I played it maybe 15 years ago when I was writing for a golf magazine and they had a media day to promote the course. It was cold and windy, which seemed appropriate for what wants to be a faux Irish links. I actually enjoyed the course. Obviously, it doesn’t play like a links, but there are some interesting holes and some hills that feel almost like dunes. I would definitely play it again if I was in the area.
However, my most vivid memory of that day was playing a long par 4 that had a very long forced carry over fescue. In my group was an old guy … had to have been in his 70s. I teed off and then turned to talk to one of the other writers. I heard a “click” and turned to see the old fella with a wedge in his hand. I asked him why he hit wedge and he said, “I have no chance of reaching the fairway with my driver, and I don’t want to lose another ball in the hay, so I hit my wedge to the ladies tee box.”
Sure enough, his ball was sitting right in the middle of the ladies tee, about 100 yards ahead of us. To be honest, it was a hell of an impressive shot, given the conditions. And a reminder of how important it is to know your game.