[Larry_Keltto]

I have tee times at Royal County Down for Oct. 10 and 12, but I'm trying to fill the Oct. 11 hole (that's a Saturday) with a links course. Portrush and Beltray are out, because both have club events all day.

I'm wondering if anyone has played Ardglass or Kirkistown Castle? Ardglass looks like it might be a fun track -- a breather from RCD, but with some nice views. I haven't seen any photos of Kirkistown.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[mike_malone]

I have played Ardglass twice on 2 different trips.Each time i have enjoyed it.I think one reason is that the Irish Sea is on your left.RCD it is on your right and not really in play.
 I understand they have made some changes to add more seaside holes.There are some fun holes.One has a diagonal wall that you must carry to reach the green.
 I guess you could call it a "muni",but it is fun.

[Mike Leveille]

I agree with Mayday - Ardglass is a very enjoyable course with some terrific views.  Nice breather from RCD.  As for the new holes, I understand that they have built three new holes, with at least one on the water.  Unfortunately, I heard that one of the replaced holes was the hole Mayday mentioned with the diagonal wall cutting in front of the green - it might not have been a great golf hole, but it was sure fun to play.

[Jack_Marr]

Malone Golf Club is one of the finest inland golf courses in Ireland. I'm surprised Mayday didn't mention it. It's south of Belfast.

[Steve Lapper]

Sleep in and dream about RCD..then make a late tee timeat Ardglass and an earlier and very liquid lunch...then tee it up and count it among the fun days!

[Brian Phillips]

Larry,

Play RCD again and again.  This is RCD you are talking about!

Brian

[THuckaby2]

Saturday being the normal competition day for UK and Ireland clubs, I too found this difficulty in setting up times in trips I did over there... And I believe we can fairly assume that if Larry is playing RCD on 10/10 and 10/12, he would also play there 10/11 if he could!  

As for where to play that day, perhaps Ballyliffen isn't too far away?  That would make for a bit of a drive, but would be worth it, I think....

I haven't played the others mentioned, though I too have heard good things about Ardglass...

TH

[CHrisB]

I really enjoyed Ardglass when I played it in 1999.  I haven't played the new holes, and I hate to see the old 6th with the diagonal stone wall go away, but the new holes look pretty good in pictures, and the par-3 17th won't be missed.  The first few holes are great fun, starting with the tee shot from the castle on the first, and running up the rocky coast with the ocean below on your left.  There is some pretty good golf, still a few ordinary holes, but what a great spot for golf.  I got paired with a local red-headed Irish lass who was pretty good (shot in the 70's I think) and who played about as fast as anyone I'd played with.

Here are some pics from their website...
Behind the 1st green:

The 4th along the coast:

The new par-5 11th along the water:

A map showing the routing:

The course website is http://www.ardglassgolfclub.com.  I would definitely recommend the course for an off-day from RCD.

[David_Tepper]

Tom H.-
Driving from RCD to Ballyliffin would (I think) take at least 2 hours, probably more like 3+. Ballyliffen is as far north as you can go in Ireland.
I would endorse the suggestion to play Ardglass as a breather to RCD.
Actually, the nearest top-quality links to RCD might be Baltry (County Louth) south of the border. I do not know how difficult it is to cross the border these days. Excluding any delays in crossing the border. I think you could drive from RCD to Baltray in well under 2 hours.
DT

[THuckaby2]

David - thanks.  I did remember that drive from Ballyliffen to RCD took a long time when I did it three years ago but I didn't remember how long was long!

From these pics Ardglass would seem to be a heck of a good choice anyway.. I assume that is closer to RCD?

TH

[hp@hc]

Try Portstewart - it is 3 miles around the coast from Royal Portrush, and has THE best opening hole in all of golf.  I guess you could call me bias - - - I was born and raised in Portstewart, and still call Portstewart and Portrush as my home courses.  Portstewart has fallen in the shadows of Portrush for a long time, but with the addition of 7 new holes carved thru the dunes (designed by a club member if you will!), it now stands on it's own merits.  Darren Clarke enjoys the golf there, and so will you.
If you don't feel like traveling up to the North, the par-73 County Louth Golf Club would be my next bet - it is situated in the town of Baltray, and is probably about a 90 minute drive from RCD.  They play the East of Ireland Amateur Championship there every year, and it really falls under the radar with Americans - the members will treat you like their own, and the experience will always be a good one.  Come to think of it, that just about describes every course in Ireland - the locals really enhance the overall experience..

