Toughest Courses in Ireland?

neckedit · 29-06-2014 12:35pm

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

A thing with most of these courses , is we are visitors. Some courses require more local knowledge , and with RCD many of the holes have trouble trouble. Also you can run out to trouble. A tip i was given by a local was be short.

There are a few lads here , who went up and had a score in the 70 s on their first round there.
Now that is great golf, but the fact it was their first round , says they would get near their handicap within a few more rounds.

Some of the holes are blind and this creates an intimidation, but many of these holes have large open landing zones. With time you would learn how ball rolls out and distance to avoid certain bunkers.

If you look at back nine, it is fairly straighforward. Real trouble on 15 and 18. Youd get the hang of these 2.

Anyway , ill be up again to try get the hang of it. Maybe i'm in dream land. But a links takes time for me.

I have played it many many times, all bar once from the back tees, got it found in 78, probably the best score i could of shot and argueably some of the finest golf I ever played, it was the most benign day ever too......played the following week the day after i tied my home course record, felt really good going to play........windy day.....slick greens......a pack of smokes and nerves shot to bits and i'm signing for an 86!! and I played good. You'll get to know the ins and outs of eveery course if you play it enough, you'll find out where to hit it and where to miss it, means nothing if you can't hit the shot. I played a round with Garth McGimpsey there many years ago, absolutlely surgeon like the way he got round it, I studied every shot he hit and tried to see the routes he was taking.....it was then I realised.....I really can't play this game!!

LowHanGolfer · 24-08-2014 1:17pm

Enniscrone golf course Co Sligo for visitors is quite a tough course but an enjoyable one none the less.

Kevinmarkham · 06-08-2023 10:53am

Found this old thread (2014) as I'm digging around and working on a list of Toughest Courses in Ireland.

Interesting to see how many people have mentioned Rosapenna Sandy Hills and Druid's Heath... both of which have been softened considerably in recent years. The guys at Rosapenna got a bit wary of the 'toughest course' reputation as it was keeping business away... and so fairways were widened, rough got graded and play was just made easier. And it's a better course for it. Druids Heath more than halved the number of bunkers and made the lines off some tees simpler to gauge. Also, a better course for it.

Anyone have any other courses to add to the list (RCD, Headfort (New), Scrabo, Macreddin, Murvagh, Killeen Castle)?

Portsalon, perhaps? Ballybunion, Lahinch? Mount Wolseley, Gowran Park (narrow holes outside the race track), Esker Hills (so often it's about positioning off the tee)?

Two points to note:nearly any course is tough for most of us if we play off the back tees so I always gauge it from the whites; take it that the weather is a two-club wind and no rain - it's too easy to say a course is tough because you played in terrible conditions and links courses will always be at the fore in such a scenario.

blue note · 06-08-2023 5:28pm

This came up in a thread recently. I said on it that it's a different question to different people. Some courses might not be too bad for going around level par (for that type of golfer) but a nightmare for a bogey golfer to go around 18 over. And the reverse is also true, some courses are really open and hard to have blow ups on, so +18 might be very reasonable, but level par might not be. Then there's the long and wild vs short and straight golfers. And the guys who run it vs fly it to the greens. Some greens just won't accept balls run onto them, so if you're successful on your home track landing balls short of the green, you might find a lot of frustration on some other courses.

Of the courses I've played the two that are generally regarded as difficult and that I've struggled on would be Esker Hills and Maccreddin. And I'd definitely put Maccreddin first on that list! You're just punished so much for being wild from the tee and you need a bit of length on it. I'm surprised to see Mount Wolseley mentioned, I definitely wouldn't have picked that out as difficult. I've played Killeen Castle a couple of times now and wouldn't pick it out as difficult either - there's just so much room there from the tee.

I'll be laughed out of it, but my honest answer for the course I struggle most on is Corballis. Particularly because you get fewer shots there than any other course I know of. But in terms of scores relative to par, that's definitely the course I find the most difficult.

Dav010 · 06-08-2023 5:41pm

Even though I’ve played a lot of links courses over the years, and it could just be the way it was when I last played it, but I found the European Club very difficult the last time I was there, lost a bag full of balls even though a lot bounced on the fairway before disappearing in the rough. Enniscrone has quite a lot of blind drives and the first time I was there it was difficult to gauge where the ball finished up, I found balls way shorter, and way longer than where I expected to find them depending on the bounce when they landed, after playing it a few more times I got the hang of it. Unless you are a long hitter, playing of the back sticks in Palmerston House was very challenging, particularly if it’s wet.

