Boards Golf Society 2023 (Round 1) Corballis (18th Feb @11:50am) *4club

Snackbox20 · 19-02-2023 6:27pm

Just a few photos taken during the round yesterday.

jarrieta · 19-02-2023 8:16pm

Great day of golf, and superb company with @bakerbhoy, @LinoRichie and the captain @RoadRunner, eally enjoyable. Also very lucky with the weather, incredible for a February game! I was happy enough with my golf, i would need to play a few more games to control my draw that proved lethal a few times going into the wind, and later my putt was absolutely dreadful, getting very tired mentally. I carried my 4hybrid, 8iron, 54def and putter, unfortunately the 54 deg is the club I hit the less in my bag as I usually manouver the other wedges to cover for it, as it has too much bounce for my liking, but didn't add any extra shots to my round anyway. Looking forward to Rosslare, I hope I will be able to make it!

Thanks RR for the idea of playing a 4 club challenge, I don't think I would have had a better score with the full bag anyway.

jarrieta · 19-02-2023 8:21pm

Oh, I tooke a few piccies

FixdePitchmark · 19-02-2023 8:31pm

Great photos all - was just looking and thinking yesterday ( I know they are short) - but the holes all along the eastern boundary - wouldn't be out of place in any course in the country - and I've played most of the Links courses.

Golfgraffix · 20-02-2023 12:00am

3, 5 and 6 would grace any links course.

kev_s88 · 20-02-2023 12:55am

a great day out to start off the new Boards year. My first round of the year so was fairly anxious stepping up on to the first tee. thankfully most of the gallery of waiting golfers had moved on by the time i was up 😀

I went with 5i, 8i, 54 degree and putter. Me and the 5i have a love/hate relationship. But i figured the 6i (which i hit a lot more consistently) wasn't going to be long enough for me to put a dent on the course. Thankfully it was love between me and the 5i and i was hitting it sweetly for most of the day. I think i got the club selection right for the game i needed to play out there.

Enjoyed the round with BallyK, Spuddy and Concerned. I think we all had our moments throughout the round that made us all feel a bit better about the game in general. BallyK's golf was just very consistent the whole way through. Always good, verging on great, and rarely bad. Concerned hit some great shots but just got very unlucky with some awful lies and lost balls. Spuddy was hitting some cracking shots off the tee and the fairways. His 3rd shot approach into the Par 5 was sublime, straight as an arrow and rolled up to a couple of inches from the pin. It was so close that i swear a good fart could have blown the ball into the hole. As BallyK mentioned i had my own luck on the 7th when a big 8i smashed into the bank at the back of the green. Thankfully the ball just trickled out and released down the green to about 1 foot from the pin. Easiest birdie i'll ever have.

I was happy with the golf in general. So many people mentioned that the restriction in clubs would really make intelligent golf the call of the day. And they were right. It made me think a lot more about my shots and how to play each hole to improve my chances of making a bogey and scoring points, not going for the "hero" shot each time. Ended up probably having my most consistent round of Links golf in a good 5 years.

A successful start to the year anyway. Congrats to the men at the top of the leaderboard and to RoadRunner for organising. now lets just put that 4 club challenge to bed, once was enough for me 😂

FixdePitchmark · 20-02-2023 9:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120263371#Comment_120263371

Would be 4 get close @Golfgraffix ?

It possibly is too short ? Would be a great hole if 20 yards longer.

But ...agree 6 is special, bunker set up deep bank behind, views ...and most importantly the strategy of the pin.

One of the few holes in Ireland, even as amateurs, you can shoot over a pin strategy wise and let it spin back to front pin...

