MULRANNY (Ireland) - with pix

[Thomas Dai]

Mulranny, delightful Mulranny.


Well that's what seemed to be the reaction of those who played it on the way to Buda 2016 at Carne/Enniscrone.


Only 9-holes and on a very exposed site where significant storm damage occurred only a couple of years ago (now seemingly repaired). Very different tee lengths and angles to make up 18-holes. An 18-hole course length of circa 6,400 yds, par-71, and challenging too - this is no easy-peasy course. Sheep to nibble away at the fairways and rough and fences to keep them off the greens. Severely undulating greens. A burn to cross. Magnificent scenery. Wild weather a distinct possibility. A tiny clubhouse with an honesty box to pay your green-fee. Sounds pretty basic doesn't it. Well it is, and so what, it's bloody wonderful, and great fun.


Here are a few photos -


Below - the location of the course as photographed from Mulranny village. The clubhouse is visible in the far left of the photo. To the right is Clew Bay.



The Clubhouse (as photographed from the 1st tee)



The par-5 4th green with it's severe contours and steep fall-off on the left side (photographed from the centre of the fairway short of the green)





The par-4 5th green with a giant 'thumb print' at the front of the green (photographed from the right side). The hole plays from the left.





The right side of the 'top-hat' green on the uphill par-4 9th (photographed from near the 7th green). The 9th hole plays up uphill from the left.



Well that's an inkling of what you'll find if you visit Mulranny......which you should do at the soonest opportunity - and here is it's location -  https://binged.it/2cDcnjs - per Bingmap.

Perhaps others who visited would like to add some further photos and observations etc.

Tom Doak give Mulranny a 5 in the most recent edition of the CG so here are 5 x

atb


Much later edit - see this short video for more - https://twitter.com/i/status/1369345403959836680 - what a setting!

[Brad Tufts]

Anyone have a designer and year of opening for Mulranny?

Eddie Hackett perhaps?

[Ulrich Mayring]

1896 and God.

Ulrich

[Bryan Izatt]

Dai,


Here are some additional pictures.


The greens were the most interesting part of the course.  All nine had significant movement - unlike any of the other courses (except Kilmore 9) I played there.  The turf seemed grabby to me and required a crisp strike for a good shot.  It took a little getting used to.  Certainly great value for money - another course that I would never have seen without GCA guidance.


Looking down on 1st green and closer in from the front of the green.






The 2nd - a hole I didn't figure out in two plays.










The 3rd, a hole legging right into the wind, played long.  The green is hidden on the 2nd shot.













The 4th is a blind tee shot to a sunken fairway.  Follow the path to a pitched fairway leading to a green benched in the side of a hill.













The 5th is a par 4/5 turning back down wind.










The 6th is a longish par 3 back into the wind.  Left is the beach and long is the bovine tee for the next hole.






 



The 7th is a downhill par 4 to a hidden green.










The 8th is a shortish par 3 across a sneaky hidden burn to a severely canted left to right green.  The second picture is from behind looking back to the tee.










The 9th is a short par 4 that goes up, up and more up.  Missing the green left is no good.

[Jon Byron]

Very enjoyable course. Lovely terrain. Nice layout. Good condition. Enjoyable grass and rough (thanks sheep!). Nice layout, would be fun to play 18 and the alternate tees on the second 9.

[Garland Bayley]

22 Euros lets you play all day, which for some of us meant 27 holes of exhilaration.

[Thomas Dai]

Thank you for posting the additional photos Bryan. They show the considerable contouring of the greens very well, and there really were some significant contours. Smooth greens as well, if somewhat slow by todays usual standards, although most likely out of necessity given the severe contouring and the exposed location.


Interesting that you should mention the 'grabby' grass. I found this aspect took a while to adjust to, punched low trajectory mid/short irons from circa 20-100 yds were not bouncing and running out as I initially expected which took some adjustment as I was anticipating playing this type of shot pretty frequently.


You're spot on as well Bryan about Mulranny being the kind of course that wouldn't have been visited without GCA guidance. Many thanks to whoever it was that first started posting herein about the course.


I played 9-holes on two consequtive days Jon and on the second day deliberately played from the back-nine tees. Most were very different both in terms of angles and distance from the front-nine tees, which made things much more interesting.


Atb

[John Mayhugh]

Thanks for the photos of Mulranny.  I was very glad that Robin suggested it as a stop. 

The severity of the greens necessitated the speeds, I think.  On several of the holes, the slope/tilt of the green resulted in a very small target for your approach if you wanted to have a reasonable putt.  It would certainly pay to know the hole location before hitting your tee shot.

The "bovine tee" was memorable.  That brown steer had little interest in moving.

[Thomas Dai]

A few more photos of the greens at Mulranny.


Below, the 1st from the rear. This is a big, big green, surprisingly so.



Below, the 3rd from short right front



Below, the 4th from short front left



Below, the 6th from short front left



Below, the 7th from the left side rear (the hole plays in from the right of the photo).



Below, the 8th from short of the burn. The burn is quite wide. The ball to the right on the putting surface is mine. I struck a very sweet high flighted shot with a little draw into the l-r wind. The ball landed 8ft left of the pin and still finished way right although still on the putting surface....and that was with very slow paced greens. There's a lot of contour on this green, and on most of the others at Mulranny. Oh well, such is life.



Below, the 9th from the rear



There's lots of contour on (and around) most of the Mulranny greens. Fast putting surfaces would be distinctly difficult if not bordering on the downright impossible....might be fun to try though, but might also be hell!


atb

[Garland Bayley]

I don't post many photos to Google, but my picture of the lovely Mulranny club house is the most viewed picture I have posted according to Google having just gone over 1000 views.


 




EDIT: I take that back. I looked into what they meant further, and found I have posted 4 photos, with Mulranny leading the pack with 512 view compared to Strandhill only getting 138 views. These are the only two golf related photos I have posted to Google. I suspect part of the reason for the difference is that there are many photos posted for Strandhill (many not necessarily of the golf course), where as only a few for Mulranny making it more likely people click on my photo there.

[Thomas Dai]

Come on Garland, post them on GCA as well!
Atb
Later Mulranny photo edits.

[Garland Bayley]

Here it is.





The picture I took at Strandhill is on its thread.


Anything to make you happy Dai.