Golfing Old Head Part 4

Hole 7
Legal Eagle
Par 3

192 | 179 | 158 | 150 | 112 yards

After  completing 6 you cross the road to the northern coast of the peninsula to the par 3 7th.  This hole marks the first time the primary trouble on the hole is found on the right side.

A very demanding long tee shot, you must carry a valley between the green and the slightly elevated tees.  The valley is mostly filled with gnarly grasses though you may get lucky and find short grass where the walking paths are.

A look to the right off the tee offers a great view down the coast line towards Kinsale.

Another view of the hole showing the green below you and the trouble between the tees and the putting surface.

As if you need a reminder, signs are posted for you not to go further right than the lateral stakes.  Do so at your own mortal peril.  These are some of the highest sheer cliffs on the headland.

A view taken as you approach the green after leaving thew teeing ground.  The hole does offer room to bail left but if you do miss there, you will have a tricky chip onto a green that slopes away from you towards the cliff.

This green is pretty narrow, only around 15 yards.  It is about 30 yards deep and with swirling winds picking the right club to hit can be demanding.

Hole 8
God's Acre
Par 5

549 | 520 | 495 | 406 | 406 yards

The penultimate hole on the front is the second par 5 of the day.  A dogleg left, it is not advisable for you to aim left off the tee.  A gaggle of bunkers sit on the corner of the dogleg to capture anyone trying to be too cute.

This hole is framed on the right by gorse, and around the bend on the left is OB.  The best line here is just straight away at the bunker you see ahead across the fairway.

After your second shot the primary feature of the hole will be the trio of bunkers crossing the fairway.  Those bunkers are fairly close to the green, maybe 70 yards out?  They are there primarily to require you to decide on your second shot to play up short of them or take them on.

Another shot of the green sitting behind the sentry bunkers laying across the hole.

The hole slopes from right to left as you can see in this approach.  Missing the green left will find the bunker in that corner, short.  Missing right will find a patch of rough not far off the green.  If you miss just right, there is a bit of a collar there that will feed the ball back towards the hole.

This green is again fairly narrow (18 yards) but 40 yards deep.  Provided you miss the cross bunkers, running the ball up here is an option as the green is not elevated and there are no problems directly in front of the hole.

Behind this hole the ocean again comes into view, glittering into the sun that had broken out around this time in a splendid summer day.

Hole 9
The Dolman
Par 4

465 | 451 | 431 | 410 | 360 yards

The last hole on the front is the longest par 4 one the course. A dogleg left, again the hole sets up with a trio of trouble at the corner of the dogleg to discourage cutting off too much of the hole.  Across from those bunkers is another bunker should one try to play too safe.

From the rear tees it is a good 200 yards to this fairway.  From the forward tee that challenge is eliminated but you still must take on the line of bunkers that await off the tee.  Again the lighthouse starts to come into view as we wind into the interior most portion of the course.

The proper line is to take on the right most trap on the dogleg and play at the Neolithic looking maker on the hill across the fairway.

This fairway, with its pronounced mowed stripes, contrasted against the brilliant blue skies that had appeared before us made for a beautiful scene.

You can see here how large the fairway is.  As long as you can clear the 240 yards of the traps you will be hard pressed to miss this fairway landing area.

The approach in on your second shot will require you attention.  A pair of bunkers loom short on either side of the green.  The green is slightly elevated again from the fairway, repelling shots that might run up close on this long par 4.

The green has a bit of a false front and the slope in front compounds that feature.  I hit a good shot that landed just short and rolled all the way back off the green and down the slope.

Looking back down the hole shows the large oval green here and the fall of the hole back towards the tee.

At the turn you don't go back to the clubhouse.  There is a nice little station here to grab some refreshments if you want.  The 10th tee is just steps away though.

On the last 3 holes I shot three 5s.  I laid an egg on the par 3 7th and fought mightily to extract myself from the grasses short in the valley.  I did bounce back with a par on 8 but after my second rolled off the front of the green on 9, I failed to get up and down.  That left me with an opening 45.  Not the greatest score, but who cares!  This course is just so pretty and I was having too much fun to really give it a lot of thought.

Old Head Part 1
Old Head Part 2
Old Head Part 3
Old Head Part 4
Old Head Part 5
Old Head Part 6
Old Head Part 7