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Inside The Ropes - The Island

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    #2
    FixdePitchmark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,898 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    Fair play lads, that was class.

    What was the wind like lads. Driver on par 3 sounds mental.

    Price a problem. But not sure the place would do well with too much traffic ?


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    #3
    mike12
    Registered Users Posts: 2,331 ✭✭✭mike12


    Weather was nice but with a stiff breeze, it is a cracking course and would play it every week if they had a open for €40 euro. I just can’t get over the €100, i think when you have played some of the links courses in the North west that stretch Carne up to Ballyliffen and the max you would pay is around €60 its hard to pay more for some thing similar.
    There are really no 2 holes the same and as Kevin said there are a lot of different approaches into greens that require a lot of different shots. Was a bit disappointed I had to lay up to there with a 3 wood on 14 as the driver would have been too big still made par, it was a nice tap in birdie for Kevin after he drove to the front of the green. Thinking back now the short par 4 8th and the par 3 9th are 2 of my favourite holes.
    Thanks again to Kevin for the invite.

    Mike


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    #4
    charlieIRL
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 7,212 Mod ✭✭✭✭charlieIRL


    Looks like a fantastic course, one I'd have loved to played. Great review.


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    #5
    FixdePitchmark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,898 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    mike12 wrote: »
    Weather was nice but with a stiff breeze, it is a cracking course and would play it every week if they had a open for €40 euro. I just can’t get over the €100, i think when you have played some of the links courses in the North west that stretch Carne up to Ballyliffen and the max you would pay is around €60 its hard to pay more for some thing similar.
    There are really no 2 holes the same and as Kevin said there are a lot of different approaches into greens that require a lot of different shots. Was a bit disappointed I had to lay up to there with a 3 wood on 14 as the driver would have been too big still made par, it was a nice tap in birdie for Kevin after he drove to the front of the green. Thinking back now the short par 4 8th and the par 3 9th are 2 of my favourite holes.
    Thanks again to Kevin for the invite.

    Mike

    I think the logic is to position themselves in the higher end of the market ?


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    #6
    mike12
    Registered Users Posts: 2,331 ✭✭✭mike12


    FixdePitchmark wrote: »
    I think the logic is to position themselves in the higher end of the market ?
    I know and rightly so it is a great course and the greens fees they want are the U.S. market. The only thing that it doesn't have is the history that Portmarnock or Royal Dublin have.
    I was talking to the Captain in Enniscrone the year before last and he said they were priced out of the U.S. market as in if you weren’t charging over €100 the American's didn't think the course was worth playing. Think the work the North West links people are doing seems to be changing that attitude and have seen a lot of great reviews from a guy who works for golf digest who loves the area so we may see prices coming down to try and compete for the overseas green fees.
    Mike


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    #7
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users Posts: 1,981 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    mike12 wrote: »
    The only thing that it doesn't have is the history that Portmarnock or Royal Dublin have.

    Think the work the North West links people are doing seems to be changing that attitude and have seen a lot of great reviews from a guy who works for golf digest who loves the area so we may see prices coming down to try and compete for the overseas green fees.
    Mike

    The Island dates back to 1890, so there's plenty of history there - it was simply always hidden, and not talked about compared to Portmarnock and RD. The story goes that they were keen to get Americans visiting the course and they hired a consultant who said 'double the fees - you're too cheap'. So they doubled them and the Americans came... not dissimilar to what the Captain at Enniscrone was saying.

    Is the guy from Golf Digest, David Owen? He certainly loves that part of the world. His blog is http://myusualgame.com/


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    #8
    L.O.F.T
    Registered Users Posts: 1,103 ✭✭✭L.O.F.T


    Kevinmarkham wrote: »
    Is the guy from Golf Digest, David Owen? He certainly loves that part of the world. His blog is http://myusualgame.com/

    I've followed that blog for a long time. It's a great read.

    The Island write up is excellent also and your ongoing volunteers request are unique and generous, fair play.


