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| The bell on Enniscrone's 4th hole, a par five. |
The last day of the Atlantic Coast Challenge - for our team - was at Enniscrone Golf Club. It’s a links course that I love (receiving 96 out of 100 in the new, third edition of Hooked), but here’s the thing: almost every year we turn up at the club and there’s a problem – be it on the tee or in the clubhouse.
It just leaves a bad taste as you walk off the tee. Not that we walked off very quickly as the three ball in front of us were stopped halfway down the 1st and sent back to the tee to play off different tees. There was no Starter and the guys had teed off the Whites, not the Greens... what that meant for the two groups in front is anyone's guess.
Some photos below:
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| Tee shot on the very tough par four 12th. |
No complaints about the course which is as brilliant and in perfect condition as ever, and as punishing as usual if you stray off the fairways. No complaints about the company and no complaints about the scoring which – in a common theme across all three days – was on the low side. It just proves how tough links golf can be. It is so mentally engaging that there is no such thing as a free or easy shot. And that is especially true around the greens.
If you venture into the rough, you’re in the lap of the gods. Below, Fin plays out of the heavy stuff on the 14th. Take your punishment and play it sensibly.
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| Approaching the par five 16th. You just can't land it on the green, so a little bump and run is required. |
Above, the photo shows views down the 16th hole, from the 17th tee. A former Enniscrone General Manager, Pat, once told me: "Risk and Reload"... i.e. Enniscrone is no place to take risks. He also offered me the simple advice of: "Never be long." The 16th is the perfect example.
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| Tee shot on 17, with Killala Bay behind. |
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| The blind drive on Enniscrone's par five 2nd. (Spotters required - on the left) |
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| The approach to the par four 12th. Don't be short... don't be long. |
Check out Atlantic Coast Challenge scores and details for 2016 on the Carne Links Facebook page.
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