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Ally Mcintosh

  • Karma: +0/-0
i agree about the blind tee shot being slightly less blind because there are two raised nobs that you quite clearly have to aim between... really hard hole this one... great green site and approach...

...but this hole and the 7th (which apes it on a smaller scale) run out of fairway at a driving distance... would it make it a better hole (or worse hole or make no difference) if the entire length of the hole was cut at fairway height rather than some rough ground?... just a question...

remember i've only seen the course once (very recently)

mike_malone

  • Karma: +0/-0
 I agree with Bart that #3 is where the "magical mystery tour" starts.
AKA Mayday

Patrick Glynn

  • Karma: +0/-0
Hole 4 Par 5
"Klondyke"

475 Blue
472 White

A great, historial Par 5 that dates back to around 1895 (please lets not get into a pissing match Tom & Melvyn) and another example where the blindness makes perfect "sense" in my opinion. The fairway looks a lot narrower than it plays, on account of the "valley" effect   & the second actually plays at least 1 club shorter due to conditions (elevation change, fairway slope, firm ground) This is a great example of a hole you could play day in day out without getting bored.

Tee Shot (the hill right will always kick balls down onto fairway, and the left one might)



If you snap your tee shot left, there is where you end up. You are left with a choice - do you chip back into the fairway beside the white shirted man? or go out the right of the hill? or are you brave enough to take on the hill? All depend on your lie, abilities, wind, confidence and pin position...



This is the site of Ari Techner's famous eagle. He hit a Cleveland Classics 4 wood from 245 over the hill to 6' and duly knocked the putt in for eagle.



This is a little further up the fairway. One treat for me caddying is convincing my man to hit his favorite club, and just forget about the yardage. A player that hits his 5 iron normally 160 yards can reach from here (around 210) by just striking it solid and letting the wind & slope gather the ball to the green.



The serpentine fairway (note dog in centre of)



This green is just about the best on the course. I love how all the slopes just meld together, and it has just the right about of difficulty and fun. The grass wall at the back stops most every ball from going out of bounds. This picture is taken from front right and one can see the spine front left that makes for tough pin positions. Amazing to think that this green was "designed" in a time before the Model T, let alone a D6.



And back left (not the best pic but it gives some idea of the slope down to green)

« Last Edit: July 29, 2008, 08:43:32 PM by Patrick Glynn »

Bart Bradley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Ok, so now I arrive at this tee and look over to my son and say "look at this craziness, where do you suppose the green is"....I probably had the biggest smile of my life on that tee box...Striped one down the middle....It sure does look as narrow as the pics but the slopes make it play a little wider.  5 iron over the dune and onto the back of the green.  The pictures don't really show how close the O.B. wall is to the back of the green.  I managed a 2 putt and said "son, we will never see another hole quite like this"..So far, I am right.

In my opinion, this can be the demonstration hole for good quirk.

Patrick, I am in heaven again just looking at your pics.  Thank you.

Bart

Ari Techner

  • Karma: +0/-0
This hole is just a ton of fun to play.  In all the times I played the course I never played it the same way twice.  This is a perfect example of a hole that would never be built today but one that makes the course that much better.  Just a great historic hole that I could never tire of playing.  Right in the middle of one of the best stretches of holes (3-9) on some of the most wild natural terrain in golf. 

David Stamm

  • Karma: +0/-0
Patrick, I can't thank you enough for starting this thread. Lahinch is one of the courses I dream of playing when I finally make it across the pond. You are lucky man! Keep 'em coming, this is great!!!
"The object of golf architecture is to give an intelligent purpose to the striking of a golf ball."- Max Behr

Kalen Braley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Patrick,

A great thread indeed.

I'm wondering why we can't build em like this anymore?  If its a liability thing, I would guess they would have already had to change this one.  If it isn't, then why not keep building them like this?

mike_malone

  • Karma: +0/-0
 The grass wall may be the most important feature that makes the hole work.

   Patrick,

    When did they start having someone stand at the top of Klondike to direct traffic?
AKA Mayday

KBanks

  • Karma: +0/-0
Thanks for the pictures Patrick.

Lahinch really is a dream of what a links should be.

Ken

Greg Krueger

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: A Fan's Photo Tribute to Lahinch - 3rd hole commentary now in progress
« Reply #34 on: August 01, 2008, 11:43:10 AM »
Patrick, I'm ready for some more Lahinch!!!

Patrick Glynn

  • Karma: +0/-0
Hole 5 Par 3

154 Blue
148 White

What can I say about this GREAT par 3? It is just a joy to play every time I step on the tee. It is totally unique in the world of golf, and in my view helps set Lahinch apart as a truly one of a kind golf experience. For those of you that have not played it, the green is situated between 3 dunes, and one must hit over the first to reach the green.

Tee Shot: Players on the right are on the very right edge of the green, the white stone is on line with the pin.



This is taken from front left, just a bit above the level of the green & gives some ideas as the the width (very) and depth (shallow)



A similar shot from front right:



One of the most fun shots in golf is when your ball ends up here. Time and again players without imagination/experience will try a crazy super-lob to try and get it close to this pin. The best bet is to bank it off the far hill with a putter & watch it come back down.



Another picture from way over the green on the right, to give you an idea of the setting of the green.

« Last Edit: August 24, 2012, 10:54:29 AM by Patrick Glynn »

Patrick Glynn

  • Karma: +0/-0
Present for Chip ;)
« Reply #36 on: August 05, 2008, 02:48:22 PM »
Here is a preview of 6, one of Chip's favorite 2nd shots anywhere.


