2008 Mayo & Sligo Tour: STRANDHILL GC

[Rory Connaughton]

Ken, any relation to Niall the Walker Cupper?

[Ally Mcintosh]

Ken, any relation to Niall the Walker Cupper?

Rory,

This might fill you in:

http://www.roscommonpeople.ie/itemdetail.asp?itemID=2288

Unfortunate typo on Harry Colt though...

[Rory Connaughton]

Ally

  Thanks for the link.  I thought there might be some connection with Niall Kearney's connection to Enniscrone.  In the piece Ken references New Forest.  Played there a few years ago and have been disappointed to hear that it is NLE or soon to be NLE. 

[Rory Connaughton]

Terrific photos Brian. For all the time I have spent in Enniscrone, I have never managed to make it to Strandhill but I am obviously missing out.

[Niall C]

I played this course a number of years ago and really enjoyed it although in my vague memory I recall it being it a bit uneven but these photos suggest I might have been wrong. I do recall it was quite cramped and perhaps short but what the hell still looks a fun course. Probably second on the list to return to after Rosses Point.

Niall

[Jack_Marr]

Strandhill is great fun. A very under-rated course.

[Sean_A]

Strandhill remains one of the biggest surprises for me.  I am not sure why I included it on an itinerary as nobody told me it was worth while.  In fact, I heard mostly negative things.  I am not sure what people expect for 30 Euros in high season, but to me Strandhill's handful of terrific holes is more than worth the effort to play.  One thing that remains irksome for me is the 7th.  That hole is very mediocre and it sits right on the water - such a shame.

Sheehy, thanks for the extra pix.

Ciao

[Mark_F]

I played this course yesterday, and Rosses Point today.

I would agree with Sean on a couple of things - 9 and 17 are fairly bland holes, but I thought 7,9 and 16 were fine holes.

It is also MILES in front of both Rosses Point, which has perhaps the most boring set of greens I have ever encountered, and Enniscrone, which was a major dud.

Strandhill may lack a few things, but it is a fantastic course - I'm glad Brian, Sean and Ally said not to miss it.

[Ally Mcintosh]

I played this course yesterday, and Rosses Point today.

I would agree with Sean on a couple of things - 9 and 17 are fairly bland holes, but I thought 7,9 and 16 were fine holes.

It is also MILES in front of both Rosses Point, which has perhaps the most boring set of greens I have ever encountered, and Enniscrone, which was a major dud.

Strandhill may lack a few things, but it is a fantastic course - I'm glad Brian, Sean and Ally said not to miss it.

Hi Mark... Glad you're here and glad you enjoyed Strandhill which I've been back to a couple of times since and it has grown on me each time... Look forward to seeing you in a couple of weeks... But look forward even more to the inevitable Enniscrone discussion / argument between Sean and yourself over the coming minutes / hours / days...

[Tom_Doak]

I played this course yesterday, and Rosses Point today.

I would agree with Sean on a couple of things - 9 and 17 are fairly bland holes, but I thought 7,9 and 16 were fine holes.

It is also MILES in front of both Rosses Point, which has perhaps the most boring set of greens I have ever encountered, and Enniscrone, which was a major dud. 

I went out of the way to see Strandhill with one of my interns back a few years ago when this thread came up.  We didn't get to play because of a competition on the day, but I was underwhelmed from our walk around.  There were some interesting bits but the holes that played up over the side of the hill seemed pretty awkward.  Rosses Point may not have as good a set of greens but I would still choose it over Strandhill most any time [price not a factor in the Doak scale].  To each his own, I guess.

[Niall C]

Just looking back at this thread its as if the Strandhill in this thread is different to the one I played, and I'm not dissing the course because I really did enjoy it. I just don't remember it being as open as it appears with all the surrounding land. Having said that, its probably over 10 years since I played it.

Overall I wouldn't rate it in the same league or quality as Rosses Point although probably level in terms of fun. The one course on that trip I really thought was a wasted opportunity was Murvagh which I thought was distinctly average despite being on a site with huge potential.

