Irish Open

Arsenium · 10-12-2013 12:13PM

Dbu wrote: »

not if your from Cork:D

Exactly. Carton is less than an hour from me boo hoo !!

unattendedbag · 10-12-2013 12:31PM

Looks like we'll charter a board's train from heuston.

Dossy · 10-12-2013 03:02PM

Dbu wrote: »

Looks like Fota Lads, welcome to Cork :-)

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/fota-closes-in-on-irish-open-252197.html

Thats the job 10min spin

TrapperChamonix · 10-12-2013 04:45PM

bustercherry wrote: »

It's amazing the amount of dung talked on here about promoting golf tourism, how the Monty looks on tv, selling the county etc...

What about the people who actually attend the Irish Open? I thought Carton was one of the best venues I've been at from spectator point of view (over Portrush, St Annes and Lytham just to name places that were a nightmare). It's layout allows you to follow golfers and/or move around the course easily. The practice range and putting green are accessible to the spectators. Transport links are excellent. I could go on....

Sure that doesn't matter to the real fans sitting at home watching it on the TV :rolleyes:

The wider issue I believe is the lack of imagination that the European Tour have shown in the preceding decades. Having the Irish / Scotish/ English Opens on parkland courses means they have no added attraction over and above a tournament anywhere else. Therefore the money that has to be paid to top ranked players to turn up is a bidding contest with the PGA Tour. Had the European Tour put in a Links swing (similar to tennis Clay Court season) prior to the British Open, it could have made a much more valuable commodity to be sold on TV

Having written that, I'm not sure what it has to do with the point you have made:D:confused:

Dossy · 10-12-2013 04:51PM

They should have it on in Doonbeg :P
If it wasnt so far away it would be ideal

fullstop · 10-12-2013 08:29PM

Sean_pop wrote: »

Hugo Boss lorry was some rob.

I went to it last year on the Friday and there was a bit of sun out so we decided to have a look for some sunglasses. The cheapest pair in Hugo Boss was €175.

Was it your first time in a Hugo Boss shop?? Designer gear costs money...a lot of it!

unattendedbag · 10-12-2013 09:57PM

If Im not mistaken I believe that's why Phil Mickelson played the Scottish open, to get links practice a week before the open. And he managed to win both. If the Irish Open was a little closer to the Open championship then they could attract a great line up by holding it on the likes of portmarnock or one of the other links courses. The top players will want the links practice.

benny79 · 11-12-2013 04:53PM

Yea but that would make sense!

Ronney · 11-12-2013 09:22PM

Just wondering which of our top Links Courses could actually hold an Open (infrastructure etc?)

Baltray, Ballybunnion and Portrush, Portmarnock have hosted it in the past?

Great to see us having a Links rotation similar to "The Open"

the greatest game · 12-12-2013 07:51PM

I think its going to be Fota .

big_drive · 12-12-2013 07:58PM

Any date been fixed for an official announcement?

Sean_pop · 15-12-2013 02:23PM

fullstop wrote: »

Was it your first time in a Hugo Boss shop?? Designer gear costs money...a lot of it!

I have been in designer shops like that before but designer gear or not it is still over priced.

superhooper · 17-12-2013 11:54AM

http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/irish-open-on-course-for-title-sponsor-252905.html

Things on the up for the Irish Open!!

Wichita Lineman · 19-12-2013 05:33PM

Fota it is, realistically I probably wont go now but I did enjoy the experience very much at Carton House. So, I might be tempted to do the long drive if the weather looks like it's going to be even half decent closer to the time.

bustercherry · 19-12-2013 07:21PM

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

Fota it is, realistically I probably wont go now but I did enjoy the experience very much at Carton House. So, I might be tempted to do the long drive if the weather looks like it's going to be even half decent closer to the time.

Have to agree, realistically it requires staying over and plenty of cheap flights for better European events if I was going to hit a tour event. Certainly I think it would be similar cost to hit hoylake for the open. Nice course though and it's always good to watch golf on tv when you have played the course too

Arsenium · 19-12-2013 07:49PM

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

Fota it is, realistically I probably wont go now but I did enjoy the experience very much at Carton House. So, I might be tempted to do the long drive if the weather looks like it's going to be even half decent closer to the time.

I was thinking along those lines aswell Andy but I think I will go. If the Celtic Tiger left us one good thing it's a decent road network. I won't stay over though. Just a case of getting up early enough to get value out of the day and biting the bullet in relation to the long drive home. I presume it will be like last year and pay at the gate. I had booked tickets in advance and they were about a tenner or so cheaper I think.

FixdePitchmark · 19-12-2013 10:28PM

Andy Dunne11 wrote: »

Fota it is, realistically I probably wont go now but I did enjoy the experience very much at Carton House. So, I might be tempted to do the long drive if the weather looks like it's going to be even half decent closer to the time.

Yes - bad move putting it in Cork. Honest opinion.