Jon Nolan

Pat Ruddy says tourists ace #5 more than any other hole in Ireland.

And caddies are tipped better.    ;)

Great hole; great course; great thread.  Thanks Patrick.

Ari Techner

  • Karma: +0/-0
Another fabulous old world golf hole.  I recorded my second career hole in one here and when I got to the green I looked all over the dunes before we found my ball in the hole.  I love quirk and character on a golf course and Lahinch has that in spades.  Like 4, a perfect example of a great golf hole that would never be built today but  one that the gca world is better off because of. 

Bart Bradley

  • Karma: +0/-0
What happened to this thread?  I am in Lahinch withdrawal.  Please give us some more.  I will never forget my first trip to the Dell.  Our playing partner made a birdie, I hit the green and made par and my son made par from here:




An amazing and FUN golf hole.

Now come on Patrick, give us some more.

Bart

Matt_Ward

First off let me say unequivocally I am a big time fan of Lahinch -- on the two occasions I played the course the weather was low 70's with just a tad of wind. How lucky for me indeed.

However ...

If you placed the Klondyke or Dell holes in the States you'd get howls of unfairness and other such related calls. Place them in Ireland and everyone raves. It's amusing to see the double standard of quirk at work.

And before your "traditionalists" spew your venom my way -- consider how much better of a ole the Dell would be if the rough cut were raised by no less than 10 feet or so instead of hanging as tight as it does now.

One other aspect -- I love the 6th and 7th holes -- particularly when you play the 7th as you hit over the 6th. Great photos of a superb layout minus the element I mentioned initially.

Ari Techner

  • Karma: +0/-0
I am sure we will hear from Patrick soon.  He is in the states playing some golf.  I heard he has played Pasatiempo, SFGC and Meadow Club in the last 3 days.  Not a bad stretch....

RJ_Daley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Patrick, great tour of your home course.  What a journey the routing of that course seems to take the golfer on.  With your home in the background, it must be nice to keep an eye on the homestead while you play.  ;) ;D 8)  Twilight in the summer with the shadows must be enchanting. 

How often do you play?  As a resident, could you tell us what a membership and dues might cost?  Can you play year around? 
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.

Tim Pitner

  • Karma: +0/-0
And before your "traditionalists" spew your venom my way -- consider how much better of a ole the Dell would be if the rough cut were raised by no less than 10 feet or so instead of hanging as tight as it does now.

Then you'd have a Jim Engh-style bowl-shaped green, which I doubt would fit in very well at Lahinch. 

Richard Boult

Added to Photo Tours directory at http://delicious.com/golfclubatlas/Ireland.

Patrick Glynn

  • Karma: +0/-0
Update
« Reply #45 on: August 15, 2008, 03:09:11 PM »
Sorry for the late responses. I am actually in the US playing some of the best you guys have to offer. Played 54 at Pasa and 36 at Meadow, but was absolutely blown away by my 18 at SFGC.

Back on topic - yes you can definitely play year round, though it does get cold, wet and windy during the winter. I believe Micheal Malone (a member on here) played during the Christmas holidays one time and enjoyed the experience.

I play a ridiculous amount - at least once a day between May and October. My favorite time is to go out at around 6pm and I can play 18 easily, or play 2 balls and just do the front 9. My personal favorite loop is to start at 3, play until the Dell, then hop down the 15th and play the last 4.

Membership is only ~ €800 a year, and the entrance fee is 10,000. This is knocked down 10% for every year you are a Junior Member and I have been a member since I was 9 so I am all set. Overseas Life Membership is actually a REALLY good deal if you intend to make the trip more than once. Forgetting about exchange rates for a second, I think its around €10,000 as a once off payment and that's you done for life.

Patrick
« Last Edit: June 23, 2013, 10:56:12 AM by Patrick Glynn »

Chris Black

Hello All,
My father and I visited Ireland last month and Lahinch was our first stop.  Incredible!
I will add what I can to the discussion; but I would like to post a link to my pictures as well:  http://picasaweb.google.com/chrisblack01.  Don't miss the Day 1 Lahinch photos and the narrative of my deuce on the Klondyke!  Enjoy.  And thanks for the wonderfully timely thread.
Chris

Patrick Glynn

  • Karma: +0/-0
and I am back! Sorry for the long absence, had to play a bit of golf on the other side of the pond. Now onto one of the best holes at Lahinch:

Hole 6 Par 4

424 Blue
412 White

Tee Shot: (Ideal line is probably at the flat part of the dune in the distance)



If one lays back with an iron, a 2nd of some 200 yards is faced: (note the width of the fairway)



Whereas if one challenges "The Mine" and turn you tee shot over, a much easier 2nd from ~ 150 is possible:



Greensite from short left: Hawtree moved this green some 20 yards left and its some of his best work IMHO. The original MacKenzie green was nearer the ocean in the 30s, but had to be moved back in the middle of the century because of erosion & sand/salt spray.



Green from front right:


Rob Rigg

  • Karma: +0/-0
Patrick,

Brilliant pictures! I played BB and Lahinch in 98 while visiting family and actually enjoyed the experience at Lahinch quite a bit more.

I need to get back there again, and play both course a couple of times, so I can remember exactly why!

Well done by Hawtree on the course reno's - they look great.

Slainte

Bart Bradley

  • Karma: +0/-0
Look at the fairway on that hole and the random movement...Amazingly beautiful and a great golf hole.

Bart