Dublin area - Sept

[WahooJoe]

Hi all,

 

Work finally cooperated and has me with a free weekend in Dublin next month :-)

 

Looking at playing within an hour's drive of Dublin.

 

So far looking at Royal Dublin and Portmarnock.

 

Any recommendations for a 3rd?

 

Prefer links and something a bit off the run, but welcome all suggestions. Playing as a twosome

 

Also, does anyone know if Uber or car rental makes more sense?

 

Many thanks in advance

Joe

 

[El Gringo]

A bit off the run... try Corballis.

Maybe switch R Dublin for The Island.

Ciao

[jwellefson1]

The Island is a great course, I'd recommend it big time. Although, if you're willing to drive a bit longer you can do Royal County Down, the best course I've ever played. It's a solid two hours but it's worth every minute. Also rent a car, I didn't have any luck with Uber in Dublin. Not sure if it's a legal thing or what but we were taking cabs the entire time. If you really want to stay in Dublin the Island won't disappoint, but RCD is truly magnificent.

[puttnforthe8]

Rent a car....as long as you are fine with manual(on the other side) you can get cheap cars.

 

The Island and Baltray, County Louth are **head and shoulders better **than Royal Dublin; Portmarnock as well...but I can understand why people want to play.

If you want to go south, you could go to the European Club.

As said above, the drive to County Down is easy and worth it....so consider.

 

If you have desire to play courses for nostalgia - K Club is 20-30 min outside of Dublin. Carton House has 2 great courses (inland links and parkland) 20 minutes out of Dublin.

[WahooJoe]

Great input! Many thanks. No probs w/manual so will on with it.

 

[gulpeg]

Agree with most of this. Don't overlook St. Anne's (right next to Royal Dublin literally, would be a good 36 day). Also, halfway to RCD is Baltray County Louth (previously mentioned), it a British Open qualifiying course. Really fun. Could also drive about 30 mins to K Club. I wouldn't bother with European Club, not at all worth it in my opinion.

[Chanceman]

The European Club is seriously tough.

[ousuxndallas]

I'll piggyback on this thread. I will be flying back from a UK golf trip, stop off in Dublin for a day and night. I have time to play 1 course on a Sunday afternoon. I have it narrowed to Baltray or Island. Same price. Same tee times available. By the way, Royal County Down is booked or I would drive up.

Which should I choose?

[puttnforthe8]

Island 7 out of 10 times!

[duffer987]

Interesting. What is it about the courses that lead you to recommend the K Club, but not The European Club?

[El Gringo]

Interesting dilemma. I think The Island is the better course, but Baltray the more playable. If you are a low marker opt for The Island. If you are a mid or higher marker opt for Baltray.

[puttnforthe8]

Meth?

[ajgoodal.704]

It is possible that Pat Ruddy’s design philosophy is not everyone’s cup of tea. I’ve read they have been softening Sandy Hills at Rosapenna for that very reason. Over penal for the average golfer. $300 for a 4 hour beatdown is not for everyone.

[Chanceman]

 

The European Club. Note bunker design..

[gulpeg]

Duffer -

I went over the first time to play links/old courses. I guess technically the European Club qualifies for that links description anyway. However, after playing (in order as I worked my way around from Shannon to Dublin and back to Shannon): Ballybunion, Tralee, Dooks, Waterville, Old Head, Cork (not a links, but a terrific Mackenzie course), we got to European Club with great expectation. I just felt the entire time is was tricked up. It felt like an American course that was trying (too hard) to be a links course. It wasn't interesting, it looked manufactured and not natural. Then to move from there to play: Portmarnock, The Island, Baltry, RCD, Ardglass, then over to Rosses Point/Sligo, Enniscrone, Lahinch. The takeaway was we should be just gone straight on to Dublin and played there.

Have since been back to Ireland two more times and played all over the west and the northwest as well. Close to 30 different courses there at this point. Again, just my opinion, but you asked.

