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Brent Hutto

Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #25 on: December 21, 2012, 07:33:53 AM »
I will exert all my influence with the powers that be in that direction, Ally. In fact, I believe by saying that I have exerted all my influence. Such as it is!

jvisser

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #26 on: December 21, 2012, 01:54:11 PM »
Dear Mark,

Great to have such a nice review of the first links course I played. It brings back fond memories.
I played a number of rounds there on a nearly deserted course in all kinds of conditions, very enjoyable.
Quite a bit has changed, I see, compared to when I played there in 1990, when I had just started playing golf.
Especially some of the green surrounds look different and less natural. I have been curious for some time now,
how the course would play today. Your post convinces me I should start planning!

Cheers,

        Jan

ps I tried to attach an image of the scorecard I found from those days, but no luck so far... any help appreciated.


Mike_Trenham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #27 on: December 22, 2012, 07:26:03 AM »
I really wish they had opted to add a par five on the low ground on the front so as to use up more of the dullish ground on the front to leave room for more holes along the coast.  If you want to understand the culture of the club watch the wandering golfer piece.  The guy on the right at the bar, took 5 euro off me way to eaisily, what a short game.



http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TMfEJ1d5I3M
Proud member of a Doak 3.

D_Malley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #28 on: December 22, 2012, 10:10:54 AM »
When up at N&P you must stop by my cousins pub "Packies Bar"
They say it has one of the best views of any pub in Ireland.

http://www.lettermacaward.info/recreation/packies/

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #29 on: December 26, 2012, 04:16:21 AM »
Mark, thank you very much for taking the time to do this tour. This looks like my type of golf course. Short, fun, quirky and cheap!

Mark

I echo Brian's sentiments.

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #30 on: May 23, 2014, 01:03:24 PM »
A while ago some friends and I paid a visit to Narin & Portno. Bit nice it is too.

Remote, scenic, pretty quirky in places. A place to lose a few balls if you're game is 'off', your course management is poor or the wind or rain are up. Played firm and fast - shots made a wonderful 'thump' sound upon landing. Generally an out-and-back layout although the 13th hole plays in reverse. No real weak holes and quite a few to test your game, patience and course management. A very friendly place too. Would I play it again? Absolutely. I'd love too. Go play it if you have the opportunity. It's much more than just a quirky wee links, it's really good golf too.

Here are some photos to enhance those already posted by Mark Ferguson in his very nice photo-tour.

Par-4 1st green from 1st fairway. Nice start, not too tough but tough enough to make a mess of. OB right, diagonal ditch in driving zone, raised green with lots of internal slope. Rather nice hole.



Looking back down the par-5 2nd fairway from the 2nd green. One of the lesser holes. Pretty flat. Green very offset from the fairway. Hazard, dry when we played but probably not always so, all the way down the right side of hole (left side in photo).


No photos of holes 3, 4 and 5. Good holes they all are too, but my photos are akin to Marks so no point in duplicating.

From the driving zone at the par-4 6th plus two views of the rather nicely contoured green looking from both sides with views (2nd photo) of holes 10 and 11 in the background and (3rd photo) the bay and dune system 'inside' the course, which is laid out a bit like a hook with water on both sides.  A rather nice hole, an easy green to mess-up.




Par-3 7th from the left side. Raised tee, small and sloped raised green. Don't go long or right or be short. Very nice par-3. Wonderful big dune blow-out in the background, but alas, no course there.





Par-4 8th from the the tee. 8th green in the distance, 7th green to the right. A right rascal of a hole. Looks drivable but isn't really. Lots of humps and hollows. Ridge in driving distance. Small green very hard to hit and hold and immediately over the back is the rocks.






Par-4 9th. Up and over a blind saddle. Again, another rascal of a hole unless you manage to bomb a drive way over the ridge (unlikely). First photo is looking back from the top of the saddle towards to tee which is located directly above the rocks behind the 8th green. Wonderful big dunes with monster blow-out in the background. A good strong, interesting hole.


From the 9th fairway at the top of the ridge looking towards the 9th green. In the far distance.....Canada!

Looking back from behind the green towards the ridge.


