Toughest Courses in Ireland?

jimjo

DoctaDee wrote: »

Point taken Jim, it's not penal in that sense but if memory serves there was only one par 4 less than 400 yards, I seemed to be pulling out the hybrid, 4 or 5 iron on all the approach shots. The course really made you work for a score. Unfortunately I'm hearing some whispers as to its demise - think the pro shop and golf personnel are gone,pity because it was an enjoyable track. Cheers Dave

Ah yeah it was a case of driver and rescue for a good few of the par 4's, even on a good drive still left with a 6 iron if i remember right. Well thats a pity if it is in trouble (although lets not go into it), wanted to play it a few times this year, fingers crossed for the place.

Thought Sandy Hills would be coming up a few times in this thread, wonder what do the members think of it. I'd say they must love the auld medal stoke comps on a windy day or would it be near to unplayable?!!

Nuri Sahin

The European Club I've played a few times now, but if you catch it on a bad weather day like I did last time out it;s a real slog to get around in anything close to a half decent score.

Royal Dublin can be a right brute as well when the weather pick up.

BrianD3

Have played Murvagh lots of times and Headfort new once. The day I played Headfort it was wet and the rough was some of the heaviest, wettest, thickest stuff I've ever encountered. That, added to me being in several of the numerous water hazards, made the course a slog for me that day. Beautiful course though.

Murvagh has also had very bad rough a couple of times I've played it. Again thick, wet and heavy difficult to find the ball let alone play it. I remember playing Ballyliffen around the same time and the rough was much easier and more wispy.

Benicetomonty

Headfort new is tough but inspirational imo! You cant help but enjoy it no matter how you play and I usually get it around in something half-respectable as a result.
mentioned Luttrellstown earlier, thats a tough course, some very long holes on the back 9 and water hazards are genuinely in play, unlike a lot of courses where they just seem to be there for show. But Monty on a tough day gets my vote, from what Ive played anyway!

Par72

Nothing I've played can compare to the difficulty of the European. In fine weather it can be ok but put some wind and rain into the mix and the place is like punishment.

Pot Noodle =

Kristopherus wrote: »

+1 It surely is. I'll never forget the first time I played it. I'm still having nightmare flashes when I think about it.

I was lucky my Partner that day had hired a buggy:D

Kace

Par72 wrote: »

Nothing I've played can compare to the difficulty of the European. In fine weather it can be ok but put some wind and rain into the mix and the place is like punishment.

+1

I still have fond memories (nightmares) of the last time I played there. Due to my inconsistency of the tee that day, most of my shots had the ball either at chest level or two feet below my feet in heavy rough - not the easiest combination.

stebed wrote: »

What about Druids Heath? A ton of bunkers, water on the 2nd and 3rd and 17 elevated greens, I play it every week and the best I have managed is 34 points of 11! And all that of the green, there are still the whites and then the blacks!

The Heath is tough enough, but only really because of its length IMHO - it's not European tough. I would be very very happy with 34 points in The Heath, but would be uncorking champagne with 34 in the European ;-)

In relation to lots of the other comments here about courses being tough off the back sticks, many many courses are pure beasts of the back sticks (even if they are fine off the yellows and whites). But the main reason is that all approaches immediately change to long irons / woods, instead of a regular iron - Powerscourt East springs to mind here. The course is fine off the normal tees but you need forearms like Popeye to get around off the Blues/Blacks.

DoctaDee

Kace wrote: »

+1

I still have fond memories (nightmares) of the last time I played there. Due to my inconsistency of the tee that day, most of my shots had the ball either at chest level or two feet below my feet in heavy rough - not the easiest combination............

Lookin at the positive side at least you found them ! guy I played with 2 weeks ago lost 14 balls ... that = 14 sand dunes I had to scale to help him :rolleyes:

Swingguru

jimjo wrote: »

Ah yeah it was a case of driver and rescue for a good few of the par 4's, even on a good drive still left with a 6 iron if i remember right. Well thats a pity if it is in trouble (although lets not go into it), wanted to play it a few times this year, fingers crossed for the place.

Thought Sandy Hills would be coming up a few times in this thread, wonder what do the members think of it. I'd say they must love the auld medal stoke comps on a windy day or would it be near to unplayable?!!

