| Wow,
what a Ryder Cup that was at the K Club in Ireland. But other than the
rain, could you tell the event took place in Ireland? Of course not, it
took place on a parkland course. It’s probably the greatest missed opportunity
of missed opportunities that this prestigious competition wasn’t contested
on one of Ireland’s famed links courses.
What is a links course? The definitions
are myriad, go ahead and google them, but here’s mine: you’ll know when
you’ve played one. |
The
challenging European Club was
designed
by Pat Ruddy, who also
designed
The South Course at
The
Montreal Island Golf Club
|
And having just returned from the Emerald
Isle myself, where I played Ballybunion and The European Club – both links,
both rated in the top twenty of best courses in the world – I couldn’t
be more disappointed that the Ryder Cup was played on a course that looks
like any upscale course right here at home and not on what many consider
Ireland’s greatest tourist draw, their famed links courses.
For me it all began because Montreal is
home to one of the finest golf courses you’ll ever play and it’s a links
to boot. Kudos to my pal Denis Roy, director of golf at The Montreal Island
Golf Club for having the vision to bring links golf to Montreal. Spend
any time with Denis and you’ll find he’s played probably every course in
Great Britain and Ireland. But it was after playing some of the courses
designed by Ireland’s own Pat Ruddy that Denis endeavoured to bring Pat
here to Montreal to work some of his magic. And if you’ve ever played the
South course at the Montreal Island Golf Club I’m sure you’ll agree that
it’s one of the finest tracks around. In fact, according to Mr. Ruddy himself,
“If you’re a single digit (handicap) on the South Course…you’re a player.”
No argument here Mr. Ruddy.
| Inspired
by the links in our midst I headed across the pond this August, with my
pal Sean Manley (yes, of Golf Town), for a week of golf and Guinness and
to get up close and personal with the “real” stuff. Five rounds in
five days, from Dublin to Ballybunion to Cork and back to Dublin again.
We played Druid’s Glen (a Pat Ruddy design) and Fremoy Golf Club, one of
Ireland’s oldest and where Sean’s uncle Pat is club captain. But it’s the
two rounds at Ballybunion and The European Club that really made the trip. |
Playing
The Old Course at Ballybunion
is
somewhat akin to a
religious
experience for golfers
|
Upon arriving at Ballybunion we got the
weather we anticipated. Everybody says to expect weather most foul in Ireland.
Bring rain gear, wool socks, a bunch of umbrellas, five pairs of shoes,
etc. We got out of the car in the parking lot and it was plain miserable.
Howling winds, driving rain, freezing cold. Perfect! I was ready. But the
Irish saying is true: “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.”
And by the time we reached the first green the weather blew over, the sun
came out and, although it remained unbelievably windy all day, I actually
came away from Ballybunion with sun burn!
So much has been written and said about
The Old Course at Ballybunion that I won’t go into why this was practically
a religious experience for me except to say that I got everything out of
it I felt one should get. Some highlights:
I could barely stand upright on the first
tee because of the wind whipping off the Atlantic. I aimed 40 yards left
of the first fairway in order not to have the wind blow my ball into the
ancient graveyard out of bounds on the right hand side; my par on the first
whole is the greatest feeling I think I’ve ever had on a golf course; Sean
striped his drive down the middle of the first fairway only to have it
land in pot bunker that, needless to say, didn’t help his overall score;
I now know from first hand experience why Tom Watson’s favourite whole
in golf is number 11; I’ll never forget watching Sean’s caddy take his
hybrid out of his hands at the 190 yard par 3 15th , that plays dead into
the wind, only to give him a driver and tell him to hit it. We all
took the same advice and were barely pin high. They say the dunes at Ballybunion
are the highest on any golf course in the world. I believe them. What did
I shoot? I stopped counting after my fifth try at extricating a ball sitting
above my feet (chin high) on the par five 16th. However, I parred the home
hole and I’ve never been more excited over the fact that I played one ball
for a whole round.
