BGS 2024 - Round 5 Portarlington - 27th July 11:20

Alanm

With The Open on next weekend, our next outing is a week later than normal in Portarlington golf club on the 27th of July with Tee times starting from 11:20. This will cost €35.

Portarlington is a new course for me and somewhere I don't know too much about before selecting the courses for the year. Looking at the scorecard, it doesn't appear to be hugely long, but the flyovers and hole descriptions on their website suggest that accuracy will be required for quite a few shots! Certainly some of the holes look very tight and there is a bit of water to contend with, especially later in the round.

Does anyone know the course well or played it recently? I'd welcome suggestions for long drive and nearest the pin.

Booking will open in the next couple of days, I'll update here to let you all know exactly when.

slave1

NTP 17, LD 18 as it's dead straight (maybe a tinkle of a left to right depending on the tees)

It's a quietly lovely course and only gets tight towards the end where ye can forget about those woods and have to lay up on a few holes. Everyone will enjoy it

KevH1984

Portarlington is a lovely track and very under rated in my opinion. Not overly long but very tight on some holes with lots of trees. Greens very good from last time I played. Par 4 2nd very tough and 7th also, two hardest holes on the course. Par 5s very scorable and in reach for the longer hitters. Some water on the approaches to the par 5 8th and 13th from memory so be wary of that. 14 a very nice and tough dogleg right with a tree in the middle of the fairway and trees right, room left. Probably not a driver, left the safe play but a long shot in. Longer hitters can take it just right or over the tree to shorten the hole. Great hole. 15 & 16 down along the river are super holes, 5 or 6 iron and wedge in. Water short left of 15 and 16 with the Barrow all the way down the right and OB along the edge. Nice bit of trouble around especially on the back towards the end of the round. Par 3 5th would be ideal for the nearest the pin, it's only a short wedge in but might come a bit early in the round. Expect a good few 2s on the 5th and maybe even a HIO if the pin is towards the front. All in all a very enjoyable track which all will enjoy, good scoring a high probability.

token56

Definitely a very nice course and as you said not the longest but between water and trees there are plenty of holes where it is not all about length, especially on the back 9.

For NP any of the par 3's are good options in my opinion but 17 is probably a good shout. For LD it depends on how cruel you want to be. The 7th index 1 would be on the cruel side but I think a good option. Plenty of other options then on the kinder side, 10th, 13th two par 5's that are not as punishing for missed fairways, the 18th as mentioned above would be another option, a shorter par 4 and room to miss left. Also the added benefit of getting a good view from the club house.

Seve OB

the first venue i attended a boards outing back in 2013. didn't know what i was letting myself in for. loved the course so much i went back a few weeks after to play in their scratch cup.

last time i played it, i think someone fired as missile at poor aul @charlieIRL

really looking forward to getting back again

Snackbox20

Laid up with bloody covid at the mo 🤒🤬

Unfortunately it will be the first outing in a while that I am going to be unable to attend.

I'm away on camp so all hands on deck and can't get away for golf on that Saturday.

It was going to be a new course for me, so I hope it's a great outing and look forward to the reports, post mortems, and banter afterwards.

Hope to see you for the August outing.

Apologies

Alanm

Thanks lads.

Booking is due to open at 7pm this evening.

bobster453

Okay I know yez dont want me to win again but really...😂

Tried booking different slots keep getting an error message stating I have made an incorrect selection.

Never happened before.

Maybe @Golfgraffix or @Alanm can have a shufty for me please.

Sorbet

I’ll be away so afraid will miss this one - sounds like a great course. Enjoy all and look forward to all the reports.

charlieIRL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122382886#Comment_122382886

yup was a sore one. Only time I’ve ever got hit with a golf ball.

It’s a lovely course and one I’ve played a good few times. Tough but fair.
I suggest the 5th for NTP and 18 for LD

charlieIRL

Get well soon Snackbox. Lot of it going around again.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122385695#Comment_122385695

in fairness you only got hit with it because I jumped out of it's way 🤣

5 could be a fun hole for NP, short enough if I recall and I think the 6th tee plays over the green (or close enough) so there might be a bit of banter as groups cross swords.

But 17th probably a better hole for it

scotty_golf9

Hi lads, this keeps happening everytime i go to book a tee time. Ive enough money in my account but this wont go true no matter what time i choose

token56

I'm having the same issue myself. Can't seem to make a booking.

charlieIRL

I see you are booked in at 11:30. Did you get it sorted?

bobster453

Same for me.Enough tokens for 3 outings and cant book in.

Alanm

This issue is being looked into, an update will be posted when it's been resolved. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Alan.

spuddy4711

Try selecting a different time, without going to the last step, then go back to the time you want.

