Tralee on Courses by Country

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Just noticed that Ran has put a review of Tralee on the Courses by Country page.

http://golfclubatlas.com/courses-by-country/ireland/tralee000198

Beathtaking stuff !!

Dónal.

[Carl Nichols]

I thought Arnold Palmer designed Tralee?

[Bart Bradley]

I thought Arnold Palmer designed Tralee?

Carl:

Arnold's FIRM did the design.. Ed Seay, working for that firm, was the man on the ground...

Donal:

Those are STUNNING pictures, aren't they? 

Everyone:

I have seen several people on this site bash Tralee...WHY?  I found the course compelling with lots of outstanding holes in an absolutely marvelous setting.

Bart

[Carl Nichols]

Bart:
Sorry, that was a little tongue-in-cheek....

[Garland Bayley]

Never been there. Apparently stunning land. Doak called it a missed opportunity in the CG.

[Padraig Dooley]

My favourite passage from the piece.

'In analyzing the course, the Club’s instructions to architect Ed Seay should be considered: build us as many spectacular holes as possible. On more than one occasion, Seay had to be talked into some of the final green placements. He advised them that the third green out on a promontory would need to be replaced virtually every year. He thought the twelfth green located directly above an eighty foot chasm on a 440 yard par four was excessive. He worried that the back markers on the sixteenth tee would require a driver on some days, and even then the ball could still end up in another deep chasm.

And yet the Club told him to press ahead with all of them. The biggest reason? They, like most in Ireland and the United Kingdom, prefer match to stroke play. As Archie Baird, the curator of the golf museum in Gullane, Scotland recently remarked, ‘Americans are killing the game. Look at them after a match. You have four unhappy men bent over their scorecards frowning. With match play, at least two men are always smiling!’

This same belief helps explain why the members of Tralee swear by their golf course. Who can blame them? The course offers many incomparably thrilling moments; only a scorecard and pencil mentality could ruin the day’s fun.'

[Bart Bradley]

Never been there. Apparently stunning land. Doak called it a missed opportunity in the CG.

Garland:

Yes, I know....but I would like him (or others who agree with him) to explain this in more detail.  While I am certain that Tom would have designed a different course and may have well designed a better course, there is, in my opinion, a LOT to like about what currently exists at Tralee.  So perhaps, we have the basis for some discussion....

Bart

[Mac Plumart]

Bart...

I, for one, agree with you. 

I have never played Tralee, but many of my friends have and they say it was one of their best golfing experiences ever.  Fun, enjoyable, thrilling, etc.

Here is a few points, questions, observations that I have...

By looking at the pictures of the course, it appears to be a "knock your socks off" wonderful course.  Would this stunning beauty and the unique holes be enough to offer a layman golfer an enjoyable day?

Furthermore, would a course with as much uniqueness, stunning views, thrilling shots be enough to offer an enjoyable round of golf to a gca junky?  I read that the two nines are totally different.  Does that kill the course for a gca guy?  Would they be criticizing a bunker being out of place or a green positioned wrong or can they enjoy what is in place?

Curious and interested in any discussion that might arise.

[Bart Bradley]

Mac:

Thanks for some discussion.

The nines are different...the front nine being in the flatter portion of the property and the back nine being mostly within the large and captivating dunes.  Having said that, I believe the front nine offers several really compelling holes.  The par 5 second is spectacular and the par 4 eighth has some very interesting ground movement.

I think I am a "gca guy" and the difference between the nines didn't "kill the course" for me.

I honestly do believe the course would offer an enjoyable day of golf to all sorts of golfers.

Bart

[Paul_Turner]

For some reason Tralee never gets the same criticism that Ballybunion New does, eventhough its dune holes are cut from the same cloth.

[Sean_A]

For some reason Tralee never gets the same criticism that Ballybunion New does, eventhough its dune holes are cut from the same cloth.

Paul

I am in your camp.  Tralee was one that didn't do it for me.  Good course for sure, but a one and out jobbie so far as I am concerned.  Like Turnberry and TEC, I think a better course should have come from this property.

Ciao

[K. Krahenbuhl]

My day at Tralee was very, very wet...yet very memorable.  You can put me in the column of people that love the course.

[Bart Bradley]

For some reason Tralee never gets the same criticism that Ballybunion New does, eventhough its dune holes are cut from the same cloth.

Paul

I am in your camp.  Tralee was one that didn't do it for me.  Good course for sure, but a one and out jobbie so far as I am concerned.  Like Turnberry and TEC, I think a better course should have come from this property.

