the DDF Irish Open at Lahinch GC

[official website](https://www.dubaidutyfreeirishopen.com/ "https://dubaidutyfreeirishopen.com/")

**the Course**

Lahinch GC/7036 yards, par 70 - Old Tom Morris, Dr. Alister MacKenzie and Dr. Martin Hawtree

[hole/hole ](https://www.lahinchgolf.com/courses/old-course-championship/old-course-hole-1/ "https://lahinchgolf.com/courses/old-course-championship/old-course-hole-1/")

_the two par fives on the front will play as par fours_

![](https://downloads.skygolf.com/scorecard/courseId=23874&facilityId=22665&view=wide&img=1&t=1557665765"")

**Other**

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/lahinch-a-stage-fit-for-the-best-and-a-perfect-irish-open-host-1.3942008

Golf channel coverage in US is 5:30-8 on Th/Fri

the goats of Lahinch 

> @MattyO1984 said:

> Links golf on TV!! Best three weeks of golf coverage there is. Looking forward to it!

Ditto. Hopefully there is good links weather over the coming weeks.

Whoooo!

One of the best courses in Ireland this one, a bit on the short side but they've knocked it back to par 70 so that should keep the scores to par reasonable. Pity Rory isn't playing but not a bad field with Rahm, Oosthuizen, Fleetwood etc.

Some interesting snippets from the BBC

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/48825865

No Rory? lol

Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> @BrandonDunes said:

> Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

> @BrandonDunes said:

> Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> @OldTomMorris said:

> > @BrandonDunes said:

> > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

>

> Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

>

I am torn here - Cruden Bay's two worse holes are 14th blind second and 15th blind tee shot. Royal Aberdeens 15th with a blind tee shot, great short hole!

> @NoodleSalad said:

> No Rory? lol

He asked the Scottish Open to switch week with the Irish Open to allow him to play and in exchange he would have played some Scottish Opens in the next years, and they refused. Pitty.

> @MattyO1984 said:

> Links golf on TV!! Best three weeks of golf coverage there is. Looking forward to it!

Yeah; what a special week of rare views of incomparable links courses; Lahinch (8 on the Doak Scale); Renaissance Club (designed by Doak) and Royal Portrush (9 on the Doak Scale). Links heaven, on TV.

> @"15th Club" said:

> > @MattyO1984 said:

> > Links golf on TV!! Best three weeks of golf coverage there is. Looking forward to it!

>

>

> Yeah; what a special week of rare views of incomparable links courses; Lahinch (8 on the Doak Scale); Renaissance Club (designed by Doak) and Royal Portrush (9 on the Doak Scale). Links heaven, on TV.

>

I am partial to a bit of links myself and while I am looking forward to the other two I am particularly looking forward to seeing if the Renaissance Club is worth all the hype, although hype might be the wrong word as they seems to be quietly going along being very exclusive.

> @scott_Donald said:

> > @BrandonDunes said:

> > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

>

> > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> >

> > Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

> >

>

> I am torn here - Cruden Bay's two worse holes are 14th blind second and 15th blind tee shot. Royal Aberdeens 15th with a blind tee shot, great short hole!

I don't doubt there will be exceptions but as a rule I think blind shots are awful especially tee shots.

> @OldTomMorris said:

> > @scott_Donald said:

> > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> >

> > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > >

> > > Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

> > >

> >

> > I am torn here - Cruden Bay's two worse holes are 14th blind second and 15th blind tee shot. Royal Aberdeens 15th with a blind tee shot, great short hole!

>

> I don't doubt there will be exceptions but as a rule I think blind shots are awful especially tee shots.

Legend has it that the two blind shots to greens at Lahinch at the (normally) par 5 4th, and the par-3 fifth, were designed by Old Tom himself. Other than those two holes, I don't remember too many other blind shots, maybe a couple of the uphill drives like #3, #6, and #7.

> @OldTomMorris said:

> > @BrandonDunes said:

> > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

>

> Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

>

You’re not the adventurous type, are you? I find crazy holes like that highly charming.

Gonna spend a lot of time by my TV watching golf from Ireland the coming weeks! One should be there, reslly, watching Irish or BO in place.

