Random Golf Thoughts

Break80 · 30-01-2026 08:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124192626#Comment_124192626

When it opened first, there was right of way issue with ramblers who claimed they could walk the land as they had done for years.

It took a few years, but it was proved the land was always private farmland with access granted at the farmers discretion. The course owners simply closed off this access as was his right citing "ramblers and golfers don't mix safety "

It left a bit of bad feeling for years.

Break80 · 30-01-2026 08:06PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124192679#Comment_124192679

I played it twice in glorious summer sunshine.

Honesty absolutely spectacular, never been anywhere like it.

Played it once in wind and rain, different story.

big_drive · 30-01-2026 09:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124193433#Comment_124193433

Plus you can add the fact that people living locally don't get an opportunity to play there due to costs of a green fee, etc.

The Black Oil · 08-02-2026 12:54PM

Learned about a right plank on Reddit yesterday. He went to a golf tournament and was paying people $100 to shout at players when they were swinging. Got caught and was banned. Threw a little tantrum because of this. I won't bother to name him.

What a bell end.

VW 1 · 08-02-2026 03:47PM

The young YouTuber? Awful clown, constantly getting himself into stupid situations and robbed or slapped around.

Appletart Upsetter · 10-02-2026 02:10PM

https://share.google/px1z0B0ei5dQShbOP

Some good news for everyone involved in keeping Dundrum going during the turmoil.

almostover · 10-02-2026 02:12PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124223160#Comment_124223160

Played there once and really liked it, hopefully it can be saved.

VW 1 · 10-02-2026 02:16PM

Same, played with boards society a few years ago and it was a course I really enjoyed playing. Hopefully a full recovery is made.

conor222 · 15-02-2026 12:59PM

Decent session in the range today, have been struggling with my irons over the winter so trying a few things out with the swing. Seem to have the higher irons working well now, just struggling a bit with consistency with 6 and below. Will look into getting some lessons in the coming weeks I think to get it ironed out.

Booked in for the boards society next week, so far have had four planned 18s cancelled due to weather. Heading to Wicklow for the week and had hopes to get out for a round, but depending on how bad the courses got the recent rain/cold that might not be on the cards. Portmarnock looks like a lovely course, but a fairly tough one to be the first full 18 I've played in 2/3 months. Excited to play it, but unless I can get a round in beforehand, reckon I will struggle a bit. Still, be nice to get going on a new course to me that looks very fun.

Appletart Upsetter · 15-02-2026 04:36PM

Which golf course rankings have the most credibility?

Golf Digest/Irish Golfer/Top 100 Golf Courses etc...

Just looking to satisfy my own curiosity. I understand it's very subjective.

spacecoyote · 15-02-2026 07:20PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124238541#Comment_124238541

I'm not sure the criteria a lot use anymore to be honest. Golf Digest used to do a combined score between regular golfers and a panel of experts that had a pretty detailed criteria, so was probably pretty indicative of quality

Appletart Upsetter · 15-02-2026 08:12PM

I feel like Irish Golfer is more aligned with my own thoughts on what the best golf courses are but I'd imagine for the golfing tourist, Golf Digest carries more weight.

slave1 · 16-02-2026 09:46AM

Either or, there's really nothing between say 50 and 70, there's the top tier which should be clearly better than the rest (say, top 15) but top 5 very subjective

blue note · 18-02-2026 03:47PM

I always enjoy those lists. But while they're fun to talk about, they're a load of nonsense really. Which list is the best depends on which one you agree with the most. And someone else agrees with another one more so that's the best for them. I used to particularly like the golf digest one because I was a member in Tramore and they were fond of that course. It was as high as 37th one year. Whereas in the Irish Golfer one it didn't make the top 100. And on the one hand both were a bit ridiculous (it's not 37th best in Ireland, but it's surely in the top 100), but on the other, after you take out the links courses and the really top end parklands, you could probably list 50-100 parklands and there not be much of a difference between them. The truth is that the depth of quality we have in Ireland is fantastic. While the links courses are becoming less and less accessible, perhaps we should embrace the quality parklands you can still play for €50, or often even less.

Appletart Upsetter · 18-02-2026 04:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124246056#Comment_124246056

I think that's probably a very shrewd assessment of the whole course ranking system. It is fun to read through them and I know they do cause a lot discussion amongst members, course staff and visitors.

If I had the time and patience, maybe aggregating the placings from all 3 lists would be a useful exercise. Let's see if AI can do it for me!

Appletart Upsetter · 18-02-2026 04:23PM

The aggregated list of the Top 100 Golf Courses in Ireland (I've no idea if this is accurate).

