Royal County Down on TV

[David_Tepper]

The Irish Open is being played at Royal County Down this week and is being broadcast on the Golf Channel in the US. Between the  "texture" of course and the nearby Mountains of Mourne, I am not sure there is a better looking golf broadcast on television.

And it looks pretty good in person too.    

[Tommy Williamsen]

Watching it reminds me why it is (one of) the best courses I have ever played. It also reminds me to always have a forecaddie. I wonder what it would be like to play it every day?

[Bernie Bell]

Watching it reminds me why it is (one of) the best courses I have ever played. It also reminds me to always have a forecaddie. I wonder what it would be like to play it every day?

Expensive!

[Rick Sides]

Played it a month ago. Hands down my favorite course. Looks even better in person .

[Jeff Schley]

Breathtaking scenery certainly, greens are so very good, just too hard for me tee to green. I will leave it for the pros and those who don't spray the ball like myself I suppose.

[Marty Bonnar]

Padraig D is lamenting the lack of any romance in pro golf over on FB:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1049109417221440&id=100063671734866

[Adam Lawrence]

Watching it reminds me why it is (one of) the best courses I have ever played. It also reminds me to always have a forecaddie. I wonder what it would be like to play it every day?

Expensive!

Presumably if you played it every day you’d be a member. I have no idea what the subs are, but they won’t be high. Anyone paying visitors’ fees every day for more than a week or so is rather crazy 

[Jerry Kluger]

I agree that it can be a tough course to play but they are also playing it in pretty tough conditions. There are some tough courses that you can really enjoy even if they beat you up as they are beautiful and they offer you some fun playing options as opposed to just playing it straight on.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Watching it reminds me why it is (one of) the best courses I have ever played. It also reminds me to always have a forecaddie. I wonder what it would be like to play it every day?

Expensive!

The last time I played RCD was probably twenty-five years ago. I don't remember the green fee, but I don't remember it being outrageous. Ireland got expensive after that.


Yes, I was thinking of members. I would think the pro shop sells golf balls by the bushel.

[David_Tepper]

The Solheim Cup broadcast has limited the amount of air time the Irish Open will get Fri-Sat-Sun. The broadcast schedule is here:

https://www.nbcsports.com/golf/air-times

[Tommy Williamsen]

The Solheim Cup broadcast has limited the amount of air time the Irish Open will get Fri-Sat-Sun. The broadcast schedule is here:

https://www.nbcsports.com/golf/air-times

David, looking at the TV guide on my cable box, I don't see any broadcast scheduled for Sat & Sun.

[Jim Hoak]

I have luckily played golf my entire life, and the view from the 9th tee at RCD is still my favorite!!

[David_Tepper]

Tommy -

Looks like the Sat-Sun broadcast will only be on the NBC Sports app.

DT

p.s. You can watch today's golf online here right now:

https://www.nbc.com/watch/dp-world-tour/amgen-irish-open-rd-2/12006887

[Bernie Bell]

Watching it reminds me why it is (one of) the best courses I have ever played. It also reminds me to always have a forecaddie. I wonder what it would be like to play it every day?

Expensive!

The last time I played RCD was probably twenty-five years ago. I don't remember the green fee, but I don't remember it being outrageous. Ireland got expensive after that.


Yes, I was thinking of members. I would think the pro shop sells golf balls by the bushel.

I think Ardglass would be more fun for me, day in and day out, for a number of reasons. 

[Thomas Dai]

Watching it reminds me why it is (one of) the best courses I have ever played. It also reminds me to always have a forecaddie. I wonder what it would be like to play it every day?

Expensive!

The last time I played RCD was probably twenty-five years ago. I don't remember the green fee, but I don't remember it being outrageous. Ireland got expensive after that.
Yes, I was thinking of members. I would think the pro shop sells golf balls by the bushel.

I think Ardglass would be more fun for me, day in and day out, for a number of reasons.

RCD’s ‘other course”, the 18-holes Annesley is excellent and shouldn’t be missed.
Atb

[Padraig Dooley]

Padraig D is lamenting the lack of any romance in pro golf over on FB:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1049109417221440&id=100063671734866

There is no romance!
RCD is epic, the golf even exceeds the views, the more you play it the better it gets and the more possibilities you see.
It could be argued the photos don't do it justice.

[Chris Hughes]

The Solheim Cup broadcast has limited the amount of air time the Irish Open will get Fri-Sat-Sun. The broadcast schedule is here:

https://www.nbcsports.com/golf/air-times

To my chagrin... 

[Cal Seifert]

Peacock is airing it. Of course behind the peacock paywall.

[Rob Marshall]

I have luckily played golf my entire life, and the view from the 9th tee at RCD is still my favorite!!

I think it’s the second shot on 9 where you are looking back into town.


I was standing on the 17th tee when a huge black cloud came over the mountain. I asked my caddie how much time we had before it got to us and he said about 2 minutes. Next thing I know I’ve got my umbrella parallel to the ground trying to block the rain. Fortunately it blew thru as fast as it came but we were soaked.


That was 2013 and I think we paid around $200.

[Tommy Williamsen]

Peacock is airing it. Of course behind the peacock paywall.

Thanks. I found it. About a month before the Olympics, Peacock had a special. Something like $25 for six months. Jumped on it.

[David_Tepper]

You can access the video stream here:

https://www.nbcsports.com/golf
 

[Steve Salmen]

What are the reasons RCD has never hosted an Open? It seems to be a better test than Royal Troon and imo, a much more interesting course.

[astavrides]

5 hrs on golf channel this weekend. (tape delay)
https://www.nbcsports.com/golf/air-times

[Chris Hughes]

What are the reasons RCD has never hosted an Open? It seems to be a better test than Royal Troon and imo, a much more interesting course.

I have a hunch "the troubles" were a factor...

[Tony_Muldoon]

What are the reasons RCD has never hosted an Open? It seems to be a better test than Royal Troon and imo, a much more interesting course.

To get Portrush back on the rota there was significant investment by the government; so much that they negotiated a minimum of 3 Opens in a short period of time to justify it. Worked well and I'm in the ballot to return next year.

Newcastle Co Down, is a smaller town (less accommodation) and today has no train line to Belfast.  Doesn't explain why it has never had one though.


 
 This afternoon is a big test for Rory. He talked this week about how the pressure of playing in Ireland has sometimes got to him, the opening hole at Portrush comes to mind.  Generally he's starting to look like a Sunday bottler in the majors. He's played conservative golf all week and it's worked. A victory today would set up next summer's Open. I'd love to see him win both.