Ciao

Sean:

Can you give some details for your disappointment....For me, Tralee is a course full of fun shots...both of the par 3s on the back are full of adventure...the 11th is a ton of fun...and on and on.

Bart

[Shane Wright]

I'm glad to see the discussion on Tralee - and Mac - thanks for your follow up and questions.

The game is meant to be FUN.  At least for me.  I think it is for 90+% of the people on here as well.  I do play competitively when I get the chance, but only if it is going to be FUN.  If the tournament is at a venue I'm not excited about, then I don't play.  I play when I know I'm going to have FUN.

To me, Tralee is ALL about fun and beauty. 

People often say that more could have been done with the site.  I think maybe this is the case.  I'm not an architect and am not going to pretend to be one.  I'm not going to do an analysis as to what should or shouldn't have been done.

But I will say this.  WHEN (key word being WHEN) you go to Ireland to play golf for the first time, you CANNOT miss the southwest of Ireland courses.  And WHEN you go there, you would have to be an absolute crazy person to not include Tralee on the list.  You MUST include it on the list. 

The two nines are very different.  I don't care what anyone says, the front nine is a blast and doesn't have the drama of the back, but still has 3 or 4 REALLY good golf holes. 

The back is a complete risk in golf architecture, but who cares....it is absolutely phenomenal.  It is easily one of the most fun 9 holes I have ever played. FUN being the key word.  Would I want to play it in a stroke play event - maybe not.  But a match play event - wow, that would be something.  There are no words or pictures to describe it. 

But playing the devils advocate.....I know that someday, I am going to be the older guy playing the low slinging draws to try to pick up more distance.  For the guys who play this type of ball....Tralee's back 9 could eat you alive.  It definitely doesn't take the low running shots.  It doesn't play close to a Muirfield or St. Andrew's....not even close.  It isn't a typical links experience.

But for sheer beauty and fun - Please promise me you will include Tralee - WHEN you make your first trip to Ireland.

Shane

[Sean_A]

For some reason Tralee never gets the same criticism that Ballybunion New does, eventhough its dune holes are cut from the same cloth.

Paul

I am in your camp.  Tralee was one that didn't do it for me.  Good course for sure, but a one and out jobbie so far as I am concerned.  Like Turnberry and TEC, I think a better course should have come from this property.

Ciao

Sean:

Can you give some details for your disappointment....For me, Tralee is a course full of fun shots...both of the par 3s on the back are full of adventure...the 11th is a ton of fun...and on and on.

Bart

Bart

First, I naturally played Tralee along with Lahinch and Ballybunion, Tralee fell far short of their quality.  I realize that this is no knock on Tralee, but it also serves to put Tralee in its place - strictly a second tier course to be played when and if. 

Second, there are far too many holes which can't take the wind.  Without mentioning the back 9, #8 is a case in point.  We couldn't hit our balls far enough right to keep them in play down sloping left fairway.  None of us could figure out what the heck we were meant to do to hold the fairway. 

Third, the rough is far too harsh for a narrow course with forced carries.  There are several spots on the back where anything but the fairway is re-load time. 

Finally, the green fee is outrageous.  There is no way I would pay their asking price when I can pay ridiculous green fees up the road for world class courses.  I could forgive an awful lot about the design if they priced the day at a throwaway cost - maybe 60 or 70 Euro or perhaps whatever Dooks is charging - that is more like what Tralee is competing against imo.   

Anyone that complains about places like Portrush being narrow and penal due to rough can't then turn around and say Tralee is good golf.  This is where Ran makes a major mistake in his analysis - it isn't evenly spread. All that said, I do think Tralee is a good course with one of handful of the most stunning sites I have ever seen, but that isn't enough for me when there is so much competition in Ireland.   

Ciao

[Shane Wright]

Sean -

I enjoyed reading your comments. 

I agree with you that the green fee is outrageous, especially with the US Dollar exchange rates.  But I will say this about Tralee - they give out FREE TEES with the green fee.  I know it sounds absurd, but it was against my principal to pay what they charge for tees in Ireland.  Seriously, it is a joke.  Tralee's tees were a savior.

I disagree with you on #8.  We played it in 20 mph with the wind into us and blowing towards the water.  When stepping on the tee, I'll agree that it looks like an impossible drive.......that is until we let a ONE ARMED man play thru us.  He was a right handed golfer with his right arm gone and used only his left arm.  I thought to myself, "There is no way on Mother Earth that he is going to get this anywhere near the fairway or in play."  He swiftly hit it about 220 down the middle and was gone....I thought that maybe we saw a ghost.   Anyways, there is more room on 8 than it looks like from the tee.  If you have any mental anguish over hitting the ball left, then I agree, #8 is brutal.   But just blow the ball out right and play it as a par 5 if you are really worried about a big #.