P.S. If you decide on Portstewart, you can take a ferry to Ballyliffin - a neat experience for a visitor.  It takes 40 minutes door to door from Portrush.

[Darren_Kilfara]

For my money, the third-best course in Northern Ireland is probably Portstewart - the front nine in particular is wild-wild-wild and well worth a look. So Larry, if you can get on Portstewart, that'd be my advice.

By the way, can you not get on either course at Portrush? The second 18 there is really quite good, though not in the same category as the Dunluce (and Royal County Down).

Cheers,
Darren

[Larry_Keltto]

Tom: your assumption was correct regarding my RCD schedule; I wasn't able to get a booking for Saturday because of club events. The same was true at Portrush and Louth. Ballyliffin looks interesting, but the drive would be a killer.

Thanks for the Ardglass photos. The course looks like a lot of fun. I think that's going to be my choice, although I'm still curious about Kirkistown Castle.

By the way, if anybody wants to join me at RCD, I have bookings for 8:20 on Oct. 10 and 1 p.m. on Oct. 12!

[hp@hc]

:)Darren - thanks for the vote of confidence on my recommendation - and thanks for the compliments on my course!

ID

For my money, the third-best course in Northern Ireland is probably Portstewart - the front nine in particular is wild-wild-wild and well worth a look. So Larry, if you can get on Portstewart, that'd be my advice.

By the way, can you not get on either course at Portrush? The second 18 there is really quite good, though not in the same category as the Dunluce (and Royal County Down).

Cheers,
Darren

[Larry_Keltto]

hp: I forgot to mention that I ran into the same problem on Saturday at Portstewart -- it's a competition day for members.

Darren: I'm going to double-check the Saturday status of Portrush's second course. Tom Doak in The Confidential likewise had kind words for the course.

[hp@hc]

Larry

I may be able to get you on Portstewart, if you are not able to find a substitute.  All my family and friends are members there, and I could pull a few strings for a fellow GCA member.  Ardglass is certainly an option, but I would doubt if Malone would be accessible on a Saturday - that is very much a members club.  Try Belvoir Park (pronounced Beaver), it is also in Belfast, but may be accessible.  Again, I have a friend who is a 3-handicap member there, and he could set things up for you.
If you feel like driving for great golf, I would also recommend The Island - north of Dublin, not too far from Baltray, and probably closer to a 2-hour drive from RCD.  Well worth it though, coming in at #70 in the British Isles in this years ranking.
Let me know if I can help.

hp

[THuckaby2]

Concur re Portstewart - the front nine there at least is as good as golf gets.  Too bad you can't make that happen... But if "hp" can make it happen, take him up on it.  Damn that is one fun golf course and the club members are so great, you'll feel like family right away.

Another one I've trumpeted from time to time here is Castlerock, right down the road from Portstewart.  It's a fair drive from RCD (I remember it being at least an hour, it's likely more) but if you are willing to do Portrush or Portstewart, this would work.  I found it to be a wonderful course, the fact my favorite cousin is a member there notwithstanding.  Should you wish to check this out, I'll contact my cousin... again, anything for a GCA brother.  

You may face the same "competition day" issue at Castlerock, but hmmm... you never know, if you wish you may end up IN the competition paired with my cousin.  I would highly recommend that, both for fun purposes and for the health of your pocketbook.  The man is a thief, and I say that in the highest complimentary terms.  Just make sure you are on his side...

TH

[mike_malone]

You say you have an open day between two RCD days.Ardglass makes the most sense.Portstewart or RPR-Valley or Ballyliffen are just too far away.
  If you want to travel a little after golf or instead of golf,if it does not work out,then i suggest you visit Newgrange--a couple of thousand year old druid burial site outside of Dundalk.It is as aweinspiring as a day of golf.

