Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Hooked - amateur's guide to golf courses in Ireland

124

Comments

  • #92
    PhilipMarlowe
    Subscribers Posts: 4,419 ✭✭✭PhilipMarlowe


    Screed wrote: »
    Cheers King,

    What I was asking is how many courses have people played out of the 349 eighteen hole courses. I will do a search and see if I can find the forum\thread.
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055502759 is the thread but it might appear mixed up a bit because it was busy!
    I have only played 27 I think of the 18 hole courses in Ireland which is very small... but I'm working on it. Have played 7 new courses (and 1 new 9-hole course) this year so far plus I'm due to play the PGA National on Friday.


  • #93
    mag
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,249 ✭✭✭mag


    Licksy wrote: »
    I have only played 27 I think of the 18 hole courses in Ireland which is very small... but I'm working on it.

    managed to get through 38 myself so far


  • #94
    Famous45
    Closed Accounts Posts: 732 ✭✭✭Famous45


    Played it the weekend and its a fantastic course in great condition. Would put it up with adare manor, pga national and fota. It is that good. Greens could be a bit faster but other than that top class.

    Thanks for the heads up regarding the greens, you were spot on.

    The course played fantastic, and I really enjoyed my first time there. Scored 36 off 18 so happy enough. Def be back to play on a regular basis.

    I played Palmerstown PGA National recently and would rate Headfort New as a better course.

    Thanks again.


  • #95
    Screed
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65 ✭✭Screed


    Licksy wrote: »
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055502759 is the thread but it might appear mixed up a bit because it was busy!
    I have only played 27 I think of the 18 hole courses in Ireland which is very small... but I'm working on it. Have played 7 new courses (and 1 new 9-hole course) this year so far plus I'm due to play the PGA National on Friday.


    Thanks Licksy,
    I had a look at it so far I have 81 played.


  • #96
    smlballjunkie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 60 ✭✭smlballjunkie


    I Guess from your Book Kevin that Slievenamon would not be one of your favourites? LOL


  • Advertisement
  • #97
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,026 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    smlballjunkie wrote: »
    I Guess from your Book Kevin that Slievenamon would not be one of your favourites? LOL

    Good guess! It's down in the nether regions, but like most of the courses at the bottom of the list it serves a purpose and, I imagine, it stays busy because anyone can turn up and play.


  • #98
    galvin66
    Closed Accounts Posts: 38 ✭galvin66


    Looking forward to purchasing it.Saw a poster advertising it in my local club Muskerry.What did you think of it Kev>??


  • #99
    jimjo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 717 ✭✭✭jimjo


    Tried to get it in Eason's in blanch but they didn't have it, and boarders is closing down, will have to venture into town!


  • #100
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,026 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    galvin66 wrote: »
    Looking forward to purchasing it.Saw a poster advertising it in my local club Muskerry.What did you think of it Kev>??

    It was hard work on the legs but I really enjoyed it - I bet the club liked my review.

    jimjo wrote: »
    Tried to get it in Eason's in blanch but they didn't have it, and boarders is closing down, will have to venture into town!

    Jimjo, you can buy it online from Collinpress.ie and it'll cost less than the shops.


  • #101
    jimjo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 717 ✭✭✭jimjo


    Kevinmarkham wrote: »
    It was hard work on the legs but I really enjoyed it - I bet the club liked my review.




    Jimjo, you can buy it online from Collinpress.ie and it'll cost less than the shops.

    Just when online and bought it there now, €21 includes P & P, saves the hassle of town!


  • Advertisement
  • #102
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,026 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    jimjo wrote: »
    Just when online and bought it there now, €21 includes P & P, saves the hassle of town!

    Jimjo, it appears I've done you a disservice - I thought you'd be paying around €16/€17, not €21. I'll have to buy you a pint sometime.
    K


  • #103
    G1032
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,335 ✭✭✭G1032


    scrubber72 wrote: »
    hi kevin, got your book during the week and let me join the rest of the boardies and say congrats it a great read as well as a excellent reference book. Just a couple of questions? Have you been infulenced by the reception you recieved at some club to cause a lower points reward? I am a member of Ballinrobe and was delighted to see you score it so high but how could you give it 9 more points than Galway? I think personally Galway is much better course but I never manage to play well there. Thanks again
    John

    Hi John
    Just interested to know why you rate Galway so highly?? It's a good course no doubt, but I don't believe it lives up to the incredibly high praise it always seems to get. The greens are always fantastic there which is a huge plus but your own course, Ballinrobe, is a fabulous test of golf, especially from the back sticks. You have 3 excellent par 5's in the 4th, 6th and 8th. I think you under rate your own course??


  • #104
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,026 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    ronaldochokes wrote: »
    Hi John
    Just interested to know why you rate Galway so highly?? It's a good course no doubt, but I don't believe it lives up to the incredibly high praise it always seems to get. The greens are always fantastic there which is a huge plus but your own course, Ballinrobe, is a fabulous test of golf, especially from the back sticks. You have 3 excellent par 5's in the 4th, 6th and 8th. I think you under rate your own course??

