[Chris Roselle]

#7 at The European Club

Can you talk me through why you are so keen on this hole, Chris?

Agreed. Another hole I didn't get. Must be me. This one seemed out of place with the rest of the course to me. Very difficult hole, though.

You guys are right, it is alittle out of place with the rest of the course but what I remember liking about it is that you had to be very precise with your drive and it's overall length made it quite a challenge.

[JNC Lyon]

#7 at The European Club

Can you talk me through why you are so keen on this hole, Chris?

Agreed. Another hole I didn't get. Must be me. This one seemed out of place with the rest of the course to me. Very difficult hole, though.

You guys are right, it is alittle out of place with the rest of the course but what I remember liking about it is that you had to be very precise with your drive and it's overall length made it quite a challenge.

So you mean the hole is really long and narrow?  How much skill, creativity, or imagination does it take to route and build a hole like this?

[Niall C]

Is this just in the Irish Golf Digest or is it going to be in other versions ?

The only course listed that I've played in Ireland was County Sligo and for me the 17th was perhaps the least inspiring hole on a great course. Funny how people see things differently.

Niall

Just in Golf Digest Ireland, Niall...

Here's Ronan Branigan's description of why the 17th at Rosses Point inspires him:

Harry Colt is known as a master of routing and this is evident for all to see at Rosses Point. Home to The West of Ireland championship, it has long been regarded as one of the finest links in Ireland and some would say that it has the best five finishing holes in the country. Nestled among those holes is the famous 17th, known locally as ‘The Gallery’. As far as penultimate holes go on a golf course this right to left dogleg is a benchmark. Measuring 454 yards from the back tee, this long Par 4 tests every component of a golfer’s game from accuracy to length and ultimately nerve. The drive appears to be straightforward but unless you are long and right, the next shot to the green is blind. Then take a deep breath, for the second is likely to be with a fairway wood. Countless scores and matches have pivoted on this stroke. The green is elevated with a dramatic false front that will carry a less than committed shot 50 yards away from the green leaving a difficult recovery. An over zealous shot to the back of the green also has its perils, especially if the pin is at the front. Not alone is a three putt on the cards; a pitch from whence you came is a strong possibility. If you can walk away from this hole with a par, be very proud. It doesn’t happen too often

Thanks Ally, I appreciate you posting that. If I remember the hole right it was a dog-left with the approach up a steep hill. I only played it once so maybe that is why I missed the nuances of the design. I just got the impression it was "a filler" to get you from one level to the next. At 454 yards par 4 much of which is uphill its certainly hard enough. That in itself doesn't make it a great hole. Just wish I could remember the numbers of the other great holes on that course.

Niall

[Aidan Bradley]

County Sligo/Rosses Point #17

[Niall C]

Now its very hard to argue with a photograph like that !!

Unfortunately you don't play the hole from this direction ! Great photo all the same Aidan, thanks for posting.

Niall

[Aidan Bradley]

Unfortunately you don't play the hole from this direction

No wonder I carry a 10 handicap, no one told me!!!!!

[Wade Schueneman]

Does anyone have a good picture from the 5th tee at Portrush?  If I had to name two favorite holes in Ireland they would be 11 at Ballybunion and 5 at Portrush.  After that, though, the next dozen would be dominated by RCD and Lahinch.  

[Aidan Bradley]

Royal Portrush #5. This is the best I can do, sorry.......

[Niall C]

Aidan, could we maybe encourage you to post your entire portfolio on here ?

Niall

[Aidan Bradley]

Niall, not sure whether you are joking or not but you always view my images on my website ........... www.golfcoursephotography.com

[Niall C]

actually I was joking but great to have the link to your site.

Cheers

Niall

[Aidan Bradley]

Niall,

Would you prefer if I didn't post images or was it just tongue in cheek? Maybe I could keep it to one image per thread!!!!

A.

[Carl Nichols]

#7 at The European Club

Can you talk me through why you are so keen on this hole, Chris?

Agreed. Another hole I didn't get. Must be me. This one seemed out of place with the rest of the course to me. Very difficult hole, though.

Is this the hole with wetland (or stream or whatever) running up the right side, all the way to the green?  

[Ash Towe]

Patrick,

Thanks for the extra photos, particularly of Ballybunion.  The tee shot on 17 looks both exilerating and demanding.  I have not seen that view before.  Difficult to judge the width of the fairway and I could imagine aiming out to sea in certain winds.

