Boards Golf Society Rd-5 Rathsallagh – Saturday 20th June 1st Tee: 12:50

Do you really want a 20 handicapers guide on how to play the course ? 😂

As promised, a little preview of what awaits.

Rock up to the 1st tee and, if we're lucky, the sun will be shining to let you take in the stunning views across the Kildare–Laois border.

The 1st is a superb opening hole with plenty of room left and right to unleash the big stick. There are very few excuses for missing this fairway and, if you somehow find yourself in the driving range on the right, you might be better off staying there for the day 😎.

Joking aside, the tiger line is down the right edge of the fairway. The natural right-to-left slope should help kick the ball on and squeeze out a few extra yards. From there, a lay-up just right of the fairway bunker leaves a comfortable pitching wedge into the green.

After a gentle stroll up the hill through the forest, you should be well warmed up and ready to tackle the 2nd — a tough par 4, index 2, dogleg right. The ideal line is down the left side of the fairway, opening up the well-protected, bunkered green. It's two big hits to get there and I'm usually quite happy to walk away with a bogey. Just keep an eye on your tee shot if it leaks right; the lack of markers in the rough can make finding your ball a challenge.

On to the 3rd, a lovely par 4 with a sharp dogleg right. Big hitters can take on the corner by flying it over the tallest trees. I normally aim over the leylandii, or just left of them, which leaves around 150 yards into a beautiful green guarded by a hidden bunker on the left-hand side.

I remember hearing a Boardie last year describe the 4th as an "easy" par 3, which made me smile. It's littered with trouble. The tee box can sometimes line you up towards the left where a ditch runs past the green, while nasty bunkers lurk on the right with a pond waiting beyond them. Pick your target carefully.

It's always nice walking onto the 5th tee. A par 4 and genuinely birdieable — even for me 😁. It's a straight hole with plenty of room for a less-than-perfect drive. The green is two-tiered, so make sure you know which level the pin is on before committing to your approach.

The 6th is one of my favourites — a thinking person's par 5. It's a three-shot hole for me. The tiger line is through the dip between the two high trees ahead. Even the biggest hitters should still be short of the ditch at around 290 yards. Alternatively, there's plenty of room out to the right of the trees from the tee. For my second shot, I usually favour the left-side fairway bunker to stay away from the ponds on the right, leaving around 120 yards and a pitching wedge in for a birdie chance.

The 7th is a par 3 and wouldn't be my favourite hole. It generally requires at least a 150-yard carry to clear the trouble, with a large pond left and a bunker guarding the front of the green.

The 8th is a beautiful par 4 dogleg right. I normally hit driver and take advantage of the run-out to around 240 yards on the flatter section of fairway. The key here is finding the short grass, which requires a carry of around 170 yards to clear the large tree on the right-hand side of the fairway. Do that and you're rewarded with a picturesque approach over water to a tough green protected by a nasty front bunker. Avoid hitting right of the green if possible, as the ball can easily kick into the ditch.

The 9th is a par 4 dogleg left climbing uphill. As someone who draws the ball, it suits my eye perfectly. The ideal line is under — or over — the right-hand limb of the American cedar tree. Don't forget to take an extra club for the uphill approach into another two-tiered green.

The 10th, index 1, is a cracking par 4 played downhill and one that I have yet to par in competition. Only the biggest hitters can reach the ditch from the tee. There's trouble for the second shot all down the left and water lurking on the right. It takes two excellent shots to find this green.

After a pleasant walk through the forest, you'll catch the scent of wild garlic in the air and arrive at the start of a slightly more forgiving stretch.
The 11th is a par 5 set in a secluded woodland area. The tiger line is tight to the left-hand fairway bunker, which should give maximum run-out. A lay-up to around 150 yards leaves a good chance of attacking what is another tricky two-tiered green.
The 12th is a par 4 and another of my favourites. There's plenty of room down the left side of the fairway. Hit it too far right and you'll be blocked out from going at the green. Worse still, a really wayward shot could leave you searching amongst the trees near an old graveyard, or so I'm told! Once again, you're faced with a lovely two-tiered green that's difficult to hold on the back level.
The 13th is my favourite par 3 on the course, beautifully framed by two mature trees. From the white tees it's usually only around 120 yards, but don't let the yardage fool you. With no bunkers or water to contend with, the challenge comes from the severe right-to-left slope on the green. Miss slightly right and, if you're lucky, the contours may feed the ball onto the putting surface. If not, you'll have a tuff up and down for par.
The 14th is a short par 4 and definitely a birdie opportunity if you can keep the drive reasonably straight. The green is relatively flat by Rathsallagh standards. There is plenty of room out to the right once you clear the trees around 150 yards from the tee, although balls can sometimes be surprisingly difficult to find there.
The 15th is a par 4 that I've grown quite fond of over the last year. There's a ditch approximately 230 yards from the tee that I usually manage to stay short of. The deep bunker guarding the left-hand side of the green leaves a very difficult up-and-down.
The 16th is a par 5 and probably not one of my favourites. Apparently, Christy O'Connor originally designed it to be a sweeping dogleg from left to right, but the owner wasn't keen on removing the trees. The tiger line is left of the fairway over the road which is difficult to see from the tee, and the ball should kick right on the left-to-right sloping fairway. Be warned, there's also a hidden ditch beyond the trees on the right-hand side that can catch a well-struck drive. For my second shot, I normally lay up short of the ditch that crosses the fairway, leaving around 160 yards into a green that's difficult to read from a distance. Depending on the pin position, it's very easy to three-putt thanks to the significant left-to-right slopes.
The 17th is a pleasant long par 3. Keeping the ball left and avoiding the bunkers is usually the safest route to a par.
And finally, the 18th — a tough uphill par 4, index 3, and a fitting finish. The tee box can sometimes make it difficult to pick your line. Ideally, the tiger line is down the left-hand side of the fairway to avoid being blocked out by the large tree on the right. For me, it's a rare occasion when I reach this tough two-tiered green in regulation, so I'm normally quite happy to take a bogey and head for the clubhouse.
Best of luck to everyone taking it on. It's a fantastic course with plenty of scoring opportunities, but it will punish any lapses in concentration. Looking forward to hearing the stories afterwards — especially from those who decide to take on a few of the tiger lines 😎