Niall

[Ally Mcintosh]

In fairness I pretty much adore Rosses Point and Strandhill isn't in the same class... If Tom is talking about 12-15 at Strandhill, I'd agree they are not my favourite part of the course but they add some really quirky variety... The course has so many different elements to it, some bad, some good, some great, that it makes for an incredibly fun round...

[Sean_A]

I am in Ally's camp.  Strandhill is hopeless in comparing favourably with Sligo purely on architectural merit.  Sligo's water holes alone make that point quite clearly.  The two courses are light years apart in quality, but not in fun.  Taking it all in, I slightly prefer Strandhill to Sligo because its cheap and contains enough quality to keep me happy.

Ciao

[Robert Thompson]

I'm surprised anyone would call Enniscrone a "major dud." That requires further comment. I too saw Strandhill, Rosses Point and Enniscrone on the same trip. I thought Strandhill was quirky with a couple of wonderfully rumply fairways that resembled the surface of the moon.

However, all three in my party (which included two golf architects) thought Enniscrone was a significant surprise and really warrants more attention. Donald Steel's work was intriguing and the dunes are some of the best in the game. It does, however, have the worst logo in golf.

I played this course yesterday, and Rosses Point today.

I would agree with Sean on a couple of things - 9 and 17 are fairly bland holes, but I thought 7,9 and 16 were fine holes.

It is also MILES in front of both Rosses Point, which has perhaps the most boring set of greens I have ever encountered, and Enniscrone, which was a major dud.

Strandhill may lack a few things, but it is a fantastic course - I'm glad Brian, Sean and Ally said not to miss it.

[Sean_A]

I'm surprised anyone would call Enniscrone a "major dud." That requires further comment. I too saw Strandhill, Rosses Point and Enniscrone on the same trip. I thought Strandhill was quirky with a couple of wonderfully rumply fairways that resembled the surface of the moon.

However, all three in my party (which included two golf architects) thought Enniscrone was a significant surprise and really warrants more attention. Donald Steel's work was intriguing and the dunes are some of the best in the game. It does, however, have the worst logo in golf.

I played this course yesterday, and Rosses Point today.

I would agree with Sean on a couple of things - 9 and 17 are fairly bland holes, but I thought 7,9 and 16 were fine holes.

It is also MILES in front of both Rosses Point, which has perhaps the most boring set of greens I have ever encountered, and Enniscrone, which was a major dud.

Strandhill may lack a few things, but it is a fantastic course - I'm glad Brian, Sean and Ally said not to miss it.

I was going to give Mark a chance to come up with some reasons why Enniscrone is a dud.  Its clear he didn't play Sligo, maybe he didn't play Enniscrone either - tee hee.


Ciao 

[Mark_F]

Mark - delighted you loved it! It's one of those course that is just different to anything else - and can't really be viewed in terms of its position in the rankings. I will say that I don't care if I ever see Rosses point again but I will make a special journey to go back to Strand Hill.

Enniscrone a dud??? What?? Elaborate please! How about Carne, did you play it?

Forget my late and brief response gentlemen, I am on a hotel computer with a dodgy keyboard.

Brian, I feel the same way you do about Rosses Point and Strandhill.  I was last one out at Rosses Point, so had a pretty good look around.  It does have a great routing, but is pretty bland otherwise.

Enniscrone
feels like a Greg Norman course - with a few exceptions, the holes are all perfectly adequate, but you come away feeling that they should all be better, and the three or four pretty good holes should be great holes.  The stretch from 5-11, with the exception of 8, is as dull as they come.  Three of the par fives are basically the same hole.


I played Carne twice - I liked it a little less the second time around, but it is a pretty good course. Some of the greens are pretty bland, but there are also more than a few with some good movement and slope.  I am amazed they have what they do there with the number of members they have and what they pay in subs.  Bottom line is that golf needs more courses and clubs like Carne than it does Trump Scotland or Castle Stuart.

I'm surprised anyone would call Enniscrone a "major dud." That requires further comment. I too saw Strandhill, Rosses Point and Enniscrone on the same trip. I thought Strandhill was quirky with a couple of wonderfully rumply fairways that resembled the surface of the moon.

