2008 Mayo & Sligo Tour: STRANDHILL GC

[Sean_A]

I was back in this glorious part of the world this past week playing Strandhill, Rosses Point, Carne & Enniscrone.  All four courses are completely different.  Rosses Point was certainly the star in terms of the combination of land forms, burns & bunkers to create architectural interest.  I previosuly wasn't overly keen on this course, but this additional visit confirms that the course is better than I  thought.  There are still aspects I didn't like and wonder why simple changes aren't made, but there you go.  Another surprise for me was Strandhill.  The contrast of this very natural course with Rosses Point's almost obsessional attempt to create strategy is striking.  There is no question Rosses Point is the better course, but I am not so sure I would rather pay double the green fee for the privilege on a regular basis.  First up, a brief look at Strandhill.

The 1st is an interesting opening hole with a slideaway green.


A cool short hole follows. 


I like the shelf green 4th. 


The 5th, however, is probably the best hole on the course.  The drive from high above is as hard as one wants to make it, but the real highlight is the humpty bumpty fairway.


The 6th is a good hole, simple hole.  Drive right for the best line in with safety and harder approach down the left.




Not a bad hole, but the 7th doesn't take advantage of its prime location along the beach.  The 8th is a good short par 4 with a tricky green.


The next four holes are all goodish, but the uphill 12th stands out as the best of the group.  The 13th, however, is the one folks will likely remember most.  The drive is downhill and blind, but it is crucial to hit the fairway because the green is out of this world. 


A tough as old boots par 3 follows at 14...how to keep the ball on the green when playing downwind?


15 takes us back up to high ground as a lesser verson of the 12th.


From here the course cruises home and finishes with a good 18th playing uphill. Given the property is 95 acres the course works wonderfully well. However, because of the handful of blandish holes I couldn't give Strandhill a star, but I would recommend it.  Many in our group were so so on Strandhill, but I was taken with it and in terms of favourites would only place Strandhill slightly behind the others.  As we all know, Ireland has become frightfully expensive.  Not so with Strandhill.  With its 40 Euro day rate it competes with the best of the bargain courses to be found in GB&I and I will certainly seek a return engagement if prices don't go Irish wild. 2008

Carne
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35268.msg713184.html#msg713184

Enniscrone
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35273.0.html

Rosses Point
http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,35264.msg711429.html#msg711429

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Thanks Sean... Strandhill is a course I have still never made it to...

I'm beginning to think that the West / North-West of Ireland has a bigger number of top quality golf courses than anywhere else on the planet...

[Bart Bradley]

Sean:

Amazing.  Thank you.

Do you think you could make a master directory of your course reviews like Art made for the Pacific Dunes photo tour?  I think it would be great to have a single thread directory where we could go and review all of these amazing posts.  Keep up the great work.

Bart

[Thomas MacWood]

Sean
It looks like great fun. Were you able to get any info on the history of this course?

[mike_malone]

 Sean,

   I thought my next trip would only be Donegal, but you have convinced me to start here on my way north, thanks.

[Phil McDade]

Sean:

Love the terrain; the cartpaths are quite scarring to an otherwise interesting landscape (see pics 2,3 and 5 esp.). Can't wait to see the Carne thread.

[Chris Ord]

great pictures.  i hadn't heard much about strandhill.  the course looks like a blast to play.  i even got a kick out of the turret-looking bunker on the first hole.  yes, it's manufactured, but it somehow seems to scream "bunker".  it has almost a wwII vibe to it.  that said, i'm not sure i'd want to see an entire course of bunkers like that. 

[Sean_A]

Sean
It looks like great fun. Were you able to get any info on the history of this course?

Tommy Mac

No, I don't have any idea who did what at Strandhill.  Though its obvious that it wasn't just a botch job.

Ciao

[Tommy Williamsen]

I think I made a mistake missing this course.  When I played Sligo the guys in the pro shop told me to skip it.  They dissed it pretty badly.  Not sure why when I see the pictures.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Sean
It looks like great fun. Were you able to get any info on the history of this course?

