Anyone played Ballyliffin Glashedy?

[Jimmy Muratt]

Has anyone had a chance to play the new course at Ballyliffin, the Glashedy course?  What are your opinions of it?  Is it similar to Ballyliffin Old or does it remind you of another track in Ireland?

[THuckaby2]

Jimmy - I played it, loved it.  It goes in and out of the sand dunes just like the Old.  Just a caution though - we've discussed it on here before and most people preferred the Old.  I'd say play both, see for yourself!  One main complaint about Glashedy is that it has one hole over a lake that is pretty out of place.. that being said, put it anywhere other than on a seaside links and it's one hell of a golf hole...

TH

[Jerry Zgoda]

A group of four of us played both courses last May and for two of our guys Glashedy was their favorite of any we played on an 11-day trip that took us to County Down, Portrush, Rosses Point, Enniscrone, Connemara, Ballybunion and Lahinch. No golf-architectures mavens are they (they liked No. 7, the downhill par 3 next to a pond), I think they liked Glashedy most because it seemed a cross between an Irish seaside links and big, bold modern target U.S. course that they are used to playing back home. Much different than the Old course and farther from the ocean. I preferred the Old there _ lower ground, more ripply land, reminded me more of some Scottish courses I played that the rugged dunesland of most of Ireland's best. The Glashedy is on higher land with some deep revetted bunkers, a vigorous walk with some great views of Glashedy Rock and the entire 36-hole complex. Walking up a dogleg par 5 on the front side and looking back down the fairway, across the Old course with the Rock and the sea shimmering in the distance...just intoxicating. Along with Enniscrone, Ballyliffin probably the best deal _ $70 to play both courses on a Saturday _ we got on our trip.

[Jimmy Muratt]

Thanks for the feedback guys.  I'm looking forward to playing it next summer on my trip to Ireland.  We'll be playing a mix of the very well known and newer courses in Northern Ireland.  In all, we'll be teeing it up at:

Royal County Down
Royal Portrush
Portstewart
County Louth
Castlerock
Ballyliffin Old
Ballyliffin Glashedy
Donegal
Carne
Enniscrone
County Sligo

I can't wait, should be a great trip and my first to Ireland!

[THuckaby2]

Jimmy - that sounds like one hell of a great trip and you are hitting a fantastic mix of courses.

Give me an email when the time gets closer - I have a cousin who's a member of Castlerock and it warms my heart to see it included on your sked.  More importantly though, he's a great guy and is always agreeable to a game with visitors... You and your friends against he and his would make for a heck of a great experience, I can assure you.  Just don't expect to win - those guys are thieves on their home course!  

TH
tom.huckaby@clorox.com

ps - better make that "N" lower case in "Northern" Ireland lest you really offend the folks at County Sligo and a few others!

[Jimmy Muratt]

Tom,

I will definitely get in touch, I'd love to set up a game with your cousin.  It would be great to tee it up with a member, he could give us a lot of insight into the course and surrounding area.  

I have a feeling this trip will be the first of many to Ireland.  I'm already reading everything I can get my hands on about the courses and am contemplating overseas membership at one of the courses.  I was thinking about Carne, Enniscrone or Ballyliffin.  They all offer very good prices for membership and it would be very nice to have  a "home base" in Ireland to go several times throughout the year.

[David_Tepper]

JimmyVA-
I traveled from Galway up to Portstewart/Portrush to play in the Bushmills tournament in 1994. That is a beautiful part of Ireland, which is saying quite a lot.
If you can squeeze it in, I would encourage you to play Naran &  Portnoo, a very enjoyable, scenic course serving the villages of the same names. Naran and Portnoo are on Gweebarra Bay, about 60-80 miles north of Donegal town.
Also be sure to visit the cliffs at Slieve League, the highest seaside cliffs in all of Europe.
There is also a very good 9-hole course on Cruit Island that might be worth a look. I have not been there.
Have a great trip.
DT

[TEPaul]

I have not played Ballilyfynn Glashedy and I don't plan to either. It sounds too much like either a weird Irish medicinal drug or a modern Irish female pop flutist to me!

[billb]

Myself and a couple friends did an Ireland trip in the spring of 2000, we played the courses on your list with the exception of Carne and the addition of Narin & Portnoo. I guess we read the same books!
Glashedy was oustanding, wasn't it partially designed by the guy who did the European Club south of Dublin?
The downhill par 3 over the water was a bit much - we hit 3 woods and 1 irons into a medium breeze. There are several other holes that play up and around that large hill. I remember another par 3 from up there, # 5 maybe?, also downhill but shorter, that looks out across the ocean. If you like broad ocean vistas you will love Gashedy!
It is a totally different course than the Old, less "character", more level lies, requiring good length off the tee, rewarding good shots, but with some huge deep bunkers waiting for the poor shot.
I liked Glashedy better even though I made a hole in one on #7 of the Old Course! They also have a very nice clubhouse that had just opened when we were there. It was full of locals by the time we finished our 36 holes, fortunately, the American tradition of buying a round of drinks for the bar does not hold true in Ireland.