Seve OB · 20-02-2023 11:18am

Well it was great to get back out with the society at the weekend and see all the old faces and some of the new ones. I had the pleasure of playing with macker1, Alanm and Manhattan. Macker has been with the society a good few years now but sometimes life just takes over with different responsibilities and as a result he hasn't been around to much in last year or 2. But such is the draw of the best golf society in Ireland that he couldn't stay away any longer, it was a pleasure to see you back macker. His game was still sharp as ever though but you could tell the 12 hole winter golf took its toll as he fell off the pace over the last few holes. I'd never played with Manhattan before since he joined the society last year. Even with only 4 clubs in the bag you can see that he has a great solid game. I know Alanm now quite well and it's always a pleasure to play with him and witness how good one can aspire to be.....even if he did have an off day, but 36 holes will do that to you! 😂

My own game has been in reasonable shape of late and I was feeling quietly confident of being in the mix. I wasn't really feeling it though on Saturday after a poor sleep but my ball striking was not terrible. Putting is my achilles heel but it's been ok of late however I couldn't get to grips with the greens on Saturday. I thought they were quite slow especially compared with practice green and I kept leaving ball well short. 5 * 3putts on the first 8 holes was not what I needed if I was going to be scoring today! I was hitting the putts ok though, just pace and lip outs, so not as bad as I had been with the yips last year. I was able to steady with a very long tap in 2 putt from off the front of the green on 9 and settled down after that with another very long tap in 2 putt on 10. I think I hit the ball pretty well all day, a few scares with the wind and potential lost balls but got lucky every time. Duffing shots is not something I do a lot of, but Saturday I had a few, my second shot on the second hole, a 70 yard flick went about 30! my third on the 7th rolled back down the hill right of the green.... so did my fourth, fifth and sixth!!!! Arghh. Driving the greenside bunker on 11 and duffed my shot out of it, another on 18! Actually I think the only decent chip shot I had all day was on 15 from about 30 yards out, I walked up to the green and as I did, I just knew I was going to stick it close, which I did for my par.... now if I can only close out with 3 more pars I'll be doing ok. First and only really bad strike of the day cam on the 16th tee where I knocked it down into the cabbage in front of the tee and it took me 3 to get out of it. and my second scratch of the day. I found the green on the 17th, but the wrong side of it, to be honest, I was just happy that my first putt found the plateau where the pin was located, but another 3 putt! Overall though, 32 points for a top 5 finish was a respectable result and it was nice to earn some valuable Ryder Jug points.

As for the course, I have played it quite a number of times now and I agree with the above that holes 3-6 are absolutely class and none of them would be lost on a top links. Well done to Golfgraffix and Benny on great scores. GG has been putting some very decent scores together of late and with his links experience, he shone through again. Benny sometimes overthinks things. 4 clubs might just be the answer for him!!

Great idea of Roadrunner to have the links swing and I'm looking forward to Rosslare already. I played it with my old man probably about 30 years ago, so I remember nothing......well except for the teenager disco at the Burrow Mobile & Camping Site next door 😎

RoadRunner · 20-02-2023 11:23am

4i, 8i, 54, putter.

Thanks to everyone for embracing a new type of challenge. This was my first time playing a limited club event too and I really liked it. More than normal this round required thinking. Well before the round and right the way through it. Surprisingly for me though, there were also times where it actually required less thinking. A decision was sometimes already made for you. What I mean was, for example, say your ball is in a bad lie, I'd look at it quickly know I can't get the 4i on it.. 8i it is then. Pull club. Hit. Execute perfectly. But with a full bag and a same situation, the internal conversation is longer and goes something like "I can't get 3w, or the hybrid, probably not 4i on it, perhaps I can get the 5i on it? The decisions taken are also bolder. "Yes, swing hard enough & catch it just right and you should be able to carry that mound and it could work out well" - yeah right, a swing and a duffed 5 into the mound.

For many of us the round began way before Saturday, for myself I'm thinking back to xmas time and rolling out the putting mat at home to determine if could I use the hybrid or a 3w to putt (I couldn't).