More to follow
« Last Edit: May 24, 2014, 05:31:10 AM by Thomas Dai »

Robin_Hiseman

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #31 on: May 23, 2014, 03:13:35 PM »
I've enjoyed finding this thread. Narin & Portnoo was my lucky alternative upon discovering that St.Patrick's was closed. This is the kind of links that would be a 'must play' if it were on the main tourist drag, but it takes a real effort to search it out and for my money is well worth the effort.

David, good use of the word 'rascal'!
2024: RSt.D; Mill Ride; Milford; Notts; JCB, Jameson Links, Druids Glen, Royal Dublin, Portmarnock, Old Head, Addington, Parkstone, Denham, Thurlestone, Dartmouth, Rustic Canyon, LACC (N), MPCC (Shore), Cal Club, San Fran, Epsom, Casa Serena, Hayling, Co. Sligo, Strandhill, Carne, Cleeve Hill

Paul Gray

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #32 on: May 23, 2014, 04:40:43 PM »
Tom,

Excellent additional stuff.

I saw a tour of Narin some time ago on a different site and was immediately struck by the raw beauty of the place.

Thanks.
In the places where golf cuts through pretension and elitism, it thrives and will continue to thrive because the simple virtues of the game and its attendant culture are allowed to be most apparent. - Tim Gavrich

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #33 on: May 23, 2014, 05:46:45 PM »
I have been there twice; once in the early 90's and again last year.  The extensions to the course [adding the new 15th and 16th holes, and combining some others] did not impress me at all; my host said the main difference today is that the course "takes 45 minutes longer to play".

Nevertheless, I still think there are four of the best par-4's in Ireland:  5th, 8th, 9th, 17th.  That's plenty of reason to make a stopover.  A lot of courses on the tourist trail don't have any hole as good as those.

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #34 on: May 24, 2014, 04:11:25 AM »
Robin,

"This is the kind of links that would be a 'must play' if it were on the main tourist drag, but it takes a real effort to search it out and for my money is well worth the effort."

Absolutely spot on. I couldn't agree more. Even with it's remoteness a course more folk should visit. Post-Buda 2015?

Paul,

"Raw beauty", very nice description.

Tom,

The 4 holes you mention are indeed fine holes but the 4th and 6th are not to be sneezed at either IMO. Not that many par-4's to compliment on the back-9 though, as it contains 4 (!!) par-5's and 2 par-3's.

What routing etc wise is different now to your first visit?

With the possible exception of the fairly 'soft' par-5 2nd hole I didn't think any holes at N&P could be described as weak or even near-weak, they all have something to offer it some way or other if you didn't keep your golfing wits about you and think of the consequences, potentially good as well as potentially bad, before playing your shot. Lots of slopes to feed shots into pins but equally lots of slopes to get on the wrong side of.

I first read about N&P in a green covered book called "Golf in Scotland and Ireland" first published in 1987 which describes it as "a deceptively difficult little links with greens that make elusive targets, exacting severe penalties for even the narrowest miss". I guess some of the 'littleness' has gone what with the changes Tom hints at. The back-9 doesn't play 'little' at all, in fact into an even reasonably semi-stout wind it's tough. A course for long irons not hybrids IMO.

Anyway, enough words, here's some more photos.

Par-5 10th fairway looking back towards the tee. There is a marker post on top of a ridge and it's a really very long biff from the tee to get it there. If you fail, which is the most likely outcome, your ball is likely to roll back 20-30 yds or so. Two more stout biffs await you and there's all sorts of narrowness, grassy hollows and humps to negotiate before you get to a delightful green, one with very considerable internal contouring. A very fine hole.





I don't have a photo of the nice par-3 11th but the greens location can be seen in the 3rd photo above. The tee is to the right.

I quite liked the par-4 12th, not a star hole maybe, but still fine. You play from the higher dunes back down onto the flatter area occupied by holes 2-4 and then turn slightly right and play up to this green, which is sloped pretty severely from the rear down to the front. A bit of a sleeper hole, take it for granted and it can easily bite you into taking a bogey etc. The photo is taken from the 5th tee


The course then reverses direction with the narrow uphill par-5 13th, the first of three par-5's in a row. Just a couple of photos. The 13th has a very nicely contoured green, one that would be very easy to get out of position on and then face the putting and scorecard consequences. The pin position in the photo is not one to attack! In the first photo the 13th fairway is at right, 14th fairway at left.