Rikand · 06-08-2023 11:16pm

As someone who always plays well around Esker, i wouldnt have it within an asses roar of the hardest golf courses in the country. It would probably be in my top10 easiest. Always found it to be very scorable with lots of holes that you can take lines where you cut corners to make the course even easier. Can understand how for someone who is wild off the tee might find it tricky, but for a straight hitter like me, it's pretty straight forward.

I havent played lots of courses, but Baltray would probably be one of the hardest I have played, particularly the back 9. I'd have to go through all the courses I have played to think of any others I would find more difficult.

srfc d16 · 08-08-2023 12:08pm

I have played Sandy hills 3 times since 2019. In my opinion it is the hardest course I have played by a distance.

I would hate to see what it was like if it used to be harder than it is now. I am booked in to play the 3 Rosapenna courses in September and myself and one other from our group of 8 are strongly considering not playing the day at sandy hills despite having already paid for it. I just did not enjoy my time there.

European is also very tough but I think it is by a distance more playable than Sandy Hills.

Druids heath has become a bit more gettable but I always enjoyed playing that course despite not scoring particularly well on the old layout. Scored OK on it when I have played it after the alterations.

I am a bit of a strange golfer in that I consistently score better on away courses than my home course. 6 of my current counting 8 are on away courses despite only 7 of my 20 being away. Maybe scar tissue from mistakes on my home course or perhaps a lack of concentration? Definitely something I will need to think about because I don't think many people would rank it as a particularly hard course.

blue note · 08-08-2023 1:10pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120947881#Comment_120947881

This is it - how often you play a course changes the difficulty level completely. First time, you haven't a clue of lines. You can play safe rather than cut a dog leg and find out that with that line you needed a 5 iron.

And how you play on a course is possibly the biggest factor when you're judging difficulty. I played Baltray and just couldn't honestly say it was hard. My score was decent (level 2s or so), but pretty much all of my dropped shots that day were due to blading and duffing 3/4 wedges. I can't blame a course for being 40m long / short all day long on 80m shots.

It's actually been a few years since I played Esker. I remember it being tricky, but could be mistaken.

Break80 · 08-08-2023 1:19pm

Played The European a few times and found it tough. Not a fan of what I call eyelashes around the bunkers, it's penal enough to be in the bunker besides having to deal with high grass around it.

I only had 1 experience of Enniscrone and found it to be the toughest experience ever on a golf course.

Granted the day we played it, the weather was brutal and the tees we chose were wrong for the conditions on the day.

I played with a few lads who knew the course backwards which helped as a first timer would have no idea what line to take on too many holes for my liking.

2nd shot on the first hole took a bounce from the fairway never too be seen again.

Another hole I remember you had a white stone on the fairway, almost sure I landed the ball within 10 sqm of the stone, never to be seen again.

The masochist in the Irish Amateur golfer amazes me sometimes as the consensus in the clubhouse after, was it was enjoyable.

Thats a no from me.

FixdePitchmark · 08-08-2023 3:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120952078#Comment_120952078

Your making a mistake here ..Best course up there.

Last time I played it considerably easier.

Now not sure how rough has been handled over summer.

But a brilliant golf course.

Had a 78 there and probably my best round ever..

srfc d16 · 08-08-2023 5:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120953155#Comment_120953155

Well it's not exactly a mistake I just don't particularly like the course. When you say last time you played it was considerably easier when are you making the comparison with?

As I said I have played it 3 times so have a fair view of it by now. St Patricks would be my favourite of the 3 followed by Old Tom. I am not fully committed to skipping it but if there is good craic in the pub the night before we're due to play I wont be rushing home for an early night.

FixdePitchmark · 08-08-2023 5:58pm

Up to you ..but one of the best courses in the country .

But you've your own taste.

Better than the other 2 by a distance imo..

Dtoffee · 09-08-2023 12:17am

I would add The Island to the list of tough courses.

However, I believe the ultimate test of any golf course is that it beats you but you keep coming back in the belief you can beat it.

Some will say its the definition of madness, but a good course should not deflate you to the point where you never want to see it again. The old Druids Heath was such a course for me (I haven't see the new changes yet, but am told its much more playable). It was the exact opposite of Druids Glen, where I always felt I could beat it and yet never did.

RoadRunner · 09-08-2023 10:02am

Any dry links courses where every shot is a potential lost ball. Funny I've even have some of my best ball striking days in situations like this, but then struggle around the greens because they are crazy hard too and score poorly. Then the slope rating doesn't reflect the difficulty either.

