The 36th Ryder Cup will be played out on the Palmer or North Course at the K Club
Let’s hope the weather holds off and the teams get to play some decent golf. Here’s a brief overview of the course on which the two teams will do battle:
No. 1 (Bohereen Road) par 4, 418 yards – The fairway of this par 4 has extensive water along on the left and is protected by trees down the right. A powerful drive will give the player a great chance of an opening birdie. The green is well protected with a bunker to the right. For the big hitters there’s a water hazard cutting into the fairway just over three quaters of the way to the green.
No. 2 (The Tunnel) par 4, 413 yards – This hole is quite similar in style to the opening hole. A slight dogleg right that also offers a good birdie chance following an accurate drive and a short approach. There’s a bunker halfway down the left hand side of the fairway to give you something to think about. The green is very receptive but is guarded by a single but deep bunker on the left. A decent drive in the fairway would give you a short iron to a green so there could be a chance for a birdie here too.
No. 3 (The Island Beach) par 3, 170 yards – A challenging par three with a shallow hour-glass green protected by a lake and a bunker front and rear. Club selection can be tricky if the wind is blowing – which seems likely at this point. The green is divided by a ridge with putts on the right side breaking to the right and putts on the left breaking to the left.
No. 4 (Arnold’s Pick) par 5, 568 yards – This is Arnold Palmers favourite hole and is the first of the par fives. No 4 is an ‘S’-shaped or double dogleg hole with a fairway that bears left and then right before reaching the raised green which is protected by a well-bunkered hill and a very narrow entrance. The agressive driver can expect an eagle here.
No. 5 (Square Meadow) par 4, 440 yards – A challenging dogleg left which plays into a strong prevailing left-to-right wind. A draw down the left off the tee sets up a tricky approach into an elevated green which slopes away from the front and is not protected by any bunkers.
No. 6 (The Liffey Stream) par 4, 478 yards – Another tough par four where it’s all about the T shot if the green is to be reached in two. Water hazards protect the front of the green and can be difficult to clear with the approach if the tee shot ends up in the rough.
No. 7 (Michael’s Favourite) par 4, 430 yards – Dr. Smufit’s personal favourate and also the hardest hole on the course. A difficult par four which plays into the prevailing wind with trees lining the left and water on to the right. The green is protected by water on almost three sides. Par here is a good result.
No. 8 (Mayfly Corner) par 3, 173 yards – This hole is all about the wind, and the river. The water hugs the right edge of the hole all the way up to the green. With the windy conditions this will be a tough hole and the temptation to play it safe out left brings the long and winding bunker into play.
No. 9 (The Eye of the Needle) par 4, 461 yards – A long par four where a huge oak tree in the middle of the fairway needs to be avoided, making accuracy off the tee is paramount and the need to thread your ball through the proverbial gives this hole it’s name. The green, guarded by bunkers to the left and front right, is difficult to hold as it slopes away from the front.
No. 10 (Mick Holly) par 5, 584 yards – Named after a founding member of the K Club. This hole has a slight dogleg to the right where a big drive offers the chance of reaching a well-protected green tiered green in two. The narrow fairway is well defined between two rows of trees and the entrance to the green is protected by bunker and is very narrow.
No. 11 (Lily Pond) par 4, 415 yards – A sharp dogleg left and a green that is well protected by water on the left. A new tree has been installed to the left of the fairway, barring the big hitters from cutting off the dogleg. The approach can be difficult as the green slopes towards the water on the left. Note that winds make this hole very tricky.
No. 12 (The Domain) par 3, 182 yards – The easiest hole on the course, A par 3 where water lurks in front of a two-tiered green that slopes from right to left. Bunkers lie in wait to the right and back left.
No. 13 (Laurel Heaven) par 4, 428 yards – This par four, a pronounced dogleg left, requires a decent drive off the tee if the green is to be opened up for the approach. The green, which slopes to the right, has two bunkers on the left and water on the right.
No. 14 (Churchfields) par 3, 213 yards – This is the last of the 4 short holes and is relatively straightforward. The waterfall and creek are mainly decorative but the green has a deceptive slope from the front to the back and two deep bunkers in front and to the right.
No. 15 (Pheasant Run) par 4, 446 yards – This par four hole has a fairway that slopes slightly towards the water on the right and this demands accuracy off the tee. The approach is played uphill to a sloping green partially hidden by grassy mounds.
No. 16 (Inismor) par 5, 555 yards – An great double dogleg, which veers first to the right and then to the left. This is one of the great holes of this course and should see some exciting Ryder Cup action. There are new trees planted down the right side of the fairway which force the big hitters to favour the left off the tee. Any attempt to reach the contoured green in two must clear a leg of the River Liffey.
No. 17 (Half Moon) par 4, 424 yards – The River Liffey borders the lefthand side of the fairway and makes this par four bend gently to the left. The green slopes severely from right to left towards the water with a little mound just short of the green, with two bunkers positioned behind it.
No. 18 (The Hooker’s Graveyard) par 5, 537 yards – An exciting finishing hole for this Ryder Cup. The 18th is a dogleg to the right and plays uphill to a green which is protected by a large water harzard to the front and left. There’s also a cluster of bunkers to the right of the green which slopes right-to-left. This should be the stage for some great clashes as the competition unfolds.
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