The Links Thread

Mushy

Don't recall it being mentioned, but the 3rd course at Rosapenna is opening on 26th. €75 GI rate, and €195 for all 3 courses

almostover

Playing Ballybunion Old course tomorrow, Cashen Friday and tralee Saturday. Cannot wait now, like a child on Xmas eve. Haven't played any of them before. Any advice for a 1st timer around those tracks? I play off 9 but going in with low expectations and playing with three high handicappers.

Silver-Tiger

Portmarnock Championship 4 man team even on again.

15th June
€150 per person this time.

Neewollah

almostover wrote: »

Playing Ballybunion Old course tomorrow, Cashen Friday and tralee Saturday. Cannot wait now, like a child on Xmas eve. Haven't played any of them before. Any advice for a 1st timer around those tracks? I play off 9 but going in with low expectations and playing with three high handicappers.

You're in for a treat. Played tralee and the cashen before. Heading in July to play all 3 of them and Dooks.

You're right keep your expectations low. 30 points on those courses will be great shooting. If your in trouble take your medicine. Once you're not too hard on yourself you'll enjoy every second.

Deporhostia

almostover wrote: »

Playing Ballybunion Old course tomorrow, Cashen Friday and tralee Saturday. Cannot wait now, like a child on Xmas eve. Haven't played any of them before. Any advice for a 1st timer around those tracks? I play off 9 but going in with low expectations and playing with three high handicappers.

Great few days. I’ve just come off the Cashen course myself!

In terms of lines, I think BallyB old and Tralee are quite clear from the tee.

I’m off 12 and would play off the whites, drives would go about 230/240 on good days. On BallyB Old you will have a dilemma on hole 16 par 5, to cut the corner by going over the dune or not. Depends on your driving and wind I suppose.

For Tralee make sure you play from (or at least look at) the back tee on hole 3 par 3. Makes a big difference.

Cashen is often not so straightforward.
Hole 7 don’t go too left:OOB. Right is a big chasm but slightly preferable.
Hole 8: if you’re playing off the whites, a 200 yard shot you can hit straight with a bit of draw. If you’re hitting 230/240 you need to turn it more or aim well left as long as you can carry 210ish. If you’re a long hitter then aim left and blast it! Basically the fairway turns sharply left and the descends really quickly, so you could get well down the hill with the right shot.
Hole 13: the fairway is further left than it appears. You will run out of room if you hit what you think is a straight shot.
Hole 14 fairway is again a bit left of what you can see.
Hole 15 is a bit of a silly hole. Par 5. If I played it again, I’d hit my most consistently straight club off the tee, then lay up into the widest part of fairway you can see, then hit a 3rd shot 100 yards.
Hole 18s fairway really squeezes in after 230 yards, I was very lucky my amazing drive ended up in the fairway.

Cashen is a bit physically tiring. The other 2 are much more manageable.

Take a camera. All 3 will give you some great views.

dwd

Mushy wrote: »

Don't recall it being mentioned, but the 3rd course at Rosapenna is opening on 26th. €75 GI rate, and €195 for all 3 courses

I'm heading up to Donegal for a week in August and it's definitely top of my list to play.

Some great photos on the instagram page https://www.instagram.com/stpatrickslinks/?hl=en

downthemiddle

Mushy wrote: »

Don't recall it being mentioned, but the 3rd course at Rosapenna is opening on 26th. €75 GI rate, and €195 for all 3 courses

It is the most spectacular piece of golfing terrain I have ever walked.

Frisbee

Silver-Tiger wrote: »

Portmarnock Championship 4 man team even on again.

15th June
€150 per person this time.

Where'd you see that? Can't see anything on their website or social media.

Miley Byrne

Frisbee wrote: »

Where'd you see that? Can't see anything on their website or social media.

https://www.brsgolf.com/portmarnock/opens_day.php

Frisbee

Miley Byrne wrote: »

https://www.brsgolf.com/portmarnock/opens_day.php

Ah, on the online booking portal, who'd have thunk it?

Luckycharm

Deporhostia wrote: »

Great few days. I’ve just come off the Cashen course myself!

In terms of lines, I think BallyB old and Tralee are quite clear from the tee.

I’m off 12 and would play off the whites, drives would go about 230/240 on good days. On BallyB Old you will have a dilemma on hole 16 par 5, to cut the corner by going over the dune or not. Depends on your driving and wind I suppose.

For Tralee make sure you play from (or at least look at) the back tee on hole 3 par 3. Makes a big difference.

