Quote from: thewobbler on May 25, 2021, 11:37:22 PM
Agreed on Portrush. Best golf course I've ever stood on. RCD is a bit more of a theme park imho. It's an exceptional experience (conditioning, views, wow factor everywhere), but it's just too destructively penal with a few holes (9 and 15 spring to mind) that just don't offer a chance of happiness. The European is similar, especially after the 3rd or 4th hole. Portrush though: strike it well and play for the right part of the green and it's scoreable. Of course I didn't score well, but that wasn't the course's fault!
The amount of nonsense talked on this last page is laughable. Fact, Portrush only got the open because of political pressure and also unlike any other open venue the amount of public cash promised to the R&A was off the charts, IT WAS NOT BECUASE OF THE COURSE. Hence the R&A had to oversee lots of behind the door issues (politics and all)
Secondly RCD is head and shoulder above any other course in Ireland bar Portmarnock, of course Wobbler and others will have their favourites and they are entitled to that opinion. However lets talk turkey and cut the crap. RCD has issue that the R&A have issues with. It has hosted Walker cups etc but that is mainly down to player demand. After all its always in the top 10 course in most world charts etc Portrush is not. I know for a fact the R&A sent the Amateur championship to Portmarnock last year or year before as the R&A are actively pursuing Irelands best courses. At the same time they sent the girls open to RCD a senior R&A offical overseen both for specific reasons of compiling reports. Indeed read behind the lines Harrington now pretty well up in the R&A and was actively advocating for RCD and Portmarnock to be added to list ( keep an eye on this)
Portrush is the poorest of open venues in terms of course. But that doesn't make a difference arguably having played them all St Andrews is the easiest and Turnberry ( especially since trump came in) the hardest. Last thing on this, yes Covid has had an impact on the roster for the coming years but my information is that whilst Portrush has a contract with the R&A for 3/4 opens by 2040 there are a number of outstanding issues unresolved from its hosting a couple of years back. 2 that I have been informed off were player facilities and the secondly political issues at the Train station on the Saturday night following the Orange Order parade. Maybe if someone here put an FOI into Tourism NI they might get some feedback to this extend.
Moral of the story don't wet your pants over Portrush top 10 in Ireland yes, top five NO!! Worst course in open roster current Tick!!! Again Wobbler and Jim Stynes some of this is fact, some opinion, I not actively offsetting your views.