‘While we have very little fault to find with the skeleton plan and general lay-out, many of the holes, indeed most of them, lack - as it were - a finishing touch ....... happily, the raw material is so good that everything faulty can be put right at a quite ridiculously small cost.........’.
Tom Simpson, Golden Age Golf Architect - from the introduction to his architectural report for committee regarding links improvements at Ballybunion Golf Club, dated September 1936.
Having spent the previous week sampling the delights of the new St. Patricks Links and Hanse Designs reimagining of Nairn & Portnoo, an opportunity arose to join @thecaddieguy for a spin around his beloved Ballybunion Old. Accommodation options were sparse on the ground therefore a day trip was what was required to make an 8am teetime.
A 3.45am alarm clock call always arrives too quickly and on the morning in question this proved to be the case. Rolling out of bed I must admit I was wondering if I was biting off more than absolutely necessary. The journey down was uneventful save for a quick stop in Listowel for some much needed sustenance to prepare myself for the first time challenge that lay ahead of me.
The Ballybunion GC property is one of the finest examples of big dune golf to be found anywhere on the island of Ireland. It could be argued that Carne GC in Mayo, Enniscrone in Co. Sligo or St.Patrick’s Links in Co. Donegal have more striking lunar landscape style with more natural blowouts and a wilder natural aesthetic, amplified by being that much farther from significant development. But that assessment is splitting hairs…it’s canvas is of equally epic proportions.
Prior to the advent of the internet and instagram many of the world’s more remote classic courses such as Cruden Bay, Royal Dornoch, Royal Portrush et. al were obscure secrets, all virtually unknown. In this sense, Ballybunion GC was no different, however, this would all change in 1981 when Tom Watson, arguably the leading golfer of the time, visited Ballybunion at the insistence of his good friend Sandy Tatum. Watson was so impressed that he told the world and the secret was out.
Interestingly I understand that circa 1980 life membership of the golf club could be purchased for in the region of IR£200.00. In 2022 monetary terms that equates to circa €1050.00 (adjusted for inflation via CPI), not a bad deal by all accounts and reflective of the lack of significant development of the Irish golf space at that juncture.
Incidentally the life membership drive undertaken during the early to mid eighties helped fund the extensive sea wall protection that guards the western-most barrier dune from daily attack by the unforgiving North Atlantic.
Restraint has been the watchword with regard to course development on the Old Course at Ballybunion, with the most significant flourishes and amendments stemming from a series of suggestions proposed by Tom Simpson and Molly Gourlay from a report that was issued after a 2 day visit to the club during September of 1936.
Simpson, an independently wealthy, cape and beret wearing aristocratic type, was renowned as a design maverick who didn’t like committees too much and felt that 90% of all member criticism was based upon what he determined was ‘Invincible Ignorance’.... it’s fair to say Mr. Simpson was no shrinking violet, however, he continues to touch the hearts of golfers through revisions carried out at Muirfield, Morfontaine (France), Chantilly (France), County Louth (Ireland), Royal Aberdeen, New Zealand (England) and here at Ballybunion in the Kingdom of Kerry, Ireland.
The golfers experience visiting Ballybunion is reminiscent of a classical suite of music written by Mozart, Handel or similar, starting quietly it builds to a number of coastal crescendos as the recurring melody brings us back to the sea with uncanny regularity.
Ballybunion is a mecca for big dune links junkies, the course expertly uses the ‘less’ interesting parts of the property over the course of the first six holes, with a fleeting dune induced interlude at the 2nd which acts as a prelude to the mountainous delights that await you from the 7th tee onward.
From this point of your round the course cascades through some of the wildest coastal landscape to be found on Ireland’s South Western seaboard. Ballybunion Old is not long by any modern measure and while it has a reputation for blind shots these are often optional as opposed to forced carries. While the coastal holes at the Old Course will receive the plaudits, and deservedly so, it is the run of holes from the 13th to the 16th that will keep me coming back to. This quartet gets to the core of what makes Ballybunion great, considered green locations, exhilarating visuals and variety in spades.
Credit must be extended to the course manager John Bambury and by extension to the membership at large. The greens team undertook a relatively recent project to relay all 18 greens, in an effort to eliminate the ingress of annual meadow grass into green swards which, prior to relaying, rendered many of the surfaces imperfect as the days growth progressed. They are now busily thinning out the rough to present a payable challenge where balls can be found, however the wayward golfer will need to ensure that they read their lie correctly to guard against any unexpected jumpers.
One ‘relative’ complaint (gasp, I’m clutching at straws tbf), is completely non golf related, and refers to a tangible element that you may take with you on your onward travels. I refer to the course guide, which could do with an upgrade to truly reflect the majesty of the site. Other than that, Ballybunion hits all of the notes that you would expect from a course consistently ranked among the very best in the world.
If you’re a regular, thanks for returning, if you’re a first timer welcome! Subscriptions below, like, retweet and recommend. The more the merrier! Previous posts can be found here, in case you’ve missed any.
Best
Shane
Ballybunnion GC is another gem just like your reviews. Keep them coming.