Lahinch #8 Today

[Neil Regan]

Lahinch # 8, circa 170 yards, recent Hawtree ala MacKenzie
IPhone image. ( Imagine what Ansel Adams could have done)

My strong draw against a stronger sea-wind stopped between flag and bunker. For a moment. Rolled and blown slowly into the steep soft sand.
I still have sand in my hair and teeth from my (several) splashed bunker shots.

There is no golf like golf with wind.
( And sometimes you must remember to keep your mouth shut and your eyes closed.)

[Ronald Montesano]

Adams could have done no better than you, with camera nor cudgels.

[Chris DeNigris]

I love that hole...great walk from 7 green (after getting sandblasted while putting ). Wonderful tee box with the ocean right behind you. Very sublime hole. Towards the end of one of the best 7 hole stretches in all of golf (maybe the best?). Wish I could go back tomorow.

[Mike Sweeney]

Neil,

The invitation must be in my spam folder!!

More pictures please!!

[Ally Mcintosh]

Towards the end of one of the best 7 hole stretches in all of golf (maybe the best?). Wish I could go back tomorow.

My favourite nine holes in golf.

Last time I played Lahinch, my father-in-law aced this hole.

[Michael Goldstein]

I've just today and yesterday at Lahinch. 8 is a good hole.  I like the green, the ledge on the right is very well done.

I understood, however, that it was a new addition to the course by Hawtree.  This evening I played the old 8th (now the 7th) to the blind green in the hollow to the right and then went straight to the 9th (with a blind tee shot on an angle which works beautifully with the ridge in the fairway).  It felt like the old routing was much smoother but obviously you miss the spectacular views....

[Leo Barber]

Goldy, you eccentric!!! 

[Neil Regan]

... I understood, however, that it was a new addition to the course by Hawtree.  ...

Michael,

  The MacKenzie routing had a par 3 8th hole that was removed years ago, and the old 7th turned left as now. Hawtree restored the Mackenzie routing. I do not know if this new 8th was an attempt to rebuild the original, or an attempt to build the hole in the MacKenzie style, or whether it is entirely a Hawtree creation. I think I remember from prior discussions that as much evidence as could be discovered was used to restore the MacKenzie course, but that a lot was uncertain.

  Below is the MacKenzie routing from Enda Glynn's history. I think the drawing was done by Thomas McInerney.
 ( I also think Enda's nephew participates here, and knows a lot more.)

Neil

[Ally Mcintosh]

Michael, Neil,

The old MacKenzie 7th hole was one that eroded and disappeared but the Hawtree rendition I'm sure bears more resemblance in character than the hole that replaced it (the then 8th)... MacKenzie's old 8th hole was a par-3 but it was replaced in 1935 by the par-3 3rd... This was reversed by Hawtree and that par-3 third was removed... However, by my calculations, Hawtree's par-3 8th is in a different spot to MacKenzies. My reckoning was that MacKenzie's hole played to a green site to the right of the large dune that currently flanks the right of Hawtree's 8th green site (if that makes sense)... i.e. much closer to one of the forward tees on the 9th...

Still, I have to disagree with Michael. I think Hawtree's hole to be a great addition and very spectacular... I like his work there a lot... The only thing I'm not so keen on is the new par-3 eleventh but I can certainly see why it was built... The only other negative I've heard about the renovation is that the greens are a little too undulating for their size.... I don't really agree with those sentiments though....