Trolleys and Squibs a touring book from yr. 2000  give it two shamrocks and say it was redesigned to 18 holes by Eddie Hackett.   The authors Loise and Rick Miracle take issue with how tight someof it is and 2someof the greensare severely undulating".   Sounds like GCA heaven.


Again thanks, Sean.

[Sean_A]

Tony

One of the very cool things about Strandhill is that it has just about as many superb holes as all the other courses in the area.  Golfers claim that golf is not about the good shots, but how good the bad ones are.  Perhaps the quality of a course can best be determined by how good the the weak holes are. 

Ciao

[Scott Whitley]

Thanks for the great memories of Strandhill, Sean.

As for routing credit, the course was originally laid out as a nine-holer in the early 1930s, was extended to 18 holes in 1970 by John McGonigle (head professional at Rosses Point at the time) - he gets the credit for the 13th, among other holes - and further refined by Martin Niland in the 1980s.   All in all, it is mostly a home-made affair, and a charming one at that!

[Sean_A]

Sean:

Amazing.  Thank you.

Do you think you could make a master directory of your course reviews like Art made for the Pacific Dunes photo tour?  I think it would be great to have a single thread directory where we could go and review all of these amazing posts.  Keep up the great work.

Bart

Bart

That would be interesting to do.  I have posted pix of one hell of a load of GB&I courses.  When combined with Philip G's, Tony M's and a few others it could be quite an archive.  I am afraid it is down to Ran to organize.  I delete nearly all the pix I take after posting here and so GCA.com is the only depository I use. 

Ciao 

[Reef Wilson]

Sean:

Amazing.  Thank you.

Do you think you could make a master directory of your course reviews like Art made for the Pacific Dunes photo tour?  I think it would be great to have a single thread directory where we could go and review all of these amazing posts.  Keep up the great work.

Bart

Bart

That would be interesting to do.  I have posted pix of one hell of a load of GB&I courses.  When combined with Philip G's, Tony M's and a few others it could be quite an archive.  I am afraid it is down to Ran to organize.  I delete nearly all the pix I take after posting here and so GCA.com is the only depository I use. 

Ciao 

I had been thinking along the same lines as Bart. These types of photo course reviews are one of my favorite parts of this site. Sean, yours especially are so well shot and written. Thanks for doing these!

I just went back to investigate taking it upon myself putting together a thread for these like Art's for PD. Unfortunately, it seems a lot of the older photos are no longer being hosted where they originally were.

I assume this is a case of it being free hosting and if the files are not accessed frequently enough, the hosting service makes them no longer available. Some of them are not even that old.

Not sure what can be done about this, but it is a shame. Below are a couple of examples. It would be nice if we could come up with a common photo hosting site that everyone here could use where we know this wouldn't happen. I'd be happy to chip in on that.

Reef

PENNARD REVISITED - back 9

Stoneham

[Sean_A]

Sean:

Amazing.  Thank you.

Do you think you could make a master directory of your course reviews like Art made for the Pacific Dunes photo tour?  I think it would be great to have a single thread directory where we could go and review all of these amazing posts.  Keep up the great work.

Bart

Bart

That would be interesting to do.  I have posted pix of one hell of a load of GB&I courses.  When combined with Philip G's, Tony M's and a few others it could be quite an archive.  I am afraid it is down to Ran to organize.  I delete nearly all the pix I take after posting here and so GCA.com is the only depository I use. 

Ciao 

I had been thinking along the same lines as Bart. These types of photo course reviews are one of my favorite parts of this site. Sean, yours especially are so well shot and written. Thanks for doing these!

I just went back to investigate taking it upon myself putting together a thread for these like Art's for PD. Unfortunately, it seems a lot of the older photos are no longer being hosted where they originally were.

I assume this is a case of it being free hosting and if the files are not accessed frequently enough, the hosting service makes them no longer available. Some of them are not even that old.

Not sure what can be done about this, but it is a shame. Below are a couple of examples. It would be nice if we could come up with a common photo hosting site that everyone here could use where we know this wouldn't happen. I'd be happy to chip in on that.