    A touch confused!
    I'm not a member of Ballinrobe... if there's a gentleman there claiming to be me then he is an imposter, and I shoot to kill.

    Galway is a good course, I agree, but I don't think I rate it that highly. Ballinrobe is 9 points higher. I think my review about Galway is 'positive' and I certainly wouldn't offer 'incredibly high praise' for it, but it's an enjoyable round, isn't it?


  • #105
    G1032
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,335 ✭✭✭G1032


    Kevinmarkham wrote: »
    A touch confused!
    I'm not a member of Ballinrobe... if there's a gentleman there claiming to be me then he is an imposter, and I shoot to kill.

    Galway is a good course, I agree, but I don't think I rate it that highly. Ballinrobe is 9 points higher. I think my review about Galway is 'positive' and I certainly wouldn't offer 'incredibly high praise' for it, but it's an enjoyable round, isn't it?

    Hi Kevin
    That question about rating Galway so highly was directed at Scrubber72. He said earlier in the thread that Galway was way way better than Ballinrobe.
    I did say 'Hi John' at the beginning of the post!!! Sorry for any confusion I may have caused.
    To answer you - Ya Galway is an enjoyable course but just over rated IMO. I'm going to get your book. Want to see what you make of the courses around Connacht.


  • #106
    Morrisseeee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,147 ✭✭✭Morrisseeee


    Only seeing this now, congrats on the idea, experience & book Kevinmarkham. ;)
    I will look foreward to (my wife) buying it (ie. birthday pressie) :D She's always looking for ideas on a pressie.
    BTW what did you say about Cork GC, that is > the course NOT the (strict) clubhouse !


  • #107
    f22
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭f22


    Just bought the book Kevin and am really looking forward to reading it. Always interesting to compare opinions on courses and what people take from a round.


  • #108
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,026 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    Morrisseeee wrote: »
    BTW what did you say about Cork GC, that is > the course NOT the (strict) clubhouse !


    A great track - I took loads of photos and have just been revisiting them on the back of your comment. Cork Golf Club Photos

    f22 wrote: »
    Just bought the book Kevin and am really looking forward to reading it. Always interesting to compare opinions on courses and what people take from a round.

    Always, and disagreements can be fun...


  • #109
    Morrisseeee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,147 ✭✭✭Morrisseeee


    A great track - I took loads of photos and have just been revisiting them on the back of your comment.
    ...some nice photos there, wow, looks like you had a smashing day aswell ! BTW....that 1st hole can be tricky ! and that par 5 5th, I've yet to par it !!


  • #110
    jimjo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 717 ✭✭✭jimjo


    The book’s a good read Kevin, well from the bits I’ve read. Thank god you weren’t overly nice to any of the bad courses, as other golf course review books are.

    After reading your review on Castle Hume I won’t be playing there, thought it looked nice from the road driving by…

    Interesting comments on Knightsbrook, I’m still going to play there! But my expectations have gone down a little, although that might be a good thing..

    Maybe a little harsh on Castleknock, it’s a nice set up, (not overly fond of the buggy tracks) and I feel in the time you’ve played it for the review and now maybe a year or two in the difference the course has improved, matured a little. Thank god the green fee has been reduced I would feel sick if they made me pay €90 or simply tell them were to go, but as I mentioned in the Castleknock thread I do really like the course, good test.

    Totally agreed on Hollystown, “championship golf at affordable prices” I was a little weary by this statement also, the only difference of view I would have is that it’s not all that open, with 27 holes I feel the course is a little squeezed in .

    Finally, I say from this thread alone you must have sold in the region of 50+ books from the people reading this thread but also say for explain I told a work colleague and he’s buying it and so on!!

    Enjoyable read, would and have recommended it


  • #111
    f22
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,361 ✭✭✭f22


    Well I finally got around to buying the book and am really enjoying it so far. I've played over 100 courses in Ireland, which would never have thought so I am slowly but surely getting through my comparisons.

    By the way, I agree with the Castleknock comments above and personally would have ranked it a little higher.


  • Advertisement
  • #112
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,026 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    jimjo wrote: »
    Maybe a little harsh on Castleknock, it’s a nice set up, (not overly fond of the buggy tracks) and I feel in the time you’ve played it for the review and now maybe a year or two in the difference the course has improved, matured a little. Thank god the green fee has been reduced I would feel sick if they made me pay €90 or simply tell them were to go, but as I mentioned in the Castleknock thread I do really like the course, good test.
    reading these thread but also say for explain I told a work colleague and he’s buying it and so on!!
    Enjoyable read, would and have recommended
    f22 wrote: »
    By the way, I agree with the Castleknock comments above and personally would have ranked it a little higher.

    Well lads, you had me scurrying off for the book to check my Castleknock review. You're the first to query it (unlike numerous comments I'm getting on Knightsbrook), but I gathered from the Castleknock thread that it is well liked. I just found it busy and over-cooked in places, but the 9/18 par three combination is an impressive idea that works well. I do think it will improve so maybe they'll invite me back... or maybe they won't!

