I interrupt the ratings love fest...(Royal Portrush)

[Brian_Gracely]

Can't wait for the GCA.com "who is the most objective and honorable rating organization" lists to come out next week.  

But until that happens, I thought I'd throw out some architecture in case anyone is bored silly by the constant babble about ratings, access, objectivity, dick size and other worthwhile arguments.  

I owe Neil Regan some pictures of his beloved Portrush, so I thought I'd extend the GolfClubAlbum.com viewing library.

The 1st at Portrush.  The area to the right is a short-game area, but it might as well be a cemetary for as many balls land there.  That bunker might as well be known as the "Devil's Plumber's Crack"


Yes, the bunker is deep and the approach becomes a skyline green from the bottom.  I don't recommend that poor posture to anyone.


The fairways on #1 and #2 are fairly wide, but the depth of the rough starts getting into your head on #3


The walkway from tee to green shows that the Toro mower sales rep is not making any commissions at Portrush.



The Par4 4th is probably the best hole on the course.  The bunkers on the left and OB right shrink the fairway down to about 20yds.  Note that they are true fairway bunkers.  The approach plays slightly uphill and must get between two large dunes that guard both sides of the green.  


The fairway on #5 swing about 90 degrees from left to right.  The tee-shot can be played to anywhere from 100-200 yards from the tee, depending on how much gorse and rough you want to carry.


The challenging and bunkerless 5th green.  The green sits at the edge of the cliffs, so it gladly excepts a run-up shot.




I'll post some more pictures later.

[THuckaby2]

Thank you, Brian.

Ahhh, Portrush.... home of the finest hot whiskey in
all of Ireland...

Besides that, the Dunluce is among the world's greatest
courses, as Brian's pictures plainly show.

I assume you have a good one of Calamity?
Get it on here, my friend.

TH

[Scott_Burroughs]

I haven't met your brother, but is that him or you in the pics?  If it's you, posture matters not if you can back it up - and you can.

FYI, it's Neil Regan, not Nick.

[Mike_Cirba]

Brian;

What's Portrush rated?  

[Brian_Gracely]

I haven't met your brother, but is that him or you in the pics?  If it's you, posture matters not if you can back it up - and you can.

FYI, it's Neil Regan, not Nick.

My apologies to Mr.Regan for the typo.  I'll correct it above.  

Those pictures are of me.  My brother is in some of the later pictures I'll post.  He plays considerably better and more consistent than me.  I'm slightly longer off the tee, but he knows how to get it in the hole.  I wish I had his game.  

[Brian_Gracely]

Brian;

What's Portrush rated?  

#1 in Irish courses that have hosted an Open Championship (tradition)

#1 in places where you can drink with Catholic priests in the bar of a Northern Ireland club.

#1 in places that you'd not want to be a lawn-mower or sunblock salesman.

#1 in courses located across the street from a caravan park.

#1 in courses that I wish were not so difficult to get to, with Sand Hills being a close second.

 

[Mike_Cirba]

Brian;

Excellent answer(s).

Thanks for sharing the pics.  They make me want to go to Ireland all the more!!

Now, I'll go back to arguing with the unwashed about ratings.  

[hp@hc]

Royal Portrush is ranked #12 in the world by Golf Digest, and rightly so in my opinion.  As Brian points out, the 4th is one of the finest holes on the course, and in all of the world.  It possesses all of the qualities of greatness - thread the needle off the tee, fairway bunkers and OB to consider, undulations to deal with while hitting a long iron into a tiny neck of a green, with large mounding either side of the entrance, and plenty of wind for good measure.

#12 is one of my favorites on the back, with the greensite making this par-4 a nailbiter!
 

[Brian_Gracely]

#12 is one of my favorites on the back, with the greensite making this par-4 a nailbiter!
 

hp,

I wish I had a better picture of #12.  If I remember it correctly, it's a fairly straight hole with a narrow fairway, and the green slopes severly off to the right.  This is the only picture I have from #12, and luckily I got up and down from this bunker.
 

[hp@hc]

Brian - the green is a true hogs back, with the green running off in all four directions of the compass.  The left side obviously is familiar to you, as any ball off center rolls down into a deep bunker that sits well below the surface of the green.  Generally, if you are in it, you cannot see ANY of the flagstick - it is that deep, and trust me, the next time you play, you will be steering your ball down the right side!

The right side is just as penal, with a large grass swale, a la the 13th at ANGC, which even with putter in hand is tough to escape from without giving up a shot or two.  The back of the green falls off, sloping down about 15 feet below the back edge of the putting surface, and the front is a false front, with many a ball rolling back and down to a swale on the front left.  

I don't care of you have a 7-iron in your hand or a SW, as I did last week (downwind, of course ), it is a scary approach, much like #8 at PV.  The ACTUAL landing area is much smaller than it appears, due to the severity of the slopes leading all balls away from the pin.  To add to the fun, there is a small tier in the green, about 2/3 of the way back.  

Fun, Fun, Fun

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Great answer on the number 1's. it is also number 1 course to be within 10 miles or an IRA shooting spree. A few guys got taken out after drinking hours a mile from my hotel and 2 miles from the course 5 years ago when I was there.

[Andy Hughes]

Ack! Brian, look out for those pullcarts before you hit out of the bunker!!
You clearly have more confidence then I.

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