Where are my Rennie’s? I can feel the indigestion coming on……..but hey hang on, the Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 Irish Courses listings are...
Where are my Rennie’s? I can feel the indigestion coming on……..but hey hang on, the Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 Irish Courses listings are beginning to make a bit of sense. While there has never been much argument about the courses on the top of the listings, there seems to have been some overhauling of the contentious spots further down the list.
Previous Golf Digest Ireland listings were subjected to much criticism and whispered stories of advertising revenue in exchange for good rankings which has prompted somewhat of an overhaul. Changes in the system this year include the opinions of Golf Digest Readers being considered as part of the democratisation of the process. There’s also a few respected Father Ted’s on the panel that would not put up with “that sort of thing” and a new scoring system was used which includes Wow Factor and Memorability.
Happy Bunnies
Royal County Down can again celebrate being hailed as Ireland’s No.1 golf course by Golf Digest Ireland ahead of Portmarnock and Royal Portrush. Tralee in Kerry was the biggest mover in the top 10, up to 7th with Adare regarded as Ireland’s top parkland course and the only non links course in the top 10. Brian Shaw and his gang in Doonbeg can crack open the bubbly after cracking the top 25 by climbing 13 spots to 23rd. County Donegal is also recognised for its excellence with Murvagh, both Ballyliffin courses and the fine Rosapenna Sandy Hills course all making the top 25. Finally too there seems to be a softening of attitudes towards the Old Head of Kinsale who have “done a Sinn Fein on it” and climbed 23 places to 24th on the list.
Let’s Have A Heated EGM!
Among those planning a metaphorical bonfire of back issues of Golf Digest Ireland might be design legend Pat Ruddy whose own European Club has been hijacked by the Kingdom with Tralee, Ballybunion and Waterville now deemed by the experts to be better. The K Club also seems to be losing some of its lustre with the judges too down at 20.
So You’re Trying To Tell Me….
While I’m in broad agreement with the rankings this year and understand that they are not definitive, I have spotted a few anomalies on the list that I feel wouldn’t stand up in a court of law. Here’s just a few before I lose my temper!
So You’re Trying To Tell Me….
Carlow (29) is 40 places better than Dromoland Castle (69). You’re off your rocker there completely.
Westport (56) is 34 places better than Ballinrobe (90). How exactly? Confused.com!
How can Carton House Monty (28) be 21 spots higher than Carton O’Meara (49). Drive down to the first tee of both today and see which car park is full. Or maybe the panel saw Monty’s bunkering and thought “sand means links, yes it must be better!”
All in all however, it seems to be the best listing yet, so I will allow GDI a small clap on the back, or maybe a gentle squeeze on the shoulder.
Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 Irish Golf Courses 2012
(In brackets is the Movement from last year)
1. Royal County Down (=)
2. Portmarnock (=)
3. Royal Portrush (=)
4. Waterville (Up 2)
6. Lahinch (Up 1)
7. Tralee (Up 3)
8. The European Club (Down 4)
10. Adare (Down 2)
11. County Sligo (Rosses Point) (=)
12. The Island (=)
13. Ballyliffin, Glashedy (Up 3)
14. Enniscrone (Up 3)
15. Mount Juliet (Down 2)
16. Donegal (Up 3)
17. Portstewart, Strand (Up 3)
18. Killeen Castle (Down 4)
19. Royal Dublin (Down 1)
20. The K-Club, Palmer (Down 5)
21. Belmullet, Carne (Up 4)
22. Ballyliffin, Old Links (Up 10)
23. Doonbeg (Up 13)
24. The Old Head of Kinsale (Up 23)
25. Rosapenna, Sandy Hills (Down 4)
26. Killarney, Killeen (Down 3)
27. Portsalon (Up 8)
28. Carton House, Montgomerie (Up 2)
29. Carlow (Down 5)
30. Cork (Down 1)
31. Portmarnock Links (=)
32. Lough Erne (Down 10)
33. Dooks (Up 4)
34. Rosapenna, Old Tom Morris (Down 1)
35. Castlerock (Down 7)
36. Headfort, New (Up 4)
37. Druids Glen (Down 10)
38. Concra Wood (Up 1)
39. Luttrellstown Castle (Up 10)
40. Fota Island, Deerpark (New entry)
41. The K-Club, Smurfit Course (Down 7)
42. Seapoint (Down 16)
43. Narin And Portnoo (Up 8)
44. Heritage (New entry)
45. Slieve Russell (Down 3)
46. Palmerstown House Estate (Up 8)
47. Tramore (Up 11)
48. Connemara (Up 8)
49. Carton House, O’Meara (Up 3)
50. Powerscourt, West Course (Down 12)
51. Belvoir Park (Down 8)
52. Malone (Down 11)
53. Portumna (Up 8)
54. Farnham Estate (Down 6)
55. Dun Laoghaire (Down 9)
56. Westport (Down 11)
57. Hermitage (=)
58. Portrush, Valley (Down 14)
59. Bunclody (=)
60. Dundalk (Down 10)
61. Tullamore (Down 8)
62. Glasson (Down 2)
63. Castletroy (Up 22)
64. Mount Wolseley (Up 12)
65. Arklow (Down 3)
66. Clandeboye (Up 3)
67. Rathsallagh (=)
68. Killarney, Lackabane (Down 4)
69. Dromoland Castle (Down 4)
70. Druids Heath (Down 15)
71. Ardglass (Down 3)
72. Royal Belfast (Up 1)
73. Shannon (Down 1)
74. Grange (Up 10)
75. Powerscourt, East Course (Down 12)
76. Castlemartyr (Down 2)
77. Laytown and Bettystown (Up 9)
78. Strandhill (Up 5)
79. Castle (Up 1)
80. Mullingar (Down 2)
81. Rosslare (Up 17)
82. St. Annes (Down 11)
83. Kilkenny (Down 17)
84. Skellig Bay (Up 3)
85. Knightsbrook (Down 6)
86. Bantry Bay (Down 16)
87. Galway (Down 6)
88. Galgorm Castle (Down 6)
89. Courtown (Down 14)
90. Ballinrobe (Up 1)
91. Ballybunion, Cashen (Up 2)
92. Balbriggan (Down 15)
93. Kirkistown Castle (New entry)
94. Tulfarris (New entry)
95. New Forest (New entry)
96. Galway Bay (Down 7)
97. Moyvalley (New entry)
98. Dingle, Ceann Sibeal (New entry)
99. Castleknock (New entry)
100. Woodenbridge (New entry)
Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 Irish Golf Courses 2012, Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 Irish Golf Courses 2010, Golf Digest Ireland Top 100 Irish Golf Courses 2009
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