May
14

Adare Golf Course Review

Posted under Course Reviews by SwingingKatz

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

The Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort is set into the beautiful Irish countryside which really explain why Ireland has the nickname of the Emerald Isle. The Adare club has been named as the host course for the European Tour Irish Open.

The course itself is lined with thick well matured trees with thick hungry rough that can cause even the most seasoned professional problems to not only get out of but also to locate their ball.

The greens on this course are have a great deal of contours that can leave even the best in trouble, expect difficult pin positions on this course with a greater accuracy needed on the approach to the green than a lesser course.

The first hole needs a good accurate drive to the left of the fairway, over to the right will see the second shot troubled by the trees around the green, too far to the left and your in the thick rough or the fairway bunker. There is a brook that runs in front of the green so the cleaner the view to the green the easier the hole becomes.

The second is another long par 4 which again requires an accurate drive but this time to the right side of the fairway. There has always been a reputation for strong winds gusting from the right on this hole. An accurate second shot with a mid iron will be needed to hit the green on this hole as the green is protected on the right by a large pine tree and on the front left is a deep bunker which if the pin position is close to the front can make life very difficult.

Moving onto the third and a level head is needed from the tee, attempting to go for distance over position will see you over to the right of the fairway and no clear view of the pin. Finding the fairway will leave you an uphill approach tp the green that drops away to the right.

After the initial holes all being par 4 we move on to the first par 3 of the course where hitting too far is not an option. The back of the green and over could find your ball plummeting to the bottom of the river.

A good tee shot is a must for the 5th water and a fairway bunker down the right of the fairway and deep rough on the left speak for themselves.Leave your tee shot short and you will end up with a massive task to climb the hill to the green for your second. The green is protected by bunkers on both sides and go a little too far to the right and you will end up dropping down a steep slope which will leave you struggling for par.

The sixth hole is a fantastic downhill par three that is surrounded by water and sand. Over the back will find you close to getting wet feet. The ideal place is on the right as the green has a big big break.

Onto the first par 5 of the course and for the shorter hitter is a task and a half. This dogleg right has water as its rough on the right of the fairway and green. The pro tip for this hole is “Left is right and right is out of the question!!” A very narrow entrance to a green that has a large hump in the middle that could prove a real challenge on the wrong side of.

A nice straight forward par 4 awaits on the 8th. One of the more open fairways and exposed greens on the course. The green is slightly elevated that can make this one club longer than you think.

To finish of the front nine is a very long but straight par 5. The perfect position here is down the right which gives you sight of the green hidden to the left. Be careful not to go over the back of the green as you will end up with a visit to the pet cemetery which is behind the green.

Off the tenth tee will see a nice straight drive that should be on the left side of the fairway as the green is well guarded by bunkers. A high second shot is required as any run off this narrow green will see either water or sand.

There are four regimental bunkers and a river waiting at the green of the par 3 eleventh where you will have to take on the mental challenge of going over the river before you can take on the challenging green.

Another long par 5 at the 12th this time up hill and with a double dogleg to the left. To get a good position from the tee you have to avoid the bunker on the left of the fairway. The bunkers on this hole have been positioned to catch you at every shot. Your second shot should be leaving you with around 120 yards to the pin where you need to get up and down to the middle of the green for a chance at a reasonable score.

You don’t get many choices with the par 4 thirteenth a slight dogleg to the right but the fairway is well lined with trees and the front of the green well guarded by bunkers. Once on the green there are some nice but subtle breaks that can catch out even the best.

Another dogleg to the left this time on the fourteenth a nice wide open fairway is waiting to accept your drive but be careful of going to far right. The green is protected by bunkers on either side of the fairway and water over the back.

Not often we say this but aiming at the bunker to the left of the green will allow you a easier shot into the fifteenth where straying to the right will be kissing goodbye to your ball as you are teeing off down the line of the tides. The green is one of the flatter on the course but watch out for the slope at the mouth.

If you hang between clubs on the sixteenth you will end up getting another ball from your bag. The short par three has a nice wide but short green to aim at with bunkers over the back for those who decide longer is the best bet. However a watery carry is going to be tough on some of the shorter hitters.

A nice straight forward tree lined fairway awaits on the seventeenth one of the more easier par 4 holes on the course although going long to the green could leave you with a very tricky recovery shot.

Guts for glory going down the last the hole is split by the river Maigue and to make it to the green in two you have to be close to the left side of the fairway and willing to take the gamble. This is one of the best par 5 finishing holes in golf!

A fantastic course with a lot of water and not for the faint of heart.