However, all three in my party (which included two golf architects) thought Enniscrone was a significant surprise and really warrants more attention. Donald Steel's work was intriguing and the dunes are some of the best in the game. It does, however, have the worst logo in golf.

I played this course yesterday, and Rosses Point today.

I would agree with Sean on a couple of things - 9 and 17 are fairly bland holes, but I thought 7,9 and 16 were fine holes.

It is also MILES in front of both Rosses Point, which has perhaps the most boring set of greens I have ever encountered, and Enniscrone, which was a major dud.

Strandhill may lack a few things, but it is a fantastic course - I'm glad Brian, Sean and Ally said not to miss it.

I was going to give Mark a chance to come up with some reasons why Enniscrone is a dud.  Its clear he didn't play Sligo, maybe he didn't play Enniscrone either - tee hee.


Ciao 

I know you are a big fan of Enniscrone Sean - I look forward to a hearty discussion in a couple of weeks.  And yes, I did play Enniscrone - twice

Tom - maybe you should actually play these courses instead of just walking them.

Ally - I look forward to meeting you next week.  May the good weather hold...

[Sean_A]

Mark

You didn't like 5??  BUT, you liked the very staid drop shot 8th?  Heavy sigh.

I also like the 7th a load. 

The one hole I wish Steel messed with is #9.  That should be a better hole using the water in a much more aggressive manner.   

Ciao

[Robert Thompson]

You lose me in comparing Enniscrone to a "Greg Norman course."

Yes, there is a lull towards the end of the front nine, but I found the back nine to be exceptional, especially once it hits the stretch along the beach, but the 12th and 13th were terrific as well.

I really liked Carne as well, but I probably have more affection for Enniscrone.

Mark - delighted you loved it! It's one of those course that is just different to anything else - and can't really be viewed in terms of its position in the rankings. I will say that I don't care if I ever see Rosses point again but I will make a special journey to go back to Strand Hill.

Enniscrone a dud??? What?? Elaborate please! How about Carne, did you play it?

Forget my late and brief response gentlemen, I am on a hotel computer with a dodgy keyboard.

Brian, I feel the same way you do about Rosses Point and Strandhill.  I was last one out at Rosses Point, so had a pretty good look around.  It does have a great routing, but is pretty bland otherwise.

Enniscrone
feels like a Greg Norman course - with a few exceptions, the holes are all perfectly adequate, but you come away feeling that they should all be better, and the three or four pretty good holes should be great holes.  The stretch from 5-11, with the exception of 8, is as dull as they come.  Three of the par fives are basically the same hole.


I played Carne twice - I liked it a little less the second time around, but it is a pretty good course. Some of the greens are pretty bland, but there are also more than a few with some good movement and slope.  I am amazed they have what they do there with the number of members they have and what they pay in subs.  Bottom line is that golf needs more courses and clubs like Carne than it does Trump Scotland or Castle Stuart.

I'm surprised anyone would call Enniscrone a "major dud." That requires further comment. I too saw Strandhill, Rosses Point and Enniscrone on the same trip. I thought Strandhill was quirky with a couple of wonderfully rumply fairways that resembled the surface of the moon.

However, all three in my party (which included two golf architects) thought Enniscrone was a significant surprise and really warrants more attention. Donald Steel's work was intriguing and the dunes are some of the best in the game. It does, however, have the worst logo in golf.

I played this course yesterday, and Rosses Point today.

I would agree with Sean on a couple of things - 9 and 17 are fairly bland holes, but I thought 7,9 and 16 were fine holes.

It is also MILES in front of both Rosses Point, which has perhaps the most boring set of greens I have ever encountered, and Enniscrone, which was a major dud.

Strandhill may lack a few things, but it is a fantastic course - I'm glad Brian, Sean and Ally said not to miss it.

I was going to give Mark a chance to come up with some reasons why Enniscrone is a dud.  Its clear he didn't play Sligo, maybe he didn't play Enniscrone either - tee hee.


Ciao 

I know you are a big fan of Enniscrone Sean - I look forward to a hearty discussion in a couple of weeks.  And yes, I did play Enniscrone - twice

Tom - maybe you should actually play these courses instead of just walking them.

Ally - I look forward to meeting you next week.  May the good weather hold...

