Dubai Duty Free Irish Open

[DLiver]

Back on topic! As I stated earlier the Irish Open will be at Ballyliffin next year and it really is the best kept secret of links golf in Ireland. Nick Faldo tried to buy it a few years ago but wasn't allowed. They did let him re-bunker the Old Links and he paid them back with some devilish work. Two stunning links courses with the most beautiful of settings. Often forgotten about but Rosapenna, Murvagh, Narin & Portnoo, and North West Golf Club are amazing. True tests for real golfers.

 

 

Looks really great on the pictures, but it's looking good on TV is another thing. Neither Portrush nor County Down looked all that thrilling on on TV. Not bad but nothing better than other courses where Irish Opens are usually played. Or like Erin Hills. There were all this articles about it's being a piece of land god made for golf course design. Maybe it is if you get there IRL but on TV it looked nothing special. Apart from the Broccoli greens Chambers Bay looked much better, not to talk about Whistling Straits.

 

Don't ever again put Erin Hills or Chambers Bay in the same sentence with Royal County Down ;)

 

No kidding. RCD and Royal Portrush are two of the very very best courses in the world. RCD may be the best course in the world.

[imakaveli]

Back on topic! As I stated earlier the Irish Open will be at Ballyliffin next year and it really is the best kept secret of links golf in Ireland. Nick Faldo tried to buy it a few years ago but wasn't allowed. They did let him re-bunker the Old Links and he paid them back with some devilish work. Two stunning links courses with the most beautiful of settings. Often forgotten about but Rosapenna, Murvagh, Narin & Portnoo, and North West Golf Club are amazing. True tests for real golfers.

 

 

Looks really great on the pictures, but it's looking good on TV is another thing. Neither Portrush nor County Down looked all that thrilling on on TV. Not bad but nothing better than other courses where Irish Opens are usually played. Or like Erin Hills. There were all this articles about it's being a piece of land god made for golf course design. Maybe it is if you get there IRL but on TV it looked nothing special. Apart from the Broccoli greens Chambers Bay looked much better, not to talk about Whistling Straits.

 

Don't ever again put Erin Hills or Chambers Bay in the same sentence with Royal County Down ;)

 

No kidding. RCD and Royal Portrush are two of the very very best courses in the world. RCD may be the best course in the world.

 

According to Golf Digest RCD is indeed the best golf course in the world ;)

[Dave230]

I imagine attendances will be quite a bit lower for Ballyliffin, it's too far away from international airports and urban areas. But it will look really great on TV and I think there's probably more money in that these days. A badly attended Irish Open will get more fans than the vast majority of European Tour events anyway.

 

The key thing is that they've lowered the price, it was just too high this year. Ballyliffin is so far north, it might as well be in Northern Ireland. With there seeming to be a bit of rotation between NI and Republic going on, it looks like it will going north again in 2019.

 

I don't really agree with the rotation going forward because I think there is a much greater variety of courses in the South. Republic has also a much bigger population and area to cover. Two Republic for every one Northern would be fairer I think. But Rory is going to have a lot of influence on that.

 

On the rotation basis it will be back in Northern Ireland in 2019 as well as the Open 2 weeks later. It would be amazing if it was played at Royal County Down and then the Open at Royal Portrush. Two of the best links courses in the world. You're correct regarding the course choices in the Republic. Fota Island didn't get the numbers attending that Portrush or County Down got and if they want to retain this Links swing that narrows the courses down. Still plenty though with Portmarnock a definite possibility. K Club, Carton, Druids may all be out of the running. Killeen Castle would be a fantastic venue but alas that may not happen.

 

Can't confirm but I think I remember reading Fota was at least as good as Portstewart I think in terms of attendances, and I've a feeling that more people attended on tournament days. Neither were anything on RCD or Portrush. If it's in RCD again, then that's great but outside of that there are a lot less options. Lough Erne was supposed to have it and didn't, think Rory fell out with them, so if that's out of the running, then you're struggling for good options outside of RCD and Portrush, whereas you have a lot more suitable courses in the Republic. Would be great to see it in the South-West of Ireland, so many great courses there.

 

Portstewart even had 5,000 odd less than the K Club last year on Sunday, although Rory no doubt had an effect on that. I think they were taking for granted that NI people will always attend in crazy numbers, and put up the price this year, and the people didn't follow. The tickets next year are already cheaper. Northern Irish people will get sick of getting ripped off.

[duffer987]

 

On the rotation basis it will be back in Northern Ireland in 2019 as well as the Open 2 weeks later. It would be amazing if it was played at Royal County Down and then the Open at Royal Portrush. Two of the best links courses in the world. You're correct regarding the course choices in the Republic. Fota Island didn't get the numbers attending that Portrush or County Down got and if they want to retain this Links swing that narrows the courses down. Still plenty though with Portmarnock a definite possibility. K Club, Carton, Druids may all be out of the running. Killeen Castle would be a fantastic venue but alas that may not happen.

 

Can't confirm but I think I remember reading Fota was at least as good as Portstewart I think in terms of attendances, and I've a feeling that more people attended on tournament days. Neither were anything on RCD or Portrush. If it's in RCD again, then that's great but outside of that there are a lot less options. Lough Erne was supposed to have it and didn't, think Rory fell out with them, so if that's out of the running, then you're struggling for good options outside of RCD and Portrush, whereas you have a lot more suitable courses in the Republic. Would be great to see it in the South-West of Ireland, so many great courses there.

 

Portstewart even had 5,000 odd less than the K Club last year on Sunday, although Rory no doubt had an effect on that. I think they were taking for granted that NI people will always attend in crazy numbers, and put up the price this year, and the people didn't follow. The tickets next year are already cheaper. Northern Irish people will get sick of getting ripped off.

 

Any reason why Portmarnock Hotel hasn't got on the list to this point?

Not that it's a great track, but it's location is spot on, it's a links course, it can be stretched long enough yardage wise and made tough if need be, and without big dunes it can handle the foot traffic.

 

Edit: Actually I just thought, I guess being a 'resort course' they cannot really afford to shut it down/take the prep time for a big tourney I'd reckon.