Here's the second part of my opinion on Inniscrone. Regarding the fifth hole, what's the problem? It's 98 yards downhill. Yes, there is a little bit of backtracking involved--a whole 98 yards. Big deal. If you're walking, you can leave your bag up top, carry a putter and a wedge down, and that's that. It's not that difficult a shot, to hit a spinning 3/4 sand wedge.
I fail to see what is so wrong with a lot of this course that attracts so many negative opinions. Yes, it's far. That, I will concede, especially from the northern suburbs, for example from my area (near North Wales). I'm not sure if it has the totality, the star power, to attract people to drive 45 minutes to more than once or twice a year. (For example, IMO, Beechtree or Bethpage Red is one in which it's worth the drive 2-3 times a year).
1 is a good starting hole-there's plenty of room, even if you miss the drive, to recover. It's not overly long or difficult, IMO. As far as the other holes, they all seemed to be relatively fair and give the player ample room to play. In contrast to French Creek, where I thought wetlands were a little too close to many of the lines of play (as is the case with Lederach), I felt, here, the player actually has more room to play and miss. Further, I didn't play all that great or all that bad. Maybe it was because it was November, and the greens were softer and more receptive.
2 is a good hole, 3 is very good, 4 is ok, difficult drive and second. But, I found it possible to leave it short (by accident) and pitch on within a reasonable putting distance. 5 was fine that way it is. 6,7 are fine. 8's not bad--good redan-like green, I also recall comments on the tee shot angle being off. 9 tough. 10 is what it is. 11 is very, very good. 12 is difficult, but not unreasonably so. 13 is a little quirky, but again, not overly so. 14 is good--looks a lot longer than it is. 15 is very good, 16 is a little quirky, I can see why it attracts some negative opinions, but it can't be that bad--I parred it. The "quarry" is fine--it struck me as very easy to find a lost ball if short. 17 is tough, and 18 is maybe a little short and/or anticlimactic for a very memorable finisher, but it's fine.
Reading an older article on here, I saw it was suggested that 17 play as a short par 5. Not a bad idea, especially for public play. I can see how the meadow grass is tough sometimes--balls seem to sink and disappear from sight.
Now, I'm not saying I'm going to start driving 45 mins. each Saturday next spring, but I don't see why I wouldn't give it a go once a year. I can, however, see, if I belonged to one of the more famous local Flynn-designed clubs, why I would pass it up. We really do have some great golf courses down here. From a business standpoint, would it be possible to market it to slightly better-than-average public players from the Baltimore, Philadelphia, and maybe Lancaster areas who either a) don't belong to a club or b) need another place to play on a given day?
Also, how much to charge is a question. Beechtree and Bulle Rock are basically right on 95. This is a little ways off and out of the way, even though it's Route 1, most people heading down south would take 95, correct?
I have to give it a lot of thought as to what a catering business addition or restaurant would do to it. Probably add another loss-leader.