[Malvern]

[duffer987]

Thanks for the reply :-)

Fair enough that it is not like an older-school track, but IMHO I really like the boldness of it as a change of pace from some others and the need to have a good ballstriking round to score. I don't see anything 'tricked up' about it, those dunes are massive and they put golf holes in them. Up, down, needing to work it both ways, with two holes along the beach, I think it's all top drawer stuff. Caveat that I readily admit 9 & 18 aren't that good, as the land around the clubhouse is pretty meh.

There is no technicality there, it is a links course, by every definition, unlike say Old Head or even the meadowy parts of Ardglass. It is interesting that a routing that moved little land is seen as manufactured. Mr. Ruddy sure did alright for himself, but he's not a deep pockets guy, so the holes were largely as they were found.

I can understand if the aesthetics of sleepers in the bunkers are a turnoff or if you think more room off the tee or on approaches as a visiting golfer would have been helpful for a single visit. I've played it 1/2 dozen times and it definitely helps with getting your lines and knowing where there is more room than not off the tee.

Obviously this is all subjective and each to their own, but picking the K Club over European Club - especially when the remit is links golf and something different than back home - is still a head scratcher. And the same with Old Head, apart from having a laugh and hitting shots off the side of a cliff, it makes a better walk along the sea, than it does a golf course.

[ousuxndallas]

Thanks for the advice!

[gulpeg]

Duffer -

Perhaps I didn't read the original gentleman's post closely enough. I only recommended K Club due to it's proximity to Dublin and the history aspect of Ryder Cup etc. Truth be told, I never played it. Hopefully we're not arguing, just disagreeing, but with so many choices of great golf all over the country, European Club would just not be a place I would ever go back to. Sounds like you've been a bunch yourself, but in my 4 visits almost everything impressed me more. And though not technically a links course, Ardglass is by far my favorite, although the last trip was the first time I played Carne and it's close. When you come down to it, if one if fortunate enough to go, pretty much can't go wrong almost anywhere.

[Chanceman]

 

This the "wee creek" that you have to hit over on the par 3 2nd at Ardglass. I consider my bogey to be a major achievement. Great little course with a very old clubhouse.

[duffer987]

Oh sure what we prefer in regards to golf is wholly subjective - it's a no wrong answer question... bar a couple exceptions, like were someone to prefer Cashen Course to Bally Old ;-)

My first proper golfing trip to Ireland back in '97, I played Ardglass with some locals in what can only be called a blanket of fog to start. It is a really cool spot with the holes over the rocks like that. I stayed at a B&B literally across the street, so used the club car park. When I went out to the car the following morning to head out of town, some scallies had nicked my wheel covers overnight! LOL. Well I can LOL now, at the time it was a bit annoying.

IMHO, for the travelling golfer, Ireland suffers from a lack of 'next tier' courses after you play the usual suspects, it's a slot Ardglass fits into well :-)

[Malvern]

The OP has played his golf so might ask a question in his thread.

I've been to Ireland a couple of times and with a group (handicaps +2-18) we are there in June, I have played around Dublin but neither The Island or European.

We have a day where we are scheduled to play the European, from my read here and certainly Chanceman's photo this may be a misstep? For those that have played both, if you had 10 games to play at either, what would be your splits.

 

Cheers

[duffer987]

6.5 v 3.5 for The European, but that's just me.

The next person can easily be the otherway, anyone going 8/2 or 9/1 either way I would wonder how they can find such a split, as really there's not much in it. Both are Irish Top 10s IMHO :-)

[Chanceman]

I would be 6/4 to The European over The Island only because I like a challenge. I played better at The Island because it is easier. But The European has a kind of catch me if you can aura. BTW that spot in the photo is one of the more enticing!

[puttnforthe8]

European 6-4 for me..I really enjoy the everything about being there. They each have different feels to them which makes them special.

 

 

 

 

[El Gringo]

I fall heavily on the side of The Island....probably 7-3 for the sake of variety. The Island is plenty difficult in a 10-12mph wind. To me, TEC seemed manufactured to play extra-difficult. One aspect of TEC I didn't like at all was the grass wasn't linksy. Shots pulled up so for much of the game it is aerial golf. This strikes me as counter-intuitive for the average golfer who may want to keep shots low, out of the wind.