[mike_malone]

Jack Marr
   I am a typical American golf snob who only wants to play links courses when i go to Ireland,
I have heard good   things about Malone.I had a chance to play an interclub match with them when i put a trip together a few years ago,but passed.
  Interestingly,a group of the Malone Pirates just played my home course this weekend.I also have a towel from there even though that breaks one of my rules--no stuff from places you have not played.
 I had hoped to get the skull and crossbones symbol thinking it was the club's---found out it is for the Pirates.

[Larry_Keltto]

hp: Thank you for the generous offer of checking in to getting me on at Portstewart. I would be thrilled to play there.

Even though it's a long drive from RCD, I think it can be done. My Friday booking at RCD is at 8:20, and my Sunday booking is at 1 p.m. That means I could make the drive to Portstewart on Friday afternoon, and then the drive back to Newcastle on Sunday morning.

Do you think that works?

Let me know if you can get me on at Portstewart. If not, I could make some money with Tom's cousin!!!

Tom: thanks for the Castlerock offer. I'm going to follow your advice, though, and try first for Portstewart.

[ForkaB]

Larry

Do you want to be adventurous?

You can finish your Fri. round at RCD by 12, be on the road at 1 or 2, and arrive in Donegal by 5 or 6, just in time for a few pints and a nice evening meal (many places to stay, for varying tastes and pirce points).  Get to Portsalon on Saturday (in October, there should be no problems with tee times), play 18 and enjoy the drive there and back which is like Big Sur squared (this was confirmed to me last week in a phone call from a friend from Carmel who was vacationing there).  The course (as recently extended) is not a massively big drop from the quality of RCD.  Better scenery (makes the Mountains of Mourne look like foothillss...).  Absolutely no problem in getting back to RCD for your Sunday tee time.

You only go around once in your life......

[Jack_Marr]

Mayday

I thought you were named after the Malone course, you see. These Malone Pirates wandered a long way inland. Are you sure they weren't bandits. It might be best to stick to links, sure enough.

Re the border, there aren't even checkpoints any more. You only know you've entered Northern Ireland because the sign posts are a different color (and the roads are better). And, most importantly, the petrol is much more expensive.

Reverse that for the other way around.

If you were to go as far south as The Island, I'd play Portmarnock instead...

You have to go around the lough if you are traveling to north Donegal, which is why it would take so long. If you were to play Portsalon, you might be able to fit the new Rosspapenna course in the same day. Supposed to be good.

[Darren_Kilfara]

HP - I think our posts about Portstewart must have crossed, given that I thought I was the first person in the thread recommending it. But yeah, I do think highly of your course, even though the front nine in any kind of wind must be an absolute bear to play. Interesting point about your opening hole...I play all my golf at a course which seems to have the standard selection for the best opening hole in the world (Machrihanish), yet I can see ample merit in your nomination as well.

I wasn't terribly impressed by Belvoir Park - felt like a municipal course in poorish shape and with a mediocre design. Malone was better, but again, little more than a typical parkland course of the type that are a dime a dozen in, say, Westchester County. I played them both - along with Portstewart, RCD, both Portrushes, etc. - because I was part of an organized tour (a set of informal matches between Boston-area university golfers and Irish university golfers). If I had it to do over again, I'd have begged/borrowed/stolen a car and driven to the linksland...

Cheers,
Darren

[Jonathan Cummings]

Ardglass is your course!  It is only 15 minutes from RCD and quite worth it.  

ChrisB - I played Ardglass last summer.  Theye are renovating and changing the course and adding more holes along the sea.  Those holes were under construction and not open last summer.  They want to add some length to Ardglass because in its current state, it is very short.  I think your posted scorecard reflects the old course.

PS - the new holes look stunning...

JC

[hp@hc]

Darren

Small world - I too played in a series of matches against Boston University golfers  - I played on this side of the ocean, and played a few rounds up in the Cape Cod area.  I cannot remember the year, but it was at least 8 years ago for sure.  

Anyway, I'm betting you played against some friends of mine - Marty Kelly from Belvoir, Ian Hopkins, who was the manager there for a while, Ed Kelly from Dublin, Nicky from Belfast?  Ring any bells??

Let me know - I played against 2 guys from Boston - one was called Andy, the other was Lou Body, who was turning pro hockey right after college I think?  Are we travelling in the same circles?

hp

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