That was a proper punch in the face. An awesome golf course. A front nine from Arnold Palmer that was way better than expected and a back nine that was stupendous.
Incredibly penal if you don’t hit it straight, which is the problem I had today. First drive of the day went offline into a small bunker which took two to get myself out of, then I three putted for double bogey…that was pattern of the day.
But I had a blast, the wind was strong for a good chunk of the day so it was a true test of Irish links golf. The back nine was truly special, wild and picturesque with special commendations for the short par 4 15 and par 4 17.
We had a bite in the clubhouse after the round; great food and enormous portions.
| Hole | Par | Score | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | 6 | Good drive that caught a small fairway pot bunker, took 2 to get out, approach short, 2 putt |
| 2 | 5 | 7 | Par 5 into the wind, drive just caught tall grass on left, could only advance 80 yards with a wedge, 7I onto green for 3rd, three putted |
| 3 | 3 | 3 | 7I right of the green, 2 putt |
| 4 | 4 | 5 | Good drive just into the left rough, 140 yds in with an 8I, hit pure but bounced over the green, hacked out onto green, 2 putt |
| 5 | 4 | 4 | Dogleg right, weak slicing drive that the wind pushed further right into the rough, 3Hy to center of green, 2 putt |
| 6 | 4 | 6 | Dogleg right but pulled drive into left rough, had to chop out, punch wedge came up just short of green, 3 putt. Awesome ski mogul fairway |
| 7 | 3 | 4 | Par 3 140yds, 9I to center of green, three putt |
| 8 | 4 | 5 | Spectacular dogleg left with water down the side, good drive, good wedge approach but caught the wrong tier, 3 putt |
| 9 | 5 | 5 | Good drive, 3Hy layup to 120, punch 9I pulled a bit left but on the green, 2 putt |
| 10 | 4 | 4 | 425yds par 4, 3W off the green just torched, 140yds into green with 9I, 2 putts |
| 11 | 5 | 6 | Pushed a 3W right off the tee and lost ball, 3Hy then 6I to the front of the green, 2 putt bogey, good save |
| 12 | 4 | 5 | Most difficult hole, decent drive but still had to lay up due to monstrous ravine short and left, good PW as third shot to 10 feet, missed putt, bogey |
| 13 | 3 | 5 | Par 3 all carry with huge ravine in front, first ball down the ravine, third shot over into the dunes behind green, chipped to 30 feet and made the putt |
| 14 | 4 | 6 | Good drive, 2 shanks back to back, pick up double |
| 15 | 4 | 6 | Short par 4 just a 3Hy off the tee hit well, was too far right and was completely blocked by huge dune, hit 9I over but left of green, bad chip and 3 putt double |
| 16 | 3 | 3 | Beautiful par 3, 175yds and pulled a 4Hy left of green that received a great kick off the dunes back onto the green, 2 putts |
| 17 | 4 | 4 | Good drive to left side of fairway, incredible approach to elevated green had 130yds and hit 6I to left side of green, 2 putts |
| 18 | 5 | 6 | Into the wind, kept hitting it up the left side, chipped on in 4 from left of green, 2 putt bogey |
| White | 72 | 90 | Balls Lost: 0 |
first shot of the day to here
Good shot into 3
Me at the 3rd
the 8th
The mighty 12th
the par 3 16th
Uphill, into the wind at 17