More later - time for a cuppa!

atb
« Last Edit: May 24, 2014, 05:33:06 AM by Thomas Dai »

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #35 on: May 24, 2014, 05:22:23 AM »
Cuppa finished, time for more.

Along and above the beach now for two par-5's, the 14th and 15th. No specific hole photos just some general views looking in both directions including back and across to the far end of the course to give an idea of the general aspect. Lovely and peaceful and serere.





The tiny par-3 16th green. Don't go long or left. Photo cropped to show no caravans - a bit like behind the 17th green at Enniscrone, there are rather a lot of them.


Par-4 17th from the centre of the fairway. A very, very humpy, bumpy fairway and a sneakily half hidden green that slopes away (shown better in Mark's photos). Note the red flagged raised 1st green in the far distance.


Par-4 18th green and Clubhouse. This green slopes significantly from right to left.


Narin & Portnoo. Would I play it again? Like a shot if given half a chance.

It's not long, it's not flashy, it's not easy to get to but it's quality golf on a lovely firm and fast links set in a spectacular location abounding with lovely friendly people.

A quite delightful place to visit and spend 3-4 hrs walking around and then some time afterwards in the modern Clubhouse. Combine it with Cruit Island 30 mins up the road for a cracking 27-hole day. Golfing bliss.

atb

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #36 on: December 28, 2017, 01:45:57 PM »
A bump to remind us with a bit of detail of N&P. Shame Mr Photobucket has removed the later uploaded photos.
Atb

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #37 on: December 29, 2017, 12:10:59 AM »
Yes, I'm sure all the additional "photobucket" pics would have been great.  N&P is etched in my memory.  Although the day Garland Bayley and I played in winds that were reasonably said, at the upper end if not over the top for the chance to enjoy the features of the course with some measure of making one's best golf swings, it was none the less a blast to play.  It was easy to see how great the course would be in less than 20mph winds.  Our day had gusts into the 50s.  But it was serendipitous in that by unplanned circumstance, we bumped into the ubiquitous Irish roving, Mr. Warne.   And he in his intrepid way finished to beat ass down the road to Cruit Island IIRC.  And it was Cruit I also played the next day in the most powerful winds I have ever experienced on a golf course.  The radio said, 100km gusts! 

But through it all, N&P was easy to see it's greatness. 
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #38 on: December 29, 2017, 06:09:09 AM »
New plays planned for 2024: Nothing

Mike_Trenham

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #39 on: December 29, 2017, 06:45:06 AM »
I was told a former local who now resides in the states (nyc/ct) recently purchased Nairn and Portnoo from a hedge fund that ended up with the debt.  He secured the place for a very low price.  They have started mowing the old greens as a precautionary measure as the new ocean front holes are suffering erosion.


In my opinion the less interesting land early in the routing would have better served for another par 5, and the par 5 13th’s land might have made for a great short 4 and par 3 combo.  When I played the 13th with strong winds from the right it was nearly unplayable.
Proud member of a Doak 3.

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #40 on: December 29, 2017, 09:28:17 AM »
I looked on a sat map for signs of former tees and green and also noticed that the splendid 8th hole seems to have another green site just to the south of the current one. Considerable space, and a big blow-up and high dunes, near the greenkeeping sheds as well. A different perspective on a few holes from above.
See map - [size=78%]https://www.bing.com/maps[/size] - seems like no more direct link so you’ll need to type in Narin and Portnoo.
Atb




Edit - see reply 44 herein for Donals detailed explanation of how the course once used to be - [size=78%]http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,65367.msg1559466.html#new[/size]
« Last Edit: December 30, 2017, 05:44:22 AM by Thomas Dai »

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #41 on: December 29, 2017, 09:46:13 AM »
Great stuff Thomas.
The opportunities are endless.
Hopefully they get back on good financial footing and do nothing to put themselves on the tourist map
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #42 on: December 29, 2017, 09:47:25 PM »
Yes, I'm sure all the additional "photobucket" pics would have been great.  N&P is etched in my memory.  Although the day Garland Bayley and I played in winds that were reasonably said, at the upper end if not over the top for the chance to enjoy the features of the course with some measure of making one's best golf swings, it was none the less a blast to play.  It was easy to see how great the course would be in less than 20mph winds.  Our day had gusts into the 50s.  But it was serendipitous in that by unplanned circumstance, we bumped into the ubiquitous Irish roving, Mr. Warne.   And he in his intrepid way finished to beat ass down the road to Cruit Island IIRC.  And it was Cruit I also played the next day in the most powerful winds I have ever experienced on a golf course.  The radio said, 100km gusts! 

