The Irish Open at RCD

[Padraig Dooley]

Spent yesterday at RCD walking a few holes and watching a few golfers.

The course was exceptionally firm and fast with a left to right crosswind at the first, making it a shotmakers dream! Very tight lies around the greens, expect to see the putter being the club of choice from off them.

There was a bit of rain today so might take some fire out of the course and maybe some of the potential moans from Tour players too!

The massive scale of RCD always leaves an impression on me, especially the view from the 4th tee or over the dune at 9. The course just seems so grand, anyone else feel this way?

Looking back down the 1st


Looking back down the 3rd


One of my favourite tees worldwide!!


The 5th


Tight lies around the 6th


8th


The best view in golf?

[Rob Marshall]

Looking forward to watching the coverage. Best course I've ever played.

[Jon Cavalier]

Damn, that's sexy.

[Steve Okula]

I know what you mean by scale, Royal County Down is the largest scale course I have seen. I am in awe of it. And the wind! When I played it ten years ago, I saw a bunker shot get blown back over the head of the player to finish in some garbage about 50 meters further away than the bunker! It would be fun to watch the pros struggle with that, it will humble anybody.

Is this the first time the Tour has made a stop there?

[David_Tepper]

"Is this the first time the Tour has made a stop there?"

Steve O. -

I recall the British Senior Open being played at RCD maybe 8-10 years ago. Unless I am mistaken, Jack Nicklaus showed up to play in the event.

RCD hosted the Walker Cup about 6 years ago. Both Fowler and McIlroy played in that event.

I don't think the Euro Tour has played there before.

DT

P.S. RCD hosted the 2000-01-02 British Senior Opens.

[David Davis]

Awesome photos, very photogenic subject.

Watching now. I love that the wind is blowing the way it should be and almost always is. Much better to see the pros playing it in realistic conditions. Good playing Rory. ;-)

[David_Tepper]

Women's Amateur Golf video at RCD in 1927:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVQs0WE0rPc

 

[David Davis]

Sorry about this double post but system wouldn't let me modify.

Love to see the pros playing all these blind shots. I bet most of them hate it.

I'd be very very surprised if we don't have a UK/Irish winner.

[Steve Okula]

I know it's early, but right now the top player from the British Isles is Greg Owen tied for 62nd.

[Steve Okula]

Please ignore my previous post, I was looking at the wrong leaderboard.

Stupid.

[Martin Toal]

RCD is a beast but what a magnificent one. My favourite holes are the 4th par 3, the celebrated 9th, the 13th where I used to try to hit driver down the neck and the 15th where I just tried to get up on the fairway.

Great course for a worker like Paddy H (currently leading).

[Josh Stevens]

I wonder what Finchem is thinking at the moment, trying to run some event in Texas up against the majesty of RCD.

First time in a while the course has overshadowed the players - makes a nice change

Also a nice change to see scruffy little sandpits rather than those neat as a pin revetted bunkers.  Adds enormously to the visual appeal.

[JMEvensky]

RCD is a beast but what a magnificent one.

Absolutely perfect description.

[Gib_Papazian]

County Down is the greatest golf course on the planet not named The National Golf Links of America.

That stated, I cannot mount a convincing contrary argument they do not sit side-by-side atop the Pantheon.

Juxtaposed they are mystical vs. magical.

[Paul OConnor]

 
All this RCD adoration is just a bit much.  What about those last three holes?   Is there any comparably weak three hole stretch at NGLA?

[Keith Doleshel]

Is there a reason for the pond in the middle of the fairway on #17? It looks awful but could have a purpose I suppose .

[Benjamin Litman]

Keith: I read elsewhere (likely another GCA thread) that the pond is located at a natural low point where water collects anyway. So they made it an official hazard.

[Phil McDade]

So this course seems to be beating up some of the best players in the world (Rory, Kaymer, others). Why isn't the Open Championship held here?

[jeffwarne]

All this RCD adoration is just a bit much.  What about those last three holes?   Is there any comparably weak three hole stretch at NGLA?

So unless a course is comparable to NGLA it's not worthy of adoration or discussion?
Seems like it'd be a pretty short discussion if that were the standard-of course given that every third thread is about NGLA anyway, that's pretty close to where we are.

RCD is awesome and worthy of all adoration.

[Paul OConnor]

All this RCD adoration is just a bit much.  What about those last three holes?   Is there any comparably weak three hole stretch at NGLA?

So unless a course is comparable to NGLA it's not worthy of adoration or discussion?
Seems like it'd be a pretty short discussion if that were the standard-of course given that every third thread is about NGLA anyway, that's pretty close to where we are.

RCD is awesome and worthy of all adoration.

Yes, well, what about those last few holes?  Are they awesome? 

[Paul OConnor]

So this course seems to be beating up some of the best players in the world (Rory, Kaymer, others). Why isn't the Open Championship held here?

The average world ranking of the current top 67 players in this tournament is 244.  Not exactly the best in the world.   

[Martin Toal]

So this course seems to be beating up some of the best players in the world (Rory, Kaymer, others). Why isn't the Open Championship held here?

The average world ranking of the current top 67 players in this tournament is 244.  Not exactly the best in the world.   

Is that the arithmetic mean or the median? The current top 67 excludes a bunch of highly ranked players including 5 or 6 players from the last Ryder Cup team. I think there are still some pretty good players there.

The reason The Open is not held there is because of logistics and infrastructure. The course easily passes the test of adequate difficulty and challenge. Porters is better for local access, hotels and transport as well as on course space for all the paraphernalia of The Open.

[Paul Gray]

So this course seems to be beating up some of the best players in the world (Rory, Kaymer, others). Why isn't the Open Championship held here?

Because quality architecture or even difficulty haven't been primary driving factors when selecting a venue for a very long time.

Before even touching upon issues of infrastructure, RCD has been traditionally hampered by geography. In other words, it's in Northern Ireland. There have been a few 'issues' in that particular part of the world in the past (says me whilst exercising not the smallest of British understatements).

[Josh Stevens]

Yes its curious, it seems to tick boxes.  Good course, decent length, lots of land with the second course, easy access from Belfast, situated right in the middle of town.  Not sure why it has never been considered

[jeffwarne]

All this RCD adoration is just a bit much.  What about those last three holes?   Is there any comparably weak three hole stretch at NGLA?

So unless a course is comparable to NGLA it's not worthy of adoration or discussion?
Seems like it'd be a pretty short discussion if that were the standard-of course given that every third thread is about NGLA anyway, that's pretty close to where we are.

RCD is awesome and worthy of all adoration.

Yes, well, what about those last few holes?  Are they awesome?  

16 is a short par 4-a chance to gain a shot on a difficult course
17 has a pond-could be a pot bunker or gorse, but it's a pond-that's what nature put there-get over it.
18 has been improved and is a pretty good par 5

there are PLENTY of courses in the UK with average finishes,yet they are still are awesome courses

Sometimes the most unique and spectacular courses have 10-12 standout holes, and a few that simply get you to them and/or balance them out.
The problem is too many people spend all their time at the GCA groupie faves (dornoch, NGLA,TOC,PV,Cruden Bay-talk about a cult fave etc.) and never experience the unique charms of lesser known, yet ultra interesting places and their culture
The most unmemorable courses strive to have 18 "great" or signature holes (think trump-vomit emoticon), thus greatly reducing the potential ebb and flow of a hidden gem where they might experience some uniqueness splashed with bits of comparative mediocrity
Dunfanaghy comes to mind