> @davep043 said:

> > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > @scott_Donald said:

> > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > >

> > > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > > >

> > > > Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

> > > >

> > >

> > > I am torn here - Cruden Bay's two worse holes are 14th blind second and 15th blind tee shot. Royal Aberdeens 15th with a blind tee shot, great short hole!

> >

> > I don't doubt there will be exceptions but as a rule I think blind shots are awful especially tee shots.

>

> Legend has it that the two blind shots to greens at Lahinch at the (normally) par 5 4th, and the par-3 fifth, were designed by Old Tom himself. Other than those two holes, I don't remember too many other blind shots, maybe a couple of the uphill drives like #3, #6, and #7.

I believe that there is a blind shot par 3 at Prestwick, the first course that Old Tom laid out. He must have found it amusing.

> @gvogel said:

> > @davep043 said:

> > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > @scott_Donald said:

> > > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > > >

> > > > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > > > >

> > > > > Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

> > > > >

> > > >

> > > > I am torn here - Cruden Bay's two worse holes are 14th blind second and 15th blind tee shot. Royal Aberdeens 15th with a blind tee shot, great short hole!

> > >

> > > I don't doubt there will be exceptions but as a rule I think blind shots are awful especially tee shots.

> >

> > Legend has it that the two blind shots to greens at Lahinch at the (normally) par 5 4th, and the par-3 fifth, were designed by Old Tom himself. Other than those two holes, I don't remember too many other blind shots, maybe a couple of the uphill drives like #3, #6, and #7.

>

> I believe that there is a blind shot par 3 at Prestwick, the first course that Old Tom laid out. He must have found it amusing.

There is, I got to play it last year, I think its the 5th hole there as well. But I don't think that hole was part of the original 12 holes

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/golf/how-the-irish-open-battled-its-way-back-to-golfing-limelight-1.3939584?mode=amp

_In terms of world ranking points on offer, in establishing the strength of the field, Miko Ilonen’s win in the 2014 tournament at Fota Island earned him 26 points. To put it in perspective, the strength of the field that year was akin to, say, a tournament like the Czech Masters. Since then, the Irish Open_ _has moved back to a top-ranked event on the European Tour and with world ranking points comparable to regular tournaments on the PGA Tour.

_

_When McIlroy – with DDF on board – took on the host role at Royal County Down, and used favours to get the likes of Sergio Garcia, Rickie Fowler and Ernie Els in the field, the strength of the field jumped to 310 with the winner (Soren Kjeldsen) getting 48 points. In the years since, the points on offer to the winner have been at the higher end: 2016 (46 points); 2017 (48 points); 2018 (38 points). It is expected that the winner next week will get 44 points, which in its own way is a tribute to how McGinley, like McIlroy before him, has networked behind the scenes to ensure a strong field._

> @davep043 said:

> > @gvogel said:

> > > @davep043 said:

> > > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > > @scott_Donald said:

> > > > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > > > >

> > > > > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

> > > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > I am torn here - Cruden Bay's two worse holes are 14th blind second and 15th blind tee shot. Royal Aberdeens 15th with a blind tee shot, great short hole!

> > > >

> > > > I don't doubt there will be exceptions but as a rule I think blind shots are awful especially tee shots.

> > >

> > > Legend has it that the two blind shots to greens at Lahinch at the (normally) par 5 4th, and the par-3 fifth, were designed by Old Tom himself. Other than those two holes, I don't remember too many other blind shots, maybe a couple of the uphill drives like #3, #6, and #7.

> >

> > I believe that there is a blind shot par 3 at Prestwick, the first course that Old Tom laid out. He must have found it amusing.

>

> There is, I got to play it last year, I think its the 5th hole there as well. But I don't think that hole was part of the original 12 holes

>

Will let you know tomorrow what hole it is ...

The biggest problem in the future about the Irish Open is the WGC Memphis the week after the Open, followed by the Fed-Ex Cup. Obviously it's a WGC so you'd get a lot of top players playing anyway, but the fact it's sponsored by Fed-Ex means there will be a lot of political pressure on PGA Tour players to show up.

Personally think a WGC the week after a major, on the other side of the pond, is terrible scheduling but what can you do.

Yes the best stretch of televised golf all year :-) Three (OK only two this year, but we did get Hillside earlier) links in a row!

Plus the Ricoh and whatever the OAP's event is called.