I agree that Tralee isn't Lahinch or Ballybunion - but seriously, if you are flying over from the U.S. and you are playing Ballybunion and Lahinch, you are crazy not to play Tralee once.

[Aidan Bradley]

[Mac Plumart]

Two thoughts...opinions...demands from MacArther Royster Plumart, CFA...

#1---It should be mandatory that Aidan Bradley post photos of every course we discuss on this site...and in exchange for that, the members of the site should agree to either pay him a monthly fee or buy x number of his photos a year.  I mean "WOW".  Mind-Bottling!!!   

#2---Looking at those pictures...who would not want to play that course?  Again..."WOW!"

For extra bonus points...name the movie that the Mind-Bottling quote came from?

[Forrest Richardson]

I have always felt Tralee deserves more credit...and, unfortunately gets bashed far too quickly. I had a load of fun playing it and I found the people equally full of fun, life and they had a very welcoming attitude. I also saw a fair number of people there having a good time — and many were paying quite handsomely for the privilege.

Rule No. 640-B: Good ‚ even great — golf is not necessarily made by the unilateral accolade of GCA.com as a whole .... or for that matter, even a majority of the enlightened posters.

[Sean_A]

Sean -

I enjoyed reading your comments. 

I agree with you that the green fee is outrageous, especially with the US Dollar exchange rates.  But I will say this about Tralee - they give out FREE TEES with the green fee.  I know it sounds absurd, but it was against my principal to pay what they charge for tees in Ireland.  Seriously, it is a joke.  Tralee's tees were a savior.

I disagree with you on #8.  We played it in 20 mph with the wind into us and blowing towards the water.  When stepping on the tee, I'll agree that it looks like an impossible drive.......that is until we let a ONE ARMED man play thru us.  He was a right handed golfer with his right arm gone and used only his left arm.  I thought to myself, "There is no way on Mother Earth that he is going to get this anywhere near the fairway or in play."  He swiftly hit it about 220 down the middle and was gone....I thought that maybe we saw a ghost.   Anyways, there is more room on 8 than it looks like from the tee.  If you have any mental anguish over hitting the ball left, then I agree, #8 is brutal.   But just blow the ball out right and play it as a par 5 if you are really worried about a big #.

I agree that Tralee isn't Lahinch or Ballybunion - but seriously, if you are flying over from the U.S. and you are playing Ballybunion and Lahinch, you are crazy not to play Tralee once.

Shane

#8 reminds me of Pennard's final hole.  Sometimes, it takes an almost bizarre incident to hold the fairway.  In the case of Pennard I can understand it (it doesn't mean I like it), but at Tralee its dopey because they pushed about quite a bit of dirt - why not get it right?  No, I won't be going back and I wouldn't recommend others play it unless beauty is their main concern.  There is just too much outstanding stuff one could play instead - including just staying at Ballybunion or Lahinch for a week.  Now if I wanted a bit of goofy golf and the price was cut dramatically - then I would give it a go again, but not for the price they are asking.  This is really the problem with the newer courses in Ireland and Scotland.  They spring up out of nowhere and want to charge as much or more as the old established clubs (free tees or not!).  I guess people go for it, but I have always been skeptical of this model.

Ciao

[Andrew Mitchell]

Great photos Aidan (as ever).  I have to confess that I didn't recognise any of the holes per your pictures except 12 &13.  However it is almost 20 years since I played there.

A good course for matchplay.  I wouldn't like to play it too often with card & pencil.

[Matt MacIver]

Aiden - as always, lovely snaps.  I counted three bunkers in five pictures (maybe a few more in the background of #2...?); is limited bunkering a known characteristic of the course? 

[Rory Connaughton]

Fantastic photos Brian! What were the temperatures like when you played Tralee?

[Eric Smith]

Awesome! Must be nice to have such an amazing place in your folks' backyard, eh Brian?

[Niall C]

Brian

Fantastic photos but as you say Mr Bradley does paint with a different palette.

As an aside, I note folk referring to this being a matchplay course as suggested by Ran with his reference to Archie Baird. To me it looks a hit or miss type of course. I can't imagine making too many up and downs round there. You could be out of the hole before you get to the putting green. It looks more like a stableford type of course rather than matchplay but then I haven't played it.

Niall