Located just south of Dublin in County
Wicklow on Brittas Bay is the course designed and owned by Pat Ruddy, The
European Club. It’s considered one of the top courses in the world, where
Denis Roy held the course record of 68 until one Tiger Woods beat it by
one stroke.
One arrives at The European Club and beholds
a most unassuming place. There is very little to suggest that you’re about
to have one of the finest and most difficult golf experiences of your life.
On the day Sean and I arrived Mr. Ruddy
happened to be at the clubhouse. What a treat to actually meet the man
who designed our favourite course in Montreal and to talk to him about
“his baby,” the South Course at Montreal Island Golf Club. To this day
he remains in touch with Denis about the state of the South course and
he couldn’t be more delighted that his original routing is now being used
again. That is to say that holes 10, 11, 12 on the scorecard are the real
numbers 1, 2, 3. If you’ve played them you know that they’re arguably the
hardest three starting holes you’ll ever encounter. Good reason for that
too. That’s how Pat wanted it. Get through them at three over par and you
have a chance the rest of the day. If not….He’s got quite a sense of humour,
Pat does, and when you play The European Club you get the full effect.
In fact, just this year the Irish Amateur was played there and the qualifying
score just to get to the match play round was twenty four over par. “We
killed ‘em,” his son said proudly.
It’s a beast of a course really. The par
4 7th alone measures 470 yards. And it’s always played into the prevailing
wind. According to the granite marker near the tee box, it’s ranked one
of the 100 greatest holes in the world. If you discount your score and
appreciate the beauty all around you’re likely to agree. There are a number
of these granite markers among the 18 holes, heightening the experience
that much more.
The wind was down the day we played, rare
for a links course hard on the sea. Nevertheless, this quintessential links
course demands concentration from your first drive to your last putt. You’ll
be dumfounded by where your ball ends up sometimes, even when you think
you’ve struck it perfectly. How’d I shoot? Let’s just say I didn’t play
with one ball this time around.
No matter, just imagine what the experience
is like playing a course owned by the man who designed it. In fact, Pat
just put in a few dozen new bunkers recently because he felt the course
wasn’t playing hard enough! The bunkers are so penal in fact that you actually
find yourself asking to have your picture taken in them. Get this, the
par four 12th (one of the most beautiful holes you’ll ever see, think 18
at Pebble Beach but water on the right, not the left) has a green
that’s 120 yards in length. Why? Because he wanted to have a green 120
yards in length! The course also has twenty holes. There’s two practice
par threes that are arguably two of the nicest par threes you’ll ever see
in you life. And they’re there just for fun! Just imagine what it must
be like to play a course like this, where the designer is on hand every
day making sure everything is as perfect as can be. In fact, the fairways
were the most incredible I’ve ever played. Dry, hard and fast like the
best conditioned greens you’ve ever putted on. I’ll never forget them.
From Ballybunion and The European Club
to Portmarnock, Royal Portrush, Royal County Down, Lahinch, Waterville
and Old Head Ireland’s links courses are the envy of the golf world. And
still the Ryder Cup was played at The K Club. It was a great event, but
it simply wasn’t golf in Ireland as it really should be played.
For that experience you can hop onto the
40 east to the South Course at the Montreal Island Golf Club. Sean and
I recently played it again on an absolutely miserable rainy day. We smiled
from ear to ear the whole day through. Links golf in Montreal. Cherish
it.
Ben Gonshor is
Director of Marketing and Communications at The Leanor and Alvin Segal
Theatre and was a single digit handicap prior to his trip to Ireland. There
are a variety of reputable companies offering tours in Ireland, including
Transat Holidays, Trafalgar Tours, Globus Tours. Speak to your travel agent
about special golf packages. For more information about Ireland, call TOLL
FREE: 1-800-223-6470 or visit: www.discoverireland.com
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