> @tiderider said:

> > @davep043 said:

> > > I believe that there is a blind shot par 3 at Prestwick, the first course that Old Tom laid out. He must have found it amusing.

> >

> > There is, I got to play it last year, I think its the 5th hole there as well. But I don't think that hole was part of the original 12 holes

> >

>

> Will let you know tomorrow what hole it is ...

>

If you're playing there tomorrow, you should take a peek at this:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,61289.0.html

A little ways down is a map of the original 12 holes, overlaid on the current plan. I think about 8 of the 12 holes cross another hole. But that's way off of the topic here.

> @davep043 said:

> > @gvogel said:

> > > @davep043 said:

> > > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > > @scott_Donald said:

> > > > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > > > >

> > > > > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

> > > > > >

> > > > >

> > > > > I am torn here - Cruden Bay's two worse holes are 14th blind second and 15th blind tee shot. Royal Aberdeens 15th with a blind tee shot, great short hole!

> > > >

> > > > I don't doubt there will be exceptions but as a rule I think blind shots are awful especially tee shots.

> > >

> > > Legend has it that the two blind shots to greens at Lahinch at the (normally) par 5 4th, and the par-3 fifth, were designed by Old Tom himself. Other than those two holes, I don't remember too many other blind shots, maybe a couple of the uphill drives like #3, #6, and #7.

> >

> > I believe that there is a blind shot par 3 at Prestwick, the first course that Old Tom laid out. He must have found it amusing.

>

> There is, I got to play it last year, I think its the 5th hole there as well. But I don't think that hole was part of the original 12 holes

>

Correct; the Fifth Hole at Prestwick (Himalayas). There is also the "template" Alps Hole, a Par 4. (Blind or semi-bind second shot.)

And yes; I can't think of anybody in the history of golf course design who embraced more, and more noteworthy, blind shots, than Old Tom Morris.

> @"15th Club" said:

> > @davep043 said:

> > > @gvogel said:

> > > > @davep043 said:

> > > > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > > > @scott_Donald said:

> > > > > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > > > > >

> > > > > > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > > > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > > > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > > > > > >

> > > > > > > Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

> > > > > > >

> > > > > >

> > > > > > I am torn here - Cruden Bay's two worse holes are 14th blind second and 15th blind tee shot. Royal Aberdeens 15th with a blind tee shot, great short hole!

> > > > >

> > > > > I don't doubt there will be exceptions but as a rule I think blind shots are awful especially tee shots.

> > > >

> > > > Legend has it that the two blind shots to greens at Lahinch at the (normally) par 5 4th, and the par-3 fifth, were designed by Old Tom himself. Other than those two holes, I don't remember too many other blind shots, maybe a couple of the uphill drives like #3, #6, and #7.

> > >

> > > I believe that there is a blind shot par 3 at Prestwick, the first course that Old Tom laid out. He must have found it amusing.

> >

> > There is, I got to play it last year, I think its the 5th hole there as well. But I don't think that hole was part of the original 12 holes

> >

>

>

> Correct; the Fifth Hole at Prestwick (Himalayas). There is also the "template" Alps Hole, a Par 4. (Blind or semi-bind second shot.)

>

> And yes; I can't think of anybody in the history of golf course design who embraced more, and more noteworthy, blind shots, than Old Tom Morris.

That'll happen when you are designing courses in the 1800s ;-)

My favorite course anywhere, exciting to watch

This thread everyone talks about the course. The 3M thread, everyone is talking about the players...

> @OldTomMorris said:

> > @scott_Donald said:

> > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> >

> > > @OldTomMorris said:

> > > > @BrandonDunes said:

> > > > Great links course! Blind tee shots for days

> > >

> > > Blind tee shots are among the very worst features in golf.

> > >

> >

> > I am torn here - Cruden Bay's two worse holes are 14th blind second and 15th blind tee shot. Royal Aberdeens 15th with a blind tee shot, great short hole!

>

> I don't doubt there will be exceptions but as a rule I think blind shots are awful especially tee shots.

Ever played Royal County Down? ;)

> @Hankshank said:

> This thread everyone talks about the course. The 3M thread, everyone is talking about the players...

Think how awesome it would be to see a PGA Tour field on proper courses...