- Sep 1, 2004
- 6,545
- 4,979
Imagine playing in 50mph winds! Imagine playing in heavy hailstone showers! Imagine nailing a driver off the deck 155 yards into the teeth of a gale! Are you nuts???
YIP!
I played in a tournament last week called the Great North Links Challenge, played over three spectacular links courses in Northern Ireland, Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Ballyliffin.
The event attracted ~300 golfers from all over. There was a team event and an individual event, both on a full handicap stableford basis. It was the best three scores each day from the four man team.
Our forth guy pulled out the night before it started, leaving it too late to get a replacement, so we were left with all three scores to count.
So on day one we played Royal Portrush. We played most of the round in light rain and wind. The rough was brutal. Our threeball lost a bunch of balls, and yet we only found one between us, despite tramping around all morning in the long grass. I amassed a respectable 30 points.
Day two was almost comical. The forecast was for 60mph winds and heavy showers. It was accurate! I was hitting 330 yard drives downwind and 170 yard drives into the teeth of it. After 9 I had 16 points. Most of the players had decided to call it a day. I looked at my playing partners and was waiting for the “I’m not playing on” response, but both said they’d be happy to carry on.
Well on the back nine it got brutal. I played a 500 yard par five in a gale and driving rain, where I nailed three drivers off the deck and a 6 iron chip and run from about 50 yards short of the green. 2 putts followed for possibly the best bogey I have ever scored. So I ended up with 26 points. One of my playing partners also scored a commendable 26 points and our third guy had 20 points, so a combined total of 72 points. Only three teams completed the round, and our team score was the highest, so we won the team prize for that day. £90 each!
Day three I knew I had a chance. The wind died to 20 mph, still testing. I played my best round this year to shoot a 76 and 38 points, the best score of the day. And our team scored a total of 98 points, winning the team prize again, despite only having three players. Another £90 each!!
And to top it off it turns out I won the overall individual prize. So many people didn’t complete on day 2 that it left those that did scrapping it out on day 3. My round was well timed. I think I get £100 for that effort.
So £280 coming my way for my efforts at Extreme Golf. A great and very memorable week. The secret? Keeping the ball low to the ground and some fantastic putting with Wirehair’s putter!
Here’s a couple of clips to appreciate the conditions. The first one was taken on the day I played, if you can understand the commentary it is pretty funny. The second clip was taken by US visitors playing Irish courses.
Ballyliffin Great North Links - YouTube
Golf in Northwest Ireland: rain, wind and caddies at Rosapenna Golf Links - YouTube
Any questions?
YIP!
I played in a tournament last week called the Great North Links Challenge, played over three spectacular links courses in Northern Ireland, Royal Portrush, Portstewart and Ballyliffin.
The event attracted ~300 golfers from all over. There was a team event and an individual event, both on a full handicap stableford basis. It was the best three scores each day from the four man team.
Our forth guy pulled out the night before it started, leaving it too late to get a replacement, so we were left with all three scores to count.
So on day one we played Royal Portrush. We played most of the round in light rain and wind. The rough was brutal. Our threeball lost a bunch of balls, and yet we only found one between us, despite tramping around all morning in the long grass. I amassed a respectable 30 points.
Day two was almost comical. The forecast was for 60mph winds and heavy showers. It was accurate! I was hitting 330 yard drives downwind and 170 yard drives into the teeth of it. After 9 I had 16 points. Most of the players had decided to call it a day. I looked at my playing partners and was waiting for the “I’m not playing on” response, but both said they’d be happy to carry on.
Well on the back nine it got brutal. I played a 500 yard par five in a gale and driving rain, where I nailed three drivers off the deck and a 6 iron chip and run from about 50 yards short of the green. 2 putts followed for possibly the best bogey I have ever scored. So I ended up with 26 points. One of my playing partners also scored a commendable 26 points and our third guy had 20 points, so a combined total of 72 points. Only three teams completed the round, and our team score was the highest, so we won the team prize for that day. £90 each!
Day three I knew I had a chance. The wind died to 20 mph, still testing. I played my best round this year to shoot a 76 and 38 points, the best score of the day. And our team scored a total of 98 points, winning the team prize again, despite only having three players. Another £90 each!!
And to top it off it turns out I won the overall individual prize. So many people didn’t complete on day 2 that it left those that did scrapping it out on day 3. My round was well timed. I think I get £100 for that effort.
So £280 coming my way for my efforts at Extreme Golf. A great and very memorable week. The secret? Keeping the ball low to the ground and some fantastic putting with Wirehair’s putter!
Here’s a couple of clips to appreciate the conditions. The first one was taken on the day I played, if you can understand the commentary it is pretty funny. The second clip was taken by US visitors playing Irish courses.
Ballyliffin Great North Links - YouTube
Golf in Northwest Ireland: rain, wind and caddies at Rosapenna Golf Links - YouTube
Any questions?
United States
