Portmarnock!

[Jon Heise]

So much has been added already.  I saw no weak holes and enjoyed a perfect, misty/rainy day as the only player on the course (April '18).  Perfect club, perfect location.  Would be a place I'd be delighted to play every day.

[Sean_A]

Would be a place I'd be delighted to play every day.

To me this is an entirely different question compared to greatness or character.  I love Kington and think it has bags of character, but I wouldn't want to play it every week. I think The Island is comfortably better than P'marnock and has more character with better terrain, but I would rather play P'marnock every week in the hope of not being beat over the head too badly.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

OK Sean, I’ll bite (again),


The Island is in no way a better course than Portmarnock.


It certainly has the wilder terrain which creates more variety in holes on a macro scale. I too love the course as it brings a level of excitement with each round.


But it is Portmarnock that has the greatness, not The Island.


Portmarnock brings with it the scale, the width, the ground game and the strategy. The terrain is fantastic, if incredibly subtle. The Island is a tad more one dimensional.


Hence my point to Mark P earlier in this thread about “what do we mean when we talk about great holes”. I often think people kid themselves.

[Sean_A]

Ally

The Island and Portmarnock are great in their own ways. To me The Island is the more dynamic course and thus more interesting, but too difficult for my skill level week in and out.  I do find it interesting that you cite TI as one dimensional.  That isn't my take at all.  There is a great mix of holes and styles over varied terrain and using given features very well.  However, as I always say, greatness is over-rated and its the intangibles which matter as least much as anything and that includes visuals.  Hell, I would take Corballis over both.  I like the muni, small joint vibe, it has plenty of high interest holes and the green fee is not in the least harsh.  There is no accounting for taste.

Ciao

[Ally Mcintosh]

Ally

The Island and Portmarnock are great in their own ways. To me The Island is the more dynamic course and thus more interesting, but too difficult for my skill level week in and out.  I do find it interesting that you cite TI as one dimensional.  That isn't my take at all.  There is a great mix of holes and styles over varied terrain and using given features very well.  However, as I always say, greatness is over-rated and its the intangibles which matter as least much as anything and that includes visuals.  Hell, I would take Corballis over both.  I like the muni, small joint vibe, it has plenty of high interest holes and the green fee is not in the least harsh.  There is no accounting for taste.

Ciao

Sean,


I have harped on enough about this but whilst cool ground contours look great and often allow a ball to interact in different ways, they do not always mean great, strategic golf holes.


The Island tends to ask you to play down the middle and more often than not the best route in to a green is to fly your ball there.


Portmarnock tends to use more angles and promotes the use of the ground more.


The former has huge variety in the look and variety of the holes - more so than the latter which is far more consistent in feel - but it is more one dimensional in the way it plays.


As for Corballis, it’s a bit of fun for a change but that’s about it. It is very penal considering its length.

[Sean_A]

Portmarnock may well promote the ground game more assuming the course is reasonably firm, but that doesn't mean TI isn't on for the ground game.  There is a small handful of TI holes which the ground game doesn't really work...and thats fine with me.  At least half the holes work for the ground game plus a few others which are tough, but doable. True, on many holes the ground game isn't a given, but again, thats fine.  I have already said the course is too tough for me if wind is about (but that is more about width than it is ground game VS aerial game), but not all courses can or should try to be all things to all golfers. I am comfortable with the idea of sacrificing some playability for character in this case because I don't play there every week.  At this point in my life I would happily take a less dynamic course for more playability.   

Corballis...yes, it is quite narrow in many places, but again, thats fine most of the time given the yardage and variety.  Plus, for 25 Euros its silly to complain especially when the green fees of the nearby high brow alternatives cover a seriously large percentage of the yearly membership for Corballis.  To me, not everything about golf is purely about so called shot values or strategy VS penal styles.  Golf is a big world and has plenty of room for all types of courses, models and price points.   

Ciao   

[Ally Mcintosh]

Popped out for 7 holes yesterday and it did look and play greener than I would have expected on the fairways and greens (roughs still browned out beautifully). Definitely not all to do with the heavy rain we had last weekend.


As for the changes:


- new mounding to left of 10 = good
- bunker to left of 10 = good ( though 4 yards too far to the right)
- moving bunker that Hawtree added to right of 14 fairway 5 yards right = good
- other bunker additions = not good
- containment mounding between fairways in three different areas = not good
- new pond to find fill to build unnecessary containment mounding = ?!?!?!

[Mark Chaplin]

Ally the St Andrews courses (bar Old) have gone from yellow to green in a week, totally down to the rain.

[Ally Mcintosh]

The Amateur Championship starts at Portmarnock today.


Whilst I’ll head out to see some of the action, I’d love to know if it’s scheduled to be on d’telly? I can’t find it...

[Mike Sweeney]

The Amateur Championship starts at Portmarnock today.


Whilst I’ll head out to see some of the action, I’d love to know if it’s scheduled to be on d’telly? I can’t find it...

I looked for any TV listings in the USA, and see nothing. Loved your place:

[Tommy Williamsen]

Would love to see the tournament. When I was there last november they were getting primed for it. A lot of bunker repair.
Played it  with two young men. One is the grandson of the late long time pro, Harry Bradshaw.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Here’s a great video of Shane Lowry talking to Paddy Power the other day about his Portrush win and the Open this week at Royal St Georges, all whilst playing a match at Portmarnock:


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=urA1R4S9T_k

[Mike Sweeney]

Here’s a great video of Shane Lowry talking to Paddy Power the other day about his Portrush win and the Open this week at Royal St Georges, all whilst playing a match at Portmarnock:


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=urA1R4S9T_k

Ally,



Absolutely fabulous. I probably understood 63% of the "language"!!

[Tim Pitner]

How doable is it to stay in Dublin city center and taxi to Portmarnock and the Island?

[Wayne_Kozun]

Love Lowry having a single strap carry bag with what looks like a smaller set.

[Daryl David]

How doable is it to stay in Dublin city center and taxi to Portmarnock and the Island?

Doable. $80 to $90 round trip before tip. 40 to 45 minutes depending on traffic.

[Jeff Johnston]

Train from city centre is also an option to Portmarnock. I’d estimate 15/20 mins walk from station to clubhouse, good chunk of that through the grounds from the gate into PGC.


Train not so much of an option to The Island (any more). In the old days you could have trained to Malahide and then been ferried over by the club’s boatman….indeed for a long time I believe that was the only access.