Latest Top 100 courses in Ireland how many have you played?

fearruanua

I'm on 31. We have a trip booked for this July so all going well, I will be adding Palmerstown, Killeen Castle, Headfort New and possibly Knightsbrook to the list.

blue note

thewobbler wrote: »

I can see some merit in this but to draw comparisons with Michelin: the anonymous aspect of Michelin rankings means you’re effectively being rated for attention to detail every minute of every day. The meal has to be perfectly sourced, perfectly cooked, perfectly presented, perfectly served. All year round.

Golf isn’t like that. For example I’ve given off about Galgorm above, and I don’t wish to sound like I’m bashing the course, but anyhow. One of its nearest neighbours is Massareene GC. It’s a much older, more traditional parkland with good conditioning, a wonderfully rolling layout, and some quirky holes. It’s great fun. There’s not much water about, practice facilities are limited, and its club house is dated. It would struggle to get a star on the Michelin rankings.

Meanwhile, Galgorm in its endeavours to become known as the premier parkland in the 6 counties, has invested significantly in everything imaginable. And these efforts would surely gain it a star. Maybe 2.

Yet I know the one I’d prefer to play, any day or every day, is Massereene.

Really the only thing I'm taking from the Michelin star comparison is to make it stars instead of ranking every course. So you'll have 4 or 5 courses classed as the best, maybe 10 courses in the second tier and about 15 in the third tier. But as regards how you decide - you could have the same evaluation criteria as before. The courses could get a score out of 150 or whatever. And instead of ranking the courses from 1-100, you could have all the courses that get 130+ as 3 star, 120+ 2 star, 110+ as 1 star and maybe 100+ as in the guide or something.

But nothing would have to change as regards how you evaluate the curses.

Richmond Ultra

I was surprised West Waterford doesn't make the top 100. I would have it as a better course than Curragh etc.

golfguy1

Richmond Ultra wrote: »

I was surprised West Waterford doesn't make the top 100. I would have it as a better course than Curragh etc.

dont think it was ever in top 100. never will be either.
not as good as waterford castle or faithlegg or tramore.
Not looking good for it's long term future as I heard potential buyer has passed away.

Richmond Ultra

golfguy1 wrote: »

dont think it was ever in top 100. never will be either.
not as good as waterford castle or faithlegg or tramore.
Not looking good for it's long term future as I heard potential buyer has passed away.

Your right there with them being better courses than West Waterford, but I would have thought Dungarvan with the three courses, and WW being the so called best that it would have had a good rating.

My own course Newlands, will never make a top 100.

Kevinmarkham

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Kevin Markhams book Hooked is what I use, everything is scored out of 100.

Everything 70 and over is an enjoyable round of golf and yet to steer me wrong.

Thanks very much! Would love to do an entire revamp of the book. So much has changed since the book came out.

Ally McIntosh

blue note wrote: »

I always think that if you wanted something more meaningful than these lists you'd go for a Michelin star type of system. Whether a course is 90th or 60th probably makes little to no difference. Whereas if a course either had a star or didn't, then you'd consider it a lot more meaningful. Or similarly going from a 1 star to a 2 would be a big deal.

If i was doing it I'd have a "Michelin guide" tier for the likes of tullamore, Tramore, new forest, etc. Basically the courses outside of the top 30 or so in these lists. I'd have one star for those courses that are great, but not quite challenging the top spots, the likes of portsalon, strand Hill. Two star for the courses that are just off the top guys, so the likes of the island. And then the three star courses being Portmarnock, rcd, Portrush, lahinch.

Obviously plenty of playing around with who gets included and not and how many stars. But it would be a better way of doing it for me.

This is exactly what I would do. And I sit on The Irish Golfer Panel.

When I pitched the above idea, it was also going to have a Bib Gourmand equivalent (let’s say a golden ball) for courses with great facilities or a welcoming atmosphere. That would leave the stars for course quality alone.

FixdePitchmark

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Thanks very much! Would love to do an entire revamp of the book. So much has changed since the book came out.