Reef

PENNARD REVISITED - back 9

Stoneham

Reef

I too think its a shame that much of the meat n bones of this site is lost while a load of garbage is kept.  I spose thats how the system works - much like the rest of life.  To be fair (and I can't speak for anybody else), I don't in anyway edit these reviews and because of this I don't see any huge loss.  If they were to be kept on file I may do less of them because the editing process is the real time cruncher.  Even so, all considered, I do think some sort of effort should be made to preserve these reviews by everybody.  I don't know how many times I forget about a course I saw reviewed and can't remember when or where (is there a song there?).  Perhaps its as simple as Ran creating a member review section where these deals can be kept.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

I'm just back from a quick tour of the North-West which included Rosses Point, Murvagh, Enniscrone, Carne and my first visit to Strandhill.

I won't comment on the others as they are better known but I think Strandhill should be a must stop for anyone in the area. As it stands, it is the weakest of the five although if they got rid of 9, 10 & 11 and built in to the dunes at the back (which they own), that could definitely change. However, even without that, it is fun, fun, fun with some pretty great green complexes that are cut on existing contours at grade level and some flatter plateau greens (less admirable) that are more than likely the work of Eddie Hackett by the look of them.

I think Sean is more in to big dunes than I am. I enjoyed the front nine most with 4 being the only weak hole and 3 and 9 being merely OK. The rest were all good to excellent and No.5 is all world in my mind with a high angled tee shot to the most rumpled fairway I have seen anywhere and a semi-blind approach (flag-stick only) to an excellent green. 10 & 11 are average (playing up and down) and would make a perfect spot for a driving range. 12 plays up and left to a skyline green and is pretty good. I've yet to make my mind up on 13 which is definite quirk to the smallest green I have seen (guess under 200m2) placed between two dunes (reminiscent of The Dell at Lahinch but with some visibility). Quite liked the par-3 14th but also unsure of the big dune 15th which plays to one of those flat elevated Hackett plateaus. 16, 17 and 18 are all pretty good holes in my book.

To be honest with you, I think Strandhill could be an absolute cracker with a little budget and previous mentioned moderations behind it. The ground game is alive and well there, that's for sure.

[Sean_A]

I'm just back from a quick tour of the North-West which included Rosses Point, Murvagh, Enniscrone, Carne and my first visit to Strandhill.

I won't comment on the others as they are better known but I think Strandhill should be a must stop for anyone in the area. As it stands, it is the weakest of the five although if they got rid of 9, 10 & 11 and built in to the dunes at the back (which they own), that could definitely change. However, even without that, it is fun, fun, fun with some pretty great green complexes that are cut on existing contours at grade level and some flatter plateau greens (less admirable) that are more than likely the work of Eddie Hackett by the look of them.

I think Sean is more in to big dunes than I am. I enjoyed the front nine most with 4 being the only weak hole and 3 and 9 being merely OK. The rest were all good to excellent and No.5 is all world in my mind with a high angled tee shot to the most rumpled fairway I have seen anywhere and a semi-blind approach (flag-stick only) to an excellent green. 10 & 11 are average (playing up and down) and would make a perfect spot for a driving range. 12 plays up and left to a skyline green and is pretty good. I've yet to make my mind up on 13 which is definite quirk to the smallest green I have seen (guess under 200m2) placed between two dunes (reminiscent of The Dell at Lahinch but with some visibility). Quite liked the par-3 14th but also unsure of the big dune 15th which plays to one of those flat elevated Hackett plateaus. 16, 17 and 18 are all pretty good holes in my book.

To be honest with you, I think Strandhill could be an absolute cracker with a little budget and previous mentioned moderations behind it. The ground game is alive and well there, that's for sure.

Ally

Its a neat little course eh?  I enjoyed it immensely despite some lame holes and a few which should be far better (7 & 8 especially).  I like the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th 8th, 14th and 18th best so I am surprised you say I like the bigger dunes - I don't tend to unless tempered with flatter holes as a counterbalance.  The hole which really intrigues me is #8.  If they would just cut down some rough for this blind shot I think it could be an all-world short par 4.  On the other side of the coin, #7, on the prime land was dead boring.

I don't think the course needs to use the huge dunes, just work on what already exists and make sure they are getting the best out of the land. 