I enjoyed the first tee particularly. The banter, seeing peoples club choice. Also watching everyone hit off under stressful conditions. I made the first hole the closest to the pin to up the ante, the 1st tee of the jug with 20 other people watching is a similar situation.

I watched a lot of people hit off on the first before it was my turn. I had started getting a bit cold by that time and I was delighted to get my round off with a good 80% 8i to almost pin high right and an easy par to start. Great craic playing with bakerbhoy, jarrieta, and richiemalony. Everyone was striking the ball. Bakerbhoy was just getting the breaks that he needed when the rest of us weren't particularly. Richiemalony in particular had rotten breaks the whole way around. It never dulled his smile once. I could tell that each of us was really delighted to be out on a nice day by the beach doing what we love doing. Playing golf and slagging each other.

Congrats to golfgraffix on the W, as a sponsor of the season, I'm delighted to see him open strong. He called this one early too! Also delighted to see benny79 open with the same score as GG, pity about the last hole. Bakerbhoy was on a great round the whole way around. If baker boy had 5 clubs he would have won for sure. His putting with his 4i was often good, but there was a few longer putts that were hard for him to judge. He had a good few lip out.

I'm mostly happy with my own club choices, I felt I played well, was unlucky a few times which cost heavily. I had to chip and pitch more than normal, and I think I wish I had the 58 for that as I'm not used to the 54. That's probably the only change I'd make.

The best decision I made was going into balcarrick a few weeks ago and asking them if they'd host us for a dinner. I was hungry after the round and the food really hit the right spot for me. Every plate I saw looked lovely.

Big shout to the committee and everyone helping me to get the first notch under the belt. Can't wait for a Rosslare on the 25th of March and a full set of bloody clubs again 😄

RoadRunner · 20-02-2023 11:26am

@Seve OB should I arrange prize giving at rosslare at the disco at Burrow Mobile & Camping Site next door to the course? 😍

Seve OB · 20-02-2023 11:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120264260#Comment_120264260

is it still even there? 🤣

benny79 · 20-02-2023 1:52pm

Its great to have the Boards Society back in your life! For me it always reminds me of the start of the golfing season and I feel its the nearest thing we will get to playing a tour with all walks of life and golfers from all over this beautiful Island with even some foreigners thrown in from some country called Cork 😏 all fighting it out to make The Jug Team.

Thanks to my playing partners Break80, eireyiddo & Blue note for his course knowledge! Even though I have played Corballis loads its been a few years plus I'm brutal at remembering holes!

So my usual €5 bets were placed and I was off! The 4 club challenge wasn't a challenge for me as I picked my Clubs straight away. I had 4 driving Iron, 6I, Pw & putter. My biggest fault is between the ears 😂 and this 4 clubs was really up my street. I just felt so relaxed. As decisions were already make for you. Started with a birdie 2 on the first hole 😎 having watched Tiger tee off and hit a great shot, gave me extra focus! As we have a big bet for the year besides are usual fiver and I would admit the odds are stacked in his favour but it be some achievement if I pull it off plus years of bragging rights 😁 My game hasn't been great since the Xmas break but I was flying it. 20 points on the front 9 and I was like forget the bet I have a chance of winning here! Then I ran into Tiger near the turn & there was a bit of the usual banter and he doubled are fiver bet for back 9.. I was thinking hmmm is he going well than Golfgraffixs asked me had I really 20 pts on front 9.. Yep & he told me so did he.. I was like sh*t hes the man to beat! I knew he was in form and is a solid links player! Than I had the Fiver with Tiger on the back 9 was like Fcuk dont want to be losing to him 🙈😂 - See brain in over drive! Should of never looked at my score something I normally never do.. Standing on the 9th I tried to play safe and aimed to right of green with lake to left and into strong wind I bottled the shot I wanted to play and hit it ob! Provisional I actually played the shot I wanted to play and stitched it to 6ft for tap in birdie with my second ball but a great 4 when I taught the hole was gone..

