Glengarriff Golf Club, Co. Cork

Glengarriff Golf Club is a course close to my heart. It is the course I learned to play, where I fell in love with the game, and the one on which I started my golfing journey. After spending so much time on it in my younger days, it is a course I have only played a few times in the past 10 years due to being away so much. For today I play it from the point of view of someone who is playing it for the first time for the purpose of this article.

Below is my review of Glengarriff Golf Club.

The view from the short but deadly 5th hole showing Garnish Island in the bay
The view from the short but deadly 5th hole showing Garnish Island in the bay
In the lowest part of the course looking from the 6th green to the fairway
In the lowest part of the course looking from the 6th green to the fairway

Course layout (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆)

Glengarriff Golf Club is a nine hole course set among the ancient oak forests of the area. It is a short course, but very hilly. You will look at some of the yardages and think that all the greens are drivable, but after playing what you think is a perfect drive you still have about 50 yards to the green. The hills take a lot out of the distance of the drives. Playing your driver will leave you with some half iron shots or pitches to the par 4’s.

The course is quite hilly, the 7th is locally known as 'Coronary Hill' due to its slope
The course is quite hilly, the 7th is locally known as ‘Coronary Hill’ due to its slope

There are quite a few tight shots especially off the tees. Often you need to avoid OOB on one side and trouble like trees on the other. Accuracy is key when playing the course!

Tight shots with no room for error are abundant on the course such as the tee shot on the 4th
Tight shots with no room for error are abundant on the course such as the tee shot on the 4th

The greens are small and not easy to hit. Miss them on the same side as the pin is cut and you will have a tough time getting up and down. There are only a few bunkers on the course so sand shots should not be your problem here. Having no par 5’s and three par 3’s it is quite an unusual layout. The par 3’s are not long but still take a good shot to get on the greens.

Approach shots are short but tricky like shown on the 6th here
Approach shots are short but tricky like shown on the 6th here

Course condition (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆)

The course itself is in good condition. The fairways are nice to hit from and you can take a nice solid divot. Being used to Middle Eastern courses now it is nice to be able to feel the club moving smoothly through the ground instead of dry grass exploding in front of you after a shot!

Looking from the 8th green down along the 9th fairway you can see the course is in good condition
Looking from the 8th green down along the 9th fairway you can see the course is in good condition

The greens are cut well but when I played some had an issue with birds pecking at them. Hopefully this will be cured soon as the club was always known for the perfect condition of its greens. You will find some interesting slopes on some of them especially the 6th and 8th!

The greens are in quite good condition though some did have a bird problem which is in the process of being resolved
The greens are in quite good condition though some did have a bird problem which is in the process of being resolved
The 6th green slopes heavily from back to front and a downhill putt is not a good thing
The 6th green slopes heavily from back to front and a downhill putt is not a good thing

The rough can be dense and not easy to hit from. But finding your ball should not be a problem. Only on the 9th can it lead to a lost ball as this area can get very wet and a plugged ball is a common occurrence on this hole.

The tee boxes possibly could do with a little work as the grass may be a little long sometimes but this is not a major fault.

The bunkers, though few, are punishing but fair. If you go in them you can easily hit a splash shot out.

 

Facilities (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆☆)

The course has a clubhouse which also has a bar and a beautiful decking area looking out over the 1st and 9th fairways. The view out to the bay is lovely from here. Unfortunately there isn’t a restaurant available but the village of Glengarriff is only five minutes drive and if hungry there are restaurants available here.

Sitting on the outside decking you get a great view of the 1st and 9th fairways
Sitting on the outside decking you get a great view of the 1st and 9th fairways

The only practice facilities are a putting green and a hitting net. (Like many smaller courses in Ireland the extra land is not available for practice areas and most will only have a putting green).

The practice facilities consist of a putting green shown above and a hitting net
The practice facilities consist of a putting green shown above and a hitting net

Price (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟)

The cost for 18 holes in Glengarriff Golf Club is €15. This is a fair rate and you get will lots of enjoyment out of it. Especially on your back nine when you roughly know the layout of the course.

Setting & Course location (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟)

The course is located about five minutes drive from Glengarriff village and 15 minutes from Bantry town in West Cork.

Stunning views will greet you at the top of the course on the second green and will follow you all the way around the course. From the balcony in the clubhouse you will get a lovely view of the backdrop of the harbour and Garnish Island.