Ciao   

[Ally Mcintosh]

I'm just back from a quick tour of the North-West which included Rosses Point, Murvagh, Enniscrone, Carne and my first visit to Strandhill.

I won't comment on the others as they are better known but I think Strandhill should be a must stop for anyone in the area. As it stands, it is the weakest of the five although if they got rid of 9, 10 & 11 and built in to the dunes at the back (which they own), that could definitely change. However, even without that, it is fun, fun, fun with some pretty great green complexes that are cut on existing contours at grade level and some flatter plateau greens (less admirable) that are more than likely the work of Eddie Hackett by the look of them.

I think Sean is more in to big dunes than I am. I enjoyed the front nine most with 4 being the only weak hole and 3 and 9 being merely OK. The rest were all good to excellent and No.5 is all world in my mind with a high angled tee shot to the most rumpled fairway I have seen anywhere and a semi-blind approach (flag-stick only) to an excellent green. 10 & 11 are average (playing up and down) and would make a perfect spot for a driving range. 12 plays up and left to a skyline green and is pretty good. I've yet to make my mind up on 13 which is definite quirk to the smallest green I have seen (guess under 200m2) placed between two dunes (reminiscent of The Dell at Lahinch but with some visibility). Quite liked the par-3 14th but also unsure of the big dune 15th which plays to one of those flat elevated Hackett plateaus. 16, 17 and 18 are all pretty good holes in my book.

To be honest with you, I think Strandhill could be an absolute cracker with a little budget and previous mentioned moderations behind it. The ground game is alive and well there, that's for sure.

Ally

Its a neat little course eh?  I enjoyed it immensely despite some lame holes and a few which should be far better (7 & 8 especially).  I like the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th 8th, 14th and 18th best so I am surprised you say I like the bigger dunes - I don't tend to unless tempered with flatter holes as a counterbalance.  The hole which really intrigues me is #8.  If they would just cut down some rough for this blind shot I think it could be an all-world short par 4.  On the other side of the coin, #7, on the prime land was dead boring.

I don't think the course needs to use the huge dunes, just work on what already exists and make sure they are getting the best out of the land. 

Ciao   

It's a little perverse for me to say that I'm not a fan of huge dunes and then say that they should get rid of 9, 10 & 11 and replace them with the big stuff at the back. I guess I see a lot of "big dune" holes that people rave about that are just too much in my opinion and don't really work with the land.

In this case though, no's 4, 9, 10 & 11 are undoubtedly weak and if the land suits, the permitting was achieved and the budget allows, then one fell swoop could get rid of all four of those holes by building 3 new ones (and modifying the 4th to tie in). I'm more or less exactly with you on the holes you like best though. Maybe you're being a bit hard on the 7th.

[Sean_A]

I'm just back from a quick tour of the North-West which included Rosses Point, Murvagh, Enniscrone, Carne and my first visit to Strandhill.

I won't comment on the others as they are better known but I think Strandhill should be a must stop for anyone in the area. As it stands, it is the weakest of the five although if they got rid of 9, 10 & 11 and built in to the dunes at the back (which they own), that could definitely change. However, even without that, it is fun, fun, fun with some pretty great green complexes that are cut on existing contours at grade level and some flatter plateau greens (less admirable) that are more than likely the work of Eddie Hackett by the look of them.

I think Sean is more in to big dunes than I am. I enjoyed the front nine most with 4 being the only weak hole and 3 and 9 being merely OK. The rest were all good to excellent and No.5 is all world in my mind with a high angled tee shot to the most rumpled fairway I have seen anywhere and a semi-blind approach (flag-stick only) to an excellent green. 10 & 11 are average (playing up and down) and would make a perfect spot for a driving range. 12 plays up and left to a skyline green and is pretty good. I've yet to make my mind up on 13 which is definite quirk to the smallest green I have seen (guess under 200m2) placed between two dunes (reminiscent of The Dell at Lahinch but with some visibility). Quite liked the par-3 14th but also unsure of the big dune 15th which plays to one of those flat elevated Hackett plateaus. 16, 17 and 18 are all pretty good holes in my book.

To be honest with you, I think Strandhill could be an absolute cracker with a little budget and previous mentioned moderations behind it. The ground game is alive and well there, that's for sure.