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    #9
    Dtoffee
    Registered Users Posts: 655 ✭✭✭Dtoffee


    Kevinmarkham wrote: »
    Sorry for the delay in getting this up - and thanks to all the guys for turning up last week. Great weather and a great course. Good grub too.

    A Boards-eye view of The Island

    Good report Kevin, I'm still telling everyone about our day and how it is a great golf course because no matter how bad you played, it will leave you wanting another go.

    I have walked off much higher rated courses and would not be in a hurry back as they were either all hit and no wit (you certainly needed your wits about you in the Island:P) or they were just plain boring. The Island has character and charm, it challenges you to think about every shot and rewards players who are able to see whats required and carry out the shot.

    Another observation I forgot to mention was the fact that you have the feeling you are out there on your own and not in someone's back garden (if that makes sense).... its actually very good at generating a feeling of no distractions and being 'away from it all'.

    Thanks again to Golfgraffix (we certainly made good use of his Island App), to the Island staff, to youself for starting the ball rolling and to all those who played.

    A day to remember.

    Ps
    I hope you didn't drink all that wine in one go !!!


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    #10
    thewobbler
    Registered Users Posts: 857 ✭✭✭thewobbler


    FixdePitchmark wrote: »
    I think the logic is to position themselves in the higher end of the market ?

    I'd say it's market forces more than than market positioning. Location, location, location.

    Ballyliffin and Rosapenna are outposts from the back of beyond and while they're great tracks, they need to incentivise people to travel far to experience them. A big green fee would have the opposite effect.

    The Island though is beside Ireland's biggest population centre. Plus there's more money resident in one estate in Malahide than there is in Donegal.


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    #11
    FixdePitchmark
    Registered Users Posts: 20,898 ✭✭✭✭FixdePitchmark


    Kevinmarkham wrote: »
    The Island dates back to 1890, so there's plenty of history there - it was simply always hidden, and not talked about compared to Portmarnock and RD. The story goes that they were keen to get Americans visiting the course and they hired a consultant who said 'double the fees - you're too cheap'. So they doubled them and the Americans came... not dissimilar to what the Captain at Enniscrone was saying.

    Is the guy from Golf Digest, David Owen? He certainly loves that part of the world. His blog is http://myusualgame.com/

    The funny thing about that, is that there is a local rate in some parts of America to cover this.


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    #12
    Kevinmarkham
    Registered Users Posts: 1,981 ✭✭✭Kevinmarkham


    By the way - re the green fee of €100 - there is a winter rate of €55 from Nov 1 to Mar 31, with mats having to be used from the start of January.


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    #13
    mike12
    Registered Users Posts: 2,331 ✭✭✭mike12


    Kevinmarkham wrote: »
    The Island dates back to 1890, so there's plenty of history there - it was simply always hidden, and not talked about compared to Portmarnock and RD. The story goes that they were keen to get Americans visiting the course and they hired a consultant who said 'double the fees - you're too cheap'. So they doubled them and the Americans came... not dissimilar to what the Captain at Enniscrone was saying.

    Is the guy from Golf Digest, David Owen? He certainly loves that part of the world. His blog is http://myusualgame.com/
    I was thinking more of the Irish opens that the others 2 have held back in the day when it used to be the second biggest tournament this side of the Atlantic.
    The European have almost gone with the local rate with all the opens they now have think he also did something last year where if the green fees in your club were X u could play the European for 60. A lot of the big Scottish courses have a locals rate.
    Mike


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    #14
    Johnny_Fontane
    Registered Users Posts: 3,098 ✭✭✭Johnny_Fontane


    I play with a member in the Island for €30 on a Wednesday semi open every now and then. Terrific value mid summer late evening.

    Its an incredible test. I came second in a comp with 60 cards with 31 points (beaten on back 9). Total hidden gem (compared to RD and Portmarnock) and anyone paying €100 will not come away disappointed.


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