For the location on Google Maps please click here. 

Conclusion (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆)

Glengarriff Golf Club is a real test of your short game and your precision. You will be rewarded with good greenside play, and punished for being off line. It is a good challenge for all golfers. It is hard to know sometimes where to go on your first time playing it so you may enjoy it more on your back nine, especially when you come across some of the blind shots you need to play on the course.

In a few places there are blind shots like the tee shot on the 6th
In a few places there are blind shots like the tee shot on the 6th

One of the most endearing things about the course is the views you take in when you play. Looking out over the bay and at the surrounding areas is breath taking. It is something that I always took for granted but now coming back after so long it hit me again how beautiful it was.

When you get to the top of the course at the 2nd green take a moment to admire the view
When you get to the top of the course at the 2nd green take a moment to admire the view
The view back down the 7th fairway with the rhododendrons and oak forests
The view back down the 7th fairway with the rhododendrons and oak forests

Glengarriff Golf Club is one that I will always be proud of growing up on and thankful that I got to spend so much time on it.

Every year Glengarriff hosts the Maureen O'Hara Classic in memory of one of the previous honorary members
Every year Glengarriff hosts the Maureen O’Hara Classic in memory of one of the previous honorary members
The holes are named after Maureen O'Hara movies
The holes are named after Maureen O’Hara movies

Contact Details for Glengarriff Golf Club

Website: Click here
Telephone: +353 27 63150
Email: info@glengarriffgolfclub.com

Hole-by-Hole

All distances are from the back of the tee boxes. The yellows are for the front nine and the whites are for the back nine. Indexes are men’s indexes and are for front and back nine separated by a “/”.

Hole 1: Par 4, 296yds, index 11/12

The first tee is set back into the trees and it feels very tight on your opening tee shot. Because of the fairway sloping right to left your target is between the house in the distance and the cluster of small trees on the right. Beware the OOB left near the clubhouse. Also take care of people coming down the 9th fairway.

If you can get to the crest of the hill you can see the green for your approach. If not then you need to aim for the same house to hit the green. Being long or missing left and right leaves a tricky chip shot in.

The ideal line for the opening tee shot (A) is between the house and the cluster of trees on the right
The ideal line for the opening tee shot (A) is between the house and the cluster of trees on the right
Banks protect the edges of the green so try to get in between the points marked (B)
Banks protect the edges of the green so try to get in between the points marked (B)

Hole 2: Par 4, 291yds, index 15/16

Probably the safest tee shot on the course. Lots of room right here so stay away from the OOB left. The fairway starts sloping left to right on the crest of the hill. If you can get up here you have a short pitch to the green. A common miss on the tee shot is right which leaves you below the hill and a tough shot to the green.

The green is above you for your approach and being long is trouble. Left and right can be hard to get close to the pin depending on where it’s cut. Short is the best miss.

A wide fairway with OOB left, hitting to (A) allows the ball to come into the middle of the fairway
A wide fairway with OOB left, hitting to (A) allows the ball to come into the middle of the fairway
Missing the green can kick off one of the banks on the sides, try to hit between (B)
Missing the green can kick off one of the banks on the sides, try to hit between (B)

Hole 3: Par 3, 170yds, index 5/6

The first of the par 3’s on the course. Look and spot the pin from the top tee box. There is OOB left and right. Depending on the bounce you may get lucky if going right but don’t rely on it. Being long is either OOB or else leaves you with a very elevated chip shot out of deep rough where you can’t see the pin.

A blind tee shot from the bottom tees but don't be left or right as it's OOB
A blind tee shot from the bottom tees but don’t be left or right as it’s OOB

Hole 4: Par 4, 279yds, index 13/14

On paper a nice easy short hole, in reality a very tough hole. The tee shot is tight and with an internal OOB to the right and a valley on the left with heavy rough it’s vital to hit this fairway. The ideal shot is a long iron out to the stake in the fairway. Long hitters may go for it but it’s a risky shot. In front of you is also a valley so a topped or chunked tee shot is hard to find and play.

Once you find the fairway the approach shot needs to avoid three bunkers around the green. Being long may kick you down the hill leaving a long tough chip shot back.