I some how got to the 18th tee with 15 pts on back 9 with 2 or 3 scratches how I dont know but I said right bogie at worse is 2 pts 37 total that will do it.. Big open fairway and proceeded to hit a terrible tee shot that ended up on the path.. If I took drop off I had no stance so said fcuk it. I'll play it as lies (even with new clubs 🙈) im only punching it down to bunker about 130 yds down the fairway and what happens catch it great straight all the way down into bunker! I swear to god it wouldn't reach if I played that shot a 100 times again! head was fried, Im bottling this... pitched out to about 90 yds from green into a strong wind ok easy pitch, wind will hold it, still a chance of bogie! great pitch actually to good and flew the green and short sided myself how the wind didn't hold it up I'll never know.. Maybe it wasn't meant to be and Golfgraffixs had someone special looking over him! but in all fairness there is no better person to lose too as he's a true gent and a great friend! So congrats Golgraffixs on a great win. My only joy is not placing a bet with you 😂

But its great to be back and to finish jointed first 😁

Congrats Roadrunner on your first outing! I think I'm going to use 4 clubs going forward! As Break80 said Im much better player 😂

Onto Rosslare.. Can we play 4 clubs again? 😁

blue note · 20-02-2023 2:30pm

Well thanks to everyone for calling around! It's fun reading peoples comments on the course. Always interesting to hear what people think of a course, in particular for such a divisive one. It sounds like people enjoyed it, although I'm sure the day that was in it played a part.

You all certainly got to experience the course in proper conditions anyway. A calm dry day in winter, when it's relatively soft and the rough cut back would be Corballis at its easiest, but where would the fun in that be!?

I had the pleasure of playing with Benny again, eireyidoo and break80. I wondered was Benny going to have a precision fit polo and business cards to hand out on the first tee, but it seems he just let his golf do the talking to sell that fitters services - well done! There was lots of good golf played by the rest of us too, but our scoring was modest I think it's fair to say.

The 4 club challenge was a great idea. I went with a 5i, 8i, gap wedge and putter. If it didn't cost anyone any shots I don't know what way you're playing the game. I certainly cost me a few. The remaining twenty something dropped shots were my own doing though. To be honest, I didn't think I played all that badly, but I'm just beyond putting in a decent score on that course at this stage. I'm a member since 2018 and I've never broken 40 points on the course. And I hit 3 years without hitting 36 points in a comp there last month. Now I don't get to play too many, but I still wouldn't have minded sneaking one in at some stage.

Being between clubs was a big problem though. I wasn't confident of keeping my 8 iron short of the rough on 6 so went with a gap wedge to the front of the green. Looking at google maps it looks like it was roughly a 60 foot putt I left myself. And on 9 I hit the 5. I thought if I hit it harder than intended I'd be leaving myself at the back of the green. I pulled it so it went all the way back left. Had the flag been there it would have been the hero shot and I'd have admitted nothing. With the flag on the front right, it looked like I took on all the danger to leave myself a 120 foot putt back. But aside from the lack of clubs, 6 3 putts was a problem in the round. Topping several 5 irons was a huge problem too. Not too sure where that came from. I'd a chance to get up and down on 18 to finish with a par at least. It was as straightforward an up and down as you could be presented with. I weighted it just right, but unfortunately pushed it just right too. I didn't realise slope angling it off the green was as severe as it was either, so I learned a lesson for future rounds there. The next chip was harder and I left it just barely on the green. Then 3 putted from very few feet of course. It seemed appropriate that I should finish like that, it matched how I played. I really enjoyed the round though! Always nice to get out and in such great weather.