Golfgraffix

sorry guys, my fault, I somehow set the default release back to 7 days !!!!

bobster453

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122389291#Comment_122389291

Sorted for me

token56

Got booked in now too. Thanks.

blue note

I'm looking forward to this as ever. I'll always nervous of courses that are ranked as relatively easy. Or more particularly courses where my playing handicap goes down instead of up. There are invariably plenty of in opportunities for bogeys and worse. When I see the course is short I expect trouble to be easy to find.

But sure that'll be the fun of it. I'll try to get some practice in before the day as usual. Hopefully a round, but a range session at least.

token56

The course rating might be on the lower side but I wouldn't rate this as an easy course myself. Plenty of trees around to cause trouble, well placed water and in particular on a few of the closing holes with a river running alongside which is very easy to find. I do think it's a very enjoyable course though.

charlieIRL

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122392449#Comment_122392449

Agreed, it's not easy. You'll get away with some loose drives on some holes but will be punished hard on others.

token56

Absolutely and even a straight drive can be punished on the 7th. I'm very curious to see the reaction for those that haven't played before who hit a straight drive and be faced with a huge tree between them and the green.

token56

Also just an FYI for anyone looking to warm up there is no driving range at the course. Nearest range would probably in The Heritage in Killieneard which is about 15 mins away and in the roughly the same direction when coming off the motorway from Cork/Dublin, can hit off grass or mats. The Heath golf club also has a small driving range and 15 or so minutes away with just mats but can tap with the card, no need for tokens etc.

bobster453

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122392754#Comment_122392754

Better bend it like Beckham then😂

a post punk

Unfortunately I am away for this 1 aswell on Holidays ….. but not ashamed to say I’d rather a bit of much needed Sunshine for a few weeks !! Enjoy the day out lads and look forward to the write ups afterwards.

bobster453

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122397197#Comment_122397197

Oh good..a chance for us to close the gap.

Enjoy the hols.🌞

VW 1

Had some time to peruse the Portarlington website earlier, good detailed descriptions of each hole accompanied by a fly by view. Excited to play it, looks like a lovely track with potential for trouble with trees at all times when straying from the short grass. Hopefully we get the weather we should get at this time of year.

Kiith

I won't know till probably tomorrow if i can play, hopefully there's still a few spots available once i know.

Alanm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122415080#Comment_122415080

We have a three spaces left at the moment so you should be ok.

Portarlington have asked that I confirm numbers by tomorrow evening, once that is done we may not be able to offer refunds - please DM me if there are any problems and we'll try to sort it out.

Thanks

Alan.

BigChap1759

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122413581#Comment_122413581

I rekon the drone had L-Plates on judging by some of the flying!

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122416817#Comment_122416817

Where are the flyovers?

I can see the course guide, but no video/drone footage

token56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122417219#Comment_122417219

You should be able to see them on this page - https://www.portarlingtongolfclub.ie/course-guide/

Just a note it doesn't work for me on mobile.

spacecoyote

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122417225#Comment_122417225

OK, makes sense, was looking on mobile too

bakerbhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122416817#Comment_122416817

I thought the camera was fixed on a flying strimmer

bobster453

I am looking at the Heath Golf Club driving range for practice on Sat morning.

Or does Portarlington have a driving range?

token56

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122418922#Comment_122418922

No Portarlington doesn't unfortunately.

boccy23

There are warm up nets close to the 1st tee is all.

BOB81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122418922#Comment_122418922

I'd suggest the heritage at killenard as another option, has grass hitting area etc and pretty similar distance from portarlington (depending on where you are coming from). Last time I was out at the heath its range mats were in pretty poor order

blue note

Anyone wants a lift from Portmarnock (or on that general route) feel free to send me a DM.

BigChap1759

Do we know what tees we'll be off?

spacecoyote

I'll let @Alanm confirm 100%, buy pretty sure plan is whites

bobster453

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122421271#Comment_122421271

Oh good😆

Kiith

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122415692#Comment_122415692

Booked in there now 👍️

Alanm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122421021#Comment_122421021

Yep, as space said, we'll be off the whites. Going with NTP on 17 and LD 18. See you all In a few days

RoadRunner

https://irishgolfer.ie/latest-golf-news/2024/06/01/irelands-top-hidden-gems/

Good call on course picks for the year AlanM. A very recent Kevin Markham article in Irish Golfer magazine lists Portarlington as on of the countries top Hidden Gems 👍️

token56

There is a chance I might have to be a late withdrawal due to some personal stuff outside of my control. Obviously not worried about money etc but I'll try confirm later on tonight when I should know a bit more. Apologies for the hassle.

bobster453

Good morning golfers.

What a lovely day for a game of golf☀️☀️

bakerbhoy

Rain 🌧 here in the deise.