own balls on but that's effort.

Would Enniscrone's practice area be big enough?

Plenty big enough, they have the flat 9 course there too.

Trampas · 11-08-2020 4:39pm

redhill wrote: »

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/53735007

They were scheduled to hold a challenge tour event. I guess it has got an upgrade

slave1 · 11-08-2020 5:12pm

Trampas wrote: »

They were scheduled to hold a challenge tour event. I guess it has got an upgrade

Not impressed with Galgorm when I played it, nothing wrong with it but not anywhere near one of our better courses IMHO

thewobbler · 11-08-2020 7:16pm

It seems to be well thought of up here, but personally I’d have very few really nice things to say about Galgorm (3 visits).

Of the modern “championship” parklands I’ve played, it would be more in the class of Moyvalley or St Margaret’s, than where it wants to be seen. That’s okay I suppose. But it’s not Irish Open standard.

After a promising opening, it is long, flat, straight and boring as hell. I really struggle to pictures the holes from 7 onwards.

The more I think about it, a general predilection for not framing green complexes, really counts against it.

Conditioning is solid, but nowhere near Louth Erne levels.

The setting is pretty good but early holes are marred by the towering presence of the ugliest of council buildings.

Golfgraffix · 11-08-2020 8:39pm

Its a nice course but it stops there. I can think of 150 courses better than it. I played it in an event September a few years back and even at that time of year it was a swamp.

tbayers · 12-08-2020 7:20am

Is it more to do with the castle and the fact everyone can stay in one place and the bubble can be kept intact?

thewobbler · 12-08-2020 8:08am

tbayers wrote: »

Is it more to do with the castle and the fact everyone can stay in one place and the bubble can be kept intact?

Unless they’re staying in tents they won’t be staying on site!

Galgorm resort is about a mile away.

tbayers · 12-08-2020 8:24am

thewobbler wrote: »

Unless they’re staying in tents they won’t be staying on site!

Galgorm resort is about a mile away.

It's still one resort not very far away. Never said anything else

thewobbler · 12-08-2020 8:39am

tbayers wrote: »

It's still one resort not very far away. Never said anything else

Well you mentioned a castle that doesn’t provide accommodation.

Either way the vast majority of players and support staff won’t be staying in Ballymena, let alone the Galgorm area.

12-08-2020 8:43am

The fact that it is already hosting the NI Open probably played in to the decision. It won't take much work or expense to get it into tournament shape. Other courses would have been starting from scratch.

Deeper Blue · 12-08-2020 1:10pm

It would be a great opportunity to go somewhere like the Island or Tralee but I imagine it's purely a financial decision since the NI open is there a couple of weeks before.

Trampas · 14-08-2020 11:22am

The European Tour today announced the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open will be played in Northern Ireland for the fourth time since 2012 when the Galgorm Castle Golf Club hosts this year’s tournament from September 24-27.

2020 Dubai Duty Free Irish Open will have a prize fund of €1.25 million

I say Harrington will be the main local attraction as doubt any of the states based players will make it over

slave1 · 14-08-2020 11:43am

I've played all of the Irish Open venues within anyway recent years and Galgorm is the weakest venue by a high margin.
If they have to have it in NI then Lough Erne would have been a much better choice (especially if Rors not playing).

Shame, hope it all works out well though

IAmTitleist · 14-08-2020 11:48am

Lough Erne is definitely a much superior course

CMcsporty · 14-08-2020 11:58am

IAmTitleist wrote: »

Lough Erne is definitely a much superior course

Will it be on the box in America? I always feel it’s a missed opportunity to advertise Irish golf and Ireland when it’s not on a links.
Are there other links courses in the north other than the royals?

14-08-2020 12:08pm

El Sueño wrote: »

It would be a great opportunity to go somewhere like the Island or Tralee but I imagine it's purely a financial decision since the NI open is there a couple of weeks before.

No requirement for players to quarantine playing up the North.

thewobbler · 14-08-2020 12:43pm

CMcsporty wrote: »

Will it be on the box in America? I always feel it’s a missed opportunity to advertise Irish golf and Ireland when it’s not on a links.
Are there other links courses in the north other than the royals?

Portstewart in or near the top tier.

Castlerock just below top tier.

Kirkistown a lot of fun but not near that level.

Ardglass claims to be a links but it’s not really; it’s seaside parkland with bits of links turf. It would have been an amazing TV venue, but I fear on a still day the pros would destroy it.

——-

Louth Erne would look exceptional on TV. Similar to Loch Lomond, some of the best coverage would be when they’re not showing golf. But I’m guessing whatever wasn’t right a few years ago, when the Open was given to them and taken away in short succession, still isn’t right .

There are few other “championship” venues of note in the 6 counties. The vast majority of clubs up here are long-established, rural, member-club parklands, measuring at most 6,600 yards off the tips. I actually love playing golf in this exact environment, but it’s easy to understand why the pros need something longer.

slave1 · 14-08-2020 3:52pm

CMcsporty wrote: »

Will it be on the box in America? I always feel it’s a missed opportunity to advertise Irish golf and Ireland when it’s not on a links.
Are there other links courses in the north other than the royals?

Yes, on heavy rotation in the States usually...

Like the other poster I'd say Castlerock is about the only other worthy links course in NI that has no as of yet held the Irish Open..other parklands better than Galgorm include Malone or Belvoir both in Belfast.
Ardglass is a fantastic course however has made very recent improvements which I can only assume are too raw to let it hold a ET event, shame, some lovely holes and a great links/cliff top hybrid

No fans Irish Open.

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