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2nd April 2010 10:10 PM
#1
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
4th at Royal County Down
Pup, you asked on Golfclubatlas why is the 4th at RCD so special. I can't post on there so here is my take!
Firstly, the view is both scary and exhilarating! The gorse around the 4th and the majestic mountains of Morne are an imposing backdrop. The hole plays 230 yards off the champs and 218 yards off the plates (normally into the breeze which can be very strong seeming the water is only 100 metres away!). There appears to be no bailout although there is an area approx 20 to 40 yards short that is trouble free. Around the long but narrow (I reckon max 16 metres wide) elevated green up are 9 bunkers (only half are visible from the tee!) and very challenging mounds. No bunkers are easy at RCD as they are deep and surrounded by thick grass. There is no regulation short game shot anywhere around this green! The green is also full subtle undulations and roles off on all sides!
To summarise, a long iron at best or a driver at worst to a small target surrounded by trouble. A slightly miss-directed tee shot requires a reload due ball lost in gorse or bush! A good player can be faced with extremely complicated short game shots which may result in ping-ponging across the green!
Par is a great score anytime! I made a 5 after hitting a 5 wood 3 yards left of the green! An all world Par 3 that is in the top 2 dozen holes in the UK. 6 at NSW is a snack compared to this one!
I played as well as I could to shot 76 that day. I believe RCD to be the best and hardest course I have ever played (and I have played all of the Open rota courses).
Regards,
Pete
p.s. do a google search on the course and you will find a good hole by hole guide.
Last edited by petethepilot; 2nd April 2010 at 11:09 PM.
Reason: adding stuff
Gamers
Ping G430 LST 9* Driver with CB55 stiff flex shaft
TM Stealth 2+ 3 wood with Crazy Boron 75g Stiff shaft
TM Stealth 2 Hybrid with Nemeses 90 M4 stiff shaft
Srixon ZX 5 (mk2) irons with Proj X LZ 5.5 shafts 4 to PW
Callaway MD5 Raw wedges
50/10 56/14 60/12
Lajosi Custum Flow Neck putter *Titty Pro V1X ball.
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2nd April 2010 10:15 PM
#2
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
Gamers
Ping G430 LST 9* Driver with CB55 stiff flex shaft
TM Stealth 2+ 3 wood with Crazy Boron 75g Stiff shaft
TM Stealth 2 Hybrid with Nemeses 90 M4 stiff shaft
Srixon ZX 5 (mk2) irons with Proj X LZ 5.5 shafts 4 to PW
Callaway MD5 Raw wedges
50/10 56/14 60/12
Lajosi Custum Flow Neck putter *Titty Pro V1X ball.
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2nd April 2010 10:36 PM
#3
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
Thanks for that PTP. RCD looks bloody beautiful, and the bunkering looks great. I'm not sure if they do or don't, but if they had some heather surrounding the bunkers like at SF, then that would take it to another level for me!
Is RCD a private course? I haven't heard of anyone being a member there before.
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2nd April 2010 10:37 PM
#4
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
I just saw that the "Stroke Index" is number 15. That's laughable.
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2nd April 2010 10:51 PM
#5
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
I guess they must do their ratings off the members tees.
Saying that, their 3 hardest rating holes are all very hard. 8th ranked 1 is a long hard narrow Par 4 into the prevailing breeze, 13th ranked 2 is my all time favourite (and best Par 4) and 3 is a very very challenging Par 4. There are no easy holes at RCD except for maybe the first!
regards,
Pete
Also the whiskered edges of the bunkers is the clubs trademark (a bit like Metro's shaved edged in melb)
Gamers
Ping G430 LST 9* Driver with CB55 stiff flex shaft
TM Stealth 2+ 3 wood with Crazy Boron 75g Stiff shaft
TM Stealth 2 Hybrid with Nemeses 90 M4 stiff shaft
Srixon ZX 5 (mk2) irons with Proj X LZ 5.5 shafts 4 to PW
Callaway MD5 Raw wedges
50/10 56/14 60/12
Lajosi Custum Flow Neck putter *Titty Pro V1X ball.
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2nd April 2010 10:59 PM
#6
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
Yes RCD is Private but 85% of the rounds are guest rounds. I played there as a club introduction (50 pounds instead of 175 pounds) due to my membership of Royal Canberra. I was told the club, RCD, makes 3,500,000 pounds in green fees alone each year! It ranks in the World Top 10 courses each ranking and generally the highest ranking UK course!
Pete
BTW, what course is SF? (Swinley Forrest?)
Last edited by petethepilot; 2nd April 2010 at 11:11 PM.
Gamers
Ping G430 LST 9* Driver with CB55 stiff flex shaft
TM Stealth 2+ 3 wood with Crazy Boron 75g Stiff shaft
TM Stealth 2 Hybrid with Nemeses 90 M4 stiff shaft
Srixon ZX 5 (mk2) irons with Proj X LZ 5.5 shafts 4 to PW
Callaway MD5 Raw wedges
50/10 56/14 60/12
Lajosi Custum Flow Neck putter *Titty Pro V1X ball.
