All set for start at Portrush
Royal Tara club member Pat Smyth has played on courses all over Ireland including Portrush where the Open starts on Thursday. Here, Pat, gives his assessment of the course. He is currently engaged in putting together a book on the delights and challenges of golf courses up and down Ireland.
A long time in coming but worth the wait!
The country is currently enjoying a feast of top class golf with the Irish Open hosted at Lahinch recently and now The Open Championship being held at Royal Portrush, Dunluce within a timeframe of just two weeks. This is indeed a rare occurrence, especially as it is as far back as 1951 when The Open was held on these shores, also in Portrush. Now on Thursday it all starts again.
In 2012, the Irish Open was hosted in Portrush when enthusiastic fans north and south broke records for a European Tour event, with a sell out attendance of 112,000 over the four days. Jamie Donaldson was the winner that year. Tickets for the 2019 tournament sold out in record time resulting in a decision to add more. The game is so popular on the isle, even with setbacks of more recent years, perhaps it is fitting that the maximum number of spectators possible are facilitated.
Despite the fact that the course is of an excellent standard and one of the most challenging across the country, the powers that be at the club did not rest on their laurels in introducing improvements. In anticipation of this years 'Major' some key changes have been made to the course with the addition of new holes at the 6th and 7th, replacing holes 17 and 18, probably the two weakest on the course. The ground for the new holes was taken from the neighbouring 'Valley Course' (Rathmore), also a fine test, long associated with Graham McDowell. There are of course several great holes, including the 5th from an elevated tee down-sloping par 4, 'White Rocks' with views of the ocean and the 16th par 3, overlooking the valley course with a deep ravine on the right up to the green, fondly named 'Calamity Corner'.
It's been a few years since some of the best players in the world appeared on our links and fairways. The Ryder Cup (2006)-K-Club and the WGC-American Express Championship (2002)-Mount Juliet, were among the last events when the best trekked Irish fairways. Spectators will enjoy watching the host of new young players like, Koepka, Johnson , Spieth, Day, Reed, Woodland, DeChambeau, Molinari, Thomas and Cantlay, among others, many of whom now adorn the world top ten rankings. Of course our Irish fans will be hoping that McIlroy, Lowry, Clarke, McDowell and Harrington do themselves justice on home turf.
It is with personal pleasure and fond memories that I look forward to returning to the course and the locality. Three years ago this month, when finishing a tour of courses, Royal Portrush was the last in a series of 346 to play. Keeping the good wine to last comes to mind.
In addition to enjoying the golf, If time allows there are several local attractions worthy of a visit. The best known is the Giants Causeway and interpretive centre. Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge is close along with Bregagh Road-a tunnel of beach trees known as the 'Dark Hedges'-of Game of Thrones fame. For southern visitors a call to Titanic Belfast on the way home is very worthwhile. I will say also at the risk of sounding condescending northern hospitality matches anywhere on the isle.
It should prove to be an entertaining event.