Thankfully most of the members comps take place over the Old Tom Morris course as members have to pay €15 for the privilege of playing the course! Crazy or what? Thats why the course is generally empty while the OTM course is packed. You get 6 hours rounds on OTM during the summer yet not a sinner on Sandy Hills at exactly the same time!

johnnyfardel

thoscon wrote: »

playing the monty in a few weeks in next society outing, not looking forward to it on hearing how tough it is

Put it this way. You are better off in the river than some of
the bunkers.

I had a mare on the front 9 as I found sand on most holes.

Scored well on the back 9 once I started driving reasonably
well.

thoscon

johnnyfardel wrote: »

Put it this way. You are better off in the river than some of
the bunkers.

I had a mare on the front 9 as I found sand on most holes.

Scored well on the back 9 once I started driving reasonably
well.

are the fairways very tight ? someone told me u go literally from fairway to knee high rough not sure if this is the case or not

jimjo

Swingguru wrote: »

Thankfully most of the members comps take place over the Old Tom Morris course as members have to pay €15 for the privilege of playing the course! Crazy or what? Thats why the course is generally empty while the OTM course is packed. You get 6 hours rounds on OTM during the summer yet not a sinner on Sandy Hills at exactly the same time!

Thats a bit much €15 each time on top of the membership... cant imagine they have a huge membership base so dont know why their pissing them off with the extra fees, if as you say the place is empty most of the time. Was looking at green fee's there quite expensive too.

Sammo13

Played the European on Sunday, its an excellent challenge, probably the toughest driving course in the Island. They have cut back the rough but the landing areas off your driver are very tight...

Parkland toughest track is a hard one, the newer courses in last 20 years are nice and long but I prefer courses like Carlow and Mullingar, certainly not the toughest but off the back stakes, especially Carlow, very tough driving course.

copacetic

thoscon wrote: »

are the fairways very tight ? someone told me u go literally from fairway to knee high rough not sure if this is the case or not

there is only fairway/very light rough/shocking rough, but the fairways are reasonably wide. Depending on the tee you are playing off I'd advise taking a club that gives you a good chance of hitting fairway but short of the bunkers. I'd prefer to be in the bunkers than the rough but played with someone who must have hit sand on every hole, there are a lot of bunkers.

This will generally leave you with a long approach to guarded green but is the best approach.

Play a tactical game and you should enjoy it. i.e play to widest part of fairway ignoring how long of second shot it'll leave; then play to the side of the green with no trouble, not matter where the flag is.

If you hit a bunker play whatever club is sure to get you out. If you hit the deep rough from the tee, play a provisional and if you find original just play it sideways and watch your wrists.

My experience of the course was enjoyable except for 3 or 4 absolute card wreckers. I managed to avoid most of the bunkers but hit the rough a fair bit. Make sure you are well fed and watered it's a very long walk, some walks between greens/tees. If you carry normally I'd nearly advise against it.

Try to score on the par 3s if you hit a decent long iron, they are straight forward enough with all the trouble at the front of them all so go long. and there is a reachable par 4 where you can hit into the greenside bunker easy enough.

Plan it out in advance and it could be fun! there is a easier stretch 12-15 which will give you a chance to save the card.

jimjo

Parkland

1) Headfort New
2) Carton House - Montgomerie course

With an honorable mention to Carlow and a few of the new breed of courses which off the backs are animals in length.

Links

1) The European Club
2) Rosapenna - Sandy Hills

With an honorable mention to all links courses cause there all bloody tough when the wind gets up!!!

Bosco boy

Pot wrote:

Carne in Mayo is a Mare of a course http://www.carnegolflinks.com/coursemap.html

I have to agree on that one, some savage holes and a great test, probally the most difficult I've played.

GorHugh

DoctaDee wrote: »

Played Killeen Castle last Nov, was in bunkers on 8 of the 9 holes on the front and got up and down 7 times ... turned 1 over ........ ehhhh didn't finish 1 over

Can I give an honourable mention to Concra Wood also ,,, again we played in tough conditions but thought it was smashing track

Concra wood is a beautiful track .. Loved every blade of it

GorHugh

jimjo wrote: »

Parkland

1) Headfort New
2) Carton House - Montgomerie course

With an honorable mention to Carlow and a few of the new breed of courses which off the backs are animals in length.