[Thomas Dai]

10 of us played Strandhill after Buda and we all seemed to have good words to say about it even though most played the back-9 in the rain and behind a 4-ball of slowcoaches.


Very fine conditioning, a really spectacular location, surprisingly undulating/hilly terrain, with many a fine hole. Wonderful moguls on the 5th. Not so keen on the 13th with it's tiny green and the severely uphill 15th with it's top-hat green and the 16th with it's huge double level green seemed a bit bland but with more plays these holes might grow on me.


It was nice to see Ally's re-bunkering and have the opportunity to see and envisage what he would like to do behind the current 4th green and before the current ladies 5th tee.


I would very much like to play Strandhill again and would urge others to visit and play it.


Atb

[Niall C]

Dai


Thanks for bumping this old thread. Interesting to read the comments on Carne and in particular Enniscrone. One thing I certainly agree with Robert is that Enniscrone has a shockingly bad logo. I was all geared up to maybe buying a nice souvenir in the pro shop but couldn't bring myself to do it other than the usual ball marker strokesaver. Really friendly staff though.


Where I disagree with Robert is the quality of the new holes along the water. With the exception of the par 3 17th, which most of us found to be an incredibly difficult green to hit and hold, I thought the water holes were a missed opportunity. Bizzarely a lot of the new holes had the greens not only hidden round a corner but were nearly all raised. Admittedly they had some very nice internal contours but what they require is to be re-orientated in direction and moved 20 or 30 yards sideways. Apart from that they are OK 

Niall

[Mark Pearce]

ATB,


I was fortunate enough to be in the first group at Strandhill, who were let through by the group you describe as slowcoaches.  They were, quite possibly, the slowest, most annoying group of golfers I have ever encountered.  According to the barman, they had teed off 1 hour and 20 minutes before we did.  We saw no sign of golfers ahead of us at any point until we reached the 7th green.  Since yo can see that green from the tee, that means they had finished the 7th hole before we teed off.  When we reached the 7th green they were on the 8th tee.  Quite extraordinary.  When we walked off the 8th green, they were still teeing off on the 9th. 


I liked Strandhill a lot but the 13th is simply a bad hole and the 15th is borderline.  I heard that the intention was to take the par 3 9th out of play, which I think would be a shame.

[Sean_A]

13 may be a bad hole, though I vehemently disagree, but it is a hole with distinction and therefore is essential to the design just as the Dell is to Lahinch. 


I don't see anything wrong with 15.  In fact, there is very little to find fault with the course and if I had to pick one hole it would be the dull 7th occupying the prime spot on the course...what a shame...hopefully Ally has this as his #1 problem on the drawing board...though I think he wants to cope with the holes along the road first.  I will be sorry to see these holes changed as they are both good.  Bloody do gooders with their health & safety nonsense are screwing up the world. 


Ciao

[Thomas Dai]

Mark,


They really were slow weren't they! Our first group were only let through because the 'slowcoaches' lost a ball. I'm struggling to recall a more inconsiderate group, especially given the weather.


Sean,


The playing lines on the 13th and 15th weren't very clear. Perhaps some barber poles, as other holes on the course had, or even white stones on the dunes, might be helpful.


As to the 13th, the tiny green was soo small and in such a dark area that discussions about keeping it in good condition, it was the worst we played on the course, and pin positioning took place....but then again, it's been there quite a while now!


Wonderful clubhouse location at Strandhill. You could see just about the whole course from it's windows and surrounds. And a whole bunch of wonderful scenery as well.


Atb

[Mark Pearce]

The difficulty with putting up indicators of line on the 13th is that the right line will depend on how far you're going to hit the ball.  When we played James and I both hit driver and should probably have aimed 30 yards right of where we did.  From where our balls ended up neither of us really had a shot, despite hitting it straight down the middle, or so it seemed.  On the line we went for, 5 iron might have been the right club.  The bigger problem, as you identify, is the size of the green and its surrounds.  It was in awful condition and I can't imagine that improving in such a confined space with such high dunes surrounding it.

[Garland Bayley]

I agree with Sean. After all we weren't playing Dunfanaghy.