Cheers to the organisers as ever. It's no small feat to have everything run so smoothly and it really does add to the day. I can't wait for the next event already. Rosslare is a super course. I've played it twice before. I can't really remember the first time to be honest, but when I played it last year it was a ridiculous wind! Saturday wouldn't have come close to it. So I've experience on the course, but please God nothing useful. And well done to the winners yesterday. Those scores would have challenged on a day like that with full bags, so well done!

a post punk · 20-02-2023 9:04pm

I also landed on the cart path 3 different times @benny79 where a drop would have been unplayable so I took the shot on( not good results ) the last cart path I hit was just right of the green on 18 and decided to just putt back into the green but it hit a bump and just flopped up in the air 😂

a post punk · 20-02-2023 9:08pm

761E5562-0C1F-4147-ABE8-2157EA7F5CD1.jpeg

D9643A1A-1025-4277-8ABB-1D8F3ECE1178.jpeg

Hole 18

RoadRunner · 21-02-2023 12:22am

Jarrieta about to hit off on the par5 11th.

Alanm · 21-02-2023 5:03pm

To echo the others, thanks RoadRunner for the very interesting 4 club challenge to start the year off. Never played one before and certainly makes for a different challenge. Brilliant idea to head over to Balcarrick afterwards for some delicious grub. I was starving by then!

Thanks also to my playing partners Seve,Macker and Manhatton. Seve was very unlucky not to be right up there with GG and Benny for the win and Macker would've been pretty close if it was a 12 hole comp!

My own day started brilliantly with 3 birdies in a row for the first time ever, finishing with a 1 over par round. Unfortunately, this was on my home course and the great play didn't carry over to Corballis. I went with 20 deg Hybrid, 7i, 50 deg wedge and putter. In hindsight, I'd probably go 8i and 54 instead. I really missed my 54 for near/around the green and with only 4 clubs there weren't a whole pile of GIR and I just didn't get it close with the 50. This resulted in lots and lots of bogies which didn't add up to many points for me. Great day out and looking forward to Rosslare already - somewhere I've played a few times and is a real treat.

blue note · 21-02-2023 5:31pm

Did people have any strong thoughts on the course by the way? 15 and 16 always get slated as rubbish holes - did people feel strongly that way about them? And what holes stood out for people?

spacecoyote · 21-02-2023 5:56pm

I wouldn't say that they're rubbish holes, a bit plain off the tee but both have good green complexes. But they're a terrible layout and part of the course. The crossover is dangerous and slows down groups too.

Golfgraffix · 21-02-2023 6:36pm

Hi All,

On reading all the comments there has been some erroneous mentions of well done to Benny on a win ??, example as below.

Seve was very unlucky not to be right up there with GG and Benny for the win

Although Benny had a fine round I would like to point out that there was only one winner and the aforementioned Benny came in a valiant second place.

FixdePitchmark · 21-02-2023 8:17pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120271224#Comment_120271224

15 and 16 are well manageable when you have less people on the course - a scramble ahead and a full course was always going to be a challenge. I really like the green on 16 - you need to play a very different shot to get to a front pin versus back - very hard hole if the wind is in your face.

I also like 17 - asks a question of you - you are rarely asked.

I think Corballis has too many love hate holes to be universally liked. It is never going to get a great response from a wider group of golfers.

It is a must play course - but a course you could love , or never want to go back to.

Has many things I love in golf - The sea view - Links land - elevation changes - unusual holes ( I even like blind holes) - It is normally is a fast round of golf too.

I'd obviously rather play a full course - so I've never really put Corballis in the same category as full Links course. But for what Corballis is - I love it. It is a great insight to - how golf, could be fun and fast and a slightly different game.

RoadRunner · 21-02-2023 8:40pm

1 - 7 shine add in 13, 14 and you've got a stretch of 9 of my favouite holes in the country.. all on the one course.

Just going to go ahead and confirm I like the 2nd hole which doesn't normally get much love.

Seve OB · 21-02-2023 9:26pm

I think the 2nd would be a class hole if it was longer.

1 is mehhh. Any crossover holes are never good IMO

3-6 are excellent though I do agree with Fix that just another few yards longer on the par 3’s would make them next level.