Will be empty on Thursday and Friday.

Carton was the place for it (IMO).

superhooper · 20-12-2013 12:49AM

Arsenium wrote: »

I was thinking along those lines aswell Andy but I think I will go. If the Celtic Tiger left us one good thing it's a decent road network. I won't stay over though. Just a case of getting up early enough to get value out of the day and biting the bullet in relation to the long drive home. I presume it will be like last year and pay at the gate. I had booked tickets in advance and they were about a tenner or so cheaper I think.

I'd imagine Irish Rail will put on special trains to go right to the door(well backdoor) of the course. They normally put on additional trains if Cruise Ships are in Cobh etc..Depends on where you are I guess but if coming from Dublin direction it would seem to be the best option especially if you want to have a pint.

slingerz · 20-12-2013 10:10AM

Delighted its in Fota, will definitely be getting to a day of it there now.

burnhardlanger · 20-12-2013 11:43AM

This is great news.

I remember the first one in 2001. We got the train down and walked in.
It was my first time seeing professionals in the flesh.

We approached the fifth tee and quietly watched Thomas Bjorn nonchalantly hit a beautiful draw with one of the old orange Taylor Made three woods. Class.

Neil Andblomee · 20-12-2013 02:11PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Yes - bad move putting it in Cork. Honest opinion.

Will be empty on Thursday and Friday.

Carton was the place for it (IMO).

Yea just like Killarney was.

Dbu · 20-12-2013 02:23PM

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Yes - bad move putting it in Cork. Honest opinion.

Will be empty on Thursday and Friday.

Carton was the place for it (IMO).

Really?mmm
I was there in 01 and 02 and there was excellent crowds. even on Wednesday for the pro am.
Pitchmark, was it also a bad move to be in Killarney?
Fota is an excellent viewing course and i bet you there will be larger crowds there than in Carton

FixdePitchmark · 20-12-2013 03:47PM

Dbu wrote: »

Really?mmm
I was there in 01 and 02 and there was excellent crowds. even on Wednesday for the pro am.
Pitchmark, was it also a bad move to be in Killarney?
Fota is an excellent viewing course and i bet you there will be larger crowds there than in Carton

Yes - say your right.

Was just disappointed - also it is Christmas :P

But - I genuinely do believe they need to stick to one venue for a while, longer term plan.

Ben1977 · 20-12-2013 04:14PM

I think its great that they are spreading it around. Good advertising for the country. Would love to see it in the west.

Dbu · 20-12-2013 05:00PM

Ben1977 wrote: »

I think its great that they are spreading it around. Good advertising for the country. Would love to see it in the west.

yes I agree
where is the west would be suitable?
one of the critical things in Fota's favour is road access,10 minutes from the airport, I remember last time leaving and being on the dual carriageway in 2 minutes, great for east, west (now that the we have 2 new flyovers in Bishopstown and Wilton, and north bound.
Parking is excellent on site
all we need is the weather

Ronney · 20-12-2013 05:59PM

While Carton had a lot of advantages as a venue I have to say it did very little to advertise Ireland as a golfing destination on TV.

On tv it came across as just a big field and there is not much in terms of background views. Stark contrast to Portrush 2 years ago

jod1983 · 08-01-2014 11:06PM

Looks like Fota, no sponsor yet though!!

http://www.independent.ie/sport/fota-island-to-host-the-2014-irish-open-29900338.html

Sean_pop · 09-01-2014 09:42AM

We have a venue

14handicap · 09-01-2014 10:55AM

At the end of the day the course that pays the most gets the event.
With the Chinese connection it can only be good for golf tourism in Ireland.
The best courses never get the event mostly because they don't want it.
Waterville, Ballybunnion, The European club, Lahinch would be the prefect location for such an event and I guarantee you would get some of the top US golfers playing but it will never happen as the courses themselves don't want the event.

Can you imagine the PR that hosting the Irish open at Old Head would get but not much room for spectators or parking, etc.

Just my thoughts.

PARlance · 09-01-2014 11:48AM

14handicap wrote: »

At the end of the day the course that pays the most gets the event.
With the Chinese connection it can only be good for golf tourism in Ireland.
The best courses never get the event mostly because they don't want it.
Waterville, Ballybunnion, The European club, Lahinch would be the prefect location for such an event and I guarantee you would get some of the top US golfers playing but it will never happen as the courses themselves don't want the event.

Can you imagine the PR that hosting the Irish open at Old Head would get but not much room for spectators or parking, etc.

Just my thoughts.

Why do you think such clubs don't want to host it?
What's their reasons for not wanting it?

I think the romantic day of the best US golfers coming over to play a great links course on the Emerald Isle is long gone.
Money talks and the Irish Open isn't even a whisper.
Even the premier European Tour events struggle to get much interest from the PGA players.
They also have they Scottish Open if they want to get some link practice in advance of The Open.

Irish Open

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