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3rd April 2010 12:15 AM
#7
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
Yeah Swinley Forest.
3.5m is crazy!! And that's pounds!
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6th April 2010 07:48 PM
#8
Senior Member
Major Winner
Pup,
In my opinion, RCD is the best course I've played, anywhere. I just loved it.
Pete - why can't you post on GCA?
Moe Norman
Ping G30 9* | Wilson Staff Tour F5 15* | Ping G20 20** | Ping i3 Blades 3-PW | Ping Tour 54.12 & 60.08| Yes! Marilyn
"I had played so poorly recently, I started thinking that maybe I should do something else. Then I saw my friends going to work every day and realised that my life wasn't so bad." -Steve Pate
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6th April 2010 07:50 PM
#9
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
RCD looks amazing.
Probably because he isn't a member MN?
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6th April 2010 08:14 PM
#10
Senior Member
Major Winner
I mean, why doesn't he become a member...
Moe Norman
Ping G30 9* | Wilson Staff Tour F5 15* | Ping G20 20** | Ping i3 Blades 3-PW | Ping Tour 54.12 & 60.08| Yes! Marilyn
"I had played so poorly recently, I started thinking that maybe I should do something else. Then I saw my friends going to work every day and realised that my life wasn't so bad." -Steve Pate
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6th April 2010 11:29 PM
#11
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
I was a member 2 or 3 years ago but didn't post that much. Got dropped off due inactivity. They only keep 500 contributers at any one time (I think). Actually played with Ran Morrisset (the site creater and moderator) at Newcastle Golf Club a few times when he lived out here in the late 1990's.
Trivia question. Which town is RCD in ?
Newcastle!
pps I agree with you Moe, RCD is the finest and hardest course I have played (except 18 is a bit of a letdown although only when compared to the rest!).
Gamers
Ping G430 LST 9* Driver with CB55 stiff flex shaft
TM Stealth 2+ 3 wood with Crazy Boron 75g Stiff shaft
TM Stealth 2 Hybrid with Nemeses 90 M4 stiff shaft
Srixon ZX 5 (mk2) irons with Proj X LZ 5.5 shafts 4 to PW
Callaway MD5 Raw wedges
50/10 56/14 60/12
Lajosi Custum Flow Neck putter *Titty Pro V1X ball.
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7th April 2010 07:10 PM
#12
Senior Member
Major Winner
I wouldn't say its the hardest, but its my favourite course.
I love all the Irish tracks and have a strong fondness for RCD as I played quite a few times there when I lived in Ireland, as our club president in Cork was a member up there.
There are just so many great tracks over there, not just the coastal links like Portrush, RCD, Old Head, Waterville etc, but around Cork and Kerry etc, there are some lovely inland tracks like Monkstown, Bandon and even Gold Coast! (which is coastal, but not links)
Moe Norman
Ping G30 9* | Wilson Staff Tour F5 15* | Ping G20 20** | Ping i3 Blades 3-PW | Ping Tour 54.12 & 60.08| Yes! Marilyn
"I had played so poorly recently, I started thinking that maybe I should do something else. Then I saw my friends going to work every day and realised that my life wasn't so bad." -Steve Pate
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7th April 2010 08:06 PM
#13
Senior Member
Touring Pro (PGA)
Originally Posted by
Moe Norman
There are just so many great tracks over there, not just the coastal links like Portrush, RCD, Old Head, Waterville etc
Is Old Head a great course? Or just a course in a great location?
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7th April 2010 08:17 PM
#14
Senior Member
Major Winner
It's 'cool' to rubbish it in some circles, but its still a good track. I would happily play there regularly.
It was a short drive from Cork, and one I was happy to make several times, although I do admit I often went just to the clubhouse and didn't play golf!
Moe Norman
Ping G30 9* | Wilson Staff Tour F5 15* | Ping G20 20** | Ping i3 Blades 3-PW | Ping Tour 54.12 & 60.08| Yes! Marilyn
"I had played so poorly recently, I started thinking that maybe I should do something else. Then I saw my friends going to work every day and realised that my life wasn't so bad." -Steve Pate
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7th April 2010 08:49 PM
#15
Senior Member
Touring Pro (European Tour)
I enjoyed playing Ballyliffen and Portstewart (played with Jimoin's Dad!) but missed out on Portrush. Happy to play the rest of my days on any of them!
Pete
Gamers
Ping G430 LST 9* Driver with CB55 stiff flex shaft
TM Stealth 2+ 3 wood with Crazy Boron 75g Stiff shaft
TM Stealth 2 Hybrid with Nemeses 90 M4 stiff shaft
Srixon ZX 5 (mk2) irons with Proj X LZ 5.5 shafts 4 to PW
Callaway MD5 Raw wedges
50/10 56/14 60/12
Lajosi Custum Flow Neck putter *Titty Pro V1X ball.
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