Playing Carton with our society on the 24th of this month , Followed by Concra wood in may and Headfort new in june .. we'll have nobody wanting to play again after these 3 courses ...

Brockagh

Doesn't Headfort New have the highest standard scratch in the country?

I'd agree with the ones mentioned. Donegal when I played it had waist-high rough. Very difficult, and long, on that day anyway.

Waterville is pretty long too, and Cane is tough when the wind blows.

shamco

Brockagh wrote: »

Doesn't Headfort New have the highest standard scratch in the country?

I'd agree with the ones mentioned. Donegal when I played it had waist-high rough. Very difficult, and long, on that day anyway.

Waterville is pretty long too, and Cane is tough when the wind blows.

I agree about Donegal. Played it last Fri and the rough was still waist high. Played Rosapenna on Sat on a perfect day weatherwise and have to say it is the toughest course I have played on in Ireland. The rough was savage and fast running fairways on to elevated greens made the second shots nearly as diificult as the tight drives. Should have put away the driver after 3 or 4 holes. Lost a heap of balls but the dunes were full of replacements.

mike12

I would have said Carne is reasonable fair off the tee fairways are generous. European is the toughest.

decko11

f22 wrote: »

Off the tips Royal Dublin can be a beast when the wind blows, 7300 yards!

The European is a real challenge too, miss fairways and be thanKful to find your ball.

For me its Royal Dublin... tightest fairways in the country in the 1st 9.. and with the wind its a monster test

stockdam

Links off the back sticks on a windy day. Portrush gets my vote with RCD a close second

frost53

Sandy Hills is a great track..Local knowledge will save you a few golf balls
Palmerstown stud is another hard one..You have to be straight and reasonably long. Be on the wrong spot on the big greens and you're in three stab country.

FixdePitchmark

I've a feeling after a good few rounds . You may get the hang of Royal County Down.
Only thing . There is an 8 or 9 around a few corners. A big deal what tees you are playing.

The European on first look . Looks hard.

Find Druids Heath very hard.

Macreddin (if walking). Is not only hard . But there is physical aspect to it.

Benny Cake

Castlecomer in Kilkenny is a seriously tough track...

delboykelly

stebed wrote: »

What about Druids Heath? A ton of bunkers, water on the 2nd and 3rd and 17 elevated greens, I play it every week and the best I have managed is 34 points of 11! And all that of the green, there are still the whites and then the blacks!

Have to say +1 on Druids Heath. I've played it a good few times and find it impossible. Played it during the week off the white tees. Drove the ball really well all day but any approach iron that missed the green ended in in sand or 30 feet away from the green. Way too difficult. I'm off 14 but playing really well lately and only had 22 points. Won't be back. Think the European is hard but really fair.

neckedit

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

I've a feeling after a good few rounds . You may get the hang of Royal County Down.
Only thing . There is an 8 or 9 around a few corners. A big deal what tees you are playing.

The European on first look . Looks hard.

Find Druids Heath very hard.

Macreddin (if walking). Is not only hard . But there is physical aspect to it.

Personally....I really don't think so.

FixdePitchmark

neckedit wrote: »

Personally....I really don't think so.

A thing with most of these courses , is we are visitors. Some courses require more local knowledge , and with RCD many of the holes have trouble trouble. Also you can run out to trouble. A tip i was given by a local was be short.

There are a few lads here , who went up and had a score in the 70 s on their first round there.
Now that is great golf, but the fact it was their first round , says they would get near their handicap within a few more rounds.

Some of the holes are blind and this creates an intimidation, but many of these holes have large open landing zones. With time you would learn how ball rolls out and distance to avoid certain bunkers.

If you look at back nine, it is fairly straighforward. Real trouble on 15 and 18. Youd get the hang of these 2.

Anyway , ill be up again to try get the hang of it. Maybe i'm in dream land. But a links takes time for me.

FixdePitchmark

delboykelly wrote: »

Have to say +1 on Druids Heath. I've played it a good few times and find it impossible. Played it during the week off the white tees. Drove the ball really well all day but any approach iron that missed the green ended in in sand or 30 feet away from the green. Way too difficult. I'm off 14 but playing really well lately and only had 22 points. Won't be back. Think the European is hard but really fair.

Heath is an animal, It is just the raw distance to start.

Then you are hitting mid irons into the fastest greens, i think i ever played.
It is almost impossible to hold certain greens.