7 is not bad, grown on me over the years.

8 -10 are ok (talking full 8 and not what we played other day) nice good holes, but 10 just feels a little like a field

11 is Disney roller coaster stuff and a daft hole

12 is not really a par 5. It’s a really good par 4 but again the crossover let’s it down

13 is a nice hole but a stupid green

14 is a great hole, but see below

15-16. Independently I suppose they are ok holes. Only ok, but yes green complex decent on 16. However they share a field and that is the reason they are stupid and get rightly slated for being rubbish.

17 is IMO another stupid theme park green and doesn’t really belong on a decent golf course. Perhaps it could get away with the split levels if it was a bigger green but as it is, I don’t like it.

18 is a very decent hole. However the shared fairway with 14 lets the 2 holes down by bringing a big danger element into it

bakerbhoy · 21-02-2023 10:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120271830#Comment_120271830

6th in Rosslare .

Blind par 3 or A Blind drivable par 4.

Both options used.

VW 1 · 21-02-2023 11:53pm

Thoroughly enjoyed the day out and the thinking and sharing of information around club selections and the course.

I played Corballis last summer so had an idea of what to expect, but it was a calm sunny day when I played it. The wind certainly added a bit of spice, especially over the first 12 holes, it died away a bit after.

I was surprised at how few times I was really stuck between clubs, I was expecting to be constantly leathering the ball to try make up yardage or laying off a lot. Went with 5i, 8i, 50 degree and putter.

Struck the ball well, hit a lot of decent tee shots and approach shots. Probably fell down a little leaving chips short using my 50 degree, my go to around the greens is bump and runs with a PW but I found it tough to get the correct distance with a slightly higher loft and left chips short and as a result too many putts.

Played with Pakman, CharlieIRL and Charlie's workmate who played as a visitor. Hadnt played with or met and of the lads but I must say all three are very good strikers of the ball and there was often little to nothing between all of our tee shots. Was shocked to find out afterwards that Charlie's workmate is off 7 having taken up golf during covid and handing in 3 cards to get that handicap! Serious potential in there as a relative newbie to the game and a lovely striker of the ball.

The round was very enjoyable and we had a good few laughs. None of us were tearing it up, but everyone played decent golf for the most part.

The only two parts of the course I didn't enjoy were 14/18 crossover, we waited for nearly 5 mins to hit our second shots on 14, the group ahead of Fix (not with us) all teed off 18 while we were instructed to stand back and wait and then 3 of them had to hit provisionals. There was confusion also on a few occasions going down 15 and coming up 16 with crossovers, who was going where and who should be hitting. As we looked back from the 17th tee we could see 4 groups on the two holes and I was glad to see the back of those holes!

Really looking forward to the next round in Rosslare, a new course to me but in a part of the world I'm very familiar with.

Thanks to RR and the committee and other volunteers for the organisation and admin work that goes on to make our days out happen.

spacecoyote · 22-02-2023 7:55am

That's mad, what's a scramble doing hitting provisionals?

VW 1 · 22-02-2023 11:30am

We didn't know what format they were playing, we heard shots being hit and then more shots being hit and assumed provisionals were being played.

benny79 · 22-02-2023 1:39pm

I like Corballis always have obviously not in bad weather like the last time we played it. Greens are probably the best in the country but agree with Seve 17th green is like something you would see in crazy golf and obviously 15 & 16 let it down big time.

RoadRunner · 24-02-2023 12:15pm

Thanks again everyone for contributing. The next round event has been posted. I'm linking to it here for posterity purposes:

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058285717/boards-golf-society-2023-round-2-rosslare-25th-mar-12-30pm/p1?new=1

slave1 · 24-02-2023 1:37pm

..and with the next outing sticky, this one can pale like the others into the depths of forgottenment

Boards Golf Society 2023 (Round 1) Corballis (18th Feb @11:50am) *4club

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