Ally

Its a neat little course eh?  I enjoyed it immensely despite some lame holes and a few which should be far better (7 & 8 especially).  I like the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th 8th, 14th and 18th best so I am surprised you say I like the bigger dunes - I don't tend to unless tempered with flatter holes as a counterbalance.  The hole which really intrigues me is #8.  If they would just cut down some rough for this blind shot I think it could be an all-world short par 4.  On the other side of the coin, #7, on the prime land was dead boring.

I don't think the course needs to use the huge dunes, just work on what already exists and make sure they are getting the best out of the land.  

Ciao  

It's a little perverse for me to say that I'm not a fan of huge dunes and then say that they should get rid of 9, 10 & 11 and replace them with the big stuff at the back. I guess I see a lot of "big dune" holes that people rave about that are just too much in my opinion and don't really work with the land.

In this case though, no's 4, 9, 10 & 11 are undoubtedly weak and if the land suits, the permitting was achieved and the budget allows, then one fell swoop could get rid of all four of those holes by building 3 new ones (and modifying the 4th to tie in). I'm more or less exactly with you on the holes you like best though. Maybe you're being a bit hard on the 7th.

Ally

My point is the holes you mention don't have to be weak and indeed they aren't bad.  They need some tweaking, but there is nothing wrong with the terrain.  Really, 10 and 11 could be very good holes.  The two serious let down holes for me are 9 and 17.  

The 7th is a glorious opportunity to create something VERY special.  Instead we get a hole much like those around 9-11.  IMO, this is a total waste.  

I also like the 4th becasue it is so stark - in your face - no compromise approach.  It does look quite manufactured, but I have given up on that being all important.  Indeed, sometimes the manufactured look is quite appealing.

The bottom line for me is the course is good enough at the current prices.  I am not in favour of always looking to improve courses (unless it is a very simple and cheap process) which already do their job admirably.

Ciao

[Jack_Marr]

Did the members have some part in the design?

It's a lovely course that's often overlooked.

The fairway on No.5 reminds me of the moguls that skiers go over.  I can't remember for sure, but there might be about 100 spots on the fairway where you can see the flag and about 100 where you can't...

I think they could extend into those dunes just to make a little more space on the course. It's on a very small site, as far as I can remember.
John

[Ally Mcintosh]

Sean,

No. 4 plays as a short par-4 with no options and a big walk back from No.3 green (just to create the short par-4) causing large safety issues from No. 3 tees. It is crying out to be a par-3 with the green moved closer to the shore and the slope in front softened... Either that or a new par 4 - up and over the hill. The short par-4 is completely forced because of the previous two short holes.

I think seven could be improved but maybe not by a whole lot. I quite liked it. It was like the 3rd at Carne but not quite as good.

I got a sense of deflation walking up 10 knowing that I was coming right back down 11 (which had a decent green site all the same). I think the club have had safety problems with No.10 and the access road and the position is perfect for a practice area.

No. 17 is only OK, I'll give you that. But it's long and asks for a good long iron at a critical time. Similar to No. 16 at Rosses Point.

Jack, I reckon you're right about No.5 fairway. It's an amazing piece of land.

[Sean_A]

Sean,

No. 4 plays as a short par-4 with no options and a big walk back from No.3 green (just to create the short par-4) causing large safety issues from No. 3 tees. It is crying out to be a par-3 with the green moved closer to the shore and the slope in front softened... Either that or a new par 4 - up and over the hill. The short par-4 is completely forced because of the previous two short holes.

I think seven could be improved but maybe not by a whole lot. I quite liked it. It was like the 3rd at Carne but not quite as good.

I got a sense of deflation walking up 10 knowing that I was coming right back down 11 (which had a decent green site all the same). I think the club have had safety problems with No.10 and the access road and the position is perfect for a practice area.

No. 17 is only OK, I'll give you that. But it's long and asks for a good long iron at a critical time. Similar to No. 16 at Rosses Point.

Jack, I reckon you're right about No.5 fairway. It's an amazing piece of land.

