County Sligo GC, Ireland    

Why is Rosses Point a favorite course of so many people? It has clear weaknesses. The starting two holes and the finishing hole are mundane. Its three par fives in average weather conditions are easy birdie holes for the accomplished player. That's a third of the course that doesn't sound very inspiring.

The 18th: Mundane perhaps, but not without merit.

More so than any course with which the authors are familiar, Sligo's most vulnerable holes afford the golfer the most gorgeous views. From high atop the 2^nd green, the 3^rd tee, the 5^th tee, the 10^th tee, the entire 12^th hole, and the 18^th fairway, the views are simply stunning. Three hundred and sixty degree panoramic views take in Ben Bulben Mountain, the harbor that feeds out into the sea and the white sails of the boats.

The five holes listed above are indifferent golf holes. Nonetheless, they remain pleasing to the golfer. Thus when combining holes of strong visual appeal with holes of outstanding quality, the golfer is left with the distinct impression that he has played a magnificent course. Such is the case at Rosses Point.

The par threes and fours make the course. The three pars are of note in that, unusual for a links course, there isn't a weak one among them. Even though three of the four are between 150 and 165 yards, rare is the day when three distinctly different clubs and shots are not required. The 4^th hole has no bunkers; the 9^th is heavily bunkered; the 13^th crosses a sandy inlet and relies on the stream behind the green to worry the golfer; and the 16^th is a long hole that parallels the dune line. Only the 9th and the 13^th holes play in the same general direction.

Half the holes are in a bowl. Consequently, golfer is rewarded with more level stances than links courses typically afford. However, in lieu of a variety of stances over these holes, a stream winds around and through half of them, including the 5^th, 6^th, 7^th, 8^th, 13^th, and 14^th. The golfer encounters the stream every which way: off the tee on the right (6th hole), off the tee on the left (on the 14th hole), short and right of the green (on the 7th hole), and back right (on the 13th hole). The additional challenge of these streams is refreshing and compensates for the flatter terrain.

The two nines are unequal in terms of appeal and difficulty. As usual, the better nine is the one located closer to the sea, which in this case is the back nine. The stretch run home from eleven in is truly outstanding, and features a superb set of par fours as we see below:

Holes to Note:

4^th hole,165 yards: A neat bunkerless three par. The green is perched on a ledge. The shaved bank front and left of the green shrugs balls off and makes the recover a ticklish one if the golfer misses the flag on the short side. Because the turf is kept firm and tight, the resulting chip shot is ticklish as it must be nipped just right. If the ground around the green were maintained as rough, the hole would be easier, as the player could slip a sand wedge under the ball for a routine flop shot.

continued >>>

© Copyright GCA 1999 - 2000. All rights reserved.