Corballis

It's such a shame that they didn't do more than the 8th hole. Anyone could have predicted the additional danger the new layout would cause. And there's enough danger on that course already.

But the initial plan I heard sounded fantastic - the 8th was to be redesigned to roughly what it has been redesigned to, although I thought the green was going to be more tucked in. It would have turned a fairly boring hole into an interesting one. The tee box on 10 was to be pushed back as far as it would go and the hole become a par 4. Particularly with the setting for that green, you could have turned it into a beautiful hole. And would have lost a relatively boring par 3. And any change to 11 would have been a good thing, it's the only hole I disliked. It was to become a par 3 and there was plenty of potential for a great one. My preference would have been a longish one.

I assume the problem was who was going to pay for it. The members couldn't if they wanted to. It probably wouldn't be worth Carr golfs while to invest like that into the course, especially when they could lose the contract any year. And I can't see a council investing in a golf course being popular.

<rant>Sad and angry about the loss of the 8th green, an institution of irish golf. My favourite green complex at the course. In situ >100 years. The original caravaners wanted to set up close to it to share in the serenity and civility of the game, the sights and sounds of the most tranquil corners of the course 😤

How come the buffer zone created by the campers when they moved in was good enough for them before but isn't any longer? There already was a massive net installed at the cost of the course. Could the course have gone further and purchased the few offending sites?

I'd say many campers now look with jealous eyes at the site of the old 8th, wasted, unused land now. What a caravan site that would be to hitch up right close to the new 8th green, sharing leisure time in the ambience, serenity and peaceful nature of the game again 😔 </rant>

There is a bit of a developing situation at Corballis. The conditioning of the course was always a bit middling, especially at the collection areas on the par 4s but it always had good greens, it was famous for it. This year however the conditioning has deteriorated to a shocking level to the point that there is a silent quitting situation where members have just chosen not to renew their membership. It is 40 folk at the last count with the number rising every week. Membership is sick to death of broken promises from the operators in relation to the upkeep of the course. The tee boxes are ruined, the fairways are dug up and bare, the greens are in a shocking state, bunkers are on the verge of collapse. Staff have walked because they are getting the blame but they say they have not been given the tools to do their job. All the while the fees have increased, the traffic has increased also - 5 comps a week plus a day packed with societies. In the summer the car park is full after 6 pm with people jumping on and playing without paying their green fee. The land just cannot handle the traffic, its being flogged to death by an operator that simply seems to only cares about green fees

So what to do? Its getting to a critical point! Stalwarts of the club are walking out, more to follow for sure. The membership have such little leverage with the operators I feel the only thing they can do is get the word out on it. Maybe if people gave honest reviews online about the place after their experience then it would change somethings.

Anyone here been there recently?

I've no idea what can be done. I don't like being cynical, but is it an engineered situation? As in they have too many members and want to get rid of them. Jameson links did this by shooting up the membership fee by a grand (while only offering 11 fully open holes). Corballis couldn't handle the loss of green fee income when they took in all the members over COVID. When I was there they pretty much closed off Saturday to members, but maybe that's not enough.

It's an awful shame. It's hard for the collection areas on the short par 4s to be good. They're just too small for the traffic. But the greens were always terrific. I'd worry the operators just don't see the value in maintaining it to that standard.

Carr maintain plenty of courses including public ones too which are all in good if not great condition.

What condition is Seapoint in sure?! I suspect this issue is solely related to Corballis.

Played there last month and thought the same. One of the holes on the front 9 (forget which) had barely any grass on it at all. I put it down to a dry summer. The place is crazy busy all the time though and surely no course can handle that amount of traffic. Societies, comps and the membership of what is essentially two clubs (Elm Green with reciprocal rights).

This smells of a price rise down the line. To be honest, the place is a steal for what it is. If they whack on an extra tenner and conditions improve, fine. Would still be brilliant value.

Place is in much better nick now in the past few weeks, we've had enough feckin rain anyway to help with all the regrowth. New greenskeeper seems to be doing a good job. Still rough in some patches but much better than it was even just a month ago.

I'm playing the European on Thursday so snuck out last Thursday here to remind myself how to swing a club. I was also reminded of why I'm no longer a member here! There was a ferocious wind. On the second hole I hit a 5 wood quite well, but a bit high and spinny. I was worried on the tee that I'd run out of room with it, but that was not an issue. It went all of 108 meters, it didn't even make it up to the ledge! It was literally coming back to me before it hit the ground. Contrast that to a couple of 8 irons I hit downwind of 188 and 185 meters. So obviously the wind was shocking, but that meant that you couldn't just swing normally all day. Every shot needed to be cut down and low which lead to some complete mishits. And those tee box matts that they have are just the worst. You can't get a tee through them at all. The result being that you either have to go off the deck or play from a tee that's just too high. I just couldn't do either!

It just bet me. For the first 5 holes I was swinging quite well, but was also +8. Then my swing left me - pretty much knocked an iron off the 6th tee, completely knocked it off 7, OB left on 8, knocked it into the water on 9. Without a shadow of a doubt, the Corballis effect on me is to just ruin any golfing ability I have.

I still really like the course though and will come back!

Oh I know. I was playing with one. He got to 8 over on the 6th and with a ball flight I can't even dream of. He walked in with his mate after 14.

The lad I was left with proceeded to give me a lesson for the last 4 holes (I had picked up on one of the holes so was gone from the comp at that stage). This lad wasn't a pro, just someone offered advice where none was sought. In fairness, he was spot on and I nailed the ball for the last 4 holes and he was really nice too. It did make me chuckle at the time, as as I say, in fairness to him he was spot on with one of the things he said.