Ally

I could see #4 being a par 3 with the same green complex.  I don't see any particular need to spend money on a new green over the hill and away from the 5th tee.  It would certainly be very different from the 2nd and 14th which is appealing.    

#10 is a bit dangerous with the road and folks blasting at that green, but in a way this is what makes it a decent hole!  Its a dangerous drive, but can reward the player who pulls it off.  Its the setting more than anything which detracts from the hole.  Stick it in the middle of the course and few would think it is boring.    

There is no question #5 is my favourite hole not only because of the humpty bumpty land which essentially causes havoc for the second especially if one is going for the green (I think many would call it unfair), but also because the tee shot is very interesting with all that space and how it uses the 17th fairway as well.  

Incidentally, on an otherwise terrible website I discovered that one can play Enniscrone, Rosses Point and Strandhill for 118 Euros!

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Sean,

No. 4 plays as a short par-4 with no options and a big walk back from No.3 green (just to create the short par-4) causing large safety issues from No. 3 tees. It is crying out to be a par-3 with the green moved closer to the shore and the slope in front softened... Either that or a new par 4 - up and over the hill. The short par-4 is completely forced because of the previous two short holes.

I think seven could be improved but maybe not by a whole lot. I quite liked it. It was like the 3rd at Carne but not quite as good.

I got a sense of deflation walking up 10 knowing that I was coming right back down 11 (which had a decent green site all the same). I think the club have had safety problems with No.10 and the access road and the position is perfect for a practice area.

No. 17 is only OK, I'll give you that. But it's long and asks for a good long iron at a critical time. Similar to No. 16 at Rosses Point.

Jack, I reckon you're right about No.5 fairway. It's an amazing piece of land.

Ally

I could see #4 being a par 3 with the same green complex.  I don't see any particular need to spend money on a new green over the hill and away from the 5th tee.  It would certainly be very different from the 2nd and 14th which is appealing.    

#10 is a bit dangerous with the road and folks blasting at that green, but in a way this is what makes it a decent hole!  Its a dangerous drive, but can reward the player who pulls it off.  Its the setting more than anything which detracts from the hole.  Stick it in the middle of the course and few would think it is boring.    

There is no question #5 is my favourite hole not only because of the humpty bumpty land which essentially causes havoc for the second especially if one is going for the green (I think many would call it unfair), but also because the tee shot is very interesting with all that space and how it uses the 17th fairway as well.  

Incidentally, on an otherwise terrible website I discovered that one can play Enniscrone, Rosses Point and Strandhill for 118 Euros!

Ciao

Hi Sean,

I'd only be placing a new green over the hill if there was potential to place 3 new holes up in the dunes culminating at the 5th tee (new 8th). Then by knocking out 9, 10 & 11 you can walk straight from 8 green to 12 tees... It's all just ideas but would seem much better money spent than the vast sum they just spent on the new (admittedly good) clubhouse... I think there has been a couple of cars hit from the tenth tee so they'll need to do something there.

[Ken Kearney]

I tend to agree with Sean on this one... Strandhill is a club that seems to operate on small budgets and is none the less for it.... lessons to be learned !!! The club has investigated the options of moving into the dunes but as the area is SAC (Special Area of Conservation) a major planning struggle is inevitable...
While living in Sligo for c. 10 years I played lots of golf at Strandhill. It is a wonderful golfing experience snd they also have the friendliest pro shop in Ireland with Anthony and Cyril welcoming all with a genuine "Cead Mile Failte"....
The club is fortunate to have Jason Kelly, a young greenkeeper, full of passion and enthusiasm driving the course forward.
I have really fond memories of Stranhill and encourage all to expore her...

Ken.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Hi Ken,

I'm usually the first to be wary of supposed development of our links courses but with Strandhill, the changes are just so obvious! And they would likely elevate the course in to the same ranks as its more esteemed neighbours.

But if its an SAC, then fair enough. Operating on small budgets is all well and good but they have just developed their clubhouse. Personally, I'd prefer to see money spent on the course (but I'd hate to see some of those greens altered because they are just so natural).

Anyway, I'm only pointing it out because I thought the course was so much fun. It should be a definite stop-off for those on here who are travelling to the North West.