Department of Occupational Hazards

The Irish Golf Desk provides news of damage to several links classics, notably County Sligo and Lahinch.  Ireland has been wracked in recent days by violent storms off the Atlantic, putting low-lying seaside courses in the cross hairs.  I'm actually surprised we don't get more of these type of stories, given how exposed many courses are.

The most extensive damage appears to have been at Sligo, better known as Rosses Point.  A first class links designed by the legendary Harry S. Colt.  Combining stern golf holes with sweeping panoramic views of the ocean and Benbulben Mountain.  It's not exactly a household name here in the States, but that's largely attributable to its location off the typical travel itineraries.

 According to the IGD:

There was extensive erosion at County Sligo Golf Club in Rosses Point, where the club lost 2.5m metres of dunes to the right of the famous 17th hole.  The club also confirmed that it lost "100m in length to a depth of 8m along the 14th and 15th."

The 17th hole is the most famous at Rosses Point, earning frequent citations on lists of the greatest golf holes on the island.  It's all you want in a Par 4, with a long, uphill second shot to a nestled in an attractive amphitheater.

The top photo shows the erosion on the right side of the 17th hole at Rosses Point.  My photo from behind the green taken in 2007.  The second shot plays more severely uphill than is apparent from the photo.

Reports from Lahinch are that the third tee was flooded, though no mention of the nearby second green.  Lahinch is one of my all-time top ten links, located in County Clare.  The original layout was by Old Tom Morris, but the course is most attributable to Dr. Alister MacKenzie, though before he achieved demi-God  status for his Cypress Point, Augusta National and Royal Melbourne designs.  One of the great things about Lahinch is that they and their professionals had the good sense to retain Klondyke and The Dell, two holes so whacky that only Old Tom could have conceived them.  They're so interesting that they may be worthy of a later post.

The Lahinch promenade is pummeled in a dramatic photo from the IGD, and in more tranquil times in 2007.

From the Irish Times:

"large concrete wall cappings were tossed over 50m across the main promenade car park. Signs buckled under the pressure of the storm surge, while large sections of metal fencing along the shore front collapsed... The Lahinch to Liscannor road was flooded as sea water reached up to 500m inland. The promenade carpark, which is home to several surf schools, was left under 1.5m of water."

This photo, taken from the bluffs South of the village, shows just how exposed it is.  The third tee is out of the frame to the right, hard by the Atlantic.

We'll keep our fingers crossed for these and other links exposed to the storms.  I've always been surprised that this doesn't occur more often.