Royal County Down (Championship)
Royal Portrush (Dunluce)
Ballybunion (Old)
Lahinch (Old)
Rosapenna (St. Patrick’s Links)
Portmarnock (Old/Championship)
The European Club
Waterville
Adare Manor
The Island
Tralee
Ballyliffin (Glashedy)
Old Head (Co. Cork)
County Louth (Baltray)
County Sligo (Rosses Point)
Carne (Wild Atlantic Dunes)
Trump International (Doonbeg)
Enniscrone
Ballyliffin (Old)
Portstewart (Strand)
Mount Juliet
The K Club (Palmer North)
Narin & Portnoo (Co. Donegal)
The Canyons at Rosapenna
Dooks
Killarney (Killeen)
Ardglass
Druids Glen
Portmarnock Hotel & Golf Links (Jameson Links)
Luttrellstown Castle
Fota Island (Deerpark)
Cork (Little Island)
Carton House (Montgomerie)
The K Club (Palmer South)
Malone (Drumbridge)
Castlerock (Mussenden)
Royal Belfast
Concra Wood
Connemara (Championship)
Slieve Russell
Powerscourt (West)
Powerscourt (East)
Headfort (New)
Ballymascanlon (Recent riser)
Bunclody
Glasson Lakehouse
Galway Bay
Grange
Belvoir Park
Hermitage
Portsalon
Donegal (Murvagh)
Rosapenna (Sandy Hills)
Moyola Park
Rathsallagh
Farnham Estate
Carton House (O'Meara)
Castletroy
Tullamore
Carlow (Deerpark)
Galgorm Castle
Dun Laoghaire
Bray
Woodenbridge
Seapoint
Arklow
Corballis Links
St. Margaret's
Palmerstown House Estate
Killarney (Mahony's Point)
Westport
Strandhill
Laytown & Bettystown
Dundalk
New Ross
Kilkenny
Birr
Mount Wolseley
Macreddin
Tulfarris
Mullingar
Portarlington
Faithlegg
Blarney
Roe Park
Castleknock
Corrstown
Concra Wood
Rosslare
Wexford
Lee Valley
Beaverstown
Esker Hills
Athlone
Ballinrobe
Royal Curragh
Grange Castle
Naas
Clontarf
Howth

awec · 18-02-2026 04:32PM

To be honest I think once you get outside the top 20-30 it all gets a bit silly.

You just arrive into this huge bucket of good courses that are all a pretty similar standard.

Appletart Upsetter · 18-02-2026 05:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124246194#Comment_124246194

I think you're right.

There seems to be little logic to the placement of some courses outside the top 20. Especially once you go past 50.

Appletart Upsetter · 18-02-2026 05:32PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124246163#Comment_124246163

I'm looking forward to playing The Canyons at Rosapenna all the same.

billy3sheets · 18-02-2026 11:41PM

Do @Appletart Upsetter is this list the average position across the 3 lists?

No Portumna or Heritage or Royal Dublin or even Tramore @blue note 🙂

Not that I know much about these, just used to seeing some in Top 100 lists.

Appletart Upsetter · 18-02-2026 11:44PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124247343#Comment_124247343

I think this list is what they call "AI Slop"!

GolfPar · 19-02-2026 09:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124246194#Comment_124246194

Very true. It is all subjective. I was involved with a course that was in the 70's on the golf digest rankings. The same club stopped advertising with golf digest and within 2 years wasn't within their Top 100, while the course itself improved over this time. Make of that what you will but it definitely has an impact on courses in the 50-100 range.

Appletart Upsetter · 19-02-2026 10:56AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124247763#Comment_124247763

That suspicion about Golf Digest has been relayed to me by a number of people involved in different clubs.

But I don't know if there is any basis for it.

blackwhite · 19-02-2026 05:01PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124246163#Comment_124246163

Concra Wood at 38 and again at 88 ?

Ballymascanlon at 44 ?

AI nonsense for certain.

Appletart Upsetter · 19-02-2026 07:11PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124249147#Comment_124249147

Yes. It's rubbish, I should have known better than to post it.

Gandalph · 20-02-2026 01:22PM

Top100 golf is probably my go to for rankings, albeit it's not gospel. I'd always just say "so and so is a top 5 course / top 10 course / top 20 etc.". Prestige often pulls rank when it comes down to peoples opinions on good courses, it's hard to invent a criteria that satisfies everyone. There is quite obviously a few standout courses in the country but after the first 15-20, it becomes completely subjective.

Kiith · 24-02-2026 11:35PM

Found this very interesting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InyM6B3k-84

plumber77 · 25-02-2026 12:30AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124263233#Comment_124263233

Brilliant..just watched it this evening. Analysis depth is unreal.

conor222 · 25-02-2026 01:02PM

Found a second hand version of a club I've been on the hunt for for a while now, happy days.

Now to see if I can sneak out to the driving range this evening to test it out 😂

facehugger99 · 25-02-2026 07:21PM

I’ve only taken up golf in the last few years and this year I’ve joined my local club.

One thing I’ve noticed is that every Saturday and Sunday a huge amount of the tee times are taken up for competitions, I’d say at least 2/3s of the times.

As far as I understand, I can’t enter competitions without a handicap and I need 3 signed cards to get a handicap. It also says on my membership booklet that I can’t submit cards while winter rules are in place so it’ll probably be months before I can get a handicap.

It just seems a bit restrictive for someone who’s working Monday-Fri.

Would this be normal in most golf clubs having so much of every weekend taken up with competitions?

Random Golf Thoughts

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