    Thanks for the comments - always good to get feedback of any kind.

    I agree with you Jimjo, about lowered expectations being a good thing - you'll probably love Knightsbrook now.


  • #113
    mccutchie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 272 ✭✭mccutchie


    I personally found Castleknock a very enjoyable round of golf. Some excellent holes, especially 5,6,7,11,13,15. Alot of risk reward, and the driver can be left in the bag, as accuracy is essential more than anything else. Therefore I too thought you underrated castleknock

    I havent played it in over a year, so hopefully will be just as good when I play in September. The greens were always good also, very true.

    I found the 17th a bit tricked up ok, with the tree in front of the green, sometimes hitting a drive way left was a better option, which really shouldnt be the case.


  • #114
    Rowley Birkin QC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,280 ✭✭✭Rowley Birkin QC


    Bought the book last week Kevin, as a beginner it's a most excellent resource. On your reccomendation my other beginner friends and I played Mahon at the weekend and we were not disappointed.

    I've recommended the book to at least 4 people since then, money very well spent. Only issue is the readability of the map but it's only a small niggle, overall it does exactly what it says on the tin.


  • #115
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,026 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    bigkev49 wrote: »
    Bought the book last week Kevin, as a beginner it's a most excellent resource. On your reccomendation my other beginner friends and I played Mahon at the weekend and we were not disappointed.

    I've recommended the book to at least 4 people since then, money very well spent. Only issue is the readability of the map but it's only a small niggle, overall it does exactly what it says on the tin.

    Glad you liked Mahon - a great little track. And you're right about the maps - other people have said they're not easy in terms of referencing other courses. Disappointing:mad:


  • #116
    Rowley Birkin QC
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,280 ✭✭✭Rowley Birkin QC


    Kevinmarkham wrote: »
    Glad you liked Mahon - a great little track. And you're right about the maps - other people have said they're not easy in terms of referencing other courses. Disappointing:mad:

    It's nothing I'd get too worried about, it's very easily solved when the book is combined with a Google machine!

    Fantastic resource though and congratulations on it's publication. I'm going back to college to do a Masters in January and I'll be reccommending a copy to the golf society. It's very useful for the individual but even more so for societies looking to find hidden gems and avoid the lemons.


  • #117
    jimjo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 717 ✭✭✭jimjo


    Bloody hell Kevin I reckon people using boards are promoting 'Hooked' to the nation!!!

    By the way got out on Knightsbrook for twenty odd euro with little expectations and must say I really enjoyed. There was no wind so the course played easier, after Roganstown I was a little unsure on Christy O Connor’s designs but at least the mounding at Knightsbrook makes you feel like you’re the only one on the course. The greens were superb, in great nick and so true, you can really attack the holes.


  • #118
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,026 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    jimjo wrote: »
    got out on Knightsbrook for twenty odd euro with little expectations and must say I really enjoyed. There was no wind so the course played easier, after Roganstown I was a little unsure on Christy O Connor’s designs but at least the mounding at Knightsbrook makes you feel like you’re the only one on the course. The greens were superb, in great nick and so true, you can really attack the holes.

    They are good greens for sure. What tees were you playing off?


  • #119
    Sandwich
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,253 ✭✭✭Sandwich


    Kevinmarkham wrote: »
    Give me a couple of examples, Sandwich. It would be good to know which ones you mean.

    {Moved to the more correct thread}
    For an example, read Lucan and Nuremore, without referencing their scores. Then look at the scores : 66, and 81. Quite a gulf that doesnt really come through in the text alone. Agree with the poster above : you have not been reserved in criticising some of the supposed high flyers. Its with some of the run of the mill courses, where you gave them the lowish numerical rating alright, but didnt seem to criticise them so openly in the text.

    Not trying to get at you here, but just observing that it seemed to me that your real 'guidance' to us on the courses that we should be visiting is in the numbers rather than the less critical text.

    On the numbers themselves, they are very focused into tight bands : from 12 to 16 for the majority say for CD. Some pretty basic up-and-down courses (eg Elm Park) are given 12. On a sacle of 1 to 20 : 1 most basic to 20 worldclass. Would it not really rate only a 4 or 5, if Enniscrone is 19?

    Dont get me wrong - enjoying the book and will be using it to help plan some outings.


  • #120
    jimjo
    Closed Accounts Posts: 717 ✭✭✭jimjo


    Kevinmarkham wrote: »
    They are good greens for sure. What tees were you playing off?

    Played off the whites. Now when I said it played easier, I mean in the respect that there was absolutely no wind, if it was windy the course would be a struggle and within saying that when I jog my mind back the course was a little monotonous in regards to driver than rescue club or 5/6 iron…. it was long but good and I enjoyed.


  • Advertisement
  • #121
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,026 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    jimjo wrote: »
    …. it was long but good and I enjoyed.

    And that's all that matters
    K


Advertisement