But through it all, N&P was easy to see it's greatness.
Dick,

The big winds were at Portsalon. The winds at N&P were very manageable (at least for me as I kept it in the fairway on the back to back to back par 5s to crush you and send you begging for strokes in later matches). The begging helped you as somehow you managed to find the fairways on the front 9 in a gale at Portsalon and my charge on the back 9 only netted me a draw, the only time I wasn't in your pocket.  ;D
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #43 on: December 29, 2017, 10:16:30 PM »
Yah, hey....  ;D 8) ::)   

That trip on multiple courses was the most wind I have ever played in.  I once played Wild Horse in similar to Port Salon and drove a ball on a par 4, 7th, 340 something yards to the greenside front bunker, straight down wind.... IIRC, we didn't see any straight down wind at Port Salon, all sideways.  The par 3, 150 yardish at N&P where I hit driver straight into the wind for all I was worth onto the green may have been my best of the day or week....  ;D

Glad you left me a few quarters to buy a pint at dinners.
No actual golf rounds were ruined or delayed, nor golf rules broken, in the taking of any photographs that may be displayed by the above forum user.

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #44 on: December 30, 2017, 12:13:10 PM »
Course routing from Bing Maps

NandPRouting by Garland Bayley, on Flickr
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

Tom_Doak

  • Karma: +2/-1
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #45 on: December 30, 2017, 12:33:13 PM »
The holes that were added to the course are the par-5 14th and 15th.  They are narrower than you'd like them to be; it's pretty easy for players to miss left into 14 fairway from 15 tee, to avoid the edge of the cliff.


I am fairly certain that today's #10 is a combination of two of the holes from the original course; actually I think #11 was new, too, and that it was somehow a case of making two holes out of three.  I'm pretty sure the other lost hole was somewhere in the outward run, but can't remember where.

Garland Bayley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #46 on: December 30, 2017, 01:08:06 PM »
The holes that were added to the course are the par-5 14th and 15th.  They are narrower than you'd like them to be; it's pretty easy for players to miss left into 14 fairway from 15 tee, to avoid the edge of the cliff.


I am fairly certain that today's #10 is a combination of two of the holes from the original course; actually I think #11 was new, too, and that it was somehow a case of making two holes out of three.  I'm pretty sure the other lost hole was somewhere in the outward run, but can't remember where.

Here are Donal's details on the changes. The other lost hole is from the combination of 6 and 7 into the new dogleg 6th up into the dunes.

BEGIN DONAL
Here's a list of the alterations to N&P.

1st: Same as old 1st which was listed as 289-m on the card I have from 1980s/90s. Two fairway bunkers on left added.

2nd: Same as old 2nd hole, listed as 450-m. Five bunkers added down the left hand side; the first two added after 2005. The last three added sometime in late 1990s. One bunker  that was between the green and the lake was removed prior to 2000. If you played this hole in the 1990s or earlier, you will remember a big fence running across the 17th and 2nd fairways. Cattle grazed on the south part of the course. The 1st, 17th and 18th greens used to be surrounded by electric fences.

3rd: Same as old 3rd, listed as 171-m. There was a bunker between the green and the drain (OOB) on the right, but this was removed in late 1990s.

4th: Same as old 4th, listed as 416-m. Old green was about 50 yds left of present green, so the drain was never a danger. New green now tucked into the corner bringing drain and OOB more into play.  All four bunkers are new.

5th: Same as old 5th, listed as 356-m. Two fairwary bunkers added and a greenside bunker (on front right) removed.

Now we get to the first major change.