(Do the people who review courses for slope ratings just take a drop if they loose a ball and play out the hole anyways? 😏)

benny79 · 09-08-2023 11:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955015#Comment_120955015

This to me sums up The European for me! I have never broken 30 pts but love it! No airs or graces from Staff who are all family & very friendly! I have the shot saver book and have taken notes in it over the years although theres no tips in it just the hole lay outs and yardage.. I havent done that with any other course I have played 😉

slave1 · 09-08-2023 11:57am

I think the pattern of Links being the toughest is due to most golfers playing most of their golf in parklands and not being able to adapt, I went through a spurt of playing a lot of Links a few years back and my two ever lowest rounds were both shot on links. Weather comes into play also as you are fuct on a Links course where 100% exposed whereas there are elements of protection via trees etc on parklands

the.red.baron · 09-08-2023 1:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120956005#Comment_120956005

you hit a wayward shot its either punished or not, on a links course the punishment is more likely and the rough is well rougher

if we could all adapt to not hit those shots, well we would

on a parkland course with water carries etc it can be the same, but those are few and far between

Kevinmarkham · 09-08-2023 1:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120946836#Comment_120946836

I don't think you're wrong about Corballis. It's a tricky customer... but by being a 'small' course it is more accessible to more golfers. It has similar traits to the Annesley course at Royal County Down, in that if you rein in your desire for big drives and play strategically it is a much more enjoyable experience.

I agree on Macreddin and Esker Hills, too. Played the Black tees at Macreddin once and you simply can't be offline.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120947881#Comment_120947881

You'd have to play Esker Hills a lot - as you have done - to know it well enough to call it easy.I've played it maybe 8 times since 2008 and I find it a good test as you have so few shots that you just stand up and bash. You're always thinking.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120952078#Comment_120952078

And boy have they softened it in the past 5/6 years. Wider fairways, rough cut back and more generous access to greens. It is still tough and you have to work hard. I played it the same day as Fix, in April, and I loved it... but if your golf's in a bad way it is somewhere that will be very cruel. St Patrick's is the better course (sorry Fix) and you have much more room to play.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955015#Comment_120955015

The Island is a worthy inclusion

As for Druids Heath, it has changed a lot in its challenges. The back tees have been removed entirely and the bunkering slashed. They have also lowered some of the ridges that made it impossible to see where your tee shot landed. It's still a test and the closing holes (15 and 17) are still uphill efforts that drain you.

RoadRunner · 09-08-2023 2:18pm

Ballyliffen - Glashedy belongs in the "really tough" category too I'd imagine?

dk1982 · 09-08-2023 2:29pm

played Tulfarris off the black tips in a recent bank holiday open. can safely say was the hardest course I've played! i've also played the European Club, Carton/Monty and Donegal in the last year and actually found them all very playable (granted got good weather for the eurpoean). Would agree with the mentions for Headfort New, Carlow and Macreddin. all very tough!

Stacksey · 09-08-2023 2:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/65140390#Comment_65140390

That's not a golf course...its an obstacle course 😂 sooo difficult, you think you are down the middle but you are in the water

downthemiddle · 09-08-2023 3:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120955593#Comment_120955593

The people who do the course ratings do not play the course as part of the process. The ratings are arrived at through measurements and formulas.

113 is the bang average slope rating. Most courses in Ireland are harder than average. Any course with a rating over 130 and a course rating of more than a shot above par can be regarded as a difficult course.

jamfer · 11-08-2023 10:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120956635#Comment_120956635

I would agree, especially if there's a wind. The whites can be ok, I managed 43 points in a Tuesday comp there last summer on a calm sunny day. I played off the golds in the wind on Saturday last and managed 6 on the front 9 and 11 on the back 9. A strokes comp the week before that again and shot 111. Find the fairway and all is well, Any rough and you are best to take a provisional. Never be tempted to go for it off an ok lie in the rough, take a wedge and hack sideways, backwards, whatever direction allows easiest route to the fairway.

slave1 · 11-08-2023 11:05am

so the answer is "depends on the weather" on mostly links courses?

FixdePitchmark · 11-08-2023 11:39am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120964318#Comment_120964318

It does, but a profile of weather at a particular Links can be established if you play it enough.

8 out of 10 times at Glashedy, it is a nightmare weather wise ...I personally think that is a factor that can not be ignored in difficulty.

There are certain parts of Ireland that wind is a factor almost every day..

billy3sheets · 12-08-2023 11:57pm

Yeah, that's the thing about the links courses. The punishment is way worse than any of the parkland courses. If you have a windy day, it's usually way more impacting so almost everyone will have their toughest round on a links. Needs separate ratings really.