Same here. Never sent me wrong. Actually from deep recall. West Waterford got good / decent marks and I played it as a result . Remember it as a great course. But I guess there literally are nearly a 100 irish parkland like it that are better than average. And just on edges of Top 100 in country.

Question for you Kevin.

You must have forgotten a good few at this stage ?

dan_ep82

Kevinmarkham wrote: »

Thanks very much! Would love to do an entire revamp of the book. So much has changed since the book came out.

No problem, it literally sits on my desk and every year I use it to book my week of golf. Any time I'm checking Opens or looking for a good course it's my go to. Should have got you to sign it in Lough Erne



In the last two years alone the amount of work updates I see on social media from different clubs I'd say its warranted at least a revision.

spacecoyote

dan_ep82 wrote: »

No problem, it literally sits on my desk and every year I use it to book my week of golf. Any time I'm checking Opens or looking for a good course it's my go to. Should have got you to sign it in Lough Erne



In the last two years alone the amount of work updates I see on social media from different clubs I'd say its warranted at least a revision.

Used it as my gauge for course selection for Boards society outings last year too...until Covid came along and put paid to most of the rounds

fullstop

43 I’ve played.

Some strange ranking in there for me. Powerscourt East should surely be higher. Wouldn’t have St Anne’s nearly as high as it is. Sleeve Russell ranked higher than the likes of Killeen Castle, Mount Juliet and Druids Glen also seems strange, also can’t believe RCD is down at number 4.

thewobbler

Slieve Russell is an interesting one. For years it was truly a hidden gem (largely from being in the middle of nowhere, and convenient to nobody), but it’s one of the most fun golf golf courses I’ve stood on. I think I’d prefer to play it over Druids or Killeen (two brilliant courses), but I’m not sure if that makes it a better course. And it’s always in really good condition.

Kevin’s book is the bible though. He has an clear bias towards courses with big shapes (basically, big hills good, big dunes better) but he’s been on the money on pretty much every course I’ve visited.

FixdePitchmark

thewobbler wrote: »

Slieve Russell is an interesting one. For years it was truly a hidden gem (largely from being in the middle of nowhere, and convenient to nobody), but it’s one of the most fun golf golf courses I’ve stood on. I think I’d prefer to play it over Druids or Killeen (two brilliant courses), but I’m not sure if that makes it a better course. And it’s always in really good condition.

Kevin’s book is the bible though. He has an clear bias towards courses with big shapes (basically, big hills good, big dunes better) but he’s been on the money on pretty much every course I’ve visited.

I think that is why it was my bible too. I have very similar taste. The more shape and variety the better for me.

Only thing . They are harder as you get older. As generally tougher layouts to get around.

Kevinmarkham

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

Question for you Kevin.

You must have forgotten a good few at this stage ?

It's my age, Fix...

I had a 2-3 week trip planned to NI last year to revisit courses I hadn't seen since the book was first published. Places like Donaghadee, Rockmount, Carnalea, Omagh... I remember the courses, no problem, but some of the holes are getting fuzzy now.

dan_ep82 wrote: »

In the last two years alone the amount of work updates I see on social media from different clubs I'd say its warranted at least a revision.

Yep, my thoughts exactly. It's been a few years since the last edition so it doesn't even have the new layout at Rathsallagh and there must be 6 or 7 courses that are now closed.

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

They are harder as you get older. As generally tougher layouts to get around.

You're playing the age card, Fix! Shame on you:D

billy3sheets

I've played 35. Been ages (more than 10 years) since I played some of them.
Rathsallagh jumping 32 places seems flattering. Played it last year. While it has some great holes, there are a couple with drains which you can't see that I thought were awful holes.

Beaulieu

dan_ep82 wrote: »

Kevin Markhams book Hooked is what I use, everything is scored out of 100.

Everything 70 and over is an enjoyable round of golf and yet to steer me wrong.

THE bible-has never let me or our Society down. Had the pleasure of playing with Kev in Dun Laoighaire back in 2012.