6th: This new hole is a composite of the old 6th and 7th holes. The old 6th was a par 3 of 187-m played in the same direction as the drive for this new 6th hole. The old green was/is located where the hole doglegs left. It wasn't that memorable a hole, so I do not think N&P is any worse off as a result of its loss. The old 7th hole played (292-m) from a tee to the right of the turn of the dog-leg. It was an uphill par 4 to a green about 50 yards beyond the present new 6th green. It was a really tough green to hold, especially in the wind. The green was/is located on the left side of the present 10th fairway.


Here's a photo of the old 6th green, as viewed from front left; the old ladies 7th tee is in the background:


Here's a link to the old 7th green, with the old 12th green in the background:


7th: Same as old 8th, listed as 130-m.

8th: Same as old 9th, listed as 294-m. The little green just to the south of the main green was there in the 1990s or even earlier. I never saw it in operation and I wonder why it was developed.

9th: Same as old 10th, listed as 356-m.

So, it may come as a surprise, but not so much has been changed on the first nine. I'm not sure, but the first green may have been redone. The 4th and 6th greens are new; the rest on the front nine are unchanged I believe.


10th: New hole which follows the routing of old 11th and 12th holes. The old 11th was a par 3 of 180-m which was played from the present 10th tee in roughly the same direction as the drive for the new 10th. The green was located at the right edge of the present fairway. It was a tough par three with anything slightly left running down the side into a hollow. Sand being blown in from the beach was a constant problem in the winters. The whole hole, including the present 9th green were constantly being dumped with sand. The old 12th hole - a par 4 of 303-m - played along the present hole. The mens tee was located just below the current 8th tee. The green was situated into the left about 100 yards short of the current green; before the fairway pinches.


Here's a link showing the old 11th green:


11th: A new par 3 to replace the old 13th which was also a par 3. The old 13th was 170-m and ran almost parallel to the present hole. The tee was located very close to the current tee box and you played directly over the current 12th green. When you walk from the current 11th green along the path to the 12th tee, you pass through an open area with short grass; this is where the old 12th green was situated.

Here's a not so great photo of the old 13th:


12th: Same as old 14th which as 476-m on my old scorecard. Two greenside bunkers removed and one added about 70 yards short of the green on the left.


13th: Same as old 15th which as listed as 450-m. One greenside bunker on the left removed.

14th: New hole.

15th: New hole.

16th: Same as old 16th. One greenside bunker on the left side removed.

17th: Same as old 17th, listed at 371-m.

18th: Same as old 18th and listed as 321-m. The green was relocated about 30 yards to the right, probably for safety reasons. It was always a pain having to wait on the first tee while players finished out on the 18th green. This is no longer a problem. There are two new fairway bunkers down the left and three new ones on the right of the new green.
END
« Last Edit: December 30, 2017, 01:17:59 PM by Garland Bayley »
"I enjoy a course where the challenges are contained WITHIN it, and recovery is part of the game  not a course where the challenge is to stay ON it." Jeff Warne

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #47 on: December 30, 2017, 01:30:45 PM »
Thanks Donal, Garland,
So you walk nearly the exact same ground-then add two 500 plus par 5's(new 14,15) for the new routing.
I remember the old 10th (a par 3) well not so much the next hole (old 11)
Not much memory of old 6,7
New 6 is a bit awkward the first time you play it


 I also remember the gate on 2 and 17 to keep livestock in/out and the fences around 1, 17, 18
"Portmoo" my '97 traveling companion writer Henry Beard dubbed it
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #48 on: March 22, 2019, 12:49:32 PM »
In pondering a Donegal trip for this summer I looked at the N&P website and found some details including video flyovers of the changes to the course by Gil Hanse and Co.
See - https://www.narinandportnoolinks.com/course/
Seems like the 10th is now a par-3 and the 8th green has been moved to a spot where when you walked the land a few years ago it did look as if a green had maybe once been in times way past. Reshaped 9th green too.
Atb
« Last Edit: March 22, 2019, 12:52:26 PM by Thomas Dai »

Mark_F

Re: Narin and Portnoo!!!
« Reply #49 on: March 23, 2019, 01:53:00 AM »
You would want to hope those new greens look better on the ground than they do from a drone shot.  They look far too "American".

That 8th green is surely either going to get washed away or require a lot more maintenance. 

€120 for a summer green fee - that's getting very steep for that part of the world.

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