With trouble left (D1) and right (D2) the safe line is (A). Aggressive hitters can take a risk at (C).
With trouble left (D1) and right (D2) the safe line is (A). Aggressive hitters can take a risk at (C).
Land your approach between (B) to stay on the green
Land your approach between (B) to stay on the green

Hole 5: Par 3, 128yds, index 17/18

A blind tee shot to this par 3 makes it a tough hole. Even though it’s short and downhill there is OOB left and going too far right will roll you down a steep hill leaving a very hard chip shot up to save par or bogey. Two bunkers protect the front of the green.

OOB left (D1) and danger of going down the hill right (E) make it important to hit between (B) on your tee shot
OOB left (D1) and danger of going down the hill right (E) make it important to hit between (B) on your tee shot

Hole 6: Par 4, 281yds, index 1/2

The 6th is the hardest hole to judge if playing the course for the first time. With a blind tee shot to the valley below getting your yardage right is hard to do. If you play it just over the hill you may get stuck in bracken and not roll all the way down. The ideal target is the centre of the hill which gives you some chance if short. There is OOB to the left and the trees can easily catch a ball going right leaving you no chance to hit the green with your next shot.

This hole is one which some people try to go over the trees to hit the green in one but it doesn’t always pay off as you can be left with less of a chance of par than if you had played down the middle especially if you end up above the green.

Once in the fairway it’s still not easy to hit this green. It slopes drastically from back to front and leaving the ball above the hole is not a good idea. If possible try to bring it in over the bunkers and let the slopes do the work of getting the ball close to the hole. Being long can bounce the ball into the heather and rough below the next tee box.

OOB left and trees right leave no choice but to hit for (A) on the tee shot
OOB left and trees right leave no choice but to hit for (A) on the tee shot
Due to the slopes on the green try to hit between (B) to leave the ball work to a good location
Due to the slopes on the green try to hit between (B) to leave the ball work to a good location

Hole 7: Par 4, 280yds, index 9/10

The 7th is a slight dog leg to the right and a long way uphill. Trees on the right are trouble, and a good miss is on the left towards the 9th fairway.

Big hitters can take a more aggressive line here to land the ball quite far up the hill and if lucky it will stay there. If this is the case the green is visible for the next shot which makes it easier. The risk here is pushing it right off the tee can easily lose it in the trees.

For everyone else the shot is to the base of the hill off the tee. It’s a blind shot for the next and you need to aim for the edges of the overhanging trees on the left to hit the centre of the green. Avoid the bunker short right.

Aggressive hitters can take a line to (C) but right of this is trouble. The safe line is (A)
Aggressive hitters can take a line to (C) but right of this is trouble. The safe line is (A)
A blind approach shot up the hill, aim for the overhanging branches at (A)
A blind approach shot up the hill, aim for the overhanging branches at (A)

Hole 8: Par 3, 159yds, index 3/4

This is another tough little par 3. Roughly the same distance as the 3rd but the elevation is above you which may mean a different club. The green slopes from left to right and being left of the green leaves a very difficult (if not impossible) chip down.

It’s quite hard to get the ball all the ways up to the green on the tee shot and a common miss is short which leaves a hard chip up to the green. Being right is the preferred miss as you are chipping up against the slope.

If possible stay below the pin on this hole but hit anywhere between (B) and walk away happy
If possible stay below the pin on this hole but hit anywhere between (B) and walk away happy

Hole 9: Par 4, 373yds, index 7/8

The final hole is the longest hole on the course but is all downhill. There is OOB on the left. If your tee shot is drifting right towards the rough keep a line on it as the ground can be soft here and plugged balls are common. Aggressive golfers can take a tight line to the corner hoping for a good run out to leave them close to the green. The ideal shot is down to the stake in the fairway.

The approach can be landed short if the ground is dry to run onto the green, or if brave play a high shot to land on the green. If short doing this the ball may kick off the bank in front and go over the green. Being long can put you in the bushes at the back if it goes too far.

Long hitters can try to take a lot off this hole to catch the slopes by aiming for (C) but the safe target is (A)
Long hitters can try to take a lot off this hole to catch the slopes by aiming for (C) but the safe target is (A)
Hit your approach between (B) and relax on your final green
Hit your approach between (B) and relax on your final green

 

For other courses in Ireland please click here! 

For information about Ireland please click here.

To see how I played the course please check my YouTube videos.