Ardee Golf Club, County Louth

[Galway Stevie]

Although my quest to move across country has been postponed a bit due to crap developers meaning my new house will not be ready until August I had my second round at my new club today and thought I should really put a revue of the course up.

A very playable course which is in superb condition at the moment. It is in the process of upgrading some of the green but the course is fully open with another 2 holes due for upgrading over the winter. Plenty of elevation changes but no need to go mountaineering and good tree lined hole make for a very enjoyable walk

Hole 1 Par 4 353 yards
Gentle enough hole to start with a slight dogleg to the left. Big hitters will probably hit something to layup before the waste area/bunker that takes up most of the fairway form 260-300. The green has a few humps and for the most part feeds back to front and from roght to left. bunkers short and left and over the back

Hole 2 Par 3 179
Nice par 3 with a large bunker front left of the green. Trouble left and right make it a tricky par font pin is on a very small target with back pins requiring a shot over the bunker to a wider area

Hole 3 Par 4 403
A tight tree lined tee shot uphill where the green is tucked in on the left at the top of the hill with us mortals requiring a fairly long second shot. A bunker awaits shots short and right and also left whilst going further left leaves you looking for wildlife in the jungle.

Hole 4 Par 5 485
runs directly opposite to 3 downhill making this almost shorter than 3. A good drive will mean you can have a go in 2 but with a big slope just short of the green and it running away from you it's not really designed to take shots from long irons and woods. Simple enough par if you play safe.

Hole 5 Par 4 391
Quite a wide fairway with a tree in the middle of it around 310 off the tee an uphill second shot to a 2 tiered green  sloping from back to front. If the pin is on the front it is almost impossible to stop your putt at the hole. bunkers are short right and left.

Hole 6 Par 4 312
Tight downhill tee shot with a burn running across at around 40 yards short of the green. Bunkers short of the green to stop balls rolling too far back as the green is up on a plateau. I think the big hitter might go for the green and if short hope for the bunker. Sensible play is a 5 iron down the hill and a wedge in

Hole 7 Par 4 363
Similar tee shot to 5 but a 170 yard carry to the fairway over a river with large trees making a kind of shoot for the tee shot and right being in the trees. There is a bunker around 20 yards short and right side of the green and the green slopes back to front a right to left

Hole 8 Par 4 350
A choice of the tee with the river running across at around 210 yards off the tee on the slight left to right dogleg with OOB alll the way down the right if you try and cut too much off. The green here is 2 tiered and slopes from front to back with the lower their at the back meaning distance control is very important.

Hole 9 Par 3 191
A precise tee shot needed here down a shoot of trees with 2 bunker right and on left if the ball doesn't land on the thin opening. Green slopes from back to front with putts from past the hole needing a good bit of concentration to stop close to the hole.

Front 9 par 35 3027 yards
A good score on the front 9 seems to be the way to go as the back nine is tighter and more difficult. Food and drink available at halfway if required

Hole 10 Par 4 390
Tight tee shot to a fairway that is in a bit of a dip with shots right or left more then likely bounding off into the trees. A good tee short leave a shot into a green that runs away from you and there is a bunker short right and one long. one of the flatter greens on the course.

Hole 11 Par 4 338
Reasonably generous landing area but another tree in the middle of the fairway might mean it is better to layup to a distance. The green has a walled from where there used to be a pond but now the river hugs the left edge of the green. There is a bunker at the back if you go long and if you miss that a chip onto a green that slopes away from you awaits with a straight drop off the other side. one of the smaller greens but quite severely sloped in place.

12 Par 4 370
Teeing off from a tight shoot in the trees which there are a few occasions to a tight fairway with OOB left and a drain right. The green runs from back to front and a bit right to left with the correct tier being important with your approach. a bunker short left and midway right await shots not hitting the green.

13 Par 3 157 (can play 190 but that's just torture)
All carry over water to a green that is not very deep means a precise iron is needed here. The green runs from left to right and towards the pond and a green side bunker right of the green awaits longer but wide shots.

14 Par 5 541
A tight enough looking tee shot with more room on the right if you carry the pond requires a well thought second shot to leave a uphill 3rd shot to a green the slopes severely from back to front and is surrounded by trees of three bodies. A bunker lays in wait front left and back right for wayward shots.

15 Par 4 418
With the tee back in the trees a fade is a definite requirement on this hole as cutting the corner on this downhill par 4 is blocked by trees. Plenty of room left but a longer approach from the rough will be required there. Another green sloping from back to front and quite deep is guarded by a bunker right and left

16 Par 4 363
Generous tee shot uphill on this right to left dog leg. OOB runs all the way up the left with trees right from the top of the hill an approach to a slender green with a front left bunker and one on the right if you try and bounce a ball in from the right. Green has a severe drop off to the left running into trees and thick rough. The green runs downhill front back to front.

17 Par 4 410
A very tight tee shot with OOB all the way up the left of this slight dogleg right to left where you can't see the green until 300 yards along the hole. 2 good shots to this small green with a bunker short right and a large bush and 2 yards over the back of the green. Green slopes from left to right but only slightly on a green that only has a gentle slope.

18 Par 4 435
Another tight drive with OOB down the left and trees right. A slight draw is almost a requirement to use driver and there is a downslope around 260 yards that will shorten the hole if your ball runs down it. the green is uphill and fairly round with the first half running back to front and a shelf at the back that runs of if a bit long. Bunker front left and right. Tough old finishing hole.

The clubhouse has a well stocked pro shop, Reasonable locker rooms and the bar upstairs is nice and airy with nice views out over the course. The food is reasonably priced and very well prepared.

There is a grass practice range and a Chipping and putting green to get a bit of practice and a net at the first tee if you just want to loosen up before you go.

Lots of info on the website here https://www.ardeegolfclub.com