Ballybunion Golf Course (No. 17)

Let’s start with everything I did wrong.

1. Got to the course 15 minutes before my tee time – had to take a ferry and drop off laundry
2. No warm-up
3. Drove two hours by car prior to the round – great for the back
4. Forgot to take Advil
5. Didn’t have any money for the halfway house to get food or drink
6. Didn’t eat breakfast or lunch

Add all this to 20 mph winds and light rain and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. I shot an 86 and that’s with a mulligan off the first tee, out of bounds over the cemetery and into the street. Mulligan on 18 when I brain farted and whiffed my tee shot 50 yards out to the right. Put that together and it’s over 90 for sure, but let’s get to the course.

Hole 1: Doesn’t look too tough, just can’t go right off the tee. Most of the holes are narrow and just require accuracy or you will be in the long weeds. Since it’s been raining for the last 9 months everything is green, long and gnarly. Stay out of the rough.

Hole 6: Beautiful dogleg left that bends down to the sea. I got par and was pretty pleased.

Hole 7

Hole 7: Down along the sea, the hole went straight out. When the weather is really bad they use a green that goes out to the left.

Hole 12: A super nasty par 3 that was 195 yards up hill and was into the wind, oh and a very narrow landing strip of a green. My 3 wood was pin high missing the green on the right and as a result went 30 yards down the hill. A guy in the group hit a driver and came up 40 yards short. They should give you a certificate for hitting this green.

Holes 16, 17 and 18 are by far the best 3 holes of the course.

Hole 16: is a par 5 dog leg that goes up from the water. I tried to cut the corner of course, caddie told me not to, did it anyway - ended up in the long grass, chip up 100 yards and then onto the green with another 100 yard shot. Par wasn’t too bad. Just loved this hole.

Hole 17: is back down to the water again, I’m getting tired going up the hill and back down. Nice elevated dog leg. Hit a 200 yard shot that left me with an 8 iron into the green. It was good to be in the fairway.

Hole 18: is all the way up the hill to the club house. A huge bunker is at the end of the fairway so my caddie made me hit 3 wood. He was right and a 9 iron into the green was just 5 feet from the hole. I missed the putt, just that kind of day.

I didn’t do much right today, definitely a learning experience. Even though I didn’t play well I don’t think I would put this course on the top of any of my lists. It had 5 or 6 great holes but many mediocre holes that just got you to the next area. My caddie told me to play Dooks and Old Head next time I’m in Ireland. He said they’re both very good. So far I’ve got a list of 3 or 4 courses to play next time I make it to the West Coast of Ireland.

Location: Sandhill Road, Ballybunion, County Kerry, Ireland

Website: http://www.ballybuniongolfclub.ie/
Played: July 2012
Public

Tags: Ireland, Ballybunion, Golf Course, July, 2012, Summer