Cashen is often not so straightforward.
Hole 7 don’t go too left:OOB. Right is a big chasm but slightly preferable.
Hole 8: if you’re playing off the whites, a 200 yard shot you can hit straight with a bit of draw. If you’re hitting 230/240 you need to turn it more or aim well left as long as you can carry 210ish. If you’re a long hitter then aim left and blast it! Basically the fairway turns sharply left and the descends really quickly, so you could get well down the hill with the right shot.
Hole 13: the fairway is further left than it appears. You will run out of room if you hit what you think is a straight shot.
Hole 14 fairway is again a bit left of what you can see.
Hole 15 is a bit of a silly hole. Par 5. If I played it again, I’d hit my most consistently straight club off the tee, then lay up into the widest part of fairway you can see, then hit a 3rd shot 100 yards.
Hole 18s fairway really squeezes in after 230 yards, I was very lucky my amazing drive ended up in the fairway.

Cashen is a bit physically tiring. The other 2 are much more manageable.

Take a camera. All 3 will give you some great views.

Thanks doing this in July can't wait!!

gypsy79

downthemiddle wrote: »

It is the most spectacular piece of golfing terrain I have ever walked.

Have you played all 3 courses....my plan was to play 2 opens round the area the week I am there but tempted by this offer now

Silver-Tiger

In for the Island Open day next Friday. Never played. Hoping the forecast holds.

The Aul Switcharoo

Silver-Tiger wrote: »

In for the Island Open day next Friday. Never played. Hoping the forecast holds.

Same as. I'm the 11.50 tee time. Can't wait for it

Hoping for that tropical sunshine ☀️

Soundshkin

Booked in to play both Doonbeg and Lahinch next weekend. Any tips anyone has or anything specific people have done playing or around the areas welcome to make the days even more enjoyable?

Have never been towards that side of Clare so will hopefully take in a few sights as well!

slave1

Doonbeg is very much in front of you, little blind shots, course let down by its greens but hopefully they’ve come on since I played it.
Lahinch is a very different and difficult course, plenty of blind shots, flour fairway bunkers and tough greens.
I’d lay a wager you will score significantly better in Doonbeg.
Two great courses, enjoy!

PARlance

Ballybunion later this afternoon, weather looking good, a few refreshments arranged for after, happy man.

Mushy

Just booked into Portrush for that 148th Open thing. Complete once off, should be unreal!

PARlance

PARlance wrote: »

Ballybunion later this afternoon, weather looking good, a few refreshments arranged for after, happy man.

Absolute bliss! I'm lucky enough to get to play Tralee and Ballybunion on a regular basis and Tralee always edged it for me but I think Ballybunion has overtaken it now.

Enniscrone next Friday!

Dwarf.Shortage

PARlance wrote: »

Absolute bliss! I'm lucky enough to get to play Tralee and Ballybunion on a regular basis and Tralee always edged it for me but I think Ballybunion has overtaken it now.

Enniscrone next Friday!

Ballybunion is special, as a fella said to me one day "you stand on some of those tees and look out and you're just happy you are alive and have your health to be able to walk around it and enjoy it"

dk1982

Lads quick one here for those who've played Carne. We're playing the 27 holes tomorrow. I rang to see which order were playing them in and was told the Wild Atlantic Dunes course first followed by the Hackett back 9. I thought through that the Wild Atlantic Dunes Course was the Hackett back 9 (as the first 9) followed by the new Kilmore 9. Have I that wrong and what order are the 27 normally played?

downthemiddle

dk1982 wrote: »

Lads quick one here for those who've played Carne. We're playing the 27 holes tomorrow. I rang to see which order were playing them in and was told the Wild Atlantic Dunes course first followed by the Hackett back 9. I thought through that the Wild Atlantic Dunes Course was the Hackett back 9 (as the first 9) followed by the new Kilmore 9. Have I that wrong and what order are the 27 normally played?

Played there last week. It's a treat.
They have changed the order of the nines. WAD is the current front 9 of the Hackett plus the Kilmore.

DuckSlice

dk1982 wrote: »

Lads quick one here for those who've played Carne. We're playing the 27 holes tomorrow. I rang to see which order were playing them in and was told the Wild Atlantic Dunes course first followed by the Hackett back 9. I thought through that the Wild Atlantic Dunes Course was the Hackett back 9 (as the first 9) followed by the new Kilmore 9. Have I that wrong and what order are the 27 normally played?

