Hole 1
Si Na Firinne
Par 4
446 | 418 | 390 | 360 | 360 yards
The walk to the opening hole from the practice green is flower lined. As you step upon the first tee it feels a little strange, not a single ocean view to distract you. This hole is framed by mounding as shrubbery.
Our caddies Fargle and Owen prepare the tee for our opening shots.
The hole is a dogleg right. A longer hole that plays uphill the whole length. It also that offers a trio of bunkers to confound you off the tee. Two bunkers are right off the fairway and another is left across the fairway. A well placed drive just to the right of that left bunker will offer the best angle to the green.
Another shot of the hole shows the first line of bunkers, along with more further up near the green. Missing the fairway or primary rough will likely be cause for a lost ball in the thick bushes along the edge.
Glimpses of blue sky already on the first tee are a good sign for the weather we will have today. The day before the fog was so thick I can't imagine anyone got their rounds in.
One of our playing partners, John, had a bit of a problem off the tee. He found himself in some longer, but luckily wispy, grasses short of the fairway.
A shot showing the 2 right bunkers and the fairway running diagonal from the tees. Old Head employs a lot of aiming stones for proper lines. This holes aiming stone is seen here over the left bunker.
I hit a good drive and only had around 120 yards in from the left half of the fairway. THe green is elevated and is guarded on both sides by a pair of bunkers, along with an additional one behind the green.
This green is relatively flat but does have a small spine traversing its width, making the front half of the green slope forward and the back half slope away. The green is large at 35 yards deep and 24 yards across. Aside from the bunkers, there is a collection area to the left behind that trap.
My ball leaked left on my approach. I was pin high and luckily just missed the bunker. Of course my next shot I skulled my chip across the green. A follow-up good chip and one putt and I was in for bogey.
Turning back from behind the green you can see how the first hole rises from the tee. From this perspective you can get that first ocean view, something you will not be hard pressed to ignore for the rest of the round.
The walk to the second hole crosses the road. On the way to the tee you also walk passed some of the headland's history. The round ruin is a poorly positioned 18th century tower that fell into disrepair based on its location.
Next to the circular ruin is one of the oldest lighthouses in Ireland, a design that is unique to Irish lighthouses. This is a cottage house style which burned a coal fire on its roof. This one was built in the early 1600s.
Hole 2
The Gun Hole
Par 4
402 | 388 | 376 | 329 | 297 yards
While none would call the first hole ugly, it is perhaps pedestrian. Nothing special or particularly memorable will stick in your memory, except perhaps an exceptional score. That notion is quickly reversed over the next few holes. Here, the holes and the vistas they offer are the stars. I would say I am soon to forget my scores here, but will long remember how my jaw hung open at each subsequent tee box.
The second hole is so named because of more history. In 1778 a 90 gun English ship of the line sunk in the cove to the left below this hole. Her cannons are scattered along this side of Old Head and can still be seen at low tide.
From the tee box it is impossible not to think about the left. The best line is shown by the aiming stone again, which sits between the first set of bunkers.
As the hole turns to the left, another pair of bunkers flank the fairway short of the green. The green seems suspended out over the ocean here. From the tee this looks like a very daunting hole!
Fargle advised my Not to hit driver. After I hit nearly 300 on the first, he incorrectly assumed I was consistent or something. The elevated tee adds a little length on your shot and the bunkers are in reach, and even potentially is running through the fairway. He handed me my 3 wood which I proceeded to hit will, just short of the left bunker.
Lisa tees off on this gorgeous hole. What a view this is!
As you walk up the fairway you realize the landing area is pretty generous. As long as you can find the short grass and avoid the cliffs or the sand.
Our other partner, Matt, hooked his ball into the sea. For his second shot he had a heroic shot across the entire length of the cove to the green. This is one of the biggest knee-knocking shots you could have.
As we turned the corner on this hole to approach the green the wind was straight at us. The green is essentially unguarded by bunkers. There is one short left. T he biggest defenses on this hole come off the tee. Of course missing the green left is disaster.
A couple of shots from behind the green looking back up the hole.
Hole 3
Bream Rock
Par 3
163 | 160 | 146 | 138 | 111 yards
Though it looks like the second hole's green is suspended on the cliff edge, there is actually room behind it. You climb down after playing 2 to the tees on the first par 3 of the day.
This hole again is death to those you go left. Literally and figuratively. Another green perched on the edge of the world, there is room to miss right, but none to the left. The lateral stakes are essentially directly in front of you off this tee.
A small landing area short right is available and many balls hit to the front edge will collect here off the elevated putting surface. With the sunken teeing ground the winds can feel a lot lighter from the tee then they are once the ball is in the air.
A view of the lateral hazard to the left, all several million square miles of it.
A view as you approach the green shows the elevation compared to the collection area. The green also falls off along the right edge.
Lisa putting on this green which is canted diagonally from the tee for its length of 31 yards. Both she and I 2 putted. I made par and Lisa a bogey, after her tee shot found the collection area short.
I'm 2 over after 3.
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
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