Let Me Quote You On That - North West Golf Club

How does a ‘hidden gem’ golf course ease its way into the big time? And can it be achieved without spending big bucks?

Here’s a link to a recent article I wrote on Hidden Gems for Irish Golfer. One of the courses I didn’t include (the article explains why) is North West Golf Club, in Donegal. It is a favourite of mine and the club has recently been making strides in getting itself noticed… and booked. It is actively promoting itself and talking to people in the know. It is inviting these people to come and play. They come. They play. And they discover a mischievous low links of natural shape and – for me – the sweetest of rhythms.

Here is an example, sent to me by Sean Meenan the club’s dedicated Sales & Marketing guy. Dana Fry visited a few weeks ago and this is what he had to say:

"The North West Golf Club is located near the seaside town of Buncrana and framed by the Mouldy Mountains on one side and the dramatic shoreline of Lough Swilly on the other. It is a stunning links course with its humps and hollows, fantastic fescue greens and a great set of Par 3’s.  For years it has been under the radar of many golfers traveling from abroad but the golf world is starting to take notice. All serious golfers planning future golf trips to the North West of Ireland should stop by and experience this wonderful course made even better by the very welcoming staff and membership."

I appreciate that not everyone knows who Dana Fry is, or why he is in Ireland. He is one half of Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design, and he is in Ireland designing Curracloe Links, Ireland’s first brand new golf course in over 15 years.

These sort of things make such a difference and those clubs labelled as hidden gems need to get ‘names’ to visit, play and give feedback which the club can use. It doesn’t have to be of Dana Fry-proportions: it can an Irish PGA golf pro, top amateur, golf writer, or a local celebrity. And then use their quotes on social media and your other marketing materials. Who doesn't love a good testimonial. It makes people pay attention. 

Which, sadly, is why the world is so full of mindless ‘influencers’. 

Check out the North West Golf Club website here. They have new photographs and video to oggle at.

Royal Troon, the Open Championship 2024

I admit to being mystified by the horseshit I’ve read on X about the Open Championship at Royal Troon, after the first two days. 

Here are some samples… with their origins in brackets.

“Troon is different from other links on the Open rotation. It denies certain shots, and takes clubs out of the hands of players.” (USA)

 

“No one has the skill to play Troon, because Troon is a different style from most courses. US courses are meant to test but be fun. Troon is meant to be goofy golf and piss you off. It requires luck to card a good score. Two different philosophies” (USA)

 

“It's technically links golf, but hardly representative; few true links courses are as absurdly penal as Royal Troon. Links golf is a delightful, special golf experience, not the exhausting slog we're watching now.” (USA)

 

“Unpopular opinion : I can’t stand links style golf and don’t care if they ever play another tourney over there. I know - “history”. But it looks miserable and I play golf to have fun. Give me a parkland course in the blazing sun any day of the week.” (Unknown)

 

“Links golf is more of a game of chance and lucky/unlucky breaks than modern golf. Not sure why we celebrate it, just because it was how the game began. It’s as compelling as watching F1 drivers compete behind the wheel of a Model T.” (USA)

The drama unfolding at Royal Troon shows how challenging links golf CAN be when the wind gets up. Anyone who is watching this and is not engaged by seeing how the best male golfers in the world deal with the weather conditions and the challenges and idiosyncrasies of Royal Troon, don’t understand much about golf in its truest form. Most PGA venues (on any tour) favour accessible, playable courses where 20 under might not get you within a shout of the leaders. On links golf courses, in the conditions at Royal Troon, you could be 3 over and win by four (Padraig Harrington, Royal Birkdale 2008). But to single Royal Troon out as being different to other links courses is preposterous. The same elements apply and when it was last played here in 2016, Stenson won with a score of 20 under. Rough is thick, bunkers are deep, green surrounds are unpredictable but the fairways aren’t that buckled which means it’s vital to put your ball on them.

 

The weather has brought out the true nature of the links, that is all. It demands more of your game and the Professionals are being tested to their core. You only have to see a visiting golfer to an Irish or UK links pulling out their lob wedge, 30 yards from the green, to appreciate that their game lacks creative shot-making.

 

And yes, I know that some of these Pros (Scottie Scheffler for example) will play a links tournament only once a year so why would they waste their time practising links golf for one week. And the answer is because the Open is the most coveted prize in golf and if you are to be regarded as the best in the world you have to succeed on every surface in all types of conditions.

 

This Open Championship is the sort of leveller that golf needs and, I believe, ‘most’ golf fans want to see. We all know that links golf is challenging, even in benign conditions, and this week is proof that the best Professionals in the world don’t have all the answers.