The Wild Atlantic Dunes course is as follows:

First seven holes are the old Hackett 10-16th (or the current Hackett 1-7)
Followed by the Kilmore 9 playing it from the 5th-4th
Then finishing with the old 17-18th (or the current Hackett 8-9)

willabur

Played Donegal Golf club on sunday passed

It was a treat. It is a long Links but honestly I didn't find it too long. Weather was good with a gentle breeze and the fairways were hard. Ended up getting there a little too late to have a warm up so the first couple of holes were not great. I was 5 over par for first 4 holes though that included a second ball birdie on the second hole
5th hole is called the Valley of tears, forced carry par 3. Hit a sweet 5 iron pin high to set up a birdie, from then I played seriously good golf. Figured out a problem that was causing a slice on 6th hole but still managed a par. Just bogied 1 more hole on the front 9. Then had 8 straight pars on the back 9. Decent drive on 18 but into ****, ended up making double bogey.

Really super enjoyable course, beautiful views, not too penal. Very much would recommend it

dk1982

DuckSlice wrote: »

The Wild Atlantic Dunes course is as follows:

First seven holes are the old Hackett 10-16th (or the current Hackett 1-7)
Followed by the Kilmore 9 playing it from the 5th-4th
Then finishing with the old 17-18th (or the current Hackett 8-9)

All sounds very complicated but I'm sure it's straightforward when you're out there and it's well signed?
Think we're all entering our scores so don't want to mess it up on the day.

Deporhostia

dk1982 wrote: »

Lads quick one here for those who've played Carne. We're playing the 27 holes tomorrow. I rang to see which order were playing them in and was told the Wild Atlantic Dunes course first followed by the Hackett back 9. I thought through that the Wild Atlantic Dunes Course was the Hackett back 9 (as the first 9) followed by the new Kilmore 9. Have I that wrong and what order are the 27 normally played?

I don’t think there’s a normal way of playing 27. I think people normally play 18 WAD or 18 New Hackett (there are overlapping holes there).

What they said will be fine, 18 WAD then the remaining 9 holes (which is the current back 9 of the hackett, but used to be the front 9 of the hackett).

Possibly your final 9 have slightly less dramatic dunes, but they are equally as good holes as the rest of the property.

If you follow the signs you won’t go wrong. I think the only confusion I had was teeing off in front of the clubhouse, there are 3 fairways in front of you. Left one is hole 1 WAD, middle one is hole 13 WAD, right one will be your 19th hole, it’s the first of your final 9 holes.

DuckSlice

Deporhostia wrote: »

I don’t think there’s a normal way of playing 27. I think people normally play 18 WAD or 18 New Hackett (there are overlapping holes there).

What they said will be fine, 18 WAD then the remaining 9 holes (which is the current back 9 of the hackett, but used to be the front 9 of the hackett).

Possibly your final 9 have slightly less dramatic dunes, but they are equally as good holes as the rest of the property.

If you follow the signs you won’t go wrong. I think the only confusion I had was teeing off in front of the clubhouse, there are 3 fairways in front of you. Left one is hole 1 WAD, middle one is hole 13 WAD, right one will be your 19th hole, it’s the first of your final 9 holes.

The biggest issue when i last played was if you play the hackett course or the WAD course, the 17th hole on the WAD is the same as the hackett so it was causing a backlog. But at that time you could play the hackett 18 or the WAD so that was the issue. there was 3 groups waiting to tee off on the same hole, 2 of the groups playing the WAD and 1 playing the hackett.

gypsy79

dk1982 wrote: »

All sounds very complicated but I'm sure it's straightforward when you're out there and it's well signed?
Think we're all entering our scores so don't want to mess it up on the day.

It isnt as well signed as it could be. But if I had the above information I would have been more comfortable

They didnt have it as an option on golfshot or garmin last September which was a problem for me

The one thing confuses me about Carne is why they dont take better care of tee boxes.

Ally McIntosh

Regards Carne, the current situation is a little confusing but what they’re trying to do is give all golfers a choice of either the Hackett 18 or the WAD 18 on any given day.

In the long run, Carne will either have to choose a primary 18 or they will have to choose an “18 of the day”. They are not quite ready to go there yet though.

Mushy

willabur wrote: »

Played Donegal Golf club on sunday passed

It was a treat. It is a long Links but honestly I didn't find it too long. Weather was good with a gentle breeze and the fairways were hard. Ended up getting there a little too late to have a warm up so the first couple of holes were not great. I was 5 over par for first 4 holes though that included a second ball birdie on the second hole
5th hole is called the Valley of tears, forced carry par 3. Hit a sweet 5 iron pin high to set up a birdie, from then I played seriously good golf. Figured out a problem that was causing a slice on 6th hole but still managed a par. Just bogied 1 more hole on the front 9. Then had 8 straight pars on the back 9. Decent drive on 18 but into ****, ended up making double bogey.

Really super enjoyable course, beautiful views, not too penal. Very much would recommend it

Sounds exactly like my round there last year, but regarding the course, couldn't agree more. The new green on 17 makes the second shot such a tease, the use of the land is great. Playing Partner got hole in one on 16th too