[Sean Leary]

County Sligo/Rosses Point #17

The area at the elbow of the dogleg is not fairway (or turns into rough too soon), which is what I didn't like about it.

[Bill Brightly]

Portsalon #2 is one of the finest golf holes I have ever played:

From the elevated tee:





A good tee shot leaves you 180-200 yds into the breeze to the green but you must carry this stream (what do the Irish call it? I know it is not a stream...

[Aidan Bradley]

Portsalon #2

Forgive me Niall, I couldn't resist, even if it's not the right way to play the hole.. 

[Bill Brightly]

On Portsalon # 2, I hit a really good drive that the stupid wind pushed 30 yards to the right of where the ball should have come to rest..Then from 200 yards  I hit a GREAT 5 wood straight as an arrow into the wind, barely cleared the water and rolled onto the front of the green. Then I hit a pretty good lag putt to about 4 feet. My memory goes fuzzy after that.

[Tony_Muldoon]

Agreed Bill, what a hole.

Although the eye is drawn to the candy on the inside of the dogleg all the action is on the outside. The two tier fairway will sling your ball forward if you get the line, just so. Go too far right and you come in over those 'prehistoric' mounds before you cross the burn.

This is Pat Ruddy's finest hole.




(Sorry but I can recall making my put after an up and down from the bunker!)

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

Agreed Bill, what a hole.

Although the eye is drawn to the candy on the inside of the dogleg all the action is on the outside. The two tier fairway will sling your ball forward if you get the line, just so. Go too far right and you come in over those 'prehistoric' mounds before you cross the burn.

This is Pat Ruddy's finest hole.

(Sorry but I can recall making my put after an up and down from the bunker!)

Tony,

This version of the hole dates from the 1980s (well before Ruddy made his changes). It used to be the 3rd hole (the old second hole was a par 3 of 196 yds down to the left and played along the shore). I played the two different versions of this hole in the mid-80s when the course was being revised. The first time I played it, the green was located short of the river and to the right just behind those two large rock mounds that are visible in your picture. It was a par 4 of 356 yds. There was a green there since the 1890s. A short time afterwards, they decided to push the green back across the river. I'm pretty sure present 2nd green is the old 5th green. I believe the only change Ruddy made to this 2nd hole was to push the tee back and make the hole play a bit longer.

Dónal.

[Tony_Muldoon]

I stand corrected. Thanks Donal.

Was the green half hdden by the rocks?  It must have played like a short 'S'?

[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

I stand corrected. Thanks Donal.

Was the green half hdden by the rocks?  It must have played like a short 'S'?

Tony,

Yes it was. There's a bit of a gap between the mounds, so you played straight through it. The 1890s version of the hole had a tee located at the bottom of the hill, on the same level as the fairway. It was 275 yards in length. It was a bit old fashioned, but that's what was nice about Portsalon. I haven't seen Ruddy's alterations, but judging from some pictures that I have seen, I sense that the course has lost some of its charm.

Dónal.

[Tim Johnson]

This is one of my favorite subjects I have seen on here. All the pictures bring back great memories of some of my favorite holes/courses. Love the pictures from Port Salon.

thanks to all

[Tim Johnson]

16th at Enniscrone. I actually love the run of holes from 12 through to 16 at Enniscrone. So many different aspects of links golf in those holes, blind tee shot that must get up to the crest of the fairway on 12, a reachable par 4 on 13, the biggest dunes on 14 with a green that can be approached from the air or the ground. 15 and 16 are roughly the same type of holes but dogleg the opposite.
It would be a joy to play those holes again.

[Ally Mcintosh]

Robin Hiseman on why he chose the 2nd at Portsalon:

I was quite literally dumbstruck when I first set eyes on the beautiful 2nd at Portsalon.  I cannot recall a hole that so perfectly embodies the prime philosophies of golf architecture quite as well.  It’s got an heroic risk and reward tee shot, strategy aplenty and a fearsomely penal forced carry into the green.  What’s more, it is an entirely natural landform, with the hand of man minimally evident.  I love this hole because it crystallizes all I believe is inspirational about brilliant golf design.  The diagonal tee shot over a penal hazard is the most thrilling shot in golf and this hole’s drive is as good as they come.  To successfully bite off the long carry over the water is immensely satisfying, but I also love the severity of the consequence for playing too safe.  Can you resist the temptation to try and make up lost ground with a do or die approach shot over the river, or will you wimp out and lay up sensibly?  Are you man or mouse?  Such are the mental conundrums of the 2nd at Portsalon; a masterclass in golf course architecture.

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